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National News
Dogs that bark to warn epileptics about an oncoming seizure and help them when they have a fit could be available in Britain under a programme being considered by UCB, the global biopharmaceuticals group.
Serious problems with one of iSoft's most complex hospital computer system installations are threatening to wipe more than £16m off the expected income for University Hospital of North Staffordshire.
Ten years ago no one had heard of 'life coaches'. Now there are 100,000 of them in Britain, counselling everyone from anxious office workers to government ministers. But what exactly do they offer? A sceptical Tim Dowling signs up for some very modern therapy
NHS hospitals are slowing patients' recovery by serving meals that are tepid, unappetising or downright inedible, a survey of catering at 97 health trusts reveals today.
More than one-third of working mothers think nurseries are letting their children down, according to a survey which reveals a catalogue of complaints about childcare.
A campaign to tackle bullying in the NHS is being launched this week, amid concern that many nurses are unable to report instances of harassment for fear of losing their jobs.
In 1966, 12 million people sat down to watch Cathy Come Home, the most influential play produced by the BBC. Two weeks after the broadcast, campaigners launched Shelter, a charity for the homeless.
The government's medicines safety watchdog is to investigate widely prescribed asthma drugs amid concerns about their safety record and new evidence suggesting that some patients may be genetically predisposed to react badly to them.
It is common to berate modern society for its obsessions with risk aversion and to blame our preoccupation with health and safety for producing a generation of physically timid individuals. But, as we make clear in our report, there is more to the problem than merely letting children play robustly. By protecting them from everyday scrapes and knocks, we also jeopardise their intellectual development.
Plans to overhaul the 30-year-old scheme for classifying illegal drugs were ditched by the government yesterday, drawing condemnation from MPs and drugs charities. The scheme, which attaches higher penalties to class A drugs such as cocaine and heroin than less dangerous substances such as cannabis, a class C drug, was savaged in July in a report by MPs, who denounced it as "ad hoc", "not fit for purpose" and "riddled with anomalies".
Doctors help about two-thirds of terminally ill patients to die by withholding treatment or giving them painkillers they know will shorten life - but do it only when they believe death is a few days away and after consulting patients, relatives or other doctors, according to research.
Binge drinkers in the 18-24 age group are the target of the government's first national advertising campaign to encourage sensible drinking of alcohol, which will show young people who think they are "superheroes" when drunk falling victim to horrific accidents, rapes and assaults.
At the moment I see the ill-shaped body of a frumpy, middle-aged woman, which is very unfortunate as, at the age of 43, I think my face has probably never looked so good. I'm a firm believer in "It isn't just how you look; it's how you feel". I've never felt so physically bad. It's the excess fat. I feel weighted down.
A former pit worker is to bring Cuban-style health care, administered by Arthur Scargill's daughter, to Grimethorpe, the mining community immortalised on screen by the film Brassed Off.
The prospect of treating motor neurone disease and other forms of severe paralysis has come a step closer with a study showing that it is possible to alleviate symptoms with the help of stem cells.
One of Britain's leading authorities on eating disorders yesterday likened the fashion industry's role in the rise of eating disorders to the tobacco industry's promotion of smoking.
Patients with psychiatric problems who desperately need round-the-clock support are being failed by mental health services.
COMMUNITY hospitals that lie in Conservative or Liberal Democrat constituencies will bear the brunt of the Government’s closure programme, re-igniting accusations of political interference in the NHS.
THE NHS cannot cope with the huge increase in the number of organ transplants for which the Government has legislated, campaigners say.
ENGLISH pubs that have already banned smoking have seen their profits rise by an average of 50 per cent, a survey by The Times has found.
IN SATURDAY’S Times Lord Harries of Pentregarth gave an interview in which, as interim chairman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, he argued that women in their fifties and sixties should not be banned from having IVF because of their age.
We believe that the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Bill is a misguided response to a small number of tragic, but fortunately rare, incidents involving the abuse of children. The Bill will mean that up to a third of the adult working population — those who come into contact with children through their work or volunteering — will be subject to continuous criminal-records vetting. This could include babysitters and private tutors, as well as those who merely have access to information about children. The massive expansion of vetting is driven by suspicion and paranoia. The Criminal Records Bureau has already carried out ten million checks since 2002, and it is now common practice to vet anybody from 16-year-olds teaching younger kids to read, to parents helping out in school, to the visitors to foster carers’ homes.
