Editor's Pick
Higher vitamin A intake linked to lower skin cancer risk
August 14th, 2019 People whose diets included high levels of vitamin A had a 17% reduction in risk for getting cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, the second-most-common type of skin cancer, as compared to those who ate modest amounts of foods and supplements rich in...
Vaccine for genital chlamydia shown to be safe and effective
August 14th, 2019 The first ever early clinical trial for a vaccine for genital chlamydia has shown it to be safe and effective at provoking an immune response. The latest findings, from a randomised controlled trial of 35 healthy women led by Imperial College...
Tests show brain changes in US government personnel in Cuba
August 7th, 2019 Brain imaging of 40 US government personnel who experienced a host of neurological symptoms after possible exposure of an unknown source while serving in Cuba revealed significant differences in brain tissue and connectivity when compared to healthy...
Current solid food guides could lead to overfeeding
August 7th, 2019 Starting six-month-old infants on solid food in the amounts recommended by standard feeding guides may lead to overfeeding, according to a study by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Solid food feeding guides are...
Daily 'tickling' of the vagus nerve may improve mood and sleep
August 7th, 2019 Scientists found that a short daily therapy, stimulating the vagus nerve with an electrical current, delivered for two weeks led to both physiological and wellbeing improvements, including a better quality of life, mood and sleep. The therapy,...
Stimulation of the ear can help manage Parkinson's symptoms
July 31st, 2019 A study has shown that gentle, controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The randomised, controlled study, led by the University of Kent, UK, showed that twice daily stimulation for two months was...
'World's most relaxing song' as good as midazolam before surgery
July 31st, 2019 Music medicine may be offered as an alternative to midazolam administration prior to peripheral regional anesthesia, found a small UK study. Listening to the "world's most relaxing song" before an operation could be just as good at calming...
Neural roots of the 'You all look the same to me' racial stereotype
July 31st, 2019 A small University of California study suggests that we are hard-wired to process – or not process – facial differences based on race at some of the earliest stages of sensory perception. You often hear it framed in a comic sense, though it's...
Psychosocial factors in declining sexual activity in women — large analysis
July 31st, 2019 The number of women regularly having sex declines with age, and the number of women enjoying sex post-menopause is even lower. Although these facts are not surprising, the causes for these declines may be because previous research focused largely on...
First meta-analysis finds menstrual cups safe with similar or lower leakage
July 24th, 2019 The first systematic review and meta-analysis of the international use of menstrual cups, including 43 studies and data from 3,300 women and girls, suggests they are safe and result in similar, or lower, leakage than disposable pads or tampons. Four...
Finger-prick blood test to reduce antibiotics use in COPD patients
July 24th, 2019 A simple finger-prick blood test for C-reactive protein can prevent unnecessary antibiotics for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study by researchers from Cardiff University, University of Oxford and King’s...
Use it or lose it: Mentally stimulating activities and age-related memory loss
July 24th, 2019 A a five-year study has found that mentally stimulating activities like using a computer, playing games, crafting and participating in social activities are linked to a lower risk or delay of age-related memory loss and that the timing and number of...
Sugary drinks and 100% fruit juices may raise cancer risk
July 24th, 2019 The consumption of sugary drinks and 100% fruit juices was positively associated with the risk of overall cancer and breast cancer, found a nine-year French observational study. For some time now, researchers have been linking sugary drinks with...
Bladder cancer destroyed by strain of common cold virus — small UK study
July 17th, 2019 A strain of the common cold virus has been found to potentially target, infect and destroy cancer cells in the majority of 15 patients with bladder cancer, a small UK clinical study reports, with no trace of the cancer was found in one...
Disrupted sleep in 50s and 60s linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s
July 17th, 2019 People who report a declining quality of sleep as they age from their 50s to their 60s have more protein tangles in their brain, putting them at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a study by psychologists at...