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Fatter children more likely to develop cardiometabolic disease, hypertension

A new study from presented at the European Society of Hypertension conference in London shows that children who show greater adiposity (fatness) in early life are at a substantially increased risk for hypertension and cardiometabolic problems in later life.

26 Apr 2012

U of A develops new technology that enables personalized medicine

You wouldn't know it from appearances, but a metal cube the size of a toaster, created at the University of Alberta, is capable of performing the same genetic tests as most fully equipped modern laboratories-and in a fraction of the time.

26 Apr 2012

MSF says number of annual malaria cases treated in DRC has tripled since 2009

Ahead of World Malaria Day on April 25, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday said the number of malaria cases it has treated in the country "more than tripled to 155,000 last year from two years previous," Reuters reports.

26 Apr 2012

Studies: Against best advice, docs continue unneeded prostate screenings

JAMA and another journal found that despite government recommendations, doctors continue to screen too many men for prostate cancer.

26 Apr 2012

First-ever study to evaluate effects of interaction between metamphetamines and Ibudilast

John W. Tsuang, M.D., principal investigator at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (LA BioMed), in conjunction with Steven J. Shoptaw, Ph.D., from the UCLA Department of Family Medicine, is spearheading a Phase I clinical safety trial that for the first time examines the effects of Ibudilast when administered with metamphetamine (MA), an addictive stimulant that is closely related to amphetamine.

26 Apr 2012

Robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy better than other surgical techniques

Outcomes from use of a robot to assist surgeons in removal of a cancerous prostate are at least as good, if not better, than the other two techniques used for a radical prostatectomy -- open or laparoscopic surgery -- according to a large meta analysis led by researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell.

26 Apr 2012

Scientists identify linchpin of fat metabolism

Humans are built to hunger for fat, packing it on during times of feast and burning it during periods of famine. But when deluged by foods rich in fat and sugar, the modern waistline often far exceeds the need to store energy for lean times, and the result has been an epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and other obesity-related problems.

26 Apr 2012

Physical activity reduces oxidative stress in people with SCT

Sickle cell disease (SCD), an inherited condition that causes red blood cells to sometimes deform into a crescent shape, affects an estimated 100,000 Americans, typically those of African descent. However, far more have sickle cell trait (SCT), caused when individuals carry just a single copy of the disease-causing mutation in their genes.

26 Apr 2012

Custom-made mouthpieces can decrease levels of serum cortisol following exercise

Mouthguards are used by almost everyone participating in sports. These devices, typically purchased over-the-counter and used on the upper teeth, are designed to protect against broken teeth and an injured tongue. Recently, researchers in South Carolina found that a customized device which rests on the lower jaw can decrease levels of serum cortisol following exercise.

26 Apr 2012

Intensive dialysis at home could increase survival chances for patients with ESRD

Patients suffering with end-stage renal disease could increase their survival chances by undergoing intensive dialysis at home rather than the conventional dialysis in clinics. A new study by Lawson Health Research Institute shows the potential of more intensive dialysis completed in a home setting.

26 Apr 2012

Study sheds new light on common food poisoning bug

BBSRC-funded researchers at Cambridge University have shed new light on a common food poisoning bug. Using real-time video microscopy, coupled with mathematical modelling, they have changed our assumptions about Salmonella and how it infects human cells.

26 Apr 2012

Latest AAN/AHS guidelines can help prevent migraine attacks

The latest American Academy of Neurology/American Headache Society Guidelines released this week outline evidence-based and effective treatments that can prevent migraine attacks and lessen their severity.

26 Apr 2012

FDA issues complete response letter to Takeda’s NDAs for type 2 diabetes investigational therapies

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. today announced that the company received a complete response letter from the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding New Drug Applications (NDAs) for alogliptin and fixed-dose combination (FDC) alogliptin and pioglitazone.

26 Apr 2012

Kv7.4 channels may play a fundamental role in high blood pressure

Scientists have identified what could be a biological tipping point in the development of high blood pressure, in a discovery that could one day lead to new treatment.

26 Apr 2012

EuroPRevent2012 to take place from May 3-5 in Dublin

EuroPRevent2012, the premier European event on cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, brings together the latest guidelines and studies focused on reducing the global epidemic of heart disease.

26 Apr 2012

Body’s own DNA can cause inflammation in the heart

DNA from the heart's own cells plays a role in heart failure by mistakenly activating the body's immune system, according to a study by British and Japanese researchers, co-funded by the British Heart Foundation.

26 Apr 2012

New test accurately detects aggressive prostate cancer

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, the second leading cause of death among men in the United States. It's a serious problem and current diagnostic tests aren't very specific. But a research team at the University of Central Florida NanoScience Technology Center has found a more accurate test that not only determines whether a patient has prostate cancer, but also how aggressive it is.

26 Apr 2012

World Malaria Day observed

The 25th of April was observed as World Malaria Day. According to Ray Chambers, the U.N. secretary-general's special envoy for malaria, there has been a marked progress in reducing malaria deaths using bed nets, insecticide spray and drugs. He cited a World Health Organization report in December which used figures from 2010, saying malaria deaths had decreased by over one-third. Since then, he said at a news conference Monday, the world has delivered 160 million additional bed nets “so we expect the number of deaths to be much less now.”

25 Apr 2012

Dark chocolate good for the heart: Study

A new study finds that dark chocolate may lower the risk of heart disease by lowering levels of blood glucose and bad cholesterol while boosting levels of good cholesterol.

25 Apr 2012

Prostate cancer screening recommendations not heeded by 44% men: Survey

81-year-old billionaire Warren Buffett was diagnosed with prostate cancer after having the finding initially detected through a screening blood test to measure a cancer marker called prostate specific antigen or PSA.

25 Apr 2012