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Short-term use of selective COX-2 inhibitors may be safe for patients with cirrhosis of the liver

Short-term use of selective COX-2 inhibitors may be safe for patients with cirrhosis of the liver, according to a recent study that compared the effects of celecoxib, naproxen, and a placebo on cirrhotic patients in a double-blind randomized controlled study.

22 Feb 2005

FDA approval of Vaccinia Immune Globulin to treat adverse reactions to smallpox vaccination

Computer Sciences Corporation today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Vaccinia Immune Globulin (VIGIV), an intravenous immune globulin, to treat rare adverse reactions to smallpox vaccination.

22 Feb 2005

People drink less alcohol as they age

A new UCLA study shows that people drink less alcohol as they age--but drinking among those who were born in earlier years showed a faster decline than among people born more recently.

22 Feb 2005

New information that may help guide design of vaccines for HIV-1

Scientists have uncovered new information that may help guide design of vaccines for HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS. A new detailed structural analysis of the complex formed by an anti-HIV antibody called 4E10 and its specific target provides insight into why this particular antibody is so broadly effective, a rare characteristic for HIV discovered thus far.

22 Feb 2005

Research shows preventive effects of cannabinoids on Alzheimer's disease

New research shows that a synthetic analogue of the active component of marijuana may reduce the inflammation and prevent the mental decline associated with Alzheimer's disease.

22 Feb 2005

Antibody that neutralizes most HIV strains

A group of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute and several other institutions has solved the structure of a rare human antibody that broadly neutralizes human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

22 Feb 2005

Researchers have identified a protein called HIF-2a, which is important in retina formation

Hoping to prevent blindness in premature babies, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a protein that responds to oxygen levels in cells and tissues and also affects the developing eye.

22 Feb 2005

Scientists have replicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the laboratory

For the first time, scientists have replicated hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the laboratory. The ability to replicate HCV in cell culture will allow researchers to better study the life cycle and biology of this virus and to test potential antiviral compounds, which may lead to new therapies for the liver disease that results from infection with HCV.

22 Feb 2005

British Medical Association comments on below-average pay rises for doctors

The whole economy average earnings index is currently rising at a rate of 4.5%. Pay rises for doctors, recommended today by the Doctors and Dentists Review Body and accepted by the government, range from 3% to 3.225%

22 Feb 2005

Update on Sudan I contamination

The Food Standards Agency has released an update on food products contaminated with the illegal dye Sudan I.

22 Feb 2005

Don’t believe everything you read on diets

In a society increasingly fixated with body image, we are bombarded with so-called scientific evidence promoting the use of a myriad of diets.

22 Feb 2005

Injections with dirty or contaminated needles are not contributing to the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

Recently, some scientists have suggested that medical injections with contaminated needles were an important, but ignored, factor in the spread of HIV across sub-Saharan Africa. However, research published today in Public Library of Science Medicine shows that injections with dirty needles are not a major source of HIV transmission in rural Zimbabwe.

22 Feb 2005

More girls than boys experienced mental pressure

The latest findings echo a trend identified by policymakers, researchers and practitioners throughout the province which shows a growing number of young people developing mental health problems.

22 Feb 2005

2.5 million euros helps fight liver cancer

The overall project will concentrate on three areas where Europe is in a relatively favourable position compared with the US - human tissue resources, ribonucleic acid (RNA) technology, and structural proteomics. However, the initial focus will be on the development of genomics targets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or liver cancer as it is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide and has a very poor prognosis.

22 Feb 2005

Early diagnosis and treatment is important for children and adolescents with bipolar disorder

"These new guidelines were formulated by a group of leading experts in child psychiatry and are the most up-to-date and comprehensive set of guidelines for the treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar disorder," said Dr. Kowatch. "They represent a major step towards practicing evidence-based medicine in this difficult to treat group of patients.

22 Feb 2005

State-of-the-art computer technology to tackle deadly diseases such as influenza

Researchers at the University of Bath have won a £261,000 grant to use the latest software to produce a blueprint of a designer drug that could stop influenza and some other diseases from replicating in humans.

22 Feb 2005

Study reveals need for change in surgical procedures

IPRO has announced progress in surgical infection prevention after the Archives of Surgery published a study highlighting the need for better, more consistent practices to address infection risk factors.

22 Feb 2005

Lack of magnesium in diet linked to disease

The Gordon Research International Conference on Magnesium was held during the second week in February in Ventura, California, to discuss the research findings on the links between deficiencies in the mineral magnesium and a host of life-threatening diseases, including heart disease and arteriosclerosis.

22 Feb 2005

U.S. Surgeon General urges women who are pregnant to abstain from alcohol

U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona today warned pregnant women and women who may become pregnant to abstain from alcohol consumption in order to eliminate the chance of giving birth to a baby with any of the harmful effects of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

22 Feb 2005

Smple, painless test screens for early-stage colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is currently one of the deadliest forms of cancer -- but also one of the most treatable ... if caught early. There are diagnostic tests on the market today but they typically require extensive patient preparation and invasive procedures -- and often deliver inconclusive results.

22 Feb 2005