http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Testicular-cancer-facts-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 07:23:47 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/i-cards-on-sperm-health-issued-by-chinese-hospital-101694-1.htm Chinese men can now know the health of their sperm after a hospital started to issue cards which displays the sperm count along with a recorded DVD containing information about the quality, quantity and movement of the sperm. The sperm identity cards are being issued at a hospital in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, the China Daily reported. The identity card is being jointly issued by the Ren'ai Hospital and the Reproductive Healthcare Association. The first card-holder was ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/i-cards-on-sperm-health-issued-by-chinese-hospital-101694-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/no-tb-test-for-indians-seeking-uk-visitor-visa-101682-1.htm Indians visiting Britain for less than six months do not need to undergo tuberculosis (TB) test, it was clarified Wednesday. An announcement by the British government that visa applicants from India and some other countries will be required to undergo TB test had led to some alarm. Speaking to the media here, British High Commissioner James Bevan said the new rule will not be applicable to those seeking visitors' visa. "This will apply to those who are coming to Britain for over six months," he said....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/no-tb-test-for-indians-seeking-uk-visitor-visa-101682-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-10-min-test-to-diagnose-alzheimers-disease-and-prevent-severe-brain-damage-101621-1.htm A simple ten-minute CANTABmobile memory test will effectively screen patients for early signs of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, thus enabling faster treatment. The CANTABmobile test distinguishes between normal forgetfulness and the more dangerous memory lapses that can signal dementia. The test has been made available for use in GPs' surgeries, according to the Daily Mail. Early diagnosis would allow patients to receive drug treatment when it would help them the most, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-10-min-test-to-diagnose-alzheimers-disease-and-prevent-severe-brain-damage-101621-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-test-results-do-not-trigger-increased-use-of-health-services-nih-led-study-101565-1.htm There are increasing opportunities for people to participate in genetic testing that can indicate their range of risk for developing a disease. According to a study performed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and colleagues at other institutions, receiving these results does not appreciably drive up or diminish test recipients' demand for potentially costly follow-up health services. The study in the May 17, 2012 early online issue of iGenetics in Medicine/i was done by ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/genetic-test-results-do-not-trigger-increased-use-of-health-services-nih-led-study-101565-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/cut-rate-paper-based-diabetes-test-apt-for-developing-countries-101548-1.htm Type 2 diabetes epidemics breeds in rural India, China and other areas of the world where poverty restricts the gaining health care, scientists are reporting development of a low cost and user-friendly urine test ideally apt for such areas. The report describing the paper-based device, which also could be adapted for the diagnosis and monitoring of other conditions and the environment, appears in ACS' journal iAnalytical Chemistry/i. Jan Lankelma and colleagues point out that monitoring glucose levels is important....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cut-rate-paper-based-diabetes-test-apt-for-developing-countries-101548-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/key-genes-and-prototype-predictive-test-for-schizophrenia-identified-101442-1.htm A comprehensive group of genes most associated with schizophrenia has been identified by an Indiana University-led research team, along with a group of national and international collaborators. These genes can generate a score indicating whether an individual is at higher or lower risk of developing the disease. Using a convergent functional genomics approach that incorporates a variety of experimental techniques, the scientists also were able to apply a panel of their top genes to data from ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/key-genes-and-prototype-predictive-test-for-schizophrenia-identified-101442-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/us-panel-urges-quick-in-home-hiv-test-approval-101342-1.htm An over-the-counter version of a test that could allow people to test themselves at home for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is in waiting, with a panel of experts on Tuesday urging US regulators to allow the test. The Blood Products Advisory Committee voted unanimously, 17-0, that the OraQuick In-Home Test was safe and effective and that any benefits outweighed the potential risks of use. The US Food and Drug Administration does not have to follow the advice of the expert panel, thought it usually does....