Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune, inflammatory neurological disease of the nervous system, which degrades the protective sheath around nerves and causes scar tissue. The brain has a harder time signaling the body and this will later result in mental impairment and physical disability. MS affects about 2.5 million people worldwide and a few hundred Malaysians […]
Smoke exposure from a pregnant mother has been a causative risk for childhood asthma, and it is now evident that the same exposure from fathers may likely lead to early asthma development in their kids. This comes from Taiwanese research of DNA methylation, where three genes along the DNA strand that influences gene activity, such as immunity and asthma, are saturated […]
Specific age groups are observed to have differing approaches to health and wellbeing, according to Innova Market Insights, a global researcher in the food and beverage industry. A 2018 US survey points to younger consumers adopting a more holistic view of health as more and more Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers have reportedly increased physical activity to ward off the ill effects of a sedentary […]
Exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) from any variety of sources, such as televisions or night lights, can cause minute weight gain which adds up over time, according to a five-year survey of some 44,000 US women. Data links females who slept with a light on to being 17% more likely to have gained up to 5kgs (11 pounds) or more during the study period. The correlation […]
Radiotherapy is known to effectively destroy and shrink cancer cells, but will also affect/damage the surrounding healthy cells, leading to toxicity in about 60% of treated patients. For patients with gastrointestinal tumours, intensive radiation therapy could result in gastrointestinal syndrome -characterised by intestinal cell death and ultimately, patient death. […]
Internet-based cognitive bias modification (CBM-I) is a private, non-pharmaceutical approach to depression, anxiety or addiction. It can be done via a laptop and does not require professional involvement, thus it is more accessible for many people who need care. A recent American CBM-I study in a hospital programme has shown the effectiveness of CBM-I when combined with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) in an acute […]
The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) will be hosting Malaysia’s Minister of Health, YB Datuk Seri Dr. Haji Dzulkefly Bin Ahmad, at their 27th International Healthcare Conference & Exhibition – held on 29-31 July 2019 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). The regional event facilitates APHM’s healthcare objectives and promotes […]
Health data can be gleaned through social media, as some medical conditions were – as recently found by American research – easier predicted from Facebook data instead of demographic information.[…]
Random mutation from millions of years ago has given rise to stags with bigger antlers, despite the risk of cancerous tumours, while natural selection favoured deer with stronger resistance to the tumours, resulting in the various species we see today. The knowledge of deer’s tumour-suppressing […]
Patients who need a blood transfusion – from an accident or surgery – cannot simply settle for a donor as blood types must be universal/match to avoid fatal consequences. However, scientists from the University of British Columbia, Canada, have chanced upon a medical breakthrough […]
Brushing teeth serves more than good oral hygiene, as researchers from the University of Bergen (UiB) in Norway have found that gingivitis (gum disease) is a causative factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers previously discovered a link that bacteria causing gingivitis […]
A restless sleep pattern often results in reduced blood oxygen saturation that is restored upon waking. As the name suggests, sleep-disordered breathing, characterised by abnormal respiration during sleep, may cause excessive daytime sleepiness and adverse effects if left unchecked […]
Accurate detection of circulating tumour cells (CTC) inpatients’ blood can offer insight into the underlying tumour and predict metastases; their elimination is key to containing widespread cancer. Recently, American and Russian scientists have together developed a new kind of laser that can pinpoint and destroy CTCs without surgical interventions […]
Much of rehabilitation for paralysing injuries is repetitive and tiring. In a changing approach, the island Republic has adopted new technology for better rehab programmes. Using the US-made robotic exoskeleton suit, EksoGT, was found to improve rehabilitation therapies by a significant margin […]
Surgical options so far involve cutting the skin, patching it up and leaving it to heal. This process may soon be redundant as researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, have recently developed a specialised laser microscope that dually diagnoses and performs precise surgical removals without breaking the skin’s surface. […]
Hearing loss can prove challenging, especially when trying to make out a particular sound in a noisy/crowded space. Complete hearing loss is usually avoidable, but in the event of hearing difficulties, a new type of hearing aid may ease conversation through brain waves that channel sound while also drowning out background noise […]
Waiting days for a lab report to determine a bacterial infection could soon be a thing of the past, as scientists at Pennsylvania State University, US, have developed a device that considerably speeds up the process. The microtechnology-based device traps single bacteria cells which are later viewed under an electron microscope – the evaluation is immediate and safe […]
There may be a way to treat sensitive brain aneurysms, traditionally only addressed through delicate surgery and slim success, with an existing drug. The joint effort by scientists from UK’s University of Sussex and US’s University of Washington School of Medicine involves a receptor tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor – a class of drug currently used to treat cancer. […]
UK’s Institute of Cancer (ICR) recent £75million investment on a centre to develop drugs against treatment-resistant cancer could idealise a breakthrough within the next decade. The ICR’s new Centre for Drug Discovery at its south London campus is intended to bring together almost 300 scientists from different disciplines to overcome/redirect cancer evolution. […]
HIV remains a global health concern despite numerous treatment methods, but a new drug promises better outcomes over a similar treatment used for the past decade […]
Recent figures report a marked rise of deadly malaria cases after nearly a decade of fighting the disease – mostly in Africa, where more than 250,000 children die yearly; the WHO records a total of 435,000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2017. Numerous campaigns advocate for effective malaria treatment, thus, in a landmark immunisation project, according to Dr. Kate O’Brien, Director of Immunisation and Vaccines at the WHO, the world’s first malaria vaccine has been administered in Malawi. […]
Biotechnological innovations are the latest addition to the healthcare market with new therapies and drugs to treat cancer more effectively at a reduced cost, although the most common therapies remain immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. […]
