Monday, March 06, 2006

Contents

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National News
Why mothers should be offered caesareans - The Observer 05/03/06

Is the ideal of a 'natural childbirth' a myth, driven by an NHS desire to save money? In this personal and passionate article our Health Editor says that it's time for women to consider surgical births as the best for mother and baby

jo_revill.mp3 - The Observer 05/03/06
Birth choice plan under attack - The Telegraph 05/03/06

Health panel: How can I get rid of unsightly thread veins? - The Observer 05/03/06

Other treatments have left her blistered and scarred, so she's looking for a safe, effective way of banishing spider veins. Is there a better solution than make-up? Our experts offer advice

Schools stretch to teaching yoga - The Observer 05/03/06

Yoga, pilates and dance classes are to be held for thousands of 10 and 11-year-olds in an effort to help them keep trim

And another thing... condoms - The Observer 05/03/06

I can't say I thought too much about the price of condoms until recently, when a friend started to moan about the price. 'Do you have any idea how much they cost?' she exploded. 'They're nearly 1 pound each.'

Damien Green: Tories welcome immigrants. Facts would be nice, too - The Observer 05/03/06

This week, the government will unveil its new points system for immigrants, designed to smooth the flow of those coming here to work or study. Like every immigration initiative, it will excite the usual comments from the usual suspects. We need a more thoughtful debate. Yet any attempt to raise the tone of the debate is hampered by the extraordinary lack of basic facts and figures.

Scientist backs animal testing for cosmetics - The Guardian 04/03/06

Scientist backs animal testing for cosmetics

Test driven - The Guardian 04/03/06

Magnetic attraction? Shhh. It's a secret - The Guardian 04/03/06

If there's one thing that irritates a scientist, it's not knowing. This week, the Prescription Pricing Authority decided to authorise magnetic bandages for ulcer treatment on the NHS: and I have no idea why. They won't tell me what the presented evidence was, because that's not their policy. Shhh. It's a secret.

The cost of going private - The Guardian 04/03/06

Saving a tooth can cost an arm and a leg. And if you need to rescue more than one tooth than you might need to take a second job. At least that is how most people feel when they enter a dentist's surgery.

Pleasure and pain in the dentist's chair - The Guardian 04/03/06

I'm lovin' it - The Guardian 04/03/06

The week brought great news for fans of real food: falling sales have forced the closure of 25 UK McDonald's branches. Could this be a tipping point? Asks Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Exit sugar, salt and fat - The Guardian 04/03/06

Viv Groskop on egg freezing - The Guardian 04/03/06

Egg freezing started out as a necessity for the infertile, but it is fast becoming a back-up plan for the busy. So is this the perfect solution for those who want to delay motherhood - or the ultimate admission that pregnancy and the workplace don't mix? Viv Groskop hears the views of doctors, happy parents and mothers-in-waiting

Rose Elliot: That rare thing - tasty and healthy - The Guardian 04/03/06

Muesli bars and suchlike often sound a lot healthier than they actually are, but this one, despite being sweet and chewy, is nevertheless quite a virtuous little number. With warming spices to keep out the cold (do try it with the chilli - I love it), it contains some very nutritious ingredients: oats, brazil nuts, dried apricots.

Family forum - The Guardian 04/03/06

My mother, 81, needs help if she is to continue to live independently, which is what she wants. Social services are offering a home help, but Mum says she'd rather die than let someone else give her a bath or even do her shopping. How can I persuade her to accept the offer of help?

Emma Mitchell: Sleep right - The Guardian 04/03/06

My son, who is nine, has problems getting to sleep at night. He often doesn't fall asleep until 11pm. We have a good routine of bath and a bedtime story but, despite this, fresh air, exercise and a busy day at school, sleep still eludes him.

Early riser wakes us all - The Times 04/03/06

Seven alternatives to cow's milk - The Guardian 04/03/06

Whether it's for health reasons or just for the taste of it, there's lots of choice when it comes to your daily pint. Peta Bee reports

No Smoking Day prompts record numbers to give up - The Independent 05/03/06

Eighteen months before the ban on smoking in public places comes into force, record numbers of smokers are planning to kick the habit on National No Smoking Day, which has been running for 23 years.

Sperm & the single girl - The Independent 05/03/06

Growing demand from women without partners wanting to have children has led to pilot schemes where they will be given free fertility treatment on the National Health Service. Sophie Goodchild and Marie Woolf report

Family meals keep children fit and happy, study shows - The Independent 05/03/06

Children who eat with their families rather than alone in front of the television are more likely to enjoy a healthy diet and be well adjusted, according to new research.

Pigeons could spark bird flu epidemic in UK - The Independent 04/03/06

The arrival of bird flu in Britain is almost inevitable and free-range poultry are among the many avian species that could become infected, scientists said yesterday.

Bird flu may spread to pigeons and sparrows - The Telegraph 04/02/06

Antisocial families to get 'supernannies' - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

PROBLEM families are to be assigned full-time “supernannies” in the government’s latest attempt to curb antisocial behaviour.

Nurses earn bonuses for use of latest drugs - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

HUNDREDS of nurses on the payroll of the pharmaceutical industry are earning bonuses of 3,500 by identifying NHS patients who can be put on costly new drug regimes.

Walking again: girl with a rewired brain - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

A YOUNG woman confined to a wheelchair for seven years is not just walking again but singing and dancing in amateur shows, after a “miracle” cure using electrical implants in the brain.

Boy, 2, dies from methadone drink - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy has died from a drug overdose after drinking his parents’ methadone. Derek Alexander Doran was found dead in his bed by his mother at their home in Elphinstone, East Lothian.

Toddler dies after drinking 'liquid heroin' - The Telegraph 05/03/06

Holland to allow ‘baby euthanasia’ - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

WHEN Frank and Anita’s daughter Chanou was born with an extremely rare, incurable illness in August 2000, they knew that her life would be short and battled against the odds to make it happy.

Online selection of new doctors 'grossly unfair' - The Times 04/03/06

RADICAL changes to medical training, introduced by the Department of Health, aim to train a new generation of doctors in the skills of communicating and working as a team.

Pick a doctor by computer 'fiasco' - The Times 04/03/02
'Heartless test is open to fraud' - The Times 04/03/02
Doctors attack online recruitment - BBC Health News 04/02/06
It's the individual that counts - The Telegraph 05/03/06

NHS waiting lists on the increase - The Times 04/03/02

The number of people waiting for an NHS operation in England has increased by more than 7,000 at the end of January. The total waiting list now stands at 791,800 — up by 7,600 from the end of last year, but down by 70,100 since January 2005.

Millions to be made from IVF as 'sharp practice' debate grows - The Times 04/03/02

TO THE infertile patients that he has helped to become parents he is a miracle-worker, a pioneering doctor whose fearless embrace of IVF technologies has allowed them to start families they feared they would never have.

Grateful mother's verdict: thanks for my beautiful baby, but I felt fleeced - The Times 04/03/02
At any price? - The Times 04/03/02

Parents' court plea to keep baby alive - The Times 04/03/02

A HIGH Court judge will determine whether life-saving treatment can be withdrawn from a 17-month-old boy in a landmark legal case.

Letters to the Editor - The Times 04/03/02

We are faced with an extremely worrying scenario now that bird flu has been confirmed as causing the death of a cat and we cannot predict what unexpected twists it will take next (reports, Mar 1, 2 and 3).