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/us-panel-urges-quick-in-home-hiv-test-approval-101342-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-may-help-predict-postnatal-depression-risk-101229-1.htm A simple blood test could help identify women who are most likely to suffer from postnatal depression in advance. PND affects one in seven women and is far more severe than 'baby blues. Mothers may struggle to bond with their babies and treatment and support are vital. Researchers at Warwick Medical School found women who developed the condition were more likely to have variants of two receptor genes involved in the body's stress response, the Daily Mail reported. The discovery could ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-may-help-predict-postnatal-depression-risk-101229-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/non-animal-test-for-cosmetics-to-go-ahead-in-china-101213-1.htm Non-animal test methods for cosmetics ingredients are likely to go ahead in China. This has been possible thanks to the support from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) scientists. The 3T3 Neutral Red Uptake Phototoxicity Assay, which tests chemicals for their potential toxicity when exposed to sunlight, is already in widespread use in the US and the European Union countries. It is scheduled to be accepted in China by late summer. Until now, China required cosmetics companies ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/non-animal-test-for-cosmetics-to-go-ahead-in-china-101213-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/chinese-students-hooked-to-iv-drips-to-boost-test-scores-101165-1.htm Intravenous drips filled with amino acids come in handy for Students at Xioagang high school in Hubei province of China to prepare for the nation's tough college entrance exams. The use of drips is becoming more and more popular with kids as they don't seem to have any problem with it, since it has no adverse health effects, according to Gao Pingqiang, a school official. "The school will not suspend the injection and we will continue if students want it," The Telegraph quoted Pingqiang, as saying....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/chinese-students-hooked-to-iv-drips-to-boost-test-scores-101165-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/ariosas-harmony-prenatal-test-to-be-available-in-us-and-canada-101148-1.htm California based diagnostics company, Ariosa Diagnostics has revealed that its Harmony Prenatal Test will be distributed by Laboratory Corporation of America in the United States and Canada. The company added that Harmony Prenatal Test will be available in more than a thousand patient service center and can be used to detect whether there are fetal trisomies in maternal blood.The test is conducted by analyzing free floating DNA fragments known as cell-free DNA (cfDNA) which enter the mother's bloodstream from the fetus....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/ariosas-harmony-prenatal-test-to-be-available-in-us-and-canada-101148-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-pre-pregnancy-obesity-and-lower-child-test-scores-101087-1.htm Kids born to women who are obese before they become pregnant are at an increased risk of having lower cognitive function, reveals study. In a large observational study, prepregnancy obesity was associated, on average, with a three-point drop in reading scores and a two-point reduction in math scores on a commonly used test of children's cognitive function. Previous research has suggested that a woman's prepregnancy obesity can have a negative effect on fetal organs, such as the heart, liver and pancreas....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-links-pre-pregnancy-obesity-and-lower-child-test-scores-101087-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/journey-of-sperm-similar-to-demolition-derby-101057-1.htm A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found the reason why such a small percentage of sperms manage to reach the egg with researchers saying that their journey along the female reproductive tract resembles that of a demolition derby. Researchers from University of Warwick and University of Birmingham conducted the joint study too check why less than one percent of more than 300 million sperms released during sex manage to reach the female uterus and just a few dozen manage to reach the egg....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/journey-of-sperm-similar-to-demolition-derby-101057-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/coming-soon-blood-test-to-detect-breast-cancer-100759-1.htm A blood test to identify women at high risk of breast cancer could be available in five years, say scientists. Scientists at Imperial College London have identified a 'genetic switch', carried by one in five women, which doubles their risk of developing breast cancer. Experts described the breakthrough discovery as "exciting" and said signs of the disease could be detected "many decades in advance". Dr James Flanagan, who led the new research, said the test could be available in five to ten years, the Telegraph reported....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/coming-soon-blood-test-to-detect-breast-cancer-100759-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/rapid-test-strips-to-detect-bacterial-contamination-in-swimming-water-100745-1.htm A simple rapid paper strip developed by McMaster University researchers helps detect IE. coli/I in recreational water. Scientists from the Sentinel Bioactive Paper Network have created and validated the viability of the test strip, which can detect potentially harmful concentrations of IE. coli/I in water quickly and simply, with much greater accuracy than existing portable technology. The work is described in a paper published online in the journal iAnalytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry/i....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/rapid-test-strips-to-detect-bacterial-contamination-in-swimming-water-100745-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-test-to-monitor-brain-health-100553-1.htm New monitoring method and blood test may help detect a child's brain during heart surgery, suggests research. Brain injury occurs in 30 percent to 70 percent of infants and children undergoing repair of congenital heart defects. A congenital heart defect is a heart abnormality present at birth. Out of 1,000 live births in the United States, about 8 babies will have some kind of heart defect. Previously, there has been no way to detect brain injury during surgery as it happens. This ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-test-to-monitor-brain-health-100553-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-says-aptitude-test-may-be-fairer-way-of-selecting-medical-school-candidates-100302-1.htm UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) fairer way of selecting medical school candidates, reveals study. Despite efforts to improve social mobility through access to higher education, access to the professions is still largely restricted to those from relatively advantaged backgrounds. In medicine, only around 5% of entrants have parents from a non-professional background. This desire to widen participation in medicine led to the development of the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) in 2006....