The electrode, that staple of hospitals and medical dramas alike, may soon exit stage left. Researchers have designed a wireless electronic monitoring device so thin it can be applied to the skin like a temporary tattoo. It could one day be used to monitor heart, brain and muscle activity of patients without their even noticing. The research, released Thursday in the journal Science, could rid hospitals of the unwieldy, outdated monitoring systems, which often involve needles, webs of wires and conductive gels. “Such complicated wiring can be inconvenient and distressing for both patients...

People who claim to be addicted to tanning may be on to something according to new research that suggests brains of frequent tanners are similar to those of alcoholics and drug addicts. According to Dr. Bryon Adinoff, a professor of psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, “Using tanning beds has rewarding effects in the brain so people may feel compelled to persist in the behavior even though it’s bad for them.” The implication is, ‘If it’s rewarding, then could it also be addictive?’” The study, published in Addiction Biology, examined if addiction...

When it comes to sex, there’s no other month like August. Lingerie retailer Ann Summers reported a 40 per cent rise in sales last August as shoppers took advantage of the holiday period to boost their sex lives. Meanwhile, researchers from Boston State Hospital in the U.S. have found that summer sun at least doubles levels of the sex hormone testosterone, boosting a flagging libido. This is thought to be because the sun’s rays trigger vitamin D production, which in turn boosts production of the hormone. And if another excuse is needed, it’s well known that sex burns calories — just this...

Discs with shock-absorbing pads behave like real thing It is one of the most common causes of sick leave and long-term disability, causing misery for millions of people. But now, back pain could be solved by man-made spinal discs, which could be available within a decade. The ‘living’ discs are packed with shock-absorbing cells and, in preliminary trials, behaved just like the real thing when implanted into bad backs. So far, they have only been tested on animals using cells taken from sheep, but the U.S. research team believe the approach holds hope for people. Dr Lawrence Bonassar, a biomedical...

Smoking, drinking and eating fast food will not stop you living to a ripe old age – if you have the right genes. A study of hundreds of centenarians revealed they were just as likely to have vices as other people – and in some cases they indulged in them more. Some of them had smoked for 85 years, others got through more than two packets of cigarettes a day. They also exercised less than their shorter-lived counterparts but were less likely to become obese. The bad news is it is almost impossible to be sure if you are one of the lucky few blessed with the longevity genes. This means, say the...

By Daily Mail Reporter Kerri Dowdswell is a trim young woman who has no trouble fitting in to her size 10 jeans… until she eats her dinner. The 23-year-old has a mystery condition which means minutes after she eats a meal her stomach becomes so bloated that strangers think she’s about to give birth. Within hours, her stomach has shrunk back to its normal size – but the problem has got so bad that Kerri now wears maternity trousers when she goes out for dinner. Read more…

When Matthew Green leaves hospital, the one thing he really mustn’t forget is his rucksack. By Andrew Levy The father of one will be carrying part of his new heart in it. Mr Green, 40, will be the first Briton to be discharged from hospital with a completely artificial heart. The device in his chest is slightly larger than the organ it replaces and weighs less than six ounces. It delivers blood to the body with the help of a pump that is carried in the rucksack, along with a battery. Read More…

* Risk higher among children exposed during pregnancy CHICAGO, Aug 1 (Reuters) – Children whose mothers had high exposure to electromagnetic fields while pregnant may have an increased risk of developing asthma, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a study that adds to an ongoing debate. Many prior studies have failed to consistently show that chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields — from power lines and appliances such as microwaves ovens, hair dryers and vacuum cleaners — are harmful to human health. But many of these studies required people to estimate their exposure levels...

The first antibody which can fight all types of the influenza A virus has been discovered, researchers claim. Experiments on flu-infected mice, published in Science Express, showed the antibody could be used as an “emergency treatment”. It is hoped the development will lead to a “universal vaccine” – currently a new jab has to be made for each winter as viruses change. Virologists described the finding as a “good step forward”. Read more…

INDIANAPOLIS — Instead of grouping hot dogs with Mom and apple pie, a national medical group wants you to consider them as bad for your health as cigarettes. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a Washington, D.C., group that promotes preventive medicine and a vegan diet, unveiled a billboard Monday near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the advisory: “Warning: Hot dogs can wreck your health.” The billboard features a picture of hot dogs in a cigarette pack inscribed with skull and crossbones. It aims to increase awareness of a link between colorectal cancer and...