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Statins appear to preserve lung function

Statins are known to be good for lowering cholesterol and maybe even fighting dementia, and now they have another reported benefit: they appear to slow decline in lung function in the elderly - even in those who smoke.

15 Oct 2007

Six years advance warning of Alzheimer's

One of the most distressing aspects of Alzheimer's disease is the difficulty in determining whether mild memory problems are the beginning of an inevitable mental decline.

15 Oct 2007

Picking the right stress test for heart disease risk analysis

Stress tests are good front-line tests indicators of heart disease, but just how good depends on ordering the right one, researchers say.

12 Oct 2007

1st successful treatment for chronic traumatic brain injury

C A research team led by Dr. Paul Harch, Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans and Director of the LSU Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship Program, has published findings that show hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improved spatial learning and memory in a model of chronic traumatic brain injury.

12 Oct 2007

Rare bone marrow transplant procedure as University of California, San Diego Medical Center

Patients living with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) may breathe easier thanks to a rare bone marrow transplant procedure performed at The Bone Marrow Transplant Program at University of California, San Diego Medical Center, the only program in the western United States that has attempted this procedure.

10 Oct 2007

African-American men have a slightly higher risk of PSA recurrence

African-American men are more likely to have their prostate cancer return after treatment, but their disease is no more aggressive when it does recur than that of their white counterparts, according to a study led by Duke Prostate Center researchers.

10 Oct 2007

Injectable antibody reverses cognitive deficits in mice

A special protein can be injected into the body to reverse learning problems in mice that have an animal version of Alzheimer's disease, Saint Louis University researchers have found.

9 Oct 2007

Depression in the elderly can act as a predictor of future intellectual decline

Depression in the elderly increases the risk of subsequent mental impairment and can act as a predictor of future intellectual decline, a study by University of Rochester Medical Center psychiatrists and researchers has found.

9 Oct 2007

Researchers tackle phantom sounds of tinnitus

For the more than 50 million Americans who experience the phantom sounds of tinnitus -- ringing in the ears that can range from annoying to debilitating -- certain well-trained rats may be their best hope for finding relief.

8 Oct 2007

Renewed search for lupus treatments and cure

For the first time in decades, a significant number of clinical trials are being conducted to seek a treatment, perhaps even a cure, for lupus, a chronic and potentially fatal autoimmune disease that affects more than 1.5 million Americans -- 10,000 in Los Angeles County alone.

4 Oct 2007

Insights into colorectal cancer screening

Two studies in the October issue of the journal Gastroenterology may help in refining recommendations for the use of colonoscopy to screen for colorectal cancer.

2 Oct 2007

Genetic test announced for suicidal ideation in patients using antidepressant drugs

NeuroMark, a Boulder, Colorado company, announced today the immediate availability of a genetic test to identify people at risk of suicidal ideation - thoughts of committing suicide - when prescribed an antidepressant drug.

27 Sep 2007

In vivo imaging of hydrogen peroxide with chemiluminescent nanoparticles

Most people think of hydrogen peroxide as a topical germ killer, but the medicine cabinet staple is gaining steam in the medical community as an early indicator of disease in the body.

27 Sep 2007

Effectiveness of interventions to promote screening for diabetic retinopathy

Increasing patient and clinician awareness and improving access to health care can encourage people with diabetes to seek annual eye exams, which help prevent a serious complication called retinopathy, according to a new systematic review of studies.

26 Sep 2007

Black men do not have more aggressive prostate cancer

A University of Minnesota study of prostate cancer tumors from Caucasian and African-American men has shown no evidence that the cancer is more aggressive in black men.

18 Sep 2007

Study looks at universal pain screening accuracy

The most commonly used measure for pain screening may only be modestly accurate, according to researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina.

18 Sep 2007

Solid state NMR spectroscopy reveals the workings of 'Mother Nature's Blowtorch'

Using atom-level imaging techniques, University of Michigan researchers have revealed important structural details of an enzyme system known as "Mother Nature's blowtorch" for its role in helping the body efficiently break down many drugs and toxins.

17 Sep 2007

Health psychologists discuss latest research findings

Common physical symptoms such as fatigue, chest pain and lower back pain are related to the perception of everyday smells, University of Nottingham researchers will tell delegates at a health psychology conference on campus.

13 Sep 2007

Staphylococcus aureus gets from bottom to bedrail in hospital

The presence of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in patients' stools increases the likelihood that it will make its way onto skin, hospital bed rails and other surfaces, according to research published in the online open access journal, BMC Infectious Diseases.

13 Sep 2007

Primary care depression treatment often does not follow quality guidelines

Most patients with depression who are treated by primary care physicians do not receive care consistent with quality standards, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

5 Sep 2007