as of September 6, 2010
Alopecia Areata Corner
OVERVIEW
Alopecia areata is hair loss of unknown cause, characterized by round patches of complete baldness.
CAUSES/RISK FACTORS
The specific cause of alopecia areata is unknown. A family history of alopecia is present in about a fifth of all cases. Alopecia areata is occasionally associated with autoimmune diseases.
Alopecia may also occur as alopecia totalis with complete loss of scalp hair or as alopecia universalis with total loss of all body hair.
SYMPTOMS
The primary symptom of alopecia areata is roundish patches of hair loss on the head, with smooth, hairless scalp in the affected areas. Alopecia totalis involves the complete loss of all scalp hair, and alopecia universalis is characterized by the complete loss of all scalp and body hair.
CARE/TREATMENT
No fully effective treatments are available. Typical therapy includes:
-Topical corticosteroids (medium to very high potency)
-Subcutaneous (under the skin surface) steroid injection
-Ultraviolet light therapy
Irritating agents may be applied to hairless areas to promote re-growth.
Source:
Review Date: 10/26/2006Reviewed by: Michael S. Lehrer, M.D., Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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In the News:
Psychological Violence During Pregnancy Linked To Postnatal Depression Risk
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/N0hDR3fWNl4/3Jnv
Psychological violence by an intimate partner during pregnancy, independent of physical violence, has been linked to a higher risk of developing postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, according to an article published in the medical journal The Lancet. As most social policies focus on the treatment and prevention of physical violence, this study has important policy implications, the authors explain. The study was carried out by Dr Ana Bernarda Ludermir, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil, and team...
Concern About Rosiglitazone (Avandia) And How Drugs Are Regulated And Promoted, BMJ
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 11:00:00 PDT
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There is serious concern about top-selling diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia), its safety, as well as the whole system by which medications are regulated, evaluated and promoted worldwide, according to a BMJ (British Medical Journal) investigation. Dr. Fiona Godlee, BMJ Editor-in-Chief, thinks Avandia should not have been licensed; she believes it should be withdrawn. There should be better access to raw data used to license drugs, as well as more robust regulatory processes, to allow examination by the scientific community, Godlee added...
Gum Bacteria Escape Into Bloodstream And Increase Risk Of Clots And Heart Attack
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/K6TarVBSG1s/3Jnm
UK researchers have found another reason for us to keep brushing and flossing our teeth: the same gum bacteria that cause dental plaque can escape from the mouth into the bloodstream and trigger clots that increase risk of heart attack and heart disease...
Human Anthrax Infections Reach 327 Cases In Bangladesh
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/I_Ae0ODPxsg/3Jnd
According to Bangladesh's Fisheries and Livestock Ministry, 327 people have become infected with anthrax in five districts in the north of the country since August 18th. Some experts believe two other districts may also be affected. So far, approximately 150 cattle have become infected and died. Local health officials say this is the largest anthrax outbreak in the history of Bangladesh. Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium Bacillus Anthracis - anthrax is, in fact, the name of the disease, while Bacillus Anthracis is the name of the bacterium that causes the disease...
Ask Questions, Save Lives; Risk Assessment Of Children's Respiratory Systems Identifies Potential Anesthetic Complications
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/iUo4IWdyMPo/3Jnf
It is fairly easy to avoid surgical complications in children related to anesthesia administration by asking a few simple questions before arriving at the operating table. Britta S von Ungern-Sternberg from the Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Subiaco, Australia, and international colleagues found that a risk evaluation questionnaire isolated and identified breathing side effects related to an aesthesia...
California Whooping Cough Rate 7 Times Higher Than Last Year
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/l9leSGk0-SU/3Jnb
Latest reports, up to the end of August place the number of reported whooping cough (pertussis) cases in the state of California at 3,311, a seven-fold increase over the same period in 2009 when the figure reached 501 cases, says the California Department of Public Health. Health authorities estimate a state rate of 9.2 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. The last time there were anywhere near so many cases in California was in 1958, when 3,837 cases were reported. The last time incidence was higher than the present level was in 1963, when it reached 9.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants...
