http://cache.io9.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/io9.com.png http://io9.com/tag/medicine http://io9.com/tag/medicine

In 2008, Liverpool University decided to commemorate Valentine's Day with a festive rollerdisco party. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5884617&view=rss&microfeed=true

It's rare to get any good news associated with reports of Alzheimer's disease, but neuroscientists have just released word that one drug is dramatically reducing symptoms. It seems to do this by dissolving a protein that builds up in the brain — and it manages to create major improvements within days. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5883489&view=rss&microfeed=true

The horrors of the nuclear age, in terms of exploding reactors and nuclear bombs, are well known. Behind the well-publicized threat of mass death lies a secret history of nuclear projects being used to destroy individuals. In the late 1940s, United States citizens were injected with plutonium without their knowledge. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5883962&view=rss&microfeed=true

The effectiveness of zinc as a treatment for colds is hotly debated, but it appears the element might have a major role in saving lives — with a completely different disease. A new report published in BMC Medicine suggests that zinc supplements might significantly improve the survival rate of young children with pneumonia. Researchers at Makerere University in Uganda undertook a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, of 350 children under the age of five with respiratory tract infections. All the subjects were treated with standard antibiotics, but half were given zinc supplements in addition, and half a placebo. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5883149&view=rss&microfeed=true

A heart won't beat once it's been ripped out of the chest Indiana Jones style. But disembodied heart cells, when nurtured in a petri dish, will beat on their own. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5882963&view=rss&microfeed=true

Gonorrhea is the second-most commonly reported sexually transmitted disease in the United States. But no biggie, right? It's not like it's HIV or herpes — you know, one of those STDs that sticks with you for life. Just pop some antibiotics and you're good to go, right? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5883587&view=rss&microfeed=true

Why haven't we cured cancer yet? It seems like almost every day, we hear about another miraculous advance in cancer treatment. Drugs that cause tumors to shrink, gene therapies, and even a possible vaccine. And yet, our loved ones keep dying of cancer. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5883180&view=rss&microfeed=true

This incredible video captures a showdown between cancer cells and the T cells that act as the shock troops for your immune system. That's right - you're actually watching a T cell defeat cancer. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5882814&view=rss&microfeed=true

It's Monday. For most of us, that means it's back to the grind — whether that grind be work, school, or some other scheduled obligation. Unfortunately for weekend warriors everywhere, these obligations typically require us to get up earlier than we'd choose if it were up to us. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5882503&view=rss&microfeed=true

That's what an 83 year old woman in Belgium did. Her seriously infected jaw needed to be removed, but reconstructive surgery would have been too dangerous for such an elderly patient. That's when the doctors fired up the 3D printer. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5882429&view=rss&microfeed=true

90% of North Americans consume caffeine on a daily basis. When ingested by itself, caffeine is extremely bitter — not the type a flavor many of us want lingering on our taste buds. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5881364&view=rss&microfeed=true The Wall Street Journal's Katherine Hobson has a story today about a small study that tested the common-sense idea that massage helps soothe sore muscles. She writes: More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5881470&view=rss&microfeed=true

Sure, sugar's bad for you. But should we establish a drinking age for sugary sodas? According to UC San Francisco pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, the answer is emphatically yes. He says that added sweeteners have health effects comparable to alcohol and tobacco, and should be regulated accordingly. In a comment piece for the journal Nature, Lustig and his colleagues argue that the state should selectively block access to sugar, using some pretty stiff rules. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5881328&view=rss&microfeed=true

British pharmaceutical company GW Pharmaceuticals has developed a medical marijuana drug called Sativex. The drug is delivered orally via a spray pump, and is the first of its kind to be produced by extracting high-inducing cannabinoids like THC (pot's primary psychoactive ingredient) from the cannabis plant itself. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5881043&view=rss&microfeed=true

Skin-bound books may sound like weird artifacts that belong in Evil Dead movies or Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. But from the 1600s to 1800s, these suede-like tomes were less necromancy, more commemorative plate. And hell, converting yourself into a human moleskine upon kicking the bucket made for a heartfelt present. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5881006&view=rss&microfeed=true Aubrey de Grey, a software engineer turned gerontology expert in the UK, is known for his controversial books and lectures about how humans will eventually extend their lifespans. Currently he's the Chief Science Officer at SENS Foundation, a nonprofit in Silicon Valley aimed at funding new biotechnologies that could extend human life. In fact, many profiles of his work emphasize that he's after "immortality." But in an interview last week with readers of Science magazine, he said he's sick of this mischaracterization: More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5880547&view=rss&microfeed=true

What if the male version of the birth control pill wasn't a pill at all? Scientists from the University of North Carolina say a non-oral form of male contraception is on the horizon. According to researchers, all it takes to be effective is a couple blasts of high frequency sound waves...delivered straight to the testicles. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5880431&view=rss&microfeed=true

Now that Superman's no longer wearing his trademark red undershorts, in either the comics or movie versions, you might have wondered what's become of them. And apparently, they're in Malaysia, where they're a hot-selling item. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5880389&view=rss&microfeed=true

Multiple sclerosis is a confusing disease. Widely regarded as an autoimmune problem, it affects millions of sufferers, and we still don't have a complete grasp of what causes it. Part of this problem is due to the fact that every time we find something that seems to be a factor in how it works, that factor doesn't seem universal. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5879328&view=rss&microfeed=true

Under the right circumstances, a home furnishing has the power to make visitors green around the gills. Such is the findings of a recent paper published in the journal Perception, "The sickening rug: a repeating static pattern that leads to motion-sickness-like symptoms." More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5879788&view=rss&microfeed=true

