‘We actually don’t know much’: the scientists trying to close the knowledge gap in trans healthcare
Researchers are running trials on how hormone therapies affect trans people that will also benefit healthcare for the wider populationWhen Cameron Whitley was diagnosed with kidney failure seven years ago, the news came as a shock. But the situation was about to get worse. His doctor decided the diagnosis meant Whitley ’s hormone therapy had to stop.As a transgender man, now 42, who had taken testosterone for 10 years, the impact was brutal.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 18, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Nicola Davis Science correspondent Tags: Transgender Medical research Health Science Society Source Type: news

Biden to Sign Order Expanding Health Research in Women
MONDAY, March 18, 2024 -- President Joe Biden plans to sign an executive order on Monday that will broaden the scope of medical research in women.The order " will direct the most comprehensive set of executive actions ever taken to expand and... (Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews)
Source: Drugs.com - Daily MedNews - March 18, 2024 Category: General Medicine Source Type: news

UK scientists working on breast cancer monitor fitted in bra
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University hope device used at home will improve tracking of tumoursScientists are developing a device that fits inside a bra and could monitor whether a breast cancer tumour is growing.Researchers hope the device will provide a new non-invasive method of detecting tumour growth that patients can use “in the comfort of their own homes”.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 18, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Alexandra Topping Tags: Breast cancer Health Medical research Society Science UK news Source Type: news

UK researchers find way of diagnosing bowel cancer without biopsies
PET scans can examine entire bowel before and during treatment, avoiding risks associated with taking tissue samplesResearchers in Glasgow have identified a new means of diagnosing and treating bowel cancer with imaging technology, avoiding the need for biopsies.Biopsies require an invasive procedure with a number of health risks, such as infection, and are limited in what they can capture within a patient ’s bowel.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 18, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Jamie Grierson and agencies Tags: Bowel cancer Medical research Society Scotland UK news Science Source Type: news

Obese teens can crash diet safely if monitored by a dietitian, study finds
Fears over the effect of rapid weight loss on physical and mental wellbeing of young people said to be unjustifiedShort-term, very low-calorie diets for obese teenagers are safe as long as they are closely monitored by an experienced dietitian, according to researchers in Australia.The study, by scientists based at Sydney University, also revealed that many adolescents involved in the investigation thought the diets were an acceptable way to lose weight – despite experiencing side-effects that included fatigue, headache, irritability, constipation and nausea.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 17, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Robin McKie Science editor Tags: Obesity Medical research Young people Diets and dieting Society Life and style UK news Source Type: news

Brain chips: the Sydney researchers ‘miles ahead’ of Elon Musk’s Neuralink
Multiple Australian projects are on the cutting edge of neurotech breakthroughs and man-machine interfaces – raising questions of security and privacy for human mindsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet ourmorning and afternoon news emails,free app ordaily news podcastBrain-computer interface technology is at the core of movies such as Ready Player One, The Matrix and Avatar. But outside the realm of science fiction, BCI is being used on Earth to help paralysed people communicate, to study dreams and to control robots.Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk announced in January – to much fanfare – tha...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 16, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Tory Shepherd Tags: Neuroscience Medical research Technology Disability Elon Musk Australia news Source Type: news

She beat a rare liver cancer – and now works with her father to find more cures
Cancer scientist decides to study the tumour that once afflicted his small daughter – and now her work is adding to his project’s successElana Simon was 10 years old when she started to experience severe pains in her abdomen. For two years, puzzled doctors put forward diagnoses including lactose intolerance, Crohn ’s disease and stress. It was not until 2008 that they pinpointed the real cause. Elana was suffering from fibrolamellar carcinoma(FLC), a rare, usually lethal, form of liver cancer.“In a way, it was comforting to have a word for what was wrong with me after so much confusion about my condition,” Elana ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 16, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Robin McKie Science Editor Tags: Cancer research Medical research Science UK news Source Type: news

Why ME/CFS is still so poorly researched and treated | Letters
Readers respond to George Monbiot ’s article on the treatment and attitude of the medical profession to the debilitating conditionI am writing to express my appreciation of George Monbiot ’s perceptive article (‘You don’t want to get better’: the outdated treatment of ME/CFS patients is a national scandal, 12 March). I have lived with severe fatigue for more than three years, following a mild Covid infection. It is difficult to describe what it is like and it is not surprising that it is not well understood. My experience is that it is necessary to overcome my instincts to push myself, since running out of energy...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 15, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Guardian Staff Tags: ME / Chronic fatigue syndrome Health Society GPs Doctors NHS Psychology Science Medical research UK news Source Type: news

