National and International News
Uganda's Aids programme faces crisis - The Guardian 29/08/05
Activists urge leaders to make more condoms available
Under the knife: breast augmentation - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Cosmetic surgery for beginners. This week, Lesley Thomas investigates the perenially popular 'boob job'
The shape I'm in: Hardeep Singh Kohli - The Telegraph 29/08/05
The comedian talks to Isobel Shirlaw about Vitamin E cream, mental exercise and almond croissants
The truth about fat children: they are what you eat - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Child obesity expert Paul Sacher knows from bitter personal experience how psychologically damaging a bad diet can be, finds Tom Leonard
Short cut to beating long hours - The Telegraph 29/08/05
A new study has found that working long hours can lead to serious health problems - but if you can't leave the office on the dot of 5pm, what you can do to keep yourself healthy? Chloe Rhodes finds out
On your bike - and into danger? - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Urban cycling has many health benefits. Don't let the pollution put you off, says Tom Leonard
Second opinion: migraine - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Barbara Lantin compares traditional and alternative health solutions
Public buildings and private finance? That's a formula for tomorrow's slums - The Guardian 29/08/05
That's it for another year. The annual summer ritual is over, following last week's publication of the GCSE results. Are the pupils getting smarter or the papers getting simpler? Who knows? But even if the exams have not been dumbed down, the buildings in which they were sat certainly have been.
$12bn battle that pits an Indian upstart against the mighty Pfizer - The Guardian 29/08/05
Fight for rights to cholesterol drug could slash £400m NHS bill
BSE blood test gives new hope - The Guardian 29/08/05
Patients could be screened for vCJD
CJD group hails new blood test - Daily Mail 29/08/05
Hopes rise over vCJD blood test - Daily Mail 28/08/05
Test raises hope of CJD screening - BBC Health News 29/08/05
New test may spot mad cow-type disease in blood - Reuters 29/08/05
Facelifts in Delhi, tummy tucks in Cape Town: UK's cosmetic tourists go worldwide - The Independent 28/08/05
With a holiday on the beach thrown in or a few days on safari, the fashion for combining sun, surgery and savings makes for big business overseas, as Steve Bloomfield reports
Why sunshine poses a greater cancer risk to readheads - The Times 29/08/05
REDHEADS run a greater risk of skin cancer from exposure to the sun than people with darker hair.
Teens need bringing up like baby - The Times 29/08/05
A new book says parents should handle their adolescents as if they are 'tall toddlers'
Fat: the inside story - The Times 29/08/05
The higher your BMi, the worse your outlook - or so we thought. But now it seems that body fat distribution is what really counts
Bowel Cancer - The Times 29/08/05
THIS IS the weekend that the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), the government body that determines the prescribing habits of UK doctors, issued its guidelines on the treatment of cancer of the bowel.
Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Not for us the moral certainties of the US culture wars. As the YouGov poll in this newspaper suggests, most British people have a sense of ethics that is undoctrinaire, even woolly. We are vaguely uncomfortable about abortion being so readily available, and would like to lower the term limit. At the same time, though, we shudder at the thought of living on in pain because no one can help us to end our lives without fear of prosecution. We find the thought of embryo research disquieting, but want people with genetic conditions to benefit from it.
Mobile phone link reduces chance of diabetes problems - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Diabetics using a mobile phone to monitor their condition are at lower risk of dangerous complications linked to the disease.
Abortion limit must be cut to 20 weeks, says public - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Powerful public support for an overhaul of the 40-year-old abortion laws has emerged from a Daily Telegraph survey of the nation's attitudes to the key ethical and moral issues of the day.
Survey backs abortion limit cut - BBC Health News 29/08/05
Hewitt condemns NHS staff attacks - Daily Mail 29/08/05
The number of people convicted over attacks on NHS staff has increased 15-fold, according to new figures.
Rise in charges over NHS assaults - BBC Health News 29/08/05
Convictions rise for assaults on NHS staff - The Telegraph 29/08/05
China backs anti-tobacco treaty - BBC Health News 29/08/05
The world's biggest tobacco consumer, China, has ratified an international treaty aimed at curbing tobacco-related deaths, state media has reported.
C-section 'baby teeth decay risk' - BBC Health News 28/08/05
Babies born by Caesarean section are more at risk of teeth decay, research suggests.
How animal rights groups destroyed my family's life - The Observer 28/08/05
· Guinea pig farmer tells of his hatred for his tormentors · More cash for police to hunt down activists
Changing perspectives on vivisection battleground - The Guardian 27/08/05
Europe hunt widens for infected birds - The Observer 28/08/05
Fear that mild strain could mutate into deadly virus
EU legal row over bird flu precautions - The Guardian 27/08/05
Letters: Bird flu risk - The Independent 28/08/05
Focus: Bird flu. Is it the new BSE? - The Independent 28/08/05
Bird flu epidemic 'could be like BSE' - The Independent 28/08/05
Corrections and clarifications - The Guardian 27/08/05
Britain's elite get pills to survive bird flu - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
Fears in Britain grow as bird flu reaches Europe - The Times 27/08/05
Focus: Atishoo, Atishoo, we all fall down? - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
New Avian Influenza Website Resources - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Blunkett joined board of DNA test firm - The Observer 28/08/05
If any government minister should understand the booming commercial market in DNA paternity testing kits, then David Blunkett, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, is the one.
Screening 'may show violence risk' - Daily Mail 28/08/05
Screening pregnant women could detect those most at risk from domestic violence, researchers say.
Searching for the natural solution - The Observer 28/08/05
As certifiers of around 70 per cent of organic food sold in the UK, the Soil Association welcomes the prosecutions by Richmond Council of two traders pretending to sell organic produce (News, last week). The tougher the policing, the better it will be for consumers, and for genuine organic farmers.
Dr John Briffa: One for my baby - The Observer 28/08/05
Folic acid - a pregnant woman's first defence against spina bifida - is now tipped as a possible barrier to Down's syndrome. Dr John Briffa reports
Hope for Britons in 'danger drug' row - The Observer 28/08/05
Lawyers acting for hundreds of Britons who claim taking the painkiller Vioxx caused them to suffer heart attacks and strokes, yesterday welcomed surprise news that its maker is looking to settle a number of key lawsuits.
Vioxx firm may settle with drug claimants - The Independent 27/08/05
Vioxx lessons - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
UK lawyers welcome settlement plans - Daily Mail 27/08/05
Drugs giant considers Vioxx payout - Daily Mail 27/08/05
Merck considers Vioxx settlements - BBC Health News 27/08/05
Merck may settle some Vioxx cases, NJ trial looms - Reuters 26/08/05
Fatal mumbo-jumbo - The Observer 28/08/05
The government is dealing in deceit when it allows public money to be wasted on alternative remedies
Homeopathy 'nothing more than a placebo' - Daily Mail 26/08/05
Homeopathy no better than placebo-analysis - Reuters 26/08/05
Homeopathy's real results - The Guardian 29/08/05
Peer review of Prince's study into alternative medicines - The Times 29/08/05
Forty hit by chlorine gas at celebrity spa - The Guardian 27/08/05
Almost 40 people were treated by paramedics yesterday afternoon after chlorine gas was accidentally released in a health spa which boasts a celebrity clientele, emergency services said.
Girls more likely than boys to smoke and get drunk - The Guardian 27/08/05
Girls are more likely than boys to smoke during the early years of secondary school and more likely to get drunk or be sick after consuming too much alcohol, according to a study issued yesterday by the National Centre for Social Research.