MINOR surgery such as hernia repairs and varicose vein removal will be carried out in family doctors’ surgeries instead of in hospitals under plans to be announced by Patricia Hewitt, the health secretary, this week.
A STATE-backed family advice charity is at odds with Supernanny, the Channel 4 show, and other parenting programmes about how to punish naughty children.
WHO ate all the pies? By 11.30 in the morning, the racks of steak and kidney, pasties and pork pies were already stripped bare, and a gaggle of disappointed shoppers milled around Tesco’s aisles.
Last Tuesday was World Mental Health Day and in this country a couple of attention-seeking politicians have been holding forth about mental illness, which is what the phrase mental health now means.
A RECORD number of children are being prescribed drugs to treat hyperactivity, prompting fears that hundreds are being medicated unnecessarily.
WOMEN in their fifties and sixties should not be banned from having IVF on account of their age, the head of the Government’s fertility watchdog said yesterday.
A beach buggy designed to help disabled people into the sea overturned during tests yesterday with a 72-year-old man on board.
As a nation, we neither cook, nor do we eat with our families at regular mealtimes, and playing fields and recreation grounds have been sold off for redevelopment so there is nowhere for free exercise (report, Oct 11). We no longer know what constitutes a healthy diet and we are so
The Government is targeting the people most in need of nagging
Nearly 1,000 operations are being cancelled every working day in the NHS, new figures have revealed.
Harry Mount goes for a routine AIDS test but finds himself fearing the worst as the hour dawns for him to collect his results
The official appointed to oversee the Government's controversial identity card scheme has already played a central role in a public-sector computer disaster.
New centres that "screen" patient referrals from GPs to hospital consultants are being used by the NHS to ration health care by stealth, say medical professionals.
They have been handed morning-after pills by school nurses and given explicit sex guides to teach them how to use condoms. But now, in a radical change of direction by the Government in its drive to cut teenage pregnancies, young people are to be told not to have sex – at least not until they are over 16.
A Brazilian cleaner in the sex blackmail case involving two judges is at the centre of a new row over cosmetic surgery financed by the taxpayer.
Doctors warn binge drinking epidemic is straining hospitals - Daily Mail 15/10/06 Binge drinking has reached 'epidemic' levels following the introduction of round-the-clock drinking a year ago, experts warned last night.
A daily tablet that could cure hay fever will be available within months.
Ingredients of a mildly alcoholic milk drink could help protect children from food allergies, research has suggested.
Mental health patients face inadequate community services, extremely long waiting times and some may never get specialist care, a report has claimed.
Legal changes aimed at increasing organ donations are likely to fail without an overhaul of NHS transplant services, a report by MPs and peers has warned.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in demonstrations this weekend organised in protest at cuts in the health service, it is claimed.
The ability to obtain advanced rheumatoid arthritis drugs on the NHS is still determined by where patients live, a study has suggested.
The Royal College of General Practitioners has been given unconditional approval by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) to introduce the first ever training curriculum for General Practice.
Hospital services could be thrown into chaos by an intense six-week spell of junior doctor recruitment, doctors' leaders have warned.
Commenting on the new health check for NHS trusts published by the Healthcare Commission, Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the BMA's consultants' committee said: "The BMA has long called for changes to the way the performance of NHS trusts is assessed and the new ratings, based on broad core standards, are a welcome improvement.
NICE have published the first in a series of 5 commissioning guides to be published this autumn as part of a new set of products to help the NHS in England effectively commission evidence-based care for patients. Each of these web-based guides offers detailed practical support for commissioners on a specific clinical topic.
NICE has announced that the appeals lodged by stakeholders against draft guidance on the use of drugs to treat Alzheimer's Disease have not been upheld. NICE will recommend to the NHS in November that donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine should only be considered as options in the treatment of people with moderate Alzheimer's disease. Memantine is only recommended as part of clinical studies for people with moderately-severe to severe Alzheimer's disease.
