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Mutations within a conservative region of hepatitis C virus affect therapy

At least 200 million individuals are currently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide.

30 Mar 2009

Multiple sclerosis associated with lower cancer risk overall

A new study shows that people with multiple sclerosis may be at a lower risk for cancer overall, but at a higher risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as brain tumors and bladder cancer.

30 Mar 2009

Microfluidic Systems granted U.S. patent for automated microfluidic DNA separation cartridge

Microfluidic Systems, a privately-held company, announced today that they were granted US patent number 7,491,527 for an automated microfluidic DNA separation cartridge.

30 Mar 2009

Mice and men should have more in common in clinical trials

Just as no two humans are the same, a Purdue University scientist has shown treating mice more as individuals in laboratory testing cuts down on erroneous results and could significantly reduce the cost of drug development.

30 Mar 2009

Melatonin may be served as a potential anti-fibrotic drug

In China, the incidence of liver cirrhosis is still high. Liver cirrhosis results from fibrosis. If treated properly at fibrosis stage, cirrhosis can be prevented.

30 Mar 2009

Low-income families with sick children often enrolled in high-deductible health care plans

High-deductible health plans are increasingly used by healthy people who are unlikely to incur high medical expenses.

30 Mar 2009

White light-activated antibacterial coating - new weapon in fight against superbugs

A new hard coating with antibacterial properties that has been tested by researchers at the UCL Eastman Dental Institute has been shown to kill 99.9% of Escherichia coli bacteria when a white hospital light was shone on its surface to activate it.

30 Mar 2009

Retention is part of the answer to the nursing shortage

A new research study, published in the March/April issue of the journal Nursing Economics, has determined what factors can help keep new nurses from leaving their jobs and - in doing so - save health systems money.

30 Mar 2009

Is transforming growth factor-beta involved in intestinal wound healing?

Migration of colonic lamina propria fibroblasts (CLPF) plays an important role during the progression of fibrosis and fistulae in Crohn's disease.

30 Mar 2009

Intestinal parasites significantly reduce immune response to the cholera toxin

Cholera patients also infected with parasitic intestinal worms have a significantly reduced immune response to the cholera toxin, according to a report published March 31st in the open-access journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

30 Mar 2009

Intercell receives FDA approval of IXIARO, novel vaccine for Japanese encephalitis

Intercell AG (VSE: ICLL) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved IXIARO(R), a new vaccine for the prevention of Japanese Encephalitis (JE).

30 Mar 2009

Improving cancer therapy achieved through taste, odor intervention

Cancer and its therapies, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, may directly alter and damage taste and odor perception, possibly leading to patient malnutrition, and in severe cases, significant morbidity, according to a Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center compilation of various existing studies.

30 Mar 2009

Hundreds of published studies on natural selection may have drawn incorrect conclusions

Scientists at Penn State and the National Institute of Genetics in Japan have demonstrated that several statistical methods commonly used by biologists to detect natural selection at the molecular level tend to produce incorrect results.

30 Mar 2009

New model helps predict risk of new onset heart failure in the elderly

Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine created the Health ABC Heart Failure Model for predicting risk of new onset heart failure in the elderly.

30 Mar 2009

Regular handwashing more important than isolation in controlling MRSA infection

Regular handwashing by hospital staff and visitors did more to prevent the spread of the MRSA superbug than isolating infected patients.

30 Mar 2009

Eye cells believed to be retinal stem cells are misidentified

Cells isolated from the eye that many scientists believed were retinal stem cells are, in fact, normal adult cells, investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have found.

30 Mar 2009

Environment plays role in hypoplastic left heart syndrome

A congenital heart disease that often leads to death in newborns is significantly more common during the summer, leading researchers to believe that the environment, and not just genes that affect the heart, may play a role in causing "mini-epidemics" of this disease.

30 Mar 2009

Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan allows Merck's appeal

Merck Frosst Canada Ltd. has learned that the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan has issued a decision allowing Merck's appeal and quashing an order of the Court of Queen's Bench that had certified a class proceeding on behalf of Canadian residents of all provinces except Quebec who purchased or ingested VIOXX.

30 Mar 2009

Community spread of trachoma could be stopped by treating all household members

All members of the household need to be treated for trachoma in order to prevent rapid re-infection, according to a new study published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

30 Mar 2009

Typical Western diet is a recipe for colon cancer

A typical Western diet, rich in meat and fats and low in complex carbohydrates, is a recipe for colon cancer, Professor Stephen O'Keefe from the University of Pittsburgh, USA, told the Society for General Microbiology meeting at Harrogate today (Tuesday 31 March).

30 Mar 2009