Articles in News
Doctor’s Orders A veteran of war and vascular surgery offers advice on health reform A weary American soldier rests on one knee in a dusty foreign desert. The young man’s massive backpack is overflowing with equipment and there are pouches strapped to his belt, tools attached to his boots, and gear affixed to his helmet. […]
The July Effect Real danger exists for high-risk patients when trainees take on new roles With almost no experience, newly graduated medical students enter teaching hospitals around the country every July, beginning their careers as interns. At the same time, the last year’s interns and junior residents take a step up and assume new responsibilities. […]
Protein Block Genetic error in some lung cancers may offer target for therapies A fine-grained scan of DNA in lung cancer cells has revealed a gene fusion—a forced merger of two normally separate genes—that spurs the cells to divide rapidly, scientists at Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of Colorado report in a new […]
Automating anesthesia Animal study tests putting precise control of medically induced coma on ‘autopilot’ Putting patients with severe head injuries or persistent seizures into a medically induced coma currently requires constant monitoring. A nurse or other health professional must watch over the patient’s brain activity, manually adjusting drug infusion to maintain a deep state of […]
New Genes Tied to Alzheimer’s Disease Researchers identified 11 new genes that affect the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. The findings point to novel targets for preventing or delaying the disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It affects more than 5 million Americans. A hallmark of the disease is […]
The Mechanism of Muscle Loss in Cancer Factors released from tumors can block muscle repair, according to a new study. The finding partly explains why people with cancer often lose muscle. It also suggests a new avenue for treating the condition. Cancer wasting, also called cancer cachexia, is marked by weakness and the progressive loss […]
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Epigenetic Clock Marks Age of Human Tissues and Cells The age of many human tissues and cells is reflected in chemical changes to DNA. The finding provides insights for cancer, aging, and stem cell research. We may gauge how we’re aging based on visible changes, such as wrinkles. For years, scientists have been trying to […]
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This National Diabetes Month, remember to keep an eye on your eyes If you are one of more than 25 million Americans with diabetes, you may already know the importance of watching your diet and keeping track of your blood sugar. But did you know it’s also important to have regular eye exams? In the […]
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Immune Turbocharger In mice, bone-loss drugs boosted the power of vaccines Could a drug commonly prescribed to prevent bone loss boost the power of vaccines? New research from Harvard Medical School shows that adding compounds known as bisphosphonates to both commercial and experimental vaccines enhances their effectiveness in mice, raising hopes they could help people […]
Evicting Leukemia Bone drug kills resistant cancer stem cells by making home unlivable A bone drug already on the market for osteoporosis may kill chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) stem cells thought to persist in the bone marrow after standard therapy, lowering the likelihood of disease recurrence, according to a new study in mice led by […]
