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Fresh cherries may help people who suffer from the pain of gout or other forms of arthritic inflammation

Fresh cherries may help people who suffer from the pain of gout or other forms of arthritic inflammation. That's according to preliminary results from research at the Agricultural Research Service's Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, Calif.

10 May 2004

China recognizes 10 million Chinese may be HIV-positive by 2010

The Official Chinese News Agency reported today that the Chinese cabinet has admitted that AIDS epidemic is out of control and spreading rapidly through the country. They have also recognized the need for urgent measures to be put into place to change the situation.

9 May 2004

90's saw significant increase in blood pressure among children

That children are heavier on average today than children were a decade ago may now be common knowledge. The rise in weight appears to be accompanied by a significant increase in blood pressure among children between the ages of 8 and 17, say Tulane University epidemiologists in the May 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

9 May 2004

Discovery of immune system malfunction that plays a profound role in food allergy

A team of scientists, led by the Institute of Food Research (IFR) in the UK, has discovered an immune system malfunction that is likely to play a profound role in food allergy.

8 May 2004

Low fat/high carb eating plan is not bad for good cholesterol

A slight fall in blood levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol in men due to a low-fat, high-carbohydrate eating plan may not be a problem, researchers reported today at the American Heart Association’s 5th Annual Conference on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

8 May 2004

Lab calibration errors may add $199 million to U.S. health care costs

Small measurement uncertainties in clinical laboratory tests can add large amounts to health care costs, according to a newly released study commissioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

7 May 2004

Britain debates whether to create DNA registry of newborn babies

In a White Paper published last year the Government asked the Human Genetics Commission and the National Screening Committee to consider the case for screening every baby at birth and storing their genetic profile for future use.

7 May 2004

West Nile treatment showing 100% response rate among immunocompetent patients

GenoMed, Inc. has announced that it will be limiting its treatment for West Nile virus encephalitis to immunocompetent patients only, where it has posted a 100% success rate.

7 May 2004

Afro-Americans with high blood pressure have double the risk of enlarged heart

American blacks with high blood pressure have nearly double the risk for left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged heart) compared to hypertensive whites, researchers report in today’s rapid access issue of Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

Heart pumps better than medical therapy in keeping heart failure patients alive

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) – heart pumps – worked better than medical therapy in keeping seriously ill congestive heart failure patients alive, despite an increased risk of neurological complications, researchers report in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

New stent appears safe and effective for preventing arteries from reclosing in coronary heart disease patients

A new stent appears safe and effective for preventing arteries from reclosing in coronary heart disease patients, based on one-year results of the first human trial using this stent reported in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

6 May 2004

Study shows Chromium Picolinate and Biotin Combination significantly lowers coronary risk factors in people with Type 2 Diabetes

Results of a new double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical study show that daily nutritional supplementation with a combination of chromium picolinate and biotin (marketed as Diachromeä) significantly improved coronary risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes.

6 May 2004

Ritalin drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of Parkinson's drug levodopa

A well-known drug used to treat hyperactive children boosts the potency of another drug that reduces Parkinson's disease symptoms, an Oregon Health & Science University study has found.

6 May 2004

Experts conclude plans to control zoonoses, diseases transmitted from animals to humans

International experts today concluded a three-day international consultation on zoonoses, held by the World Health Organization (WHO) together with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), in collaboration with the Dutch Health Council.

6 May 2004

Genetic flaw that may put some people at far greater risk of heart attacks

One of the significant players in this event is the molecule cytokine lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA), which helps to regulate inflammation, a result of the emergency call upon the body's immune system.

6 May 2004

NBC's Friends stars present $1 million donation to American Red Cross

On the set of Friends, Target Stores presented a $1 million donation to Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, in celebration of the Friends series finale on May 6.

5 May 2004

New screening helps to determine risk for having a baby with Down syndrome

Obstetricians at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, are offering a new, quicker, option for pregnant women who choose to undergo first trimester screening. The screening helps to determine whether the woman is at increased risk for having a baby with Down syndrome.

5 May 2004

World's first gene therapy trial aimed at preventing cancer

The concept seems straightforward. If, at its heart, cancer is a disease of genes, then giving patients new genes should disarm cancer. Such treatment would replace missing or faulty genes that keep cell growth in check, or would flush the body with "super genes" that could attack and destroy cancer.

5 May 2004

New studies put spotlight on replicative capacity of beta cells

Researchers at Harvard University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) have discovered that insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas that are attacked in type 1 diabetes are replenished through duplication of existing cells rather than through differentiation of adult stem cells.

5 May 2004

SPECT imaging may lead to early diagnosis of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently afflicts approximately 4.5 million Americans. One of the most feared diseases of old age, AD robs its victims of their memories and personalities long before it takes their lives.

5 May 2004