The duvet diet - The Times 04/03/02

Lack of sleep affects hormones that control appetite. So if you stay tucked up in bed, you may lose weight

Inside story: alcoholic partner - The Times 04/03/02

Tackling her husband’s drink problem was hard for Katie Ryan. First she had to get honest

A business not to be sniffed at - The Times 04/03/02

How do antiperspirants and deodorants work? And do we really need all those chemicals? Simon Crompton reports on the big business of smells — and talks to the people who sweat for science

Glow? Perspire? Well, these ladies sweat . . . - The Times 04/03/02
So what exactly are we smearing on our armpits? - The Times 04/03/02
Do Underarm Deodorants Pose A Breast Cancer Risk? - Medical News Today 03/02/06

End of the friendship - The Times 04/03/02

Friends can replace families, we’re told. But what happens when they dump you?

Junk medicine: stem cell research - The Times 04/03/02

The morality of embryonic stem (ES) cell research is not a matter on which opinions are easily swayed. Like abortion, views are largely determined by deep-seated religious and cultural outlooks that are difficult to shift.

Granny's home truths: the hypochondriac - The Times 04/03/02

No sympathy for the self-pitying snuffler

End of the friendship - The Times 04/03/02

Friends can replace families, we’re told. But what happens when they dump you?

Junk medicine: stem cell research - The Times 04/03/02

The morality of embryonic stem (ES) cell research is not a matter on which opinions are easily swayed. Like abortion, views are largely determined by deep-seated religious and cultural outlooks that are difficult to shift.

Agony and ecstasy: sex advice - The Times 04/03/02

I stopped the Pill three months ago but I have problems with lubrication and achieving orgasm. My partner thinks it's his fault; I feel defective

What's up doc? Listening to your lungs - The Times 04/03/02

Why bother? The doctor is auscultating your chest. In other words, using the stethoscope to amplify the sound of air going in and out of your lungs. This enables him to check how much air is being shifted and whether there are aberrant noises.

Gabby Logan's ten-minute toner: heart - The Times 04/03/06

If you want to keep fit and healthy, it pays to build up a regular rhythm

Eco-worrier: coffee shops: a load of old froth? - The Times 04/03/06

Coffee shops are trying to woo us with ethical brews. Anna Shepard lifts the lid on Fairtrade coffee

Home remedies: copper bracelets for rheumatism - The Times 04/03/06

Many readers have asked: do copper magnetic bracelets work for rheumatism?

At your table: feeling hot, hot, hot ... - The Times 04/03/06

Using lean meat, fresh veg and zesty spices makes Indian food tasty — and nutritious

Reaching out to keep fit in style - The Times 04/03/06

Sweaty Betty founder Tamara Hill-Norton believes that if women look good, they feel good. She tells Amber Cowan how her girlie philosophy is getting more of us off the sofa and into the gym

Early riser wakes us all - The Times 04/03/06

Is it possible to encourage children to sleep in at weekends? On school nights my five-year-old son goes to bed at 7pm and gets up at 6am or earlier. At weekends all our children stay up later but my son still gets up at the same time, then wakes the other two. My partner and I have only weekends to rest. Is there anything we can do?

Not just anybody: Melanie Sykes - The Times 04/03/06

TV presenter Melanie Sykes, 35, is a yummy mummy but says that she hates being pregnant

GPs asked to put obese on the map - The Telegraph 05/03/06

Family doctors are to be paid around 1,000 pounds per practice to help to draw up a "fat map" of the country.

Supermarkets reject Labour's food warnings - The Telegraph 05/03/06

It has taken 18 months to prepare and cost 350,000 of taxpayers' money. But the Government's latest initiative to promote healthy eating and tackle soaring obesity levels has been rejected by most of the key players even before it is announced this week.

Hospital to mothball 250 beds - The Telegraph 05/03/06

A flagship 1 billion National Health Service hospital development is to go ahead but only if 250 of its beds are mothballed indefinitely to cut costs, it emerged yesterday.

Nasal warfare: one man fighting off the common cold - The Telegraph 05/03/06

Come, sneezing volunteer, to Biosciences Building 2 in a discreet corner of Cardiff University.

Now I know where the yellow went - The Telegraph 05/03/06

Throughout Sunday breakfast last week, my four-year-old cousin was listening with fierce, owl-eyed concentration to his great-aunt as she talked about wild flowers. She started seasonal - snowdrops, cyclamen, pansies - then, as her audience remained rapt, segued seamlessly into hellebores. Eventually, the great aunt's look of quiet pride gave way to one of perplexity, followed by suspicion. "Darling?" she said. "Are you listening? What are you looking at?" My cousin's voice, when he replied, was weak with horror. "Your teeth!" he said, stretching out a finger towards her pale ochre, criss-crossed incisors. "What's wrong with them?"

Charities turn up the heat on care funding scandal - The Telegraph 04/03/06

Ministers have been forced to act over the growing scandal of elderly people being forced to sell their homes to pay for NHS care.

IMF warns Britain of 50bn hole in future NHS bill - The Telegraph 04/03/06

The International Monetary Fund issued a warning last night over Britain's health care bill, saying the Government may have massively under-estimated future growth of NHS costs.

Does chocotherapy really work? Mmm, yes, whatever - The Telegraph 04/02/06

Lavinia lies before us, naked but for a liberal smearing of chocolate. She looks a little like Shirley Eaton as the golden corpse in Goldfinger, only browner and almost edible.

Wetherspoon postpones pub smoking ban - The Telegraph 03/02/06

The pub chain JD Wetherspoon has postponed plans to ban smoking in all its pubs within the next three months after sales in non-smoking outlets fell.

Doctor's diary: keeping thing in perspective - The Telegraph 03/02/06

James Le Fanu on some less than rosy news for arthritis sufferers, and the increasing fastidiousness of ambulance men

Hunting down the 'silent killer' - The Telegraph 03/02/06

New research into ovarian cancer, which claimed the life of comedian Linda Smith, should improve detection and survival rates, reports Lucie Hoe

Footballer's wife loses cancer battle - Daily Mail 04/03/06

The wife of former football star Gary McAllister has died after a long battle against cancer.

'Clever foods' are not such a smart buy - Daily Mail 04/02/03

Foods that supposedly boost intelligence or the immune system are not worth the extra money, experts warned yesterday.

Desperate dentistry: Woman pulls tooth with pliers - Daily Mail 03/02/06

A woman told today how she got a friend to pull out one of her teeth with a pair of pliers and filmed the gruesome process on a mobile phone after failing to find an NHS dentist.

London bombs: 'Thousand suffering' - Daily Mail 03/02/06

More than 1,000 people caught up in last summer's London bombings are likely to be be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, it has been revealed.

Workers with diabetes lose jobs - BBC Health News 05/03/06

People are losing their jobs because they have diabetes, a BBC Five Live investigation has found.

Dramatic warning about khat misuse - BBC Health News 05/03/06

Mohamed Hussein regularly chews khat, a mild stimulant popular with the Somali and Yemeni population.

Ruling due on right-to-life baby - BBC Health News 03/02/06

A High Court judge is to decide whether life-saving treatment can be withdrawn from a baby at the centre of a landmark right-to-life case.

'No evidence' of mast health risk - BBC Health News 03/02/06

Mobile phone masts and handsets are no more dangerous than television or radio transmitters, an expert has suggested.

