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Using American diplomacy to fight NTDs

In a PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases editorial, Peter Hotez of the Sabin Vaccine Institute outlines the diplomatic benefits of fighting NTDs in developing countries. He discusses why the State Department and USAID should be involved and outlines how they could work to expand NTD control.

1 Jul 2011

Resveratrol may prevent negative effects of spaceflight and sedentary lifestyles

As strange as it sounds, a new research study published in the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), suggests that the "healthy" ingredient in red wine, resveratrol, may prevent the negative effects that spaceflight and sedentary lifestyles have on people.

1 Jul 2011

IOM report highlights need for changes in pain management

Defining pain as "a major public health problem," the Institute of Medicine offered recommendations to make systemic and cultural changes in how pain could either be prevented or managed better.

1 Jul 2011

New book explores extraordinary progress against cancer

A new book looking at the extraordinary progress being made to fight cancer titled Why Millions Survive Cancer has been written by Dr Lauren Pecorino, Principal Lecturer in Cancer Biology at the University of Greenwich.

1 Jul 2011

Study identifies key virus-sensing mechanism necessary for successful immune response against HIV

Although our body's defense mechanisms are usually capable of detecting and destroying many types of pathogens, some viruses are able to evade the immune system and make us sick. In particular, "retroviruses," such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are notorious for eluding host immune defenses and causing disease.

1 Jul 2011

Women more likely to survive after major gastrointestinal surgeries than men

In the first study to consider the impact of gender on patient outcomes in major gastrointestinal surgeries, researchers at UC San Diego Health System have found that women are more likely to survive after the procedure than men.

1 Jul 2011

Women's rights becoming 'cornerstone' of U.S. foreign policy

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is spearheading a quiet revolution in progressive foreign policy by making the empowerment of women and advancement of their rights a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy," Peter Juul, a policy analyst at American Progress, writes in a post on the American Progress National Security Strategy issue page, before listing multiple programs, including GHI and Feed the Future, that have incorporated women's rights into their core values.

1 Jul 2011

Study links foot positioning during running and walking with risk of ankle sprains

The position of the foot just before ground contact during running and walking may put people at risk for ankle sprains, according to a new study published by a University of Georgia kinesiology researcher.

1 Jul 2011

Men better than women at visuo-spatial and auditory-spatial tasks

Differences in male and female behaviour are often subject to study. Women are known to be more verbally fluent, have better manual dexterity and are better at noticing things (like a new haircut). Men on the other hand often take less time parking their cars and have less trouble than women in navigating in a new city.

1 Jul 2011

African health experts visit Capitol Hill to discuss family planning

The Global Health Council's "Global Health" blog published two articles on Wednesday examining family planning in West Africa.

1 Jul 2011

Academy opposes legislation to repeal indoor tanning tax

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (Academy) opposes recent legislation to repeal the federal 10 percent indoor tanning tax. Countless scientific studies continue to demonstrate clear and compelling evidence that tanning bed use increases the risk of developing all forms of skin cancer.

1 Jul 2011

New book explores research into viral nanoparticles

Viruses that attack plants, insects, mammals and bacteria are proving effective platforms for delivering medicines and imaging chemicals to specific cells in the body, as building blocks for tiny battery electrodes and computer data storage devices, and other nanotechnologies.

1 Jul 2011

Health law's cost and coverage issues draw attention

In an exclusive report, the Associated Press notes an unintended consequence of that health law — some older adults could pay sharply different amounts for private health insurance. Meanwhile, CQ HealthBeat reports on some recent developments in the policy debate over the health law's maintenance-of-effort provisions.

1 Jul 2011

Two defective genes may cause telomere elongations in cancer cells: Study

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have provided more clues to one of the least understood phenomena in some cancers: why the "ends caps" of cellular DNA, called telomeres, lengthen instead of shorten.

1 Jul 2011

UAB receives $31.7M award for Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions

The University of Alabama at Birmingham has received a five-year, $31.7 million award for its Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions (ATN), formed in 2001 to respond to the HIV epidemic in youth.

1 Jul 2011

Genetic mutations in abnormal bone marrow can predict mortality of MDS patients

For patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), choosing the appropriate treatment depends heavily on the prognosis. Those patients at the highest risk of dying from their disease are typically offered the most aggressive therapies, while patients at lower risk could live several years with MDS, needing only supportive care or other relatively side-effect free treatments.

1 Jul 2011

Longer looks: A Medicare compromise; improving mental health policies

Sen. Joe Lieberman has found an ally for the middle-of-the-road Medicare reform proposal he laid out a few weeks ago. On Tuesday, the independent Senator from Connecticut and conservative Republican Tom Coburn unveiled a tweaked version of Lieberman's plan.

1 Jul 2011

USA Today: New study shows wide variation in health costs

Patients pay as much as 683 percent more for the same medical procedures, such as MRIs or CT scans, in the same town, depending on which doctor they choose, according to a new study by a national health care group.

1 Jul 2011

Scientists discover enzyme that can regulate breast cancer development

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified an enzyme that appears to be a significant regulator of breast cancer development. Called PTPN23, the enzyme is a member of a family called protein tyrosine phosphatases, or PTPs, that plays a fundamental role in switching cell signaling on and off.

1 Jul 2011

Research sheds light on well-documented 'other-race effect'

Northwestern University researchers have provided new biological evidence suggesting that the brain works differently when memorizing the face of a person from one's own race than when memorizing a face from another race.

1 Jul 2011