Inflammation News and Research

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Variation in CHI3L1 gene increases risk of asthma

A tiny variation in a gene known as CHI3L1 increases susceptibility to asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and decline in lung function, researchers report early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.

10 Apr 2008

Low birth weight and heart problems

Researchers who have followed 5,840 people from before birth to the age of 31 have found evidence suggesting that small size at birth and excessive weight gain during adolescence and young adulthood may lead to low grade inflammation, which, in turn, is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease.

10 Apr 2008

Takeda to acquire Millennium for $8.8 billion

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Takeda will acquire Millennium for approximately $8.8 billion through a cash tender offer of $25.00 per share.

10 Apr 2008

Pistachios good for the heart

More good news for pistachio fans! According to new data unveiled this week at the Experimental Biology Conference in San Diego, snacking on pistachios has proved once again to have a positive impact on improving cardiovascular health by significantly reducing inflammation in the body, a prominent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor.

9 Apr 2008

Scientists block early step in metastasis of prostate cancer cells

Recent studies have suggested an association between chronic inflammation and cancers of the prostate, colon, stomach and liver.

9 Apr 2008

Stress worsens symptoms of endometriosis

Endometriosis is a poorly understood condition that incapacitates and affects the productivity and lifestyle of millions of women around the world.

8 Apr 2008

Skin product decreases malignant melanoma tumor growth according to study

A new study presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting shows that a proprietary blend extracted from canola, Dermytol, produces a pronounced reduction of malignant melanoma cell growth. Dermytol, a proprietary compound developed by KGK Synergize Inc., a biotechnology company in Ontario Canada, is designed to protect skin cells from damage that may lead to skin cancer.

8 Apr 2008

Long-term interleukin-6 levels and subsequent risk of coronary heart disease

In research published in the open access journal PLoS Medicine this week, John Danesh of the University of Cambridge and colleagues find that interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels (a type of protein produced by inflammation, attracting cells of the immune system to the site of injury) are associated with coronary heart disease.

8 Apr 2008

Genetic variants of USF1 are associated with the increased risk for cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide.

8 Apr 2008

Neglect or abuse in childhood linked to adult inflammation, depression

A history of neglect or abuse in childhood appears to be associated with depression and inflammation in adulthood, a combination that may increase cardiovascular risk, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of General Psychiatry , one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

8 Apr 2008

Asthma and smoker's lung: dry airways play a key role

Dry airways may not only play a central role in the development of the inherited lung disease cystic fibrosis, but also in much more common acquired chronic lung diseases such as asthma and smoker's lung, the cigarette smoke-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

8 Apr 2008

Tart cherries cut heart/diabetes risk factors

Tart cherries - frequently sold dried, frozen or in juice - may have more than just good taste and bright red color going for them, according to new animal research from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.

7 Apr 2008

Periodontitis and human papillomavirus combined increase risk for tongue cancer

Persons with periodontitis who also are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) are at increased risk of developing tongue cancer, new research conducted at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine has shown.

7 Apr 2008

Discovery of new genetic links to psoriasis

In the first comprehensive study of the genetic basis of psoriasis, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered seven new sites of common DNA variation that increase the risk of the troublesome skin condition.

4 Apr 2008

Surviving without sex - Bdelloid rotifers do!

Birds and bees may do it, but the microscopic animals called bdelloid rotifers seem to get along just fine without sex, thank you.

3 Apr 2008

Health effects of drinking tea

Tea drinkers who opt for black, oolong, green or white teas may find that these beverages offer health benefits.

3 Apr 2008

Lyme disease - a tough nut to crack!

The bacteria that cause Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, can linger in mouse tissues long after a full round of antibiotic treatment is completed, report researchers from the University of California, Davis.

2 Apr 2008

Tai Chi improves control of type 2 diabetes

Tai Chi exercises can improve the control of type 2 diabetes, suggests a small study, published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

1 Apr 2008

New breakthrough discovery on TB

Medical scientists from the University of Leicester, together with colleagues from St Georges, University of London, funded principally by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and The Wellcome Trust, have published details of a new breakthrough discovery on TB.

1 Apr 2008

Disappointing resuts for pimecrolimus, investigational anti-restenosis drug

A new medication that researchers had hoped would reduce the risk of arterial renarrowing after stenting has turned in a disappointing performance in a multicenter clinical trial, but the multi-reservoir stent that was used to deliver the drug is still considered promising.

1 Apr 2008