Category: Features
US animal-human heart transplant faint echo of Indian controversy
US doctors have successfully transplanted a heart from a genetically modified pig into a man – the Maryland patient is reported to be recovering well after the highly experimental surgery, which evokes memories of an Indian doctor who had attempted […]
Managing high blood pressure with renal nerve denervation
High blood pressure or hypertension is a serious problem that affects every three in 10 Malaysians with the condition, according to Professor Datin Dr. Chia Yook Chin, Immediate Past President of the Malaysia Society of Hypertension. “Around 1.4 million Malaysians […]
Different risks of overactive bladder with different dementia medications
Some drugs taken to ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has been found to instead cause increased risk of overactive bladder (OAB) in patients. The class of drugs known as cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEI), are said to increase communication […]
Eclampsia reported as fourth leading cause of maternal death in Malaysia
While pregnancy is a joyous experience for many, pregnant mothers and their unborn babies may be at fatal disadvantage when faced with a condition known as pre-eclampsia or the more severe eclampsia. The condition is characterised by high blood pressure […]
New molecule found to regulate blood sugar levels independent of insulin
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (Salk), US, have identified an alternate molecular pathway that regulates blood glucose, which could present a potential new treatment course for diabetes. While insulin is the primary regulator for the disease, a […]
New 3D imaging technology better visualises microscopic damage causing lower back pain
The minute damage sustained by the soft and protective tissues along the spine, including the cartilage and jelly-like intervertebral discs, is often overlooked during assessment with existing medical technologies, such as X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This damage can […]
‘Pan-coronavirus’ vaccine in development by US Army
A massive project aimed at developing a coronavirus vaccine that can provide protection against all SARS-CoV-2 variants is underway at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). Instead of focusing on a single permutation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, […]
COVID-19 virus can trigger persistent, self-damaging immune response
A Cedars-Sinai, California, research team has found infection with the virus that causes COVID-19 can stress the immune system so much to cause the production of autoantibodies that will attack the body’s own organs and tissues. The shocking discovery was […]
New, multi-functional material promises more effective tendon repair
Tendons connect muscles to bones – strains or injuries to tendons are especially debilitating because the fine tissue never fully regains its former mechanical strength, thereafter, resulting in reduced mobility. Now, a team of researchers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute in […]