45,000 patients infected with hospital superbug - The Guardian 27/08/05
The Department of Health revealed yesterday that there had been almost 45,000 cases of a virulent bug last year, killing nearly three times as many patients as MRSA.
Killers spawned by drugs that saved millions - The Guardian 27/08/05
Lethal superbug hits 44,000 elderly patients - The Independent 27/08/05
Thousands of elderly patients hit by hospital bug infections - The Times 27/08/05
Leap in hospital infections - The Telegraph 27/08/05
A new killer on the wards - Daily Mail 27/08/05
'Killer bug' statistics revealed - Daily Mail 26/08/05
Lethal hospital bug cases rocket - BBC Health News 26/08/05
First Annual Mandatory Surveillance Data Published on Clostridium Difficile & Glycopeptide Resistant Enterococci, UK - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Funmi Odulate: The circle of life - The Guardian 27/08/05
Funmi Odulate's mother died just as the 17-year-old was trying to find a way to tell her she was pregnant. She felt her own life had ended, so what pulled her through?
Religion plea rejected in life-support court case - The Guardian 27/08/05
The high court in London yesterday upheld the right of the NHS to withdraw life support systems from a critically ill 86-year-old man who is considered by doctors to have no chance of getting better.
Natural health therapist Emma Mitchell answers your questions - The Guardian 27/08/05
The dentist has told us our six-year-old must use a fluoride toothpaste, not the nonfluoride brand we had been using. She should also not rinse her mouth after cleaning her teeth, just spit out the toothpaste - the idea being that anything left behind will help strengthen her teeth. Should we be worried about all this fluoride going into her system?
You can't tell a book by its cover - The Guardian 27/08/05
There are big vacancies for jobs like librarianship - but beware the stereotypes, says Phillip Inman
The Piano Man? More a case of Yamaha Keyboard Man - The Independent 28/08/05
Was enigmatic Bavarian pianist of concert standard or one-note fraud? Neither, it turns out
Jowell: we got it wrong on 24hr drinking - The Independent 28/08/05
The controversial campaign to introduce 24-hour licensing to Britain was mishandled by Labour Party strategists, Tessa Jowell, the Secretary of State for Culture, has admitted.
Health warnings on cans to tackle binge drinking - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
New laws savaged as teen girls turn to drink - The Times 27/08/05
Girls catch boys in booze stakes - BBC Health News 26/08/05
Village that fears alcohol will tear out its heart - The Times 27/08/05
Drinking laws 'will protect young' - Daily Mail 27/08/05
Jowell says unruly pubs risk closure - The Guardian 29/08/05
Drink laws 'will cause liver disease among teenagers to soar' - The Independent 29/08/05
'Her life fell apart. She lived in a skip. She died in her thirties' - The Times 29/08/05
Drink laws will cause teen deaths, warn liver doctors - The Times 29/08/05
24-hour pub texts 'stupid' - Jowell - The Telegraph 29/08/05
24-hour drinking laws 'kept under review' - The Telegraph 29/08/05
Drinking laws 'will harm teens' - BBC Health News 29/08/05
EU relaxes control on 'gender' chemicals - The Independent 28/08/05
Gender-bending chemicals are to be exempted from tough new Europe-wide safety controls despite concern that they are causing bizarre sex changes in children and wildlife, leaked documents reveal.
Smoking ban for rail passengers - Daily Mail 29/08/05
Passengers will no longer be able to smoke in trains on one of the mainline network's premier routes.
Iraqi doctors offered UK training - Daily Mail 28/08/05
Iraqi doctors are to be invited to the UK for training as part of efforts to reconstruct the troubled nation's health system.
New drive to help retrain Iraqi clinicians - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Hospitals' crisis 'could cost jobs' - Daily Mail 27/08/05
The financial crisis hitting many hospitals in England could lead to more job losses and department closures, doctors' leaders have warned.
BMA raises concerns about NHS trusts in financial crisis, UK - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Doctors' fears over NHS finances - BBC Health News 26/08/05
Boy, 5, dies during treatment in US - Daily Mail 26/08/05
A boy has died after travelling to America for a controversial alternative therapy treatment, it has emerged.
TB declared 'an African emergency' - Daily Mail 26/08/05
Regional health ministers have unanimously agreed to declare tuberculosis an African emergency, underlining their commitment to fight the epidemic that is killing more than half a million people a year on the world's poorest continent.
Consultants 'suffering burn-out' - Daily Mail 26/08/05
The number of hospital consultants being struck down with mental health problems and burn-out is on the rise, researchers say.
Mental health of UK hospital consultants in decline - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Revealed: 'appalling' care homes - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
THE chronic conditions endured by old people in Irish nursing homes have been revealed in a series of inspection reports released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Focus: Mary's sour medicine - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
She knew it wouldn't be easy, but Harney's problems at the health department have been thornier than expected. Improvements in A&E departments and bed shortages have been minimal and there are more challenges ahead, writes Stephen O'Brien
Suicide rate rises after the Troubles - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
PEACE in Northern Ireland has had one unforeseen consequence: a rising suicide rate. Health experts now believe the Troubles kept suicide levels in the province down for more than 30 years.
Television: AA Gill: Is NHS propaganda good for our health? - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
The BBC ran DoNation, a series of documentaries highlighting the need for spare parts in the NHS, some of which feature the Simon Cowell of TV medicine, Robert Winston. The whole effort incited me to a range of predictably tasteless jokes about donating body parts, a lot of them involving Richard Whiteley and Carol Vorderman, and Winston's moustache being donated to the Village People cottage of fame.
Family loses life support case - The Times 27/08/05
A Scottish Muslim family failed at the High Court to stop doctors taking their critically ill father off a life-support machine.
Family loses court fight over ill father - The Telegraph 27/08/05
NHS operation waiting times cut - The Times 27/08/05
The number of people waiting for an NHS operation in England is at its lowest in 17 years. The Department of Health said that the waiting list stood at 813,700 at the end of last month, the lowest since September 1988, when data were first collected as they are now. This marked a fall of 10,200 since June, 59,900 since July last year and 344,000 since March 1997. Only 15 patients were waiting longer than nine months for their operation.
NHS Waiting list figures, end July 2005, UK - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Operations wait list at 17-year low - Daily Mail 26/08/05
Woman sought in baby inquiry - The Times 27/08/05
Detectives trying to trace a mother who abandoned a newborn baby have issued an appeal to find a woman seen near woods where the infant was found. Witnesses say they saw the woman entering the woods to the east of Braidwood Gate pathway, close to where baby Gary was discovered, near the Dumbiedykes Estate in Edinburgh a fortnight ago. She was seen to walk down Brown Street to Braidwood Gate earlier that day then head directly into the wooded area.
Inequalities in healthcare - The Times 27/08/05
There have been two major reports on inequalities in health in Britain during the past 25 years: the first, Sir Douglas Black's in 1980; the second, the Acheson inquiry in 1998.
Focus: Whipping away the social ladder - The Sunday Times 28/08/05
Forget raw fish and berries, it's equality that saves lives - The Guardian 27/08/05
Do we need the stress? - The Times 27/08/05
In a world of sabre-toothed tigers, the stress response kept us alive. Does it still have a purpose
A screen near you - The Times 27/08/05
Are private check-ups, as the BMA implies, money down the tube?
Breakthroughs, tips and trends - The Times 27/08/05
PARANORMAL out-of-body experiences might have less to do with The Twilight Zone and more to do with vanity.
