Contents
Click on content link below to go to the news from that section: this will open a web page if you receive this by email
National News
Patients' groups yesterday condemned the decision by the government's health watchdog to reject a bone cancer drug for NHS patients in England.
Dr Tom Smith answers your questions
Your report on proposed changes to the Freedom of Information Act (October 17) will be of great concern to researchers. Prior to the act, government records only became available 30 years after the events. It was impossible to scrutinise recent decision-making or to learn fully from the recent past. I am trying to access nearly 80 files relating to Welsh language legislation in the 1990s. Given the debate in Wales over a new Welsh language act, this project has a real contemporary relevance. If the proposed changes go through, I could not expect to see even sections of all the files I need until around 2015. If the government's proposals are meant to kill off frivolous use of the act, they are likely to kill off much serious research in the process. It is difficult to see how that fits with their expressed interest in "evidence-based policy".
DOCTORS and nurses are facing pay cuts as the Government struggles to resolve the hospital deficit crisis that has led to thousands of job losses.
The discovery of diary products contaminated with antibiotics has led to a review of hygiene standards
There will be two human species in the future? It’s happening now
An eminent group of child-care experts raises serious concerns today about the long-term effects of putting very young children into inadequate day nurseries.
Britain's hardest workers will be prevented from putting in more than 60 hours a week, even if they want to, under a new European Union plan being considered by Tony Blair.
Eating lots of white bread raises the risk of a cancer that kills thousands of Britons every year, according to new research.
A cancer charity has urged women to stop binge drinking if they want to cut their risk of breast cancer.
The basic design of the current artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) manufactured by American Medical Systems (AMS 800) has been unchanged since 1983. A 30% surgical revision rate has been reported by some authors which is largely due to continued stress incontinence particularly at times of increased abdominal pressure and after cuff erosion or urethral atrophy secondary to high cuff pressures. A preliminary report of 9 patients implanted with a new artificial urinary sphincter device designed by Anthony Mundy and colleagues from London is reported in the September 2006 issue of European Urology. This device attempts to improve upon the existing AUS in several ways.
Vitamin D may help curb breast cancer progression, according to a study published 16 October 2006 in the Journal of Clinical Pathology.
International News
US scientists have developed a tiny plastic pill that they say can prevent tooth loss by treating gum disease.
Pregnant women taking folic acid to protect their baby's development may be at greater risk of malaria as a result, Kenyan research suggests.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have identified a protein that enables viruses such as HIV to infect cells and spread through the body.
An experimental vaccine that attacks the malaria parasite in its early stages prevents a significant number of malaria cases, and should move closer to licensing and widespread use, according to a new review of recent studies.
Mothers have long exhorted their children to eat their fruit and vegetables. But once kids are beyond mom's watchful eye, the hated greens often go the way of Barbie dolls and power rangers. Now, there's another reason to reach for colorful fruits past adolescence.
On 16 October 2006 Ventracor (ASX:VCR) reported the first case of recovery of a patient's heart allowing removal of the VentrAssist left ventricular assist device (LVAD) after providing support for over 12 months.
With public concerns at a fevered pitch over the bacterial contamination of spinach, it is easy to lose track of how bland and deprived our world would be without the contribution to our food supply of such benign microbial players as lactic acid-producing bacteria. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI) and the University of California, Davis, and their colleagues have characterized the genome sequences of nine different lactic acid-producing bacteria, or LAB, and have published their findings in the October 17 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0607117103v1). The small LAB genomes encode a diverse repertoire of genes for efficient carbon and nitrogen acquisition from the nutritionally rich environments they inhabit and reflect a limited range of biosynthetic capabilities promising broad industrial applications.
Children who have persistent fluid in the middle ear, a condition called otitis media with effusion, are more likely to be harmed than helped by antihistamines and decongestants, a new review of studies has found.
Federal scientists have developed a vaccine that protects mice against the killer 1918 influenza virus. They also have created a technique for identifying antibodies that neutralize this virus, a tool that could help contain future pandemic flu strains. These findings are important, the researchers say, to understanding and preventing the recurrence of the H1N1 influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic and to protecting against virulent flu strains in the future, including the H5N1 avian flu virus. Details of the research are available online this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A new systematic review calls into the question the health benefits versus risks of an oral medicine widely prescribed for diabetes throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.
