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Discovery of proteins underlying devastating brain diseases

Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have discovered a set of brain proteins responsible for some of the most common and devastating brain diseases.

19 May 2009

Blood pressure lowering drugs should be offered to anyone old enough to be at risk of a heart attack or stroke

Blood pressure lowering drugs should be offered to anyone old enough to be at risk of a heart attack or stroke (or who is otherwise known to be at risk), regardless of their blood pressure, according to the largest analysis of blood pressure trials to date, published on bmj.com today.

19 May 2009

Atherotech receives patent for ApoB measurement for determining heart disease risk

Atherotech, Inc., developer of the VAP Cholesterol Test, has announced it has received a patent on its method to derive and report apolipoprotein B100 (apoB) using the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) technology. The patent recognizes the unique ability of the VAP Cholesterol Test to accurately report apoB, the next milestone in heart disease risk assessment.

19 May 2009

Genetic variations may contribute to depression in heart disease patients

Individuals with heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from depression as the general population, an association the medical community has largely been unable to explain.

19 May 2009

HRT-breast cancer risk stays same, regardless of family history

The risk of developing breast cancer due to taking hormone replacement therapy appears to be the same for women with a family history of the disease and without a family history, a University of Rochester Medical Center study concluded.

19 May 2009

Drinking too much cola causes muscle problems

Doctors have issued a warning about excessive cola consumption after noticing an increase in the number of patients suffering from muscle problems, according to the June issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

19 May 2009

Boston Scientific launches 3rd generation platinum chromium drug-eluting stent

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced the launch of the Platinum chromium Taxus Element Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System in select markets worldwide. The Taxus Element Stent features a new Platinum chromium alloy engineered specifically for coronary stent applications and represents the Company's third-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) technology.

19 May 2009

Obesity appears to play a protective role in heart disease

Being overweight or obese is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors; however, in patients with established CVD, obesity appears to play a protective role.

18 May 2009

New insight into primate eye evolution

Researchers comparing the fetal development of the eye of the owl monkey with that of the capuchin monkey have found that only a minor difference in the timing of cell proliferation can explain the multiple anatomical differences in the two kinds of eyes.

18 May 2009

Protein synaptotagmin-IV helps maintain an efficient brain

The instruction manual for maintaining an efficient brain may soon include a section on synaptotagmin-IV (Syt-IV), a protein known to influence learning and memory, thanks to a study by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

18 May 2009

America’s epidemic of children with type 2 diabetes

With the number of children suffering from type 2 diabetes growing at an alarming rate, physicians gathered Saturday to discuss strategies for prevention and treatment of the disease among children and adolescents at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 18th Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress.

18 May 2009

Study comparing partial and complete smoking bans finds no significant difference in impact on employment

Some cities and states around the country have completely banned smoking in public places. Others have instituted partial bans to avoid negative economic consequences, such as loss of employment in restaurants and bars due to reduced patronage by smokers.

18 May 2009

Mock CPR drills in kids show many residents fail in key skills

Research from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center exposes alarming gaps in training hospital residents in "first response" emergency treatment of staged cardiorespiratory arrests in children, while at the same time offering a potent recipe for fixing the problem.

18 May 2009

Research backs the use of Tasers by police

According to new research from the United States few patients suffered ill effects which warranted them being hospitalised after police used a Taser to subdue them.

18 May 2009

Two new genes decide when a girl starts menstruation

An international team of researchers have identified two genes that are involved in determining when girls begin menstruation.

18 May 2009

Snoring and sleep apnoea damage the brain

Australian researchers have found that the effects of sleep apnoea on the brain of a sleeping patient are far worse than previously thought.

17 May 2009

Discovery of genes that determine when girls start menstruation

Researchers from the Peninsula Medical School, along with collaborators from research institutions across Europe and the United States, have for the first time identified two genes that are involved in determining when girls begin menstruation. The work will be published in Nature Genetics this weekend.

17 May 2009

Pirfenidone shows promise for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

A large, well-controlled, multi-national clinical trial program has demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of what may become the first FDA-approved medicine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF.

17 May 2009

Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight?

Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight? According to new research to be presented on Sunday, May 17, at the American Thoracic Society's 105th International Conference in San Diego, body mass index (BMI) is linked to length and quality of sleep in a surprisingly consistent fashion.

17 May 2009