Robotic kidney transplants are here

Robotic kidney transplants are here

In a major breakthrough, surgeons at India-based Medanta Hospital and Michigan-based Henry Ford Hospital have successfully transplanted kidneys into 50 recipients using an innovative robot-assisted procedure. In this surgery, called ‘Icy’ technique, the organ is cooled with sterile ice during the operation. The research advances minimally invasive robotic surgery as a safe alternative to traditional […]

Take heart! Genes make your toddler violent

Take heart! Genes make your toddler violent

Can’t figure out why your toddler is throwing toys at you or hitting his/her sibling? Blame it on genes. The development of physical aggression in toddlers is strongly associated with genetic factors and to a lesser degree with the environment, says a study. “The gene-environment analyses revealed that early genetic factors were pervasive in accounting […]

Grandpa knows more, uses brain better than you!

Grandpa knows more, uses brain better than you!

The brains of older people do not get weak as they age. On the contrary, they simply know more. Debunking earlier theories that our brains go into a steady decline as we age, researchers have found that the human brain works slower in old age but only because it has stored more information over time. […]

Brisk walk may lower prostate cancer risk

Brisk walk may lower prostate cancer risk

Do daily walk and regular exercise have an impact on prostate cancer prognosis? Yes, say researchers. Men who engage in higher levels of physical activity have been reported to have a lower risk of prostate cancer recurrence and mortality compared with men who participate in little or no physical activity. “Research has shown that men […]

Go out in the sun to lower BP

Go out in the sun to lower BP

Soak up some sun not only for your daily vitamin D dose but also to lower blood pressure, says a thrilling research. Researcher at the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh in Britain found that sunlight alters levels of nitric oxide (NO) – the small messenger molecule in the skin and blood – reducing blood pressure. […]

Tulsi enters US lab to fight cancer

Tulsi enters US lab to fight cancer

The ubiquitous tulsi in your backyard may be a potent weapon against all kinds of cancer, so believes a team of researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist. Tulsi or basil has eugenol that helps fight cancer. Now the research team is genetically modifying tulsi in the lab to produce the anti-cancerous compound in abundance. “When […]

Higher vitamin D good for patients with Parkinson’s

Higher vitamin D good for patients with Parkinson’s

Healthy vitamin D levels may lead to better memory and depression-free life in patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease (PD). A new study exploring vitamin D levels in patients with Parkinson’s disease opens up the possibility of a new avenue of early intervention that may delay or prevent the onset of cognitive impairment and depression. “Nearly […]

Even cigarette warning label is injurious to health!

Even cigarette warning label is injurious to health!

Common sense suggests that warning labels on products like cigarettes and medications would encourage people not to go for them. Wrong. Research suggests that warning labels can actually have the opposite effect, making the product more appealing. “When there is a time lag between reading a warning and then buying or consuming the related products, […]

Made in China herbs hold promise for preventing diabetes

Made in China herbs hold promise for preventing diabetes

Traditional Chinese herbs may offer a new option for managing blood sugar levels, either alone or in combination with other treatments, to help people at risk of developing diabetes. Pre-diabetes is diagnosed when an individual has developed elevated blood sugar levels, but glucose levels have not yet risen to the point of developing type 2 […]

Poland’s first face transplant earns world recognition

Poland’s first face transplant earns world recognition

Poland’s first-ever face transplant has been recognised as the world’s best example of reconstructive surgery of 2013 at a recent annual meeting of the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM) in Hawaii, media reported Thursday. The surgery was carried out in May 2013 at the Institute of Oncology in Gliwice of southern Poland by a […]