Like some drug deja vu, cocaine use is once again on the rise among students and the rich and famous, a trend University of Florida researchers say likely signals a recurring epidemic of abuse.
Despite the deteriorating security situation in Darfur, a new United Nations assessment has found that overall malnutrition levels have mostly stabilized in 2006 and food insecurity has improved slightly thanks to a stronger international response to the suffering in Sudan's war-torn west. Crude mortality dropped for the third year running, but insecurity and lack of access to many Darfurians continued to cloud the aid picture.
The bacteria Helicobacter pylori substantially increase the risk of cancer in the lower stomach, but it may decrease the risk of cancer near the junction between the esophagus and the stomach, according to a study in the October 19 Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This finding may help explain the changing rates and distributions of these cancers in Western countries over the past century.
The results of a clinical study performed by specialised physicians from the Institut Clinic of Haematology and Oncology of Hospital Clinic, directed by Dr. Emili Montserrat, show that patients in need of autologous bone marrow transplant, can undergo this treatment from their own homes for most of the time. This innovative service improves the quality of life of patients thanks to their closeness to relatives, what has a positive impact in the patient's recovery. With this system, hospitalisation expenses are reduced to a half, since the hospitalisation of 3-4 weeks of the patients is avoided.
Female childhood cancer survivors may face pregnancy problems, including early deliveries and low birth weight children, according to a study in the October 19 Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Discovery's Edge, Mayo Clinic's online research magazine, highlights stories of leading medical investigators. Many features cover ongoing projects long before they reach the journals.
A new study by Chifumi Kitanaka, M.D., Ph.D., of the Yamaguta University School of Medicine in Japan, and colleagues shows that two molecules called Bax and Bak, which are integral to a type of cell death, depend on oxidative phosphorylation, for their activity. Oxidative phosphorylation is the process by which mitochondria in the cell create useable energy. Tumor cells often produce energy through glycolysis, a type of glucose breakdown, rather than oxidative phosphorylation. Therefore, they can be resistant to programmed cell death under stressful conditions. The authors' findings could have therapeutic implications in that tumor cells might be treated to make them more susceptible to programmed cell death.
Three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, is an accurate screening method for colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the November issue of the journal Radiology. In addition, when covered by third-party payers, virtual colonoscopy may entice more people to be screened.
Adenoviruses genetically modified to express a protein called relaxin may inhibit the growth and metastasis of several cancer types in mice.
It is so small, you can barely see it, but a microsensor created by University of Alberta engineers may soon make a huge difference in the lives of people recovering from hip replacement surgery. The U of A research team has invented a self-powered wireless microsensor for monitoring the bone healing process after surgery--it is so tiny it can fit onto the tip of a pen.
The majority of patients with locally advanced colorectal cancer do not receive the extensive surgery to remove the cancer and adjacent tissues, a new study reports. This extensive surgery, called a multivisceral resection, is recommended by the National Cancer Institute and American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons because it reduces local recurrence and improves survival.
Medivation, Inc. (Amex: MDV) today announced that patient dosing has begun for its Phase 1-2a clinical trial of Dimebon(TM) to treat Huntington's disease.
Clinical and regulatory changes must be made to asthma management to ensure it reflects current scientific understanding of the disease, and the needs of patients, say asthma experts. These conclusions form part of the 'Brussels Declaration', defining changes that need to be made in order to improve outcomes for asthma patients, developed by leading asthma experts, together with EU policymakers, regulators and patient groups attending the 'Summit for Change in Asthma Management', which took place at the EU Parliament on 18th and 19th October 200
Scientists at the University of Sunderland have joined forces with a US university in a new project that aims to make a miracle cancer drug affordable.
Scientists from the GSF - National Research Center for Environment and Health have identified mutations causing a specific form of hereditary rickets due to phosphate deficiency.
There are many causes of infertility. The fact that nerve cells can also play a role is little known. The hormone estrogen regulates the activity of neurons that give the starting signal for ovulation. Collaborating with international research groups, scientists at the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) have studied this signaling pathway in detail and have discovered new causes of infertility.