Paris Will Host The 14th International Thyroid Congress From September 11th To 16th, 2010
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/oxZ_UgeXs_c/3Jn5
Held every five year, the International Thyroid Congress is a key worldwide event for healthcare professionals around the world. Over 2,500 people are expected: endocrinologists, nuclear medicine physicians, oncologists, ENT specialists, surgeons, researchers, GPs, caregivers, biologists, etc. This congress will approach all aspects of the physiology of the thyroid gland and its related diseases, with a special focus on the major scientific progresses of the last few years...
The Future Of Sport - No Drug Testing And 100 Meters In 8 Seconds, UK
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/Npj2LZHVMKY/3Jn6
Major new sporting forum to focus on the shape of sport to come. The abolition of drug testing, radical treatment of childhood obesity and the integration of military amputees into Olympic programmes are top topics at UKsem - the world-first conference on sport and exercise medicine. Key note speakers will include Lance Armstrong's physiologist and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Texas, Dr Edward Coyle and 12-time world record holder in Athletics, Lord Sebastian Coe...
74,700 Bags Of Possibly Salmonella Tainted Beef Treats For Dogs Recalled , Says FDA
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/D-r9Qw3aCj0/3Jn7
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced that The Hartz Mountain Corporation has voluntarily recalled 74,800 8-ounce bags of Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treats for Dogs which may be tained with Salmonella. Infection with salmonella, known as salmonellosis, can affect pets, such as dogs and cats, as well as humans - it is caused by Salmonella bacteria. Pets may develop gastroenteritis, spontaneous abortions, and septicemia. It is a zoonotic disease; it can be transmitted from the dog to a human...
Arkansas Reports Three West Nile Virus Infection Cases In One Week
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/EdeTR4IMClg/3Jn8
The first cases of West Nile virus (WNV) human infection in Arkansas include three reported cases over the last week, the Arkansas Department of Health has announced. All three cases occurred in the southern part of the state. Because of privacy concerns, no more details can be released about the individuals at the moment. James Phillips, MD, Infectious Disease Branch Chief at ADH, said that human infections of West Nile virus at this time of year do not come as a surprise. Dr...
7th Anti-Infectives Partnering And Deal Making Summit, November 8-9, Boston, MA.
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/S_xcfhXdsbI/3JjM
Rarely have we faced so many daunting clinical challenges in infectious disease with so few clinical choices in our armamentarium. Equally rarely have we had so few potential agents in development to treat these emerging and expanding pathogens. The increased incidence of multi-resistant Gram positive species such as MRSA in the community and pan-resistant Gram negative organisms in the hospital setting are posing major health care challenges...
2011 Award Recipients Named By Biophysical Society
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/zCg_7RIIkYU/3JkX
The Biophysical Society is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2011 Society awards. The eight recipients will receive their awards at the Society's 55th Annual Meeting on Monday, March 7, 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. The awardees are: Shelagh Ferguson-Miller, Michigan State University, will receive the Anatrace Membrane Protein Award for her seminal contributions to the field of molecular bioenergetics and advances in membrane protein biochemistry...
2011 Society Fellows Annnounced By Biophysical Society
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/vP4zpUYLLFs/3JkY
The Biophysical Society is delighted to announce its 2011 Society Fellows. Fellows are chosen based on their demonstrated excellence in science, contributions to the expansion of the field of biophysics, and support of the Biophysical Society. The Fellows will be honored at the Awards Ceremony during the Biophysical Society's 55th Annual Meeting on Monday March 7, 2011 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland...
First Radiation Oncologist Hired For BC Cancer Agency Centre For The North And Appointed To The Northern Medical Program
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/mjBY2DePf7s/3JmF
Dr. Robert Olson, a radiation oncologist, is the first physician to be hired for the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North. He will be part of the provincial Radiation Therapy Program which will bring service to the North for the first time when the new centre is opened. The centre, now under construction, is expected to start treating patients by the end of 2012. Dr. Olson has also been appointed as an assistant professor with the Northern Medical Program, his formal appointment being with the Department of Surgery in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia...
USDA Announces Recovery Act Funding To Improve Health And Sanitation Infrastructure In Los Osos, California
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/Lg1iMkN72dg/3JmQ
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the funding of a project in California that will improve wastewater services for the community of Los Osos, create construction jobs and support community development. USDA officials made the announcement at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center where they highlighted the environmental, health and economic benefits to be provided to the community. The project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act)...
