The 5 Best Positions for Using a Vibrator During Sex

More than half of all women have used a vibrator for sexual pleasure, according to one study—suggesting that these buzzy bedroom devices are becoming a lot more mainstream. Yet some people still hold on to the idea that vibrators are for just masturbation, used only when an actual partner isn't available.  It's time to bust that misguided sex myth. Fact is, using a vibrator during sex with a partner […]

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Using math to help treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases

Protein aggregation—in which misfolded proteins clump together to form large fibrils—has been implicated in many diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and type II diabetes. While the exact role these fibrils play in diseases isn’t fully understood, many of the current treatments for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s target the aggregation process. However, finding the right treatment protocols for these drugs, which […]

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Results of early-stage liver cancer detection using liquid biopsy published

Today, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published the results of a pilot study for early detection of liver cancer in a cohort of HBV carriers at risk for developing the disease. This screening technology, known as HCCscreen, relies on detecting a combination of tumor-specific mutations in cell free DNA (cfDNA) and protein markers. This work was a […]

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Using light to stop itch

Itch is easily one of the most annoying sensations. For chronic skin diseases like eczema, it’s a major symptom. Although it gives temporary relief, scratching only makes things worse because it can cause skin damage, additional inflammation and even more itch. EMBL researchers have now found a way to stop itch with light in mice. Nature Biomedical Engineering publishes their […]

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Treating COPD patients for anxiety using CBT reduces hospital visits and is cost-effective

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered by respiratory nurses is cost-effective and reduces anxiety symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, according to research published in ERJ Open Research. COPD is a long-term condition that causes inflammation in the lungs, narrowing of the airways and damaged lung tissue, making breathing difficult. Anxiety often occurs alongside COPD and can mean that […]

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Using the microbiome to help premature babies grow

About half of babies born prematurely struggle to grow, putting them at risk of health problems that can last a lifetime. Despite years of research, physicians lack a method that consistently helps these infants thrive. A study suggests that the gut microbiome – the trillions of tiny bacteria that live in the digestive tract – could help doctors personalize nutrients […]

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Using light to fight GVHD

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is used to treat chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD)—a complication of bone marrow or stem cell transplant that occurs when donor cells attack the recipient. How ECP works is unclear, and standardized treatment guidelines have not been established. Vanderbilt medical student Jocelyn Gandelman, Madan Jagasia, MBBS, and colleagues conducted a prospective, multicenter clinical trial of ECP for cGVHD. […]

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Using DeepMind’s neural network learning system to diagnose eye diseases

Three institutions working together have applied DeepMind’s neural network learning system to the task of discovering and diagnosing eye diseases. Moorfields Eye Hospital has been working with Google’s DeepMind Health subsidiary and University College London in the effort, and have documented their progress in a paper published in Nature Medicine. As the researchers note, eye doctors currently use a machine […]

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Using hepatitis C-infected donor kidneys could reduce time on dialysis for transplant patients with HCV

Transplanting hepatitis C (HCV)-infected dialysis patients with organs from HCV-positive donors and then treating the infection after transplantation is more effective, costs less and will shorten wait times for donated organs, according to a computer analysis conducted by physician-researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine. The findings are available online in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The […]

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