Colon cancer screening halves emergency admissionsBowel cancer screening halves emergency admissions for the disease and significantly cuts death rates, reveal the fifth year results from one of the first UK pilot sites.
The figures, published ahead of print in the journal Gut, refer to tests carried out in Coventry and Warwickshire in the Midlands.
This was the only area in England to try out the feasibility of bowel cancer screening for those aged 50 to 69, using postal tests that pick........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 12/2/2007 9:25:17 PM)
Post-treatment PET scans for cervical cancerWhole-body PET (positron emission tomography) scans done three months after completion of cervical cancer treatment can ensure that patients are disease-free or warn that further interventions are needed, as per a research studyat Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
"This is the first time we can say that we have a reliable test to follow cervical cancer patients after treatment," says Julie K. Schwarz, M.D., Ph.D., a........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 12/2/2007 8:55:03 PM)
Mutant sperm guide clinicians to new diseasesResearch published recently in Nature Genetics shows that some rearrangements of the human genome occur more frequently than previously thought. The work is likely to lead to new identification of genes involved in disease and to improve diagnosis of genomic disease.
The researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute looked at four unstable regions in the genome where rearrangements cause genetic diseases, so-called 'genomic........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 12/2/2007 8:37:47 PM)
High blood pressure may heighten effects of Alzheimer's diseaseHaving hypertension, or high blood pressure, reduces blood flow in the brains of adults with Alzheimers disease, as per a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
While high blood pressure is not a cause of Alzheimers disease, our study shows that it is another hit on the brain that increases its vulnerability to the effects of the disease, said co-author of study Cyrus Raji,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/28/2007 10:07:45 PM)
Monitoring of a common epilepsy drug during pregnancyResearch at Emory University shows that monitoring the level of an epilepsy drug, called lamotrigine, in the blood helps reduce increased seizure activity and improve the overall health of pregnant women and their fetuses.
The findings are published Nov. 28 in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The drug, taken by pregnant women with epilepsy because of its mild risk of birth defects,........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/28/2007 10:01:23 PM)
Stem-cell therapies for brainAn MIT research teams latest finding suggests that stem cell therapies for the brain could be much more complicated than previously thought.
As per a research findings reported in the Public Library of Science (PloS) Biology on Nov. 13, MIT researchers report that adult stem cells produced in the brain are pre-programmed to make only certain kinds of connectionsmaking it impossible for a neural stem cell originating in the brain to be........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/27/2007 10:35:23 PM)
Compounds Improves Brain Function In RodentsMIT scientists have shown that a cocktail containing three compounds normally in the blood stream promotes growth of new brain connections and improves cognitive function in rodents. The therapy is now being tested in Alzheimer's patients and could hold promise for other brain diseases and injuries.
The mixture, which includes a type of omega-3 fatty acid, is part of a new approach to attacking Alzheimer's. That approach focuses on........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/27/2007 10:00:58 PM)
How men and women cope differently under stressAs per a research studythat appears in the current issue of SCAN (Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience), scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discuss how men and women differ in their neural responses to psychological stress.
We observed that different parts of the brain activate with different spatial and temporal profiles for men and women when they are faced with performance-related stress, says J.J.........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/19/2007 8:08:44 PM)
Tinea of the nails underdiagnosed in childrenTwo doctors from Hospital del Mar in Barcelona and UAB professors have observed, through a research carried out during the past 9 years, an increase in the number of children affected by tinea of the nails, as well as an underdiagnosis of this affection by paediatricians.
In Europe, Tinea unguium has an incidence rate between 0 and 2.6% (average 0.3%) in general population. The symptoms of tinea of the nails are generally well tolerated by........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/18/2007 9:15:13 PM)
Remote-control nanoparticles deliver drugs directly into tumorsMIT researchers have devised remotely controlled nanoparticles that, when pulsed with an electromagnetic field, release drugs to attack tumors. The innovation, published in the Nov. 15 online issue of Advanced Materials, could lead to the improved diagnosis and targeted therapy of cancer.