Tamiflu, an antiviral flu drug, is recommended worldwide for the prevention and treatment of pandemic influenza infection, but extensive use by the human population could cause a serious environmental challenge as well as encouraging a new strain of avian flu to develop.
In his dissertation work, Per-Henrik Edqvist at Uppsala University in Sweden has characterized the molecular development of the retina in the eye with the aim of understanding how the nervous system develops. He has attained several unexpected results that may be of importance to the future treatment of damage to the nervous system.
VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS), a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic products addressing obesity and sexual health, today announced that Dr. Kishore Gadde will give an oral presentation on positive results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of Qnexa(TM)(previously known as VI-0521), an investigational oral treatment for obesity, at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) 2006 Annual Scientific Meeting. The NAASO Meeting will be held in Boston at the Hynes Convention Center from Friday, October 20th through Tuesday, October 24th.
Dendreon Corporation (Nasdaq: DNDN) today announced that Eric J. Small, M.D., professor of medicine and urology at the University of California, San Francisco presented new exploratory analyses of the Phase 3 Study (D9901) that further support the results observed with the Company's investigational active cellular immunotherapy PROVENGE(R) (sipuleucel-T) in men with advanced androgen- independent (hormone refractory) prostate cancer.
Eli Lilly and Company has launched a major clinical trial evaluating ALIMTA (pemetrexed for injection) in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a devastating and rapidly spreading form of lung cancer. This international trial, expected to be the largest ever to be conducted in SCLC(1), will assess the potential clinical benefit of pemetrexed in combination with carboplatin, a commonly-used chemotherapeutic agent, in direct comparison to the current leading treatment option of etoposide in combination with carboplatin.
Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL) today announced that a single injection of the company's lead avian influenza (flu) DNA vaccine candidate provided 100% protection in ferrets against lethal challenge with a highly virulent H5N1 virus (Vietnam/1203/2004). Conventional vaccines under development for avian flu typically have required two or more doses in humans, even with novel adjuvants, to produce the immunogenicity levels expected to provide protection.
New research helps explain how soy may contribute to heart health, through a process scientists refer to as "decreased platelet aggregation." By reducing the density of platelet receptors, a natural component in soy called isoflavones may contribute to a reduced risk of blood clotting, which in turn decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Dartmouth researchers have found areas in the brain that indicate bilingualism. The finding sheds new light on decades of debate about how the human brain's language centers may actually be enhanced when faced with two or more languages as opposed to only one. The study was presented at the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting on October 14-18 in Atlanta, Ga.
A genetic variation (G315A) in the ODC gene may change a person's response to aspirin given for colorectal cancer prevention.
New research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) suggests that the widely abused club drug "ecstasy," or MDMA, can increase the survival of dopamine cells in the brain during fetal development.
New research shows how simply varying the length of daylight to which mice are exposed to can change how aggressively they react to other mice.
A widely used antiaging supplement has no effect on aging markers such as muscle strength, peak endurance, muscle mass, fat mass and glucose tolerance in elderly men and women, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. The findings from their two-year study appear in the Oct. 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, of the University of Kentucky, and Dr. Balamurali Ambati, of the Medical College of Georgia, have jointly published a paper in the journal Nature detailing major research discoveries in corneal avascularity and angiogenesis.
In a finding that may provide a scientific basis for eventual treatment, neurology researchers have shown that traumatic brain injury reduces the level of a protein that helps keep brain activity in balance. The resulting abnormal activity, in turn, is thought to be an underlying reason for seizures and memory defects experienced by people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Researchers have pinpointed why mutations that cause Rett Syndrome (RTT)—among the leading causes of mental retardation in females—specifically target the brain rather than other body tissues. They said their findings yield important insight into the origin and course of the disease.
New evidence in rats suggests that marijuana may contain compounds that slow the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an antioxidant that protects against reactive oxygen species (damaging oxygen molecules that cause direct tissue injury), become elevated in the lungs of chronic silicosis patients and could represent a new treatment approach for the disease.
Angioplasty.Org, an authoritative website for heart patients and physicians, has seen a surge in readership following news reports of possible blood clot risk with drug-eluting stents. The site, which receives 70,000 monthly visits, is advising patients with stents to talk to their cardiologist about anti-clotting medications.
