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Survey reveals low awareness of postherpetic neuralgia amongst Americans

The American Pain Foundation (APF) announced today at the American Pain Society (APS) Annual Meeting the results of a national survey that showed postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), also known as after-shingles pain, continues to be a condition with low awareness amongst Americans, demonstrating a need for health care provider (HCP) intervention.

7 May 2010

DNA sequence of amphibian genome sheds light on the study of embryonic development

A pair of University of Houston researchers contributed to the assembly of the first comprehensive DNA sequence of an amphibian genome, which will shed light on the study of embryonic development, with implications for preventing birth defects and more effectively treating many human diseases.

7 May 2010

Lifegene project launched to study origin of disease

The unique resources available in the Nordic region, such as civic registration numbers and the registries of genetically informative populations and health outcomes, make it an epidemiological goldmine. The LifeGene project is being coordinated by the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet to take advantage of Sweden's competitive edge in this field.

7 May 2010

$Inflammatory bowel disorders can raise risk of osteoporotic fractures$

Inflammatory bowel disorders can raise risk of osteoporotic fractures

A team of scientists from the University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne have shown that young people with inflammatory bowel diseases have low bone mass and poor bone architecture compared to healthy people of the same age, placing them at increased risk of fracture.

7 May 2010

Hepcidin is found in various biological fluids, says new research

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of hepcidin in iron metabolism, particularly anaemia of chronic disease and iron overload. There have also been reports of its expression in various proinflammatory disorders and various organs, linking it to innate immunity and iron metabolism.

7 May 2010

Methane in breath linked to obesity

New Cedars-Sinai research shows obese patients who test positive for methane on their breath have a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than their peers.

7 May 2010

New study may help design better vaccines for dengue fever

Some of the human immune system's defences against the virus that causes dengue fever actually help the virus to infect more cells, according to new research published today in the journal Science.

7 May 2010

54% of liver cirrhosis patients experience neurocognitive impairments

More than half of patients who have cirrhosis of the liver also display neurocognitive impairments such as short term memory loss, a study led by a Loyola University Health System researcher has found.

7 May 2010

NHLBI grants MU $8.47 million for research on cardiovascular diseases

One of the largest medical research grants ever awarded to the University of Missouri was announced today by MU scientists and administrators. The National Institutes of Health grant will help answer important questions about such prevalent health problems as high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. The conditions are closely associated with cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in Missouri and the nation.

7 May 2010

Sleep problems can increase depression and reduce quality of life in older people

In a study of residents of Assisted Living Facilities (ALFs) in Los Angeles showed that 65% had clinically significant sleeping problems and that poor sleep was associated with declining quality of life and increased depression over a six month follow-up period. This study is published today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

7 May 2010

Researchers study effects of dark chocolates in reducing heart disease

Volunteers are to have chocolate delivered to their homes and be encouraged to eat 50g of it every day for eight weeks as part of a new research study.

7 May 2010

Imprinted genes may be the root cause of gender specific diseases, says study

Pregnancy places competing demands on a mother's physiology: Her body wants to produce a strong healthy baby but not at the expense of her own health. Some of the genes that she passes on to her child therefore try to protect her own body from excessive demands from her child.

7 May 2010

Study analyzes epidemiology of falls among elderly men

Falls and fall prevention are a major concern for the elderly and people with osteoporosis, a common chronic disease which causes weak and fragile bones. People with osteoporosis are at increased risk of fracture, even after a minor fall from standing height.

7 May 2010

Investigators demonstrate safety and efficacy of targeted medication to shrink advanced kidney cancers

A multicenter team of investigators led by the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has demonstrated, for the first time, the safety and efficacy of a targeted medication to shrink advanced kidney cancers prior to partial kidney removal and reconstruction. Their findings were published in the April 2010 online edition of BJU International.

6 May 2010

Researchers use new tools to study how brain responds when injury occurs

Researchers at four institutions, led by Stanford University and Brown University, have begun an effort with more than $14 million of federal funding to learn both how the brain and its microcircuitry react to sudden physiological changes and what can be done to encourage recovery from injury.

6 May 2010

New study shows single night of partial sleep deprivation can induce insulin resistance

According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, just one night of short sleep duration can induce insulin resistance, a component of type 2 diabetes.

6 May 2010

Scientists catch new mediators to develop novel treatments for diseases linked to inflammatory processes

Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine went on a molecular fishing trip and netted a catch of new mediators that not only can explain how omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation, but also hint at novel treatments for a host of diseases linked to inflammatory processes. Their findings were published today in the online version of Nature Chemical Biology.

6 May 2010

Global CRO Chiltern joins ACRO

The Association of Clinical Research Organizations, which represents the CRO industry globally, is pleased to announce that Chiltern, headquartered in Berkshire, United Kingdom, has joined ACRO and that Glenn Kerkhof, Chiltern CEO, will be the company's representative to the Association.

6 May 2010

New research to improve effectiveness of nicotine vaccination for cigarette smokers

If Pradeep K. Garg, Ph.D., of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center figures out why some smokers are more addicted to nicotine than others, it could lead to more successful smoking cessation treatments.

6 May 2010

Study reveals long-term advantages of fast initial weight loss

If you thought the best way to lose and maintain weight was the slow and steady approach, think again. A new study by Lisa Nackers and colleagues, from the University of Florida in the US, suggests that the key to long-term weight loss and maintenance is to lose weight quickly, not gradually, in the initial stages of obesity treatment. Their findings1 are published online in Springer's International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

6 May 2010