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CD4 Initiative to develop easy to use device that can measure CD4+ T-lymphocytes in HIV+ patients

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have been selected to participate in a collaborative initiative to develop a simple, affordable and rapid test to measure the immune systems of people infected with HIV/AIDS in developing countries.

4 Apr 2007

Men and women who wait to have babies later in life may increase their children's risk for autism

The study investigated 132,844 children born at Kaiser Permanente hospitals in its Northern California region over a five-year period (1995-1999) and identified 593 children who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

4 Apr 2007

Although breast cancer mortality has declined as a whole, declines are greatest for women under 70

A new study shows that recent declines in breast cancer mortality rates have been most significant among women with estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors and women younger than 70.

4 Apr 2007

Need for a national database of epidural complications

Researchers have called for a national database to be set up to identify major complications arising from epidural pain relief after a small number of serious problems were identified during a six-year UK study, according to the April issue of Anaesthesia.

4 Apr 2007

Primary lesson of the 1918 influenza pandemic is that it is critical to intervene early

One of the persistent riddles of the deadly 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic is why it struck different cities with varying severity.

4 Apr 2007

Pollen which is allergenic releases much greater amounts of nitric oxide and nitrite than a non-allergenic pollen

Hayfever is a major irritation for up to 20% of the population in most economically developed countries.

4 Apr 2007

Researchers identify 221 genes possibly related to addiction vulnerability

Scientists supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, have for the first time identified genes that might increase a person's ability to abstain from smoking.

4 Apr 2007

Insecticide-treated mosquito nets reduce number of miscarriages by one third in Africa

The results of new research will arm African doctors and researchers with the facts they need to persuade pregnant women to protect their unborn children by sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs).

4 Apr 2007

New guidelines for mammography

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released a new clinical practice guideline for screening mammography for women 40 to 49 years of age.

4 Apr 2007

National Public Health Week to focus on tobacco, public health threats

Tobacco remains the number one cause of preventable death, claiming more than 400,000 American lives annually.

4 Apr 2007

Mutation in gene HNF4A linked to increeased birthweight and macrosomia

Macrosomia (birthweight more than 4000g) is associated with complications for both mothers and babies; one cause of macrosomia is diabetes in the mother.

4 Apr 2007

Women need to be well-informed about mammography screening

Should all women in their 40s be routinely screened for breast cancer? Not necessarily, according to the American College of Physicians.

4 Apr 2007

A mild head injury can increase your chance of developing a sleep disorder

Researchers say these findings highlight the need for improved diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders in mild traumatic brain injury patients who complain of insomnia.

4 Apr 2007

Leg pain can mean peripheral arterial disease

David Dow thought he was having back problems, and that his legs were hurting as a result. As it turns out, that pain may have saved his life.

4 Apr 2007

Effectiveness of psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder

This is a follow up study to one released last Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine on the effects of antidepressants in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Both studies, called STEP-BD, were funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

4 Apr 2007

Raman spectroscopy for faster body-fluid tests

University of Rochester researchers announce in the current issue of Applied Optics a technique that in 60 seconds or less measures multiple chemicals in body fluids, using a laser, white light, and a reflective tube.

4 Apr 2007

First national online autism registry

Kennedy Krieger Institute today announced the launch of the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) ,the first national online autism registry, at www.IANproject.org .

4 Apr 2007

People without health insurance more likely to forego routine physical exams

The lack of health insurance prompts people to forego routine physical exams and have a reduced awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with increased rates of stroke and death, researchers have concluded.

4 Apr 2007

New findings on hypoglycemic neuronal death

Treatment with insulin revolutionized the life of individuals with diabetes. However, because insulin acts to lower blood glucose levels, it can cause hypoglycemia (low levels of glucose in the blood), which, if prolonged, can lead to brain injury and coma.

4 Apr 2007

Insulin receptors play a critical role in promoting islet growth

A new Joslin-led study has identified the insulin receptor as an important protein that promotes islet cell growth in mice whose bodies are unable to use insulin properly, or are insulin resistant, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

4 Apr 2007