Mobile Phone Masts As Safe As TV Or Radio Transmitters - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Media 'sensationalising science' - BBC Health News 03/02/06

A report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF), an independent research group, has accused the UK media of sensationalising science.

Woman to renew Herceptin battle - BBC Health News 03/02/06

A breast cancer patient fighting for the right to be treated with the drug Herceptin will take her case to the Court of Appeal later this month.

Superstore holds antenatal clinic - BBC Health News 03/02/06

Expectant mothers have begun attending what is thought to be the first supermarket antenatal clinic in the UK.

Epilepsy doctor to launch appeal - BBC Health News 03/02/06

A doctor who wrongly diagnosed hundreds of children is challenging a decision ordering him to retrain.

VAT 'to be cut on contraceptives' - BBC Health News 03/02/06

VAT is expected to be cut on condoms and other contraceptives in Gordon Brown's Budget later this month, according to reports.

Fighting The Battle Against Disease - Leeds Researchers Take On The World - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Every year at least six million people die from TB, malaria or HIV. Leeds researchers will play a major role in the fight against the world's three biggest killers in a 5m programme spanning countries from China to Nepal and Bangladesh to Uganda.

Investment And Reform Continue To Deliver Better Patient Care, UK Department Of Health - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Record investment in the NHS and ambitious reform of services are continuing to deliver faster access to treatment, reductions in cancelled operations, and increases in the number of critical care beds, Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt said today.


Ground-breaking Agreement For Provision Of Mental Health Services, UK - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Women's Mental Health Services, part of Partnerships in Care Limited - the UK's leading independent provider of specialist mental health care and related services - today (Friday) signed an agreement with a consortium of 119 Primary Care Trusts, led by Nottingham City Primary Care Trust, for the provision of medium secure women's mental health services at Annesley House, Nottingham.

Booze - How Much Is Too Much? Interactive Web Site For Students - Medical News Today 04/03/06

The country's first interactive website to help students cut down on alcohol has launched at Leeds. If successful, it could be rolled out across the UK and beyond.

MMR Survey Reveals Deep Distrust Of Government Health Advice, UK - Medical News Today 04/03/06

New research into public perceptions of MMR has shown that more than a third of parents distrust government health advice but are more likely to trust the advice of their own doctor.

Researcher Awarded Four Year Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship To Study A Congenital Brain Disease - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Determining how the brain develops and functions is one of the greatest questions facing scientists today. A researcher in the newly formed section of ophthalmology and neuroscience has been awarded a four year Wellcome Trust career development fellowship worth over half a million pounds to study a congenital brain disease and shed light on one of the most important processes in embryonic development.

Import Of Poultry And Game Birds From EU Member States, Customer Information Notes, Defra, UK - Medical News Today 04/02/06

To advise importers of poultry and game birds of a stricter application of documentary procedures in order to limit and control the risk of the spread of avian influenza to Great Britain.

Can Cats Catch Avian Flu? Defra Response, UK - Medical News Today 04/02/06
Can Pigs ‘catch' Avian Influenza? Defra Response, UK - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Health Advice To People Travelling To Countries Affected By H5N1 - Medical News Today 03/02/06

The UK Department of Health has today published public health information for people travelling to countries that have been affected by bird flu.

MRSA Use Amoeba To Spread, New Research Shows - Medical News Today 03/02/06

The MRSA 'superbug' evades many of the measures introduced to combat its spread by infecting a common single-celled organism found almost everywhere in hospital wards, according to new research published in the journal Environmental Microbiology.

February's Big Freeze Threatens To Hit Elderly Hardest - Medical News Today 03/02/06

The incidence of broken bones amongst the elderly looks set to increase this month, with the Met Office highlighting that wintry conditions are likely to continue across the UK. This icy weather poses a real - and often underestimated - risk of falling, which increases the risk of broken bones, especially amongst the elderly and the 3 million people across the UK who suffer from osteoporosis (brittle bone disease). , , Of the 70,000 hip fractures that people suffer in the UK each year, 25-30% will die within a year as a direct result.4,

New Understanding Of Age-related Depression And Dementia Gained By Scientists - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have identified for the first time a certain area of the brain which can shrink in old age and cause depression and Alzheimer's disease. The scientists believe the shrinkage may be caused by high levels of stress hormones.

More Social Inclusion For People With Mental Health Problems, UK - Medical News Today 03/02/06

New guidance will help re-integration and provide a safe environment for rehabilitation

Sperm Banking Gives Teenage Cancer Patients Hope For The Future - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Teenage boys being treated for cancer should be encouraged to bank their sperm so they might enjoy a family life in the future, say researchers at the University of Manchester.

Bird flu poses no food safety risk: health expert - Reuters 03/03/06

Bird flu in poultry does not pose any food safety risk because it is unlikely a sick chicken would be slaughtered for consumption and thoroughly cooking meat and eggs would kill the virus, a health expert said on Friday.

International News

GSK in PR blitz ahead of Moore's 'Sicko' blast at drugs companies - The Independent 05/03/06

GlaxoSmithKline, Europe's biggest drugs maker, is turning its 8,000 US workers into public relations ambassadors as the industry girds itself for further bad press after the upcoming release of Sicko, an exposé of the American healthcare industry by controversial film director Michael Moore.

Hi there, I’m your sperm donor sis - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

LIKE many children conceived with the help of an anonymous sperm donor, Ryan Kramer grew up knowing he might never learn the identity of the man who was his genetic father. But that did not stop him wondering if he had any half-brothers or sisters that the same man might have sired.

IVF babies at risk of brain defects - The Sunday Times 05/03/06

BABIES conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) are almost three times more prone to have two genetic brain disorders, a study by consultants at two Irish hospitals has found.

Born to show off - The Times 04/03/02

DON’T blame young men for being pushy little show-offs, it’s embedded deep in their genes, claim Harvard University researchers.

New hope for glue ear sufferers - Daily Mail 03/02/06

A new vaccine could help prevent glue ear in young children, new research suggests.

Obesity 'raises crash death risk' - BBC Health News 05/03/06

Male drivers who are involved in a car crash are more likely to die if they are obese, a US study suggests.

Being Obese Increases Male Drivers' Risk Of Dying In A Car Crash, Study Finds - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Marital rows 'harm heart health' - BBC Health News 04/02/06

Marital rows do not just produce harsh words and hot air - they can harden your arteries too, a study suggests.

Spousal spats may harm heart health - Reuters 03/03/06

Prostate cancer op delay 'safe' - BBC Health News 04/02/06

Delaying surgery on small, low-grade prostate tumours does not increase the risk of the disease progressing to an incurable form, research suggests.

Doctor must stop SA Aids adverts - BBC Health News 03/02/06

A South African court has ordered a German doctor to stop publishing statements critical of the country's leading Aids campaign group.

S.Africa AIDS activists win defamation case - Reuters 03/03/06

Anti-inflammatory Drug's Potentially Deadly Side Effect Found To Be Rare - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Scientists have completed an extensive study of more than 3,000 patients who received a promising anti-inflammatory drug, natalizumab, that was linked to three cases of a serious brain infection in large clinical trials halted in early 2005.

Procedure For Irregular Heartbeat Gives Long-lasting Relief & Improves Quality Of Life - Medical News Today 05/03/06

People who have endured the effects and risks of an irregular heartbeat for years can get long-lasting relief from a procedure that takes less than two hours, a definitive new study shows.