Good nutrition is essential to building and maintaining strong bones, according to a new report issued today by International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) on the occasion of World Osteoporosis Day (WOD), October 20
For patients with acute respiratory failure, a computer-driven system can significantly reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), as compared with the traditional physician-controlled weaning process
Major features include enhanced interactivity; new database-driven architecture; expanded, latest information for patients, the public, health care professionals and the media; new section on nutrition and bone health.
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has announced a licence variation for REPLAGAL (agalsidase alfa) to include children with Fabry disease from seven years of age. This makes agalsidase alfa the first and only enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) approved for use in this age group, bringing new hope to these children and their families.
Gene therapy for erectile dysfunction, the gene transfer of relevant molecules involved in the regulation of penile erection, has emerged from just an imaginable possibility to an exciting reality.
The consumption of fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel has been associated with a reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer. This has not been previously studied in other urological malignancies.
The authors of this study point out that erectile dysfunction (ED) and coronary artery disease (CAD) frequently coexist. In this study, they investigated whether the prevalence of ED is related to the extent of CAD in 182 men undergoing coronary angiography for a first acute coronary syndrome (ACS.) Significant coronary stenosis was considered as >50% reduction in the diameter of any coronary artery and ED was considered to be present if the total score of the 5 item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) was less than 22.
A study of 2,419 people treated for chlamydia, gonorrhea, or vaginosis (women only) at three urban STD clinics found that 25.8 percent of women and 14.7 percent of men became reinfected with one or more of the sexually transmitted infections within a year (Article, p. 564).
Given Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ: GIVN) today announced that the results of the first PillCam™ COLON clinical studies were published in the October Issue of Endoscopy, the official journal of The European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Conducted independently by the Rambam Medical Center, Hillel-Yaffe Medical Center and Bikur Holim Hospital in Israel and Erasme University Hospital in Belgium, both studies determined PillCam COLON to be a promising new modality for colonic evaluation. Jacques Devière M.D., investigator on the COLON pilot study, professor of medicine at Brussels Erasme University Hospital and president elect of the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, said, "While still early, these data provide compelling evidence that PillCam COLON could be used as one of the diagnostic tests used by doctors to visualize abnormalities of the colon."
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel treatment for localized prostate cancer. Dr. Poissonnier and associates from Lyon, France report their outcomes in 227 patients treated with HIFU in the epub version of European Urology.
In most languages, sentences only make sense if the words are placed in the right order. Now, MIT researchers and an IBM colleague have used grammatical principles to help their search for new antimicrobial medicines.
Today, over 60 million people of all ages across the USA are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common chronic medical condition, which is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. But because patients may find it difficult to discuss their bowel problems with their physicians, they often suffer in silence or even worse, "learn to live with it."
NEGY™ (ezetimibe/simvastatin) provides significantly greater LDL ("bad") cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction compared with rosuvastatin (Crestor™) in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia, according to data published this week in the international journal Current Medical Research and Opinion (CMRO).
Researchers at UQ's AIBN are developing an artificial meniscus to replace damaged knee cartilage. The meniscus is the knee's shock absorber. It is a cartilage spacer found between the thigh and shin bones, preventing friction and absorbing approximately one third of the impact load that the joint cartilage surface experiences.
Scientists investigating an important DNA-repair enzyme now have a better picture of the final steps of a process that glues together, or ligates, the ends of DNA strands to restore the double helix.
Patients undergoing surgery to correct sleep apnea are more likely to have complications if their condition is severe, they have a high body mass index, they have other medical problems or they are undergoing certain other surgical procedures at the same time, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
French policies subsidizing generous maternity leave for women, tax credits for large families and other benefits are fueling one of the highest birth rates in Europe, the Washington Post reports (Moore, Washington Post, 10/18).
Ghrelin, a hormone produced in the stomach, induces food intake and operates through a brain region that controls cravings for food and other energy sources, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the October 19 online issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Amniotic-fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare, but potentially fatal syndrome during childbirth. According to a study published in The Lancet, women whose labors are drug-induced are twice as likely to experience this complication.
