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HMGB1 protein shown to act as an accelerator - activating the body's defenses

Toll-like receptors are the guard dogs of the immune system, sniffing out bacteria and viruses then activating the body's immune system for an attack on these invaders.

3 Aug 2007

Predicting outcomes before and after liver transplants

The most appropriate system for organ allocation for liver transplants is a subject of continuing debate.

3 Aug 2007

Prolonged periods of deployment among armed forces leading to mental health problems

Prolonged periods of deployment among Britain's armed forces is associated with mental health problems, finds a study published on bmj.com.

3 Aug 2007

Innovative gene therapy research for muscular dystrophy

A major grant of approximately $10 million from the National Institutes of Health will help investigators at Columbus Children's Research Institute (CCRI) at Columbus Children's Hospital learn more about strategies to treat muscular dystrophy, potentially leading to two new gene therapy approaches.

3 Aug 2007

New treatment for glaucoma shows promise

Iowa State University researchers have developed a new technique that successfully treated rats for blindness caused by glaucoma.

3 Aug 2007

Headaches of computerized medicine

Clinical information technology systems especially those known in the health care industry as computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems promise to improve health outcomes, reduce medical errors and increase cost efficiency, but hospitals adopting them must plan for immense workflow issues and a host of other unanticipated consequences that come with them or face potentially crippling problems.

3 Aug 2007

Age is important in HRT use

Five years ago this summer the National Institutes of Health's stopped early a major portion of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a large and ambitious study to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women.

3 Aug 2007

New pay offer for NHS health workers

The improved offer will put extra cash in the pockets of the lowest paid workers in the NHS, no matter which country they are in. In England only, training budgets for non-clinical staff will be boosted, and clinicians will get money to put towards their registration fees.

3 Aug 2007

New diagnostic tool to detect infection-causing bacteria

Infection-causing bacteria can't hide from researchers at Northern Arizona University, who recently helped develop the first diagnostic tool to detect them.

3 Aug 2007

Native Australian fruits very high in antioxidants

Twelve native Australian fruits that are exceptional sources of antioxidants have been identified in research published in the journal Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies.

3 Aug 2007

Medical residents unclear about TB guidelines

US medical residents are not proficient at diagnosing and managing tuberculosis (TB), according to a report published in the online open access journal, BMC Infectious Diseases.

3 Aug 2007

Medical residents score poorly in diagnosing and managing tuberculosis

When quizzed about their knowledge in diagnosing tuberculosis and deciding on the best treatment, medical residents in Baltimore and Philadelphia get almost half the answers wrong, according to a survey by TB disease experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere.

3 Aug 2007

Integrated system, rapid transfer offers lifeline for heart attack victims

Heart attack patients received lifesaving treatment quickly when hospitals and communities used an integrated, rapid transfer system to get patients to a facility equipped to perform artery-opening procedures, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

3 Aug 2007

Immunity in social amoeba suggests ancient beginnings

Finding an immune system in the social amoeba (Dictyostelium discoideum) is not only surprising but it also may prove a clue as to what is necessary for an organism to become multicellular, said the Baylor College of Medicine researcher who led the research that appears in the journal Science.

3 Aug 2007

Neck muscles could play a crucial role in controlling blood pressure, heart rate and breathing

A chance discovery in the lab has helped University of Leeds scientists to show how the treatment for a stiff neck could do wonders for your blood pressure.

3 Aug 2007

Insulin Resistance Syndrome could be key to preventing cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's

New and important evidence shows that Insulin Resistance Syndrome can lead to elevated risk for cardiovascular disease, breathing and sleep disorders, liver disease, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer's Disease and more.

3 Aug 2007

Gene fusion subtypes in prostate carcinoma have clinical implications

Building on an earlier study that used Oncomine to identify ETS-fusion proteins in prostate cancer (Science, Oct 28 2005), Tomlins et al. report the identification of four additional classes of ETS rearrangements in prostate cancer, each of which activates ETV1 by a different genetic mechanism (Nature, Aug 2 2007).

3 Aug 2007

Gastroenterologist-directed sedation safe and effective for endoscopic procedures

The use of an evidence-based sedation protocol for endoscopic procedures improves the quality of practice and reduces the incidence of sedation-related adverse events, according to an AGA Institute Review of Endoscopic Sedation published in the August issue of Gastroenterology , the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

3 Aug 2007

First case of successful ovarian tissue transplantation between two, nonidentical sisters

A woman, whose ovaries had failed due to damage caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, has received a successful ovarian transplant from her genetically non-identical sister.

3 Aug 2007

FDA, DoD collaborate on regulated drugs, biologics, and medical devices

Data from the U.S. Military Health System will soon help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration make decisions affecting the safety and use of FDA-regulated products for all Americans.

3 Aug 2007