'Nano Skins' Show Promise As Flexible Electronic Devices - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A team of researchers has developed a new process to make flexible, conducting 'nano skins' for a variety of applications, from electronic paper to sensors for detecting chemical and biological agents. The materials, which are described in the March issue of the journal Nano Letters, combine the strength and conductivity of carbon nanotubes with the flexibility of traditional polymers.

Bahamas Investigates Bird Deaths, PAHO - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Officials of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are assisting the ministries of agriculture and health of the Bahamas in their investigation of the cause of death of ten birds found on the island of Great Inagua, at the southern end of the Bahamas archipelago.

UCI Researchers Identify First Compound To Block Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Researchers at UC Irvine have found that a new compound not only relieves the cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, but also reduces the two types of brain lesions that are hallmarks of this devastating disease, thereby blocking its progression.

Poor Neighborhood Conditions Triple Risk For Disabilities - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A comparison of residential areas in the St. Louis region reveales that late middle-aged and older African-Americans who live in rundown neighborhoods with poor air and street quality are three times more likely to develop difficulties walking, standing, or lifting than those in cleaner, better-maintained areas.


Marrow-derived Stem Cells Deliver New Cytokine To Kill Brain Tumor Cells, Offer Protection - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Attaching a recently discovered cytokine to neural stem cells derived from bone marrow, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have developed a tool to track and kill malignant brain tumor cells and provide long-term protection against their return.

Predicting Cardiovascular Problems In Liver Transplant Patients - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Two methods of assessing a patient's risk of cardiovascular events--SCORE and PROCAM--proved more valuable for liver transplant recipients than an alternative method, according to a new study. These findings are published in the March 2006 issue of Liver Transplantation, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS). Published on behalf of the societies by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., the journal is available online via Wiley InterScience (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/livertransplantation).

Conference Examines Latest Research On Drug-induced Liver Injury - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A recent conference examined issues relating to drug-induced liver injury (DILI), the primary cause of acute liver failure in the U.S. The proceedings of the conference are summarized in a paper appearing in the March 2006 issue of Hepatology, the official journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hepatology is available online via Wiley InterScience at

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis More Prevalent Around Toxic Waste Sites In NYC - Medical News Today 05/03/06

According to a new study, exposure to toxins from hazardous waste sites may be a significant risk factor for developing primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Published in the March 2006 issue of Hepatology, researchers found significant clusters of the disease near Superfund toxic waste sites (SFS) and that the majority of patients in New York City who need liver transplants because of PBC, reside near SFS. Hepatology is published on behalf of the society by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., and is available online via Wiley InterScience at http://www.interscience.wiley.com/journal/hepatology.

New Route To Stroke Therapy Could Protect Vulnerable Neurons - Medical News Today 05/03/06

In the neurological train wreck that is stroke, researchers have traced the major cause of the death of brain cells due to artery blockage or bleeding in the brain. They know that the resulting oxygen loss, or ischemia, unleashes a cascade of the brain chemical glutamate, which in turn triggers receptors on the surface of brain cells to snap open, allowing a lethal flood of calcium into the cells. Such receptors are pore-like proteins on the neuronal surface.

Latest Research Shows How Mantrams Can Even Tackle Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Repeating mantrams can help control the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, have a calming effect in traffic and even ease the boredom of exercise, according to a study in the latest issue of Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Acrux Patent Portfolio Advances In USA - Medical News Today 05/03/06

New patent granted in USA for MDTS® drug delivery system Protection against copies of Acrux unique transdermal sprays extended out to 2022 Nine patents now granted in USA

Whites More Likely Than Blacks To Die Soon After Spouse's Death - Medical News Today 05/03/06

White Americans are far more likely than their black counterparts to die soon after the death of a spouse, according to new research from Harvard University. The longitudinal study of 410,272 elderly American couples indicates that the "widowhood effect" -- the increased probability of death among new widows and widowers -- is large and enduring among white couples but undetectable among black couples, suggesting that blacks may somehow manage to extend marriage's well-documented health benefits into widowhood.

Better Communication Between Families And Health Care Providers Can Reduce Cost And Length Of Stay In ICU - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A growing population of chronically critically ill (CCI) patients use approximately half of all hospital intensive care unit (ICU) resources at a cost of an estimated $50 billion annually. In turn, health care providers pass those costs onto the consumer. But researchers at Case Western Reserve University's Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing are testing a relatively simple communications intervention which may save cost and length of an ICU stay.

Cause, And Possible Treatments, For Hereditary Movement Disorder Discovered By Einstein Scientists - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered the underlying cause of a type of ataxia, hereditary disorders characterized by poor balance, loss of posture and difficulty performing rapid coordinated movement. Their work also led to a drug that significantly improved the motor coordination in mice with ataxia--a finding that could lead to better therapies for the disease. The study appears in the March issue of Nature Neuroscience and was featured in the publication's advance online edition.

Smoking Cessation Delivered At-home Proves Effective - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A new study suggests that incorporating smoking cessation counseling into home-based medical care is an effective and feasible way to help people break the habit. Furthermore, counseling that focuses on a patient's motivation to quit is more successful than following standard cessation guidelines. The study is published in a recent issue of Preventive Medicine by researchers at The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.

Multiple Sclerosis Research Into Reparative Cells Offers New Hope For Treatment - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Plaques that form around the nerve cells of people with multiple sclerosis are apparently what disable people with the disease. But partly developed reparative cells within the plaques provide hope for a treatment, a UT Southwestern physician reports in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Advances In Asthma Research Presented At 2006 AAAAI Annual Meeting In Miami Beach - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Pregnant women who have a higher intake of vitamin D may decrease the risk for asthma in their offspring during early childhood, according to new research presented today by Carlos Camargo Jr., MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and colleagues at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the AAAAI in Miami Beach.

HIV, Schering-Plough Provides Update On Phase II Study Of Vicriviroc - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today provided an update on vicriviroc, its investigational CCR5 receptor antagonist, currently being evaluated by the NIH-sponsored Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) in an ongoing Phase II clinical study of 118 U.S. treatment-experienced HIV patients. Patients who entered this trial were heavily treatment experienced with advanced HIV disease and low CD4 counts. The ACTG Study Monitoring Committee (SMC) for this trial has informed the ACTG and Schering-Plough that five cases of malignancy have been observed in patients treated with vicriviroc.

Wal-Mart Watch Statement On Wal-Mart's Decision To Stock Plan B - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Wal-Mart Watch Executive Director Andrew Grossman issues the following statement in response to Wal-Mart's decision to stock Plan B emergency contraceptives in all of its U.S. pharmacies: “We commend Wal-Mart for taking an important first step towards allowing women access to safe and legal medication. Wal-Mart Watch, along with many others, has been pushing Wal-Mart to stock Plan B.”

Stanford Doctors Spotlight Fatal Flaw In Multiple Sclerosis Drug Trial - Medical News Today 05/03/06

When Anita Louise Smith enrolled in an experimental drug trial in 2002 in Colorado, she had a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis but no symptoms and was looking to reduce the chances of being ravaged by the disease. Last year, she died at the age of 46 from an infection linked to the drug.

Study Of Dinosaurs Part Of Pitt Medical School Plan To Graduate Better Doctors - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Back pain, knee problems, hernias 'these are just a few of today's more common medical ailments whose roots can be traced back millions of years, when our human ancestors evolved from walking on all fours to standing on their two hind legs. Cancer can be dated back even further' Carnegie Museum of Natural History researchers have proof by way of a 150-million-year-old Jurassic dinosaur bone, its tumor still preserved.

