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Ivermectin is causing genetic selection in river blindness parasite

Ivermectin, the standard drug for treating river blindness (onchocerciasis), is causing genetic changes in the parasite that causes the disease, according to a new study by Roger Prichard (McGill University, Canada) and colleagues, published on August 30, 2007 in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

30 Aug 2007

New generation of implanted heart-assisting pumps help patients survive, regain function til transplant

A new generation of implanted heart-assisting pump does very well at helping severely ill heart-failure patients survive, and thrive, until they receive a heart transplant, a new study shows.

30 Aug 2007

1,000 strains of mice that feature the genetic diversity of the world population

Mice that are part of the Collaborative Cross project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are helping scientists around the world learn more about possible causes of drug abuse, diabetes, sleep disorders, stress and pain, kidney disease and a number of other conditions that affect millions of people.

30 Aug 2007

Case report on a shining significance in living donor transplantation

Touching stories of living donor transplantation are continuously happening in hospitals.

30 Aug 2007

Autophagy-induced signals are essential for normal development

A cannibalistic process called autophagy spurs dying embryonic stem cells to send "eat me" and "come get me" signals to have their corpses purged, a last gasp that paves the way for normal mammalian development, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

30 Aug 2007

Researchers discover what makes lymphomas tick

University of Pennsylvania researchers and their colleagues at the Wistar Institute and University of Oxford have discovered the molecular process by which the PAX5 protein, necessary for lymphocyte development, promotes the growth of common lymphomas, thereby unveiling a potential new target in the fight against cancer.

30 Aug 2007

Biologic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and the risk of cancer

The relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease marked by chronic inflammation of the joints and tissue surrounding vital organs, and the incidence of cancer is complicated.

30 Aug 2007

FDA should amend the product information for irinotecan

Not everyone needs a genetic test before taking the cancer drug irinotecan, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should modify its prescription guidelines to say so, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

29 Aug 2007

Fingolimod shows promise in 2 lethal leukemias

A new study suggests that an experimental drug being tested for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and to prevent organ rejection might also help people with certain deadly forms of chronic and acute leukemia.

29 Aug 2007

Hypnosis before breast cancer surgery shows benefits

The use of hypnosis prior to breast cancer surgery reduced the amount of anesthesia administered during the operation, the level of pain reported afterwards, and the time and cost of the procedure, according to a study published online August 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute .

29 Aug 2007

High-risk behaviors among injection drug users in Afghanistan

In a report that is among the first to describe the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis B and C viruses in Afghanistan, a researcher from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine voiced concerns that increasing injection drug use and accompanying high-risk behavior could lead to an HIV epidemic in Afghanistan.

29 Aug 2007

Gamma globulin effective treatment for pinkeye

Gamma globulin, a type of antibody isolated from blood samples that used to be routinely given to health care workers and international travelers to protect them from infectious diseases, is a highly effective treatment for pinkeye with little apparent toxicity, according to a study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

29 Aug 2007

Seroquel XR tablets approved in Netherlands for the treatment of schizophrenia

AstraZeneca today announced the Netherlands regulatory authority MEB (Medicines Evaluation Board) has approved Seroquel XR (quetiapine fumarate) Extended-Release Tablets, a once-daily medicine for the treatment of schizophrenia in adult patients.

29 Aug 2007

GSK supports emphasis on asthma control in treatment guidelines

New asthma treatment guidelines issued today urge healthcare professionals to first assess the severity of a patient's asthma to determine and administer initial treatment and then obtain regular assessments of the patient's level of asthma control.

29 Aug 2007

Split-bolus MDCT urography technique for evaluating the urinary tract system reduces radiation dose

The split-bolus (cross sectional imaging) MDCT urography technique reduces both radiation dose and number of images produced, according to a recent study conducted by radiologists from Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, CA and VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, CA.

29 Aug 2007

Circulating fats kill transplanted pancreas cells

Dietary restrictions or other strategies that limit fat formation might make pancreatic cell transplants more effective, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.

29 Aug 2007

China: The aging giant

China's efforts to control population growth in the present may cause problems for the county's senior citizens in the future.

29 Aug 2007

Do schools need emergency response equipment to deal with heart attacks?

A study by researchers in the U.S. has found that the incidence of heart attacks on school property is rare, and when it does occur most of the victims are adults.

29 Aug 2007

Limited human-to-human spread of Avian-flu virus in Indonesia in 2006 confirmed

In the first systematic, statistical analysis of its kind, infectious-disease-modeling experts at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center confirm that the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in 2006 spread between a small number of people within a family in Indonesia.

28 Aug 2007

AIDS Healthcare Foundation names new chief of medicine: Homayoon Khanlou, M.D.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today announced that it is has named Homayoon Khanlou, M.D. as its Chief of Medicine, U.S. Prior to assuming his new role as Chief, Dr. Khanlou served as AHF's Associate Director of Medicine, Regional Medical Director of Western Region while also holding the posts of AHF's Associate Director of Research and the Medical Director and attending physician for the San Fernando Valley and Antelope Valley Healthcare Centers. Dr. Khanlou has also served as Chair of the Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee at AHF.

28 Aug 2007