Cure

This story is part of CBC Health's Second Opinion, a weekly analysis of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers on Saturday mornings. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.Shift workers sleeping at erratic hours. Students pulling all-nighters. Menopausal women tossing and turning in bed from hot flashes.There are a host of reasons why people have periods of poor sleep. And anyone who's endured back-to-back nights of sub-par slumber likely knows the result: Feelings of brain fog,…

"Nerivio® is the first and only USFDA approved device to use Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN) to prevent and treat migraine," the drug maker said in a press release. "The rollout of Nerivio marks our entry into digital therapeutics. It is an area that is seeing increasing adoption by physicians as well as patients due to its potential to reduce pill burden and decrease dependency on non-specific medication in chronic or hard-to-treat diseases," Dr Reddy’s CEO Branded…

Gideon Lichfield: OK, but let me play the synthetic biology devil's advocate for a second.Lauren Goode: OK, OK.Gideon Lichfield: When you have kids, you are throwing the genetic dice, you are mixing your DNA and that of your partners, and—Lauren Goode: Oh, is that how you have kids? Should we get into the birds and the bees here? You're my boss. Would you like to explain the birds and the bees to me? How does this work exactly? Gideon Lichfield: Are you being sassy?Lauren Goode: We should also probably let the audience…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a highly debated topic in recent times with people making arguments for and against its use in various fields. The introduction of ChatGPT has spurred further controversy as there have been instances of students using it for completing their assignments and writing exams. However, this hasn't put a stop to the rapid development that is happening in the field of AI. New research has shed light on an AI tool that is helping doctors cure brain cancer, while China's top tech companies,…

Hepatitis C virusBSIP | UIG | Getty ImagesThe overwhelming majority of people in the U.S. who have tested positive for hepatitis C have not been cured due to the high cost of oral antiviral treatments and obstacles imposed by insurance plans, federal health officials said on Thursday.Hepatitis C is often referred to as the silent killer because the initial infection has few to no symptoms. Overtime, however, the virus can cause liver damage, liver cancer, liver failure and ultimately death.The virus is spread through…

A research team from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has shed light on the mechanisms by which stem cell transplants can cure HIV, a breakthrough that brings us closer to a universal cure for AIDS. The study found that two non-human primates were cured of a form of HIV after stem cell transplantation, revealing that two factors must be present for a cure – the donor stem cells attacking the HIV-infected cells and preventing the virus from infecting the new cells.New research unveils initial insights into the…

Hair growth follows an inversely proportional relationship with…

Scientists in the UK have discovered a gene variant that causes a common type of high blood pressure – and most importantly, found a cure. A simple surgical procedure saw patients with previously severe hypertension needing no drugs or further treatment for years afterwards.Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common ailment that, if left untreated, greatly increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems. Thankfully, it’s a manageable condition, often requiring a lifelong drug…

A recently discovered gene variant, found in benign nodules in 5% of people with hypertension, leads to an overproduction of the hormone aldosterone, causing high blood pressure. The condition can be cured through unilateral adrenalectomy, removing one adrenal gland. The study highlights the need for a 24-hour urine test to measure aldosterone levels for improved hypertension diagnosis and treatment.Clinicians at Queen Mary University of London and Barts Hospital have identified a gene variant that causes a common type of…

Researchers have taken stem cells from the human stomach and converted them into insulin-producing cells that respond to changes in blood glucose levels like healthy pancreatic cells would. The discovery could mean that one day, diabetics can produce their own insulin instead of relying on injections.Although the exact cause of type 1 diabetes isn’t known, it’s thought to be caused by an autoimmune response where the body attacks and destroys the pancreas’ beta cells, the cells that produce insulin. For years, researchers…