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Leptin shown to significantly influence breast cancer development

Being obese increases the risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women, shortens the time between return of the disease and lowers overall survival rates.

30 Apr 2007

Environment rich in sensory stimuli restores memory in mice with neurodegeneration

Mice whose brains had lost a large number of neurons due to neurodegeneration regained long-term memories and the ability to learn after their surroundings were enriched with toys and other sensory stimuli, according to new studies by Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers.

30 Apr 2007

Small-molecule macroarray helps tackle MRSA

In 1928, Alexander Fleming opened the door to treating bacterial infections when he stumbled upon the first known antibiotic in a Penicillium mold growing in a discarded experiment.

30 Apr 2007

Drug for toenail fungus also blocks angiogenesis

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered to their surprise that a drug commonly used to treat toenail fungus can also block angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels commonly seen in cancers.

30 Apr 2007

Heavy use of cannabis triggers psychotic illnesses

Scientists in the UK say the heavy consumption of the drug cannabis may trigger psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia.

30 Apr 2007

Keeping the mind busy and occupied restores memories lost to dementia

Scientists in the U.S. believe that mental stimulation along with drug therapy may help people with diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia regain some of their lost memories.

30 Apr 2007

WHO targets workplace related lung cancer, mesothelioma and bladder cancer

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) more than 200,000 people die each year from cancers related to their workplaces, mainly from inhaling asbestos fibers and second-hand tobacco smoke.

29 Apr 2007

When it comes to food scares, dare we trust the FDA?

In an attempt to reassure the public on food safety standards a joint statement has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that the latest food scare over contaminated animal feed has not affected the human food supply.

29 Apr 2007

Ten genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes

Ten genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes, a disease which impacts more than 170 million people worldwide, have been identified or confirmed by a U.S.-Finnish team led by scientists at the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

27 Apr 2007

Liver center leading record number of studies to tackle hepatitis C

While many research institutions are suffering from funding cuts, Drs. Bruce R. Bacon and Adrian M. Di Bisceglie are chugging away with their usual tenacity.

27 Apr 2007

Growing rates of syphilis among gay and bisexual men

Armed with more than a decade's worth of statistics, researchers are sounding a new alarm about growing rates of syphilis among gay and bisexual men.

27 Apr 2007

Ranbaxy receives approval to manufacture Pravastatin Sodium tablets in U.S.

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals has announced that RLL has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Pravastatin Sodium Tablets (Pravastatin), 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg, with 180-day market exclusivity in the U.S. healthcare system for the 80 mg strength.

27 Apr 2007

Ranbaxy receives approval to manufacture Zolpidem tablets for insomnia

Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited (RLL), has announced that the Company has received final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manufacture and market Zolpidem Tartrate Tablets, 5mg and 10mg.

27 Apr 2007

New mechanism identified for resistance to targeted lung cancer drugs

An international research team, led by investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), has found a new way that some lung tumors become resistant to treatment with targeted therapy drugs like Iressa and Tarceva.

27 Apr 2007

New Parkinson's Disease diagnostic test

While Florey researchers have also created a genetic test for Parkinson's Disease (PD) [10% of PD cases are caused by genetic factors], this new test has a broader application by screening for many different types of PD and monitoring treatment, as well as measuring the effectiveness of drugs being developed to treat the disease.

27 Apr 2007

Taking low dose aspirin does not protect older women against cognitive decline

Identifying ways to prevent dementia is a public health priority. Evidence suggests that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against dementia, but data from randomised studies to date have been inconclusive.

27 Apr 2007

Employers can blame hay fever for the loss of millions of hours of work productivity this spring

A new study of nearly 600 people with hay fever symptoms, including sneezing, watery eyes and runny and itchy noses, found that workers missed an hour of work per week during peak hay fever season.

27 Apr 2007

Governments must act on biggest epidemic in human history

The diabetes pandemic is threatening to overwhelm global healthcare services. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) launched a new consensus statement on diabetes prevention, to be published in the May issue of Diabetic Medicine, hot on the heels of a December 2006 United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for concerted international action.

27 Apr 2007

Genetic differences may explain why many Asian women who never smoked develop lung cancer

Analysis of three genetic mechanisms that cause non-small cell lung cancer might explain why East Asians respond better than other ethnic groups to a certain type of chemotherapy, a team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers has found.

27 Apr 2007

Drugs that adjust dopamine levels in the brain greatly affect how people react to success and failure

In a first-of-its-kind study on humans, researchers measured how dopamine-related drugs affect the striatum, a part of the brain that is stimulated by rewards.

27 Apr 2007