Terror attacks put paramedics on the line

With terror attacks increasing across the globe, the spotlight is on paramedics who are often the first respondents to major emergencies. Research conducted by Garry Stevens and his team from the Disaster Response & Resilience Research Group (DRR), University of Western Sydney, reveals that a paramedic’s confidence and willingness to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives-related (CBRNE) incidents differs from that relating to their ‘routine’ emergency work.

Malaria protein may lead to a cure

Malaria is responsible for almost half a million deaths a year, mainly in developing countries. The parasite undergoes a complex life cycle that requires two hosts – a mosquito and a mammal. New research from The University of Nottingham could reveal how the malaria parasite thrives within its insect and human hosts, leading to potential new treatments.

Nutrition management in Bariatric Surgery and the healthcare facility

The next epidemic? Predicting where and when

Software 'agents' modelled on real-life individuals will be used by University of Sydney researchers to develop high-precision computer models that can predict where or when an epidemic may strike.

3-D printing of human tissue

A team led by University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has developed a technique to build tiny models of human tissues, called organoids, more precisely than ever before, using a process that turns human cells into a biological equivalent of LEGO bricks. These mini-tissues in a dish can be used to study how particular structural features of tissue affect normal growth or go awry in cancer. They could be used for therapeutic drug screening and to help teach researchers how to grow whole human organs.

Big data - using the force for good

Skin carcinomas linked to other cancers

Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the most common cancers in Australia and account for seven out of every eight new cancers diagnosed. Unlike melanomas that are less common and more aggressive, NMSCs are relatively easy to treat and rarely spread to other parts of the body. People who do get non-melanoma skin cancers, however, particularly before the age of 25, are at a much greater risk of developing 30 other cancers, including breast, colon and lung cancers. This is according to research  by Dr Rodney Sinclair and colleagues, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

Reducing radiation exposure to children from unwarranted CT scans

Ketamine trial for major depression

A $2.1 million grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council announced today will see UNSW Professor Colleen Loo lead Australia’s largest clinical trial of ketamine as a new treatment for major depression.

Largest hospital redesign in NSW

The first works have begun on stage one of the largest hospital redevelopment in NSW, at Sydney’s Westmead Hospital, that will see the children’s and adult’s emergency departments combined.

69% say yes so why are we falling behind?

Roughly 1,600 people are currently on waiting lists to receive an organ transplant in Australia. But for many, the wait will be unsuccessful due to the low number of donors.

Cancer not chemo linked to cognitive decline

Almost half of all bowel cancer survivors experience memory loss and have difficulty with multitasking and concentration, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

ICE - the new frontline

Ice, or methylamphetamine, has been around for years but in the past two to three years its use has surged as the drug gains a level of social acceptance that has caught Australia off-guard. Ice is everywhere.

Sitting is becoming the new smoking

There is a growing body of evidence that high levels of sedentary behaviour and sitting in particular are emerging risk factors for chronic disease including heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It may even cause premature death.

Ignoring the evidence

Science fatigue keeps us clinging to bad health habits