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Computer model for osteoporosis diagnostics

Osteoporosis, a common age-related disease, is being investigated by a group of biomechanical engineers at Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna).

23 Jan 2008

Gene therapy promises relief from chronic pain

Researchers in the U.S. have discovered that chronic pain can be successfully treated with a new gene therapy technique.

22 Jan 2008

Study suggests link between genetic basis of height and arthritis

In studies involving more than 35,000 people and a survey across the entire human genome, an international team supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found evidence that common genetic variants recently linked to osteoarthritis may also play a minor role in human height.

14 Jan 2008

Etanercept drug reverses early symptoms of Alzheimer's in 10 minutes

Scientists in the U.S. say a drug which can reverse some of the early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease takes effect within 10 minutes.

14 Jan 2008

New folic acid seal helps women choose enriched grain foods to help prevent birth defects

Not enough American women understand that consuming the B vitamin folic acid every day can help prevent serious birth defects, and only 40 percent are taking daily multivitamin supplements containing this essential nutrient beginning before pregnancy, two recent surveys show.

14 Jan 2008

New study highlights importance soluble proteins, called cytokines, in Alzheimer's

An extraordinary new scientific study, which for the first time documents marked improvement in Alzheimer's disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule, has just been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation .

10 Jan 2008

Study examines genetic defects linked to body abnormalities in patients with childhood cancer

Children with cancer have a higher prevalence of body abnormalities, such as asymmetric lower limbs and curvature of the spine, suggesting that the genetic defect responsible for the abnormality may play a role in the development of cancer, according to a study in the January 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Jan 2008

$Osteoporosis in women - previous vertebral fracture equals increased long-term risk for new fracture$

Osteoporosis in women - previous vertebral fracture equals increased long-term risk for new fracture

Over a 15 year period, women with low bone mineral density and a previous vertebral fracture had an increased risk of a new vertebral fracture compared to women with normal bone mineral density and no previous fracture, according to a study in the December 19 issue of JAMA.

20 Dec 2007

Genetic link to spina bifida discovered

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston have discovered an association between genes regulating glucose metabolism and spina bifida.

20 Dec 2007

$Bone mineral density test predicts 'silent' spinal fractures years later$

Bone mineral density test predicts 'silent' spinal fractures years later

A single bone mineral density (BMD) test given 15 years earlier predicted a woman's risk of developing fractures to her spine over time, according to the largest and longest prospective study of osteoporosis.

20 Dec 2007

Researchers initiate gene therapy trial in patients with advanced skin cancer

Researchers at the Ireland Cancer Center of University Hospitals Case Medical Center are the first in the region to have joined a nationwide clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a gene therapy in patients with advanced melanoma which is aimed to help a patient ' s own immune system fight their cancer.

18 Dec 2007

Effectiveness and risks of six bisphosphonates for osteoporosis

Many medications reduce the risk of bone fractures in people with osteoporosis, but the most commonly used drugs - bisphosphonates - have not been proven more effective than alternatives, according to a new report funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

18 Dec 2007

Study looks at denosumab in preventing bone loss caused by aromatase inhibitors

Denosumab is a new drug being studied to prevent fractures in breast cancer patients receiving hormonal therapy.

17 Dec 2007

Adapting to pregnancy played key role in human evolution

The human spine evolved differently in males and females in order to alleviate back pressure from the weight of carrying a baby, according to research spearheaded at The University of Texas at Austin.

14 Dec 2007

Cervical collars superior in immobilization and reduction of pressure

Ossur, an emerging leader in the non-invasive orthopaedics market following several acquisitions and a period of integration, has announced that the Journal of Trauma has published the long-awaited results of a two year cervical collar study performed by the Mayo Clinic.

13 Dec 2007

Female lower back has evolved to accommodate the weight of pregnancy

When a pregnant woman leans back, and shifts her weight to stand more comfortably, she is performing a motion that for millions of years has helped to compensate for the strain and weight of childbearing on the body.

13 Dec 2007

New radiotherapy system benefits high-risk patients

A new radiotherapy system that combines high-tech imaging with precision tumor-targeting capability is helping cancer specialists at Stony Brook University Medical Center treat patients.

10 Dec 2007

$Osteoporosis linked to depression and responsible for more fractures than first thought$