For children born with Saul-Wilson syndrome, and their parents, much of their lives are spent searching for answers. First defined in 1990, only 14 cases are known worldwide. And the cause of the syndrome—characterized by short stature, microcephaly (small head), hearing loss and early developmental delays—remained unknown. Today, these individuals have answers. “This is the […]
Flushed skin: Causes and when to see a doctor
Flushed skin occurs when the hundreds of tiny blood vessels just beneath the skin dilate, or widen. When these blood vessels expand, they rapidly fill with more blood, which can make the skin appear red or pink. This effect is more noticeable in regions of the body where the blood vessels are closest to the […]
Heading a soccer ball found to be riskier for female players
(HealthDay)—Female soccer players exhibit more widespread evidence of microstructural white matter alteration than males, despite having similar exposure to heading, according to a study recently published in Radiology. Todd G. Rubin, from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y., and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study involving 98 individuals enrolled in a larger prospective […]
Scientists discover a way to diagnose types of fear of falling in Parkinson’s patients
Parkinson’s disease, a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement, causes one of the highest risks of falling among all neurological conditions. Due to this, many patients develop a fear of falling (FOF), even if they have never fallen. For some the fear can be excessive. Patients become prisoners in their own homes, scared to […]
A protein called vaccinia-related kinase 1 may help cancer establish itself in new areas of the body during metastasis
Sometimes negative results can point researchers in the right direction. In results published in PLOS ONE on September 4, 2018, scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) examined a protein called vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) that they hypothesized was important for metastasis. They found that, rather than causing cancer cells to migrate and […]
New research heralds a blood test for drowsy driving
During this unique study from the Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey, led by Professor Derk-Jan Dijk, 36 participants skipped one night of sleep. During this 40-hour period of sleep deprivation, blood samples were taken and changes in the expression levels of thousands of genes were measured. A machine learning algorithm identified a […]
‘Fitcations’ Are a Great Way to Shape Up
FRIDAY, Sept. 21, 2018 — From a three-day bike race to raise awareness of a charitable cause, to adventure travel abroad, you can take exercise to a brand new level on a fitness trip. With no shortage of “fitcation” options available any time of year, start with some research, either by destination or by the […]
Travelling with a baby: Meet blogger Deenaz Raisinghani, the Backpacking Mama
Having a baby didn’t stop Jaipur-based blogger Deenaz Raisinghani from making travel plans. In fact, the mom to a three-year-old has travelled to nine countries with the baby, as a family and even solo. The Backpacking Mama tells us why she recommends that every parent follow her lead! When were you first bit by the […]
Searching for a diagnosis: How scientists are untangling the mystery of developmental disorders
Evie Walker sits on Alison’s lap, playing a game she never grows tired of: turning her mum’s hand over and over, stroking and examining it. When she takes a break and looks around, it is with the open-mouthed look of curiosity and awe that you see in many infants. Evie’s vocabulary currently consists of a […]
New evidence of a preventative therapy for gout
Among patients with cardiovascular disease, it’s a common complaint: a sudden, piercing pain, stiffness or tenderness in a joint that lasts for days at a time with all signs pointing to a gout attack. Gout and cardiovascular disease (CVD) appear to be intimately linked—they are frequently seen together although the underlying connection between the two […]