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-says-aptitude-test-may-be-fairer-way-of-selecting-medical-school-candidates-100302-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-blood-test-to-detect-depression-in-teens-100294-1.htm Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have developed a new blood test that could diagnose major depression in teens and young adults. The researchers, led by Dr Eva Redei, identified 26 blood indicators that were common among patients with depression. These were then tested in a group of 28 teenagers, half of whom were diagnosed with major depression and found that 11 of the indicators could be linked to depression while 18 could be linked to both anxiety and depression....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-blood-test-to-detect-depression-in-teens-100294-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/saliva-test-to-detect-oral-cancer-100229-1.htm Scientists are in the process of developing a simple cost-effective saliva test to detect oral cancer early. Michigan State University surgeon Barry Wenig is teaming up with a Lansing-area dental benefits firm on a clinical trial to create the test. Wenig, a professor in the College of Human Medicine's Department of Surgery and lead investigator on the project, is working with Delta Dental of Michigan's Research and Data Institute to compile study data and recruit dentists. The ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/saliva-test-to-detect-oral-cancer-100229-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-test-to-screen-anxiety-in-children-100225-1.htm A simple two-question test to screen children for future anxiety disorders has been developed by a researcher. The screening questions, which ask parents about shyness, anxiety and worrying in their children, were found to be 85 per cent effective in identifying children who went on to be clinically diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. "When children enter kindergarten, they are screened for hearing and vision problems and difficulty reading so that these issues can be identified and treated ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-test-to-screen-anxiety-in-children-100225-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/research-suggests-kinase-test-may-yield-big-gains-for-drug-resistant-cancers-100195-1.htm Scientists from University of North Carolina have launched a new broad-based test for activation of protein kinases that will allow researchers to measure the exact mechanism of drug-resistant cancer and allow for rational prediction of successful combination therapies. The paper is published today in the journal iCell/i. Kinases are proteins expressed in human tissues that play a key role in cell growth, particularly in cancer. Of the 518 known human kinases, about 400 are expressed in ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/research-suggests-kinase-test-may-yield-big-gains-for-drug-resistant-cancers-100195-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-reason-behind-chromosome-number-of-sperm-and-egg-100169-1.htm In what could prove to be a major breakthrough in treating fertility related disorders, a new study conducted by researchers from University of California has found out why a sperm and an egg develop exactly 23 chromosomes each. The work, which could lead to insights into fertility, spontaneous miscarriages, cancer and developmental disorders, is published April 13 in the journal ICell/I. Healthy humans have 46 chromosomes, 23 from the sperm and 23 from the egg. An embryo with the wrong ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-discover-reason-behind-chromosome-number-of-sperm-and-egg-100169-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/informed-chest-pain-patients-on-risk-likelier-to-opt-out-of-stress-test-100149-1.htm Patients with chest pain educated on their potential heart attack risk and involved in deciding care choices were likelier than less-aware patients to opt out of stress testing, states research in ICirculation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes/I, an American Heart Association journal. Chest pain, the second most common reason people seek emergency care at U.S. hospitals, accounts for 8 million patient visits and about (Dollor) 8 billion in healthcare costs annually, researchers said. "To ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/informed-chest-pain-patients-on-risk-likelier-to-opt-out-of-stress-test-100149-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/heart-test-helps-predict-future-heart-attacks-99959-1.htm In elderly, a test to measure the heart's electrical activity helps predict future heart attacks, reveals study. Researchers followed 2,192 healthy adults aged 70-79 for a period of eight years, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The subjects started the study by getting an electrocardiogram, often called an EKG or ECG, which measures the heart's overall health. People who showed abnormalities in their EKGs saw a higher risk of heart ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/heart-test-helps-predict-future-heart-attacks-99959-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/fda-approves-test-for-early-detection-of-alzheimers-99916-1.htm The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a test developed by Indiana-based pharmaceutical giant, Eli Lily, that may lead to early detection of Alzheimer's Disease, a statement