A new avenue of treatment could fight two of the most prominent cancers — effectively hitting both leukemia and breast cancer. We could soon be inhibiting tumor growth by targeting a single protein, and this could revolutionize treatments of both diseases. Two papers published this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine examine the protein HSP90, which plays a role in the growth of tumors. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5879284&view=rss&microfeed=true

Tumors the size and weight of another human — how on Earth does this happen? This medical anomaly makes for interesting television specials and news blurbs, but what about the lives and circumstances of the people involved? Let's a take a look at the type of tumors grow to this size, the rather simple reasons for their growth, and the kinds of recent surgeries that remove them. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5879030&view=rss&microfeed=true

Here are some snapshots from a dark chapter in American history. Throughout the 19th century, San Francisco's growing Chinese immigrant population had to contend with codified prejudice from legislation like the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, segregated communities, and the sentiment that Chinese-Americans were the source of leprous, smallpox, and malarial "vapors." More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5878877&view=rss&microfeed=true

It's one of the biggest milestones for stem cells since their discovery. Researchers yesterday published the first results of a clinical trial where doctors transplanted of stem cells into the eyes of patients suffering from a form of progressive blindness. And the preliminary results look very good. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5878767&view=rss&microfeed=true

We've gotten used to animals having strange powers — like using sound to create 'vision,' seeing more colors than we do, and sensing polarized light or the magnetic field of the earth. But did you know that some animals have 'powers' over human physiology? The Russell's Pit Viper can use its venom to send you back through puberty. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5878200&view=rss&microfeed=true

Find out how the cracking of knuckles works for the same reason deep sea divers have to take breaks as they ascend, soda fizzes, and water boils instantly in a vacuum. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5877454&view=rss&microfeed=true

For the first time in seventeen years, the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (D.S.M.) is undergoing a significant revision. One of the mental conditions facing major emendations in its D.S.M. definition is autism. If the changes go through, a recent analysis suggests that the rate of official diagnosis for autism, and related disorders like Asperger syndrome, could plummet. And that, some people worry, could be bad news for those marginalized by the new diagnostic criteria. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5877879&view=rss&microfeed=true

Schizophrenia is among the most damaging and least understood of all mental disorders. Now a seemingly minor symptom — the fact that many schizophrenia patients complain of sleeping problems — could actually provide a crucial key to unraveling the disease. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5877672&view=rss&microfeed=true

Somewhere back in the vast recesses of time, staying alive required one to get things out of your nose so fast that a mere finger just wouldn't do the job quick enough. Only total involuntary facial evacuation would keep your species struggling along. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5877094&view=rss&microfeed=true

If you've ever had your arm stuck in a cast, relearning how to write with your off arm may seem like an excruciating and lengthy experience — but in terms of how your brain works, it actually happens with lightning speed. With your primary writing arm out of commission, your brain rapidly rewires to shift its emphasis to using your other hand, moving brain mass in the process. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5876679&view=rss&microfeed=true

For 21 years, 34-year-old Wang Youping of China's Shaanxi Province hasn't been able to shut his mouth due to his giant tongue. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5877129&view=rss&microfeed=true

A study published today in the journal Cancer Cell has put forward something terrifying — that one of our current way of fighting tumors might make them more deadly. The researchers examined anti-angiogenic therapies, or those treatments which cut off blood supplies to tumors, thus making them shrink in size. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5876883&view=rss&microfeed=true

At the 1983 Urodynamics Society conference in Las Vegas, pioneering urologist Sir Giles Skey Brindley delivered what was singularly the most uncomfortable lecture in the history of academia. What began as a presentation on the treatment of erectile dysfunction quickly transformed into an unwanted session of show-and-tell. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5876545&view=rss&microfeed=true

Is a little-known property of cat purrs the key to keeping astronauts healthy during long trips in space? Judge for yourself! More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5871423&view=rss&microfeed=true

You're used to relying on your brain. Whatever else happens, your personal lump of gray matter will take in the world, and respond to it in a fluid and predictable way. But actually, whatever your brain does is made up of many successive mental steps — and if just one of those steps fails, you'll find yourself behaving very differently. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5874229&view=rss&microfeed=true

People attempting the arduous task of quitting smoking often turn to "nicotine replacement therapies" like patches and gum. These help with the physical aspect of withdrawal and the whole "quitting the actual smoking" part. Well, that's the theory anyway. According to a new study published in the journal Tobacco Control, these nicotine replacement therapies don't help. At all. Their research of almost 800 smokers attempting to quit in Massachusetts saw the same relapse rate regardless of if they use NRTs or not. Regardless if they were light or heavy smokers or if they received counseling or not, chewing the gum or using the patches didn't seem to help. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5874944&view=rss&microfeed=true

Allergies were pretty much completely unknown until the beginning of the twentieth century, and allergic diseases have skyrocketed in the last twenty years, and well over half of all Americans are allergic to an airborne substance. What's going on here? More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5875793&view=rss&microfeed=true

Score another victory for the tokers in the audience. A study into the long-term effects of marijuana smoking on lung function has shown that it's not nearly as bad as many have assumed. Despite having many of the same constituents as tobacco smoke, the long-term effects of marijuana smoking on breathing is poorly understood, which this study has at least partly rectified. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5874964&view=rss&microfeed=true

Zombies may seem like the purview of AMC dramas nowadays, but in 1997, English medical journal The Lancet published an intriguing set of case studies detailing three reports of zombification in Haiti. What caused the dead to walk in these instances? Well, let's just say reality is far less lurid than George Romero flicks. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5875109&view=rss&microfeed=true

As we age, vision problems are unavoidable. Age-related macular degeneration breaks down a thin layer of cells in the back of your eye — the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) — on the way to causing vision loss. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5872992&view=rss&microfeed=true