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Wet combing four times more effective than chemical treatments for head lice

Fine combing of wet hair is far more effective than current over the counter chemical treatments for eliminating head lice, shows research published online by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) today.

4 Aug 2005

BMA response to BMJ article "Challenges to implementing the national programme for information technology"

Commenting on research published in today's (5/8/05) BMJ, which finds that the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) has failed to properly engage NHS staff, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's Head of Science and Ethics, said:

4 Aug 2005

Cognitive therapy can have a preventive effect for depression

Three years ago, Terry Tuton was laid off from his job as project manager at a large technology firm, leaving him limited insurance coverage at a time when he was suffering from overpowering feelings of hopelessness and depression - and not for the first time in his life.

4 Aug 2005

People with prehypertension are at much higher risk of heart attack

Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Prehypertension is systolic blood pressure between 120 and 139 and/or diastolic pressure between 80 and 89 mm Hg. (Systolic pressure is the force in the arteries when the heart beats and diastolic pressure is the force when the heart is at rest.) Hypertension is blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg or higher.

4 Aug 2005

More than fifty percent of the U.S. population tested positive to one or more allergens

The new findings, based on data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), shows that 54.3% of individuals aged 6-59 years old had a positive skin test response to at least one of the 10 allergens tested.

4 Aug 2005

Exposure to secondhand smoke can increase your chances of getting heart disease

In a study of women smokers, those whose spouses also smoked had a higher risk of stroke than those married to nonsmokers, according to a study in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

4 Aug 2005

Australian researchers have found a toxin that plays an important role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease

The research, which is led by two University of New South Wales academics, is significant because drugs that are in the advanced developmental phase for other conditions might be able to be used on Alzheimer's patients, to halt the disease progressing.

4 Aug 2005

Sources of magnetic fields in the home

The UKCCS published the results of exposure to power frequency magnetic fields in 1999 followed by a paper on residential proximity to power lines in 2000.

4 Aug 2005

Power3 converts provisional patent applications

Power3 Medical Products announced today that it has converted two provisional patent applications by the filing of two utility patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the Company's disease specific biomarker discovery and disease specific immuno- diagnostic test designs.

4 Aug 2005

Early warning aigns of Alzheimer's show up across cognitive areas years before official diagnosis

By combing through dozens of Alzheimer's disease (AD) studies, psychologists have gained a clear picture of cognitive problems in people who will develop the degenerative brain disease.

4 Aug 2005

Flu medication VIRA 38 inhibits SARS virus

PRB Pharmaceuticals and Lee's Pharmaceuticals have announced that a recent study by Taiwan researchers from the National Health Research Institutes demonstrates TF2b and TF3, two components of v38 AMF-1, inhibit the 3C-like protease encoded by SARS-CoV. v38 AMF-1, a fraction of the flu medication VIRA 38, is best known for its ability to inhibit bird flu virus (H5N1) infections.

4 Aug 2005

Hot flashes - women experience this symptom differently

Hot flashes are well known to most menopausal women - and to many who are in perimenopause, the transition to menopause.

4 Aug 2005

Genelabs drug discovery team advances compounds against the hepatitis C virus

Genelabs Technologies today announced that a non-nucleoside compound from its internal Hepatitis C virus (HCV) drug discovery program has advanced into preclinical development.

4 Aug 2005

Natural killer cells help understand responses to bone marrow transplants

Scientists have discovered that a group of important immune system cells has a surprising resemblance to cinematic British superspy James Bond: the cells receive a "license" that allows them to unleash their most potent attacks on enemies.

4 Aug 2005

New breast cancer genes detected using cutting edge technology

Scientists in the UK say they have detected four new genes believed to be involved in the development of breast cancer.

4 Aug 2005

New study aims to understand the intricate biochemistry governing gene regulation

In their efforts to understand the complex biology of life, scientists often seek to isolate individual elements of the puzzle for study, to break the problem down to a more manageable size. Single genes and molecules are closely analyzed to better understand their specific interactions with other single entities within larger systems.

4 Aug 2005