What divorcing couples fight to keep? - The Times 27/08/05
WHAT do divorced women want? Pretty much everything. A new survey has revealed that when it comes to splitting up the family home, women want to take it all, from the house to the family pets. No surprise, then, that they also want to hang on to the Monopoly.
Sex matters with Dr Thomas Stuttaford and Suzi Godson - The Times 27/08/05
I am 32 and living with the man of my dreams but I have never had an orgasm with him. In fact, I've never had one with anybody. Please help!
Alistair's big green obsession - The Times 27/08/05
Interview: Impressionist Alistair McGowan tells John Naish why he loves trees, tennis and getting inside people's heads (as long as it's not Jeremy Clarkson's)
A question of balance - The Times 27/08/05
How should parents deal with disappointing exam results? Our correspondent has all the answers
Perfect family match - The Times 27/08/05
A younger sister's sacrifice saved a windsurfing star from a rare fatal disease
Dr Copperfield: Inside the mind of a GP: Superdoc to the rescue - The Times 27/08/05
What is it with neurosurgeons at the moment? They are everywhere. First we had Henry Perowne, the chief character in Saturday, Ian McEwan's new novel. And now we have Jack Shephard in Channel 4's blockbuster Lost. What next? A neurosurgical rock band? (Radiohead Injury) A stand-up neurosurgeon comic? ("What's up, that one a bit too cerebral for you?") It seems the only place you won't find one is in outpatients - no wonder the waiting lists are so long.
Agony aunt Irma Kurtz: My bag-man lover - The Times 27/08/05
I am in my early fifties, I have been divorced for ten years, and have two children at university. I have been going out with a man for the past seven years; he has two children who have been living independently for several years. The relationship has gone nowhere. For the first three years he was separated from his wife but would not divorce her, which caused me anguish. When I was upset he reassured me that he wanted our relationship to go all the way, but did nothing. There has been no reason for us not to get together, except maybe his children not liking it. But we are stuck in a cycle. He spends four days a week at my house and lives the other three at his home, carrying bags of clothes between our houses. This leaves me with little confidence in myself and in what I mean to him. Every few weeks I try to end the relationship but he becomes distraught and reassures me that he wants us to move to a place of our own. But we go on and the pattern continues.
A-Z of relationships: f is for fidelity - The Times 27/08/05
Can you keep the faith? Is fidelity the exception or the rule? Where public figures were once held up as role models, today almost every image is tarnished by exposure or confession.
Getting back on board - The Times 27/08/05
Routine all over the place after summer holidays? Take a few tips from Caroline Wrighton
Lunchtime fix: fake tanning - The Times 27/08/05
There comes a point in the summer when it is tempting to give up on the tanning game. It usually arrives after one too many sightings of the sun-kissed stomachs of colleagues, and a glimpse of your own milky version. But with the latest fake-tan technology, there are more than enough ways to keep up. If you're not a dab-hand at DIY application and you don't fancy a spray booth that douses every customer, regardless of skin shade and colour preference, you need the bespoke touch.
Bodylicious: eye creams - The Times 27/08/05
Caroline Brien, beauty features editor at Marie Claire magazine, recommends the best eye creams with SPF
Best foot forward - The Times 27/08/05
My daughter has just turned 2 and is rather pigeon-toed. Her left foot seems to be more turned in than her right. She can run, jump and climb without any problems. Does she need any treatment for this?
Over the counter: hyoscine hydrobromide for travel sickness - The Times 27/08/05
Brands Joy-Rides, Kwells, Scopderm patches.
Get over it: Sluggish in the morning - The Times 27/08/05
My work team has taken to having 8.30am meetings but I'm absolutely no good until after about 10am. How can I improve?
Our herbal heritage - The Times 27/08/05
While researching a new book on Queen Emma, Harriet O'Brien found Anglo-Saxons sought cures for ailments, from dandruff to pimples, just like us
Junk Medicine: Complementary medicine - The Times 27/08/05
Pushing the alternative The Achilles heel of modern medicine is its inability to do much about common and distressing conditions. All too frequently, disabling problems such as chronic fatigue and lower back pain remain stubbornly difficult to treat. These "effectiveness gaps" are where complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has its greatest appeal. They are the chief targets, as The Times revealed this week, of a report commissioned by the Prince of Wales to press the case for more alternative provision on the NHS.
Big Apple's core relaxation - The Times 27/08/05
It's midnight, you're not tired but you don't want to party - New York has the answer, says Carola Long
Home remedies: vinegar for wasp stings - The Times 27/08/05
It's that time of year when wasps seem to become more of a pest, especially annoying for those enjoying alfresco meals on the patio and drinks in beer gardens. A number of our readers have written and e-mailed to tell us about the traditional summer remedy of vinegar for wasp stings.
Eco warrier: all at sea: no reason to go overboard - The Times 27/08/05
I sail a yacht and I am confused about what I can chuck overboard.
Gatherings of good taste - The Times 27/08/05
Farm fresh: food festivals are breathing new life into healthy local produce
At your table: fennel - The Times 27/08/05
Fennel seeds are traditionally used as a "settling" tea for aiding digestion. It can dissipate excess acid in the stomach rather like magic, and it's also one of my favourite teas, with its aniseed flavour, for getting rid of bloating or stomach ache.
Pick a punnet or two - The Times 27/08/05
Farm fresh: A family day on the farm is a chance to gather fresh, delicious, eco-friendly food
Get fresh: seasonal shopping list - The Times 27/08/05
FRUIT AND VEG Produce seems to get bigger as we approach autumn. Large, green, sometimes yellow, marrows are available from farm shops, farmers' markets and supermarkets at prices from 59p each. They don't store well so use soon after purchase. Flavour is not pronounced as they are best when young. However, they take a savoury filling very well to make a good main-course dish.
How to cheat at eating: squirty cream - The Times 27/08/05
CO-OP SQUIRTY CREAM, REAL DAIRY UHT CREAM WITH SUGAR Fat 4g per 2 heaped tablespoons Price £1.35, 250g can Ingredients 95 per cent UHT cream, sugar, emulsifiers, stabiliser, propellant gas. Verdict This has a genuine creamy taste and a good texture, and it also held shape well when sprayed. Unlike liquid cream, all the aerosol varieties had extra sugar added, but unlike the Anchor variety, at least the Co-op has clearly labelled this on the can. At just 35 calories and 4g fat per serving, this is a treat that isn't going to do too much damage to your waistline. Calories per serving 35
Jumping for joy - The Times 27/08/05
Parkour: the new sport of leaping through the urban jungle is not just for macho supermen. Anna Shepard hits the subway and swings into action
Not just anybody: Aileen Jones - The Times 27/08/05
Medal-winning lifeboat helmswoman Aileen Jones, 42, says faith and a good team work miracles
Sorted: swimming aids: pooling resources - The Times 27/08/05
If a beach holiday has shown up swimming skills, Olympic bronze medallist Steve Parry picks the kit to give all the family extra kick
Autistic boy, 7, wins four-year fight to attend special school - The Telegraph 28/08/05
The parents of an autistic boy have won a four-year battle to send their son to a special school they set up with other parents because state schools were not catering for their needs.
Boy, 3, winning fight for life after contracting testicular cancer - The Telegraph 27/08/05
A three-year-old boy is winning his battle for life after becoming one of the youngest in Britain to be diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Sneaky drug targets brain tumours - BBC Health News 27/08/05
Scientists have identified a chemical that can sneak through the blood-brain barrier to treat tumours.
