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Neurological disorders a global problem

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that neurological disorders, ranging from epilepsy to Alzheimer disease, from stroke to headache, affect up to one billion people worldwide. Neurological disorders also include brain injuries, neuroinfections, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson disease.

27 Feb 2007

Majority of South Africans with HIV have drug resistant TB

Researchers at a conference in Los Angeles have said that as many as 85% of HIV-positive South Africans are also infected with an extensively drug-resistant form of tuberculosis (TB), Extensive Drug Resistant TB (XDR-TB).

27 Feb 2007

Restaurants guilty of sponsoring "extreme eating" say food police

According to a consumer group in the U.S., chain restaurants are guilty of promoting "extreme eating" by offering patrons dishes loaded with calories.

27 Feb 2007

Bird flu in Kuwait

Health officials in Kuwait have confirmed 20 cases of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in the small oil-rich state.

27 Feb 2007

Update on investigation of workers involved in the Holton avian flu outbreak

Britain's Health Protection Agency (HPA) has now completed the first stage of the public health follow up in relation to the outbreak of avian flu on a poultry farm in Holton, Suffolk.

27 Feb 2007

Drug industry influences breast cancer research

Breast cancer treatment trials supported by the pharmaceutical industry are more likely to report positive results than non-sponsored studies, according to a study to be published in the April 1, 2007 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

27 Feb 2007

Research suggests a significant circadian rhythm in swim performance lasting 2-4 minutes

A new study investigating the potential of a circadian rhythm in athletic performance adds further confirmation that it exists. The finding is being published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, one of 11 peer reviewed scientific publications issued monthly by the American Physiological Society (APS).

27 Feb 2007

Metabolic response to colitis varies depending upon whether inflammation is chronic or acute

A new study being published by the American Physiological Society finds that the body responds differently to colitis (inflammation of the colon) based on whether the disease is acute (sharp and brief) or chronic (long-term).

27 Feb 2007

Garlic does not lower LDL cholesterol

Three forms of garlic - including raw garlic and two types of commercial garlic supplements - did not significantly reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol during a six-month trial, according to results published in the February 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

27 Feb 2007

Aspirin offers help for Barrett's esophagus

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have found that people with the most-aggressive form of Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition that can lead to esophageal cancer, may benefit the most from preventive therapy with aspirin, ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs.

27 Feb 2007

Smoking increases risk of tuberculosis infection

People who smoke have a greater risk of becoming infected with tuberculosis (TB) and of having that infection turn into active TB disease, according to an analysis by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

27 Feb 2007

Usefulness of C-reactive protein test questioned

Researchers with Dartmouth Medical School and the Veterans Affairs Outcomes Group at the White River Junction (Vt.) VA Medical Center are questioning the usefulness of the C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test for guiding decisions about the use of cholesterol-lowering medication.

27 Feb 2007

New method for rapid diagnosis of intestinal illnesses

Academics have found, for the first time, smells from healthy faeces and people with infectious diarrhoea differ significantly in their chemical composition and could be used to diagnose quickly diseases such as Clostridium difficile (C. Diff.).

27 Feb 2007

Psychological depression contributes to worse medical outcomes for patients with heart failure

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is marked by the inability of the heart muscle to pump enough oxygen and nutrients in the blood to the body's tissues.

27 Feb 2007

Depression linked with a specific autoantibody and central nervous system dysfunction in lupus

Systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE), often simply called lupus, is a complex autoimmune disease marked by joint pain, skin rashes, extreme fatigue, and depression, among other symptoms.

27 Feb 2007

Influence of inflammatory polyarthritis on cancer incidence and survival

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease, have a high risk of death from disease - at least double the risk of the general population, studies overwhelmingly show. Evidence has been less clear on whether RA patients are exceptionally vulnerable to dying from cancer.

27 Feb 2007

Delaying sex can have positive effects for adolescents

Teens who start having sex significantly earlier than their peers also show higher rates of delinquency in later years, new research shows.

27 Feb 2007

First 3-D structure from key influenza protein revealed

In 1918, 50 million people died during a worldwide influenza pandemic caused by mutation of a bird-specific strain of the influenza virus. Recently H5N1, another highly infectious avian strain has caused outbreaks of bird flu around the world.

27 Feb 2007

Gene therapy shows promise as treatment for diseased lower limbs at risk for amputation

New research suggests that gene therapy is a safe treatment method to explore in patients whose lower limbs are at risk for amputation because of poor circulation caused by blocked blood vessels.

27 Feb 2007

Single-slice magnetic resonance imaging reveals 'hidden' fat that puts adolescents at risk for disease

According to a new study featured in the March issue of Radiology, single-slice magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a fast, non-invasive way to measure intra-abdominal fat, which when excessive, may put children and teenagers at risk for developing heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

27 Feb 2007