Some Newborns May Be 26 To 50 Times More Susceptible To Exposure To Certain Organophosphate Pesticides Than Other Newborns - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Some newborns may be 26 to 50 times more susceptible to exposure to certain organophosphate pesticides than other newborns, and 65 to 130 times more sensitive than some adults, according to a new study by researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington.

Study To Heal Wrist Fractures Faster Looks At Cold Weather Injuries - Medical News Today 05/03/06

The most common kind of wrist fracture is often caused by a fall onto an outstretched hand. Dubbed a FOOSH by orthopaedic surgeons, these fractures may result from slipping on ice, as well as skiing and snowboarding injuries. Accounting for 17 percent of all emergency room visits, they can put anyone who braves the elements in harm's way.

Oscar Winners Live Four Years Longer Than Non-Oscar Winning Actors - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A study of actors and actresses found that Oscar winners lived, on average, almost four years longer than nominees who went home empty-handed, reports the March issue of the Harvard Health Letter.

ExCel Breast Cancer Prevention Study Back On Track - Medical News Today 05/03/06

The ExCel breast cancer prevention study is back. ExCel was short-circuited before it really got started last year because a study arm included the cox-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex) that was suddenly pulled off the market due to side effects.

Body Wraps Incapable Of Producing Anything More Than Temporary Water Loss - Medical News Today 05/03/06

The highly advertised spa-type “body wraps” may make a person feel pampered, but they are incapable of producing anything more than temporary water loss, “perhaps no more than a diuretic pill,” cautioned UAB plastic surgeon Jorge de la Torre, M.D.

What Makes An Addict Seek Treatment? - Medical News Today 05/03/06

No matter their socioeconomic status, people are more likely to obtain treatment for addiction if they perceive major consequences from their illness, according to a study involving UAB researchers and published in the March 2006 issue of Medical Care.

Infection ‘Alarm' Yields Clues To Immune System Behavior - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Drawing on lab experiments and computer studies, Johns Hopkins researchers have learned how a common protein delivers its warning message to cells when an infectious agent invades the body. The findings are important because this biological intruder alarm causes the body's immune system to leap into action to fight the infection. Learning more about how this process works, the researchers said, could lead to better treatments for diseases that occur when the immune system overreacts or pays too little attention to the infection alarm.

How Effective Is Glycemic Index As Diet Tool? - Medical News Today 05/03/06

One of the hottest diet trends focuses on the Glycemic Index, which ranks carbohydrates according to their ability to affect blood glucose. The premise is that a diet of carbs with a low Glycemic Index will help people lose weight and reduce their risks for heart disease and diabetes.

Latest Discoveries In Alzheimer's Disease Therapy To Be Presented - Medical News Today 05/03/06

The world's leading physicians and scientists in the fields of Alzheimer's disease treatment and dementia research will participate in the 9th International Geneva/Springfield Symposium on the Advances in Alzheimer Therapy. The conference will be held April 19-22 at the International Conference Center in Geneva, Switzerland. They will highlight the latest discoveries in the treatment of dementia and results of the most recent clinical trials using drug, cellular and gene therapies.

‘Hedgehog' Find Could Lead To New Liver Cancer Tests And Treatments - Medical News Today 05/03/06

A discovery by researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) and their colleagues at China's Sun Yat-Sen and Shandong Universities could lead to new methods of diagnosing and treating the most common form of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Night Blindness Is A New Clinical Symptom Of Chagas Disease - Medical News Today 05/03/06

Researchers in Argentina have determined that night blindness is a new clinical symptom of Chagas disease. A team led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) international research scholar Mariano Jorge Levin and Cristina Paveto of the Institute for Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology (INGEBI), National Research Council, National Council of Scientific Research and Technology in Buenos Aires, found that the immune system of individuals with the tropical disease can shut down a key reaction in the retina, causing night blindness.

Erection Pill Associated With Normalization Of Relationships And Increased Self-esteem For Men With Erectile Dysfunction - Medical News Today 05/03/06

The inability to perform sexually can have a significant negative psychosocial impact on a man's overall health including depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. New research shows that safe and effective oral treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) can improve relationships, sexual confidence, and self-esteem in men with ED.

Delayed-release Stimulant Used To Treat Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) May Be Less Likely To Be Abused Than Other Stimulant Drugs - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has found that a delayed-release stimulant used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be less likely to be abused than other stimulant drugs. Study participants taking therapeutic oral doses of Concerta, a once-daily form of the drug methylphenidate, did not report perceiving and enjoying the drug's subjective effects, features that are associated with a medication's potential for abuse. The report appears in the March 2006 issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

Inflammatory Biomarker Helps Identify Progressive Precancerous Lesions In The Lung - Medical News Today 04/03/06

C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker for inflammation in the blood, can help to identify individuals whose abnormal precancerous lesions will advance closer to invasive lung cancer.

Study Finds Commitment To Marriage, Emotional Engagement Key To Wives' Happiness - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A study by University of Virginia sociologists W. Bradford Wilcox and Steven L. Nock finds that the single most important factor in women's marital happiness is the level of their husbands' emotional engagement -- not money, the division of household chores or other factors. The study also finds that women whose husbands earn the lion's share of income, who don't work outside the home, or who share a strong commitment to lifelong marriage with their husbands report the highest levels of marital happiness -- in sharp contrast to academic conventional wisdom, according to the authors. In addition, perceptions of fairness matter for married women. Women who report that the division of housework is fair are happier in their marriages than women who think that their husbands don't do their fair share.

Proteins Stop Blood-vessel And Tumor Growth In Mice - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center report in the March issue of Cancer Research that a pair of promising proteins, known as fibulins 3 and 5, slow the growth of cancer tumors in mice by preventing blood vessels from sprouting. The proteins are promising candidates for use in cancer therapy.

Obese People Are More Sensitive To Pain, Suggests Study - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Obese people may be more sensitive to pain than people who aren't obese, a new study suggests.

A Reduction In Tuberculosis Incidence, Prevalence And Death Rate Can Be Achieved By 2015 In Most Parts Of The World - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A reduction in tuberculosis (TB) incidence, prevalence and death rate can be achieved by 2015 in most parts of the world, with the greatest challenges occurring in Africa and Eastern Europe, according to a projection by the Stop TB Department of the World Health Organization.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Could Be The Result Of Brain Injuries Inflicted During The Early Stages Of Glandular Fever - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A seven-year tracking study has prompted scientists to suggest that chronic fatigue syndrome could be the result of brain injuries inflicted during the early stages of glandular fever.

Inadequate Prescribing Practices Lead To Poor Pain Control In Nursing Home Residents - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Researchers have discovered that many nursing home residents have poorly controlled pain due to inadequate medication treatment. The results of the study are published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Companies License Real-time Pathogen Detection Technology Developed At Kent State, NEOUCOM - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Innovative technology developed at Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) and Kent State University with the capability of detecting bioterrorism agents and pathogens in food and water has led to two licensing agreements.

Cruise Ship Gastroenteritis Outbreaks Show Sharp Increase Since 2001 - Medical News Today 04/03/06

Cases of diarrheal disease in passengers on cruise ships increased during 2001 through 2004, despite good results from environmental health sanitation inspection of the ships, a new study has found.