Bombings 'severely stressed' 31% - BBC Health News 26/08/05
Almost a third of Londoners overall but nearly two-thirds of Muslims suffered substantial stress following the 7 July bombings in the city, researchers say.
Majority of Londoners coping well after terrorist attacks, BMJ - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Diagnostic Criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) Revisited - Medical News Today 29/08/05
A pattern of traits and behaviours which signify infatuation and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and ambition.
Two Former Inmates of N.J. Jail Claim HIV/AIDS Treatment Was Denied; Jail Under Review by Inspector General's Office, USA - Medical News Today 29/08/0
Two former immigration detainees held at the Passaic County Jail in New Jersey have said they were regularly denied adequate HIV/AIDS treatment during their prison terms, the... Bergen Record reports. An unnamed 41-year-old Jamaican man who spent five years in prison at three facilities -- including Passaic's jail from February to May of this year -- said he often encountered lapses in his drug regimen because of long delays in the transfer of his medical records. A New York University legal clinic took up the man's case, saying that the jail initially refused to let the man take his pills at 12-hour intervals and that he had become resistant to many HIV/AIDS medications. In addition, an unnamed 36-year-old man from Guyana who was in Passaic's jail from December 2003 to April 2004 said he missed nearly three weeks of treatment after delays in obtaining his medical record from Rikers Island prison in New York City and delays in receiving medical examinations at Passaic. He also said guards would ignore his requests to see a doctor and would openly talk about his HIV status. Passaic County Sheriff Jerry Speziale said he never heard of the cases but added that he had "full confidence" in Charles Meyers, the jail's warden, and its medical staff, according to the Record. "This is two people you're talking to me about, two people out of 1,700; I think I'm doing pretty good," Speziale said. He added that guards have the right to know who is HIV-positive to protect themselves. The Passaic jail is one of five facilities nationwide being reviewed by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General. In July, Speziale told auditors conducting the review to leave and said he would stop housing detainees. He was scheduled to meet with federal immigration officials in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday (Loder, Bergen Record, 8/24).
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NEJM AIDS-Related Articles - Medical News Today 29/08/05
The New England Journal of Medicine in its August 25 issue published three articles examining HIV vaccine development efforts and how drug patents and stigma affect access to antiretrovirals.
Blood 'cleaning' aids transplants - BBC Health News 27/08/05
A new technique could allow transplant patients to receive organs from donors with a different blood group.
Clinical Effects of Abuse - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Repeated abuse has long lasting pernicious and traumatic effects such as panic attacks, hypervigilance, sleep disturbances, flashbacks (intrusive memories), suicidal ideation, and psychosomatic symptoms. The victims experience shame, depression, anxiety, embarrassment, guilt, humiliation, abandonment, and an enhanced sense of vulnerability.
Ugandan President Considers Appointing Commission To Investigate Global Fund's Allegations of Grant Mismanagement - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Thursday pledged to investigate alleged mismanagement that prompted the... Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to temporarily suspend its grants to the country, IRIN News reports (IRIN News, 8/26). The Global Fund on Wednesday announced its suspension of five grants to Uganda worth more than $200 million after an audit of one of the grants by PricewaterhouseCoopers found evidence of "serious mismanagement" by the Project Management Unit in the Ugandan Ministry of Health, a unit that was established to implement the grants. The audit showed discrepancies in exchange rates when grants in dollar amounts were converted into Ugandan shillings, according to the Financial Times. In addition, funds were not properly accounted for and invoices or receipts were missing for some expenditures. The audit found "no concrete evidence" of corruption or fraud, and the fund said it has not yet begun a full investigation, which will require a review of bank records and other personal information. The Global Fund has requested that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which serves as the principal recipient for the five grants, implement a new method of effectively managing the grants by the end of October (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/25). "I am very curious myself, and I am going to see what is wrong. I may even appoint a commission of inquiry to see what actually happened," Museveni said (Wasswa, Associated Press, 8/25). He added, "I sometimes doubt these international groups because sometimes they don't look serious to me, but this time they seem a bit more serious" (AFP/Yahoo! News, 8/25). Museveni said that the "fight against AIDS will continue" and noted that Uganda reduced its HIV prevalence rate from about 30% to 6% "long, long before the Global Fund came along" (Wallis, Reuters/Yahoo! News Singapore, 8/25).
Brazil Signs Agreements With Argentina, Clinton Foundation To Improve Access to Generic Antiretroviral Drugs - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Brazil and Argentina this week agreed to jointly produce generic antiretroviral drugs, the... Chicago Tribune reports. Officials from the two countries said they will begin sharing information and technology and will arrange meetings between experts. However, they did not say when production might start or if they will break international patents to produce the generic drugs (McMahon, Chicago Tribune, 8/25). The Brazilian Ministry of Health last week said it is again requesting that Abbott Laboratories lower the price of its antiretroviral drug Kaletra or Brazilian manufacturers will break the drug's patent and produce it for 41 cents per pill, compared with Abbott's price of $1.17 per pill. In July, Brazil's health ministry and Abbott said they had reached an agreement for Abbott to keep the government's annual expenses on Kaletra at current levels for the next six years and that Brazil would not break Abbott's patent to produce a generic equivalent of the drug. However, less than a week after the agreement was announced, incoming Brazilian Health Minister Jose Saraiva Felipe dismissed the agreement and said the country would continue to negotiate for a lower price (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/19). Abbott said it submitted a revised pricing proposal last week (Chicago Tribune, 8/25). Officials from Argentina, Brazil and nine other Latin American countries earlier this month reached an agreement with 26 pharmaceutical companies to secure discounts of as much as 66% on antiretroviral drugs. The other countries participating in the agreement include Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay. Abbott, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche and Bayer were among the companies involved in the agreement, and discounts range from 15% to 66%, depending on the medicine (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/10).
Singapore Health Ministry Seeks Collaboration With Private Companies To Fight HIV/AIDS, Reduce Stigma - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Singapore Senior Health Minister Balaji Sadasivan on Thursday proposed a partnership between the... Ministry of Health and private companies in the city state to fight HIV/AIDS and reduce stigma associated with the disease, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. Addressing the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, Sadasivan said that companies should develop HIV/AIDS education programs and antidiscrimination policies for employees to encourage early treatment and allow for continued productivity. He added that Singapore's public HIV/AIDS campaign will focus on preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and encouraging HIV-positive people to inform their spouses of their status. The campaign will not include a condom promotion component, according to Sadasivan. An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 HIV-positive people live in Singapore and a record 311 new cases were reported in 2004, Sadasivan said (AFP/Yahoo! News, 8/25).
Don't condemn bar workers to early deaths, says BMA - Medical News Today 29/08/05
In its response to the Government's proposals for tobacco legislation in England and Wales, the BMA (British Medical Association) has said there is no justification for pubs and restaurants to have a longer lead-in time to go smokefree than other businesses or for there to be any exemptions for non-food pubs.
Bioinformatics Market Surges Ahead, Europe - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Data Proliferation and Need for Improved Drug Research Productivity Underline Appeal of Bioinformatics.
New Fathers research programme launched by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Many fathers of children with learning disabilities are not included in decisions affecting their child and are sidelined, according to the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities. To explore this further, the charity has launched Recognising Fathers, a new research project to understand the real and distressing issues faced by dads.
New Report On Soy Finds Limited Evidence For Health Outcomes - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Daily consumption of soy protein found in tofu and other soybean products may result in a small reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL, known as bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, according to a new evidence review supported by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In addition, isoflavones found in soy may reduce the frequency of hot flashes in post-menopausal women. However, the available studies on the health impacts of soy were limited in number, of poor quality, or their duration was too short to lead to definite conclusions.
