No more finger pricking? This team of scientists have been developing a patch that sits on the skin and is capable of detecting the sugar levels in your sweat. A wearable, sweat-sensing patch that can monitor and regulate blood glucose levels is described in a paper published online this week in Nature Nanotechnology. The graphene-based patch is shown to deliver metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes, through the skin to reduce high blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. [ + ]

What is mindfulness? It’s the practice of bringing your awareness into the present moment.  It’s about noticing the ‘right now’ by engaging your five senses and watching your thoughts as they come and go without holding onto or pushing away what your are experiencing. [ + ]

In a large-scale analysis of pain-relief medication for osteoarthritis, researchers found that paracetamol does not meet the minimum standard of clinical effectiveness [1] in reducing pain or improving physical function in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis. Although paracetamol was slightly better than placebo, researchers conclude that, taken on its own, paracetamol has no role in the treatment of patients with osteoarthritis, irrespective of dose. [ + ]

Working shifts means that eating regular meals goes on the back-burner. And eating healthy food, well that's just for those normal people working regular jobs right? We all know how it goes, a coworker calls in sick, you get six new admissions and there is no time to sit down, let alone digest anything. [ + ]

[ + ]

[ + ]

[ + ]

[ + ]

[ + ]

[ + ]

A report into five suspected suicides of St John Ambulance volunteers and paramedics found that it was 'a complex mix of issues', not solely their exposure to critical incidents that contributed to their deaths. [ + ]

For many people, the first sign of pain sees them reaching for the medicine cabinet. Among the drugs that so often line these shelves are a class of medications known as ‘Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs’ or NSAIDS. Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac are three common members of the NSAID family. Used to treat inflammation and other ailments such as migraines or period pain, these drugs have become a common fix for the pain problem. Inflammation is part of the body’s innate intelligence, a method by which damage is repaired. But when this gets painful, it can be difficult for some people to let the body heal itself unaided. For many people, this is where these drugs come in. Often they do their job, helping to dull the pain, but this can come at a cost. Side effects include: raised liver enzymes, diarrhoea, headaches, dizziness, salt and fluid retention and high blood pressure among others [1]. [ + ]

Hope is on the horizon for Australians suffering from glaucoma as medical researchers investigate the use of gene therapy to inform new personalised treatments for the disease. [ + ]

Take a minute to watch this inspiring and uplifting video celebrating women's aspirations and dreams. [ + ]

Working long hours—particularly 46 hours per week or more—may increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events such as heart attack, reports a study in the March Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM). [ + ]