Last year scientists discovered new evidence that drinking coffee may help prevent diabetes. However, the mechanism of this interaction remained unclear. Additional laboratory tests on animals showed that caffeine may be responsible for the anti-diabetic function. This year researches at UCLA (University of California – Los Angeles) reported a possible molecular mechanism of coffee’s protective effect. Read full text »

During the last year’s meeting of The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases(1) (AASLD) the innovative technique of bioscaffolding has been presented. On the basis of this novelty scientists managed to produce a fully functional liver ­ a hybrid of animal and human cells. This is the next important step in regenerative medicine. Read full text »

On 18th of October European Resuscitation Council (ERC) implemented the newest version of European Guidelines on Resuscitation. Comparison with the last version suggests that it is rather an evolution than revolution. In this brief summary I am going to present the main points of European Guidelines on Resuscitation 2010., Read full text »

Although the first case report about Rett’s syndrome comes from 1961, it did not gain ground until 2000, when Barry Rinehart made a documentary movie about girls suffering from this disorder, entitled “Silent Angels. The Rett Syndrome Story”, featuring Julia Roberts as a narrator. Rett syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder, occurring primarily in girls population, connected with mutation in MECP2 gene, which is situated on X chromosome2. It leads to developmental regression and loss of previously acquired skills. Causal treatment is still not known. Read full text »

Migraine is a problem that affects approximately 15% of adults. A splitting headache is often accompanied by a number of neurological and non-neurological manifestations. Patients affected by this ailment are put under a higher risk of developing such conditions as anxiety or depression. Migraine has an influence on the visuo-spatial memory and seriously affects selective attention tasks. This malady disables the proper function of the human body – it brings a headache of such a severe intensity that it may be aggravated by just a normal physical activity. Therefore migraine is a major problem for a working community. Read full text »

Polyunsaturated fatty acids-PUFA -have surprised scientists once again. Supplementation with these compounds already supports the treatment of conditions such as Sjogren’s syndrome, atopic dermatitis, or easing morning stiffness in reumatoid arthritis. This time researchers have found in them a solution to harness the destructive process of inflammation in periodontitis. Read full text »

It was December 10, 2008 when professor Maria Siemionow and a team of surgeons completed the first near-total face transplantation in America at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Read full text »

Shuvo Roy, an associate professor in the UCSF School of Pharmacy who specializes in developing micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology for biomedical applications, and his colleagues have developed the artificial kidney. Read full text »

The brains response of patients remaining under anesthesia mimic the response to stimuli in the deepest part of sleep. This observation from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health leads to discussion on developing theory of consciousness and suggesting a new method to assess loss of consciousness in conditions such as coma. Read full text »

On 17-18^th December, in capital city of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw, an extraordinary scientific event – 1st International Symposium What’s New In Pediatrics And Oncology took place. It was organized by the Marrow Transplantation, Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Clinic, with cooperation of Foundation Help For Children With Cancer Disease. The patronage over the conference was taken by Polish Academy of Sciences (Committee on Childhood Cancer), Polish Pediatric Society and Polish Society of Children Oncology and Hematology. Read full text »