Doctors warn patients against unregulated screening tests, BMA - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Doctors are warning patients against using unregulated or ad hoc screening tests, saying they may cause more harm than good and give inconsistent results. This advice comes from a BMA (British Medical Association) report, Population screening and genetic testing1, out today, Tuesday 23 August 2005.
Main Autism Behaviour Types Are Not Genetically Linked - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Scientists at the MRC (Medical Research Council, UK) Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, have discovered that two sets of behaviours that co-occur in autism spectrum conditions appear to be caused by different sets of genes.
New Non-Surgical Approach Showing Great Promise in the Treatment of Challenging Brain Aneurysms - Medical News Today 29/08/05
A fender-bender may have saved Douglas Collins' life. A CT scan following the accident discovered Collins, 64, had a brain aneurysm, a weakness in the arterial wall that if ruptured could cause a stroke or death. It was not caused by the accident, but likely could have been a ticking time bomb present for years. The aneurysm was large and previously thought to require open surgery and a lengthy recovery.
1st International Peer-Reviewed Journal Using Evidence-Based Methods to Evaluate Drugs - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Reflecting the increasing reliance on evidence-based measures for medical decision-making, Core Medical Publishing Ltd has launched Core Evidence, the first international peer-reviewed journal to assess drugs by critically evaluating evidence on clinical effectiveness and outcomes.
How to practise medicine as a junior doctor - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Are you starting or about to start your house jobs? Are you worried?
New Type of Hypertension Treatment Effective and Well Tolerated, Emerging Evidence Shows - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Data emerging from early studies of aliskiren, a new type of treatment for hypertension, indicate that the new drug is effective as a single treatment for patients with mild-to-moderate uncomplicated essential high blood pressure. Results of initial randomized controlled clinical trials also suggest that the new medication is well tolerated and that patients exhibit good adherence to the once-a-day oral medication.
NICE guidance set to improve services for children and young people with cancer, UK - Medical News Today 29/08/05
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Cancer (NCC-C) have today launched guidance which aims to standardise services for children and young people with cancer in England and Wales.
Scientists find that protein controls aging by controlling insulin - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered that a protein prolonging life in mice works by controlling insulin.
Cellular power plants also fend off viruses - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Howard Hughes Medical Institute esearchers have discovered a surprise lurking inside mitochondria, the power plants that are present in every cell. It turns out that these powerhouses also contain a protein that triggers the immune system to attack viral invaders.
The link between fasting and acute attacks of porphyria - Medical News Today 29/08/05
A team of researchers has discovered a molecular missing link that helps explain why fasting brings on acute attacks of the genetic disease hepatic porphyria, according to a new report in the 26 August issue of the journal Cell. The finding could help improve treatments for those suffering from the disease, which may have been the culprit behind the "madness" of King George III of England.
Dairy peptides significantly decrease blood pressure, British Journal of Nutrition paper - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Dairy peptides are effective in the reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) after three and six weeks of consumption, according to a new study published this month in the British Journal of Nutrition.1 The authors of the paper conclude that a functional food, enriched with the dairy peptides tested in the study, could assist in the prevention of hypertension in people with blood pressure that is above normal.
New protein vital for immune response is found in surprise location - Medical News Today 29/08/05
A newly discovered protein not only is vital to the immune system's ability to fight off viral infections but also has been found in an unexpected location within the cell, causing researchers to rethink previous notions about the workings of the human immune system.
Protein-rich diet boosts benefit of exercise - Medical News Today 29/08/05
Everyone knows that a good weight-loss program combines diet and exercise, but a new University of Illinois study reports that exercise is much more effective when it's coupled with a protein-rich diet.
COPD - anxiety and low health status lead to more rehospitalisations - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are commonly frequently admitted to the hospital for acute exacerbations of their disease. Many risk factors have been identified for rehospitalisations. They include: higher age, lower lung function and lower health status. However, very little is known about the role of depression and anxiety as risk factors for rehospitalisations.
Erectile Dysfunction is Often a Manifestation of Underlying Cardiovascular Problems - Medical News Today 28/08/05
For men, flagging potency can be a red flag that something's not right in the cardiovascular system. And experts say men who rush to fix the problem with impotence drugs may be ignoring a bigger threat to their health.
Women from Ethnic Minorities often Neglected - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Women from ethnic minorities who live in Western societies are exposed to substantial health risks. The reason is that modern health care does not always take cultural values into account. These are the findings of a continent-spanning project by the Austrian Science Fund FWF and identifies the lack of cultural and gender-sensitive health care and its consequences, based on the example of New Zealand and Austria.
District Nurses fear for future of patient care, UK - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Britain's specialist community nursing union - the Community and District Nursing Association (CDNA) today warned that patient care could suffer as a result of the changing role of Primary Care trusts.
Stopping spread of damaged eye cells, K-State eye researchers - Medical News Today 28/08/05
A team of four eye researchers at Kansas State University is examining how cells communicate. They hope to prevent the spread of damaged cells that, in some cases, leads to blindness.
Development of a Quick Detection Method for Complex Immune Analytes - Medical News Today 28/08/05
An analysis method permitting the simultaneous quantification of numerous parameters in the immune system was recently presented at the Campus Vienna Biocenter. The technology, which has been developed by Bender MedSystems, is based upon the principle of a widespread analysis device and thus allows for rapid implementation in daily laboratory life. It thus succeeds in satisfying the growing demand at clinical and pharmaceutical organisations for increasingly efficient analysis methods at favourable costs.
Boots selected to provide free chlamydia screening for 16-24 year olds across London - Medical News Today 28/08/05
The contract to provide chlamydia screening in high-street pharmacies across London has been awarded to Boots, Public Health minister Caroline Flint announced today.
First gene associated with myeloproliferative diseases found - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative diseases (MDS/MPD) are blood stem cell disorders characterized by ineffective formation and development of blood cells in the bone marrow, resulting in abnormal development of bone marrow precursor cells and a reduction in the number of blood cells. The broad spectrum of symptoms makes MDS/MPD difficult to treat, and there are no good prognostic markers available. No single gene defect has been found for these diseases, and no animal model was available to study them.
Obesity and diabetes carry risks for pregnant women - Medical News Today 28/08/05
The risks that obesity and diabetes carry for adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as cesarean section and low birth weight, vary among racial and ethnic groups, yet both conditions are bad news for all women hoping for a healthy pregnancy.
Estrogen's antioxidant power may play key role in cerebral blood vessel health - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Estrogen's role as an inhibitor of toxic-free radicals in cerebral blood vessels may be a key reason why premenopausal women have a lower stroke risk than men.
Solving the mystery of mutated proteins and the brain - Medical News Today 28/08/05
In some neurological diseases, too much of what is usually a good thing can be bad, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in a report in this week's issue of the journal Cell.
A double punch for female survival at cellular level - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Achieving equality between the sexes can be a challenge even for single cells. Since evolution began removing bits of male DNA to create the "Y" chromosome, males have had a single copy of certain key genes on the X chromosome, whereas females have two. Normally this would lead females to produce twice the amount of some proteins, which could be fatal, but cells have developed ways to prevent this. Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have now made a breakthrough in understanding how this balance, called "dosage compensation," is maintained. They have discovered a unique double-locking mechanism which prevents the production of a molecule that would be fatal for female cells; their work is reported in the current issue of Cell.
