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Sand fly's salivary components play a critical role in process for Leishmania

For millions of people who live under the constant threat of Leishmania infection, a new discovery by Brazilian scientists may lead to new breakthroughs, preventing these parasites from taking hold in the body or reducing the severity of infections once they occur.

2 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 2, 2011

On Kaiser Health News' blog, staff writer Julie Appleby writes: "Insurers who offer 'association health plans,' which are often sold through trade groups or other organizations of affiliated members, will face the same scrutiny of premium rate hikes as other types of insurance, federal officials said Thursday."

2 Sep 2011

MRSA ‘superbug’: Everyone at risk!

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that does not respond to commonly used antibiotic treatments, is a type of infection that has been a problem in hospital settings for many years. Back in 2000 it began steadily making its way into the lives of otherwise healthy people, especially children, who are not typically at risk for the fast-moving bacteria.

2 Sep 2011

Further acne treatment studies necessary: Experts

Researchers writing in the journal The Lancet suggest further research that is urgently needed for effective non-antibiotic treatments for acne, because of concerns regarding long-term antibiotic use and its contribution to bacterial resistance. Pharmacies are well stocked with a wide range of acne medications. However, evidence regarding their efficacy and which treatments work best for whom are limited, the authors added.

31 Aug 2011

Sunscreen pills from coral

Researchers have found that coral does not suffer from sunburn despite living in shallow water in tropical areas, because it is able to produce its own “natural sunscreen”. By studying the compounds which protect it from UV rays, researchers hope to develop a tablet which can protect human skin and eyes without the need for dark glasses or sun cream. Scientists from King's College London said the first sunscreen pill could be available within five years.

31 Aug 2011

Study: Obesity's impact on incidence of hot flashes may depend on age

A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) found that among women aged 60 and above, heavier women have fewer hot flashes than their leaner counterparts. The inverse association between body size and hot flashes was observed only among the older women.

31 Aug 2011

Sweat meter could alert diabetes patients about low blood sugar

Some diabetic patients receive no warning before they pass out from low blood sugar. A modern sweat meter could alert patients in time. Biathletes and ME patients might also benefit from the sweat meter.

31 Aug 2011

Four-step plan for allergy sufferers to improve quality of life

While most of us acknowledge the need to see a doctor and take antibiotics for, say, strep throat, many of us attempt to power through when it comes to allergies. Whether we take pride in toughing it out, put off making a doctor's appointment, or simply assume allergies will go away quickly on their own, many of us suffer unnecessarily, a Saint Louis University allergist says.

31 Aug 2011

Parental stress strongly associated with DNA methylation in children

Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Child & Family Research Institute have shown that parental stress during their children's early years can leave an imprint on their sons' or daughters' genes - an imprint that lasts into adolescence and may affect how these genes are expressed later in life.

31 Aug 2011

An advance toward using stem cells in 'regenerative medicine'

With stem cells so fickle and indecisive that they make Shakespeare's Hamlet pale by comparison, scientists today described an advance in encouraging stem cells to make decisions about their fate.

30 Aug 2011

UT Southwestern surgeons to perform first hand transplant in North Texas

A team of surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center expects to perform the first hand transplant in North Texas within a year, making the institution just the sixth hospital in the U.S. to perform the rare and intricate surgery.

30 Aug 2011

New research advances field of plastic-based flexible electronics

New research from Wake Forest University has advanced the field of plastic-based flexible electronics by developing, for the first time, an extremely large molecule that is stable, possesses excellent electrical properties, and inexpensive to produce.

30 Aug 2011

Latest Perspectives in General Physiology series examines sensory mechanisms

The latest Perspectives in General Physiology series examines the mechanisms of visual, aural, olfactory, and tactile processes that inform us about the environment. The series appears in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of General Physiology.

30 Aug 2011

Vitamin A supplements in children could save up to 600,000 lives a year: Study

Researchers have found that giving vitamin A supplements to children under the age of five in developing countries could save up to 600,000 lives a year. Writing in the British Medical Journal, UK and Pakistani experts assessed 43 studies involving 200,000 children, and found deaths were cut by 24% if children were given the vitamin. They add that it would also cut rates of measles and diarrhea.

30 Aug 2011

Men reluctant to use sunscreen- survey

A new survey claims that less than half of men use sunscreen of at least factor 15 to protect their skin from damage.

30 Aug 2011

Roundup: Calif. ruling may extend mental health coverage; Conn. dropping early intervention program; Alaska clinic focuses on Medicare patients

A Northern California woman's treatment for anorexia at a residential facility was medically necessary and must be covered by her healthcare plan, a federal appeals court has ruled in a case that could lead to more extensive benefits for those being treated for mental illnesses.

30 Aug 2011

Affinium closes $15 million financing round

Affinium Pharmaceuticals announced today the closing of its $15 million financing. Investors participating in the financing include all three of Affinium's Series A investors, SV Life Sciences, Genesis Capital Partners and Forward Ventures, along with the addition of the Ontario Emerging Technologies Fund (OETF) to the syndicate.

29 Aug 2011

Men worse than women at protecting their skin in the sun

Nearly 90 per cent of British adults admit their skin has been sunburnt - with almost half experiencing pain as result of being in the sun.

29 Aug 2011

Leucine may help people burn fat during periods of food restriction

Research on Mt. Everest climbers is adding to the evidence that an amino acid called leucine - found in foods, dietary supplements, energy bars and other products - may help people burn fat during periods of food restriction, such as climbing at high altitude, while keeping their muscle tissue.

29 Aug 2011

AAO-HNSF's 2011 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO to convene in San Francisco

The 2011 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF), the largest meeting of ear, nose, and throat doctors in the world, will convene September 11-14, 2011, in San Francisco, CA.

29 Aug 2011