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Suprachiasmatic nucleus brain tissue sheds light on jet lag

New research led by a University of Washington biologist demonstrates that there are at least two circadian clocks in the mammal brain, one that sticks strictly to an internal schedule and another that can be altered by external influences such as light and dark.

12 May 2004

100,000 fewer New Yorkers smoking

The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) today announced an 11% decline in the number of smokers in New York City from 2002 to 2003.

12 May 2004

Major flaws in the Australian Government’s plan to force doctors to work in certain areas

AMA (NSW) believes there are major flaws in the Federal Government’s plan to bond medical students to western Sydney via funding for a medical school in the region.

12 May 2004

Small, frequent doses of caffeine best strategy for staying awake

Caffeine is the world's most widely-used stimulant yet, scientists still do not know exactly how it staves off sleep. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other institutions have now discovered that caffeine works by thwarting one of two interacting physiological systems that govern the human sleep-wake cycle.

11 May 2004

Quality of life for men after prostate cancer treatment

Four to eight years after men undergo treatment for prostate cancer, they continue to see changes – both positive and negative – in their quality of life because of that treatment, researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and Harvard Medical School report.

11 May 2004

68 percent of smokers want help quitting

According to a study just published in Preventive Medicine, 68 percent of smokers who were offered free cessation treatment at their regular clinics took advantage of the invitation.

11 May 2004

Asthma program helps school children improve grades

Detroit public school children living with asthma may have fewer absences and improve their grades with the help of a new comprehensive asthma program.

10 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

Europe-wide network fighting heart disease

Academic expertise at the University of Birmingham's Medical School is contributing to a Europe-wide network fighting heart disease. The European Vascular Genomics Network (EVGN) is the first European Funded network of excellence in the field of cardiovascular disease.

10 May 2004

Genetic breakthrough in tracing the cause of a rare kidney and liver disorder

Birmingham scientists have made a genetic breakthrough in tracing the cause of a rare kidney and liver disorder. ARC syndrome means babies are born with impairment to kidney and liver function, bleeding problems and weak muscles. This usually leads to early death. The gene which causes this condition has been identified.

8 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

Pregnancy massage may reduce the risk of premature births

Pregnancy massage long has been known to help expectant mothers feel better, and a new study shows it may well provide an even more important benefit – reducing the risk of premature births.

5 May 2004

Study finds problems in medication prescribing for vulnerable older patients

Older patients at risk of decline and death do not receive recommended medication to treat their chronic health problems about half of the time, according to a study issued by researchers from the RAND Corporation and UCLA.

4 May 2004

New electromagnetic imaging techniques to help detect breast abnormalities

Researchers are testing three promising new electromagnetic imaging techniques to help detect breast abnormalities, including cancer. The findings of the benchmark study will be published in the May issue of the journal Radiology.

3 May 2004

Baby's first eating habits linked to mother's eating habits

Mealtime is a nightmare, the baby won’t eat what’s on his highchair, and instead he seems to grab for whatever mom and dad have on their plates. For many parents it’s a familiar and frustrating story.

1 May 2004

Family-based diabetes self-management leads to better health

When kids with diabetes approach the teenage years, their diabetes management tends to become more challenging. It’s even more difficult for economically disadvantaged kids.

1 May 2004

Insulin pumps control diabetes better than shots

Adults and older kids with diabetes who use a pump to deliver insulin have better control of their diabetes and more flexibility during mealtimes than when they relied on daily insulin shots.

1 May 2004

University of Washington's physician practice plans have reached a settlement with the federal government

The University of Washington's physician practice plans have reached a settlement with the federal government to resolve issues related to billing documentation provided under federal health care programs.

1 May 2004

New research could reduce risk of strokes in younger people

The study published in this month's edition of the international journal Stroke is the first to provide evidence that blood vessels elsewhere in the body, apart from the brain, in CADASIL sufferers are abnormal in over-constricting in response to the hormone Angiotensin II.

1 May 2004

Immunization back on agenda as whooping cough increases

Immunization for pertussis, also known as whooping cough, began in the mid-1940s and resulted in a sharp decline of this serious illness over the next 25 years. Over the last two decades, however, as immunity has waned, pertussis has re-emerged in the United States, with the greatest increase seen in adolescents, adults and young infants.

1 May 2004