released by the company revealed. The company said that the test makes use of a chemical agent known as Amyvid which binds to beta-amyloid plaques and causes them to show up on positron emission tomography scans. Doctors can then check for memory problems in the patients which are the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/fda-approves-test-for-early-detection-of-alzheimers-99916-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-targets-for-new-colon-cancer-test-identified-99878-1.htm Researchers have discovered two gene targets for new noninvasive colorectal cancer test. The test can quickly detect both early stage cancer and precancerous polyps. "This study provided a means to refine our stool test and to minimize false-positive results, which can lead to unnecessary expense and cause patients undue stress," says principal investigator David Ahlquist, M.D., of Mayo Clinic. The study involved 500 patients, ages 50 to 80, who had no symptoms and who recently had a colonoscopy with normal results....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-targets-for-new-colon-cancer-test-identified-99878-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/intrauterine-antipsychotic-medication-exposure-to-lower-scores-on-infant-neuromotor-test-linked-study-99775-1.htm A history of intrauterine antipsychotic medication exposure was linked to notably lower scores on a standard test of neuromotor performance among 6-month-old infants, states report published Online First by iArchives of General Psychiatry/i, a JAMA Network publication. About two-thirds of women with a history of mental illness give birth. Despite the significant morbidity (illness or disease) associated with maternal mental illness during pregnancy, treatment guidelines are "largely speculative" ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/intrauterine-antipsychotic-medication-exposure-to-lower-scores-on-infant-neuromotor-test-linked-study-99775-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/sperm-binding-cut-off-by-ovastacin-says-study-99741-1.htm A secreted enzyme helps egg cells avoid being fertilized by more than one sperm, a new study has revealed. The research is published in The A HREF="http:www.jcb.org"IJournal of Cell Biology/I/A. Because polyspermy disrupts embryonic development, oocytes take several steps to ensure they only fuse with a single sperm. One key step is to prevent additional sperm from binding to the surface of an already-fertilized egg, a blockade that involves the release of secretory granules and cleavage ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/sperm-binding-cut-off-by-ovastacin-says-study-99741-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-blood-test-for-early-detection-of-alzheimers-99672-1.htm A group of Australian researchers claim that they have developed a simple blood test that can help doctors detect Alzheimer's Disease before the symptoms begin to appear. Researchers from University of Newcastle in New South Wales revealed that they have conducted trials for the blood test on 566 patients and found it to be 85 percent accurate. The researchers added that the blood test will provide a cheap and non-invasive option for doctors to test for Alzheimer's disease. Stating that the test ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/simple-blood-test-for-early-detection-of-alzheimers-99672-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/premiering-worlds-earliest-bedside-genetic-test-developed-99590-1.htm World's first genetic test which can be performed at the patient's bedside with just a swab from his cheek has been developed by Canadian researchers. This revolutionary technology allows doctors to rapidly identify patients with a genetic variant known as CYP2C19. Cardiac stent patients with this variant have chances of reacting poorly to standard anti-platelet therapy with Plavix (clopidogrel). The study demonstrated that tailored drug treatment therapy made possible by the genetic testing ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/premiering-worlds-earliest-bedside-genetic-test-developed-99590-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/shortly-mere-blood-test-could-forecast-heart-attack-risk-99471-1.htm First-ever tie between tiny genetic molecules termed microRNAs and the imminent threat of a heart attack has been discovered by researchers. The findings are an important first step toward developing a method for predicting heart attacks in people who show no outward signs, but may be at great risk of having a heart attack. The researchers envision a day in the not-too-distant future when a patient with cardiac risk factors does regular blood testing to watch for signs of imminent heart attack....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/shortly-mere-blood-test-could-forecast-heart-attack-risk-99471-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-genomic-test-can-help-decide-if-patients-need-additional-therapy-99317-1.htm A new study says that testing a breast cancer tumor for its genomic signature can help identify which patients will need additional therapy after surgery. The study is to be presented to the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8) today (Thursday). Dr. Sabine Linn, an Associate Professor of Medical Oncology at The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, will say that this is the first study where such a test has been incorporated in decision-making about adjuvant systemic therapy, and that the results are promising....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-genomic-test-can-help-decide-if-patients-need-additional-therapy-99317-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-can-predict-heart-attack-99178-1.htm Heart attacks could be predicted up to a fortnight in advance by testing blood for high levels of warning cells - circulating endothelial cells (CECs) that sloughed off damaged vessel walls in a patient's blood, scientists claim. Such a blood test could help save at-risk patients who had normal stress tests. Every year several patients walk away from the hospital after having passed a stress test, only to suffer a devastating heart attack within a few weeks. A healthy person has very few circulating endothelial cells....