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Eating apples may protect against Alzheimer's and Parkinsonism

A group of chemicals in apples could protect the brain from the type of damage that triggers such neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinsonism, according to two new studies from Cornell University food scientists.

18 Nov 2004

A challenging job protects against the development of dementia

Jobs that are both challenging and afford opportunities to take responsibility seem to protect against the development of dementia, concludes research in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

17 Nov 2004

Large increase in male mentally ill drug abusers

The amount of mentally ill male drug abusers has increased by more than 79% in five years across England and Wales, finds research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

16 Nov 2004

Computer vignette effective at measuring quality of physician practice

A new measurement tool called the computerized clinical vignette can help clinicians and policymakers assess and improve the quality of physician practice while potentially reducing costs, according to a study led by a researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).

16 Nov 2004

10,000 abused women across Spain to receive a prototype personal alarm system

Early next year 10,000 abused women across Spain are due to receive a prototype personal alarm system operated by Vodafone and the Red Cross. The system stems from the results of CONFIDENT, which developed mobile services to enhance the independence of people with special needs.

16 Nov 2004

Poor communities should decide their own priorities for aid

Allowing poor communities to decide their own health priorities avoids inappropriate aid, says a senior doctor in a letter to this week's BMJ.

14 Nov 2004

Heart arrhythmias easily treated, yet few know risks

Since she was a young girl, Sandra Moore, 46, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., had episodes every few months when her heart started racing.

9 Nov 2004

The human cost of passive smoking

In a stark BMA report, 'The Human Cost of Tobacco', published today, (9 November 2004), doctors chronicle individual stories behind the statistics to show how second-hand smoke destroys lives and health.

9 Nov 2004

Patent granted for novel collagen delivery system

Hydroderm announced today that after years of clinical research, Hydroderm's exclusive Collagen Infusion Delivery System was granted a U.S. patent.

8 Nov 2004

Generic statin drugs shown to produce similar or better results than expensive brand-name drugs

Researchers from Kaiser Permanente's Northern California region are presenting a study at this week's American Heart Association Scientific Sessions showing that patients who use a generic statin drug rather than its brand-name equivalent fared as well as- sometimes better than-patients on the more expensive drug.

8 Nov 2004

Australian trial set to transform nursing home care

Medications trolleys in nursing homes may soon become mobile medical centres. The University of New South Wales has won a $300,000 grant to develop and trial a new point-of-care system that will allow nursing staff to manage medications, check patients’ clinical signs and streamline administration and clinical interaction with patients’ GPs.

8 Nov 2004

One in six U.S. adults suffered from back pain every single day during the past month

The survey of 1,014 U.S. adults revealed some vivid findings including the fact that people suffering from back pain are dealing with the issue an average of 14 days per month and often don't seek the advice of trained professionals to treat or improve their condition.

8 Nov 2004

Britain should adopt universal hepatitis B immunisation

The United Kingdom is one of the few developed countries that have not implemented universal immunisation. Because the burden of hepatitis B was low and individual rights were considered paramount, a policy of selective immunisation of high-risk groups, such as health care workers, homosexual men, and drug addicts, has been followed.

5 Nov 2004

African American HIV patients treated by white doctors receive life-saving HIV medication later than those who have an African American doctor

"Does Racial Concordance Between HIV-Positive Patients and Their Physicians Affect the Time to Receipt of Protease Inhibitors?" is published in the November issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

4 Nov 2004

Research suggests that children with severe malaria may not be as badly dehydrated as was previously thought

Every year around a million people, mainly small children, die of malaria. Dehydration is thought to contribute to fatal cases of the disease and, hence, doctors often give fluids to treat very ill children.

4 Nov 2004

Study aims to improve information and support for older men with prostate cancer

The Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS) at the University of Kent, England is currently engaged in an exploratory study of the information and support needs for men aged 75+ with prostate cancer.

4 Nov 2004

Urinary incontinence is passed down from mother to daughter

New research from the University of Bergen (UiB), Norway, shows that a woman who’s mother has urinary incontinence has a 30 percent greater chance for incontinence herself.

4 Nov 2004

Scientists have identified the gene which produces the hereditary Park8 variant of Parkinson’s

Research began when doctors discovered that various members of the same family had Parkinson’s. There are many kinds of Parkinson’s and some are hereditary.

4 Nov 2004

Labor lasts longer for overweight or obese women

Pregnant women who are overweight or obese progress through labor more slowly than do normal weight women, according to a study by researchers at the University of North Carolina and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.

2 Nov 2004

New treatment option for patients who have moderately active ulcerative colitis

Results of a study presented today by a Mayo Clinic physician at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) in Orlando, Fla., offer a new treatment option for patients who have moderately active ulcerative colitis.

1 Nov 2004