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Importance of T cells in the prevention of autoimmune diseases

Centenary scientist Associate Professor Barbara Fazekas de St. Groth, a leader in inflammatory bowel disease research, has demonstrated for the first time the important role of T cells in the prevention of autoimmune diseases in humans.

9 Jul 2006

New aspect of prion disease - agent causes heart damage

Until now, prion disease has been thought of as a chronic neurological condition.

9 Jul 2006

Researchers use proteins to 'switch on' heart tissue repair system

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are utilizing a protein to "switch on" the ability to repair damaged heart tissue.

9 Jul 2006

Psychological torture used on Bulgarian nurses in Libya

At a hearing in Tripoli the defence team representing a Palestinian doctor and five Bulgarian nurses accused of deliberately infecting more than 400 Libyan children with HIV-tainted blood, have said psychological-torture measures were used against the nurses.

6 Jul 2006

Obese women at greater risk of disease and death

Experts say that obesity is a disease that now affects nearly one-third of the adult American population, approximately 60 million people, and the latest study on the condition suggests that health risks to women who are obese may have been underestimated.

6 Jul 2006

Innovative diabetes research wins prestigious health award

A life-saving approach to controlling blood glucose levels in critical care developed at the University of Canterbury and Christchurch Hospital Department of Intensive Care Medicine has won the Supreme Award at the 2006 New Zealand Health Innovation Awards.

5 Jul 2006

Adopting multiple healthy habits may significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease in men

A prospective study of 42,847 middle-aged and older U.S. men participating in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study has found that a healthy lifestyle is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), even among men taking antihypertensive or lipid-lowering medications.

5 Jul 2006

Celiac success: New enzyme efficiently degrades gluten

A new enzyme originally developed for commercial food processing turns out to also quickly and nearly-completely break down whole gluten molecules as well as the T cell stimulatory peptides that cause celiac disease, a digestive disease with no current effective treatment other than avoiding wheat, barley or rye products.

5 Jul 2006

Sildenafil boosts high altitude exercise up to 45% for some cyclists

Sildenafil (Viagra) significantly improved the cardiovascular and exercise performance measures of trained cyclists at high altitude, mostly because the drug helped some participants improve a lot -- up to 45% -- while others showed little change. Sildenafil provided no benefit at sea level.

5 Jul 2006

Dog DNA provides clues to combating diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis in humans

Melbourne researchers are examining the DNA of dogs in a research project aiming at determining the genetic causes of common pet diseases - and to provide a model for combating diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis in humans.

5 Jul 2006

Scientists find a cytokine against auto-immune hepatitis

There are about 400 million patients of hepatitis in the world. Some of them are suffering from autoimmune hepatitis, a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells.

5 Jul 2006

Grandma was right again, a hot water bottle helps ease the pain

Researchers in Britain say that the old fashioned idea that heat relieves pain does have some truth in it and hugging a hot-water bottle can have a similar effect to a painkiller.

5 Jul 2006

Safety of popular painkiller Tylenol questioned

According to a new study the popular painkiller Tylenol may not be as safe to take as previously thought.

5 Jul 2006

New Australian 'assassin' drug has huge potential

Australian researchers have come up with a new drug which they believe has the potential to fight a wide range of illnesses and diseases including cancer, age-related blindness, heart disease and arthritis.

5 Jul 2006

Fat and clever and rich - equals depression

Major depression is a leading cause of disability globally and according to American researchers people who are obese are more at risk of suffering from a psychiatric disorder.

4 Jul 2006

86 percent higher risk of death for extremely obese women

While obesity has generally been viewed as a single significant health concern, a University of Pittsburgh study suggests that not all obese women share the same health risks.

4 Jul 2006

Clozapine has serious health consequences

Patients who take clozapine, the most effective antipsychotic drug, have significantly higher rates of metabolic syndrome, according to a first-of-a-kind study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.

3 Jul 2006

Researchers develop T-cells from human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells can be genetically manipulated and coaxed to develop into mature T-cells, raising hopes for a gene therapy to combat AIDS.

3 Jul 2006

Listeriosis and pregnancy

For years, doctors have puzzled over why pregnant women are 20 times more likely than others to be infected by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, now think they have the answer, and it isn't pretty.

3 Jul 2006

Minimally invasive angioplasty and stenting restores blood flow to kidneys

A pilot study suggests that the results of minimally invasive angioplasty and stenting to restore blood flow to the kidneys can be significantly improved if a suction device is used to remove the material blocking the vessel.

3 Jul 2006