A new initiative encouraging employers to improve the way they deal with mental health in the workplace has been launched by Health Minister Rosie Winterton to mark World Mental Health Day.
Commenting on Government's Health Profile of England report, Dr Chris Spencer-Jones, chair of the BMA's public health committee said: "We welcome the progress made on public health issues and whilst we fully support the Government's aim to help people to make healthier choices, these findings show that there is still more to be done.
As part of an ongoing investigation into an anthrax case in the Scottish Borders, NHS Borders, Health Protection Scotland and the Health Protection Agency have continued to work together.
New figures released today by the Health Protection Agency (UK) show that levels of antibiotic resistance in gonorrhoea, the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection, continue to increase.
TB related topics ranging from global and public health perspectives to the latest molecular science and vaccine development were among those presented by physicians and scientists at a national conference on Thursday 12 October.
International News
Europeans are abandoning cannabis but turning to cocaine and drink, new figures from French customs reveal.
Scientists are hailing a biodegradable solution that can stop bleeding in wounded rodents within seconds.
Regions of the brain may not communicate with each other as efficiently as they should in people with autism, research suggests.
An outbreak of pneumonic plague in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 42 people over the past two months, the World Health Organization reports.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is beginning to play a major role in pediatric urology. Current work done by Damien Grattan-Smith and colleagues are assessing renal function based on MRI imaging giving both a functional and crisp anatomical study especially when implementing 3-D reconstruction. Although typically implemented for the urinary tract, this study by Terai et al retrospectively correlated the MRI diagnosis with the surgical findings and/or clinical outcomes in patients presenting with an acute scrotum.
A team of University of Iowa Health Care researchers has launched an important clinical trial of a novel therapeutic that may eventually lead to new treatments for men diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Several promising markers, led by antiproliferative factor and heparin binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor may eventually be useful in diagnosing interstitial cystitis. Lokeshwar and colleagues at the University of Miami recently showed that urinary urinate and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) levels correlate with IC severity, measured using the O'Leary-Sant questionnaire. Sensitivity was 80% ad specificity 92% to detect patients with IC with severe symptoms. In a new study, they examined the profile of urinary glycosaminoglycans species in patients with IC, and examined a correlation between urinary GAG profile and IC severity. They also looked at severity as it correlates with urinary hyaluronic acid levels.
Collagen injections are routinely used to treat urinary incontinence. Knudson et al report their experience of the developing calcifications at the bladder neck/urethra in pediatric patients treated with glutaraldehyde cross-linked collagen for urinary incontinence. They reviewed the charts of patients treated between 1994 and 1999. The etiology of incontinence, pertinent medical history, operative details and postoperative imaging were detailed.
R. Jayadevappa and colleagues of the University of Pennsylvania present their observations on health related quality of life (HRQol) and Client Satisfaction with Care (CSQ-8) and other factors in 115 older men (?65 yrs) who had RP (69) or EBRT (46) at either the Veterans Hospital or the University Hospital. They surveyed the men at 3, 6 and 12 months.
Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy aims at ischemia by leading to a net gain in oxygen concentration in tissues. The hyperbaric chamber provides unique conditions in which the hemoglobin is fully saturated and the oxygen is dissolved in the blood plasma at the rate of 2.3 volume percentage of hyperoxemia per 1 atmosphere absolute (ata). Ischemia of the bladder wall has been proposed to be a problem in BPS/IC. Van Ophoven and colleagues from Germany theorized that reduction of ischemic conditions of the pelvic region and with the IC affected bladder wall might be beneficial.
One of the primary concerns parents have with newborn circumcisions is pain control. Local anesthesia has been proven beneficial for post circumcision pain relief. However, this might not always be the clinical practice. This study by Yawman et al assessed the current training practices regarding the provision of effective analgesia for routine newborn circumcision.
The diagnosis of bony metastasis secondary to prostate cancer significantly alters patient treatment. Currently radionuclide bone scans are the gold standard for detecting osseous metastasis. A correlation between the presence of bony metastases and serum PSA has been observed. An ongoing debate surrounds the optimal PSA for recommending a bone scan for nonmetastatic prostate cancer.
