Health
New therapy for macular degeneration shows promise: study
An experimental treatment may significantly slow the progression of the blindness-causing disorder macular degeneration, in what would mark the first therapy of its kind, research shows. There are currently no available treatments to stymie macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people aged 60 and older. More than five… Read
Cholesterol-lowering vaccine seems to work in mice: study
A cholesterol-lowering vaccine has shown promise in mice, say researchers who announced they had started early-phase trials to see if it also works in humans. Such a treatment could offer a welcome alternative to statins, the main pharmaceutical choice today for lowering cholesterol in people at high risk of heart… Read
Scientists find new biomarker to guide cancer immunotherapy
Scientists say they have pinpointed a particular type of immune system cell that could predict more precisely if cancer patients are likely to respond to modern immunotherapy medicines. The discovery, reported in the journal Nature Immunology, suggests doctors and drug developers will need to get smarter in zeroing in on… Read
New antibiotic potentially big in fighting drug-resistant bacteria
Scientists have discovered a new antibiotic that is highly effective against bacteria resistant to known antimicrobials, which was found in a soil sample taken in Italy. Named "pseudouridimycin," or PUM, the new antibiotic is produced by a microbe found in the soil. It has killed a wide range of bacteria… Read
The Aman Spa: Balance and relaxation with a seasonal, Japanese twist
Perched on the top six floors of Chiyoda Ward's The Otemachi Tower is The Aman Tokyo; a quintessentially Japanese, world-class hotel. Nestled on the 34th floor is the hotel’s luxury spa; an exquisite facility offering an escape from the bustling city below, inspired by the Japanese philosophy of wellness deriving… Read
Sleeping-in on weekends linked to lower body weight
Catching up on lost sleep over weekends may help people keep their weight down, according to a study in South Korea. Not getting enough sleep can disrupt hormones and metabolism and is known to increase the risk of obesity, researchers write in the journal Sleep. “Short sleep, usually causing sleep… Read
Hitachi, MD Anderson to collaborate in research for treatment of oropharyngeal cancer of head and neck
Hitachi Healthcare Americas Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have entered into an agreement to collaborate on research for a unique randomized clinical trial comparing the outcomes and side-effects of intensity-modulated proton beam therapy (IMPT) versus intensity-modulated photon therapy… Read
Untreated sleep apnea may worsen markers of heart health and diabetes
Properly treating a common sleep-related breathing disorder may have benefits for the heart and for blood sugar, a new study suggests. If people with obstructive sleep apnea don't use machines at night to help keep the airway open, measures of their heart health and blood sugar worsen, researchers found. "One… Read
Aspirin increases bleeding risk in older stroke patients: study
Long-term, daily use of aspirin to prevent blood clots in very elderly patients leads to an increased risk of serious or fatal internal bleeding, researchers say. Heartburn medication would allows people 75 years and older to keep the preventative benefits of aspirin while avoiding its dangerous side-effects, they reported in… Read
J&J diabetes drug shows heart benefit in large safety study
Johnson & Johnson's type 2 diabetes drug Invokana significantly reduced the risk of serious heart problems in patients with established heart disease or at elevated risk in a pair of large studies, according to data presented at a medical meeting this week. The medicine also led to a reduced risk… Read
