Medical Research News

RSS

Genetically modified bacterium as remedy for intestinal diseases

Researchers from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) at Ghent University are joining the fight against chronic intestinal disease with a genetically modified bacterium (Lactococcus lactis).

14 Sep 2004

Statistical method for faster prognosis of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

A large number of diseases − including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and mad cow disease − are the result of proteins that erroneously assume the wrong shape, causing them to stick to each other.

13 Sep 2004

Researchers find way to clean up the drugs market

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have made a breakthrough by using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a reaction medium for the preparation of molecules of interest to the pharmaceutical industry.

13 Sep 2004

Researchers have discovered a possible way to distinguish lethal from localized prostate cancers

If future studies show their test -- measuring the level of activity of a signaling pathway called Hedgehog -- can predict which prostate cancers will spread, the results could revolutionize decision making processes for prostate cancer patients, the researchers say.

13 Sep 2004

Western diseases such as stroke and heart disease are a major problem in Asia

Diseases such as stroke and heart disease, which have traditionally been associated with Western diets and lifestyles, are also a major problem in Asia according to researchers at The University of Auckland, New Zealand.

13 Sep 2004

Crucial research fails to connect due to secretive nature of research and development

A researcher in the United States has many of the pieces needed to cure a disease. Thousands of miles away, another scientist has uncovered some crucial information of his own - but thanks to the often secretive nature of research and development and the big-time dollars associated with major discoveries, they fail to connect.

13 Sep 2004

$10.3 million biodefense contract to tackle salmonella, typhoid fever and monkey pox virus

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has received a $10.3 million biodefense contract from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Agents (NIAID) to identify the proteins that regulate the bacteria that cause salmonella poisoning and typhoid fever, and the monkey pox virus.

12 Sep 2004

Consuming lots of red meat and alcohol may triple relapse rate in ulcerative colitis

A diet high in red meat and alcohol may triple the risk of relapse in patients with the inflammatory bowel disease ulcerative colitis, suggests research in Gut.

12 Sep 2004

Moderate alcohol consumption cuts rate of further narrowing after heart surgery

New German research from Heidelberg University suggests that moderate drinking cuts the rate of further narrowing after surgery to open blocked arteries. The findings are published in the current issue of Heart.

12 Sep 2004

Higher blood levels of homocysteine may be associated with changes in deep brain tissue in middle-aged men

According to the article, high HCY levels have been associated with an increased risk for vascular diseases, and some studies have suggested that HCY may also increase the risk for brain atrophy and Alzheimer disease. Other studies have shown an inverse relationship between elevated HCY levels and cognitive functioning, the article states.

12 Sep 2004

Thickness of the cornea an important factor in considering treatment options for patients with glaucoma

Thickness of the cornea, the thin, transparent layer covering the eye, may be an important factor in considering treatment options for patients with glaucoma, according to an article appearing in the September issue of The Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Sep 2004

Treatment with vitamin A and an omega-3 fatty acid slows down the progression of retinitis pigmentosa

Patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive eye disease that can cause vision loss, who were treated with vitamin A and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a kind of omega-3 fatty acid, did not experience slowing of the progression of their disease

12 Sep 2004

New genetic test can predict cleft lip or palate

Researchers have developed a new genetic test that can help predict whether parents who have one child with the "isolated" form of cleft lip or palate are likely to have a second child with the same birth defect. Isolated clefts account for 70 percent of all cleft lip and palate cases.

10 Sep 2004

Spouses' emotions can effect psychological recovery after a heart attack or angioplasty

Psychological recovery after a heart attack or angioplasty may be delayed if patients’ spouses feel even more anxious or depressed than their ill partners, researchers say.

10 Sep 2004

Talk test can help monitor exercise exertion

People who are able to comfortably converse during exercise are likely working out at an acceptable intensity. This guideline, known as the “Talk Test,” has been shown to correctly gauge intensity and correspond to an effective range for exercise prescription.

10 Sep 2004

PSA test is now all but useless for predicting prostate cancer risk

The PSA test, commonly used as a screening tool for detecting prostate cancer, is now all but useless for predicting prostate cancer risk, according to Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.

10 Sep 2004

Suprising new information on the HOX genes

Researchers at the University of Bergen are now able to present new information on the HOX genes – the “software” to design animals. The findings are published in today’s issue of Nature.

10 Sep 2004

Cancer drug may reduce kidney disease in lupus

A drug that is already being tested as an anticancer agent, especially in lymphoma, may also reduce the kidney disease that is a result of systemic lupus, according to a researcher at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

10 Sep 2004

Grant to study genetics and drug interaction

A University of Minnesota researcher received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how genetic differences affect whether people will experience dangerous drug interactions and how to adjust medications to avoid those interactions.

10 Sep 2004

New view of chromatin and gene activity

A genome - the DNA instructions for an organism - does not act alone. DNA is packaged with proteins into 'chromatin', which may be more or less tightly condensed. A popular proposal is that active genes are in 'open' chromatin (to allow access to them) and inactive genes are in tightly packed 'compact' chromatin.

10 Sep 2004

Medical Research News

Genetically modified bacterium as remedy for intestinal diseases

Statistical method for faster prognosis of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

Researchers find way to clean up the drugs market

Researchers have discovered a possible way to distinguish lethal from localized prostate cancers

Western diseases such as stroke and heart disease are a major problem in Asia

Crucial research fails to connect due to secretive nature of research and development

$10.3 million biodefense contract to tackle salmonella, typhoid fever and monkey pox virus

Consuming lots of red meat and alcohol may triple relapse rate in ulcerative colitis

Moderate alcohol consumption cuts rate of further narrowing after heart surgery

Higher blood levels of homocysteine may be associated with changes in deep brain tissue in middle-aged men

Thickness of the cornea an important factor in considering treatment options for patients with glaucoma

Treatment with vitamin A and an omega-3 fatty acid slows down the progression of retinitis pigmentosa

New genetic test can predict cleft lip or palate

Spouses' emotions can effect psychological recovery after a heart attack or angioplasty

Talk test can help monitor exercise exertion

PSA test is now all but useless for predicting prostate cancer risk

Suprising new information on the HOX genes

Cancer drug may reduce kidney disease in lupus

Grant to study genetics and drug interaction

New view of chromatin and gene activity

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News