Individuals who suffer from migraines with aura (temporary visual or sensory disturbances before or during a migraine headache) are at a higher risk of dying from heart disease or stroke, according to research published today on bmj.com.
This is the first large population-based study showing a link between migraine and overall mortality as well as specific mortality.
Two legal experts argue on bmj.com today that informed consent should be obtained from competent patients before blood transfusions takes place.
Anne-Maree Farrell and Margaret Brazier, both from the University of Manchester note that, in its recent report, the UK government's Independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood Tissues and Organs (SaBTO) acknowledged that there is inconsistent practice in this area and that there are concerns that patients are not given enough information about the risks, benefits and alternatives to transfusion.
How do female whale sharks meet their perfect mates and go on to produce offspring? While little is known about the reproductive behavior of these ocean-roaming giants, a newly published analysis led by University of Illinois at Chicago biologist Jennifer Schmidt reveals new details about the mating habits of this elusive, difficult-to-study fish.
There is now another good reason to exercise. Besides burning calories, exercise restores the sensitivity of neurons involved in the control of satiety (feeling full), which in turn contributes to reduced food intake and consequently weight loss. This is the conclusion of a study led by Brazilian researchers at the University of Campinas, and the findings will be published next week in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology. This disclosure may bring hope to over 40% of the population that suffers from weight problems and obesity around the world.
The human AIDS viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2) originated as viruses of apes and monkeys, respectively, yet little is known about whether or how these invaders adapted to the new genetic "environment" encountered in humans. One group of host genes, collectively known as restriction factors, is thought to influence the ability of such viruses to move between different primate species. A study conducted by Andrea Kirmaier and Welkin Johnson of Harvard Medical School, together with Dr.
Certain pathogens make themselves at home in the human body by invading cells and living off the plentiful amenities on offer there. However, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, together with colleagues at Harvard University, have discovered a contrary strategy to ensure infection success: some pathogens can actually delay their entry into cells to ensure their survival. Upon contact with a cell, these bacteria engage signalling molecules in the cell and trigger a local strengthening of the cellular skeleton that resists pathogen entry.
Patients with coronary artery disease undergoing angioplasty do not benefit from having their circulation artificially supported with a balloon pump as a preventative measure during angioplasty, according to the first randomised trial studying the practice and published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
An analysis of data from Denmark finds no associated increased risk of major birth defects for mothers who were exposed during the first trimester of pregnancy to the antiviral drugs acyclovir, valacyclovir, and famciclovir, often used to treat herpes simplex and herpes zoster infections, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.
Examination of a gene involved in cell signaling finds that four common variants of this gene are associated with the development of end-stage renal disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the August 25 issue of .
High-risk patients undergoing a coronary procedure such as placement of a stent who electively received an intra-aortic balloon pump (a device that can help improve blood flow) prior to the procedure did not experience a significantly lower overall rate of events such as heart attack, revascularization or death, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.
Women and men with a 10-year cardiovascular disease risk of 5 percent or more and normal cholesterol levels but high levels of hsCRP, a protein associated with inflammation, could reduce their risk substantially with statin therapy, according to new research.
In contrast to previous reports, the risks of the composite endpoint of heart attack, heart failure, both, or death were the same – about 4 percent – for patients taking the diabetes drugs rosiglitazone or pioglitazone, according to a study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
gery to correct the most common type of genetic heart disease yields similar short-term and potentially greater long-term survival rates as transplant surgery for other heart diseases, according to research reported in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal.
Although immunity to mumps is high in the United States, mumps vaccine coverage must be maintained and improved to prevent future outbreaks, according to a new study, now available online (http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/655394), in the September 1, 2010 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.