Biology News Net - Health & Medicine

Yale study shows why cigarette smoke makes flu, other viral infections worse

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:31:26 -0500

A new study by researchers at Yale School of Medicine could explain why the cold and flu virus symptoms that are often mild and transient in non-smokers can seriously sicken smokers. Published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the study also identified the mechanism by which viruses and cigarette smoke interact to increase lung inflammation and damage.

Video released of rapid Alzheimer's improvement after new immune-based treatment

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:12:37 -0500

New research into the treatment of Alzheimer's disease reports improvement in language abilities using a novel immune-based approach. A video accompanying the research, published today in the open access journal BMC Neurology, documents rapid language improvement within minutes of using this new treatment.

Beijing pollution may trigger heart attacks, strokes

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:12:37 -0500

Olympic athletes aren't the only ones who need to be concerned about the heavily polluted air in Beijing. The dirty air may trigger serious cardiovascular problems for some spectators.

Loud music can make you drink more, in less time, in a bar

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:50:31 -0500

Commercial venues are very aware of the effects that the environment – in this case, music – can have on in-store traffic flow, sales volumes, product choices, and consumer time spent in the immediate vicinity. A study of the effects of music levels on drinking in a bar setting has found that loud music leads to more drinking in less time.

Tumor-inhibiting protein could be effective in treating leukemia

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:27:58 -0500

Angiocidin, a tumor-inhibiting novel protein discovered by Temple University researchers, may also have a role as a new therapeutic application in treating leukemia, according to a study by the researchers.

Kidney transplants less successful at night

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:27:58 -0500

Kidney transplants should be carried out during the day if possible. At least this is the conclusion suggested by a survey just published by urologists and internists at the University of Bonn (Transplantation Proceedings, vol. 40, p. 1341 ff.). Hence operations carried out at night require a further operation more than twice as often as other operations. Moreover, the risk of premature failure of the transplant is higher with operations taking place at night. The reason is probably that the surgeon is more alert and focused during the day. Particularly with a complicated procedure such as a transplant, surgical skill is a critical factor for success. Still, currently every third kidney transplant is performed at night, as donor organs should be as fresh as possible.

Stomach bug appears to protect kids from asthma, says NYU study

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:27:58 -0500

NEW YORK, July 15, 2008 – A long-time microbial inhabitant of the human stomach may protect children from developing asthma, according to a new study among more than 7,000 subjects led by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers. Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that has co-existed with humans for at least 50,000 years, may lead to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer. Yet, kids between the ages of 3 and 13 are nearly 59 percent less likely to have asthma if they carry the bug, the researchers report. The study appears in the July 15, 2008, online issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Excavated Jericho bones may help Israeli-Palestinian-German team combat tuberculosis

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:22:14 -0500

Six-thousand year old bones excavated in Jericho may help a joint Israeli-Palestinian-German research group combat tuberculosis.

Mobilizing white blood cells to the lung: New discovery could lead to an improved influenza vaccine

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:33:19 -0500

Findings just published in the scientific journal Immunity by researchers at the Trudeau Institute shed new light on how a previously-unknown messaging mechanism within the human immune system prompts specific influenza-fighting cells to the lung airways during an infection.

Can tomatoes carry the cure for Alzheimer's?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:40:46 -0500

The humble tomato could be a suitable carrier for an oral vaccine against Alzheimer's disease, according to HyunSoon Kim from the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) in Korea and colleagues from Digital Biotech Inc. and the Department of Biological Science at Wonkwang University. Although their research (1), just published online in Springer's journal Biotechnology Letters, is still in the early stages, it is a promising first step towards finding an edible vaccine against the neurodegenerative disease.