Medical News

RSS

Reparative cells offers new avenue for fighting multiple sclerosis

Plaques that form around the nerve cells of people with multiple sclerosis are apparently what disable people with the disease. But partly developed reparative cells within the plaques provide hope for a treatment, a UT Southwestern physician reports in the New England Journal of Medicine.

7 Mar 2006

A regulatory role for the C5a anaphylatoxin in type 2 immunity in asthma

Asthma rates are rapidly increasing, particularly in children. Although asthma is mediated in part by activation of special immune cells called Th2 cells, the precise causes are unclear.

7 Mar 2006

Study to explore whether hormone therapy in women during menopause protects against atherosclerosis

Researchers in The Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale have launched the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS), which will further understanding of the possible beneficial effects on the heart and arteries and/or quality of life in recently menopausal women.

7 Mar 2006

Extensive study of natalizumab

Scientists have completed an extensive study of more than 3,000 patients who received a promising anti-inflammatory drug, natalizumab, that was linked to three cases of a serious brain infection in large clinical trials halted in early 2005.

7 Mar 2006

Plastic surgeons describe possibility of full facial tissue transplantation from one human body to another

Even after news of the first partial facial transplantation performed in France spread around the world, plastic surgeons have continued to research how to make the first full facial transplantation a reality.

7 Mar 2006

Global evolutionary map reveals new insights into our last common ancestor

In 1870 the German scientist Ernst Haeckel mapped the evolutionary relationships of plants and animals in the first 'tree of life'.

7 Mar 2006

As children transform into adults some of the genes involved in controlling their blood pressure change as well

The study of black and white identical and fraternal twins showed that changes in gene expression between ages 14 and 18 accounted for up to one third of the blood pressure variation that occurred by age 18, says Dr. Harold Snieder, genetic epidemiologist at the Medical College of Georgia.

7 Mar 2006

Development and evaluation of an open source software tool for deidentification of pathology reports

Researchers have developed new reliable open-source software to remove identifiers from patient reports.

7 Mar 2006

Peer exclusion may be as harmful as bullying

Children who are excluded from activities by their peers are more likely to withdraw from classroom activities and suffer academically, according to a recent study in the Journal of Educational Psychology published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

7 Mar 2006

Factor B and H genes found to play role in the development of age-related macular degeneration

A new study, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, pinpoints the role that two genes - Factor H and Factor B - play in the development of nearly three out of four cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a devastating eye disease that affects more than 10 million people in the United States.

7 Mar 2006

Spread of bird flu unprecedented

According to experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), meeting in Geneva, the relentless spread of the lethal bird flu virus is far more of a challenge to the world than even AIDS.

6 Mar 2006

Researchers identify brain activity that determines if something will be remembered

Researchers have identified the neural activity that occurs when the brain "sets the stage" for retaining a memory.

6 Mar 2006

Doctors call for improvement to care for prisoners in hospitals

Better procedures and training are needed to improve the care of prisoners in general hospitals, argue doctors in a letter to this week's British Medical Journal.

6 Mar 2006

Genome signature tagging used to quickly identify and distinguish between pathogens and harmless microbes

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have developed a new, high-throughput technique for identifying the many species of microorganisms living in an unknown "microbial community."

6 Mar 2006

Veterans research indicates mantrams can control post-traumatic stress disorder

Repeating mantrams can help control the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, have a calming effect in traffic and even ease the boredom of exercise, according to a study in the latest issue of Journal of Advanced Nursing.

6 Mar 2006

Prison Hepatitis program shows promise in limiting spread of HCV

In an article published in the Journal of Correctional Health Care, researchers from the National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI) reported on an evaluation of an intervention program within a prison system addressing Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

6 Mar 2006

MMR survey reveals deep distrust of government health advice

New research into public perceptions of MMR has shown that more than a third of parents distrust government health advice but are more likely to trust the advice of their own doctor.

6 Mar 2006

Anti-inflammatory effect of beer

Scientists at Innsbruck Medical University have succeeded in demonstrating the anti-inflammatory effect of beer extracts.

6 Mar 2006

Space suit technology can protect workers from heatstroke

The technology used in space suits to protect astronauts carrying out space walks in direct sunlight is now being used to develop protective clothing to safeguard firefighters and steel workers who often work in extremely hot and dangerous conditions.

6 Mar 2006

Genetic background to ravages of obesity

Why do some overweight people stay healthy (apart from possible musculo-skeletal disorders) while obesity in other individuals leads to complications like diabetes and cardiovascular disease?

6 Mar 2006