High blood lactate levels may indicate poor prognosis in liver failure - Medical News Today 28/08/05
A new study on fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), a sudden and severe shutdown of the liver, examined ways of determining early on whether patients would benefit from a transplant as opposed to responding to other medical treatment. The results showed that elevated blood lactate levels indicate a poor prognosis and thus the need for a transplant.
Inaugural meeting of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society highlights RNAi & antisense - Medical News Today 28/08/05
NY Academy of Sciences sponsors symposium September 15-18 Oligonucleotide-based gene-silencing techniques and nucleic acid¡Vbased therapeutics are emerging as important tools for genomics research and drug development. These technologies have the ability to target specific genes involved in the pathophysiology and etiology of various diseases. One result might be the production of safe, effective medicines devoid of harmful side effects for diseases such as HIV, macular degeneration, respiratory viral infections, and various types of cancer.
Sleeping sickness epidemic spreading in Uganda - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Current methods to curb the epidemic of sleeping sickness in eastern Uganda are failing, concludes a research letter in this week's issue of THE LANCET.
Efforts To Control HIV/AIDS in Kazakhstan Showing Success Despite Increase in Cases Associated With Sexual Transmission - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Efforts to control the spread of HIV in Kazakhstan are succeeding despite an increase in the number of cases associated with sexual transmission, according to Valery Chernyavskiy, the country's... Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria portfolio manager, IRIN News reports. "In general, our assessment of the situation is positive," Chernyavskiy said, adding that the Kazakhstan government is "working very closely with their partners -- both local and international." The government's program aims to prevent HIV transmission through behavior change and harm reduction strategies targeting high-risk groups, including injection drug users, commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men. The program also provides HIV/AIDS-related care and treatment. About 4,600 HIV/AIDS cases have been registered in Kazakhstan, but health officials say the actual number could be closer to 20,000. The majority of cases are believed to be transmitted through injection drug use. However, the percentage of cases attributable to sexual transmission has increased from 5% in 2001 to 29% in 2004, according to Irina Savtchenko, UNAIDS country coordinator for Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. In order to receive the remainder of its five-year Global Fund grant, which totals about $15.6 million over three years, Kazakhstan must implement a methadone treatment program for injection drug users. Although the country's previous government had approved the program, the current government has expressed reservations about the plan, Chernyavskiy said. "Nevertheless, we have official confirmation from the government that they will start two pilot areas in this component soon," he said (IRIN News, 8/23).
Taiwan Removes HIV/AIDS Prevention Ad Featuring Nun Promoting Condom Use After Criticism From Roman Catholics - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Taiwan has withdrawn an HIV/AIDS prevention campaign advertisement that features a nun promoting condom use after the poster provoked criticism from Roman Catholics, local media said on Wednesday,... Reuters UK reports. The poster -- which was hung on condom machines in Taipei hospitals, subway stations and other locations -- showed a smiling nun holding a condom with both hands, saying, "Although I don't need one, even I know" (Reuters UK, 8/24). "We think it's inappropriate to use religious figures in the advertisement," a spokesperson for an association representing nuns said, adding, "It is bad for the image of the Catholic Church." The Taipei Sexually Transmitted Disease Control Center -- which commissioned the poster -- apologized, removed the posters, and destroyed the posters and digital files used to create the ad (Agence France-Presse, 8/24).
Inhibitory systems control the pattern of activity in the cortex - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Inhibitory systems are essential for controlling the pattern of activity in the cortex, which has important implications for the mechanisms of cortical operation, according to a Yale School of Medicine study in Neuron.
Australian-based research team finds the malaria parasite's 'housebreaking tool' - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal malaria parasite, is a housebreaking villain of the red blood cell world. Like a burglar searching for a way in to his targeted premises, the parasite explores a variety of potential entry points to invade the red blood cells of its human victims. When a weak point is found, the intrusion proceeds.
New vaccine protects more effectively against tuberculosis - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Max Planck researchers uncover the mechanism by which the new genetically engineered vaccine functions - The vaccine has been licensed to the Vakzine Projekt Management who will test it in clinical trials early 2006. The responsible mechanisms for the high efficacy of this vaccine has now been deciphered (Journal of Clinical Investigations, August 18, 2005).
Dangers of driving and using your cell phone - Medical News Today 28/08/05
New research shows that people have greater difficultly maintaining a fixed speed, or keeping their car safe in a single lane when performing tasks that simulated conversing on a mobile phone, than if they were driving without the distraction. Contrary to expectation, the speaking and listening were equally distracting. The research was conducted at the University of Illinois and will be published in the next edition of Applied Cognitive Psychology.
Improving the potential of cancer vaccines - Medical News Today 28/08/05
A special stretch of genetic material may turn off the immune suppression that stymies attempts to fight cancer with a vaccine, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) at Houston.
Novel plague virulence factor identified - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have identified a previously unknown family of virulence factors that make the bacterium responsible for the plague especially efficient at killing its host.
Ways to avoid hazards of heart bypass under study - Medical News Today 28/08/05
The heart-lung bypass machine that stills the heart while surgeons bypass an adult's clogged arteries or repair a baby's malformed heart can also trigger a potentially deadly inflammatory response.
Ways to avoid hazards of heart bypass under study - Medical News Today 29/08/05
What really happens when a virus enters the body - Medical News Today 28/08/05
A well-respected researcher who is now a chief of an immunology laboratory of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has rocked the boat in the past few years for the experts in the understanding of the autoimmune system.
Breath tests - innovative modalities of lung function testing - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Exhaled breath carries a complex set of information about the physicochemical environment in our body.
Reducing risk of death from severe malaria by a third with Chinese herb-derived drug - Medical News Today 28/08/05
A drug derived from an ancient Chinese herb has been shown to reduce the risk of death from severe malaria by a third, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of lives in nations on our doorstep.
Tuberculosis treatment success rate in Europe falls short of WHO targets - Medical News Today 28/08/05
The resurgence of tuberculosis (TB) in western countries since 1986 has been attributed to the HIV epidemic, immigration and drug resistance.
Leptin - a new marker of inflammation in pulmonary disease - Medical News Today 28/08/05
Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue which is widely involved in several diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD).
Oxoid Extends Range For Urinary Tract Infection Diagnostic Tests - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Oxoid Limited has extended its range of diagnostic tests available for the detection of urinary tract infections with the addition of RapID™ SS/u (Site Specific - urine) (Product code 8311004). This easy-to-use enzymatic test panel is able to identify the major urinary tract pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp., Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Candida albicans, within just 2 hours.
How germ cells decide whether to be sperm or eggs - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Johns Hopkins biologists have determined how developing embryos tell their specialized "germ cells" whether to develop into a male's sperm or a female's eggs.
American Chemical Society session to focus on T-rays - the next wave in imaging technology - Medical News Today 27/08/05
A versatile technology that can spot cracks in space shuttle foam, while also offering the potential to see biological agents through a sealed envelope and detect tumors without harmful radiation, will be the focus of a full-day symposium at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, D.C. The session will be co-chaired by T-ray experts Xi-Cheng Zhang, a physicist and engineer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Charles Schmuttenmaer, a chemist at Yale University.
Fewer wrinkles and firmer skin linked to earlier use of estrogen therapy - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Long-term hormone therapy used earlier in menopause is associated with fewer wrinkles and less skin rigidity in postmenopausal women, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the August issue of Fertility and Sterility.