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-can-predict-heart-attack-99178-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-to-cure-alcoholism-successful-in-preliminary-test-99125-1.htm French doctors said on Tuesday that a drug designed to treat nervous spasms has proved to be successful during an early test in a project to see whether it can also cure alcoholism. Baclofen -- the lab name for a medication branded as Kemstro, Lioresal and Gablofen -- was successful in a preliminary test among a small group of alcoholics, a result that opens the way to formal clinical trials, they said. The history of the drug goes back 50 years. It was originally designed for epilepsy before ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/drug-to-cure-alcoholism-successful-in-preliminary-test-99125-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/nerve-gas-traces-in-terror-attack-can-be-dogged-by-new-test-99046-1.htm A test to trace hard-to-detect residues of sarin, a nerve agent used by terrorists, back to its source, has been developed by scientists. For instance, sarin leaves traces after an attack but there has been no practical way of tracing the residues back to their actual source. Sarin is a manmade nerve agent, the most toxic and rapidly acting of the known chemical warfare agents. It is a clear, colourless, odourless and tasteless liquid that can evaporate into gas, the journal Analytical Chemistry reports....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/nerve-gas-traces-in-terror-attack-can-be-dogged-by-new-test-99046-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-harm-from-invasive-research-placebos-measured-by-anesthetists-test-scale-98955-1.htm A group of 43 independent clinicians has successfully tested a scale developed to measure the potential harm caused by invasive placebos in local anesthesia. The report on this research is published in the April issue of IAnaesthesia/I. The consultant anaesthetists were asked to assess the risk of harm posed by control group interventions described in ten published clinical anaesthesia studies using the Serious Harm and Morbidity (SHAM) scale. There was substantial agreement between ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/risk-of-harm-from-invasive-research-placebos-measured-by-anesthetists-test-scale-98955-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/faster-cheaper-hepatitis-c-test-designed-98844-1.htm A faster and cheaper test for all types of hepatitis C has been designed by researchers. The development "reduces the two-step testing process carried out over a number of days to a one-step process that takes less than an hour... at a fraction of the cost of traditional diagnostic protocols," the university said. The liquid chemistry test can diagnose hepatitis C using gold nanoparticles, it said. "Our test is sensitive and inexpensive, and it does not need sophisticated equipment," ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/faster-cheaper-hepatitis-c-test-designed-98844-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/optimal-threshold-for-hba1c-test-for-prediabetes-researchers-spot-98790-1.htm Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing recommended as one basis for identifying diabetes and prediabetes by the The American Diabetes Association. Setting a specific HbA1c cutoff threshold for prediabetes, which could be used to determine eligibility for interventions to prevent progression to more serious type 2 diabetes, has generated much debate, with at least three different cutoffs recommended by different professional organizations. A new study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/optimal-threshold-for-hba1c-test-for-prediabetes-researchers-spot-98790-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/pharma-companies-must-be-allowed-to-test-experimental-painkillers-fda-panel-98779-1.htm Pharmaceutical companies should be allowed to continue testing experimental painkiller drugs for osteoarthritis according to a recommendation of an advisory panel for the US Food and Drug Administration. The panel recommended unanimously that the FDA should revoke its ban on companies such as Pfizer and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and allow them to continue their clinical trials of the drugs. The health regulator had suspended the testing on the drugs back in 2010 after finding that they destroyed ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/pharma-companies-must-be-allowed-to-test-experimental-painkillers-fda-panel-98779-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/3-d-paper-sensor-to-test-for-malaria-hiv-98707-1.htm A 3-D paper sensor developed by scientists may be able to test for diseases such as malaria and HIV. Such low-cost, "point-of-care" sensors could be incredibly useful in the developing world, where the resources often don't exist to pay for lab-based tests, and where, even if the money is available, the infrastructure often doesn't exist to transport biological samples to the lab. "This is about medicine for everybody," says Richard Crooks, the Robert A. Welch Professor of Chemistry....