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BMA says smoking ban protecting bar workers in Ireland

Today's British Medical Journal paper showing that smoke-free laws in the Republic of Ireland ARE protecting bar workers from the effects of secondhand smoke, gives the Government in England no excuse to fall short of introducing a complete ban on smoking in all enclosed public places.

16 Oct 2005

High fat, low carb diet improves Alzheimer's disease in mice

A report published today in the BioMed Central, open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism, showed that a brain protein, amyloid-beta, which is an indicator of Alzheimer's disease, is reduced in mice on the so-called ketogenic diet.

16 Oct 2005

Ireland's smoke free law is protecting bar workers

The smoke-free law in the Republic of Ireland is protecting non-smoking bar workers from exposure to secondhand smoke, conclude two studies published online today by the journals, British Medical Journal and Tobacco Control.

16 Oct 2005

Breast conserving surgery followed by radiation therapy is a good option for women with early-stage breast cancer who have breast implants

The new findings challenge past studies that showed delivering radiation to a breast with an implant in place causes significant problems in the implant, resulting in poor cosmetic results.

16 Oct 2005

Treatment recommendations for breast cancer should not be based on a woman's marital status

Research has shown that being single, married or divorced can influence cancer survival, but a new study shows marital status appears to have no impact on the outcome for women with breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy and radiation.

16 Oct 2005

Antibody-dependent enhancement

Some viruses' ability to exploit the human body's own defenses to increase their replication may be both a blessing and curse, according to the findings of a study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

16 Oct 2005

Gastric bypass surgery may not be the most effective surgery in producing weight loss

"Overall, we found that patients who elect to have duodenal switch end up slimmer than those who choose gastric bypass," says Dr. Gladys W. Strain, director of research for bariatric surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell and associate research professor of nutrition in surgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

16 Oct 2005

Harvard study finds vaccines boost economies of poor countries

Immunization programs in impoverished countries not only save lives, they boost economies, finds a study by researchers with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) published in the current edition of World Economics.

16 Oct 2005

New radiation technique to treat cancer that has spread to the brain prevents hair loss

Patients whose cancer has spread to the brain can avoid typical hair loss (alopecia) when treated with newer radiation techniques, thereby improving their quality of life while still controlling their cancer, according to a study presented October 16, 2005, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 47th Annual Meeting in Denver.

16 Oct 2005

dnaJP1 - novel drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have announced successful completion of Phase II clinical trials of a novel drug for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one that works without suppressing the patient's immune system.

16 Oct 2005

Research reveals concerns over use of health information

New Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) funded research has discovered that eight per cent of people are asked to pay a higher premium because of health 'ratings' - twice as many as previously thought.

16 Oct 2005

Ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors

Heredity plays a major role in determining the blood lipid profile and heart rate variability of blacks and whites, two major risk factors for coronary artery disease, researchers say.

16 Oct 2005

Gene therapy may prevent the damaging effects of radiation

Gene therapy could be used as an agent to protect normal tissues, including the esophagus and lung, from damage during a second administration of radiation therapy for non-small cell lung cancer, according to an animal study presented by University of Pittsburgh researchers at the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in Denver.

16 Oct 2005

High blood pressure is higher in many Asian countries than in Australia

A new study on risk factors in cardiovascular disease in Asia has found that blood pressure is more strongly related to coronary heart disease and stroke in Asia, as compared with Western countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

16 Oct 2005

Computer-assisted instruction offers the potential to overcome knowledge barriers and improve screening rates

Even patients with minimal education and no computer skills can be successfully educated about health topics using computers, according to new research at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

16 Oct 2005

Curry spice appears to shut down a protein active in the spread of breast cancer

Curcumin, the main ingredient of turmeric and the compound that gives curry its mustard-yellow color, inhibits metastasis to the lungs of mice with breast cancer, report researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

16 Oct 2005

Strain of avian influenza highly resistant to Tamiflu

An avian influenza virus isolated from an infected Vietnamese girl has been determined to be resistant to the drug oseltamivir, the compound better known by its trade name Tamiflu, and the drug officials hope will serve as the front line of defense for a feared influenza pandemic.

16 Oct 2005

Possible explanation for the higher incidence of lung cancer in African Americans

Faulty cell cycle "checkpoints" that fail to respond to DNA damage effectively may contribute to the high incidence of lung cancer in African-Americans, say researchers at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

16 Oct 2005

Fungal contamination of bedding

Researchers at The University of Manchester funded by the Fungal Research Trust have discovered millions of fungal spores right under our noses - in our pillows.

From The University of Manchester 16 Oct 2005

Isotretinoin-related birth defects

Isotretinoin (also known as Accutane) is a drug used to treat severe acne, but it can cause birth defects when taken by pregnant women. Because of these risks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Roche Pharmaceuticals (Accutane's manufacturer) developed a voluntary pregnancy prevention program (PPP) in 1988 to try and prevent conception in women taking the drug.

16 Oct 2005