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Nerve cells derived from stem cells may one day provide improved brain treatments

Scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research have, for the first time, genetically programmed embryonic stem (ES) cells to become nerve cells when transplanted into the brain, according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

24 Jun 2008

tRNA import occurs in humans - could lead to targeted therapies

Scientists have determined that human cells are able to shift important gene products into their own mitochondria, considered the power plants of cells. The finding could eventually lead to therapies for dozens of diseases.

24 Jun 2008

Controversial diet drug Rimonabant now available on the NHS in Britain

A controversial diet drug has been approved for use on the National Health Service (NHS) in Britain.

24 Jun 2008

Premature babies feel pain but don't show it

Brain scans of premature babies undergoing a simple medical procedure have revealed though they may appear to be pain free, they are experiencing pain.

24 Jun 2008

Health Minister accuses the AMA of being protectionist

Relations between the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) do not appear to be improving.

24 Jun 2008

Superbugs spreading because hospitals are overcrowded and staff overworked

Australian researchers say overcrowded hospitals and the pressures of high work loads may be contributing to the spread of drug resistant superbugs.

24 Jun 2008

Drug-releasing coronary artery stent use linked with decrease in procedures to unblock coronary arteries

The widespread adoption of the use of drug-releasing coronary artery stents into routine practice is associated with a decrease in the need for repeat procedures to unblock coronary arteries and also do not appear to increase the risk of death, compared to bare-metal stents, according to a study in the June 25 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association

24 Jun 2008

Pharmacist intervention can improve asthma outcomes

New research has shown that up to 90 per cent of people on asthma medications are using their inhalers incorrectly leading to poor asthma control, increased hospital visits and increased cost of treatment.

24 Jun 2008

Jefferson scientists discover way to immunize mice against metastatic disease

Taking advantage of the fact that the intestines have a separate immune system from the rest of the body, scientists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found a way to immunize mice against the development of metastatic disease.

24 Jun 2008

New antimicrobial wash to tackle food contamination

University of Georgia researchers have developed an effective technology for reducing contamination of dangerous bacteria on food

24 Jun 2008

Epigenetic changes occur over a person's lifetime

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that epigenetic marks on DNA-chemical marks other than the DNA sequence-do indeed change over a person's lifetime, and that the degree of change is similar among family members.

24 Jun 2008

Transplants of mononuclear human umbilical cord blood may help Lou Gehrig's patients

A study at the University of South Florida has shown that transplants of mononuclear human umbilical cord blood (MNChUCB) cells may help patients suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

24 Jun 2008

Drug assistance programs help the medicine go down

A new study of state-subsidized pharmacy assistance programs showed that providing prescription drug coverage for low-income seniors reduces Medicaid and Medicare costs. Moreover, needy seniors enrolled in the programs were able to cut their dose skimping and nursing home admissions in half, according to the Brandeis University research.

24 Jun 2008

Pitt awarded $2.5 million to model how the brain and immune system function in response to illness, infection

In an effort to promote the application of mathematics to medical treatment, researchers in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Mathematics will undertake a $2.5 million project to create models of how the brain and immune system function and change over time in response to certain illnesses, infections, and treatment.

24 Jun 2008

Laser "microscalpel" to target individual cancer cells

Mechanical engineering Assistant Professor Adela Ben-Yakar at The University of Texas at Austin has developed a laser "microscalpel" that destroys a single cell while leaving nearby cells intact, which could improve the precision of surgeries for cancer, epilepsy and other diseases.

24 Jun 2008

Researchers develop brain-machine interfaces that learn with the brain

Devices known as brain-machine interfaces could someday be used routinely to help paralyzed patients and amputees control prosthetic limbs with just their thoughts. Now, University of Florida researchers have taken the concept a step further, devising a way for computerized devices not only to translate brain signals into movement but also to evolve with the brain as it learns.

24 Jun 2008

New discovery could lead to new treatments for Alzheimer's

Rutgers researcher Karl Herrup and colleagues at Case Western Reserve University have discovered that a protein that suppresses cell division in brain cells effectively "puts the brakes" on the dementia that comes with Alzheimer's disease (AD). When the brakes fail, dementia results.

24 Jun 2008

Study uncovers how Ritalin works in brain to boost cognition, focus attention

Stimulant medications such as Ritalin have been prescribed for decades to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and their popularity as "cognition enhancers" has recently surged among the healthy, as well.

24 Jun 2008

Cosmetic surgery procedures to exceed 55 million in 2015

More than 55 million cosmetic surgery procedures will be performed in 2015, predicts a recent study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

24 Jun 2008

8 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes

Diabetes now affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, an increase of more than 3 million in approximately two years, according to new 2007 prevalence data estimates released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This means that nearly 8 percent of the U.S. population has diabetes.

24 Jun 2008