Cataract, a clouding of the lens resulting in a partial loss of vision, is very common in older people. Results from a new study show that lifetime lead exposure may increase the risk of developing cataracts. Researchers found that men with high levels of lead in the tibia, the larger of the two leg bones below the knee, had a 2.5-fold increased risk for cataract, the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment.
Cold weather enthusiasts may eagerly await the snowy days of winter, but for those with seasonal affective disorder, the change from sunny to gloomy days often brings on a similar change in mood.
Using ultrasound in combination with the drug t-PA can improve response to an ischemic stroke, according to a study involving 126 patients. This first-of-its-kind human trial compared the safety and efficacy of ultrasound and t-PA versus use of t-PA alone. The trial was funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The finding appears in the November 18, 2004, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers have identified a protein in the brain that halts the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in human brain tissue. The protein, known as “transthyretin,” protects brain cells from gradual deterioration by blocking another toxic protein that contributes to the disease process.
Scientists said they have developed a computer program that can predict whether women have a high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. By using detailed family history, the program called BOADICEA selects women who are most susceptible to the illness and would benefit from further screening or treatment.
Based on an improved understanding of bacteriophages – viruses that infect bacteria – scientists reporting in the Sept. 23 issue of the journal “Nature” believe they have discovered a potential new way to control drug-resistant bacteria, an increasingly worrisome public health problem.
A new study suggests that eating more vegetables, fruit and protein before pregnancy may lower the risk of having a child who develops leukemia, the most common childhood cancer in the United States.
Children who live in polluted communities are five times more likely to have clinically low lung function — less than 80 percent of the lung function expected for their age. New data from the Children’s Health Study suggests that pollutants from vehicle emissions and fossil fuels hinder lung development and limit breathing capacity for a lifetime.
The tiniest blood vessels of the eye can provide a glimpse that may warn of future high blood pressure, Australian researchers report.
More than 37 million Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis, making it the most common chronic condition in the country. Millions more suffer from nasal allergies that can lead to sinusitis. If left untreated, it can lead to headaches, blood infections, meningitis, and neurological disorders.