USDA Announces Recovery Act Funding to Create Jobs, Improve Health and Sanitation in Monticello, New York
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/QdwDOo8rU3I/3JmR
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the funding of a project in New York that will improve wastewater services for the Village of Monticello, create construction jobs and support community development. The project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). "This project not only will improve water quality in the community and surrounding area, it contributes to the Obama administration's continued efforts that improve the local quality of life and create opportunities for job growth," Vilsack said...
CSI Laboratories To Build New Cancer Diagnostics Laboratory In Atlanta, GA
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/w9TX7kvzrM8/3JmT
CSI Laboratories®, a private national cancer diagnostic laboratory, announced the lease of a new 65,000 square foot facility in Alpharetta, GA, located north of the city of Atlanta. CSI Laboratories is committing $15 million to its strategic expansion project, and this newly leased space will house its next generation laboratory, with clinical operations beginning in mid-2011...
International Study Led By VA-Harvard Physician Yields Insight On Risks From Fatty Arteries
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/GrYV9NxwnWE/3JmY
An international study of clinical data led by a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-Harvard University cardiologist found that patients with deposits of fatty plaque in their arteries are at especially high risk for life-threatening cardiovascular events if they have diabetes, disease in multiple arteries or a history of heart attack or stroke. "This study was an impressive international collaboration that may hold important clinical benefits for Veterans and others with cardiovascular disease," said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki...
FDA Cautions Consumers About Estrella Family Creamery Cheeses
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/lu3e5SlaPkI/3JmZ
What is the Problem? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to discard cheeses from Estrella Family Creamery of Montesano, Wash., because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Environmental samples and one product sample collected by the FDA during an August 2010 inspection at the facility have tested positive for L. mono. The company had previously recalled cheeses due to L. mono contamination, but resumed marketing in May 2010...
Relaxed Attitude Towards Medicines Leading To Greater Health Problems, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/cWASHFQWwxo/3Jn3
Australians' blasé attitude towards medicines is leading to further health problems for many people and is placing avoidable pressure on our health system. An article published in MJA has detailed serious health effects in patients who misused pain killers containing ibuprofen and codeine, and notes more than half a million Australians use combination pain relief products for non-medical purposes. Because of its opioid effects, codeine can cause dependence with long term use, and this may lead people to increase their dose...
Energy Drinks May Give Young Sports Teams An Edge, Study Says
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/im3MdtRh0wY/3Jn4
Consuming energy drinks during team sports could help young people perform better, a study suggests. Sports scientists found that 12-14 year olds can play for longer in team games when they drink an isotonic sports drink before and during games. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh measured the performance of 15 adolescents during exercise designed to simulate the physical demands of team games such as football, rugby and hockey...
Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President Of The American Action Forum, To Give Presentation At Healthcare Reform Conference, Washington, DC, Nov. 8-9, 2010
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/WvaU4H5d1Uc/3JjJ
Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum and former Director of the Congressional Budget Office, will give a presentation at the upcoming Healthcare Reform: Dealing with Hurdles and Building Up Successes Conference, to be held in Washington, DC, Nov. 8-9, 2010, by GTCbio. This informative conference will provide an extensive look at the new changes and developments caused by the healthcare reform act, and what the healthcare industry and related areas are doing to adapt...
Wayne C. Koff To Present At Annual Vaccines: All Things Considered Conference, Washington, DC Nov. 8-9, 2010
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/SkiRY6c-Xp4/3JjV
Wayne C. Koff, Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President of Research and Development (R&D) at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI.org), will give the keynote presentation titled "Future Directions in AIDS Vaccine Development: The Decade Ahead" at the 8th Annual Vaccines: All Things Considered Conference to be held this year in Washington, DC on Nov. 8-9, 2010 by GTCbio. Dr...
Road-Map Agreed For Confirmatory Trials Of Promising Microbicide
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/06UOT9tAj_k/3JmS
Two further clinical trials are planned to confirm a vaginal gel which has shown potential in reducing the risk of HIV. The results of the first trial of the gel, which were announced in July at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, must be confirmed before the product can be made available for general use. The tenofovir-based gel was found to be 39% effective to reduce a woman's risk of becoming infected with HIV during sex in a study completed by the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a UNAIDS Collaborating Centre on HIV prevention research...
