Testing for sickle cell anaemia may one-day be done in the field thanks to a new smartphone attachment and app. Sickle cell anaemia is a hereditary blood disorder commonly found in individuals of African descent, and can cause organ damage, and increase the risk of stroke and death. Researchers created an attachment for their smartphones […]
Tag: medicine
Rethinking Canadian TB screening
Canada’s current practice of screening all newly arriving immigrants for tuberculosis (TB) is inefficient according to new research. The authors believe screening should focus only on immigrants arriving from countries with high TB rates. Researchers found that immigrants arriving in Ontario between 2002 and 2011 came from 214 countries, however all cases of active TB […]
Teaching a paraplegic to walk
For the first time a person with complete paralysis in both legs (paraplegia), arising from a spinal cord injury, was able to walk without relying on manually controlled robotic limbs. The results show that brain-controlled walking can be restored after a complete spinal cord injury. After undergoing mental training, and physical rehabilitation to restore the […]
Assessing head trauma in young children
New guidelines may help emergency department physicians reduce unnecessary scans in young children with minor head injuries, according to a new study. Researchers believe they have found two factors that would identify approximately 90 per cent of skull fractures in children under two months of age. This could reduce the number of radiographs by 60 […]
Canadians receiving false positives for Lyme disease from U.S. labs
Canadians may receive false-positives for Lyme disease, from some commercial labs in the United States over half the time, according to an editorial in the CMAJ. Lyme disease, which is becoming more common in Canada, is spread by ticks and causes fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and if not treated, the infection can spread to joints, […]
Low vitamin D levels associated with an increased risk of MS
Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) in European populations, however whether vitamin D can delay or prevent the onset of MS requires further investigation, according to researchers. The authors used data from the International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium study, which involves 14,498 people with multiple sclerosis and […]
New guidelines to reduce pain during vaccinations
New Canadian guidelines aim to reduce pain during vaccinations in both children and adults. Pain during the vaccination process can make children and adults hesitant to receive future immunizations. The guidelines update previous guidelines, published in 2010, and have been expanded to cover adults as well as children. The recommendations are designed to be used […]
Obstetricians and family doctors have equal outcomes for low-risk births
During low risk births, the risk of newborn death and maternal complications is similar for deliveries performed by family physicians and those performed by obstetricians, according to a new study. The authors note that these findings should only be applied to low-risk deliveries that could be safely performed by either a generalist or a specialist, […]
Discovering how a new class of drugs works against super viruses
An emerging class of drugs, AMLPs (antimicrobial lipopeptides), shows promise in the fight against superbugs, yet until now researchers have lacked a molecular-level understanding of how they act. According to a new study AMLPs clump together to form microscopic balls called micelles, which selectively kill stick to bacterial membranes – a complex structure that is […]
The importance of health care in the federal election
In the upcoming federal election, health care must be a key issue otherwise Canada’s health care problems will continue, according an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. Additionally the editorial calls on federal political parties to articulate clear policy platforms on health care. The Deputy Editor of the CMAJ, Dr. Matthew Stanbrook, says “the federal government […]
Trans fats, not saturated fats, are the real danger
Saturated fats are not associated with cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes, while trans fats are, according to a meta-analysis of studies. Researchers reviewed 39 studies from around the world, where nutrients, typically refined carbohydrates, were replaced with saturated fat. The researchers found no association between saturated fats and health outcomes, […]
Omega-3 may help to prevent psychotic disorders
Omega-3 may help reduce the risk of developing psychosis and psychiatric disorders, a study of 81 young people at high risk of developing schizophrenia shows. The participants were randomly split into two groups, one group received omega-3 daily for 12 weeks, while the other received a placebo. Seven years after the experiment, the researchers found […]
An antibody against MERS
Researchers have found, for the first time, an antibody against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV), which has been responsible for over 1,300 human infections and over 450 deaths since it was first identified in 2012. The research team believes the antibody, known as LCA60, can be used to develop a monoclonal antibody against MERS-CoV that […]
Using nasal balloons to treat hearing loss in children
New research indicates that nasal balloons can reduce hearing loss in children with a common middle-ear problem, avoiding the use of unnecessary antibiotics. Otitis media effusion, also known as “glue ear”, occurs when the middle ear fills with a thick fluid, affecting hearing development. Currently there is no nonsurgical intervention proven to help with the […]
Finding the function of over 150 mouse genes
The largest analysis of mouse genes to date has identified the function of 159 genes whose purpose was previously unknown. The researchers developed new statistical methods to analyse the 413 measurements and 320 genes from each mouse. The new data set is available to the scientific community as a reference resource, and provides a strategy […]
A new chemo delivery system minimizes impact on healthy cells
A research team developed a nanoparticle that releases chemotherapeutics inside tumor cells only, sparing healthy tissues. This nanoparticle, called ZnO-nanocarrier, activates when surrounded by high acidity – a pathological feature of tumor cells. The particle releases its chemotherapeutic load within six hours in acidic pH. During this process, the tumor cell undergoes a color change which […]