There are currently two well-known bladder hypersensory syndromes - overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC). Because BPS/IC is associated with chronic bladder pain, it represents potentially a more challenging clinical problem. There are no treatments that target specifically the bladder sensory pathways.
J. C. Hall of Perth, Australia begins his article: “Many health care professionals see nutritional assessments as a key to improving the care of surgical patients”. So he sets as his aim the evaluation of the usefulness of assessing the nutritional status of surgical patients, doing so by means of a literature search.
Children given chemotherapy before surgery to treat the most common form of childhood kidney cancer, called Wilms' tumour, require less treatment and experience fewer long term side effects than if they have immediate surgery, according to trial results revealed at today's NCRI Cancer Conference and published in the European Journal of Cancer.
Most Alzheimer's patients prescribed antipsychotic drugs for delusions, agitation or aggression do no better than those who take a placebo because so many discontinue the drugs due to significant side effects, according to a major new nationwide study led by Lon Schneider, professor of psychiatry, neurology and gerontology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).
A new article reviews the literature of quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) that documents abnormal brain wave patterns accompanying several medical conditions. The research implies that neurofeedback training may partially or fully normalize these brain wave patterns, and improve the physical and mental functioning of people with these conditions. The article is in the latest issue of Biofeedback.
Though in clinical use for decades, a small, sweet-tasting compound is revealing a startling new face as a potential cure for epilepsy.
Following up on an earlier discovery that a gene called IRF6 is involved in the common birth defect cleft lip and palate, researchers at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and their colleagues have identified the function of the gene. Their latest findings, published online Oct. 15 in Nature Genetics, reveal an unexpected role for IRF6 in the growth and development of skin cells, a discovery that may have implications for wound healing and cancer research.
Melanomas aid themselves in their quest to invade other parts of the body by sending a chemical signal to the sentinel lymph node, the node most susceptible to early spread of the cancer. The signal cripples the sentinel node's immune response, making it more vulnerable to cancer spread, UCLA researchers discovered.
A finding by University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers about how immune cells "decide" to become active or inactive may have applications in fighting cancerous tumors, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplant rejection. Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Professor
An initial priming shot given in advance of a booster shot may be an effective way to protect people against bird flu, researchers say in a presentation at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
An 11-year-old boy died yesterday of H5N1 bird flu infection, say officials from Indonesia's Ministry of Health. The total number of people infected with bird flu in the country has now reached 71, of which 53 have died.
A major research study funded by national charity Meningitis Research Foundation conducted at the Nottingham Cochlear Implant Programme has just reported in Pediatrics - the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics - on the remarkable achievements of children deafened by meningitis.
Speaking to mark the occasion of World Food Day on 16 October, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, James Morris, appealed to the developed world to give a fairer chance to the world's 400 million hungry children, many of whose lives are still blighted by malnutrition in the first few months after being born.
Grape seeds, peel and pedicles contain phytoestrogens, which can efficiently protect women above 45 from atherosclerosis. This has been experimentally proved by specialists of the Research Institute of Physicochemical Medicine (Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation), Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology (Russian Academy of Medical Sciences), Institute of Experimental Cardiology (Russian Cardiological Scientific Production Complex, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation), Institute of Atherosclerosis (Russian Academy of Natural Sciences).
A startling nine out of 10 teenage girls between the ages of 12-19 do not get enough calcium from diet alone1. Since nearly half of all bone mass is formed during teenage years, it is important these girls supplement their diet with calcium to support growth of healthy bones. Today, McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, introduces VIACTIV® for Teens Calcium Soft Chews, a new portable, great tasting, chewable calcium supplement that provides needed calcium and suits the active lifestyle of pre-teen and teenage girls.
Roche announced today the submission of a Marketing Authorisation to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for Herceptin (trastuzumab) as treatment for advanced HER2-positive and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The application is based on data from the international TAnDEM study which showed that the addition of Herceptin to hormonal therapy doubles the median progression-free survival (amount of time a patient's cancer is kept under control), from 2. 4 months to 4.8 months.