Rite Aid Stores Stock Additional Emergency Supplies To Help Residents Prepare For Hurricane Earl
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/EsX8qmwtVL0/3JmV
As Hurricane Earl moves up the East Coast, Rite Aid stores along the coast and in anticipated areas of impact have stocked up on supplies to help residents get ready and urge them to plan ahead. These stores have increased supplies of bottled water, batteries, flashlights, small lanterns, candles, film and one-time- use cameras useful for insurance purposes, duct tape and masking tape, coolers, canned foods and other emergency provisions. Many Rite Aid stores also have emergency generators on stand-by in case of power outages, so that the stores can keep operating if possible...
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Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/kO_28rbG7Ss/3JmW
This week an insurance research firm reported that ownership in life insurance has reached a 50-year low, with nearly a third of U.S. households not having a form of this financial protection. As the benefits industry begins Life Insurance Awareness Month in September, Unum (NYSE: UNM) shares the concern that this decline exposes working Americans to financial uncertainty. "Life insurance is one of the building blocks of a solid financial plan," says Debbie Cecil, director of life products for Unum...
Celgene Officially Notified Of ANDA Filing For REVLIMID(R)
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/pDhfgdQvv2A/3JmX
Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) announced it has received a Paragraph IV Certification Letter advising that Natco Pharma Limited of Hyderabad, India, submitted an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The application requests authorization to manufacture and market generic versions of REVLIMID® (lenalidomide) 5, 10, 15 and 25 mg capsules in the United States...
Compliance And Concordance: Good For Patients And For Pharma - October 19-20, Philadelphia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/GKpmQilUTPE/3JjF
Peter Mansell explores how effective concordance can take the strain off industry-patient group partnerships. Pharmaceutical companies and patient organizations are never going to be the easiest of fits. It is not so much due to any fundamental unwillingness to work together, or lack of common ground, but rather to the kind of attention these relationships inevitably attract. That attention may range from the suspicious to the downright hostile, whether it comes from regulators, budget holders, or a watchful media...
Increased Risk Of Second Cancers And Earlier Death For Childhood Cancer Survivors, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/JbAYkxQDFBQ/3JmK
Progress in childhood cancer is a good news story. Children treated for cancer have an overall 70-80 per cent cure rate. As the numbers of survivors of childhood cancer increases, studies of the long-term survivors allow research that can guide newer treatment protocols and further improve the outlook for newly diagnosed patients...
More Work Needed To Implement Evidence Base In Psychooncology In Cancer Care, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/d1drvF7t_4Q/3JmL
An integrated approach to cancer care needs to be developed in Australia that incorporates psychosocial and biological interventions, according to an article published in a Medical Journal of Australia supplement. The Anxiety, Depression and Cancer supplement is the product of a partnership between beyondblue and the Cancer Council Australia...
Codeine-Ibuprofen Misuse Results In Serious Morbidity, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/5z3aJ8s0hUo/3JmM
Although codeine-ibuprofen can be considered a relatively weak opioid analgesic, it is nevertheless addictive and more research is needed to develop health care responses to its misuse, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Matthew Frei, Clinical Head at Southern and Eastern Health Alcohol and Drug Services and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, and co-authors investigated morbidity related to the misuse of over-the-counter (OTC) codeine-ibuprofen analgesics between May 2005 and December 2008...
Increase In Cases Of West Nile Virus Infection In Greece
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/VIv7iEUyZJU/3JmN
The Health Protection Agency is aware of a significant increase in reports of cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Northern Greece. To date there have been 164 cases and 14 deaths reported in Greece, most of which have occurred in the last month. There have also been seven confirmed and three probable cases with two deaths seen in Romania and three cases in Hungary. Cases have been reported in these countries in previous years. Cases of WNV are rare in people in Europe. The infection is spread through mosquito bites, and it is not transmitted directly from person-to-person...
PIP (Poly Implant Prosthese) Breast Implants - UK Test Results
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/WtoiFaXUxhg/3JmP
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received encouraging results of UK testing on the silicone gel breast implants manufactured by the French company Poly Implant Prosthese (PIP). The tests found no evidence of genotoxicity (potential for cancer) or chemical toxicity of the filler material in the implants. The tests are not as extensive as those being carried out in France, but they have provided initial information as to whether there is a safety issue with the filler material...
