Plague Traced Back To Bronze Age
Plague has been a scourge on humanity for far longer than previously thought, ancient DNA shows.Samples taken from the teeth of seven bodies contained traces of the bacterial infection in the Bronze Age. They also showed it had, at the time, been unable to cause the bubonic form of plague...
Sagging Skin After Gastric Band Surgery
Gastric band surgery can be a crucial first step towards regaining control of one's life after continual weight gain. Obesity has many devastating effects, from greatly diminished health to a lack of confidence in one's appearance. For many people, losing weight via more traditional methods can be extremely challenging,...
Heart disease gene
Scientists have identified a gene that puts women at higher risk of heart disease, an early study suggests.The work showed that women who had a particular version of the BCAR1 gene were more likely than other women to have heart attacks and strokes. In contrast, men who had the gene...
In sickness and in health
It’s a scary fact, but we could be affected by disability at any time. There is no telling what is going to happen tomorrow. You could be hit by a bus and suffer temporary or permanent leg injuries. You could wake up tomorrow and for no understandable reason, not...
Malaria Can infect African Mosquitoes
A drug-resistant malaria parasite found in South East Asia can also infect mosquito species in Africa, a study shows.The transmission experiments were carried out in a laboratory, but they suggest the spread of this deadly strain into the continent is possible. The scientists say the consequences of this would be...
Landmark Huntington's trial starts
The first drug that can potentially correct the underlying defect that causes Huntington's disease has been taken by patients in a clinical trial. Doctors at University College London, which is leading the study, said it was an important moment in tackling the incurable condition. Current medication treats the symptoms, but cannot...
exercising during pregnancy
When you’re pregnant and feeling tired and achy, exercise might be the furthest thing from your mind. But from lowering the odds of complications during birth to boosting a newborn's brainpower, studies show there are many benefits of exercise during and after pregnancy. Yet, despite the growing research, many women...
influence on mood.
Serotonin is a chemical compound that is known to have an effect on mood. It is believed that decreased serotonin levels are responsible for depression in adults. Clinical scientists have long tried to formulate drugs to stabilise serotonin levels. These are often used in the treatment of depression, headaches...
back pain
Just about all of us experience mild to severe back pain at some time in our lives, and there’s a long list of possible causes. The disks and bones in our backs do inevitably deteriorate over time, causing soreness and stiffness, but if you opt for sensible lifestyle choices...
medical_mysteries
Most cancer is still treated with surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. While these often do the job, doctors can’t always predict who will respond. And because chemo and radiation kill healthy cells, too, they can have debilitating side effects. But as scientists decode the DNA of tumors, they’re able to...