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Study examines outcomes of gastric bypass surgery in morbidly obese and superobese patients

Superobese gastric bypass patients appear to have improvements in quality of life and obesity-related co-existing conditions, and despite losing weight remain obese after surgery, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery.

21 Apr 2009

Stem cell therapy used to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A team of Utahns is collaborating on a stem cell therapy to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

21 Apr 2009

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia linked to seven different gene variants

A national team of researchers led by Mayo Clinic has found that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are more likely to have similar DNA changes or variants in up to six genes, compared to people who do not have the cancer.

21 Apr 2009

New drug to target tumor cells and blood vessels

Researchers at the University of Southern California have identified a new drug compound that appears to target tumor cells and surrounding blood vessels without the negative side effects typically associated with Cox-2 inhibitors.

21 Apr 2009

Pancreatic cancer cells targeted with combo therapy

A combination of two targeted therapies packs a powerful punch to kill pancreatic cancer cells in the laboratory, Mayo Clinic cancer researchers report.

21 Apr 2009

Pregnancy hormone hCG protects against breast cancer even in short-term treatments

One of the most effective ways to prevent breast cancer is through a full-term pregnancy at an early age.

21 Apr 2009

Radiation exposure linked to more aggressive thyroid cancer

Patients with thyroid cancer who have previously been exposed to radiation - for example, in the workplace, through environmental exposure or for treatment of acne or another condition - appear to have more aggressive disease and tend to have worse outcomes in the long term, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

21 Apr 2009

New insights into protein p75's role Alzheimer's disease

New research at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies casts the role of a neuronal growth factor receptor - long suspected to facilitate the toxic effects of beta amyloid in Alzheimer's disease - in a new light, suggesting the molecule actually protects the neuron in the periphery from beta amyloid-induced damage.

21 Apr 2009

Brain manufactures proteins that act like marijuana

U.S. and Brazilian scientists have just proven that one of Bob Dylan's most famous lines - "everybody must get stoned" - is correct.

20 Apr 2009

Potential new target for treatment of Rett syndrome

A research collaboration between Australia and Israel has identified a genetic variation that influences the severity of symptoms in Rett syndrome.

20 Apr 2009

News coverage of trans fat prompts shoppers to avoid certain products

News coverage about the harmful effects of trans fat, combined with labeling information, may influence consumers' short-term purchases of foods high in trans fat, but is not enough to prompt shoppers to avoid these potentially artery-clogging purchases over the long term, according to a study in the May issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

20 Apr 2009

NCI plan to speed cancer research

At the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009 in Denver, National Cancer Institute (NCI) Director John E. Niederhuber, M.D., announced major details, such as funding more grants, development of a platform for personalized cancer care, and an accelerated cancer genetics program, that will move cancer research forward in this new economic environment.

20 Apr 2009

Late consultation the main cause of high mortality from stomach cancer in Chile

Stomach cancer (SC) is the main cancer killer among men in many countries, both developing (such as Chile, Mexico and Costa Rica) and developed (such as Japan).

20 Apr 2009

Is metabolic character different between men and women with gallstone disease?

There are a cluster of metabolic syndrome, that include obesity, high level of fasting plasma glucose, hypertriglyceridemia and hypertension, which is closely associated with the increased morbidity and mortality caused by several of the most common diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and gallstone disease.

20 Apr 2009

New insights into transcription factors in human cells

Bioinformatics researchers from UC San Diego just moved closer to unlocking the mystery of how human cells switch from "proliferation mode" to "specialization mode."

20 Apr 2009

Human lung tumors can eliminate Vitamin D

Human lung tumors have the ability to eliminate Vitamin D, a hormone with anti-cancer activity, a new study from the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) suggests.

20 Apr 2009

Human foetal stem cells can effectively be used to treat back leg ischaemic ulcers

Treatment of chronic wounds is a continuing clinical problem and socio-economic burden with diabetic foot ulcers alone costing the NHS £300 million a year.

20 Apr 2009

Overexpression of PEA-15 protein shrinks breast cancer tumors

Overexpression of PEA-15, which binds and drags an oncoprotein out of the cell nucleus where it fuels cancer growth, steeply reduced breast cancer tumors in a preclinical experiment, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported at the 100th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

20 Apr 2009

Grouping muscles to make controlling limbs easier

With more than 30 muscles in your arm, controlling movement -- whether it's grasping a glass or throwing a baseball -- is a complex task that potentially takes into account thousands of variables.

20 Apr 2009

Genetic source of rare cancer pleuropulmonary blastoma discovered

The search for the cause of an inherited form of a rare, aggressive childhood lung cancer has uncovered important information about how the cancer develops and potentially sheds light on the development of other cancers.

20 Apr 2009