New stem cell transplantation method may halt multiple sclerosis symptoms long-term, but therapy comes with high risks
A new use of chemotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) has fully halted clinical relapses and development of new brain lesions in 23 of 24 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) for a prolonged period without the need for ongoing medication, according to…
Suicide prevention strategies revisited: a 10-year systematic review
A major international review of suicide prevention has confirmed that some methods do work in reducing suicides, whereas others currently in use still have little proven effectiveness.Worldwide, there are more than 800,000 suicides every year, although for every successful suicide there are around 30 attempts….
Most antidepressant drugs ineffective for children and teens, according to study
Most available antidepressants are ineffective, and some may be unsafe, for children and teenagers with major depression, according to the most comprehensive comparison of commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs so far, published in The Lancet.The findings indicate that out of 14 antidepressant drugs, only fluoxetine was…
Use of glucocorticoids is associated with increased risk of serious bacterial blood infection
The risk of life-threatening blood infections by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria is more than doubled in users of systemic glucocorticoids compared with non-users. The risk escalates with increasing dose, according to a new Danish population-based case-control study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.S. aureus is a bacterium…
Aspirin may increase survival after colon cancer
It is well known that Aspirin, has analgesic and fever-reducing properties. However, this drug may also increase the likelihood of surviving colon cancer.Kjetil Taskén, professor at the Faculty of Medicine, is one of the authors of a study that has investigated the association between the…
Sleep disorders may predict heart events after angioplasty
People who have had procedures to open blocked heart arteries after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may have a higher risk of death, heart failure, heart attack and stroke if they have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, compared to those who don’t. The presence of…
Aircraft noise associated with hypertension and organ damage
Participants lived near an airport for three years or more Long term exposure to aircraft noise is associated with hypertension and organ damage, reveals research presented at the EuroPRevent 2016 meeting by Marta Rojek, a researcher at Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow, Poland.1“The volume…
Eating more whole grains linked with lower risk of death
Eating at least three servings of whole grains every day could lower your risk of death, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation.Although dietary guidelines around the world have included whole grains as an essential component of healthy eating patterns, people…
The Scapigliatura – The giant dwarfs. the kindred arts, madness outside of the madhouse
Prof. Francesco Carelli – University Milan, Rome In his novel “La Scapigliatura”, Cletto Arrighi describes a new social class, “ the century’s true pandemonium , personification of madness outside of the madhouse; reservoir of disorder, recklessness, the spirit of rebellion and opposition to all established …
Living near a landfill could damage your health
According to research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, health is at risk for those who live within five kilometres of a landfill site.Researchers in Italy evaluated the potential health effects of living near nine different landfills in the Lazio region, and therefore being…
Aspirin should be given immediately after a minor stroke
New evidence suggests the short-term benefits of aspirin straight after a minor stroke have been underestimatedAspirin is already recommended to prevent further cardiovascular disease (CVD) events after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or ischaemic stroke based on clinical trials that show a 13% long-term reduction…
Antihypertensive Effect of Fermented Milk Products Under the Microscope
Potential health benefits of functional foods based on new lactic acid bacteria offer opportunities for food developers, report investigators in the Journal of Dairy Science®Over the past decade, interest has been rising in fermented dairy foods that promote health and could potentially prevent diseases such…