News

Hearing Aids May Reduce Risk of Dementia by Half: Study Washington, 18 Jul (ONA) --- Hearing aids could cut risk by half for people facing a greater threat of cognitive decline, according to a new study.Cognitive decline is a reduction in abilities that can range from mild impairment to dementia, with dementia being considered a big problem across the globe.Over the past decade, research has established that hearing loss is one of the biggest risk factors for developing dementia, but it wasn’t clear whether intervening with hearing aids would reduce the risk, he added.In this ...

Coffee’s Boost of Energy, Wakefulness Could be Placebo Lausanne, 4 Jul (ONA) --- The act of drinking a cup of coffee might wake people up more than just plain caffeine, scientists said in a new study, but it isn't fully clear as to why. The study, published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, looked at whether coffee drinkers' alertness came from the caffeine itself or the experience of drinking the beverage. Scientists in Portugal recruited people who have at least one cup of coffee a day, asking them to not eat or drink anything caffeinated at least three hours before ...

Childhood Traumas Linked with Depression Outcomes Amsterdam, 2 Jul (ONA) --- Previous research has linked childhood trauma to mental health struggles later in life, but can it have implications for treatment? A study published in Journal of Affective Disorders suggests that adverse childhood experiences can lead to increased severity of symptoms and worse treatment outcomes for individuals with depression. Adverse childhood experiences can include various types of experiences, such as harassment, neglect, or witnessing violence. These experiences may involve the death of a close ...

Artificial Intelligence Can Have an Impact on Loneliness, Insomnia Washington, 18 Jun (ONA) --- As the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) systems continues to surge, there has been a simultaneous increase in health issues. With the rise in the usage of AI systems, health problems have also increased simultaneously. As per a study released by the American Psychological Association, employees who often engage with AI systems are more likely to suffer loneliness, which can contribute to sleeplessness. Researchers conducted four experiments in the US, ...

Royal Hospital Conducts Rare Operation to Eliminate Cancerous Tumor Muscat, 12 Jun (ONA) ---A specialized surgical team at the Royal Hospital succeeded in eliminating a patient’s cancerous right lung and part of the trachea. The surgery, the first one of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman, was among rare operations in the world. Dr. Aziza Nasser Al Rawahi, Consultant of Upper Gastrointestinal and Thoracic Surgeon at the Royal Hospital, told Oman News Agency (ONA) that the removal of the lung was a major surgical task. She added that the trachea reconstruction surgery was also a ...

Brain-Dead Donor Lends Three Patients Hope to Be Treated for Chronic Organ Failure Muscat, 4 Jun (ONA) ---- A specialized medical team at the Royal Hospital succeeded in carrying out three organ transplants on three patients, using organs donated by a brain-dead donor. The patients were treated for chronic organ failure. The first operation was a liver transplant for an adult patient suffering from chronic liver failure. It was performed by an Omani surgical team specialized in liver transplants. It was conducted under the supervision of a liver transplant team from King Fahd ...

Cognitive Decline Accelerates After Heart Attack: Study Washington, 31 May (ONA) --- Having a heart attack accelerate risk of cognitive decline in late age, above and beyond what is considered appropriate for the aging mind, according to a recent study. In the study, researchers analyzed data from six major studies on heart disease and cognition. None of the 30,465 people chosen for those studies had dementia or experienced a heart attack or stroke before the study started, and all underwent at least one cognitive assessment.During the course of the research, however, over 1,000 of ...

Flavanols in Cocoa May Boost Memory: StudyWashington, 30 May (ONA) --- Having foods which are rich in antioxidant compound flavanol can improve age-related mental decline, a new study found.Green tea, apples, berries and cocoa are rich sources of flavanol and researchers have advised to consume these in sufficient quantities.The study is based on analysis of the data of 3,562 people aged 71. These participants were given fruit with high level of flavanol and it was found that they had better hippocampal memory function, which includes short-term memory-making, than those who ...

SQU Hospital Succeeds in Performing Mitral Valve Repair Using Advanced Technology Muscat, May 30 (ONA) --- A medical team from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) succeeded in performing mitral valve regurgitation operations using a modern technology. The operation deals with the use of a "mitral valve clip" system, which spares the patient open-heart surgery in high-risk cases. The operations were led by a qualified medical team comprising Dr. Fahad Al Kindi, Senior Consultant in the Department of Cardiac Catheterization, and Dr. Adel Al Kindi, Senior Consultant at the ...

Vegetarian or Vegan Diet May Lower Cholesterol: StudyCopenhagen, 25 May (ONA) --- According to a new study, there’s a distinct benefit for anyone diagnosed with high cholesterol to eat fruits and vegetables. Researchers looked at levels of LDL, or low-density lipoproteins — often called “bad” cholesterol because a buildup can increase the risk of stroke and heart disease.In study particpants, LDL levels dropped 10% and total cholesterol declined 7% for people following a plant-based diet when compared with those who eat both meat and plants, the study found.The analysis was ...