Based on the recommendation of the Steering Committee of the study evaluating the oral anticancer therapy, S-1, in adjuvant gastric cancer, Taiho and sanofi-aventis announced today positive interim efficacy analysis demonstrating superior efficacy benefit reported in the S-1 arm. This decision was taken in agreement with the Independent Drug Safety Monitoring Committee of the study, once all patients were already included and had received their complete respective treatment; patients will continue to be followed up as planned.
Nearly one out of two women with gestational diabetes also have periodontal disease, according to research released this month by Tulane University researchers. In contrast, just over one in ten pregnant women without gestational diabetes have periodontal disease. The study, available in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is the first to demonstrate a link between poor oral health and diabetes during pregnancy.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered how taking the brakes off a “detox” gene causes chemotherapy resistance in a common form of lung cancer.
Adults with psoriasis, especially younger patients with severe psoriasis, appear to be at increased risk for a heart attack, according to a study in the October 11 issue of JAMA.
Taking a potassium citrate supplement to counteract the high acidity of the modern diet can lead to increased bone density in older women, suggests a study in the November Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
University of Queensland telemedicine researchers are using a robot named Eliza to conquer the tyranny of distance and improve delivery of specialist medical care to the bush.
The protein Myo1f is important in regulating how quickly the immune system mobilizes to fight off infection and may help explain some infection fighting disorders, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Science.
immatics, a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the development of peptide-based immunotherapeutic substances for the treatment of cancers, today announced the successful conclusion of its first Phase 1 clinical study on vaccine IMA901 against renal cell cancer. IMA901 is a combination of 10 different peptide antigens that can be identified as so-called tumor-associated antigens among the majority of renal cell cancer patients. The purpose of these antigens is to specifically activate the human immune system against cancer cells, thus mobilizing the body's own self-defense mechanisms.
Reports show that genital malformations in baby boys have been on the increase in many European countries, and that the number of people diagnosed with breast, testis and prostate cancers continues to increase. Recent data indicate that in parts of Europe, sperm quality is approaching levels that may impair fertility. At the same time, wildlife in certain areas of Europe shows signs of sexual disruption. The concern is that chemicals able to interfere with the normal functioning of hormones, so-called endocrine disrupters, may play a role in these conditions.
Too Much Oily Fish Raises Risk Of Premature Birth - Medical News Today 14/10/06One the one hand, pregnant women are told to eat some oily fish, while on the other hand they are told not to eat so much that the levels of mercury in their bodies rise.
The United Nations World Food Programme has announced that in September, food rations reached more than 158,000 people in Darfur, western Sudan, who have been cut off in recent months.
Teaching creative writing to residents in an intensive workshop at Yale School of Medicine improved physicians’ view of themselves, their peers and their patients, and also promoted an increased interest in writing and the residency program, according to a study in the October issue of Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Most successful dieters regain the weight they lost. But new research shows that stepping on a scale every day, then cutting calories and boosting exercise if the numbers run too high, can significantly help dieters maintain weight loss. The study, conducted by researchers at The Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School, reports results of the first program designed specifically for weight loss maintenance. The study appears in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers from the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of insulin-degrading enzyme, a promising target for new drugs because it breaks down not only insulin but also the amyloid-beta protein, which has been linked to the cognitive decline of Alzheimer's disease.
Women infected with dormant toxoplasmosis are more likely to give birth to boys than women who are Toxoplasma negative, according to research by S. Kankova and colleagues from the Departments of Parasitology, Microbiology and Zoology, Charles University; the Centre of Reproductive Medicine; and GynCentrum, in the Czech Republic. They found that the presence of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii in the mothers' blood, one of the most common parasites in humans with a worldwide prevalence of 20-80%, increased the likelihood that these women would give birth to a boy. This is the first study [1], published in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften this week, to suggest an effect of parasitic infection on the sex of a baby.
Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation is responsible for up to 60 000 deaths a year worldwide, according to a report released this summer by the World Health Organisation. Many of those deaths, however, could be avoided through simple preventive measures such as seeking shade when the UV Index is high, the report says.
Indoor rock climbing does not make the list of adrenaline junky sports. No, results from a new study show that it actually has a low injury risk and a very good safety profile. The study is published in the latest issue of Wilderness and Environmental Medicine.
Recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and 9/11 just how unprepared Americans were for these events. It is imperative that physicians are able to respond quickly and effectively. With proper preparation and planning, the number of victims, and the suffering of those affected, can be reduced.
InterCure, Ltd., today announced new study findings that demonstrate RESPeRATE, the FDA-cleared, CE marked hypertension treatment device, has been shown to effectively treat Asian and non-Asian patients with similar benefits. A second study showed that device-guided breathing may also have a beneficial effect on the steep increase of blood pressure (BP) that accompanies awakening from overnight sleep, known as "Morning Surge." Results of the findings will be presented as poster presentations at the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) Scientific Meeting in Fukouka, Japan, October 15-19, 2006.
Genta Incorporated (Nasdaq: GNTA) announced initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial using a new anticancer drug derived from the Company's DNA/RNA Medicines program. The new compound, known as G4460, uses antisense technology to target an oncogene known as c-myb that regulates key functions in cancer cells. Using an accelerated dosing schedule, this study will evaluate dosing regimens, safety, biologic activity, and down-regulation of c-myb in patients with advanced hematologic cancers. The clinical trial will be conducted using the General Clinical Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. G4460 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML).
The OrthoGlide(TM) medial knee implant (Advanced Bio-Surfaces, Inc.) is the newest minimally invasive option available for patients who have exhausted other non-surgical therapies, and are not ready for total, or even partial, knee replacement.
The world's success in eradicating polio now depends on four countries -- Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan -- according to the Advisory Committee on Polio Eradication (ACPE), the independent oversight body of the eradication effort.
A Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC transplant surgeon and researcher has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study genetic factors that could predispose transplant recipients to rejection.
Infants whose parents have allergies that produce symptoms like wheezing, asthma, hay fever or hives risk developing allergic sensitization much earlier in life than previously reported, according to a study by Cincinnati researchers.
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have identified a unique mechanism of action of a new drug that shows great promise for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.
Plant cholesterols known as sterols -- recognized for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines, salad dressings and other fats -- also have been found to be effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol" levels, when added to orange juice. Now, UC Davis researchers have found that twice-daily servings of a reduced-calorie orange juice beverage fortified with plant sterols also reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and an accepted risk marker for heart disease.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announces a nationwide study to see if a modified combination of vitamins, minerals, and fish oil can further slow the progression of vision loss from AMD, the leading cause of vision loss in the United States for people over age 60. This new study, called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2), will build upon results from the earlier Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). The original study results were released five years ago today. The study found that high-dose antioxidant vitamins and minerals (vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, zinc, and copper), taken by mouth, reduced the risk of progression to advanced AMD by 25 percent, and the risk of moderate vision loss by 19 percent.
Mental health researchers at The Australian National University have found that brief Internet-based interventions for depression are not only immediately effective, but have a significant positive long-term benefit that may be as effective as active psychotherapies.
New UC Davis research supports the recent hypothesis that both ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive breast cancer develop from the same breast cancer progenitor cells. The research was reported at the annual meeting of the International Association for Breast Cancer Research in Montreal last month.
An experimental microbicide developed in Australia is scheduled to be tested for safety and efficacy in clinical trials among HIV-positive women in Thailand, Thailand's Nation reports (Arthit, Nation, 10/9). Microbicides include a range of products -- such as gels, films and sponges -- that could help prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other infections (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 8/29).
A study by Bismark and colleagues from New Zealand indicates that medically injured patients do not always seek monetary compensation. Unlike Canada's malpractice system, patients in New Zealand who are dissatisfied with the quality of their care may choose between two well-established medicolegal paths: one that leads to monetary compensation (awarded on a "no-fault" basis) and the other to nonmonetary forms of accountability.
If you've been going a little nuts trying to eat a healthier diet, you just might be on the right track. New research shows that consuming a handful of raw walnuts along with meals high in saturated fat appears to limit the ability of the harmful fat to damage arteries.
Recent changes to France's immigration laws have made it harder for HIV-positive immigrants -- mainly from Africa -- to qualify for a visa called a "vital residence permit," which "guarantees access to social services and provides some sense of stability," PlusNews reports. Under French law, immigrants with long-term illnesses are permitted to stay in the country under a residence visa and qualify for medical treatment, according to PlusNews.
