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China reports 11th death from bird flu as virus sweeps across the world

The World Health Organization (WHO) and China's Health Ministry have confirmed that a 29-year-old Shanghai woman has died of bird flu.

26 Mar 2006

Will the next pandemic be tuberculosis?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S., drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis (TB) are on the rise and present the threat of a pandemic.

26 Mar 2006

Benefit of fish oils under question

In a turn up for the books, experts are now saying that contrary to the widely held belief that the omega 3 fats found in oily fish help prevent heart disease, this has not been proven.

26 Mar 2006

Regular exercise closes the fitness gap between young and old

According to new research the older we get the harder we have to work to keep fit.

26 Mar 2006

Salvage radiation therapy for PSA recurrence following radical prostatectomy

Salvage radiation therapy to the prostatic fossa is often employed in patients with rising PSA after radical prostatectomy (RP). Interestingly, only 25% of men with rising PSA after RP have a positive prostatic fossa biopsy, yet 70% of men with a negative biopsy will have their PSA decline to undetectable levels following salvage external beam radiotherapy.

23 Mar 2006

Fish enzymes and gelatine may be the new treatment for psoriasis and eczema

A new skin cream has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The cream contains fish enzymes and gelatine and is under development by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University of Bergen, Norway.

23 Mar 2006

Artificial bone generated by computer

This technology takes its lead from nature: Bones are masterpieces of lightweight construction that can withstand immense stresses.

23 Mar 2006

Study investigates how age relates to survival outcome in patients with early stage breast cancer

A 30 year old woman diagnosed with breast cancer has the same chance of survival as a 60 year old woman with breast cancer according to the latest findings presented at the European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5).

23 Mar 2006

Not all breast cancers' risk are increased by Hormone Replacement Therapy

Recent research presented at EBCC-5 from the million women study found that taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) increased the risk of some types of breast cancer, but not others.

23 Mar 2006

Children who are open to experimenting with herbal products may be more open to trying illicit drugs

Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products

23 Mar 2006

Children with mild cognitive delays show modest or no improvement from early childhood to early grade school in their ability to interact with peers

The researchers examined peer interactions in 63 four-to-six year-old children with mild developmental delays to evaluate their social interactions with other children. They then reevaluated them two years later.

23 Mar 2006

Long term reduction in LDL cholesterol dramatically reduces risk of heart disease

A new genetic analysis of more than 12,000 individuals has found that a decrease in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, of as little as 15 percent, sustained over the long term can dramatically reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

23 Mar 2006

Sending tiny electric pulses to a part of the brain controlling motor function boosts stroke recovery

Sending tiny electric pulses to a part of the brain controlling motor function helps ischemic stroke survivors regain partial use of a weakened hand, new Oregon Health & Science University research shows.

23 Mar 2006

Successful cell engineering may prevent bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)

Researchers at Texas A&M University have successfully "knocked down" the expression of possible disease-causing genes in a cloned goat fetus, perhaps paving the way for breeding disease resistance in other animals, even those genes that might cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as Mad Cow Disease.

23 Mar 2006

Cell therapy slows progression of metachromatic leukodystrophy

In an important discovery, scientists have demonstrated that the progression of a type of genetic brain disease is slowed and symptoms are improved in mice that received cell transplants.

23 Mar 2006

Scandanavians shed new light on muscle efficiency

A recent study from Scandinavia shows that the well-known differences between individuals in the efficiency of converting energy stored in food to work done by muscles are related to muscle fibre type composition and to the content of specific molecules in muscle.

23 Mar 2006

Phagocytosis depends more on particle shape than size

The research, which has far-reaching implications for immunology, vaccine development and drug delivery, is published today online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Samir Mitragotri, a UCSB professor of chemical engineering, and graduate student Julie A. Champion. The paper will be published in print on March 28.

23 Mar 2006

Remicade (infliximab) gains Australian approval for treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis

Schering-Plough Corporation today announced that the Therapeutic Goods Administration of the Department of Health and Ageing in Australia has revised the indication of Remicade (infliximab) to include the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and approved a new indication for psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

23 Mar 2006

Atopy can lead to adult-onset asthma

New research shows that hereditary predisposition to develop asthma (atopy) is a determining factor in new cases on adult-onset asthma and that avoiding allergens may help prevent adults from developing asthma.

23 Mar 2006

MedMira files patent for OTC testing system

MedMira has announced today that it has filed a provisional patent application for a system which enables over-the-counter (OTC) home testing and diagnosis of infectious diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis C, and other medical conditions.

23 Mar 2006