The drug triazavirin, developed by the researchers of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Chemical Engineering of Ural Federal University, has proved to be an effective remedy against tick-borne viral encephalitis (TBE). Clinical trials conducted by Krasnoyarsk State Medical University led to this conclusion. The results are published...
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What is RNA?
DNA vs. RNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a complex molecule that is primarily found within the nucleus of cells. DNA is present within all living organisms and contains the genetic instructions required for the development and maintenance of life. The structure of DNA versus RNA. ShadeDesign | Shutterstock The nucleic acid of DNA is deoxyribose,...
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How to talk to anti-vaxxers
When Rachel Alter started off as a graduate student, she expected to investigate epidemics, bioterrorism and disease eradication. But her focus started to shift after she began chatting with anti-vaxxers—people opposed to vaccination—on Facebook. Now, as a research assistant at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia’s Earth Institute, she wants to find ways...
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Selfies to self-diagnosis: Algorithm ‘amps up’ smartphones to diagnose disease
Accessible, connected, and computationally powerful, smartphones aren’t just for “selfies” anymore. They have emerged as powerful evaluation tools capable of diagnosing medical conditions in point-of-care settings. Smartphones also are a viable solution for health care in the developing world because they allow untrained users to collect and transmit data to medical professionals. IMAGE: IMAGES OF...
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New diagnostic technique reveals a protein biomarker that accurately differentiates bladder cancer from benign inflammation
Philadelphia, PA, February 12, 2019 – Label-free digital pathology using infrared (IR) imaging with subsequent proteomic analysis for bladder cancer (BC) has revealed the first protein biomarker (AHNAK2) for BC. AHNAK2 differentiates between chronic cystitis (inflammation of the bladder) and a non-muscle invasive-type BC (carcinoma in situ) which is challenging to diagnose. A report in...
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GPs and pharmacists don’t have time to involve patients in medication reviews
GPs and pharmacists struggle to find the time to involve patients in medication reviews, despite National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance advising them to do so, according to a study by researchers at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Medication reviews are important for patients...
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Heart health messages for women may backfire, say U of A researchers
Messages meant to empower women with heart disease to live a healthier lifestyle may have the opposite effect, according to University of Alberta research. Folio “Women are told they need to exercise more, they need to lose weight, they need to be social and all these heart-healthy activities, but we found that these messages made...
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Top Smart Algorithms In Healthcare
As artificial intelligence tools have been invading more or less every area of healthcare, we made a list to keep track of the top A.I. algorithms aiming for better diagnostics, more sophisticated patient care or further sighted predictions of diseases. The Medical Futurist Does A.I. beat doctors? Only if you have lived under a rock...
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Depression drug related to ketamine wins endorsement of key advisory panel
An experimental medication for depression related to the hallucinogenic street drug ketamine won a crucial endorsement from an independent advisory committee convened by the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday. In a 14-to-2 vote, the panel said the benefits of the Johnson & Johnson drug, known as esketamine, outweigh the risks. The vote brings...
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New machine learning method could spare some women from unnecessary breast surgery
Saeed Hassanpour, PhD, found a machine learning method to predict the likelihood that a high-risk ADH breast lesion is cancerous. The approach can identify 98% of all malignant cases prior to surgery while sparing 16% of women from undergoing an unnecessary operation for a benign lesion. Once confirmed in larger studies, such models can be...