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Study looks at the role of metformin as possible anti-tumor agent

Metformin, the common first-line drug for type 2 diabetes, may be effective in increasing pathologic complete response rates in diabetic women with early stage breast cancer who took the drug during chemotherapy prior to having surgery, paving the way for further research of the drug as a potential cancer therapy, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

2 Jun 2008

Happy children may not be best learners

Psychologists at the University of Virginia and the University of Plymouth (UK) have conducted experimental research that contrasts with the belief that happy children are the best learners.

2 Jun 2008

Risk factors for eating disorders in children

Risk factors for binge eating and purging may vary between boys and girls and by age group in girls, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 Jun 2008

Drinking juice not associated with overweight and obesity in children

Children who drink 100-percent juice are no more likely to be overweight and may have a better overall nutrient intake than children who do not drink juice, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 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

New approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome

A new approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome (USH1), the most common condition affecting both sight and hearing, will be unveiled by a scientist at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics tomorrow (Tuesday 3 June).

2 Jun 2008

Celldex Therapeutics vaccine may double survival in patients with deadly brain tumors

A vaccine aimed at inducing immunity to the most common and deadly type of brain tumor may stave off recurrence and more than double survival in patients, according to a new study led by researchers in Duke's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.

2 Jun 2008

New approach to treating autoimmune disease offered by Weizmann scientists

In autoimmune diseases, the immune system turns against the body's own tissues and organs, wreaking havoc and destruction for no apparent reason. Partly because the origins of these diseases are so obscure, no effective treatment exists, and the suffering they inflict is enormous.

2 Jun 2008

New genetic mutations involved in inflammatory intestinal disorders discovered

The discovery of new genetic mutations involved in inflammatory intestinal disorders could lead to a better understanding of these common conditions, two scientists told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Monday 2 June).

2 Jun 2008

Functional Electrical Stimulation may benefit people with Parkinson's

The use of electrical impulses to stimulate weak or paralyzed muscles, called Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES), is often used to help stroke or multiple sclerosis patients to walk.

2 Jun 2008

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may shrink brain's hippocampus and amygdala

Long-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Jun 2008

Sugar-sweetened beverages may be contributing to increasing obesity rates

A recent study published in Pediatrics and led by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an increasingly large part of children and teens' diets.

2 Jun 2008

People who are obese may be more likely to become depressed

A major review in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice reveals that research indicates people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed, and people who are depressed may be more likely to become obese.

2 Jun 2008

Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation publishes groundbreaking scientific papers

The first scientific papers outlining the progress made on the Product Quality Lifecycle Implementation (PQLI) initiative are being published in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation (JPI).

2 Jun 2008

Bipolar disorder in adolescents is a huge risk factor for smoking and substance abuse

A study from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) supports previous reports that adolescents with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for smoking and substance abuse.

2 Jun 2008

Gemcitabine with bevacizumab and radiotherapy safe for pancreatic cancer patients

Treating pancreatic cancer with a combination of chemotherapy, biotherapy and radiotherapy prior to surgery is safe and may be beneficial for patients, according to a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) study presented at the 44th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago.

2 Jun 2008

Distinct clusters of genetic markers linked to treatment responses for smoking cessation

Scientists have identified distinct clusters of genetic markers associated with the likelihood of success or failure of two smoking cessation treatments, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and the medication bupropion (Zyban). This study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was published in the June issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Jun 2008

New model predicts whether patients will be free of renal cancer 12 years after initial treatment

A UT Southwestern Medical Center physician and other researchers have developed a unique statistical model that predicts the probability of a patient being cancer free 12 years after initial surgical treatment.

2 Jun 2008

Improving palliative care

Palliative care clinicians are increasingly faced with the problem of treating a wider range of diseases, and treating patients in all settings, not just in hospices or specialist units. This has created new challenges in the treatment of symptoms, which in turn creates a need for new research and practical recommendations to help palliative care clinicians and improve patient care.

2 Jun 2008

By-products of water chlorination linked to birth defects

Drinking water disinfected by chlorine while pregnant may increase the risk of having children with heart problems, cleft palate or major brain defects, according to a study published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Environmental Health.

2 Jun 2008