Home Monitoring of Blood Sugar Did Not Improve Glycemic Control After 1 Year
Self-monitoring of blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not treated with insulin did not improve glycemic control or health-related quality of life after one year in a randomized trial, results that suggest self-monitoring should not be routine in these patients, according to a new study published by JAMA Internal Medicine. The study has been presented at the American Diabetes Association 77th Scientific Sessions.
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New Cellular Imaging Paves Way for Cancer Treatment
Researchers at the Universities of York and Leiden have pioneered a technique which uses florescent imaging to track the actions of key enzymes in cancer, genetic disorders and kidney disease. Scientists hope this new development will aid drug design for new anti-cancer, inflammation and kidney disease treatments.
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Stroke patients who learned to use their minds to open and close a device fitted over their paralyzed hands gained some control over their hands, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. By mentally controlling the device with the help of a brain-computer interface, participants trained the uninjured parts of their brains to take over functions previously performed by injured areas of the brain, the researchers said.
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Tablet Helps Heart Failure Patients Manage their Disease Including Drug Dosages
A novel tablet is helping heart failure patients to manage their disease including drug dosages, according to research presented at EuroHeartCare 2017.(1) Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart does not pump blood around the body as well as it should. Not enough blood gets to the body, causing fatigue. Blood backs up waiting to enter the heart, leading to fluid accumulation in the legs and abdomen and fluid in the lungs (congestion).
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Predicting Influenza Outbreaks Faster with a Digitally-Empowered Wearable Device
Through integration with a wearable thermometer, the Thermia online health educational tool developed at Boston Children's Hospital has enabled prediction of seasonal influenza outbreaks in China one month earlier than before, according to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health. Although the Boston Children's team has previously demonstrated that social media can be used to track disease, this is the first time that they've shown that outbreaks can be predicted through an integrated wearable device and online tool.
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Investing in Drug Safety Monitoring could Avoid Complications - and Save Medical Costs
Increased investment in "pharmacovigilance surveillance" - systems to proactively monitor safety problems with new medications - has the potential to avoid harmful drug effects while lowering healthcare costs, according to a study in the June issue of Medical Care. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.
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Targeted, High-Energy Cancer Treatments Get a Supercomputing Boost
Radiation therapy shoots high-energy particles into the body to destroy or damage cancer cells. Over the last century, the technologies used have constantly improved and it has become a highly effective way to treat cancer. However, physicians must still walk a fine line between delivering enough radiation to kill tumors, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
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