Over 200 Caribbean cruise ship passengers take ill - Reuters 05/03/06

Patient Safety Authority Marks Patient Safety Awareness Week March 5-11 - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A new consumer web page featured on the Patient Safety Authority's website (“Tips for Consumers: What Patients Can Do to Prevent Medical Errors”) includes a brochure that provides advice to patients and their families on how they can help prevent medical errors. The consumer information is being provided to mark Patient Safety Awareness Week March 5-11.

Experimental Drug Reverses Key Cognitive Deficits, Pathology In Alzheimer's - Medical News Today 04/03/06

A new drug that enhances the activity of a key brain cell receptor involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) reverses learning and memory deficits in mice engineered to have pathological hallmarks of the disease. What's more, the drug, called AF267B, reduces both of the pathologies--the brain-clogging buildup of protein "amyloid plaque" outside brain cells and the protein "neurofibrillary tangles" inside the cells.

Adolescents Who Witness Domestic Violence Between Their Parents Are Significantly More Likely To Suffer From Depression, Study Shows - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Adolescents who witness domestic violence between their parents are significantly more likely to suffer from symptoms of depression. In a study of adolescents in the Philippines conducted by Michelle Hindin, PhD, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Socorro Gultiano, PhD, of the University of San Carlos in the Philippines, nearly half of all young people reported witnessing parental domestic violence. One in ten of the male adolescents and one in five of the female adolescents reported wishing they were dead occasionally or most of the time in the four weeks preceding the survey.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Receives Exclusive License For LG474, Promising Drug For Treatment Of Cardiovascular Disease - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Takeda Pharmaceutical announced on March 2 that it received the exclusive right to use LG474, a substance discovered through its collaboration with Lexicon Genetics in the US.

Case School Of Engineering Professor Applies Virtual Reality To Train Brain And Heart Surgeons - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Virtual reality simulation tools are already revolutionizing the way dentists are taught at Case Western Reserve University and if M. Cenk Cavusoglu has his way, simulation technology at Case will also train the world's brain and heart surgeons.

Meningococcal Disease In Niger - 614 Cases, 44 Deaths From 1 Jan To 26 Feb 2006 - Medical News Today 04/02/06

The Niger Ministry of Health has reported a total of 614 cases and 44 deaths from 1 January to 26 February 2006. The epidemic threshold has been crossed in two neighbouring districts, Madarounfa and Guidan-Roumdji.

Meningococcal Disease, Kenya - 74 Cases And 15 Deaths (20% CFR) - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Joslin Study Provides Physiological Evidence That Insulin Is Critical For Blood Vessel Formation - Medical News Today 04/02/06

For people with type 2 diabetes, the death rate from a first heart attack is two to three times the death rate of patients without the disease. Similarly, patients with diabetes and ischemic (reduced blood flow) heart disease have a much higher mortality rate than the general population.

Taking Sleep Research To A Whole New Level - Medical News Today 04/02/06

The IST project SENSATION is an ambitious project of 46 partners from 20 different countries, addressing sensing of physiological parameters, core computation, medical and industrial research. The aim is to take sleep research to a whole new level by developing a multipurpose sensing platform consisting of 17 micro sensors and two nano sensors, connected through a local area network.

Technology To Improve Care At The Bedside And Beyond - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Much has been written about the enormous effort required to take scientific discovery from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside. In the Supplement to the February issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Brad Doebbeling, M.D., M.Sc., and colleagues offer strategy on how best to take the next step, to use technology to incorporate new or better treatments at the bedsides of patients treated anywhere.

Biomarkers May Hone Anti-aging Therapies - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Lotions and potions that promise to remove wrinkles and other effects of aging crowd cosmetics aisle shelves, but do these treatments really work?

Medinet, Tokyo Univ', Shin-Yokohama Med Clinic Launch Clinical Studies Of Activated Self Gamma-delta T Cell Therapy For Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Medinet has signed a joint research agreement with the University of Tokyo and Shin-Yokohama Medical Clinic.

Allergy-inducing Protein Produced In The Lungs Can Prevent Or Induce Asthma, Depending Upon The Timing Of Allergen Exposure - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Asthma rates are rapidly increasing, particularly in children. Although asthma is mediated in part by activation of special immune cells called Th2 cells, the precise causes are unclear. Now, in a study appearing in the March issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Jörg Köhl and colleagues from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation report that a small allergy-inducing protein called C5a produced in the lungs can prevent or induce asthma, depending upon the timing of allergen exposure. The authors blocked the C5a receptor (C5aR) by either giving normal mice an antibody against C5aR, or by genetically deleting C5aR. The researchers then determined the animals' response to inhalation of one of two allergens: egg ovalbumin (OVA), which fails to induce asthma; or house dust mites, which induce asthma-like symptoms relevant to human disease. The authors found that mice in which C5aR was blocked or deleted prior to exposure to either allergen developed asthma-like symptoms such as a strong Th2 cell response, mucus production, and airway inflammation. To identify the mechanism by which C5aR signaling prevents this response, the researchers looked at immune cells called dendritic cells (DCs) in the mouse lungs. C5aR blockade was found to directly increase the ratio of pro-asthma "mDCs" to anti-asthma "pDCs" leading to Th2 sensitization, in the absence of allergen, but even more so following allergen exposure, demonstrating that C5aR prevents cell activation and recruitment. Paradoxically, when C5aR was blocked after allergen exposure, the allergic response was dramatically prevented, and the severity of asthma-like symptoms was reduced, suggesting that C5aR increases the body's response to asthma-inducing stimuli only in an established allergic environment.

Weighting Cancer Drugs To Make Them Hit Tumors Harder - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Scientists have devised a blueprint for boosting anti-cancer drugs' effectiveness and lowering their toxicity by attaching the equivalent of a lead sinker onto the drugs. This extra weight makes the drugs penetrate and accumulate inside tumors more effectively.

Computer Simulation And Lab Synthesis Sift Through Vast Universe Of Possible Molecules For The Best - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Duke University theoretical chemists are investigating a new computer method that could help scientists identify the best molecules for drugs, electronic devices or an array of other uses. Their method would address the "daunting" fact that "that there aren't enough atoms in the universe to make all the reasonable-sized molecules that could be made," said Duke chemistry professor David Beratan.

Nature, Nurture And The Risk Of Depression - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Some people are more than twice as likely to become depressed as others, given similar circumstances, according to landmark research from Brain Sciences UNSW (University of New South Wales).

Compact Light Source Has Just Produced Its First X-ray Beams - Medical News Today 04/02/06

In 2004 Lyncean Technologies announced the construction of the Compact Light Source (CLS), a miniature synchrotron to produce high-intensity, tunable, near-monochromatic X-ray beams. The Compact Light Source was specifically designed to bring state-of-the-art protein structure determination to the university or industrial laboratory--but it has also promised a broad impact across the spectrum of x-ray science.

Risk For Low Sexual Desire Increases In Women After Surgical Menopause - Medical News Today 04/02/06

A cross-sectional survey of European women shows that surgically menopausal women are at increased risk for low sexual desire. In the March 2006 issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers have published the first-ever multi-cultural prevalence study using multi-dimensional psychometrically valid outcomes to determine if women who undergo surgical menopause have a greater risk of low sexual interest compared with that of pre-menopausal or naturally menopausal women.

