Measles on the decline globally Measles deaths worldwide fell by 74% between 2000 and 2007, from an estimated 750,000 to 197,000. In addition, the Eastern Mediterranean region, which includes countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, and Sudan, has cut measles deaths by a remarkable 90% during the same period.
Doing the math for membranes Determining the mechanisms that shape biological membranes has long been a tricky business. Like a factory assembly line, eukaryotic cells are organized into membrane-bound, functional compartments called organelles.
Discovery of new enzyme in cancer growth While studying the mechanics of blood clots, researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center discovered a new enzyme that not only affects the blood, but seems to play a primary role in how cancer tumors expand and spread throughout the body.
Robotic help for stroke patients Research scientists using a novel, hand-operated robotic device and functional MRI (fMRI) have found that chronic stroke patients can be rehabilitated, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
SemBioSys begins phase I/II trial of insulin produced in plant seeds SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a biotechnology company developing protein pharmaceuticals in crop plants, has announced that it has initiated a phase I/II clinical trial of its plant-produced insulin with the first injection of its drug in humans.
Cancer stem-cell model tested by University of Michigan researchers One of the most promising new ideas about the causes of cancer, known as the cancer stem-cell model, must be reassessed because it is based largely on evidence from a laboratory test that is surprisingly flawed when applied to some cancers, University of Michigan researchers have concluded.
Mad Cow disease strain found to be more virulent than classical strain An atypical prion strain of mad cow disease, also called bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BS, is more virulent than the classical strain, according to a researcher who spoke Nov. 14 at Kansas State University.
Low-dose peginterferon used for hepatitis C doesn't work An NIH funded multi-center clinical trial found no benefit from "maintenance therapy," low-dose peginterferon used for hepatitis C patients who have not responded to an initial round of treatment.
ACE inhibitor calcium channel blocker combo drug shown to reduces heart attacks While doctors are urged to start with a diuretic-based strategy to control patients' high blood pressure, an international blood pressure study shows a different single-pill drug combination is more effective at preventing heart-related events such as heart attacks and strokes.
Light exposure therapy, dark sunglasses help night-shift workers A new study finds the use of light exposure therapy, dark sunglasses and a strict sleep schedule can help night-shift workers create a "compromise circadian phase position," which may result in increased performance and alertness during night shifts while still allowing adequate nighttime sleep on days off.
Childhood obesity may change thyroid In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Potential new target for drugs to prevent HIV-associated dementia A new study led by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has clarified how two major variants of HIV differ in their ability to cause neurologic complications.
New set of controls for stem cells discovered Natural changes in voltage that occur across the membrane of adult human stem cells are a powerful controlling factor in the process by which these stem cells differentiate, according to research published by Tufts University scientists.
Spinal stapling - new treatment alternative for scoliosis Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is one of only a few hospitals in the country to offer spinal stapling, a new treatment alternative for young people with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that is painful and can restrict breathing.
