A recent study showed that regeneration of damaged nerves due to brain or spinal cord is possible by silencing natural growth inhibitors.

Researchers at the Children's Hospital Boston removed the two key inhibitory regulators of the mTOR pathway known as PTEN and TSC1. Found in the brain cells of mice, these regulators are known to be active in cells during growth and development, but eventually slow down in control once neurons have matured. 

Health officials gave oral polio vaccine (OPV) drops to 8.80 lakh children, out of approximately 13 lakh across the city who come under the BMC’s purview. These children were vaccinated through 6,800 booths in the city under polio immunisation programme on Sunday. Health officials said that the turnout was better than the previous drive in July which had reported a 65 % turnout. 

A study conducted by OSI Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Melville and its partners in an anti-lung cancer drug, Tarceva indicates that the medication slows the advance of lung cancer when it is administered after chemotherapy.

On the other hand, another study has found that a combination of Avastin and Tarceva were ineffective in prolonging the life of cancer patients. 

The results of the study by OSI executives will be submitted at an upcoming medical conference. Thereafter they would be submitted to the US FDA for approval of Tarveca.

Intel Corp. is planning to step into health care business. The company would be providing technology to aid homebound chronic patients. 

Called as Health Guide, it is a small tabletop gadget to be manufactured by Intel. 

The device about the size of a small-form-factor P. Health Guide PHS6000 is a small white box with a flip-up 10.4-inch LCD touchscreen and a webcam with privacy shield. It hosts an undisclosed Intel processor and motherboard. The device is equipped with Bluetooth and four USB ports.

A study that involved 60 pacemaker and defibrillator patients has claimed that Magnetic interference from iPod headphones could bear a risk to patients with surgically implanted heart monitoring devices.

The research team said, "Interference from MP3 player headphones could prove fatal by temporarily deactivating the device. Patients should keep headphones more than 3cm away from their pacemaker or defibrillator."

The union representing Canadian Blood Services workers has clarified that the current shortage in the blood supply is the direct result of job cuts and changes in the service's blood collection system.

"They are cutting jobs and shortening hours," Allen said Monday. "These cuts are having a negative impact on how our members are doing their jobs. We don't want to slam our employer, but they are doing too much, too fast and it's not working."