In earlier work the team, led by Sangeeta Bhatia, M.D.,Ph.D., an associate professor in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology (HST) and........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/18/2007 8:54:50 PM)
Suppressing herpes virus may reduce infectiousness of HIVA recent study of men co-infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and HIV revealed that drugs used to suppress HSV decrease the levels of HIV in the blood and rectal secretions, which may make patients less likely to transmit the virus. This study is reported in the November 15 issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online.
Most HIV-infected persons are also infected with HSV-2, which is the major cause of........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/15/2007 10:27:05 PM)
Proposed monographs for dietary supplementsThe U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) is pleased to announce 11 new proposed monographs for dietary supplements for public notice and comment.
Six Turmeric-related monographs and three Soy Isoflavones monographs appeared in Pharmacopeial Forum (PF) 33(6), the issue corresponding to November/December 2007. These are Turmeric, Powdered Turmeric, Powdered Turmeric Extract, Curcuminoids, Curcuminoids Capsules, Curcuminoids Tablets, Soy Isoflavones........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/15/2007 10:16:40 PM)
Left brain helps hear through the noiseOur brain is very good at picking up speech even in a noisy room, an adaptation essential for holding a conversation at a cocktail party, and now we are beginning to understand the neural interactions that underlie this ability. An international research team reports today, in the online open access journal BMC Biology, how investigations using neuroimaging have revealed that the brain's left hemisphere helps discern the signal from the noise.
........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/14/2007 9:55:11 PM)
Risk Of Death In Dialysis PatientsWashington, DC (Tuesday, November 13, 2007) A new indicator of variations in hemoglobin level over time is a strong predictor of the risk of death among patients receiving dialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), reports a study in the December Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
"Hemoglobin variabilitya measure of the stability of levels of hemoglobin among chronic hemodialysis patientsprovides a novel way of thinking about........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/14/2007 9:38:17 PM)
FDA petition would protect public from dangerous drugsIn a petition filed today with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, an international coalition of researchers and doctors seeks to compel the agency to stem the flood of dangerous drugs reaching American consumers by mandating the use of scientifically superior non-animal testing methods when those alternatives exist.
Petition signatories include a plaintiff in a Vioxx lawsuit who refuses to accept the recently proposed settlement with........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/14/2007 8:53:42 PM)
Protein may play a role in severe asthmaNew Haven, Conn.A protein measured in a simple blood test may be a new biomarker to identify patients with the most serious form of asthma, Yale School of Medicine scientists report today in the New England Journal (NEJM).
Identifying this new biomarker, YKL-40, brings researchers one step closer to a therapy for the nations 2.5 million asthmatics with a severe form of the disease that is difficult to treat, the scientists say.
The........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/14/2007 8:47:33 PM)
Survival Markers in Breast CancersNew research suggests that the presence or absence of two proteins may be important markers for long-term survival in some breast-cancer patients.
One of the proteins, called ErbB-4, is important for the growth and differentiation of several types of cells in the body. The second protein, called Wwox, is a tumor suppressor - it helps prevent cells from becoming cancerous - and it is missing in many breast cancers. Scientists don't yet........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/13/2007 9:41:22 PM)
Emergency responseDisasters are getting worse it seems but the federal government's preparedness has been limited to helping after a disaster has occurred. Conversely, local organizations often do not have the resources or the training to effectively react. Federal and state support must now be given to programs that enable local governments to work effectively with communities to prepare for and respond to all disasters. That is the conclusion of a new analysis........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/12/2007 10:25:10 PM)
How to switch off cancer cell genesA new study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) identifies how genes are silenced in cancer cells through distinct changes in the density of nucleosomes within the cells.
The findings, published in the Nov. 13 issue of the journal Cancer Cell, will enable researchers to explore new therapies to switch the genes back on and may lead to novel treatments for human cancers, says study lead author Peter A. Jones,........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/12/2007 10:08:52 PM)
N.J. nurses are overworkedNew Jersey registered nurses are teetering on the brink of exhaustion due to heavier work loads, feeling that they are not able to provide proper patient care and receiving little support from management, as per a survey conducted by Rutgers College of Nursing faculty member Linda Flynn.
