Liver News and Research

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Health policy for men in the pipeline

Plans are in the pipeline to raise awareness of health issues which affect men in particular.

9 Jun 2008

Alcohol halves the risk of rheumatoid arthritis

Research from scientists in Sweden has found that drinking alcohol halves the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

5 Jun 2008

Legal action proposed against parents who let children drink alcohol at home

The British Government is considering proposals which could include legal action against parents who allow their children to drink alcohol at home.

3 Jun 2008

How the cholesterol-lowering drug ezetimibe (Zetia) works

A new study in the June issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, sheds light on the action of the drug ezetimibe (trade name Zetia), which is used to treat high cholesterol. Ezetimibe is unique among cholesterol-lowering drugs in that it works by cutting the amount of cholesterol taken in from the diet rather than by blocking cholesterol's manufacture in the body.

3 Jun 2008

Chronic inflammation of the intestine or stomach damages DNA

Chronic inflammation of the intestine or stomach can damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer, MIT scientists have confirmed.

2 Jun 2008

More aggressive hospital care does not lead to improved patient outcomes in all cases, study finds

More aggressive hospital care -- such as higher numbers of tests and procedures and longer stays -- does not lead to improved patient outcomes in all cases, according to a study released on Thursday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.

30 May 2008

Discovery of potential target for elevated triglycerides

Diabetes researchers at the John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC have identified a potential target for the development of new therapies to treat hypertriglyceridemia, a lipid disorder commonly seen in people who are obese and diabetic. Results of their study are published in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

26 May 2008

Why do some heavy drinkers develop mouth and throat cancers while others do not?

A study by researchers in Europe has revealed why some heavy drinkers develop mouth and throat cancers while others do not and also why some people get drunk quickly.

26 May 2008

Sea buckthorn berries may ward off liver disease

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in anti-oxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research due to be published in the Society of Chemical Industry's (SCI) Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

25 May 2008

Study finds increased risk of some cancers among HIV-positive people in U.S.

HIV-positive people in the U.S., many of whom are living longer because of antiretroviral drugs, are at an increased risk for certain types of cancers, according to a study published Tuesday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Reuters reports.

22 May 2008

DNA modification seen in colorectal tumors helps predict outcomes, John Wayne Cancer Institute researchers find

An international study led by researchers at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center has found that modifications to DNA found on multiple chromosomes in tumors can help to predict outcomes in patients with early-stage rectal cancer.

21 May 2008

Rifampin provides new way to treat latent tuberculosis

A new way to treat patients with latent tuberculosis (TB), who are infected with TB but without symptoms, can effectively treat it in less than half the time and at a lower cost than the current standard treatment, according to researchers who conducted a multi-center, randomized controlled trial. The results will be presented at the American Thoracic Society's 2008 International Conference in Toronto on Tuesday, May 20.

20 May 2008

Dendrimers improve imaging with magnetic nanoparticles

Dendrimers are spherical polymer nanoparticles that have shown promise as targeted anticancer drug delivery vehicles. Iron oxide nanoparticles have already demonstrated the ability to image tumors and metastatic lesions.

20 May 2008

Warning about lack of attention given to hepatitis

A report by the World Hepatitis Alliance has called for an increased focus on hepatitis and says the disease should be given the same attention as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

20 May 2008

Investigational smallpox drug may treat adenovirus infections in humans

Scientists at Saint Louis University have made two key discoveries that could lead to the first-ever human testing of a drug to target the adenovirus, which causes a number of severe upper-respiratory infections and is one of many viruses that causes the common cold.

19 May 2008

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals to present data on Ortataxel in breast cancer at major oncology meeting

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc., will present Phase 2 data on ortataxel at the 44th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting being held May 30 to June 3, 2008 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois.

19 May 2008

Ashwell receptor plays key role in reducing coagulation abnormalities during infection and sepsis

In research that solves the longest-standing mystery in glycobiology - a field that studies complex sugar chains called glycans - researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a molecule in the liver of all animals, called the Ashwell receptor, is critical in helping the body fight off the abnormal and lethal blood clotting caused by bacterial infection.

19 May 2008

New dimension discovered in body clock rhythm

Research on what makes the body clock tick has led Dr Michael Hastings of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge to discover a new and unanticipated cog in the human body clock. A patent for the compound involved has been filed by MRC Technology. The results, published in Science, could lead to therapies for people whose sleep is disrupted by shift work or old age.

18 May 2008

Washington Post examines lack of health care for undocumented immigrants in detention centers

The Washington Post as part of a four-day series, titled "Careless Detention," is examining how some immigrants to the U.S. do not receive needed health care while in immigration detention centers.

13 May 2008