GDF5 lends a hand to finger abnormalities - Medical News Today 27/08/05
In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Petra Seemann and colleagues describe two mutations in Growth and Differentiation Factor 5 (GDF5), a signaling molecule, that result in altered binding affinities to the BMP type 1 receptors giving rise to opposing phenotypes, brachydactyly type A2 (unusually short digits) and symphalangism (fusion of the hand joints). The authors propose a model for normal joint formation.
Vitamin D puts a brake on activated macrophages - Medical News Today 27/08/05
How a newly discovered mechanism keeps inflammation under control - When macrophages, the first line defender cells of the immune system become activated, they produce an inhibitor, which acts back on them to suppress their activity. This has been revealed by the work of scientists at the German Research Centre for Biotechnology (GBF) in Braunschweig together with colleagues at the Hannover Medical School and at the University of Münster. The suppressor turned out to be an "old acquaintance": vitamin D3, already well known, particularly for its role in bone metabolism. The scientists have now published their findings in the journal Blood.
Harmless virus may hold key to more effective HIV drug discovery - Medical News Today 27/08/05
New phage display technique successful in identifying compounds that show potential to overcome drug resistance.
Shame, not guilt, related to substance-abuse problems - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Findings from a collaboration between scientists at the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) and George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., have established the importance of distinguishing between feelings of shame and guilt when providing treatment for substance abuse and in developing substance-abuse prevention programs.
Thoughts on thyroid biology - Medical News Today 27/08/05
In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Ana Luiza Maia and colleagues from Harvard have developed a novel system to address a long- standing question in thyroid biology - the relative contribution of Type 1 (D1) and Type 2 (D2) 5'-deiodinase to circulating T3 in humans. They show that D2 accounts for a higher fraction of T3 production in hypothyroidism and D1 in hyperthyroidism. D2 generated T3 is shown to have a greater effect on T3-dependent gene expression.
Acquired defects confer susceptibility to mycobacteria infection - Medical News Today 27/08/05
in the interferon gamma receptor gene. In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Beate Kampmann and colleagues from Imperial College report a syndrome of disseminated mycobacterial infection caused not by genetic defect in the type 1 cytokine pathways, but instead by an acquired defect mediated by autoantibodies against interferon gamma.
A targeted complement will cure what ails you - Medical News Today 27/08/05
The pathogenesis of many inflammatory, autoimmune and ischemic diseases are due to inappropriate activation of the complement system - proteins found in blood that help destroy bacteria and other foreign cells. Complement inhibitors are now used therapeutically but there are unresolved questions regarding their clinical use. Complement activation products are important for host defense and regulation of the immune system, and thus complement inhibition may compromise this protection.
Device can identify what the passive smoker inhales - Medical News Today 27/08/05
A device called “passive chemical dosimeter” will help to identify the quantity of poisonous substances and to determine particular substances inhaled by interlocutors of a smoker. The device is being developed by the Kazan chemists, financial support being provided by the International Science and Technology Center.
BMA proposes earmarked training posts for overseas doctors, UK - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Problems faced by overseas doctors in the UK could be reduced if they applied for earmarked training programmes, the BMA Junior Doctors Committee and the British International Doctors Association say in a joint discussion paper today (Tuesday 23 August, 2005).
Living Cell Is Replaced By A Test-Tube With DNA - Medical News Today 27/08/05
If a living cell is replaced by a test-tube with DNA and a set of substances, it is possible to get proteins in a more simple and inexpensive way. That was done by Russian biochemists synthesizeing insulin without help of transgene Escherichia coli. The researchers' concept was funded by the Ministry of Science and Molecular and Cellular Boioplogy, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Mankind Is Predisposed To Diseases Of Civilization - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Human beings are genetically adapted to conditions of scanty and irregular nutrition. In case of food abundance this advantage turned into a significant part of population's predisposition to “diseases of civilization”. This conclusion has been made by I.S. Liberman, Doctor of Sciences, based on his own data and findings of other investigators.
SARS - Chinese team's innovative prediction tool - Medical News Today 27/08/05
The year 2003 is one everyone will remember, especially specialists in lung disease and infectious diseases. For 2003 was the year of the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) epidemic, which sowed unprecedented crisis and panic in health services. Draconian measures were imposed to stop the deadly virus spreading; as a result, health care facilities were severely stretched and international trade and air travel were badly disturbed.
Study reveals waiting times for orthopedic referrals significantly reduced, UK - Medical News Today 27/08/05
The British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) has reported research showing that GP surgeries could drastically cut waiting times for patients with musculoskeletal disorders if they manage their own orthopedic referrals.
Artesunate should become the treatment of choice for severe malaria - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Artesunate is better than quinine for the treatment of severe malaria in adults, concludes an article in this week's issue of THE LANCET.
Insulin sensitivity gets a kick out of SOCS-7 - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Insulin resistance is a fundamental factor in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Prolonged activation of the insulin receptor, inflammation, and excessive insulin levels can induce insulin resistance by decreasing levels of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins. However, the mechanism(s) underlying the destruction of IRS proteins and subsequent resistance to insulin have not been well defined. Proteins of the SOCS family have been implicated in the negative regulation of insulin signaling and also regulate cytokine signaling by targeting proteins for degradation by the proteasome. In particular, the function for the SOCS-7 protein was previously unclear.
Duke researchers uncover genetic link to stroke after heart surgery - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Duke University Medical Center researchers have discovered that patients who have two specific gene variants are more than three times as likely to suffer a stroke after heart surgery.
New dye could offer early test for Alzheimer's - MIT technique is noninvasive - Medical News Today 27/08/05
MIT scientists have developed a new dye that could offer noninvasive early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, a discovery that could aid in monitoring the progression of the disease and in studying the efficacy of new treatments to stop it.
A spoonful of sugar is sufficient for diabetic atherosclerosis - Medical News Today 27/08/05
People with diabetes are more likely to develop atherosclerosis, leading to more heart attacks and strokes in this population. But evidence that hyperglycemia in these patients contributes to atherosclerosis was lacking. In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Ira Goldberg and colleagues from Columbia University show that hyperglycemia alone can accelerate atherosclerosis.
Unlocking Alzheimer's: Cholesterol and copper chemistry could be the key - Medical News Today 27/08/05
The risk for Alzheimer Disease (AD) is related to high levels of cholesterol and copper, but the mechanisms underlying this association were unclear. In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Ashley Bush and colleagues from Massachusetts General Hospital show that beta-amyloid, the protein culprit in AD, possesses cholesterol oxidase activity. They show that this activity is exaggerated in patients with AD.
Small molecule correction for cystic fibrosis - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Cystic fibrosis is one of the most common genetically transmitted diseases. In a study appearing online on August 25 in advance of print publication of the September 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Alan Verkman and colleagues from UCSF report the discovery and characterization of small molecule 'correctors' of defective cystic fibrosis conductance regulator (CFTR) cellular processing. A deletion in phenylalanine 508 is a mutation that disrupts the function of this cellular channel and causes cystic fibrosis.
Girls more physically active if exposed to exercise at school - Medical News Today 27/08/05
School-based exercise programs can have a profound impact on a girl's likelihood to be physically active.
Pinpointing the cause of spinocerebellar ataxia - Medical News Today 27/08/05
Researchers have discovered how the abnormal repetition of a genetic sequence can have disastrous consequences that lead to the death of neurons that govern balance and motor coordination. The studies bolster the emerging theory that neurodegenerative disorders can be caused by having extra copies of a normal protein, not just a mutated one.