Recent Releases In Global Health
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/Ah8HSbtV7ec/3Jmj
Lancet Editorial Makes Recommendations For Health-System Strengthening "There is strong consensus in the global health community, among donors, recipient countries, and policy makers, about the need for health system strengthening in low-income and middle-income countries," write the authors of a Lancet Comment. The article recommends areas in health-system strengthening that need "more attention and better analysis," including building consensus, and responding to specific country health system needs...
DNA Fingerprinting Pioneer Discovers Role Of Key Genetic Catalyst For Human Diversity
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/2OXyT_styf0/3Jmk
Research by DNA fingerprinting pioneer and his team at University of Leicester defines engine for change in genetic hotspots. One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research published (Sept 5) by world-renowned scientist Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, who discovered DNA fingerprinting at the University of Leicester...
Backstabbing Bacteria, A New Treatment For Infection?
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/6O28bXuJ5XY/3Jmm
Selfish bacterial cells that act in their own interests and do not cooperate with their infection-causing colleagues can actually reduce the severity of infection. The selfish behaviour of these uncooperative bacteria could be exploited to treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to research being presented at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting today. Bacteria work together by using a well-studied communication system called Quorum Sensing (QS). During infection, bacteria talk to each other using QS to coordinate the release of toxins...
Talented Bacteria Make Food Poisoning Unpredictable
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/C5_d5ukZ2cM/3Jmn
While we are often exposed to bacteria in our food which could cause food poisoning, we don't always become ill why should this be so? Professor Colin Hill who is presenting his work at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham today describes how bacteria use different tricks to aid their survival inside the body, helping to explain why food poisoning can be so unpredictable. One of the biggest challenges faced by food-borne bacteria is acid. Acidic conditions, particularly in the stomach and in the gut will kill most microbes found in contaminated food...
'Jailbreak' Bacteria Can Trigger Heart Disease
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/OaaTsYBkAZg/3Jmq
Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack says a scientist at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham. Professor Howard Jenkinson, from the University of Bristol explains how oral bacteria can wreak havoc if they are not kept in check by regular brushing and flossing. "Poor dental hygiene can lead to bleeding gums, providing bacteria with an escape route into the bloodstream, where they can initiate blood clots leading to heart disease," he said...
Reducing Stem Cell Loss During Cancer Treatment
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/fTy7yIOj9dk/3Jmr
Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a gene critical for programmed cell death is also important in the loss of adult stem cells, a finding that could help to improve the health and well-being of patients undergoing cancer treatment. "During chemotherapy or radiation therapy that kills cancer cells by inducing significant DNA damage in their genomes, one of the main side effects for human cancer patients is the depletion of their own adult stem cells, particularly the ones responsible for making new blood and intestine cells...
Research By DNA Fingerprinting Pioneer And His Team At University Of Leicester Defines Engine For Change In Genetic Hotspots
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/iOTdzVcblow/3Jms
One of the key drivers of human evolution and diversity, accounting for changes that occur between different generations of people, is explained by new research published by world-renowned scientist Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, who discovered DNA fingerprinting at the University of Leicester. Professor Jeffreys has spent over two decades since his landmark discovery in 1984 investigating what he describes as "pretty bizarre bits of DNA" - highly variable repeated parts of DNA called 'minisatellites' - found in the human genome...
Researchers Identify Protein That Fights West Nile Virus
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/Y-iCv7eI5Hk/3Jmt
Yale and McGill University scientists have identified a protein that is critical in fighting mosquito-borne West Nile Virus in mice. This finding could have therapeutic implications for controlling the potentially deadly virus in humans. The study appears in the Advance Online Publication of Nature Immunology. Researchers studied the role of caspase-12, a protein that activates secretion of substances that are part of the body's immune response. Caspase-12's function in fighting bacterial infection has been studied before, but its role in viral immunity has not...
Dementia Research Receives £1.5 Million Boost, UK
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/m65sfmUhbeY/3Jmv
Research that could take scientists a step closer to discovering the cause of Alzheimer's and a study on how to improve care for people with dementia in hospitals are two of nine projects announced. The nine research projects have been made possible following a £1.5 million grant jointly from Alzheimer's Society and the Bupa Foundation. Top scientists in the UK and Australia are being funded as part of an exciting new partnership between the two charities to boost research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dementia...
