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Scientists discover new clues about mechanism behind losartan drug's protective effects

The Johns Hopkins researchers who first showed that the commonly used blood pressure drug losartan may help prevent life-threatening aneurysms of the aorta in patients with Marfan syndrome have now discovered new clues about the precise mechanism behind the drug's protective effects.

16 Apr 2011

Genentech receives FDA approval for Actemra to treat juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Actemra, given alone or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of active systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis in children ages 2 years and older.

15 Apr 2011

Study: CCSVI may result from multiple sclerosis progression

A just released study on the relationship between multiple sclerosis and chronic cerebral venous insufficiency, a narrowing of the extracranial veins that restricts the normal outflow of blood from the brain, found that CCSVI may be a result of MS, not a cause.

15 Apr 2011

New treatment improves immune function in 13-year-old with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome

In a novel approach that works around the gene defect in Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, an inherited immune deficiency disorder, researchers used an alternative cell signaling pathway to significantly improve immune function in a 13-year-old boy with the disease.

15 Apr 2011

NIST's new reference can aid in Huntington's disease diagnosis

A new Standard Reference Material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will help clinical genetics labs accurately diagnose Huntington's disease, an inherited degenerative brain disorder that usually begins between ages 35 and 50 and progressively leads to physical impairment, dementia and death.

15 Apr 2011

Scientists identify filter neurons that can reduce 'brain clutter'

Until now, it has been assumed that people with diseases like ADHD, Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia - all of whom characteristically report symptoms of "brain clutter" - may suffer from anomalies in the brain's prefrontal cortex.

15 Apr 2011

Metabolic syndrome less prevalent in vegetarians

Vegetarians experience a 36 percent lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome than non-vegetarians, suggests new research from Loma Linda University published in the journal Diabetes Care. Because metabolic syndrome can be a precursor to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, the findings indicate vegetarians may be at lower risk of developing these conditions.

15 Apr 2011

New study shows neurophysiological impacts of psychotherapy

The use of cognitive-behavioural therapy to treat tics in Tourette syndrome may be as effective as and even superior to medication in certain cases.

15 Apr 2011

Trial of non-invasive prenatal test to determine Down syndrome successful

At the moment, the only reliable way of diagnosing chromosomal irregularities during pregnancy is to use invasive prenatal methods. This causes miscarriage in about one per cent of these risky surgical procedures.

14 Apr 2011

Latest issue of Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care provides valuable insights

How do we assess the current and future quality of life for infants and children with life-threatening conditions? In the April issue of Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, "The Quality of Life of Young Children and Infants with Chronic Medical Problems," presents a collection of essays in which physicians, medical ethicists, parents, and caregivers address one of the most contentious topics in pediatric and clinical ethics today, the assessment of QoL.

12 Apr 2011

Study shows neutralizing antibodies to C5a protein may prevent heart failure

New research published online in The FASEB Journal details research in rats and mice that offers hope for stopping the devastating, and often fatal, effects of sepsis in humans. In the study, University of Michigan researchers show how neutralizing the effects of a key protein fragment, called C5a, used by the immune system to attract white blood cells may ultimately prevent heart failure.

12 Apr 2011

New point-of-care trial can reduce cost and length of studies

Doctors at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System are testing a new kind of clinical trial that's not only less costly but guides doctors to switch to the best treatment even before the trial is completed.

11 Apr 2011

Alcohol misuse in pregnancy linked to high risk of premature birth

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. But there are conflicting reports about how much alcohol, if any, it is safe for a pregnant woman to drink. New research published in Biomed Central's open access journal BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth looked at the amounts of alcohol women drank during their early pregnancy and showed the effect this had on their babies.

11 Apr 2011

Scientists identify new treatment to combat PFAPA syndrome in children

A preliminary study conducted by a team at the National Institutes of Health has identified a promising new treatment in children for the most common form of a rare disorder.

11 Apr 2011

Blueberry polyphenols can reduce obesity

The benefits of blueberry consumption have been demonstrated in several nutrition studies, more specifically the cardio-protective benefits derived from their high polyphenol content.

11 Apr 2011

Survivors of severe critical illness requiring intensive care do not regain physical or psychological health

A unique and richly detailed long-term study of survivors of severe critical illness requiring intensive care found that even those who were previously healthy, young and working did not regain the physical or psychological health they had before their illness.

8 Apr 2011

FluCide nanoviricide drug reduces overall leukocytes in lung tissue of influenza model

NanoViricides, Inc. reports that post-infection treatment with its optimized FluCide drug candidates resulted in significant reduction in lung tissue presence of leukocytes, and in particular, that of eosinophils in a lethal influenza infection animal model.

8 Apr 2011

Experimental Biology 2011 to be held April 9-13 in Washington, D.C.

The meeting Experimental Biology 2011 (EB 2011) begins April 9 and runs through April 13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

8 Apr 2011

GlaxoSmithKline, XenoPort receive FDA approval for Horizant to treat RLS

On April 6, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Horizant Extended Release Tablets, a once-daily treatment for moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome.

8 Apr 2011

Hope4Cancer offers gentle non-invasive therapies for patients with brain tumor

Linda Roberts was puzzled when her favorite food, chocolate ice cream, suddenly did not taste good, and her prized orchids didn't smell nice either. When she began having sudden, severe headaches, she mentioned the changes in taste and smell to her doctor. After several tests, Roberts was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive form of brain tumor.

8 Apr 2011