The first heart transplant in a human took place in the sixties and the recipient lived 18 days. Today, over 2000 people receive a heart transplant every year and 3/4's of these transplants are preformed on males. A recent study presented last week to the American Heart Association seems to suggest that the gender of the donor and recipient can play an intricate role in survival. The study, presented at a conference on November 12, 2008, suggests that recipients who receive a heart from a person of the

Due to the serious nature of peanut allergies, doctors have sought ways to reduce the risk of becoming allergic. Until recently, it was generally accepted that mothers should avoid peanuts during pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Further, it was suggested that foods containing peanuts should not be given to young children, in order to prevent peanut allergy. This is still the recommendation in the UK and in Australia, but recently doctors in the United States stopped sharing this recommendation. Despite thi

There are a lot of ways to control a computer, but perhaps the most recognized is the traditional mouse and keyboard. These are the most common ways to interact with a computer, but for many, using a keyboard or a mouse is not possible. This is one of the reasons that scientists have been experimenting with controlling a computer with the mind for around forty years. A Brain Computer Interface, or BCI, refers to a system that allows the brain to directly communicate with a computer.

Scientists at Nottingham University in the UK have just announced the development of a new type of bone scaffolding that could be used to make treating bones much easier and ultimately more effective. This scaffolding, which is a type of bone cement, offers many advantages over traditional cements, which can only be used in certain parts of the body. Eventually, this new technology could potentially be used in place of bone grafts, which can be very painful and require a surgical operation to implement.

The body is amazing and in many cases capable of healing itself. Broken bones, or fractures, are one type of injury that is often in large part healed by cells in the body. Almost as soon as the fracture occurs, the body begins working to keep the bone in place and facilitate healing.

In many cases, the body can completely heal a broken bone, but left untreated, it can heal unevenly and unsafely. There are also many complications that can arise as the result of a broken bone, so it is a good idea to see a doctor. Doctors will determine the extent of the injury, then proceed with treatment as appropriate. Find out how a broken bone is treated and some of the complications that can arise in this post.

This month, scientists sponsored by the Army met to showcase and share some of their research. Among the projects was one group who was able to regrow the tip of a mans finger. The group used a substance called Extracellular Matrix, which is used in the womb to help a child grow. The substance, which was nicknamed "magic dust" by the scientists is actually an extract from a pig and has been used by veterinarians for some time to help horses heal.

Scientists have recently announced the creation of artificial bone marrow, which can be grown in a laboratory. Bone marrow is used by the body to create blood cells, which makes it a vital component of the bodies immune system. Scientists were not only able to create the bone marrow, but were also able to get it to produce blood.

Researchers have recently found a way to create stem cells and nerve cells that are infected with Spinal Muscular Atrophy. This allows them to better test and research the disease, which had been very difficult before, because it is different in animals than it is in people. The discovery is also exciting, because it makes use of artificially created pluripotent stem cells, which are used in the womb. These cells could theoretically be used to create any of the over 200 different types of cells found in

Most experts on weight loss and dieting will tell you that exercise and weight loss go hand in hand, but the degree of importance can vary. A new study preformed by the Loyola University seems to indicate that a persons diet might play a much larger role in weight loss than exercise does. This study compared African American women from Nigeria and America, to determine how burning calories compared to weight loss.

Today, people use computers for many tasks. Using email, it is possible to stay connected with people all over the World and exchange information in real time. The Internet can also be an excellent source of information and offers the ability to explore and learn. There are several ways to control computers, but the most common is the keyboard and mouse. However, for many using this control setup might not be possible, so many types of alternate controls have been developed. This includes specially made

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services reports that only one state has an obesity rate lower than 20% and that obesity has been growing steadily since 1985. To help better understand and fight obesity, scientists and doctors have been researching obesity for some time now. A recent study found six new genes that play a role in obesity. These genes further findings that genetics do play a role in obesity.

BMI or Body Mass Index is a way of using a persons height and weight to determine if they are overweight. This is the standard method of determining obesity and is explained further in this post.

Recently, a study preformed with the support of the Mayo Clinic found that measles was effective at treating pancreatic cancer in mice. This is a type of Cancer Immunotherapy, which jump starts the body's own immune system to find and kill cancer cells. Cancer Immunotherapy can actually trace its roots back many hundreds of years, with reports of Cancer being cured after an infection.

An engineer from Israel recently announced the creation of a robotic suit, which helps someone who is paralyzed from the waist down walk again. While the suit moves rather slowly, its inventor says it has great psychological benefits. The suit is one of many creations of robotic exoskeleton's, which are being used and experimented with as a means of increasing the mobility of paralyzed individuals.