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Cultured stem cells and bioengineered skin used to successfully treat scleroderma

Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease that leads to thickening and severe scarring of skin as well as thickening and failure of internal organs, including the lungs, heart, kidneys and intestines.

5 Mar 2009

Six factors independently predicted melanoma risk

Melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, is a health risk that accounts for more than 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

5 Mar 2009

Emerging therapies could ease symptoms of Atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis, the common, chronic, inflammatory skin disease marked by red, itchy rashes, has been increasing in prevalence over the past two decades and affects a disproportionate number of children.

5 Mar 2009

Dermatologists caution that severe cases of psoriasis can be associated with other serious medical conditions

On the surface, the thick, red, scaly, itchy plaques of psoriasis - which have been shown to have a significant negative impact on a person's overall quality of life - may not appear to pose a serious health risk for patients. However, a growing body of research suggests that psoriasis patients are at an increased risk of developing serious medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, particularly when their psoriasis is severe.

5 Mar 2009

Measuring quality of life in patients with hereditary kidney disease

A commonly used questionnaire that measures quality of life is not sensitive enough to pick up mental and physical problems experienced by patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

4 Mar 2009

Experts discuss factors that may contribute to glaucoma

Although scientists know progressive degeneration of retinal ganglion cells and their axons is the primary cause of glaucoma, researchers have yet to identify a way to stop or prevent the degeneration.

4 Mar 2009

Launch of new foundation for Batten disease

Leading scientists, medical researchers and affected families joined together today to launch Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, an organization committed to finding a cure for this rare disease that claims the lives of children.

4 Mar 2009

Faulty signalling in the brain may cause schizophrenia

In the biggest study of its kind, scientists looking in detail at brain samples donated by people with the condition have identified 49 genes that work differently in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared to controls.

3 Mar 2009

'Pre-diabetics' face heightened risk of heart disease

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism , was led by Jill P. Crandall, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine and director of the Diabetes Clinical Trials Unit at Einstein.

3 Mar 2009

Discovery provides better understanding of craniosynostosis

Craniosynostosis develops in the womb and affects one in every 2500 live births. Bones in the skulls and face of sufferers fuse together prematurely causing a range of distressing developmental problems.

2 Mar 2009

Airborne microbial fungi linked to asthma

A survey of airborne fungi and fungal spores found in Eastern Puerto Rico suggests that certain species may be a major cause of the high incidence of childhood asthma in this part of the world.

2 Mar 2009

Treatment for knee ligament damage

Injuries to the knee's medial cruciate ligament (MCL) may be treated successfully without surgery, according to a literature review published in the March 2009 issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS). The key, the review's authors found, is properly diagnosing and understanding the extent of the injury to determine the best course of treatment.

2 Mar 2009

Regular screening for colorectal cancer remains effective in preventing and detecting disease early

As the nation marks National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month this March, the American Cancer Society is encouraging Americans to get lifesaving screening tests that have been proven to reduce the risk of the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women.

2 Mar 2009

Revealing statistics about childhood diabetes reported

The incidence rate of type 1 diabetes among non-Hispanic white youth in the United States is one of the highest in the world, according to a major national study coordinated by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

1 Mar 2009

Deciphering motor neuron disease

Dr Ian Blair and Professor Garth Nicholson from the University of Sydney's ANZAC Research Institute have identified a new gene abnormality that causes the fatal paralysis, motor neuron disease (MND) in families with multiple members affected by the disease.

1 Mar 2009

The obesity paradox

It's called the obesity paradox. Although obese people are more apt to suffer from inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, they are also more likely to survive a major attack caused by one of those conditions.

26 Feb 2009

Facts about osteoporosis are staggering

75 million baby boomers are approaching the age where the disease is tightening its grip on their bones.

26 Feb 2009

Clinical practice guidelines for osteoarthritis of the knee

Osteoarthritis (OA) is known as the "wear and tear" arthritis. It can affect any joint in the body particularly after years of use.

26 Feb 2009

Physical therapy is effective for management of low-back pain

A new review article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons should help convince many patients with low back pain to consider physical therapy as a first line of treatment for their condition, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

25 Feb 2009