American Academy Of Ophthalmology Joins Forces With Middle East Africa Council Of Ophthalmology For Joint Meeting In Chicago October 16 To 19
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/_Zu8QeoKcGk/3Jmw
The largest and most comprehensive ophthalmic educational meeting in the world, the American Academy of Ophthalmology's (Academy) 2010 Joint Meeting in conjunction with the Middle East Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) will be taking place in Chicago, October 16 to 19. The meeting offers more than 500 instruction courses, a variety of skills transfer courses, breakfast with the experts roundtables, 43 free symposia and Spotlight Sessions and hundreds of scientific papers, posters and videos...
Gynecologic Cancer Patients Should Consider Clinical Trials
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/6H8tGtrIIxk/3Jmx
For the estimated 83,000 women who will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer in 2010, participation in clinical trials offers an opportunity both to ensure that future patients benefit from the most up-to-date treatments and increased survival rates and to potentially improve the health of current patients. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the efforts to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers and participation in clinical trials-a main focus of this year's Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM) in September...
Red Cross Provides Comfort And Shelter From The Storm As Hurricane Earl Moves Up The Atlantic Coast
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/Xju80Q5LK6I/3Jmy
The American Red Cross has provided help and shelter from North Carolina to New England as Hurricane Earl and its winds and rain moved up the Atlantic Coast. Friday night, twelve Red Cross shelters in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave nearly 100 people a safe place to ride out the storm as Earl moved past Cape Cod with strong winds and heavy rain. Thursday night, a dozen Red Cross shelters in North Carolina gave more than 260 people comfort as the storm passed through that area...
Queen Meg & Princess Carly Prepare To Celebrate Labor Day Events Throughout The State
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/pWHdT3_ceYs/3Jmz
Just days after leading thousands of people in a Sacramento march celebrating women's right to vote, and decrying those politicians who dishonor it, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United today announces that Labor Day festivities across the state will feature both Queen Meg and Princess Carly, the two satirical figures lampooning the Republican nominees for governor and senator...
Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Distribution Still Below Levels Needed To Meet Guidelines, Despite Growth Worldwide
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/NEVGh49MlUo/3JmB
A new IFPMA study(1), announced at the "Options for the Control of Influenza VII" conference in Hong Kong, shows that global vaccine coverage remains uneven and low overall, despite total distribution of seasonal influenza vaccines nearly doubling over the last six years...
Bailiff Mind Games Devastating To Mental Health, UK
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mnt/healthnews/~3/iEby8OKV_9Y/3JmC
Mind today reveals shocking new evidence about the devastating impact a visit from the bailiffs can have on your mental health. 50% of people surveyed by the charity reported suicidal feelings after a knock on the door from bailiffs. In the current economic climate and as more and more people find it difficult to keep up with their bills, Mind is calling on the Government to act on its commitment to protect the public from aggressive bailiffs and urgently introduce robust regulation of the profession...
2 In 5 Kids in New York Are Overweight Or Obese
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
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According to a new report, 2 out of every 5 of New York City's children from kindergarten to eighth grade, are either overweight or obese. This figure, released in a report on Sunday, comes from the latest New York City (NYC) Fitnessgram assessment, a new program that was piloted in 2005-06 and is now in place across the city. The program uses height and weight measures collected through a school year and converts them into body mass index (BMI) measures. These, together with the results of a fitness test, are sent to parents...
Cancer Diagnosis And Treatment Move Another Step Forward
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
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Cancer diagnosis and treatment planning took another major step forward with the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purchase and installation of a second positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner at the BC Cancer Agency. "With one PET/CT scanner already in place at the BC Cancer Agency, we have seen how British Columbians have benefitted from better access to a proven diagnostic imaging tool," said Wynne Powell, Chair, Board of Directors, Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA)...
Surgery Complications Can Be Reduced Through The Use Of Consultant-Led Models, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
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The acute care surgery (ACS) model, which is consultant-led, provides a safe surgical environment for patients and is associated with a reduced complication rate, according to an article in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Robert Gandy, Surgical Registrar at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, and co-authors conducted a retrospective historical control study, comparing appendicectomy outcomes for the ACS model with the traditional on-call (Trad) model...
