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Neck surgeons brush up on West Nile virus

Neck Surgery Foundation Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, being held September 19-22, 2004, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City, NY.

17 Sep 2004

Crohn’s disease may be caused by same bacterium that causes Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cattle, sheep, and goats

A study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggests that Crohn’s disease may be caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), the same bacterium that causes a similar intestinal disorder (known as Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease) in cattle, sheep, and goats.

17 Sep 2004

Coronary angioplasty within 24 hours of medical therapy could improve the outcome for heart-attack patients

Results of a randomised trial in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest that a more aggressive approach involving coronary angioplasty soon after anticlotting medical therapy is safe and could offer a better prognosis than more conservative treatment for patients who have had heart attack.

17 Sep 2004

Study highlights relationship between schizophrenia and suicide in China

The potential relationship of two important public health problems for China—schizophrenia and suicide—is highlighted by an epidemiological study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

17 Sep 2004

Well-rested, refreshed doctors are as important for patient well-being as awake and alert pilots are for safe aviation

Vital rest rooms for junior doctors have been reopened following a sit-in by doctors and pressure from the BMA.

17 Sep 2004

Poverty not linked to winter deaths in elderly

Although Britain has a large burden of excess winter deaths, this study suggests that policies to relieve fuel poverty alone may only be partially successful.

17 Sep 2004

Israeli clinicians keen on using placebos in treating patients

Three out of five Israeli clinicians report using placebos – inactive treatments or drugs – in treating patients, despite the medical profession's official disapproval of their use, say the authors of a BMJ Online First paper this week.

17 Sep 2004

Hib infection on the rise in children despite vaccination programme

Cases of the Hib infection (haemophilus influenzae type b) among children and adults have risen in recent years, despite a vaccination programme which initially proved successful, say researchers in this week's BMJ.

17 Sep 2004

Toxicology is far from robust and based on flawed evidence

The science of measuring drug levels in the blood after death is far from robust and based on flawed evidence - leading to likely miscarraiges of justice and conspiracy theories, say forensic scientists in this week's BMJ.

17 Sep 2004

Consumption of milk seems to be evaporating

Just as the milkman disappeared from America’s cultural horizon, the consumption of milk seems to be evaporating, replaced by more — and more super-sizing — soda drinkers.

17 Sep 2004

Early drinking means a greater likelihood of problem drinking later in life

The likelihood of alcohol abuse or dependence later in life increased by 12 percent for every year of decrease in the age of first drink, says lead researcher James L. York, Ph.D., of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

17 Sep 2004

BMA demands smokefree workplaces

Passive Smoking Kills! Smokefree workplaces save lives! Introduce the legislation in Northern Ireland now!

16 Sep 2004

Jellyfish advance science

Salmon fishermen trolling along the waters off Puget Sound in Washington are often witness to an awesome sight when they haul in their catch: salmon captured in nets that glow brilliantly against the nighttime sky.

16 Sep 2004

Paintball injuries are sending more and more patients to the emergency room every year

The incidence of paintball eye injuries treated in emergency rooms has risen from an estimated 545 in 1998 to approximately 1,200 in 2000, according to a recent report in the journal Pediatrics.

16 Sep 2004

The same gene functions in vision and immune system, research shows

Scientists have learned that a family of genes long known to be integral to the immune system also plays a role in vision, perhaps preventing certain blinding diseases.

16 Sep 2004

Wyeth supports FDA recommendation to strengthen antidepressant labeling

Statement by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Joint Advisory Committee’s recommendation to strengthen the product labels across the antidepressant category regarding use in the pediatric population.

16 Sep 2004

Urgent measures need to be taken to protect the public from contaminated blood transfusions

In the Western Pacific Region, transmission of HIV/AIDS and other infections such as hepatitis B and C through blood transfusion remains a serious threat. It is particularly acute in areas where prevalence of these diseases is high and access to safe blood is limited.

16 Sep 2004

WHO urges Member States to act now to avoid a major HIV/AIDS epidemic

Dr Shigeru Omi, World Health Organization Regional Director for the Western Pacific, has warned of the danger of HIV "bridging" into the general population from infected individuals with high-risk behaviour unless countries and areas in the Region act now to avoid a major HIV/AIDS epidemic.

16 Sep 2004

Titanium rib becomes 1st new FDA-approved spine deformity treatment in 40 years

The Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR), a device that has saved the lives of 300 infants and young children who otherwise would have died from lack of breath, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

16 Sep 2004

Slimming agents could pose major health risk

Commonly used nutritional supplements and body-building agents for elite athletes could pose an increased risk of cancer according to a study undertaken at the University of Sydney.

16 Sep 2004