http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from American Physiological Society Despite numerous medical advances over the past century, the flu—a seasonal rite of passage for many around the world—still remains deadly and dangerous. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 are hospitalized from influenza annually just in the United States, and between 30,000 to 50,000 die from this infection. The flu takes a heavy financial toll as well, leading countries to lose billions in direct medical costs, loss of productivity, and loss of life. In April of this year, a new flu strain known as H7N9, thought to have the potential to cause a pandemic, emerged in China. This novel strain's high mortality rate, more than 20 percent, has led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to issue predictions of hospitalizations, deaths, and economic impacts several times higher than those caused by the typical seasonal flu. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-flu-strains-prompt-current-redouble.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 30 May 2013 06:40:01 EST news289113769 Why is fish oil good for the heart? A new study suggests that this omega 3 fatty acid-rich nutrient could blunt some cardiovascular effects of mental stress. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-fish-oil-heart-mental-stress.html Health Wed, 22 May 2013 13:30:30 EST news288448215 A fur trader who suffered an accidental gunshot wound in 1822 and the physician who saw this unfortunate incidence as an opportunity for research are key to much of our early knowledge about the workings of the digestive system, say speakers of an upcoming symposium. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-odd-america-physiologist-digestion.html Other Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:59:15 EST news286019947 Researchers have long known that cancerous tumors grow collections of abnormal blood cells, the fuel that feeds this disease and keeps it growing. Now, new evidence in an animal model suggests that blood vessels in the fat tissue of obese individuals could provide the same purpose—and could provide the key to a new way for people to lose weight. When researchers Jian-Wei Gu, Kristina L. Makey, Edmund Chinchar, Carissa Howie, and Lucio Miele, all from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, gave obese mice a cancer drug that works by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels, these mice lost about 70 percent of their fat mass. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-drug-fat-blocking-blood-vessels.html Medical research Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:24:30 EST news285931464 Up to 20 percent of veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have experienced at least one blast concussion. New research suggests that nearly half these veterans may have a problem so under-recognized that even military physicians may fail to look for it. A new study conducted by Charles W. Wilkinson, Elizabeth A. Colasurdo, Kathleen F. Pagulayan, Jane. B. Shofer, and Elaine R. Peskind, all of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and the University of Washington in Seattle, has found that about 42 percent of screened veterans with blast injuries have irregular hormone levels indicative of hypopituitarism. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-veterans-blast-concussions-hormone-deficiencies.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:00:02 EST news285842055 With work and entertainment operating around the clock in our modern society, sleep is often a casualty. A bevy of research has shown a link between sleep deprivation and cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and obesity. However, it's been unclear why sleep loss might lead to these effects. Several studies have tested the effects of total sleep deprivation, but this model isn't a good fit for the way most people lose sleep, with a few hours here and there. In a new study by Keith Pugh, Shahrad Taheri, and George Balanos, all of the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, researchers test the effects of partial sleep deprivation on blood vessels and breathing control. They find that reducing sleep length over two consecutive nights leads to less healthy vascular function and impaired breathing control. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-blood-vessel-function.html Health Mon, 22 Apr 2013 09:32:57 EST news285841968 Afghanistan's geography is dominated by a collection of craggy peaks, the highest—a mountain known as Noshaq—has been measured to 7,492 meters. Consequently, the soldiers on duty in this mountainous terrain must often ascend to great heights as part of their duty. However, quick climbs without adapting to altitude can lead to a condition called acute mountain sickness (AMS), marked by headache, fatigue, gastrointestinal distress, nausea, and insomnia. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-days-staging-effective-high-altitude-climbs.html Health Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:46:06 EST news285763559 Almost four million people die each year from household air pollution (HAP) caused by exposure to the combustion of biomass fuels (wood, charcoal, crop residues, and dung), kerosene, or coal. These individuals are among the tens of millions who rely on such products to cook their meals, heat their rooms, and light their homes. Those in lower and middle income countries are among the hardest hit by the effects of HAP exposure, which also causes childhood respiratory infection, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to biomass fuel is associated with low birth weight, asthma, and tuberculosis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-deadly-effects-kinds-household-air.html Health Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:24:54 EST news284055808 A new study led by a Canadian research team has identified the reason why prazosin, a drug commonly used to reduce high blood pressure, may cause lightheadedness and possible fainting upon standing in patients with normal blood pressure who take the drug for other reasons, such as the treatment of PTSD and anxiety. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-fainting-result-blood-pressure-drug.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 11 Mar 2013 07:13:07 EST news282204766 Study in the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology addresses critical component of problem affecting infants with necrotizing enterocolitis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-probiotic-derived-treatment-premature-babies.html Medical research Wed, 13 Feb 2013 16:40:06 EST news279994337 A new study led by North Carolina researchers has found that when it comes to weight- and fat loss, aerobic training is better than resistance training. The study is believed to the largest randomized trial to directly compare changes in body composition induced by comparable amounts of time spent doing aerobic and resistant training, or both in combination, among previously inactive overweight or obese non-diabetic adults. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-short-aerobic-resistance-weight-fat.html Health Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:51:36 EST news276367890 It is well known that people with Down syndrome (DS) suffer from marked muscle weakness. Even the simple tasks of independent living, such as getting out of a chair or climbing a flight of stairs, can become major obstacles. This can reduce the quality of life for those with DS and lead to a loss of independence. Now, a new study sheds light on some of the suspected causes of muscle weakness. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-insights-role-muscle-weakness-syndrome.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 17 Dec 2012 13:40:05 EST news274972312 Chronic wounds such as foot ulcers are a common problem for diabetics and are the cause of more than 80 percent of the lower leg amputations in these patients. There is currently no effective way to improve healing of these types of wounds, but new research offers hope. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-arginine-proline-enriched-diet-wound.html Diabetes Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:17:51 EST news272218663 A new study shows that both length of time and percentage of overall sleep spent in different sleep stages are associated with decreased metabolic rate, increased hunger, and increased intake of calories (specifically from fat and carbohydrates). The findings suggest an explanation for the association between sleep problems and obesity. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-architecture-hunger.html Health Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:29:39 EST news270131324 Time spent in the drudgery of strenuous exercise is a well-documented turn-off for many people who want to get in better shape. In a new study, researchers show that exercisers can burn as many as 200 extra calories in as little as 2.5 minutes of concentrated effort a day—as long as they intersperse longer periods of easy recovery in a practice known as sprint interval training. The finding could make exercise more manageable for would-be fitness buffs by cramming truly intense efforts into as little as 25 minutes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-sprint-interval-weight.html Health Thu, 11 Oct 2012 08:17:17 EST news269162231