Eating a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables and olive oil and includes little red meat, is associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to an article posted online that will appear in the December 2006 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. This association persisted even when researchers considered whether individuals had vascular diseases--diseases of the blood vessels, such as stroke, heart disease and diabetes--suggesting that the diet may work through different pathways to reduce Alzheimer's disease risk.
Staying in a room in the intensive care unit (ICU) previously occupied by a patient with treatment-resistant bacteria may increase the odds of acquiring such bacteria, according to a report in the October 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
As many as 18 percent of adults who have no history of stroke report having had at least one symptom of stroke, according to results of a large national study published in the October 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Red wine might work to protect the brain from damage after a stroke and drinking a couple of glasses a day might provide that protection ahead of time, U.S. researchers reported on Sunday.
In women with chronic pelvic pain due to pelvic floor spasms, Botox injections seem to reduce pressure and relieve some of the pain, according to a new study.
Stomach-stapling surgery to combat obesity may be done in the future with a tube inserted through the mouth, making the procedure safer than using an incision and opening the way for more people to undergo it, doctors say.
Most people believe depression and schizophrenia warrant treatment with drugs and other "biological" approaches, but such care is less widely accepted for people with substance abuse problems, a new study shows.
Health experts on Friday dismissed claims that a new green tea-based drink that claims to burn calories by speeding up the drinker's metabolic rate would help people lose weight.
Women who take vitamin supplements during pregnancy appear to have infants with a reduced risk of brain tumors, according to researchers.
Caffeine has a stronger disruptive effect on daytime, catch-up sleep after a night of sleep deprivation than it does on a normal night's sleep, a new study shows.
Gender does not influence long-term heart attack survival, according to findings published in the European Heart Journal. However, in the short-term, while still hospitalized for the heart attack, women are more likely to die than men.
Chrysotile asbestos, a known human carcinogen, will remain off a global "watch list" of toxic substances for at least two more years after countries led by Canada blocked consensus in United Nations talks on Friday.
The results of a new study suggest that the demographics of acute diverticulitis in the United States are changing. In acute diverticulitis, a common intestinal disease related to a low-fiber diet, increased pressure causes pouches, or diverticula, to bulge out in the wall of the intestines. Bacterial infections can develop and cause serious complications, such as perforations.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) dietary supplements appear to have a number of beneficial effects in patients with stable congestive heart failure, Italian researchers report in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
If an elderly person is not in good health, flu vaccination does little to help ward off lung infections, Dutch investigators report.
More than 250,000 people could contract polio every year if Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan fail to eradicate the crippling virus, public health experts said on Thursday.
Cheshire and Merseyside News
A TOP contractor has been found guilty of a catalogue of health and safety errors after a worker fell to his death.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
THE chief executive of north Cumbria’s health trust is celebrating after being awarded a “good” ranking by the Healthcare Commission.
MORE public involvement must be the top priority for bosses of a new Cumbrian health trust if it wants to resolve widespread unrest.
EAST Lancashire MPs expressed their disappointment after councillors refused to make a decision on whether hospital shake-up plans should be reviewed.
HOSPITAL services in East Lancashire are not suffering, despite a financial crisis facing managers, inspectors have said.
Greater Manchester News
CHILDREN as young as seven could be taught about the dangers of alcohol in a bid to reduce the number of drink-related deaths in Bolton.
FREE workshops are available to help cafes and restaurants comply with changes to food law which come into place next year.
IT started as a drive to make Bolton people more physically active - but now the council's health walks scheme has become a popular social event to boot.
COMPUTER equipment worth thousand of pounds and thought to contain important medical information has been stolen from the Royal Bolton Hospital.
PEOPLE in the poorest parts of Bolton are likely to die seven years earlier than their wealthier neighbours.
DEATHS that led a coroner to condemn Tameside General Hospital have been called "appalling and despicable" by Health Minister Andy Burnham.
DRUG testing on animals could be drastically reduced thanks to work by scientists at a Manchester University "spin-off" company.
GREAT grandad Dennis Barrett had a leg amputated after picking up the MRSA superbug in hospital.