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/3-d-paper-sensor-to-test-for-malaria-hiv-98707-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/3d-avatars-of-patients-to-treat-potential-treatments-98650-1.htm Doctors at Sheffield University in Britain are developing new 3D avatars of patients which could then be used to test different treatments before prescribing a specific one. The doctors revealed that they are working on Google Earth type software which includes all the medical history of patients to create 3D avatars or replicas of patients. They will then be used to test different treatments and ascertain whether the patient might suffer from unwanted side effects. Lead researcher Professor ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/3d-avatars-of-patients-to-treat-potential-treatments-98650-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/call-for-safety-trials-to-test-food-packaging-97958-1.htm Health experts are calling for "drug-style safety trials" into food packaging after a decade long study revealed that a chemical present in plastic that is commonly used for food packaging was found to increase the risk of heart disease. Researchers from Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, the University of Exeter and the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health took part in the 10-year long study and analyzed data of more than 1,600 people in the United States. The researchers ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/call-for-safety-trials-to-test-food-packaging-97958-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-for-early-cancer-detection-97821-1.htm Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Soroka University Medical Center researchers have developed a simple and easy blood test to provide early detection of many types of cancer. Prof. Kapelushnik of BGU's Faculty of Health Sciences and his team developed a device that illuminates cancer cells with less than a teaspoon of blood. The test uses infrared light to detect miniscule changes in the blood of a person who has a cancerous growth somewhere, even before the disease has spread....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/blood-test-for-early-cancer-detection-97821-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-reveal-the-secret-of-sperm-quality-control-97655-1.htm Yale researchers have discovered how the "guardian of the genome" oversees quality control in the production of sperm - and perhaps in many other cells as well. The research published online Feb. 16 in the journal iCurrent Biology/i opens up the potential of developing new forms of birth control and fertility treatment - and even new ways to combat many forms of cancer. Sperm and other cells go through a sort of inspection process triggered by a key regulatory gene, p53, which orders the destruction of cells with damaged DNA....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/scientists-reveal-the-secret-of-sperm-quality-control-97655-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-radiation-exposure-and-testicular-cancer-risk-97474-1.htm Male fetuses exposed to radiation during early pregnancy face increased chance of developing testicular cancer, reports study published in iPLoS ONE/i. The study is the first to find an environmental cause for testicular germ cell tumors, the most common cancer in young Caucasian men. "This discovery launches a major shift in the current research model, placing DNA-damaging agents in the forefront as likely mediators of testicular cancer induction," said corresponding author Gunapala Shetty, Ph....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/link-between-radiation-exposure-and-testicular-cancer-risk-97474-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/new-prenatal-genetic-test-can-fetal-abnormalities-in-a-better-way-than-existing-tests-97411-1.htm A new study has revealed that testing a developing fetus' DNA through chromosomal microarray (CMA) provides more information about potential disorders than the standard method of prenatal testing. The results of the 4,000-plus-participant clinical study are being presented at the 32nd annual meeting of the Society for Maternal-Foetal Medicine in Dallas. In women having routine prenatal diagnosis, CMA detected additional genetic abnormalities in about 1 out of every 70 foetal samples that had a normal karyotype....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/new-prenatal-genetic-test-can-fetal-abnormalities-in-a-better-way-than-existing-tests-97411-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/brit-doctors-fertilize-egg-using-sperm-frozen-for-24-years-97192-1.htm Doctors in Britain fertilized an egg with a sperm that has been frozen for the past 24 years, making it the longest period that a sperm was frozen before being successfully used in an IVF treatment. Richard Pott was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1987, when he was just 21 years old. The doctors suggested Pott to freeze a sample of his sperms so that he may be able to father children in the future. When Pott and his wife, Rebecca, failed to conceive a second child through usual methods, they ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/brit-doctors-fertilize-egg-using-sperm-frozen-for-24-years-97192-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/urine-test-to-predict-prostate-cancer-97124-1.htm Urine test helps predict prostate cancers that are likely to be aggressive and life-threatening among men who take a watchful waiting, reveals study. Ultimately, these markers may lead to the development of a urine test that could complement prostate biopsy for predicting disease aggressiveness and progression.Study principal investigator Daniel Lin, M.D., an associate member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division, will present these findings today at the 2012 Genitourinary ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/urine-test-to-predict-prostate-cancer-97124-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/spread-of-cancer-can-be-spotted-more-effectively-by-new-blood-test-97087-1.htm The efficacy of an advanced blood test for detecting and analyzing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of cancer patients has been demonstrated by researchers. The findings by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Health, and collaborating cancer physicians show that the highly sensitive blood analysis provides information that may soon be comparable to that from some types of surgical biopsies. "It's a next-generation technology," said Scripps Research Associate Professor Peter ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/spread-of-cancer-can-be-spotted-more-effectively-by-new-blood-test-97087-1.htm