Health News

Indian-origin researcher’s ‘nanobombs’ can explode cancer

Indian-origin researcher’s ‘nanobombs’ can explode cancerLondon, November 11 : An Indian-origin researcher in America says that tube-like carbon nano-particles can be used to explode cancer.

Balaji Panchapakesan at the University of Delaware, Newark, proposes the idea of filling carbon nanotubes with water before injecting them into a tumour.

He says that zapping the cancerous area with laser light at a later stage will cause the water to boil, and the tremendous pressure by the heating will trigger the "nanobombs" to burst apart, thereby killing nearby cells.

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood may help build new heart valves

Stem CellsWashington, Nov 11 : Doctors may one day be able to use stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood to build new heart valves for babies born with heart defects, say researchers.

Leptin behind obesity-related cardiovascular disease

Leptin behind obesity-related cardiovascular diseaseWashington, Nov 11 : A new study by researchers at Ohio University has revealed that obesity raises levels of the hormone leptin, which can be a big threat to the cardiovascular system.

Leptin, a peptide hormone produced by fat cells, helps regulate body weight by acting on the hypothalamus to suppress appetite and burn stored fat.

However, an excess of fat in the body can produce too much of the hormone, which, in turn, can lower levels of bioavailable nitric oxide.

Future pacemakers may be powered by beating hearts

Future pacemakers may be powered by beating heartsWashington, November 11: A beating heart may produce enough energy to power pacemakers and defibrillators implanted in cardiac patients, according to a new study.

Dr. Paul Roberts, a Consultant Electrophysiologist at Southampton University Hospital in the UK, revealed that a microgenerator powered by heartbeats was found to produce almost 17 per cent of the electricity needed to run an artificial pacemaker during an experiment.

Less than seven and a half hours of sleep can up heart disease risk

Less than seven and a half hours of sleep can up heart disease riskWashington, Nov 11: Sleeping less than seven and a half hours per day can raise your chances of developing a heart disease, according to a new study.

The study has been published in the November 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

In addition, a combination of little sleep and overnight-elevated blood pressure appears to be associated with an increased risk of the disease.

Babies placed in incubators ‘at lower depression risk as adults’

Washington, Nov 11 : A new study has found that babies placed in incubators after birth are less likely to have depression as adults.

An international team of researchers has found that infants who receive incubator care after birth are two to three times less likely to suffer from depression.

"In mammals, separation between mother and child after birth has always been considered a major stressor that can cause behavioural problems well into adulthood," said coauthor Richard E. Tremblay a professor of psychology, pediatrics and psychiatry at the Université de Montréal and director of the Research Unit on Children''s Psycho-Social Maladjustment at the Sainte Justine Hospital Research Center.

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