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Expert panel see hope for stem cell use as diabetes cure

A report from a medical panel of academic and community-based endocrinologists and transplant surgeons acknowledged that a recent study supports the use of stem cells as a future cure for type I diabetes.

1 Nov 2004

Gene found to defend against environmental pollutants and pulmonary emphysema

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and other institutions have identified a “master gene” in mice that controls the action of 50 other genes whose products protect the lungs against environmental pollutants.

1 Nov 2004

Researcher finds no long-term benefit of using glucosamine for knee joint pain

A popular food supplement used to treat osteoarthritis pain in knee joints has been shown to have no long-term beneficial effect, according to a national study conducted by a University of British Columbia post-doctoral fellow working at the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada

1 Nov 2004

High prevalence of cigarette smoking among Chinese men indicates an urgent need for smoking prevention

Adopting a westernized lifestyle has spelled disaster for many people in China, where 60 percent of men smoke cigarettes, more than half of women are exposed to secondhand smoke at home and one in four men and women breathe smoke-filled air at work.

1 Nov 2004

Scientists decode the genome sequence of Cryptosporidium hominis, one of the most common causes of waterborne diseases in humans

A team of scientists at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine has helped decode the genome sequence of Cryptosporidium hominis, an insidious parasite identified as one of the most common causes of waterborne diseases in humans and classified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a potential bioterrorist agent.

29 Oct 2004

Call for MEP's to improve childhood cancer treatment

Europe should take all possible measures to enhance the existing collaboration between paediatric oncologists, both in the treatment and research of childhood cancers.

29 Oct 2004

100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the March 2003 invasion

Public-health experts from the USA and Iraq estimate that around 100,000 Iraqi civilians have died as a result of the March 2003 invasion-the majority being violent deaths among women and children relating to military activity.

29 Oct 2004

Public health facing calamity, say medics

The warning from public health leaders comes as ministers prepare to unveil the biggest public health strategy to date, targeting smoking, obesity and sexual health.

29 Oct 2004

Civilian deaths have risen dramatically in Iraq since the country was invaded in March 2003

Civilian deaths have risen dramatically in Iraq since the country was invaded in March 2003, according to a survey conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Columbia University School of Nursing and Al-Mustansiriya University in Baghdad.

29 Oct 2004

Test used to diagnose B12 deficiency may be inadequate

A test that generally is used to measure the amount of vitamin B12 in the body is not sensitive enough to detect a deficiency of the vitamin, which has been linked to several neurological conditions, according to Saint Louis University research.

28 Oct 2004

Babies who are breastfed have a lower risk of developing childhood leukemia

The paper, to be published November in the journal Public Health Reports, found that breastfeeding was linked to lower risks of both acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common of the childhood cancers, and acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML).

28 Oct 2004

Blacks are more likely to be lifetime nonsmokers than whites

Blacks are more likely to be lifetime nonsmokers than whites, but they're less likely to quit smoking once they've started, according to a new study of more than 240,000 Americans.

28 Oct 2004

Asian children and black children experience higher rates of ruptured appendixes than white children

Asian children and black children experience higher rates of ruptured appendixes than white children, as do uninsured or Medicaid-insured children, compared to children covered by private insurance, according to a study in the October 27 issue of JAMA.

28 Oct 2004

First study to measure the influence of night-shift work on hormone levels that may affect breast-cancer risk

Three years ago, investigators at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center made headlines nationwide when they published the results of a population-based study that suggested women who work the graveyard shift have an increased risk of breast cancer as opposed to women who work the day shift.

26 Oct 2004

Workers exposed to dioxin have higher cancer rates

New research suggests a higher rate of deaths from cancer for workers exposed to dioxin during the manufacture of herbicides at the Ivon Watkins-Dow (IWD) plant in New Plymouth.

25 Oct 2004

Researchers found that sedentary lifestyles can lead to higher medical costs

Lack of physical activity is costly not just to people’s health but to their wallets as well, a new study suggests.

25 Oct 2004

Studies examine risk factors and potential consequences associated with prehypertension

A substantial proportion of Americans have prehypertension (blood pressure above optimal levels, but not clinical hypertension) which is associated with an increased prevalence of other risk factors for heart disease and stroke and is also associated with potential increased risk for hospitalization and death

25 Oct 2004