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Role of psychological well-being in premature delivery

A group of researchers of the University of Modena has investigated the role of psychological well-being in premature delivery. The study is reported in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

13 Nov 2007

Discovery of key pathway, potential drug targets in autoinflammatory disease

Molecular biologists at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia have detailed the cascade of cellular events behind some potentially dangerous autoinflammatory diseases.

13 Nov 2007

Anti-inflammation molecule helps fight MS-like disease

An immune system messenger molecule that normally helps quiet inflammation could be an effective tool against multiple sclerosis (MS). Neurology researchers led by Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience in Philadelphia, have found that the protein interkeukin-27 (IL-27) helped block the onset or reverse symptoms in animals with an MS-like disease.

13 Nov 2007

Is the inability to express emotions hereditary?

The inability to express emotions (alexithymia) is thought to be hereditary. The largest study so far has provided new data in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

13 Nov 2007

Improved surgery technique for endothelial disease of the cornea

In a research presentation today at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Annual Meeting, Massimo Busin, MD, department head and professor of ophthalmology at the Villa Serena Hospital, Forli, Italy, described a technique that significantly improved results in patients being treated for endothelial disease of the cornea, the transparent covering of the front of the eye that provides much of its optical power.

13 Nov 2007

How frequent are psychosomatic symptoms in the general population?

A group of German researchers has reported on a new epidemiological study concerned with physical symptoms which are caused by psychological problems.

13 Nov 2007

Human Genome Sciences announces positive phase 2 LymphoStat-B results

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. has announced the presentation of Phase 2 clinical results demonstrating that LymphoStat-B (belimumab) achieved a sustained improvement in disease activity across multiple clinical measures, decreased the frequency of disease flares over time, and was well tolerated through 2.5 years on treatment in combination with standard of care in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

13 Nov 2007

Dealing with ethnic diversity in healthcare

Guidelines and training for doctors have tried to address the problems they face when dealing with patients who come from cultures and ethnic groups different to their own.

13 Nov 2007

FDA strengthens warnings for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved revised boxed warnings and other safety-related product labeling changes for erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), which treat certain types of anemia.

13 Nov 2007

FDA clears breathing tube coated with a thin layer of silver

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has cleared for marketing a breathing tube coated with a thin layer of silver. The coating, a material known to have antimicrobial properties, reduces the risk that patients on ventilators will acquire pneumonia while in the hospital.

13 Nov 2007

FDA approves new nonprescription allergy drug Zyrtec-D

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zyrtec-D (cetirizine HCl 5 mg and pseudoephedrine HCl 120 mg), an allergy drug, for nonprescription use in adults and children 12 years of age and older. This drug combines an antihistamine with a nasal decongestant.

13 Nov 2007

Factor key to severity of community-associated methicillin-resistant staph infections identified

Newly described proteins in drug-resistant strains of the Staphylococcus aureus bacterium attract and then destroy protective human white blood cells - a key process ensuring that S. aureus survives and causes severe disease, according to scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

13 Nov 2007

Diet rich in leafy vegetables may minimize damage caused by heart attacks

A diet rich in leafy vegetables may minimize the tissue damage caused by heart attacks, according to researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

13 Nov 2007

Omega-3 rich oils lower risk of memory problems, omega-6 rich oils may increase risk

A diet rich in fish, omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas consuming omega-6 rich oils could increase chances of developing memory problems, according to a study published in the November 13, 2007, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Nov 2007

Early teen sex may play role in helping some develop better social relationships in early adulthood

A new study by University of Virginia clinical psychologists has found that teens who have sex at an early age may be less inclined to exhibit delinquent behavior in early adulthood than their peers who waited until they were older to have sex.

13 Nov 2007

Early, routine testing for HIV is key to curbing the disease among teens

Half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur among 13 to 24 year olds, but adolescents rarely seek HIV testing. Now, new research from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center suggests that early and widespread testing - both in schools and community centers - may be the key to effectively curbing the spread of HIV within this age group.

13 Nov 2007

Do life events trigger mental disorders?

A new epidemiological study performed in Italy addresses an old question in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

13 Nov 2007

Correcting poor vision in nursing home residents may decrease symptoms of depression

Nursing home residents who received eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive error were found to have improved quality of life and decreased symptoms of depression when compared to those with refractive error who had not received eyeglasses, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

13 Nov 2007

New genetic schizophrenia link found

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric illness. Its cause is currently poorly understood, and there is no known cure.

13 Nov 2007

H5 avian influenza found on Suffolk poultry farm

The Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed avian influenza in turkeys on premises near Diss on the Norfolk/Suffolk border. Preliminary tests were positive for the H5 strain.

13 Nov 2007