August 30, 2011
Watching viruses ‘friend’ a network: Researchers develop Facebook application to track the path of infection
PiggyDemic, an application developed by researchers in Israel, allows Facebook users to "infect" their friends with a simulated virus or become infected themselves. This will allow researchers to gather information on how a virus mutates, spreads through human interaction, and the number of people it infects.
Vitamin C may be beneficial for asthmatic children, study suggests
Depending on the age of asthmatic children, on their exposure to molds or dampness in their bedroom, and on the severity of their asthma, vitamin C has greater or smaller beneficial effect against asthma, according to a recent study.
August 29, 2011
Don’t be afraid: very old patients treated with Vitamin K antagonists, if adequately managed, benefit from anticoagulation
Results of the EPICA Study (Elderly Patients followed by Italian Centers for Anticoagulation Study), were presented at the ESC Congress 2011 today. This is the largest study on very old patients anti-coagulated with vitamin K antagonists for the prevention of venous thromboembolism and, for the major part (75 percent), for the prevention of stroke because affected by atrial fibrillation.
August 26, 2011
Brain imaging studies report more positive findings than their numbers can support. This is fishy.
Ben Goldacre, The Guardian, Saturday 13 August 2011 While the authorities are distracted by mass disorder, we can do some statistics. You’ll have seen plenty of news stories telling you that one part of the brain is bigger, or smaller, in people with a particular mental health problem, or even a specific job. These are [...]
August 25, 2011
Vitamin A supplements for children could save 600,000 lives a year, experts predict
Children in low and middle income countries should be given vitamin A supplements to prevent death and illness, a new study concludes.