Adult beachgoers participating in a research study accurately report their sun habits, including sunscreen use and clothing worn on the beach, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Pricing antiretroviral drugs and other "lifesaving" medications based on a country's gross national income per capita "seems particularly arbitrary -- and even cruel" -- given that HIV-positive people often have incomes "well below what might be considered a country's 'average' income," Jorge Saavedra Lopez, general director of Mexico's National Center for the Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS, and AIDS Healthcare Foundation President Michael Weinstein write in a San Jose Mercury News opinion piece.
For those who think that picking and eating apples this time of year is just for fun and for the great taste of America's favorite fruit, you may want to think again. Apples and apple juice may be among the best foods that anyone could add to their diet, finds a collection of recent research studies, the latest of which was presented yesterday at the Society of Neuroscience annual conference in Atlanta. Researchers G. Bureau and M. Martinoli from the University of Quebec a Trois-Rivieres, found that quercetin (one of the antioxidants found abundantly in apples) was one of two compounds that helped to reduce cellular death that is caused by oxidation and inflammation of neurons. An abstract of their presentation can be found at http://tinyurl.com/wdu4h.
Sepsis is a life-threatening disease that can occur during bacterial or viral infection of the blood. It can cause the barrier between the blood and the surrounding tissues, which is formed by cells known as endothelial cells, to become severely damaged, allowing the blood to seep out into the tissues and the blood pressure to drop dramatically. Conversely, tumors promote the proliferation and growth of endothelial cells so that the tumor has its own blood supply that supplies it with nutrients for growth. Therefore, understanding how endothelial cell function is regulated is an area of intensive investigation.
Elderly patients with breast cancer who received care in a community hospital setting may have been under-diagnosed, under-staged and under-treated, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Losing a significant other often is the most stressful, and sometimes most traumatic event in one's life. While most people experience bereavement after a loss, many people are overcome by it.
Body parts have been taken from corpses by at least seven New York funeral directors who admitted to removing them, without permission from relatives, for transplants. The parts were sold to biomedical companies. Permission is needed for body parts to be taken from a deceased person.
After five years of reviewing the latest research findings, a panel of experts led by a Duke University Medical Center anesthesiologist has developed new guidelines to help physicians reduce the occurrence of nausea and vomiting in patients after surgery.
Researchers from Harvard Medical School have found increased thickness of two areas of the brain cortex in people with migraine when compared to healthy controls. Both areas of the brain are known to be involved in how the brain processes signals to do with movement.
Decaf coffee is often not totally caffeine-free, a new study shows. In fact, while these beverages have far less caffeine than a cup of regular coffee, they still may have enough of the stimulant to cause physical dependence on them.
Some doctors might improve their bedside manner by honing their creative writing skills, a small study suggests.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc said on Friday it won U.S. approval to sell a new once- a-day formulation of its Coreg hypertension drug.
An immune stimulating agent, inosiplex, seems to be an effective treatment for genital warts of the cervix that don't get better with conventional therapies, a small study suggests.
Depressive symptoms are common among inner-city adults hospitalized for asthma flare-ups, according to a new study in the medical journal Chest.
An undergraduate program at Canada's august University of Toronto offers discussions on flogging, restraint, and role-play, as well as an arts course called "Queerly Canadian." But teachers and students insist it's a serious academic program that isn't simply about sex.
The Canadian government licensed the sale of silicone gel breast implants on Friday, reversing a partial ban that was in place for more than 13 years over health concerns.
Blocking the enzyme aldose reductase prevents proliferation of human colon cancer cells and arrests tumor progression in mice, researchers report in the journal Cancer Research.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. said on Friday that U.S. regulators approved a single-capsule form of its Reyataz HIV drug to be taken as part of combination drug therapy.
A diet high in refined cereals, and bread in particular, is associated with an elevated risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the main type of kidney cancer, according to a study in Italy.
Cheshire and Merseyside News
CHILDREN'S health experts are going back to the drawing board after an outcry from parents about the content of a fitness course.
A LIVERPOOL ward for patients with heart problems closes today.
Cumbria and Lancashire News
A NURSE who stole more than £500 from a 89-year-old mentally ill woman has been jailed for four months.
TWO breast cancer survivors have revealed how they beat the disease and how they were inspired to live life to the full.
Greater Manchester News
HEALTH chiefs are holding two public events about inpatients beds at Altrincham General Hospital
