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MRI :: HYPER-CEST MRI breaks new ground in molecular imaging

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of California at Berkeley have developed a new technique for Magnetic Resonance Imaging that allows detection of signals from molecules present at 10,000 times lower concentrations than conventional MRI techniques. Called HYPER-CEST, this technique could become a valuable tool for medical diagnosis, including the early detection of cancer.

Pregnancy :: Medical induction of labor increases risk of amniotic-fluid embollism

A Canadian population-based cohort study has revealed that medical induction of labour increases the risk of amniotic-fluid embolism. The study was led by Dr. Michael Kramer, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Senior Investigator from McGill University, and will be published in the October 21st issue of The Lancet.

Infertility :: IVF mothers might be better off with a single embryo transfer, U.K. fertility experts

U.K. fertility experts issued recommendations on Wednesday to reduce the rising number of twin births in cases of in-vitro fertilization, including the transfer of only one embryo into the womb. In a report presented to the nation’s fertility watchdog, the panel of experts said research has shown that limiting the number of embryos transferred can reduce the number of twins born through in-vitro fertilization without changing the overall success rate.

Infertility :: Stress may affect in vitro fertilization, IVF outcome

The way women deal with the stress of infertility treatment may affect their chances of becoming pregnant, a new study suggests. In particular, researchers found, women who tended to focus on and share their feelings were less likely to become pregnant than women who found other ways to cope with their stress – such as finding ways to “distract” themselves from their emotions. The findings, published in the journal Fertility & Sterility, are based on pregnancy rates among 342 women who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) at a single fertility clinic in Greece.

Hypertension :: Positive emotions linked to lower blood pressure

Having a positive outlook makes life more enjoyable, and it may also lower blood pressure in older adults. Among more than 2,500 people aged 65 or older, the higher a person scored on a questionnaire measuring positive emotions, the lower was his or her blood pressure. “Our thoughts and emotions do affect our physical processes,” Dr. Glenn V. Ostir of the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, the study’s lead author, told. “The nice thing is that we have some control over that.”

Aging :: DHEA not an anti-aging compound for elderly adults

Taking supplements of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone, better known as DHEA, does not improve body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, or quality of life in elderly adults, according to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine. The new findings strongly contradict advertisements promoting these supplements as anti-aging compounds, lead author Dr. K. Sreekumaran Nair, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues conclude.

Diabetes :: Benefits of Actos – pioglitazone for type 2 diabetes unclear

According to a review of clinical trials, benefits of pioglitazone for type 2 diabetes is unclear. Marketed by Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly & Co. as Actos, pioglitazone belongs to a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones that work by increasing the body’s sensitivity to insulin, to better control patients’ blood sugar. It is used alone or in combination with other drugs if diabetes can’t be controlled by diet and exercise.

Success :: Blueprint for Success – Defining Your Goals

Goal means what your aim to reach in the future. In your life establishing goals has a positive impact. A goal is a specific, assessable result that you want to generate at a determinable time in the future. But if what you hope to achieve in life is based on your expectations, rather than on working to reach established goals. Your goals are the stepping-stones toward the understanding of your dreams, the second key element in the blueprint of your life.

Skin Cancer :: New technique to diagnose skin cancer spread – photoacoustic detection

In the future doctors may be able to detect the spread of cancer by simply listen for it, researchers reported on Tuesday. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia said they used a technique called photoacoustic detection to pick up the characteristic vibrations of melanoma cells in the blood.

Osteoporosis :: Bone research strengthened in lead up to World Osteoporosis Day

As many as 100,000 Australians could be carrying a genetic mutation that predisposes them to low bone density and a higher risk of bone fractures.