Researchers said that the results of a clinical study to be presented next month have shown that the blockbuster inhaled lung drug Spiriva, which is marketed by Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim reduces heart risk. These findings are contradictory to the conclusion reached earlier by pooled analysis of past studies, which said that Spiriva or tiotropium raised the risk of heart attack, stroke and death from heart disease.

A recent study has shown that presence of “friendly” bacteria in the gut can help stop the development of type 1 diabetes. Researchers believe that exposure to some forms of bacteria might help to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes, which often develops in childhood, where the immune system launches an attack on cells that produce insulin. 

A recent study has shown that massage therapy can help advanced cancer patients. This study showed that massage can help in relieving the pain as well as mood change in advanced cancer patients. Depressed mood is one of the most common problems in cancer patients. However benefits were not long-lasting. This research showed that massage therapy could be used as a safe way to ease cancer patients' pain. This study was led by Dr. Jean S. Kutner of the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.  

Mumbai: With an intention to strengthen the healthcare network in the city, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has decided to open up a medical college in Mulund, a north-eastern suburb of mumbai. With a 300 bed hospital, the college will enroll nearly 50 MBBS students in its first batch in 2009.  

A recent German research has shown that the type of scent we inhale when we are asleep, determines the type of dreams during sleep. A positive smell can affect dreams in a positive way while negative smells make dreams negative. Earlier studies have shown affect of external stimulation, such as sound, pressure or vibration on the content and the emotional tone of dreams. The research was conducted by Professor Boris Stuck and his team from the University Hospital Mannheim.  

A team of researchers led by Professor Mark Huycke has discovered connection between a common gut bacterium and colon cancer. Researchers believe that this bacterium plays a key role in development of colon cancer. Enterococcus faecalis is harmless in the vast majority of people but research has shown that it can produce harmful chemicals.