A delicate surgery that involves placement of tiny electrodes onto the brainstem is helping some people avoid total hearing loss. The electrodes, connected to a device known as an auditory brain implant, are being placed in patients who require surgery to remove noncancerous tumors associated with a disorder called neurofibromastosis type II. The tumors are often entwined around the nerves that facilitate hearing. Over time the tumors — or the surgical intervention to remove them, can result in fractional or total hearing loss.

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For critically ill patients, intensive insulin therapy to keep blood sugar at normal levels reduces the risk of acute kidney injury, reports a new study. For many years, the medical community has considered high blood sugar levels in critically ill patients — called “stress diabetes” — as a beneficial reaction of the body to ensure adequate energy supply to the organs during severe illness. Reductions in kidney injury and mortality risk question thinking on ’stress diabetes’.

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A new medical imager for detecting and guiding the biopsy of suspicious breast cancer lesions is capable of spotting tumors that are half the size of the smallest ones detected by standard imaging systems, according to a new study. The results of initial testing of the PEM/PET system will be published in the journal Physics in Medicine and Biology.

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An examination of the connections between elephants and lizards appears this month in the journal Ecology, where a researcher reports that the elephants’ eating habits have a strong influence on the lizards’ habitat choices. The results demonstrate an important and little understood aspect of ecosystem engineering, and may help land managers working on wildlife refuges in Africa.

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A new test simultaneously detects the most prevalent respiratory viruses, including flu and the common cold, helping doctors more accurately diagnose patients. The speed and reliability of the test will help physicians provide appropriate treatment, and prevent inappropriate antibiotic use that has contributed to the creation of “superbugs.”

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Cadmium exposure is a known risk factor for prostate cancer, and a new study suggests that zinc may offer protection against cadmium. Zinc stimulates production of a protein that binds cadmium thereby taking it out of circulation and reducing its toxic effects. However, it is too early to recommend zinc supplements for those who’re worried about prostate damage, according to the researcher.

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The next time you have to raise your umbrella against torrents of cold winter rain, you may have a remote weather phenomenon to thank that many may know by name as El Nino, but may not well understand.

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A free, downloadable training program developed teaches teen-age drivers how, when and where to anticipate and avoid potentially fatal traffic hazards. It’s called a “Risk Awareness and Perception Training (RAPT) Program” and all the training is done on a personal computer.

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Apples, bananas, and oranges are the most common fruits in both Western and Asian diets, and are important sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A new study explores the additional health benefits of these fruits and reveals they also protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

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