New Cases of Chronic Pain Outnumber Those of Diabetes, Depression: StudyWashington, 18 May (ONA) --- A new study found that new cases of chronic pain occur more often than those of other chronic conditions, such as diabetes, depression and high blood pressure. The findings offer a large-scale confirmation of what previous research has shown on chronic pain being highlight common. Researchers analyzed data from 10,415 adults who participated in two editions of an annual survey led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the US; respondents reported how often they felt ...

Regular Use of Internet May Reduce Dementia Risk: Study Washington, 3 May (ONA) --- A study published today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggested that older people who regularly used the internet were less likely to develop dementia.The researchers saw this association after about eight years tracking 18,154 adults between the ages of 50 and 65 who did not have dementia when the study period began.People who used the internet at the start of the study had about half the risk of dementia as people who were not regular users.The researchers also looked at how ...

German Coronavirus App Stops Warning Users If Contacts Test Positive Berlin, 1 May (ONA) ---- The German gvernment's app developed for users to notify their contacts if they test positive for the coronavirus stopped sending out its warnings on Monday.The app, used millions of times since the emergence of Covid-19, was used to let others know if they were at risk of developing the virus if someone they knew turned out to be infected.With case numbers significantly lower, the app is to go into "sleep mode" on 1 June, meaning it won't receive updates for the time being.However, app users ...

Clouds Carry Drug-Resistant Bacteria Over Distances: StudyParis, 30 Apr (ONA) --- Canadian and French researchers recently found in a study that clouds carry drug-resistant bacteria over long distances. "These bacteria usually live on the surface of vegetation like leaves, or in soil," lead author Florent Rossi said in a an interview."We found that they are carried by the wind into the atmosphere and can travel long distances—around the world—at high altitudes in clouds," he added. The researchers from Laval University in Quebec City and Clermont Auvergne University in central ...

Irregular Sleep Patterns Affects Lung Health: Study New York, 18 Apr (ONA) --- A study has found that irregular sleep patterns disrupt the body's natural biological clock and have been linked to lung health issues.The study was published in the journal, 'Nature Communications'. Researchers have shown how a biological clock molecule, called REV-ERBa, contributes to lung scarring, uncovering new potential drugs and drug targets along the way.Pulmonary fibrosis, or lung scarring, is a serious condition in which connective tissue builds up in the lungs, making them thick and rigid, and ...

Million-year-old Viruses Help Fight Cancer London, 16 Apr (ONA) --- Relics of ancient viruses - that have spent millions of years hiding inside human DNA - help the body fight cancer, say scientists. The study by the Francis Crick Institute in London showed the dormant remnants of these old viruses are woken up when cancerous cells spiral out of control. This unintentionally helps the immune system target and attack the tumour. The team wants to harness the discovery to design vaccines that can boost cancer treatment, or even prevent it. The researchers had noticed ...

Study Reveals Cancer’s ‘infinite’ Ability to EvolveLondon, 13 Apr (ONA) —- An unprecedented analysis of how cancers grow has revealed an "almost infinite" ability of tumours to evolve and survive, say scientists.The results of tracking lung cancers for nine years left the research team "surprised" and "in awe" at the formidable force they were up against.They have concluded we need more focus on prevention, with a "universal" cure unlikely any time soon.Cancer Research UK said early detection of cancer was vitally important, BBC news reported.The study - entitled TracerX - provides ...

Poor Sleeping Patterns May Increase Asthma Risk: StudyWashington, 4 Apr (ONA) --- Most of us know that irregular sleeping patterns can lead to a number of health issues and could increase stress levels exponentially, it could also increase asthma risk.A decade-long study has suggested that regularly enjoying a good night's sleep could significantly reduce your risk of developing asthma, which affects about 300 million people worldwide.The findings, which were first published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, revealed that poor sleeping patterns may bolster genetic ...

Road Noise Makes Blood Pressure Rise, Study Finds Beijing, 28 Mar (ONA) --- The sound of roaring engines and wailing sirens endured by people who live near busy roads can make their blood pressure rise, academics say. Previous studies suggested it was unclear how noise or air pollution affected blood pressure. However, academics said the new research was a "game-changer" that could affect future environment policy. The lead author of the study was Jing Huang, assistant professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences in the School of Public ...

First Signs of Alzheimer's May Appear in the Eyes, Study Shows Florida, US, 26 Mar (ONA) --- The first sign of Alzheimer's disease (AD) may appear in the eyes, according to a recent study. Researchers have been exploring how the eye may help in diagnosing Alzheimer’s before symptoms begin.Dr. Richard Isaacson, an Alzheimer’s preventive neurologist, said that the disease begins in the brain decades before the first symptoms of memory loss. Dr. Isaacson said if doctors are able to identify Alzheimer's in its earliest stages, people can then make healthy lifestyle choices and ...

