Alternative Medicine

A product designed by two entrepreneurial medical graduates could soon be helping to reduce the spread of hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA. The pair have designed a disposable tourniquet which they believe will pose no infection risk and which they hope will provide a cheap, comfortable alternative to the tourniquets currently in use. »»»

Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in the Western world, killing over 12,500 people in the UK alone every year. Despite many decades of research, there is still no cure and potential treatments may have been delayed, since the animal 'models' used for cancer research differ significantly from human cancer. However, a new non-animal 3-D human breast cancer test tube model is set to change that. »»»

Researchers have developed the first antibody that detects the only known cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a progressive and usually fatal neurological disorder that attacks the nerves and muscles. Currently there is no known cure or effective treatments. »»»

Giving local authorities responsibility for implementing pandemic flu plans may not be the best policy, says a senior public health doctor. In the worse case scenario, a pandemic of influenza in the United Kingdom would cause 750,000 excess deaths. »»»

The Department of Health urged members of the public not to buy or take three batches of a Chinese medicine product called Royal Medic No.1 Chinese Caterpillar Fungus as the microbial content were found to have exceeded the maximum permitted limit. »»»

A review of the latest research in sexual adaptation shows that evidence is building for what researchers call "sperm competition." Physical and behavioral sexual characteristics exhibited by human males indicate that males have evolved to deliver their sperm more effectively to females with multiple partners. »»»

In a study that could point to novel therapies to prevent cancer spread, or metastasis, researchers have targeted a sugar that supports blood vessel growth in the tumor. »»»

Stretching exercises, special pillows and acupuncture could help relieve back and pelvic pain that often occur during pregnancy, according to an updated review. More than two-thirds of pregnant women experience back pain and almost one-fifth report pelvic pain. »»»

It's looking more promising for veterans to get proper chiropractic care for common ailments such as neck pain, low back pain and degenerative conditions. »»»

A widely practiced, stress reducing meditation technique can significantly reduce the severity of congestive heart failure. »»»

Using a $2.5 million, three-year grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), Emory transplant researchers plan to develop pig islets as an alternative to human islets for transplant into patients with Type 1 diabetes. If their research is successful, clinical trials of the porcine islet transplants into humans could begin within the next three years. »»»

Pelvic and prostate exams provoke jitters for medical students. Carla Pugh, an assistant professor of surgery at Northwestern University, invented and patented a sensor technology in exam simulators to show students whether they have the right touch in these sensitive exams without a patient ever having to yell "Ouch!" Pugh has also invented teaching technologies for other difficult medical procedures. She was honored for being a trailblazer in a national museum. »»»

In a breakthrough that could make the production of cellulosic ethanol less expensive, scientists have discovered a class of plant enzymes that potentially could allow plant materials used to make ethanol to be broken down more efficiently than is possible using current technologies. »»»

The collapse of a teenage clubber after taking a tablet containing 1-benzylpiperazine has highlighted the dangers of this new drug of abuse which many doctors are unfamiliar with, according to an article on the Lancet. »»»

The herbal medicine Dan Shen, a standard treatment for ischemic stroke in China, lacks strong scientific evidence to support such use, according a new review of studies. »»»

Yoga and Yoga meditation can be carried into many aspects of your life. Walking Yoga meditation is just one example of this. »»»

Execution by lethal injection may cause death by asphyxiation, and prisoners being executed may be conscious and may experience pain, claim the authors of a new study published this week in PLoS Medicine. »»»

A new study published in PLoS Medicine suggests that the age when a woman's periods start may affect her children's growth rate during childhood, final height and risk of obesity in later life. »»»

Women with a lifetime history of migraine showed less of a performance decline over time on cognitive tests than women who didn't have migraines. Researchers say medications for migraine, diet and behavior changes may play a role in helping women with migraine protect their memory. »»»

BeStrong Fitness LLC expands beyond its all-female outdoor boot camp program, BUFFCHIX, to offer BUFFOHM, yoga for men and women. »»»