http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress provides the latest news from BioMed Central Women's immune systems age more slowly than men's, suggests research in BioMed Central's open access journal Immunity & Ageing. The slower decline in a woman's immune system may contribute to women living longer than men. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-women-immune-younger-longer.html Immunology Tue, 14 May 2013 20:00:01 EST news287773825 A large scale, five year study of mosquitoes from different ecological regions in Kenya, including savannah grassland, semi-arid Acacia thorn bushes, and mangrove swamps, found a reservoir of viruses carried by mosquitoes (arboviruses) that are responsible for human and animal diseases. This research, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Virology Journal, highlights the need for continued surveillance in order to monitor the risk of disease outbreaks. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-mosquito-survey-reservoir-disease.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 09 May 2013 20:00:01 EST news287338825 Certain types of anti-depressants have been linked to an increase in the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) finds a study in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. Awareness of this link should improve identification and early treatment of CDI. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-anti-depressant-link-clostridium-difficile-infection.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 06 May 2013 20:00:05 EST news287076059 A map of avian influenza (H7N9) risk is presented in Biomed Central's open access journal Infectious Diseases of Poverty today. The map is comprised of bird migration patterns, and adding in estimations of poultry production and consumption, which are used to infer future risk and to advise on ways to prevent infection. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-h7n9-infection.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 03 May 2013 07:40:01 EST news286783968 Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPScs) from the skin of patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) show Dravet-like functional impairment when they are converted into neurons, finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Brain. This method provides a non-invasive way to investigate diseases which affect the nervous system of humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-devastating-childhood-diseases-easier.html Medical research Wed, 01 May 2013 20:00:01 EST news286645613 Injection of human stem cells into mice with tumors slowed down tumor growth, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), isolated from bone marrow, caused changes in blood vessels supplying the tumor, and it is this modification of blood supply which seems to impact tumor growth. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-effect-stem-cell-therapy-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:59:10 EST news286430345 Being pregnant while young is known to protect a women against breast cancer. But why? Research in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research finds that Wnt/Notch signalling ratio is decreased in the breast tissue of mice which have given birth, compared to virgin mice of the same age. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-pregnancy-breast-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:45:29 EST news286429522 Microbubbles decrease the time and acoustic power of ultrasound required to heat and destroy an embedded target, finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound. If these results can be replicated in the clinic, microbubbles could improve the efficiency of high intensity ultrasound treatment of solid tumors. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-microbubbles-cancer-therapy.html Cancer Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news286045072 Microwave imaging can be used to monitor how well treatment for breast cancer is working, finds new research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research. Microwave tomography was able to distinguish between breast cancer, benign growths, and normal tissue. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-microwave-imaging-treatment.html Cancer Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news285956680 Number of cigarettes smoked a day and the number of years a person has smoked both increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), finds research in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. The risk decreases after giving up smoking but, compared to people who have never smoked, this risk is still elevated 15 years after giving up. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-cigarettes-day-rheumatoid-arthritis.html Arthritis & Rheumatism Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news285766046 Monitoring pain and providing analgesics to patients in intensive care units (ICUs) during non-surgical procedures, such as turning and washing, can not only reduce the amount of pain but also reduce the number of serious adverse events including cardiac arrest, finds new research in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-pain-movement-intensive.html Other Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news285436208 Abnormal gut bacteria in premature babies can be found days before the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) finds new research in BioMed Central's open access journal Microbiome. Babies who later went on to develop NEC had a lower diversity of gut bacteria 4-9 days after birth, increased level of Firmicutes or Enterobacteriaceae, and lacked the Propionibacterium found in healthy babies. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-urine-babies-necrotizing-enterocolitis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:00:02 EST news285270034 An eight gene 'signature' can predict length of relapse-free survival after chemotherapy, finds new research in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-gene-signature-survive-chemotherapy.html Cancer Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news285246069 Reanalysis of the World Health Organization's Antenatal Care Trial (WHOACT) shows that there is an increased risk of fetal death at between 32 and 36 weeks for women who have a reduced antenatal care package, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Reproductive Health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-antenatal.html Health Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news284915380 Non-invasive 'liquid biopsies' can find metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer, in a low cost assay suitable for most healthcare systems, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Genome Medicine. Genomic signatures of prostate cancer, isolated from plasma DNA, display abnormal copy numbers of specific areas of chromosomes. It is even possible to separate out patients who develop resistance against hormone deprivation therapy, which is the most common form of treatment in men with metastatic prostate cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-characterises-prostate-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 04 Apr 2013 20:00:01 EST news284317508