Public Health News and Research

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Study offers insights into mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides

Antimicrobial peptides are a distinctive class of potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics produced by the body's innate immune system--the first line of defense against disease-causing microbes.

18 Dec 2014

R. Geigy Foundation recognizes scientific endeavours in neglected disease research, public health

The R. Geigy Foundation honours two scientific endeavours in neglected disease research and public health. It confers the R. Geigy Award (10'000 CHF) to the Laotian scientists Somphou Sayasone and the Jubilee Award (70'000) to the project "Connecting the Dots" proposed by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute.

18 Dec 2014

COUNTDOWN research consortium focuses on neglected tropical diseases

The COUNTDOWN research consortium has been launched today following a £7 million grant allocation from the UK Department for International Development earlier in the year.

18 Dec 2014

UC Davis study finds that firearm suicides on the rise among whites

While the overall death rate from firearm violence has remained unchanged for more than a decade, the patterns for suicide and homicide have changed dramatically, a UC Davis study on the epidemiology of gun violence from 2003 to 2012 has found.

18 Dec 2014

Research outlines new model for measuring acceptability of contraceptive vaginal ring

The Population Council published new research in the November issue of the journal Contraception demonstrating that an investigational one-year contraceptive vaginal ring containing Nestorone and ethinyl estradiol was found to be highly acceptable among women enrolled in a Phase 3 clinical trial.

18 Dec 2014

Health promotion program reduces cardiovascular risk in obese people with serious mental illness

A health promotion program, called In SHAPE, specifically designed for people with serious mental illness, produced more fit participants and significant weight loss than a control group where participants only received a gym membership.

18 Dec 2014

More open discussions needed when referring patients for cancer investigation, study says

GPs should consider a more overt discussion with patients when referring them for further investigation of symptoms which may indicate cancer, according to a paper published in the British Journal of General Practice.

18 Dec 2014

Diabetes drug can boost efficacy of TB medication without causing drug resistance

A more effective treatment for tuberculosis (TB) could soon be available as scientists have discovered that Metformin (MET), a drug for treating diabetes, can also be used to boost the efficacy of TB medication without inducing drug resistance.

17 Dec 2014

Researchers identify 53 existing drugs that may block Ebola virus from entering human cells

Researchers found 53 existing drugs that may keep the Ebola virus from entering human cells, a key step in the process of infection, according to a study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the National Institutes of Health, and published today in the Nature Press journal Emerging Microbes and Infections.

17 Dec 2014

Bacterial biofilms may increase colon cancer risk

Researchers from Johns Hopkins have found that dense mats of interacting bacteria, called biofilms, were present in the majority of cancers and polyps, particularly those on the right side of the colon. The presence of these bacterial bunches, they say, may represent an increased risk for colon cancer and could form the basis of new diagnostic tests.

17 Dec 2014

New intervention combines social media with behavioral psychology to encourage more HIV testing

Social media such as Twitter and Facebook can be valuable in the fight against HIV in the United States, where research has demonstrated they can prompt high-risk populations to request at-home testing kits for the virus that causes AIDS, suggesting a way to potentially boost testing rates.

17 Dec 2014

Researchers explore lifespan variability between races

Eliminating health disparities between races is a goal of many groups and organizations, but a team of sociologists suggests that finding the reasons for the differences in the timing of black and white deaths may be trickier than once thought.

17 Dec 2014

Tufts University researchers report that extra vitamin E can protect against pneumonia

Extra vitamin E protected older mice from a bacterial infection that commonly causes pneumonia. Microbiologists and nutrition researchers from Tufts University report that the extra vitamin E helped regulate the mice's immune system.

17 Dec 2014

New study shows that people may inherit intestinal bacteria that cause inflammatory bowel disease

A new study by an international team of researchers shows for the first time that people may inherit some of the intestinal bacteria that cause Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively know as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, recently published in Genome Medicine, also confirmed that antibiotics could worsen the imbalance in the gut microbes.

16 Dec 2014

Older adults participating in hospital-based exercise program report less pain, stiffness and fatigue

It may seem counterintuitive, but exercise can be beneficial for people suffering from arthritis and other muscle and joint conditions. A new study at Hospital for Special Surgery finds that older adults experienced less pain, reduced stiffness and less fatigue after participating in a hospital-based exercise program.

16 Dec 2014

Researchers discover widespread misconception about antibiotic resistance among patients

Over prescription of antibiotics is a major factor driving one of the biggest public health concerns today: antibiotic resistance. In a first-of-its-kind study, research led by the George Washington University suggests that public health educational materials may not address the misconceptions that shape why patients expect antibiotics, driving doctors to prescribe them more.

16 Dec 2014

Study shows numeracy linked to bowel cancer screening

PEOPLE who have problems with numbers may be more likely to feel negative about bowel cancer screening, including fearing an abnormal result, while some think the test is disgusting or embarrassing, according to a Cancer Research UK supported study published today (Monday) in the Journal of Health Psychology.

16 Dec 2014

Public Health News and Research

Study offers insights into mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antimicrobial peptides

R. Geigy Foundation recognizes scientific endeavours in neglected disease research, public health

COUNTDOWN research consortium focuses on neglected tropical diseases

UC Davis study finds that firearm suicides on the rise among whites

Research outlines new model for measuring acceptability of contraceptive vaginal ring

Health promotion program reduces cardiovascular risk in obese people with serious mental illness

More open discussions needed when referring patients for cancer investigation, study says

Diabetes drug can boost efficacy of TB medication without causing drug resistance

Researchers identify 53 existing drugs that may block Ebola virus from entering human cells

Bacterial biofilms may increase colon cancer risk

New intervention combines social media with behavioral psychology to encourage more HIV testing

Researchers explore lifespan variability between races

Tufts University researchers report that extra vitamin E can protect against pneumonia

New study shows that people may inherit intestinal bacteria that cause inflammatory bowel disease

Older adults participating in hospital-based exercise program report less pain, stiffness and fatigue

Researchers discover widespread misconception about antibiotic resistance among patients

Study shows numeracy linked to bowel cancer screening

National survey shows decrease in alcohol, cigarette and illicit drug use among U.S. teens

E-cigarettes expose rising number of teens to nicotine

More U.S. teens try e-cigarettes than tobacco cigarettes, study reveals

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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