Health News

Abnormal vision in childhood can affect brain functions

A research team has discovered that abnormal vision in childhood can affect the development of higher-level brain areas responsible for things such as attention. The researchers from the University of Waterloo, University of British Columbia, and the University of Auckland uncovered differences in how the brain processes visual information in patients with various types of […]

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Gout drug may protect against chronic kidney disease

The drug allopurinol used to manage gout may offer protection against the development of kidney disease, according to a new study. Traditionally there has been concern from physicians that this medication may increase risk of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), despite a lack of clear data supporting this relationship. As such, many patients find themselves undertreated, […]

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Glow-in-the-dark paper as a rapid test for infectious diseases

Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology (The Netherlands) and Keio University (Japan) present a practicable and reliable way to test for infectious diseases: All you need are a special glowing paper strip, a drop of blood and a digital camera, as they write in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. Not only does this make the […]

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Doctors issue caution over missed cancer diagnoses tied to immune disorder: Study shows HLH diagnosis may obscure underlying malignancies

Physicians who specialize in a devastating and aggressive immune disorder called hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) report in a new study that extra care should be taken to ensure an HLH diagnosis doesn’t obscure possible underlying cancers. Because HLH is dangerously aggressive in its progression and attack on vital organs — often causing death — doctors frequently […]

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Strategic plan to address tuberculosis research

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious cause of death worldwide, killing roughly 1.6 million people in 2017. In the past 200 years, TB claimed the lives of more than one billion people — more deaths than from malaria, influenza, smallpox, HIV/AIDS, cholera and plague combined. Recently, the global health community has strengthened its efforts and […]

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It’s not just for kids — even adults appear to benefit from a regular bedtime: Adults with varied sleep-wake times weigh more, have higher blood sugar, risk of disease

Sufficient sleep has been proven to help keep the body healthy and the mind sharp. But it’s not just an issue of logging at least seven hours of Z’s. A new study on sleep patterns suggests that a regular bedtime and wake time are just as important for heart and metabolic health among older adults. […]

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Strategies to protect bone health in hematologic stem cell transplant recipients

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the treatment of choice for many patients with malignant and non-malignant hematological diseases, such as leukemia and multiple myeloma. The success of recent advances in such transplantation techniques and supportive care measures, has led to greater numbers of long-term HSCT survivors. Consequently, an increasing patient population is impacted by […]

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First gut bacteria may have lasting effect on ability to fight chronic diseases: Discovery could eventually allow doctors to establish beneficial gut bacteria in infants right after birth

New research showing that the first bacteria introduced into the gut have a lasting impact may one day allow science to adjust microbiomes — the one-of-a-kind microbial communities that live in our gastrointestinal tracts — to help ward off serious chronic diseases. Findings by U of A microbial ecologist Jens Walter and his colleagues suggest […]