The 11-page survey, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was mailed to the homes of 44,343 New Jersey registered nurses and more than 21,000 nurses........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/12/2007 9:42:46 PM)
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Using fMRI to study brain developmentFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a powerful noninvasive tool for studying brain activity in both humans and experimental animals. Most fMRI studies are carried out on adults, but this technique also has great potential for studying early brain development. That potential is hampered, however, by a lack of knowledge about the basis of the fMRI signal in the developing brain. Now, by studying rats, MIT neuroresearchers show that........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 12/2/2007 9:20:00 PM)
Insomniacs and a family history of the sleep disorderIndividuals with either current or past insomnia are more likely to report a family history of insomnia than are those who have never had the sleep disorder, as per a research studyreported in the December 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
The study, authored by Simon Beaulieu-Bonneau, MPs, of the cole de psychologie at Universit Laval in Qubec, Canada, focused on 953 adults between 18 and 83 years of age, who completed several questionnaires,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 12/2/2007 8:58:25 PM)
Blood transfusions to surgery complicationsWomen die and get infections more often than men after heart surgery because they tend to receive more blood transfusions, which boost the risks of bad outcomes, as per a research studyreported in the December Journal of Womens Health.
Co-authored by scientists from the University of Rochester Medical Center and University of Michigan Health System, the study raises another red flag about transfusions, an ancient medical practice that some........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 12/2/2007 8:51:16 PM)
Cancer risks for urban African-American women growWomen living in the inner city have difficulty meeting dietary goals that could help prevent cancer, as per a report from Johns Hopkins University researchers. In a study of African-American women living in public housing within Washington, D.C., the scientists observed that the majority met one or none of five dietary goals suggested to reduce the risk of developing cancer. In particular, these women were unlikely to eat a healthy diet that........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/28/2007 10:05:39 PM)
Detecting HIV in resource-limited settingsIntegrating HIV testing programmes into primary medical care can help achieve early diagnosis of HIV infection, even in relatively poor areas, research reported in the online open access journal AIDS Research and Therapy has shown.
Scientists from Harvard Medical School and the non-governmental organisation Partners In Health (PIH, www.pih.org), both based in Boston, USA set out to see if HIV diagnosis was delayed because doctors missed........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/28/2007 10:03:25 PM)
HIV Subtype More Deadly Than OthersTwo studies led by scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health observed that people infected with HIV in Thailand die from the disease significantly sooner than those with HIV living in other parts of the world. As per the researchers, the shorter survival time measured in the studies suggests that HIV subtype E, which is the most common HIV subtype in Thailand, may be more virulent than other subtypes of the virus. Both........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/27/2007 10:31:46 PM)
Prenatal arsenic exposure in newbornsThe children of mothers whose water supplies were contaminated with arsenic during their pregnancies harbored gene expression changes that may lead to cancer and other diseases during the later part of life, MIT scientists reported in a new study. In addition to establishing the potential harmful effects of these prenatal exposures, the study also provides a possible method for screening populations to detect signs of arsenic contamination.
........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/27/2007 10:07:45 PM)
Use of intraoperative MRI in neurosurgeryEventhough the use of intraoperative MRI can add time to surgical procedures, it can help surgeons detect residual disease and, if needed, modify their plan for surgery while the patient is on the operating room table, as per a research studyconducted by scientists at the University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.
The study included 122 patients between........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/19/2007 8:12:00 PM)
Why We All Stink as Intuitive PsychologistsMany people quite naturally believe they are good ''intuitive psychologists'', thinking it is relatively easy to predict other people''s attitudes and behaviours. We each have information built up from countless previous experiences involving both ourselves and others so surely we should have solid insights?No such luck.In reality people show a number of predictable biases when estimating other people''s behaviour and its causes. And these........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/19/2007 7:35:28 PM)
Blood clotting protein linked to rheumatoid arthritisScientists at Cincinnati Childrens have issued the first study showing that a protein normally involved in blood clotting (fibrin), also plays an important role in the inflammatory response and development of rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammatory joint disease appears to be driven by the engagement of inflammatory cells with fibrin matrices through a specific integrin receptor, aMB2. Writing in the recent issue of The Journal of Clinical........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/18/2007 9:06:39 PM)
First study of Australia's high cost of painFor the first time, a dollar value has been attached to the high cost of pain in Australia in an MBF Foundation funded study that reveals a massive annual cost of $34.3 billion -- nearly $11,000 for each of the estimated 3.2 million people grappling with pain. The price tag of pain includes both financial costs and loss of healthy life.
