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Wyeth receives European approval for TORISEL

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth, has announced that the European Commission has approved TORISEL (temsirolimus) for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have at least three of six prognostic risk factors. TORISEL is the only approved cancer therapy that specifically inhibits the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) kinase, an important regulator of cell proliferation, cell growth and cell survival.

27 Nov 2007

Wildfires and PTSD-related psychological distress

While the wildfires that destroyed more than 2,000 homes in southern California have been almost completely contained, the emotional effects of the devastation will linger for months or even years to come.

27 Nov 2007

Many people mistrust Britain's NHS even though it is improving, research shows

Research carried out by Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby and Dr Andrew Wallace at the Department of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, shows that many people mistrust the NHS even though spending has increased hugely, waiting lists have fallen rapidly and death rates in the priority areas (heart disease and cancer) have improved sharply.

27 Nov 2007

Materialism in children

Peer pressure, targeted marketing campaigns and bad parenting have all been blamed for increasing materialism in children.

27 Nov 2007

Transcranial magnetic stimulation effective in treating major depression

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and other study sites have found that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a non-invasive technique that excites neurons in the brain via magnetic pulses passed through the scalp – is a safe and effective, non-drug treatment with minimal side effects for patients with major depression who have tried other treatment options without benefit.

27 Nov 2007

Toddlers with sleep problems injured more often

A new study by psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) finds that toddlers who persistently wake up one or more times a night, at least once a week are at a greater risk for accidental injuries severe enough to require medical attention.

27 Nov 2007

Being overweight bad for bone health

Being overweight is a known risk factor for heart disease, diabetes and a host of other health conditions.

27 Nov 2007

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers, according to a study in the November 2007 issue of Preventive Medicine by Temple University researcher Dr. Robert Whitaker.

27 Nov 2007

Sex roles

Silence may be more golden for women, suggests a new study at Green Mountain College in Poultney, Vermont, which found that couples were judged to be less likeable when the woman was more verbally assertive.

27 Nov 2007

Secondhand smoke does damage lungs

It's not a smoking gun, but it's smoking-related, and it's there in bright medical images: evidence of microscopic structural damage deep in the lungs, caused by secondhand cigarette smoke.

27 Nov 2007

Scientists examine eons-old water for microorganisms

Researchers from the University of Delaware and the University of California at Riverside have thawed ice estimated to be at least a million years old from above Lake Vostok, an ancient lake that lies hidden more than two miles beneath the frozen surface of Antarctica.

27 Nov 2007

Researchers transfer immune response to myeloma patient

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have for the first time transferred an immune response in a healthy individual to a patient with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow, showing promise for cancer vaccination.

27 Nov 2007

Research funders ask public what they really think about stem cell research

The UK's two biggest public funders of stem cell research have today launched a year-long national dialogue programme that aims to find out what the public really think about stem cell science.

27 Nov 2007

New disease model for Huntington's

Huntington's disease is a genetic time bomb: Programmed in the genes, it appears at a predictable age in adulthood, causing a progressive decline in mental and neurological function and finally death.

27 Nov 2007

Psychiatric advance directives enhance patient-doctor communication

In theory, psychiatric advance directives provide a way to improve medical decision making during a mental health crisis.

27 Nov 2007

Patient knowledge of heart risk profile may help improve cholesterol management

Patients who discuss their coronary risk profiles with their physicians may respond better to treatment for cholesterol disorders, according to a report in the November 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

27 Nov 2007

Ozone response greater with increasing BMI

A new study provides the first evidence that people with higher body mass index (BMI) may have a greater response to ozone than leaner people.

27 Nov 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids protect the brain against Parkinson's disease

Omega-3 fatty acids protect the brain against Parkinson's disease, according to a study by Université Laval researchers published in the online edition of the FASEB Journal, the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

27 Nov 2007

Low levels of "good" cholesterol make it difficult to recover from stroke

People are at an increased risk of memory problems and greater disability after stroke if they have low levels of “good” cholesterol and high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid acquired mostly from eating meat.

27 Nov 2007