Editor's Pick
New early warning test for coronary artery disease
July 19th, 2017 Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a new type of imaging test to provide an early warning of coronary artery disease, and the risk of heart attacks. The new imaging technique can be applied as a new feature in routine...
Soccer beats swimming and cycling for bone development in boys
July 19th, 2017 Playing soccer can significantly improve bone development in adolescent boys after one-year's training, compared to swimming, cycling and non-sport playing, University of Exeter research shows. Adolescence is the key period for bone development,...
Brain training game improves memory in early stage dementia patients
July 12th, 2017 A 'brain training' game developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge robustly improved episodic memory of patients in the very earliest stages of dementia and may also enhance visuospatial abilities, suggests a study. Amnestic mild...
Teenage weight gain linked to increased stroke risk as an adult
July 12th, 2017 Kids who become overweight during their teenage years may be more likely to develop a stroke decades later than kids who did not become overweight during those years, according to a large Swedish study. "The stroke rate has been increasing among...
Air pollution cuts life expectancy by far more than thought
July 12th, 2017 A Danish study shows that, on average, an increase in pollution particles in the air of 10 micrograms per cubic metre cuts victims' life expectancy by 9-11 years – much more than a frequently cited estimate of 1-2 years. But the estimated...
Cognitive performance and cocoa flavanols - research review
July 12th, 2017 An Italian research review of randomised controlled trials into the effect of cocoa flavanols found a beneficial effect on cognitive performance. A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands – a phrase commonly used to justify ones chocolate...
Persistent mental distress linked to higher risk of death in heart patients
July 5th, 2017 In patients with stable coronary artery disease, persistent psychological distress of at least moderate severity is associated with a substantial increase in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, found a 12-year study. Persistent moderate...
A lover's touch eases pain as heartbeats, breathing synchronise
July 5th, 2017 When an empathetic partner holds the hand of a woman in pain, their heart and respiratory rates synchronise and her pain dissipates, found a small University of Colorado study. "The more empathic the partner and the stronger the analgesic effect,...
Concerns raised over accuracy of melanoma diagnoses
July 5th, 2017 A study of US pathologists shows that diagnoses can vary among pathologists, particularly for cases in the middle of the disease spectrum, suggesting the potential for both over-diagnosis and under-diagnosis. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer...
Yoga not as safe as is commonly assumed
July 5th, 2017 Recreational yoga causes musculoskeletal pain in 10% of people - comparable to the injury rate of all sports injuries combined among the physically active population - and exacerbates 21% of existing injuries, University of Sydney research...
19-year-old Americans as sedentary as 60-year-olds - surprise findings
June 28th, 2017 Physical activity levels at the end of adolescence were alarmingly low, and by age 19, they were comparable to 60-year-olds, found a Johns Hopkins study. In another surprise finding, young US adults after the age of 20 show the only increases in...
Eating fish associated with reduced rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
June 28th, 2017 Higher fish intake was associated with had lower disease activity (swollen/tender joint counts along with other assessments) in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis, a small Harvard and Brigham and Women's Hospital study found. In the study of...
The mere presence of a smartphone is a brain drain
June 28th, 2017 The mere presence of one’s own smartphone, even when switched off, may occupy limited-capacity cognitive resources, thereby leaving fewer resources available for other tasks and undercutting cognitive performance, found two studies from the...
Blood test could transform advanced prostate cancer treatment
June 21st, 2017 Scientists in the UK have developed a three-in-one blood test that could transform treatment of advanced prostate cancer through use of precision drugs designed to target mutations in the BRCA genes. By testing cancer DNA in the bloodstream,...
Vegetarian diet almost twice as effective in reducing weight – Study
June 21st, 2017 17Dieters who go vegetarian not only lose weight more effectively than those on conventional low-calorie diets but also improve their metabolism by reducing muscle fat, a US study has found. Losing muscle fat improves glucose and lipid metabolism...