Acai berries are a class of superfood rich in antioxidants and fibre. The acai palm is native to South America, producing a small, black-purple fruit which is edible. In an uncontrolled pilot study, overweight adults who took 100g of acai pulp daily for a month reported reductions in fasting glucose and insulin levels, indicating that consumption of the bitter acai fruit […]
A daily diet of nut helpings may promise better heart health for diabetics - just one extra serving of nuts a week is associated with a 3% lower risk of developing cardiac conditions and 6% lower risk of dying from heart problems. […]
A rapidly ageing population and rising healthcare costs have led experts to estimate that healthcare spending will continue growing. However, the US has healthcare programmes that support certain groups of marginalised people, including those with limited income and resources. Medicare and Medicaid are the two largest healthcare […]
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is likely to develop in ageing, with symptoms such as forgetfulness and a gradual decline in cognitive functions including language, attention span and perceiving objects. Seniors who eat a more generous serving of mushrooms however, may not be as likely to develop MCI. […]
Sugar is an important consideration to the diet. Diabetes and other diseases are associated with increasing sugar consumption among other risk factors. Moreover, having a sweet tooth may also wreak havoc to one’s dental health. Heavy consumption of added/free sugars easily cause tooth decay such as fruit juices that have both added and intrinsic sugars. […]
Natural killer cells are a component of white blood cells, which are crucial to our immune system’s detection/destruction of abnormal cells before they develop into cancerous tumours. Recently, Thai researchers have successfully used these natural killer cells in their national cancer therapy, for high-risk leukaemia (blood cancer) patients.[…]
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune, inflammatory neurological disease of the nervous system, which degrades the protective sheath around nerves and causes scar tissue. The brain has a harder time signaling the body and this will later […]
Pakistan, population 200 million, has recently been hit by an HIV endemic where some 680 people are reported to have been infected. In Ratodero, Sindh Province, unease grew as 537 children aged 2-12 years were tested positive for the disease […]
Southeast Asia’s Vietnam has culled some 1.2 million farmed pigs on suspicion of infection by the African swine fever virus. It was first reported in the nation in February 2019 and has since spread to 29 provinces, including Dong Nai, a notable supplier of pork consumed in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s southern economic hub […]
Stoke is severely detrimental to most of its sufferers, who struggle to complete menial, everyday tasks. NHS England has identified stroke as the leading cause of disability in the UK. But an English clinical trial for stroke patients has shown promising results that may change conventional stroke treatment […]
Smoke exposure from a pregnant mother has been a causative risk for childhood asthma, and it is now evident that the same exposure from fathers may likely lead to early asthma development in their kids. This comes from Taiwanese research of DNA methylation, where three genes along the DNA strand that influences gene activity […]
Eggs, consumed in large quantities daily, has been found to bode ill health – new research data has highlighted that every additional 300mg of cholesterol-in-eggs consumed over the usual was associated with a 17% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and an 18% higher risk of death. Study data accounting for the American participants […]
Radiotherapy is known to effectively destroy and shrink cancer cells, but will also affect/damage the surrounding healthy cells, leading to toxicity in about 60% of treated patients. For patients with gastrointestinal tumours, intensive radiation therapy could result in gastrointestinal syndrome -characterised by intestinal cell death […]
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common type of liver disease affecting the global community. It’s causing factors include obesity, diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease; potentially risking cirrhosis or liver cancer – cirrhosis is an advanced scarring of the liver tissue that impedes its function. […]
Gaming addiction is an officially recognised disorder by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and will be referred to as such by medical institutions worldwide by 2022. The disorder encompasses debilitating gaming behavior inclusive of impaired gaming control, increased priority for gaming over other interests and daily activities […]
With the steady growth of elderly consumers in the Asia Pacific region, Singapore’s trade and development agency, Enterprise Singapore, together with the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), will be supporting about ten local food companies to exhibit at the Food for Elders Pavilion at the inaugural showing of ELDEX ASIA exhibition, to be held from 8-10 November […]
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacteria, and is the world’s leading killer due to infection according to the WHO. The BCG (bacille-Calmette-Guerin) vaccine – delivered by an intramuscular injection in the upper arm – is made to use against Mtb infections; […]
Left atrial pressure (LAP) is a specific physiological indication for heart failure. Approximately 90% of cardiac patients admitted to the hospital have had pulmonary congestion related to elevated LAP- the earliest sign of impending heart failure exacerbation, long before clinical symptoms occur.[…]
Diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of fractures. Both type-1 and type-2 diabetes involve failing insulin production, necessary to convert blood sugar into energy – the former typically develops in childhood or young adulthood, and the latter due to obesity and aging. Previous research is unclear on the exact role of blood sugar […]
Millions of cancer cases were recorded last year and many could have been preventable. But, barriers exist even as early action is proven to reduce the cost and complexity of cancer treatment, whilst improving patient survival rates and quality of life. In 2018, there were more than 18 million new cases of cancer diagnosed, of […]
Adolescents who used e-cigarettes or tried vaping before trying any other tobacco product were more likely to be smoking traditional cigarettes sooner than those who had never tried any, a US study team reported in JAMA Network Open. Andrew Stokes, senior study author of the Boston University School of Public Health has said that it […]
Breakfast helps to jump start the day for most, but not necessarily if you want to lose weight. While breakfast eaters consumed more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a healthy breakfast has benefits: Can be a good source of calcium and fibre Improves concentration and attention levels, particularly […]
The flu virus is quite common and usually spreads via air droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking infected individuals; or picked up from surfaces like doorknobs, where these droplets can linger.Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, aches and pains, chills and fatigue. The flu strain H1N1 can affect anyone, but […]
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