Differin® (adapalene Gel) Gel, 0.1% Strengthens The Efficacy Of Anti-Acne Therapy - Medical News Today 04/02/06

The topical retinoid preparation Differin® Gel 0.1% boosts the efficacy of acne treatment when added to systemic or other topical agents, researchers reported at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD).

MRI Rules Out Acute Appendicitis In Pregnancy - Medical News Today 04/02/06

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help rule out acute appendicitis in pregnancy when ultrasound findings are inconclusive, according to a study in the March issue of Radiology.

NicOx Signs Major New Agreement With Pfizer For NOdonating Compounds In Ophthalmology - Medical News Today 03/02/06

NicOx S.A. (Eurolist: NICOX) today announced that it has signed a major new agreement that grants Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) exclusive rights, across the entire field of ophthalmology, to use NicOx proprietary nitric oxide-donating technology. Pfizer will make payments of €23 million (US $27.3 million) in the first year of the collaboration, of which €15 million will be in the form of an equity investment in NicOx. Additionally, NicOx may receive total potential milestones in excess of €300 million (US $356.2 million) in the ophthalmology field and royalties on each resulting marketed product. NicOx also announced today promising pre-clinical results from its existing collaboration with Pfizer, which is focused on a single class of compounds in glaucoma.

How To Successfully Complete A Full Facial Tissue Transplantation From One Human Body To Another, Demonstrated By U.S. Plastic Surgeons - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Even after news of the first partial facial transplantation performed in France spread around the world, plastic surgeons have continued to research how to make the first full facial transplantation a reality. In the first peer-reviewed, scientific studies of their kind, U.S. plastic surgeons demonstrated how to successfully complete a full facial tissue transplantation from one human body to another, reports the March issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® (PRS), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Preserving Hearing With Ear Tumor Removal - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Even when they're extremely small, tumors on the nerves that connect the brain to the ear can wreak havoc on a person's hearing and balance. But removing them is a delicate process that can, in some cases, cause further harm.

New Theory Suggests Treatment For Immune Disorder Could Be Effective Against Avian Flu Infection - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Chemotherapy for a disorder of the immune system may, in theory, be effective against human avian influenza infection, suggest scientists in a Hypothesis published online by The Lancet.

Crohn's Disease - UCB Submits Biologics License Application To FDA For New Treatment - Medical News Today 03/02/06

UCB announced today the submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the approval of CIMZIA(TM) (certolizumab pegol, CDP870) for the treatment of patients with Crohn's disease. If approved, CIMZIA(TM) would be the first-ever biologic utilizing subcutaneous injection for the treatment of Crohn's disease.

Acupuncture Is As Effective As Standard Drug Treatments For Migraine - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Treatment outcomes for migraine do not differ between patients treated with sham acupuncture, traditional Chinese acupuncture, or standard therapy, according to an Article published online by The Lancet Neurology.

Some Benign Breast Lesions Could Be Dangerous - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Certain breast lesions diagnosed as benign on core needle biopsy have cancer at surgical excision and thus should be removed, according to a study appearing in the March issue of Radiology.

Pope Benedict XVI Declares Embryos Developed For In Vitro Fertilization Have Right To Life - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Pope Benedict XVI during a conference on Monday said embryos developed for in vitro fertilization have a right to life even before they are implanted in a woman's uterus, the AP/Detroit Free Press reports (Winfield, AP/Detroit Free Press, 2/28). Appearing before the Pontifical Academy for Life, which opened the international conference on the scientific and bioethical considerations of "The Human Embryo Before Implantation," Benedict declared every human life "sacred and inviolable." He added, "This moral judgment is valid from the start of the life of an embryo, even before it is implanted in the maternal womb." According to Reuters, Benedict's speech appeared to be an attempt to address the issue of stem cell research (Pullella, Reuters, 2/27). The pope also emphasized the Catholic Church's opposition to IVF, saying it replaces love between a husband and wife. The church only allows reproductive assistance if it "facilitates" sexual activity between a couple, VOA News reports (Castelfranco, VOA News, 2/27).

Benefits Of Biomedical Research For Patients, Science Seminar - Medical News Today 03/02/06

GlaxoSmithKline has announced that it will be hosting a Science Seminar, entitled: "New technologies and biomedical research: can Europe attract investment and realise benefits for patients?" which will take place in Brussels, Belgium on 27 March 2006.

Satisfaction And Failure Rates Of Artificial Urinary Sphincter Similar In Men And Women - Medical News Today 03/02/06

The artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) device was first described in 1973 and the current AMS 800 introduced in 1983 is the result of the progressive modification of the original basic design. The role of the AUS in the treatment of urinary incontinence in men has largely overshadowed the use in women. Currently, AUS implantation is most commonly performed in men with post-prostatectomy incontinence and is the treatment of choice for most of these patients. In contrast, AUS for female incontinence is being used sporadically only in a few centers in the world. Pubovaginal sling is the preferred method for intrinsic sphincter deficiency because of its relative ease of performing the procedure and its high success rate. Conversely, the difficult dissection around the bladder neck in women who have undergone previous suspension operations, and the high erosion and explantation rates have tempered the enthusiasm of surgeons using the AUS in women.

Former President Clinton Calls On Governors To Fight Obesity, Diabetes - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Changing the U.S. culture of overeating and lack of exercise is the key to addressing rising obesity rates and health care costs, former President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday at the National Governors Association's annual meeting, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Clinton said obesity rates in children ages six through 19 are three times as high as they were 40 years ago, raising their risk for type 2 diabetes and other health conditions. According to the AP/Globe, some governors have begun a multistate effort to share ideas on how to control the growth rate of obesity and diabetes. Clinton encouraged them to participate in his foundation's school-focused program that aims to improve the nutritional value of cafeteria and vending machine food, as well as increase physical activity and health education. 'We have a huge cultural problem, and, unless we change it, our children may grow up to be the first generation with shorter lifespans than we had," Clinton said (Tanner, AP/Boston Globe, 3/1).

MIT Method Reveals How Radiation Damages The Body And Could Reduce Side Effects For Cancer Patients - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Researchers at MIT have devised a new method for examining how radiation damages normal tissue in the body. The knowledge may make it possible to reduce side effects for cancer patients or to develop treatments for radiation exposure.

Many activities after pelvic surgery appear safe - Reuters 04/02/06

Many of the activities that are normally restricted following surgery for pelvic-floor disorders are no more taxing than common everyday activities, such as rising from a chair or bed, new study findings suggest. It may thus be time for doctors to reconsider the advice they give to their patients.

More than half of Japanese women childless at 30 - Reuters 04/02/06

More than half of Japanese women born in the early 1970s were still childless at 30, intensifying fears about the nation's already low birthrate, Japanese media said on Saturday.

Wal-Mart pharmacies to carry morning-after pill - Reuters 03/02/06

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Friday that all of its pharmacies would carry morning-after contraceptive pills, bowing to pressure from states seeking to force the world's biggest retailer to do so.

Efforts to curb diabetes reduce incontinence rates - Reuters 03/02/06

In overweight, pre-diabetic women, intensive lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes also results in a lower risk of urinary incontinence, a new study shows.

Stress may raise women's BV risk - Reuters 03/02/06

Increases in psychosocial stress seem to increase a woman's odd of having, or developing, a vaginal infection termed bacterial vaginosis (BV), researchers report.

Alternative medicine common in kids; docs unaware - Reuters 03/02/06

In places as far apart as Wales and Australia, about half of the children seen at pediatric hospitals are using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), investigators report.

