health and well-being

Nov 16, 2009

NC State Research Shows Need To Address Hemophilia In Developing World

When modern medicine finds a way to treat a medical condition, people often think that the problem is solved. But we also have to find ways to get that treatment into the hands of those who need it. For example, new research from North Carolina State University shows that much more needs to be done… 

Nov 2, 2009

NC State Research to Determine Where Nanomaterials Go in the Body

Tiny, engineered nanomaterials can already be found in many consumer products, and have been hailed as having widespread future uses in areas ranging from medicine to industrial processes. However, little is known about what happens if these nanomaterials get into your body – where do they go? NC State researchers are working to answer that question… 

Oct 26, 2009

Study Shows How Nanotubes Affect Lining of Lungs

Tiny carbon nanotubes are being considered for use in everything from sports equipment to medical applications, but a great deal remains unknown about whether these materials cause respiratory or other health problems. Now a collaborative study from North Carolina State University, The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences, and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences… 

Oct 21, 2009

Alcohol Tolerance Switch Found in Fruit Flies

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic “switch” in fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation of… 

Oct 6, 2009

How to Lower Costs, Waiting Times for Colonoscopies

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, leading to over 50,000 fatalities every year. But it can be prevented with early screening using a procedure called a colonoscopy. Now researchers from North Carolina State University, Mayo Clinic and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (UMass) have created a tool… 

Oct 5, 2009

Solving the Period Problem: Researchers Develop Sanitary Pads from Local, Organic Materials

For most American women, their “time of the month” is seen as a hindrance to daily life. In impoverished and developing countries, however, monthly periods are a major cause for concern among women. The lack of affordable, quality sanitary pads results in females missing up to 50 days of school annually – thereby compromising their… 

Sep 10, 2009

As H1N1 Looms, Study Shows Students Aren’t Protecting Themselves

As public health experts warn of potential widespread outbreaks of H1N1 flu this school year, a new study from North Carolina State University shows that students do not comply with basic preventative measures as much as they think do. In other words, the kids aren't washing their hands. 

Aug 18, 2009

NC State Ready to Respond to H1N1 Virus on Campus

Cases of Influenza A (H1N1) are being diagnosed on a regular basis in North Carolina, particularly in the Triangle area, making H1N1 the dominant flu strain in the region. North Carolina State University officials have developed a plan to help educate the campus community about H1N1, and to encourage students to receive flu shots and… 

Jun 30, 2009

Can Video Games Boost Thinking Skills in Elderly?

Researchers at North Carolina State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology have received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study whether and how video games can boost memory and thinking skills in the elderly – and then to use their findings to develop a prototype video game to do just… 

Jun 29, 2009

Tool Finds Best Heart Disease, Stroke Treatments for Patients with Diabetes

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Mayo Clinic have developed a computer model that medical doctors can use to determine the best time to begin using statin therapy in diabetes patients to help prevent heart disease and stroke. “The research is significant because patients with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease and… 

Jun 17, 2009

Study Finds Reproductive Health Effects From Low Doses of Bisphenol-A

New research from North Carolina State University and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows significant reproductive health effects in rats that have been exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) at levels equivalent to or below the dose that has been thought not to produce any adverse effects. BPA is a chemical found in baby… 

May 19, 2009

New Tool To Help Researchers Identify DNA Patterns of Cancer, Genetic Disorders

A new tool will help researchers identify the minute changes in DNA patterns that lead to cancer, Huntington’s disease and a host of other genetic disorders. The tool was developed at North Carolina State University and translates DNA sequences into graphic images, which allows researchers to distinguish genetic patterns more quickly and efficiently than was… 

May 12, 2009

Heart Machine Expedites Research and Development of New Surgical Tools, Techniques

A new machine developed at North Carolina State University makes an animal heart pump much like a live heart after it has been removed from the animal’s body, allowing researchers to expedite the development of new tools and techniques for heart surgery. The machine saves researchers time and money by allowing them to test and… 

Apr 27, 2009

New Human Movement Model Can Aid In Studying Epidemic Outbreaks, Public Planning

Researchers have developed a new statistical model that simulates human mobility patterns, mimicking the way people move over the course of a day, a month or longer. The model, developed by scientists at North Carolina State University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is the first to represent the regular movement… 

Apr 22, 2009

Think Memory Worsens With Age? Then Yours Probably Will

Thinking your memory will get worse as you get older may actually be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that senior citizens who think older people should perform poorly on tests of memory actually score much worse than seniors who do not buy in to negative stereotypes about aging and…