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ACE inhibitors for diabetics cut in half the risk of death

ACE inhibitors, a type of medication often used to treat high blood pressure or heart disease, can lower mortality rates for people who have diabetes -- whether they have cardiovascular disease or not, according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.

26 May 2004

Data suggests potential target for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons have discovered at least one way in which beta-amyloid, the protein that forms stubborn plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, can kill nerve cells.

25 May 2004

Some smokers may be genetically predisposed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

In her study, Ohar looked at more than 500 men and women age 40 and older who had smoked 20 years or more. She found that a variation of the macrophage scavenger receptor gene (MSR-1) is related to the development of airways obstruction in some patients who smoke cigarettes.

25 May 2004

Vasamed announces patent for a novel pulse oximeter

Vasamed, developer and supplier of hemodynamic monitoring products, announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted it a method patent for a novel pulse oximeter that incorporates signals from a laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) and an impedance cardiograph (ICG) to accomplish the measurement of oxygen saturation.

25 May 2004

X-ray beams could kick start genes into fighting cancer

X-ray beams could kick start genes into fighting cancer as an exciting new way of targeting therapy against the disease, according to new research in the Journal of Gene Medicine.

25 May 2004

Heart failure is a leading cause of death and nearly 5 million people in the United States suffer from it

“Heart failure is a leading cause of death and nearly 5 million people in the United States suffer from it,” says Mariell Jessup, MD, Professor of Medicine and Medical Director of the Heart Failure and Transplantation Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP).

24 May 2004

Research shows that treatment with nitric oxide after storage may dramatically improve the viability of transplanted livers

About 5,000 liver transplants are performed annually in the United States, and a key factor ensuring success is maintaining a healthy donor organ that can function effectively in the recipient. However, transplanted livers typically incur substantial damage when blood flow is restored to the organ after the transplant.

24 May 2004

Oxygen delivered through the nose may improve poor vision caused by diabetic macular edema

In a study of five diabetic patients with persistent macular edema, breathing supplemental oxygen for three months reduced fluid buildup and swelling in the macula and, in some cases, improved visual acuity. Researchers think the therapy could be used in conjunction with laser treatments that also improve oxygenation in the retina to provide long-term stability in these patients.

20 May 2004

Inactivating a protective molecule may help chemotherapy for leukemia but harm bone marrow

Inactivating a protective molecule in leukemic cells to make them more vulnerable to chemotherapy might also make healthy blood-forming cells more sensitive to the toxic effects of those same drugs.

19 May 2004

Oxygen delivered through the nose may improve poor vision caused by diabetic macular edema

Oxygen delivered through the nose may improve poor vision caused by diabetic macular edema, fluid buildup in the part of the eye responsible for central vision, according to a pilot study by scientists at Johns Hopkins and the National Eye Institute.

18 May 2004

Glucose metabolism could be used to selectively destroy cancer cells

Scientists have known for decades that cancer cells consume more glucose than normal cells. A longstanding assumption that the excess glucose metabolism was needed to make energy has not been borne out by research studies.

15 May 2004

The Stroke Association have found that surgery can halve the risk of a stroke

Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and The Stroke Association have found that surgery can halve the risk of a stroke for people who have significant narrowing of the main artery carrying blood to the brain. Their findings, published in this week’s The Lancet, are the result of a large-scale international clinical trial.

14 May 2004

Biochip technology to revolutionise the pharmaceutical industry

Advancements in biotechnology have culminated in its integration with semiconductor technologies such as micro-electromechanical systems, resulting in the evolution of biochips. Biochips provide pharma companies with sophisticated tools for speedy development of drugs and accurate diagnosis and understanding of biological mechanisms.

13 May 2004

Strategy to treat obesity through molecular liposuction

Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have designed a strategy to treat obesity through “molecular liposuction.” The therapy destroys blood vessels supporting fat accumulation — causing the fat to rapidly break down and disappear.

10 May 2004

Head-cooling device prevents brain damage in oxygen-deprived newborn babies

Liggins Institute Director and trial Director Professor Peter Gluckman said the CoolCap trial results were the culmination of over 20 years work and provided the first evidence in humans that brain damage at birth could be treated. The findings offered hope for a new approach to a major set of clinical conditions, he said.

6 May 2004

Brain damage at birth can be reversed

More than 1000 children die or suffer permanent brain injury every year in the UK because of shortage of oxygen around the time of birth. Tragedy can strike without warning, and often following normal healthy pregnancies. If the baby survives major problems include severe cerebral palsy, learning difficulties and epilepsy.

6 May 2004

Genetic flaw that may put some people at far greater risk of heart attacks

One of the significant players in this event is the molecule cytokine lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA), which helps to regulate inflammation, a result of the emergency call upon the body's immune system.

6 May 2004

Organic superglues, disease treatments and better food flavourings

Organic superglues, disease treatments and better food flavourings: these are some of the projects where synthetic organic chemist Carol Taylor employs her skills.

5 May 2004

Study suggests that the vitamins, such as E, C, and beta carotene, could raise bad form of cholesterol

The notion that antioxidant vitamins could provide a safe, convenient way to protect the heart from disease appears to have hit a pothole.

3 May 2004

Chemical thumbprint can help determine if tumor is returning or dying

Brain tumor survivors live with the constant worry that their cancer might come back. And even if they have a brain scan every few months to check, doctors often can't tell the difference between new cancer growth and tissue changes related to their treatment with radiation or chemotherapy.

3 May 2004