Research just published in the journal Antibiotics shows that a range of essential oils can effectively kill persistent forms of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi), which is transmitted to humans by ticks. In the United States, Lyme disease is the most prevalent tick-borne infectious disease,...
Year: <span>2018</span>
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PTSD common among those who suffer tear in the aorta’s wall
An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition in which a tear in the wall of the aorta—the major artery carrying blood out of the heart—allows blood to rush between the wall’s layers. Most people who have one say they feel a sudden ripping or stabbing chest pain that sometimes spreads to the back. It is...
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Fasting for lab tests isn’t good for patients with diabetes
Fasting before getting your blood drawn for cholesterol tests is common practice, but new research from Michigan State University shows it is a contributing factor of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in patients who take diabetes medications. The study, published in the International Journal of Endocrinology, shows that people with diabetes are more likely to...
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Sex-specific effects of DHEA on bone mineral density and body composition
Among older women, the naturally occurring hormone DHEA may preserve bone and muscle mass when compared with placebo, study suggests UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS AURORA, Colo. (Dec. 4, 2018) – Women 55 and older have an increased risk of bone and muscle loss but therapy with the hormone Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may help prevent bone loss and increase...
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Pharmacogenomics: The Science of Personalizing Drugs Based On DNA
Individuals share about 99.97 percent of their DNA and only the remaining 0.03 percent is responsible for the differences in skin, hair or eye color, height, shoe size or sunspots. Scientists discovered somewhat recently that our bodies also metabolize drugs differently so it would make sense to prescribe medications based on the knowledge hidden in...
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No bleeding required: Anemia detection via smartphone
Biomedical engineers have developed a smartphone app for the non-invasive detection of anemia. Instead of a blood test, the app uses photos of someone’s fingernails taken on a smartphone to accurately measure how much hemoglobin is in their blood. The results are scheduled for publication in Nature Communications. Fingernail beds are ideal for detection of anemia because they don’t contain melanin. Credit: From Mannino et al Nature Communications 2018...
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Gold dust could replace pills for adult acne, dermatologists claim
Nearly 80 per cent of people experience acne at some point, according to NHS 5 per cent of women and 1 per cent of men over 25 have ongoing acne problems But new treatment infused with lasers could help to shrink oil-producing glands Gold dust skin therapy sounds like the kind of gimmicky, glittery face masks favoured by celebrities such as...
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Study links vitamin D-deficient older adults with greater risk of developing depression
A new study by researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin has shown for the first time in Ireland that a deficiency in vitamin D was associated with a substantial increased risk of depression (+75%) over a four-year follow up period. The findings form part of the largest representative study of its kind and have just been published in the prestigious journal, The...
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FDA warns of rare stroke risk with MS drug
Most patients with these problems—which can lead to permanent disability and death—developed symptoms within a day of receiving an initial infusion of Lemtrada, the agency said. In one patient, symptoms occurred three days after receiving the drug. (HealthDay)—A new warning has been added to the multiple sclerosis drug Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) after rare reports of patients suffering strokes and tears...
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World’s smallest wearable device warns of UV exposure, enables precision phototherapy
The world’s smallest wearable, battery-free device has been developed by Northwestern Medicine and Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering scientists to measure exposure to light across multiple wavelengths, from the ultra violet (UV), to visible and even infrared parts of the solar spectrum. It can record up to three separate wavelengths of light at one time....