Updated: 2010-06-30 22:05:20
Fatigue is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) that challenges patients in their daily activities.
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago compared teleconference to face-to-face, group-based fatigue self-management. The results were reported during the Joint Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers and America’s Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis meeting.
First, the details.
190 [...]
Updated: 2010-06-30 06:04:33
The American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine reviewed the evidence and report their findings.
Here are their findings.
First, the details.
The task force reviewed the medical literature on individual CAM treatments for major depressive disorder.
CAM treatments were reviewed with regard to efficacy, as well as risks and benefits.
Literature searches were limited to English-language [...]
Updated: 2010-06-30 06:04:32
Products derived from the black chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, are claimed to be beneficial in disorders or diseases associated with oxidative stress. But these claims are based primarily on laboratory and animal research.
Researchers at Hebrew University, Jerusalem reviewed the evidence in people.
First, the details.
13 studies were identified.
The quality of most of the studies was poor.
And, the [...]
Updated: 2010-06-29 22:04:07
Prof. Ernst has reviewed the evidence.
Here’s what we know.
Cholesterol in postmenopausal women
Some evidence favors phytosterols and phytostanols (common plant and vegetable constituents) to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol.
Regular fiber intake reduces cholesterol blood levels.
Reducing bone mineral density loss and the incidence of fractures in postmenopausal women
Clinical evidence supports vitamin K, calcium + vitamin [...]
Updated: 2010-06-29 22:04:06
Colorectal cancer is strongly associated with a Western lifestyle.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, present an overview of the evidence.
Consideration of dietary pattern as a whole appears useful for formulating recommendations.
Meat, grain, starches, and sugar
High intake of red and processed meats, highly refined grains and starches, and sugars are related to increased risk of [...]
Updated: 2010-06-29 22:04:05
Researchers at the University of Sheffield, in the UK, reviewed the evidence for calcium in reducing the recurrence of adenomas (benign tumors) and the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
First, the details.
The researchers identified 3835 citations, of which 6 studies (8 papers) were included in the review.
And, the results.
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
Supplemental calcium had no effect on [...]
Updated: 2010-06-29 22:04:03
Researchers from the University of Wollongong, in Australia, report positive results with seal oil.
First, the details.
48 volunteers were randomly assigned to take 1 g/day of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from 1 of 3 oils for 6 weeks.
Seal oil capsules (340 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 230 mg docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), 450 mg DHA)
Fish oil capsules [...]
Updated: 2010-06-28 08:55:49
Some are effective, some are promising, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill.
First, the details.
There were 14 studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy and operant-behavioral therapy.
5 studies of relaxation, biofeedback, and hypnotherapy
2 of writing intervention
And, the results.
The strongest research support for fibromyalgia pain is with cognitive-behavioral therapy and operant-behavioral therapy.
Relaxation as a [...]
Updated: 2010-06-25 11:16:46
The most common and under-diagnosed genetic disease in humans just appears to be a cause of the worst form of macular degeneration, Medical College of Georgia scientists report. They are pursuing a link between hemochromatosis, which results in iron overload, and the wet form of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people 60 and older. They suspect that too much iron, known to wreak cumulative havoc on the body's organs, hastens normal aging of the eyes........
Updated: 2010-06-25 11:16:45
A trial of a novel radioactive compound readily and safely distinguished the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients from healthy volunteers on brain scans and opens the doors to making such imaging available beyond facilities that can manufacture their own radioactive compounds. The results, reported by a Johns Hopkins team in the June Journal of Nuclear Medicine, could lead to better ways to distinguish Alzheimer's from other types of dementia, track disease progression and develop new therapeutics to fight the memory-ravaging disease........
Updated: 2010-06-25 11:16:45
A number of diseases of brain function, such as epilepsy and schizophrenia, are caused by problems in how neurons communicate with each other. A University of Houston (UH) researcher and his team are analyzing these commands and connections in an attempt to prevent those diseases. Dr. Jan-ke Gustafsson, Robert A. Welch Professor in UH's biology and biochemistry department, describes his team's findings in a paper titled "Liver X receptor and#946; and thyroid hormone receptor and#945; in brain cortical layering," appearing in the current online issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the world's most-cited multidisciplinary scientific serials........
Updated: 2010-06-22 14:40:28
Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common hormone imbalance in women of reproductive age, appears to be more vulnerable to exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), found in a number of plastic household items, as per a newly released study. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego........
Updated: 2010-06-18 17:10:00
Women who drink tea have an increased risk of developing Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) compared with those who drink none (p=0.04), as per results presented today at EULAR 2010, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Rome, Italy. Further results from the same study showed no connection between the amount of coffee consumption and RA incidence (p=0.16)........
Updated: 2010-06-14 12:30:14
Gothenburg, Sweden: Individual results of genetic research studies should not be disclosed to participants without careful consideration, a scientist will tell the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday). Dr. Robin Hayeems, from the Department of Health Policy, Management and Assessment at the University of Toronto, Canada, will say that she believes that the view held by a number of ethicists that individual genetic research findings should always be reported to participants involved in genetic research studies waccording tohaps misguided, and that to do so without careful consideration of evidentiary assumptions and clinical capacity could distort the responsibilities of scientists and lead to misunderstanding........
Updated: 2010-06-09 16:32:14
Stem cell research holds promise for improving the quality of human life and#8213; particularly embryonic stem cells, which can potentially develop into any tissue in the human body. However, basic scientific problems still remain unresolved but Tel Aviv University scientists are leading the way to inventive solutions........
Updated: 2010-06-07 17:05:28
Individuals with chronic insomnia have an elevated risk of death, as per a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas, at SLEEP 2010, the 24th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC. Results indicate that the adjusted hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was three times higher in people with chronic insomnia (HR = 3.0) than in people without insomnia. When examining individual subtypes of insomnia, the risk of death was elevated, regardless of which subtype people reported. The risk of death in the four subtypes was two to three times higher in individuals with: chronic early-awakening insomnia (HR = 3.0), chronic sleep-maintenance insomnia who had difficulty getting back to sleep (HR = 3.0), chronic sleep-onset insomnia (HR = 2.4), and chronic sleep-maintenance insomnia who awakened repeatedly during the night (HR = 2.3)........