SQUH Conducts Rare Surgery to Reconstruct Fractured Orbital Floor of Patient’s EyeMuscat, 26 Mar (ONA) --- A specialized medical team from Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) succeeded in conducting a surgical operation, the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman, to reconstruct the fractured floor of a patient’s eye orbit, using a special plate. The operation was conducted by a team headed by Dr. Abdulaziz Abdullah Bakathir, Senior Consultant of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, in addition to Dr. Khamis Mohammed Al ...

Eating Almonds Before Meals May Improve Blood Sugar: StudyNew Delhi, 21 Mar (ONA) --- New studies say that snacking on almonds before meals could improve blood sugar control in people with prediabetes.Snacking on almonds before meals improved blood sugar control in overweight and obese people with prediabetes, according to two new studies.The first study conducted over three days was published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the second carried over three months appears in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.The researchers found that three-month almond intervention ...

Trails of Human Bacteria from Sneezing and Coughing Preserved On Mount Everest: Study Washington, 20 Mar (ONA) --- Even at thousands of metres high, germs are inescapable, according to new research at the University of Colorado Boulder. Near the world's tallest peak above sea level at Mount Everest, researchers detected human-associated microbes from coughing and sneezing that could potentially have been leaving trails of human bacteria for centuries. The study, published in the peer-reviewed Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research journal, analyzed samples from the South ...

Caffeine in Your Blood Could Affect Body Fat And Diabetes Risk, Study Finds London, 19 Mar (ONA) --- The levels of caffeine in your blood could affect the amount of body fat you carry, a factor that in turn could determine your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Those are the findings of a new study that used genetic markers to establish a more definitive link between caffeine levels, BMI, and type 2 diabetes risk. The research team, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the University of Bristol in the UK, and Imperial College London in the ...

Stress May Lead to Lower Cognitive Function, Study Finds Atlanta, US, 8 Mar (ONA) --- People with elevated stress levels are more likely to experience a decline in cognitive function, a new study found, affecting their capacity to remember, concentrate and learn new things. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, did find that participants with elevated stress levels were more likely to have uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors and poor lifestyle factors. But even after adjusting for many of these physical risk factors, people with elevated stress levels were 37% more ...

Zero-calorie Sweetener Linked to Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds Washington, 28 Feb (ONA) --- A sugar replacement called erythritol, used to add bulk or sweeten stevia, monkfruit and keto reduced-sugar products, has been linked to blood clotting, stroke, heart attack and death, according to a new study. “The degree of risk was not modest,” said lead study author Dr. Stanley Hazen, director of the Center for Cardiovascular Diagnostics and Prevention at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. People with existing risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, ...

Extreme Heat is Health Crisis, US Experts Say New York, 28 Feb (ONA) --- The record-breaking heat Earth endured during the summer of 2022 will be repeated without a robust international effort to address climate change, a panel of scientists has warned. Heat-related deaths, wildfires, extreme rainfall, and persistent drought are expected to become increasingly severe as both ocean and atmospheric temperatures continue to rise, the experts have said. Even if all greenhouse gas emissions ceased today, Earth will continue to warm for several decades. The presentation, “Earth ...

Armed Forces Hospital Inducts OLLIF Technique in Spine SurgeriesMuscat, 13 Feb (ONA) --- Represented by the Orthopaedics and Spine Department, the Armed Forces Hospital in Al Khoudh, Muscat launched the Advanced Interventional Surgical Technique of OLLIF in spine surgeries that it conducts.The technique was introduced in cooperation with Inspired Spine Hospital in the United States.The technique was inaugurated by a medical team from the departments of orthopedics, anesthesia, operations and radiology. The inaugural ceremony was held under the auspices of Col. Dr. Ahmed Saif Al ...

Antibiotics Can Increase Older Adults’ Risk of IBD: StudyLondon, 5 Feb (ONA) --- According to research published in the journal Gut, the journal of the British Society of Gastroenterology, a new study suggests that individuals taking antibiotics for gut infections have a higher risk, with the risk being greatest 1-2 years after use.Mounting evidence suggests that environmental factors are likely implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Globally, close to 7 million people have the condition, with this number expected to rise over the next decade, said the ...

Autism is Likely Considerably Undercounted: Study New York, 26 Jan (ONA) --- New research suggested that autism prevalence rose as much as 500% in recent decades, but it still may be underdiagnosed.In an analysis of data on 8-year-olds in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area in the United States (US) researchers found that the number of children with autism and intellectual disability doubled over the time period.Among those without intellectual disability, however, the increase was fivefold. Still, the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that disparities ...