New research from Yale University shows that many health institutions do well on mortality and readmission and that performance on one does not dictate performance on the other. Hospital performance on two Medicare quality measures are not strongly related, and are likely to reflect very different aspects of their clinical care, according to results published [...]

Using a process called X-ray crystallography, scientists at the University of Washington have determined the precise configuration of humulones, which may result in new pharmaceuticals to treat diabetes, some types of cancer and other maladies. Researchers employing a century-old observational technique have determined the precise configuration of humulones, substances derived from hops that give beer [...]

Two newly discovered TERT promoter mutations were found to be even more common than BRAF mutations in melanoma, collectively occurring in 71% of the melanomas examined. Two mutations that collectively occur in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors have been discovered in what scientists call the “dark matter” of the cancer genome, where cancer-related mutations [...]

A new study found that regular aspirin use is significantly associated with an increased incidence of neovascular AMD, a leading cause of blindness in older people. Researchers at the Center for Vision Research from the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research (WMI), a close affiliate of the University of Sydney, have found that regular aspirin [...]

Taylor Binns began slowly going blind because of complications with his contact lenses. However, an innovative treatment using stem cells has allowed him to regain his sight. While on humanitarian work in Haiti, Binns developed intense eye pain and increasingly blurry vision. Over the next two years, Binns slowly went legally blind, with his doctors [...]

The US Department of Defense has been developing pills that will protect humans from radiation. The pills are named Ex-Rad and were developed by Onconova Therapeutics in conjunction with the DoD. The scientists published their findings in the journal Radiation Research. Once humans have been exposed to radiation, there hasn’t been much they could do [...]

Researchers have figured out how fly larvae works as a healing balm that’s been used by battlefield surgeons for centuries to close wounds. The scientists published their findings in the journal Wound Repair and Regeneration. Maggots suppress the immune system. They consume dead tissue, leaving healthy tissue practically unscathed. Physicians have been using larvae to [...]

In order to avoid getting a cold, people can try to meditate or exercise. A new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that adults who practiced mindful meditation or moderately intense exercise for eight weeks suffered less from season ailments during the following winter than those who didn’t do either. The scientists published their [...]

The reason why some people tend to respond to treatments that have no active ingredients might be down to genetics. A new study indicates that the placebo effect could be linked to a genetic component. The scientists published their findings in the journal PLoS ONE. The placebo effect was examined in 104 patients with irritable [...]

Currently, there is a scientific consensus that females are hitting puberty earlier than before, developing breasts as young as 7 or 8. Scientists believe childhood obesity, since body fat is linked to the production of estrogen, and chemicals in the water and food supply are the likely culprits and wondered if the same trend is [...]

Robots are set to enter operating theaters, albeit remotely controlled. InTouch Health Care is developing robots that will allow doctors to provide their expertise and care remotely. These robots aren’t replacement doctors, but will extend the reach of most physicians. The company’s new robot, RP-VITA (Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant) was shown at the [...]

The discovery that mature, adult cells can be reprogrammed back to an embryonic-like state has won this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. It was awarded to two pioneers of stem-cell research, John Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka. Reprogrammed cells are able to regain pluripotency, the potential to differentiate into many mature cell types. Researchers [...]