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Evidence that measles-mumps-rubella immunisation is not associated with autism

A UK study published in this week’s issue of THE LANCET provides further evidence that measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunisation is not associated with the development of autism or other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) in children.

9 Sep 2004

New treatment for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

IL-7, a hormone-like protein involved in cell-cell interaction, has been associated with increased survival and expansion of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL).

9 Sep 2004

Gene linked to both alcoholism and depression

A national team of investigators led by psychiatric geneticists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified a gene that appears to be linked to both alcoholism and depression.

8 Sep 2004

Autism may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and epigenetics

Autism, a serious developmental disorder in children, may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and alterations in the factors that regulate genes (epigenetics) that may be inherited or occur as a new event, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine.

8 Sep 2004

Growing up in polluted towns and cities increases risk of lung health issues

Children who grow up in towns and cities with high pollution levels are at increased risk of lung health issues or low functioning lungs. New research suggests that pollutants from vehicle emissions and fossil fuels have an adverse effect on a child's lung development and can also lower childrens lifetime breathing capacity.

8 Sep 2004

Study aims for long term impact to help inner-city children with asthma

A study designed to reduce the levels of indoor allergens – conducted in the homes of inner-city children with asthma – resulted in fewer asthma exacerbations and unscheduled visits for asthma during a two-year period, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researcher who participated in the multicenter study.

8 Sep 2004

Consumers with health insurance are willing to help cover costs for uninsured people

The subject of universal healthcare is always a hot topic but never more so than in an election year.

8 Sep 2004

Men's magazines don’t inform men about prostate and colon cancer screening

Decisions about screening for prostate and colon cancer require patients to have accurate, balanced information. Unfortunately, men are not getting this information from popular men’s magazines.

8 Sep 2004

Depressed patients may need treatment for both physical and emotional symptoms

Physical symptoms (such as headache, back pain, stomach problems, joint or muscle pains, and dizziness) are nearly as common in depression as emotional symptoms and are the predominant complaint depressed patients present with in the primary care setting.

8 Sep 2004

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors will require registration of clinical trials for publication

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) issued a statement today that the 11 member journals will require, as a condition of consideration for publication, registration in a public trials registry for clinical studies involving human patients.

8 Sep 2004

Study shows that naturopathic medicine helps women experiencing jaw pains

A study involving a painful jaw disorder and the role of naturopathic medicine demonstrates how this holistic approach to care can empower patients to improve their own health.

8 Sep 2004

Researchers uncover how HIV causes abnormalities in antibody-producing cells

HIV wreaks much of its damage by targeting the “orchestra conductor” of the immune system, a key class of T cells—CD4+ T cells—whose destructive relationship with HIV has been well-studied by AIDS researchers.

8 Sep 2004

Researchers keep milk free of contaminants

Dairy farms in the United States produced more than 170 billion pounds of milk last year. The more than 9 million cows that produced that milk occasionally need to be treated for various ailments

8 Sep 2004

Bill Clinton is recovering after undergoing successful quadruple bypass surgery

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is recovering after undergoing successful quadruple bypass surgery from New York Presbyterian Hospital; the first accredited Chest Pain Center in New York. His heart disease was extensive, with blockages in some arteries well over 90 percent, doctors said.

8 Sep 2004

New IBM technology could bring the promise of personalized medicine one step closer

Using a basic computer language, the researchers created a "smart" DNA stream that contains a patient's entire medical record

8 Sep 2004

50 year old frozen smallpox vaccines are nearly 100 percent effective

Diluted doses of a smallpox vaccine, originally manufactured in the 1950s and stored as a frozen preparation, are nearly 100 percent effective, allowing for expansion of the current stockpile if needed, according to an article in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2004

The drug galantamine has been shown to be ineffective in treating chronic fatigue syndrome

The drug galantamine (used for treatment of mild to moderate dementia) did not demonstrate a clinical benefit in treating chronic fatigue syndrome when compared with placebo, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2004

Measuring a womans fitness gives a clearer indication of coronary artery disease than measuring obesity

Women reporting higher levels of physical fitness have fewer coronary artery disease risk factors, less coronary artery disease, and a lower risk for cardiovascular events, whereas measures of obesity are not as strongly associated with these outcomes, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA

8 Sep 2004

New genetic hypothesis for the cause of autism

Researchers have proposed a new hypothesis on the cause of autism, suggesting a mixed epigenetic and genetic and mixed de novo and inherited (MEGDI) model.

8 Sep 2004

Pigs and other farm animals are harbouring major reservoirs of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The scientists were concerned about the effects that decades of use of antibiotics to treat infections, prevent diseases, or promote growth, have had on the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in common farm bacteria.

8 Sep 2004