Archives

Treatment with ibuprofen is associated with a significantly slower rate of decline in lung function in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis, according to a new study. The study concluded that the benefits of ibuprofen therapy outweigh the small risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.

A series of genes that protect cells from the powerful, common chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin has been identified by researchers working to understand how the drug also can destroy the heart.

People with a severe type of migraine in which one side of the body becomes weak should consider genetic testing, according to research that has found familial genes for this type of migraine in people who did not have family members experiencing the problem. Screening for familial genes in people with this type of sporadic migraine may also help to enable counseling and prevent unnecessary treatment with potentially harmful drugs.

Honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative than over the counter children's cough medicines. A single dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime provided the greatest relief from cough and sleep difficulty compared with no treatment and an over-the-counter cough medicine in children with upper respiratory tract infections, according to a new article.

A new study points to yet another reason for people to remain physically active as they age: A link between moderate exercise and decreased inflammation of damaged skin tissue.

Exposure to lead can hinder the brain's ability to recover from injury, a recent study shows. Researchers compared the ability to recover from a brain injury in two groups of young rats. One group was fed a diet supplemented with lead, while the other had a normal diet. Each rat was then given a small stroke that affected a hind limb. The lead-exposed animals recovered much more poorly after a brief period of time.

Males who have a twin sister appear more likely to develop the eating disorder anorexia nervosa than other males, including those with a twin brother. This finding supports the hypothesis that exposure to female sex hormones in the womb may be related to the risk for anorexia nervosa.

Scientists have identified nine genetic markers that can increase a person's risk for schizophrenia. The research team uncovered original evidence that this disabling brain disease can be inherited in a recessive manner. A recessive trait is one that is inherited from both parents.

Scientists were able to differentiate metastatic cancer cells from normal cells in patient samples using leading-edge nanotechnology that measures the softness of the cells. The study represents one of the first times researchers have been able to take living cells from cancer patients and apply nanotechnology to analyze them and determine which were cancerous and which were not. The nano science measurements may provide a potential new method for detecting cancer, especially in cells from body cavity fluids where diagnosis using current methods is typically very challenging.

Immediate relatives (brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter) of people who have Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders, according to a new study. The risk is particularly increased in families of patients who develop Parkinson's disease before age 75.