Black and low-income women need tailored weight loss strategies - Medical News Today 26/08/05
Weight loss programs need to be race- and income-specific because weight control experiences are far different between black and white women and affluent and poor women, according to a recent study.
Global Fund Temporarily Suspends Five Grants to Uganda Citing Evidence of Mismanagement - Medical News Today 26/08/05
The Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Wednesday announced it has temporarily suspended its five grants to Uganda citing evidence of mismanagement,... Reuters reports (Waddington, Reuters, 8/24). The organization made the decision after an investigation of one of the grants by PricewaterhouseCoopers found evidence of "serious mismanagement" by the Project Management Unit in the Ugandan Ministry of Health, a unit that was established to implement the grants. The five grants -- two for HIV/AIDS, two for malaria and one for tuberculosis -- total more than $200 million, of which the Global Fund so far had disbursed $45.4 million. The Global Fund has requested that the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which serves as the principal recipient for the five grants, implement a new method of effectively managing the grants by the end of October. As part of the request, the finance ministry must dissolve the health ministry's PMU (Global Fund release, 8/24). "We no longer have confidence in the Ugandan program management unit," Jon Liden, a spokesperson for the Global Fund, said. But he added that the fund will make arrangements to provide some payments as needed during the suspension. The fund will restore the grants "as soon as Uganda comes up with a proper plan to rectify the issues of mismanagement," Liden said. Fund officials said the action to suspend the grants in Uganda was taken to stress the importance that Global Fund grants to all countries need to be managed properly (Altman, New York Times, 8/25).
Microscopic brain imaging in the palm of your hand - Medical News Today 26/08/05
New portable device captures pictures beneath the living brain's surface - Researchers at Stanford University have demonstrated a promising, minimally invasive optical technique that can capture micron-scale images from deep in the brains of live subjects. The method, called two-photon microendoscopy, combines a pair of powerful optical and mechanical techniques into one device that fits in the palm of the hand. The results appear in the September 1, 2005 issue of Optics Letters, a journal published by the Optical Society of America.
US abstinence drive hurts AIDS fight - UN official - Reuters 29/08/05
The U.S. government's emphasis on abstinence-only programs to prevent AIDS is hobbling Africa's battle against the pandemic by downplaying the role of condoms, a senior U.N. official said on Monday.
Low-dose insulin doesn't affect kids' growth - Reuters 29/08/05
Data from a diabetes prevention trial show that low-dose insulin treatment has no apparent effect on body weight or physical development in adolescents and children who are at increased risk of developing diabetes type 1.
California files suit on french fry health warning - Reuters 29/08/05
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has filed a lawsuit to force top makers of potato chips and french fries to warn consumers about a potential cancer-causing chemical found in the popular snacks.
Obese adults get fewer cancer screens, flu shots - Reuters 29/08/05
Despite their often higher risk of disease, obese adults are less likely than their thinner peers to get some of the most essential preventive health services, new study findings show.
Walking to, from school good for teen health - Reuters 29/08/05
Teenagers who walk to and from school may get more exercise throughout the day -- including during school hours -- than those who travel to and from school by car, bus or train, a team of Scottish researchers reports.
Statin drugs lower heart attack death-study - Reuters 29/08/05
Giving a heart attack patient a statin drug right away reduces the chance he or she will die by 50 percent, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
Starving won't make people live longer-researchers - Reuters 28/08/05
Starving -- officially known as caloric restriction -- may make worms and mice live up to 50 percent longer but it will not help humans live super-long lives, two biologists argued on Sunday.
Shock wave therapy helps some stroke sufferers - Reuters 26/08/05
After a stroke, some patients develop muscle spasm in their hand and wrist. A small study now indicates that the condition can be relieved with focused shock wave therapy, and the benefits may persist for at least 12 weeks after treatment.
Pain relief improves fibromyalgia sufferers' lives - Reuters 26/08/05
New research indicates that moderate-to-severe fibromyalgia pain can dramatically impair health-related quality of life for people with the condition. The good news is that effective pain relief can greatly improve the situation.
Screening spares men from advanced prostate cancer - Reuters 26/08/05
Among middle-aged and older men, those who have had PSA tests are less likely to be found to have prostate cancer that has spread to other sites in the body, Canadian researchers report.
PSA in young adulthood may predict prostate cancer - Reuters 29/08/05
Vets with traumatic stress can kick smoking habit - Reuters 26/08/05
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder have a high rate of smoking and a poor rate of quitting, but new research shows that adding smoking-cessation therapy to their routine mental health care may help.
Cancer drug plus the Pill relieves endometriosis - Reuters 26/08/05
A drug used to treat and prevent breast cancer, Arimidex, can significantly reduce the pain of endometriosis when taken daily along with an oral contraceptive, investigators in the U.S. report.
Coffee top antioxidant source for Americans - Reuters 28/08/05
Europeans have red wine, Asians have green tea but Americans have their own source of antioxidants -- coffee, researchers reported on Sunday.
Coffee a good source of antioxidants - The Guardian 29/08/05
Coffee found to be high in health-giving antioxidants - The Independent 29/08/05
Coffee number 1 source of antioxidants in US diet - Medical News Today 29/08/05
College athletes unconcerned about skin cancer - Reuters 26/08/05
Despite spending hours under the sun, most college athletes are lax about protecting their skin with sunscreen, a new survey suggests.
Heart ailment seems under-recognized in women - Reuters 27/08/05
U.S. officials deferred ruling on over-the-counter sales of Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s "morning-after" contraceptive on Friday, sparking charges that repeated delays were motivated by politics rather than science.
Cheshire and Mersey News
Hospital to bring in no-smoking policy - Runcorn Weekly News 25/08/05
SMOKING is to be banned at Halton Hospital from next month, health chiefs have revealed.
The chips are down - Liverpool Echo 26/08/05
CHILDREN could look forward to posher school nosh next year after a huge rise in funding.
Spotlight is back on city care service - Liverpool Echo 26/08/05
INSPECTORS have carried out a fresh investigation into an under-fire council scheme for vulnerable people.
Hospital road rage - Liverpool Echo 26/08/05
THE Royal hospital has failed to come up with a £500m rebuilding plan despite 18 months of talks, it was claimed today.
Public invited to health meeting - Runcorn World 26/08/05
HEALTH chiefs will be presenting their latest facts and figures next month.
Medical care under fire at inquest - Crewe Guardian 26/08/05
A CREWE man has slammed the medical care available for alcoholics in South Cheshire after his brother died from a head injury just days after being examined by a doctor.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
Celebrate GP support for carers - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 26/08/05
THERE are six million family carers in the UK, which means one in ten of your readers are looking after someone who cannot cope on their own due to ill health, disability, frailty or an addition.
Greater Manchester News
Hospital phone facility is personal choice - Bolton Evening News 27/08/05
MAYBE Jo Worthington and Lucy Webster would prefer to return to the time before each hospital bed was serviced by a TV and phone unit, when an already overworked nurse had to wheel the payphone to a patient's bed or any television you watched was attached to the wall at the end of the ward with the sound turned down.
Hospital crisis needs full debate - Bolton Evening News 26/08/05
THE refusal by Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors to allow a full debate on the funding crisis at the Royal Bolton Hospital is very worrying.
'Scare tactics' over net flu drugs - Manchester Evening News 26/08/05
HEALTH bosses have warned against buying drugs - including treatments for bird flu - from foreign internet companies advertising with scare tactics.
Alert over hospital conman - Manchester Evening News 29/08/05
A CONMAN tricked hospital staff into handing over their credit card pin numbers.