High Hospital Occupancy Levels Are Making Us Sick, Australia
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:00 PDT
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High bed occupancy and emergency department (ED) overcrowding are bad for patients, staff and the system itself, according to an editorial in the Medical Journal of Australia. In the editorial, Dr Sally McCarthy, President of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Director of Emergency Medicine at, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, discusses hospital occupancy levels and ED overcrowding...
Successful Completion Of First Clinical Trials On Potent New Hepatitis C Drug
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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The first clinical trials on a new investigational drug being developed to treat infections caused by Hepatitis C virus have been successfully completed. Completion of the initial phase (phase 1a) of trials of INX-189, discovered and first prepared by researchers at Cardiff University's Welsh School of Pharmacy in 2008, means the chances of it becoming an approved medicine have significantly improved. Approximately 170 million people worldwide are affected with Hepatitis C, which can lead to liver cancer, cirrhosis and death...
The International AIDS Society Calls For An End To Harassment, Intimidation And Imprisonment Of HIV Professionals
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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Following the imprisonment of Maxim Popov in April 2010, sentenced to 7 years jail primarily for the promotion of HIV prevention efforts in Uzbekistan, the International AIDS Society (IAS) notes with alarm the detention of a medial practitioner working in HIV prevention in Ukraine. Dr. Illya Podolyan, a 62-year old physician providing opioid substitution therapy (OST) for people using drugs, was detained on 28 May 2010 by Odessa police and charged with alleged crimes relating to drugs trafficking...
$11.6 Million To Study Cardiac Proteins
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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A blood test to diagnose which heart attack survivors will suffer heart failure is the goal of a new five-year, $11.6 million contract to the UT Health Science Center San Antonio from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Each year more than 1.2 million Americans suffer a heart attack. In a third of these individuals, the damage results in heart failure, a progressive condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's oxygen needs. Half of these 400,000 survivors will die within five years...
The Medal Of The Chemical Research Society Of India Awarded To Penn State Chemist Ayusman Sen
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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Ayusman Sen, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Penn State University, has been honored with the Chemical Research Society of India (CRSI) Medal. Sen is only the second recipient of the medal, which is awarded exclusively to outstanding chemists of Indian origin who work outside of India. Sen's research encompasses the twin themes of catalysis and new materials, with one of the goals being the development of new catalysts that will enable the synthesis of polymers and related materials with novel combinations of properties...
Myths, Controversy Surround Health Reform Law
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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News outlets are following the politics and rhetoric surrounding the new health law. NPR reports on six myths perpetuated by some critics of the law. They include: the law helps President Barack Obama raise a private army and that those who want public coverage have to have a microchip implanted. That began with a provision in House-passed bill, which was not in the final bill. "It called for the Food and Drug Administration to create a registry of medical devices that could be implanted in people...
Survey: Modest Rise In Health Coverage Costs, But Employees Assume Bigger Burden
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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The Washington Post: "Amid high unemployment and a weak economy, employers have been shifting health care costs to workers, according to a study released Thursday. The premiums that employees pay for employer-sponsored family coverage rose an average of 13.7 percent this year, while the amount that employers contribute fell by 0.9 percent, the survey found...
Almost Half Of All Americans Use Prescription Drugs Each Month
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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Nearly half of all Americans used at least one prescription drug per month in 2008, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bloomberg reports. That's a 10 percent increase over the preceding decade. Over that time, yearly spending by Americans on drugs doubled to $234 billion. "The two biggest-sellers last year were Pfizer Inc.'s Lipitor for high cholesterol and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s clot-buster, Plavix. The rise of such medicines may continue as insurers add as many as 32 million customers through the U.S...
Up To 5 Million Kids Uninsured But Eligible For Government Programs
Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:00:00 PDT
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As many as 5 million uninsured kids are eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, according to a report published Friday in the journal Health Affairs, Reuters reports. "An estimated 7.3 million children were uninsured on an average day in 2008 and 65 percent of them were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP coverage, the report said. ... Thirty-nine percent of eligible uninsured children live in just three states - California, Texas and Florida, the report by the Washington-based Urban Institute Health Policy Center said...