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Discovery may lead to development of more effective antibiotics

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the John Innes Centre in the United Kingdom have uncovered a mechanism with which disease-causing bacteria may thwart the body's natural defense responses. The findings, which could ultimately lead to the development of more effective antibiotics, appear in the September 29, 2005 issue of the journal Nature.

28 Sep 2005

100 year old technology to fight MRSA

A technique that has been around for more than one hundred years is being used in new research as a way of killing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using light. The research to be reported today at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, is being undertaken by researchers from Queen's University Belfast.

28 Sep 2005

New option for treatment of lower back pain

Abbott today announced that it has started enrolling patients in a new U.S. clinical study to evaluate the potential benefits of its Wallis Mechanical Normalization System, a new spinal implant technology for the treatment of mild to moderate degenerative disc disease designed to stabilize the spine and reduce pain while preserving range of motion.

28 Sep 2005

From aircraft aerodynamics to improved heart implants

At first glance airplane wings and human hearts have little in common, but, say a team of European researchers, a technology used to measure airflow over wings can now be used to help keep hearts in working order.

28 Sep 2005

Digital mammography and breast cancer in older women

Digital mammography that uses computers to detect breast cancer found significantly (up to 28%) more cancers than screen film mammography in women 50 and younger, premenopausal and perimenopausal women, and women with dense breasts, according to results from one of the largest breast cancer screening studies ever performed.

27 Sep 2005

Combining optical tomography with standard ultrasound imaging can help distinguish early-stage breast cancer

A new study shows that combining a technology called optical tomography with standard ultrasound imaging can help distinguish early-stage breast cancer from non-cancerous lesions--and potentially reduce the number of breast biopsies performed. The study appears in the October issue of the journal Radiology.

27 Sep 2005

Cancer vaccine based on the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, can cure mice with breast tumors

A team from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has shown that by using a cancer vaccine based on the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, they can cure mice with established breast tumors. Cancer vaccines, which are more properly described as immunotherapy, work by boosting an immune response against tumor-associated antigens.

27 Sep 2005

Artificial Cervical (neck) Disc for treatment of degenerative disc disease

Rush University Medical Center is one of the few sites in the country selected to participate in a clinical trial for the Artificial Cervical (neck) Disc, the latest technology in the field.

27 Sep 2005

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have identified three new genetic mutations in brain tumors

...a discovery that could pave the way for more effective cancer treatments.

27 Sep 2005

Powerful orthopedic repair compound

Bone Solutions, Inc. of Dallas, TX, announced at a Dow Jones Lifescience Conference that it had successfully tested its magnesium-based orthopedic adhesive technology in multiple studies to prove full biocompatibility for injection into animals and humans, with powerful mechanical properties that gave its unusual strength and performance beyond current orthopedic industry products.

26 Sep 2005

Innovative new treatment for moderate to severe heart failure

Cardiologists at Beth Israel Medical Center are currently enrolling patients in an investigational study that is looking at the safety and efficacy of an innovative new treatment for moderate to severe heart failure, in which a unique pacemaker-like device helps strengthen the heart's pumping power

26 Sep 2005

Nanogen issued patent relating to biological screening device

Nanogen announced today it was issued Patent No. 6,942,778, "Microstructure Apparatus and Method for Separating Differently Charged Molecules Using an Applied Electric Field" by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

26 Sep 2005

New treatment option for chronic sinusitis

Acclarent on Saturday unveiled their new treatment option for chronic sinusitis, the Balloon Sinuplasty procedure. Results from the initial safety and feasibility study of this unique, catheter-based treatment for chronic sinusitis were presented by William Bolger, MD, FACS.

26 Sep 2005

Microchip system aims to reduce the number of animals used in the development of new drugs

Reducing the number of animals used in the development of new drugs is a priority for the pharmaceutical industry

26 Sep 2005

Surprising immune system cells discovery

Immune system cells are connected to each other by an extensive network of tiny tunnels that, like a building's hidden pneumatic tube system, are used to shoot signals to distant cells.

26 Sep 2005

New way to create a permanent chemical bond between antibiotics and titanium

Infections associated with inserting a medical device can be devastating, painful, and cause prolonged disability, costing tens of thousands of dollars.

26 Sep 2005

Set of simple "rules" that nature appears to use to design proteins

By examining how proteins have evolved, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have discovered a set of simple "rules" that nature appears to use to design proteins, rules the scientists have now employed to create artificial proteins that look and function just like their natural counterparts.

26 Sep 2005

People use discretion in deciding when show up in the emergency department

When is a medical emergency really an emergency? Not during key Boston Red Sox games, report investigators from Children's Hospital Boston in a letter published in the October issue of Annals of Emergency Medicine.

26 Sep 2005

Definitive multiple sclerosis linkage screen

A cluster of genes on chromosome six is the only one that plays a significant role in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to the most complete genetic study to date in the disorder, presented at the 130th annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in San Diego.

22 Sep 2005

Family-centered approach improves communication and care in intensive care unit

A nationwide hospital program developed to support families visiting loved ones in the intensive care unit (ICU) has significant benefits for families, patients, and team members in the ICU, shows a new study.

20 Sep 2005