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Israeli developed fruit called pomelit, lowers blood cholesterol

People who eat the Israeli-developed fruit known in Hebrew as pomelit (a cross between a grapefruit and a pomelo) or drink its juice regularly will be able to lower their blood cholesterol and increase their blood antioxidant activity, thus improving their chances of preventing blocked heart arteries and heart attacks, says a researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

30 Nov 2004

Potential vaccine for the deadly toxin ricin

A potential vaccine for the deadly toxin ricin, a "Category B" biological agent, will enter the first phase of clinical testing in coming weeks at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

30 Nov 2004

Adding a commonly used dietary supplement to antidepressants may improve treatment

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have found that adding the nutritional supplement SAMe to a standard antidepressant may be helpful to patients who have not responded to single-drug treatment for clinical depression.

30 Nov 2004

Citrus fruits offer promise in fighting childhood cancer

Orange juice and cancer don't mix. In fact, the popular citrus drink could become a cocktail to prevent or stop the deadly disease in humans.

30 Nov 2004

Having a job reduces likelihood of drug use

It's said that "idle hands are the devil's workshop." A pair of University of Houston professors studying employment and drug use now provide support for that proverb.

30 Nov 2004

Key molecule helps identify renal cell carcinoma

Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a key molecule that lets doctors identify one of the most aggressive types of kidney cancer. Patients with renal cell carcinoma who have higher levels of a molecule known as B7-H1 in their tumors are nearly five times more likely to die from the disease than patients with low levels or an absence of the molecule.

30 Nov 2004

Biopharmaceuticals industry, a rapidly growing sector within the pharmaceuticals industry

Global manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals has increased significantly over the last decade due to a number of reasons. Biopharmaceuticals offer several advantages such as highly effective and potent action, fewer side effects and the potential to actually cure diseases rather than merely treat the symptoms.

30 Nov 2004

Simple and inexpensive interventions can cut the number of catheter-related bloodstream infections

As many as 28,000 patients die each year in the U.S. because of catheter-related bloodstream infections, but doctors and nurses who implement simple and inexpensive interventions can cut the number of deaths to nearly zero, according to a study by Johns Hopkins researchers.

30 Nov 2004

African-Americans and the poor with work-related back injuries clearly fare worse

African-Americans with work-related back injuries have less money spent on their medical care and receive less compensation for their injuries than Caucasians, according to a Saint Louis University study in the December issue of Pain.

30 Nov 2004

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy may prove to be the definitive diagnostic test for bipolar disorder

Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy may prove to be the definitive diagnostic test for bipolar disorder, a serious brain illness characterized by an alternating pattern of extreme emotional highs and lows, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

30 Nov 2004

Cryotherapy and MRI shows tumors freezing in real time

Cryotherapy combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is giving doctors unprecedented control during liver cancer treatment by allowing them to observe the tumors freezing in real time, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

30 Nov 2004

New simple medical alarm

The idea is simple. If you need help, simply press one button and be connected to a live Personal Assistant standing by just for your call anytime or anywhere.

29 Nov 2004

Type 1 diabetes could be prevented by a new nasal insulin vaccine

A world-leading medical trial conducted in Melbourne suggests that the onset of type 1 diabetes could be prevented in many at-risk people by a new nasal insulin vaccine.

29 Nov 2004

Venom from one of the world’s deadliest snakes is being developed as a new drug to treat heart failure

“The team has isolated a unique set of active molecules from Taipan venom and research shows they are extremely effective at easing the heart’s workload,” he said.

29 Nov 2004

Astronaut's eyes may become windows on the bloodstream

Our eyes may become more than windows of the soul if a multidisciplinary team of University of Michigan researchers succeeds with a clever combination of nanoparticles and ultrafast pulsed laser to see individual cells as they zip past in the bloodstream.

29 Nov 2004

Viral Genetics announces effects of VGV-1 in antiretroviral non-responding HIV infections

Viral Genetics announced today that the results of a clinical trial of its investigational therapy for HIV infection, VGV-1, were recently published in a peer reviewed journal, HIV & AIDS Review.

29 Nov 2004

Botox reduces pain and spasms during breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Botox, known for reducing wrinkles, also can be used to reduce pain and spasms during breast reconstruction after mastectomy, according to results of a recent University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) study.

29 Nov 2004

Nurses struggle to cope with violent patients

Nurses who bottle up anger triggered by a violent incident at work are more likely to become nervous, worn out and depressed, a team of psychologists at The University of Nottingham has found.

29 Nov 2004

Anti-bird flu contingency measures for Hong Kong

Anti-bird flu contingency measures, including a proposal to separate poultry from humans and a series of traffic and logistics measures will be discussed at Hong Kong's Legislative Council's Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene Panel meeting next month.

29 Nov 2004

Scientists warn of urban malaria in Africa and South East Asia

Scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are alerting the world to what they see as a new emerging tropical disease - that of urban malaria in Africa and South East Asia.

29 Nov 2004