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New blood test six times more effective for tuberculosis control

In a landmark study electronically published today in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a blood test for detecting TB infection, QuantiFERON(R)-TB Gold (QFT), has been shown to be six times more accurate than the conventional tuberculin skin test (TST) at predicting which tuberculosis (TB)-exposed individuals will go on to develop TB disease.

18 Feb 2008

Fighting the global obesity epidemic

According to Rena Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and director of the Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital, people who are most successful in preventing weight gain, and dieters who lose weight and keep the pounds off, have made major changes in their in diet and exercise routines.

17 Feb 2008

Routine screenings uncover hidden carbon monoxide poisoning

Screening all emergency room patients for carbon monoxide poisoning is a simple yet potentially life-saving practice that can be done even in a high-volume urban hospital, according to new research by emergency physicians at Rhode Island Hospital.

14 Feb 2008

Researchers use embryonic stem cells to develop functioning immune system blood cells

For the first time, researchers have used embryonic stem cells to develop functioning immune system blood cells -- an important step in eventually using embryonic stem cells as an alternative source of cells for traditional bone marrow transplantations.

14 Feb 2008

Bacterial toxin closes gate on immune response

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated that a bacterial toxin from the common bacterium Staphylococcus aureus shuts down the control mechanism of the tunnel, called an ion channel, in immune cell membranes.

14 Feb 2008

Pharmaceutical policies: effects of cap and co-payment on rational drug use

A new review of existing research suggests that co-pays and caps on drug expenditures could keep crucial medications out of the hands of those who need them.

13 Feb 2008

Depression in seniors

Depression is sometimes viewed as a normal part of aging.

13 Feb 2008

Alpha-linolenic acid good for dry eye syndrome

Research conducted by Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) Cornea Service Director and Harvard Medical School Professor Reza Dana, M.D., M. Sc., MPH, and colleagues at the Schepens Eye Research Institute have found for the first time that topical drop application of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) led to a significant decrease in clinical signs of dry eye syndrome (DES) in animal models.

12 Feb 2008

Beginnings of complex life traced to microRNA

Dartmouth College researchers and colleagues from the University of Bristol in the U.K. have traced the beginnings of complex life, i.e. vertebrates, to microRNA.

12 Feb 2008

Natural secretion marks difference between mole and melanoma

A protein naturally produced and secreted by the body can make the difference between your average mole and melanoma, which killed more than 8,000 people in the United States last year, reveals a new study in the February 8 issue of the journal Cell, a publication of Cell Press.

8 Feb 2008

Is it safe delaying decision about having prostate cancer surgery?

Is it safe to wait to make a decision about having prostate cancer surgery, even after you've waited and waited for all the doctor appointments and test results? Or will the additional delay reduce your chances of being cured?

8 Feb 2008

Hot flashes may be getting an unfair rap for disrupting women's sleep at midlife

Studies have often reported that sleep problems increase during the transition into menopause, reinforcing the idea that hot flashes are to blame. But even under controlled conditions in sleep laboratories, the connection between hot flashes and sleep disruption remains unclear, reports the February 2008 issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch.

8 Feb 2008

Discovery of protein that stops the growth of melanomas

One might call it a tale of two melanocytes. Given the same genetic mutation, why does one melanocyte shut down growth and become a relatively benign mole, while another rages out of control and develops into deadly melanoma"

8 Feb 2008

Genotyping and the treatment of alcohol dependence

Inherited genetic makeup often plays a role in determining the risk level for certain diseases, including alcoholism.

8 Feb 2008

Beetroot juice reduces blood pressure

Researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine have discovered that drinking just 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure.

7 Feb 2008

Study shows inadequate diagnostic criteria for eating disorders

A new study by Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University suggests that the DSM-IV criteria for eating disorders have limited clinical utility.

7 Feb 2008

Microscopic imaging technique reveals rapid formation of Alzheimer's-associated plaques

The amyloid plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients may form much more rapidly than previously expected.

7 Feb 2008

New cancer center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has created an expanded cancer program dedicated to advancing research, prevention and treatment of the disease. The new Cancer Center is led by renowned cancer physician-scientist Dr. Andrew Dannenberg.

5 Feb 2008

Researchers identify cells that cause nervous system disease

Two teams of University of Michigan researchers have tracked down the cells responsible for neurofibromatosis type1, a disfiguring, incurable condition and one of the most common hereditary disorders.

4 Feb 2008