The MBF Foundation study The High Price of Pain: The Economic Impact of Persistent Pain in Australia, ........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/18/2007 8:43:31 PM)
CT colonography detects extracolonic abnormalitiesWhen used in elderly patients, can detect a high number of new and significant abnormalities outside the colon (including cirrhosis and tumors) and is well tolerated, as per a recent study conducted by scientists at St. Jamess University Hospital in Leeds, United Kingdom (UK).
We decided to target older patients (over age 70) with lower gastrointestinal tract symptoms, who were referred to radiology for work up, as this group generally........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/15/2007 10:11:34 PM)
Bad to the bone: shed light on osteoporosisTen million people in the United States are estimated to already have bone diseases, and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, putting them at increased risk for osteoporosis, as per the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Liyun Wang, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware, knows the serious consequences of osteoporosis.
Two of Wang's aunts have suffered from the insidious........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/15/2007 10:05:39 PM)
Menstruation proves more than a curseThe cells which thicken the womb wall during a woman's menstrual cycle contain a newly discovered type of stem cell, and could be used in the therapy of damaged and/or old tissue, as per research published recently in the online open access publication, Journal of Translational Medicine.
Dr Xiaolong Meng of the Bio-Communications Research Institute in Wichita, Kansas, led the research team consisting of researchers from the University of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/14/2007 9:44:26 PM)
Hormone links sleep, hunger and metabolismWhile investigating how the hormone orexin might control sleep and hunger, scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered, to.
their surprise, that it activates a protein, HIF-1, long known to stimulate malignant tumor growth.
The study, appearing today in the online version of the journal Genes and Development, is among the first to show how HIF-1 operates in healthy tissues rather than in tumors, said Dr. Thomas Kodadek,........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/14/2007 9:27:19 PM)
Drug may limit radiation kidney damageScientists at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee have observed that the risk of radiation injury in normal tissue after exposure may be reduced by a drug in common use. Their study in press appears in the on line issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics.
It suggests that long-term administration of the drug captopril, starting at three weeks after patients receive total body irradiation in........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/14/2007 8:46:31 PM)
STEP HIV vaccine study to be unblindedMerck & Co., Inc. and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) today announced that study volunteers in the STEP study of Merck's HIV vaccine (V520) will be told whether they received vaccine or placebo, and all study volunteers will be encouraged to continue to return to their study sites on a regular basis for ongoing risk reduction counseling and study-related tests. Study researchers are being advised this week to provide this information to........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/13/2007 8:48:21 PM)
Beta carotene supplementation and cognitive declineMen who take beta carotene supplements for 15 years or longer may have less cognitive decline, as per a report in the November 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Decreases in cognitive abilitythinking, learning and memory skillsstrongly predict dementia, a growing public health issue, as per background information in the article. Long-term cellular damage from oxidative stress may be a major factor........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/12/2007 10:20:54 PM)
Cell response to stress signals predicts tumors in womenA specific biological response to cellular stress may predict the likelihood of future tumor formation of the most common, non-invasive form of pre-cancerous breast cancer-- ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS.
This information could potentially be used in a clinical setting to determine which women should receive more or less aggressive treatment when initially diagnosed with DCIS, as per a research studyled by scientists from the University........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/12/2007 9:51:23 PM)
Vaccine Ready For Avian Flu Human TrialsScientists from the National Institutes of Health and University of Maryland report that a new vaccine that protects monkeys against the avian influenza virus is now a candidate for clinical trial in humans. They report their findings in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Virology.
The rate of transmission of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) from birds to humans is rapidly increasing. The H5N1 strain is........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/8/2007 9:40:20 PM)
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