Health

A new diagnostic technique, using gold-plated nanoparticles, could make the detection of cancer much cheaper and faster, according to Australian scientists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) who developed the method.   The scientists are now able to detect very low levels of microRNAs, linked with cancerous tumours and metastasis, in blood samples of significantly lower volumes.  “What ...

Scientists have developed a smartphone application that can help in screening for atrial fibrillation — the most common heart rhythm disorder.   The disorder leads to an irregular, often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow.  It is also behind 20-30 per cent of all strokes and raises the risk of premature death, but outlook improves dramatically with ...

Using mud or wet clay as a topical skin treatment – a common practice in some cultures – may help fight disease-causing bacteria in wounds, a study has found.   Researcher from Arizona State University in the US found that at least one type of clay has antibacterial effects against bacteria such as Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, including resistant ...

Kinshasa, Aug 25 : Congo’s health ministry says two of the first 10 people to receive an experimental treatment for the Ebola virus in the latest outbreak have recovered, and monitoring could show what role the treatment played. The head of the World Health Organization on Saturday congratulated Congo’s government for making several experimental treatments available in this Ebola outbreak, ...

Researchers have come up with a web-based calculator named ‘CTS5 calculator’ that can help you predict the long-term risk of breast cancer.   The web-based calculator can be used to decide which patients are at high enough risk of their cancer returning after receiving the standard five years of endocrine therapy (Endocrine are glands in the body that make hormones), ...

Bad news for those who enjoy what they think is a healthy glass of wine a day. A large new global study published in the Lancet has confirmed previous research which has shown that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.   The researchers admit moderate drinking may protect against heart disease but found that the risk of cancer ...

Several influential Bengali people are among the finalists at this year’s Asian Achievers Awards, which pays tribute to the best of British Asian talent across the arts, community service, the professions, uniformed services, sports and the world of business. They are: Poppy Jaman OBE, Programme Director for the City Mental Health Alliance which is focussed on helping people at all ...

The number of people admitted to hospital in Scotland with alcohol-related brain damage has reached a 10-year high.   A total of 661 people required treatment for brain injury after alcohol misuse between 2016-17, the equivalent of nearly two people a day.  Alcohol-related brain damage can lead to problems with memory and learning.   NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had ...

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that start off in one or both lungs; usually in the cells that line the air passages.   One of the leading causes of preventable cancer death, lung cancer is usually considered to result from the effects of smoking and from multiple genetic variants.  One of these genetic components, a chromosome ...

Body mass index and blood pressure are positively associated, according to a new study.   In the ongoing study of 1.7 million Chinese men and women being conducted by researchers at the Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (CORE) in China, individuals who were not taking an antihypertensive medication, were observed with an increase of 0.8 to 1.7 mm ...