Most women would accept more mammograms - survey - Reuters 03/03/06

Despite the inconvenience and anxiety of being recalled for a repeat mammogram after a questionable finding, most women would willingly undergo additional tests if this would result in even a slightly increased chance of earlier breast cancer detection, a new survey shows.

After-school time not a prime time for teen sex - Reuters 03/03/06

Though parents may worry about what their kids are doing after school, a new study suggests that teenagers do not often use their unsupervised afternoons to have sex.

Smoking tied to risk of depression - Reuters 03/03/06

The likelihood of suffering major depression seems to be increased among smokers, especially those who smoke heavily, study findings suggest.

Walk while you work: researcher - Reuters 03/03/06

Workers of the world, walk. Fueled by research conducted by a Mayo Clinic obesity specialist, some U.S. workers are spending their days on treadmills or indoor tracks, walking as they talk on the telephone, send e-mails and even hold meetings.

Malaysia shuts 500 nursery schools to curb disease - Reuters 03/03/06

Malaysia has ordered the closure of nearly 500 kindergarten schools on the island of Borneo after four children died of the hand, foot and mouth viral disease, official news agency Bernama said on Friday.

Finns to test mobile phone radiation on human skin - Reuters 03/03/06

Finland's radiation watchdog is to study the effects of mobile phones on human proteins by direct tests on people's skin, to see if handset transmissions affect their health.

Vaccine reduces ear infection in toddlers: doctors - Reuters 03/03/06

A new vaccine could help to reduce middle ear infection, a common problem in toddlers, scientists said on Friday.

Whirlpool baths: enter at your own risk - Reuters 02/03/06

Better think twice before soothing those aching muscles in a whirlpool bath or hot tub. A new study shows that whirlpool bathtubs can be a breeding ground for a host of disease-causing bacteria.

Arthritis drug may work better second time around - Reuters 02/03/06

Even if an initial course of methotrexate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) gives disappointing results, persistence may pay off. A second course may be more successful, researchers report.

US aims to speed influenza vaccine development - Reuters 02/03/06

U.S. health officials issued guidelines on Thursday to speed development of new vaccines to fight seasonal influenza as well as a feared avian flu pandemic that could circle the globe quickly.

Study confirms oral contraceptive-migraine link - Reuters 02/03/06

Women who take oral contraceptives have increased chances of suffering from both migraines and non-migraine headaches, a large new population-based study shows.

Lifestyle affects the brain as well as the heart - Reuters 02/03/06

There is growing evidence that what's good for the heart is also a boon for the aging brain, according to a new research review.

Eat more whole grains to lower diabetes, heart risk - Reuters 02/03/06

A diet high in whole grains may lower a person's likelihood of developing diabetes and heart disease, new study findings show.

Malnutrition stunts poor nations' economies: study - Reuters 02/03/06

Malnutrition, and not just a lack of food, costs poor countries up to 3 percent of annual economic output and must be tackled as a root cause of child mortality and stunted economic development, a World Bank report said on Thursday.

EU warns of surge in unsafe consumer products - Reuters 02/03/06

The number of products that pose a serious risk for the health and safety of consumers has increased steeply in the European Union, with many such goods imported from China, the bloc's executive arm said on Thursday.

Cheshire and Merseyside News

Should we super size NHS Trust? - Warrington Guardian 04/03/06

SHOULD our ambulances be part of a super sized NHS trust covering the whole of the north west?

Women's Hospital ram raid drama - Liverpool Echo 03/03/06

RAM-raiders botched a robbery at Liverpool Women's Hospital after getting stuck in sliding doors.

We must fix the divide that is splitting our city - Liverpool Echo 03/03/06

FATHER Philip Inch describes the experience of driving along sections of the East Lancs Road as "like going back 40 years".

Sport centres face axe to save cash - Liverpool Echo 03/03/06

SPORT centres used by hundreds of people every week are to be axed as part of council cuts.

3m waste of space - Chester Chronicle 03/03/06

A 3m unit built to 'unblock' beds at the Countess of Chester Hospital is lying empty and unused.

Webwise youngsters join incinerator fight - Chester Chronicle 03/03/06

A GROUP of enterprising school pupils have launched their own website opposing the proposed incinerator at Ince Marshes.

Clampers condemned for targeting doctor's - Chester Chronicle 03/03/06

A HEALTH and safety officer aims to rid wheel clampers from a doctor's surgery where patients and staff have found their vehicles immobilised.

Pub trials smoke free zone - Southport Visiter 03/03/06

A SOUTHPORT pub is having a smoke-free evening to coincide with a national day dedicated to encouraging smokers to quit.

Health chief talks to committee - Widnes World 03/03/06

THE shadow minister for health was guest speaker at an annual supper club hosted by a Conservative women's committee.

Cumbria and Lancashire News

Medics' fury at sentence for assault - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 04/03/06

MEDICS today hit out after a drunken man who punched a nurse while she was treating him avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Health plan for ethnic minorities - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 03/03/06

NOT enough people from ethnic minorities work in community-based NHS services in Blackburn with Darwen, an NHS boss said today.

MP in call for birthing unit - Lancashire Evening Telegraph 03/03/06

ROSSENDALE'S MP Janet Anderson has told health chiefs she wants to see a birthing unit in the Valley.

Experts meed to plan bird flu response - Carlisle News & Star 03/03/06

HEALTH chiefs in Cumbria are meeting every three weeks to keep tabs on a potential bird flu pandemic.

Wards closed at Infirmary - Carlisle News & Star 03/03/06

FOUR wards have been closed to admissions at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle after an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Woman not bullied by pharmacist - Carlisle News & Star 04/03/06

A PHARMACY worker who claimed she was bullied out of her job has lost her claim for unfair dismissal.

MP hits out at dentists leaving NHS to go private - Carlisle News & Star 04/03/06

CARLISLE MP Eric Martlew says dentists who have left the NHS for private practice are simply lining their pockets.

Funeral march against cuts - Carlisle News & Star 04/03/06

CAMPAIGNERS fighting hospital cuts will stage a mock funeral march through Wigton today.

Hundreds sign up to save nine hospitals - Carlisle News & Star 04/03/06

MORE than 400 people signed a petition in just one morning in the latest round of the fight to save Cumbria’s cottage hospitals.

45 hit by bug at hospital - Carlisle News & Star 04/04/06

MORE than 45 people have been struck down by a vomiting bug which has shut wards at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.

Greater Manchester News

Hospital winning MRSA battle - Bolton Evening News 04/03/06

THE Royal Bolton Hospital says it is winning the war on the killer super-bug MRSA.

Hospital scan waiting times are slashed - Bolton Evening News 03/03/06

WAITING times for life-saving scans at the Royal Bolton Hospital have been slashed after bosses installed a state-of-the-art scanner.

Teenage sex: Parents need lessons in supervision - Bolton Evening News 03/03/06

I AM writing in response to the story in the Bolton Evening News (Friday, February 24) 'Teenage Mums Shock' relating to teenage pregnancies.

'Not enough beds to go round' fear - Bolton Evening News 03/03/06

A RESIDENTIAL care home in Bolton is due to close its doors next month, leaving 27 elderly residents facing an uncertain future.

Sperm Banking Gives Teenage Cancer Patients Hope For The Future - Medical News Today 03/02/06

Teenage boys being treated for cancer should be encouraged to bank their sperm so they might enjoy a family life in the future, say researchers at the University of Manchester.

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