Health & Medicine
Shedding light on the role of sleep in memory consolidation
The average human spends about a third of their life sleeping and it is accepted that sleep is crucial for both physical and mental health. Still, scientists remain in the dark about many of the details and mechanisms of this strange state. Harry Pantazopoulos, Assistant Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the U.S., has conducted novel research […]
Halalopathy: Integrating mind, behaviour and health
With the current focus on personalised medicine, some physicians are searching for new ways to treat the patient as an individual. Dr Jawad Alzeer of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, proposes a novel approach to medicine: halalopathy. Under halalopathy, mind, behaviour and health are fundamentally connected. By prioritising the relationships between these three aspects of a person, Dr Alzeer believes […]
Transtympanic injections to prevent hearing loss caused by cisplatin
Dr Sofia Waissbluth from The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile is specialised in otolaryngology (conditions of the head and neck). She has reviewed clinical trials that use transtympanic injections to prevent hearing loss caused by the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin. To date there is no ‘one-shot’ solution to protect or cure patients from hearing loss. However, combinational therapy using transtympanic injections […]
Group support psychotherapy as a depression treatment in Uganda
Dr Ethel Nakimuli-Mpungu at Makerere University in Uganda works toward making therapy more culturally appropriate, particularly for people living with HIV and depression. She has developed a highly cost-effective group support psychotherapy programme that can be delivered by lay health workers and which has been shown to dramatically reduce depression symptoms and improve adherence to anti-viral medication in those affected. […]
Responses to spaceflight: The mouth as a mirror
During spaceflight astronauts experience extreme environmental conditions, such as cosmic radiation and the absence of gravity that impact their physiology. The resulting changes must be monitored. While blood is usually used to assess astronauts’ health, Professor Arthur Hand and Dr Maija Mednieks, from the University of Connecticut, suggest that saliva could be used as a non-invasive, easily collectible diagnostic fluid. […]
Stem cells could offer hope for muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies are genetic conditions that cause muscles to become progressively weaker. Researchers are investigating several novel approaches, including gene and stem cell therapy, to meet the challenges of these serious illnesses. Recently, Dr Yoshitsugu Aoki of the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo and colleagues have drawn on research from around the world to create a picture of […]
What can peptide-coated nanoparticles tell us about the causes of dementia?
Kazushige Yokoyama, Professor of Chemistry at the State University of New York Geneseo College, investigates how peptides interact. Along with Akane Ichiki, an undergraduate student at the institution, his team have been investigating the peptides involved in fibrillogenesis, the process which occurs in the brain to form aggregates responsible for some of the symptoms involved in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s […]
Innovation in oncology drug development: A focus on patient benefits
Innovation in oncology drug development is driving more efficient and effective development of new cancer treatments. This innovation is providing cancer patients unprecedented access to new therapies. Dr Brian Huber, Vice President of Therapeutic Areas, Drug Development and Consulting at ICON and Matthew Huber, a scientist in the emerging biotechnology sector focused on developing innovative oncology medicines, have conducted a […]
Flexibility is key in treating children with type 1 diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce their own insulin, leading to uncontrolled blood sugar levels. To survive, they must receive insulin treatment. A recently developed, long-lasting insulin called degludec offers a unique level of flexibility. This means that it is particularly suitable for treating children and young people with type 1 diabetes. Dr Nandu Thalange, an expert in childhood diabetes […]
Patient safety and opioid medications
Hospitalised patients often require appropriate pain relief as part of their treatment. Opioids are effective medications for pain management, but can cause excessive sedation and respiratory depression resulting in patient harm. Dr Carla Jungquist of the University at Buffalo, School of Nursing, and a panel of fellow experts reviewed evidence from the past decade to provide an important update on […]