Africans Can Solve the Disease that Haunts Us — Here’s How
It is critical that African scientists tackle African problems, and the reasons extend beyond access. Credit: Jeffrey Moyo/IPS. By Khisi MdluliBOSTON, US, Mar 15 2024 (IPS) I was born in Brakpan, Johannesburg, South Africa, and grew up in eSwatini (known then as Swaziland). People in these two countries share one predominant fear: unemployment. Other worries in these countries and others in the region include unwanted pregnancies, low income and food safety. The diseases that are dreaded the most are cancer and diabetes. Feared infectious diseases include HIV-AIDS, COVID and cholera. Even though South Africa and eSwatini a...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - March 15, 2024 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Khisi Mdluli Tags: Africa Development & Aid Headlines Health Poverty & SDGs Source Type: news

Brazil to release millions of anti-dengue mosquitoes as death toll from outbreak mounts
Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria that inhibit spread of disease to be introduced in six cities after successful pilot schemeA dengue-fighting strategy that involves releasing bacteria-infected mosquitoes will be rolled out to six Brazilian cities in the coming months as the country battles a severe outbreak of dengue fever, a viral disease transmitted by theAedes aegyptimosquito.Factors such as hotter and wetter weather caused by the climate crisis and the circulation of previously absent subtypes of the virus are fuelling an explosion of dengue in Brazil, which has recorded1.6m probable cases since January – ...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 15, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Constance Malleret in Rio de Janeiro Tags: Global health Global development Insects Animals Environment Wildlife World news Society Infectious diseases Dengue fever Brazil Medical research Source Type: news

Neurological conditions now leading cause of ill-health worldwide, finds study
Numbers living with or dying from disorders such as stroke rises dramatically to 3.4bn people – 43% of global populationNeurological conditions ranging from migraine to stroke, Parkinson ’s disease and dementia, are now the leading cause of ill-health worldwide, causing 11.1 million deaths in 2021, research has revealed.The number of people living with or dying from disorders of the nervous system has risen dramatically over the past three decades, with 43% of the world ’s population – 3.4 billion people – affected in 2021, according toa study published in the Lancet.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: David Batty Tags: Health Neuroscience Parkinson's disease Dementia Stroke Medical research Society Source Type: news

A waterworld with a boiling ocean and the end of dark matter? The week in science – podcast
Ian Sample and science correspondent Hannah Devlin discuss some of the science stories that have made headlines this week, from a new theory challenging the existence of dark matter to an alarming study about the possible impact of microplastics on our health and a glimpse of a ‘waterworld with a boiling ocean’ deep in spaceContinue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 14, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Presented by Ian Sample with Hannah Devlin; produced by Madeleine Finlay; sound design by Tony Onuchukwu Tags: Science Astronomy James Webb space telescope Physics Chemistry Plastics Health Medical research Environment Society Source Type: news

UK cancer study shows big fall in death rates since early 1990s
Improved screening and treatment means fewer middle-aged people dying of disease despite rise in casesMore middle-aged people are getting cancer but fewer of them are dying from it thanks to improved detection and better treatment, research has found.The findings are “positive and reassuring” for those aged 35 to 69, according to cancer experts quoted in the British Medical Journal, which published the paper.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Denis Campbell Health policy editor Tags: Cancer Health NHS Health policy Society Cancer research Politics UK news Medical research Source Type: news

Wim Hof breathing and cold-exposure method may have benefits, study finds
Adrenaline release thought to dampen inflammation, but experts say method ‘not without risks’Whether plunging themselves into ice baths or deliberately hyperventilating and then holding their breath, devotees of “The Iceman” Wim Hof are evangelical about the physical and mental benefits these practices bring. A new study suggests they may indeed reduce levels of inflammation in the body. However, experts stress that practising the Wim Hof method is not without risk.Hof is a Dutch athlete, best known for record-breaking feats such as swimming under ice and running barefoot on ice and snow. More recently, he has buil...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 13, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Linda Geddes Science correspondent Tags: Science Health & wellbeing UK news University of Warwick Life and style Medical research Fitness Source Type: news

Overweight girls ‘more likely to see GP about musculoskeletal problems’
Study finds reception-age girls with obesity 67% more likely to see doctor about musculoskeletal issues than those at healthy weightGirls aged between four and 11 who are overweight or obese are more likely to see a GP at least once about musculoskeletal problems than their healthy weight peers, research suggests.Pupils in reception year who had a body mass index considered overweight were 24% more likely to see a doctor at least once for a musculoskeletal issue while their peers who were living with obesity were 67% more likely to do so than girls with a healthy weight, the study found.Continue reading... (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - March 12, 2024 Category: Science Authors: Nadeem Badshah Tags: Obesity Health Medical research UK news Science Society Children Source Type: news