Scientists investigating epilepsy at the University of Liverpool have found no significant long-term benefit in administering immediate treatment to those with early epilepsy and infrequent seizures.

Around 500,000 people in the UK suffer from epilepsy, making it the most common serious neurological condition. Many of those who develop epilepsy start having seizures during childhood, but it can develop at any age.

The risks and benefits of starting or withholding treatmen

A new international survey – connected to a study taking place at the University of Dundee – reveals that around one in five women would consider having both breasts removed to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer if told they were at an increased risk of developing the disease.

The survey asked over 1500 women from around the world what choices they would make if told they were at high risk of developing breast cancer. Of the UK women who were questioned, up to one

Surgeons at the Oregon Health & Science University Digestive Health Center have developed a new technique that makes feasible and safe a potentially lifesaving and noninvasive surgical procedure known as laparoscopic esophagectomy. Until now, the procedure was considered too technically demanding for most surgeons to perform. A paper on their findings recently was presented at the European Association of Endoscopic Surgery in Venice, Italy.

For more than a decade, the original

An experimental drug combined with an already-popular memory-enhancing compound may further delay memory loss in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Johns Hopkins University scientists, in collaboration with researchers from University of North Carolina, have found.

The findings, described in the June issue of Neuropsychopharmacology, also indicate that the experimental treatment in question – a compound known as SGS742 – works by blocking certain chemica

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs for treating HIV in developing countries are about as effective as ART programs in developed countries, according to an article in the July 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Some have raised doubts that countries with extremely limited health care resources can effectively manage the complexities of antiretroviral therapy. But the new review of 10 medical studies on HIV treatment programs in the developing worl

School-age children should participate in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, according to an expert panel.

“The take-home message for parents is that it is very important to ensure that their children spend at least an hour a day in some form of appropriate physical activity,” says Dr. William B. Strong, a pediatric cardiologist and retired professor at the Medical College of Georgia who co-chaired the panel.

“The important thing is we have

Plasso Technology Ltd has been awarded a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) grant by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to develop a sugar array.

Plasso provides novel solutions for the immobilisation and presentation of biomolecules for use in a range of biological assays. One class of biological molecule that has proven particularly difficult to immobilise in this regard is glycosaminoglycans, (GAGs). GAGs are found on the surface of all c

Many chemicals in the occupational and non-occupational environment may be hazardous to skin and health. This will be the topic for an international scientific conference “Occupational and Environmental Exposures of Skin to Chemicals-2005” in Stockholm, Sweden 12-15 June 2005.

“Wet work and skin exposure to solvents, cement and pesticides are some of the important causes of disease. New chemical substances and products are developed, and it is important to know how they may affect

Method enables scientists to study all stages of virus’ life cycle

A team of researchers led by scientists at The Rockefeller University has produced for the first time an infectious form of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in laboratory cultures of human cells. The finding, reported in the June 9 issue of Science Express, will allow scientists to study every stage of the HCV life cycle and develop drugs to treat this life-threatening disease that affects more than 170 million people

University of Colorado at Boulder researchers have developed a new polymer that resists cracking and shrinking, paving the way for creative breakthroughs in fields ranging from dentistry and microelectronics to the auto industry.

CU-Boulder chemical and biological engineering department Chair Christopher Bowman said polymers, or plastics — which are made up of identical molecules linked by chemical bonds to form repeating chains or webs — generally show an increase in strain

Collaborative effort develops novel tool and discovers surprising correlation of microRNA expression and cancer type

Despite significant progress in understanding the genetic changes in many different cancers, diagnosis and classification of tumor type remain, at best, an imperfect art. This could change quickly, thanks to the findings of a group of researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MIT, and St. Jude’s Children&#14

Scientists discover how virus evades immune system in acute and chronic infections; new vaccines may result

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have uncovered how a majority of the genetic changes in the hepatic-C virus, the most common cause of liver disease, allow it to evade the body’s immune system during infection. Hepatitis C infection can lead to cirrhosis, cancer and even death. In a series of experiments that describe the virus’ transition from an acute to chronic inf

New guidance on NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) use is urgently needed to ensure the best patient care, European experts said today. The news coincides with the results from a European survey of 626 arthritis patients which found that many are confused and worried about the potential side-effects of their medication.

Primary care physicians now face an increasingly limited range of prescribing options for long-term arthritis pain management, following the withdraw

Scientists at SINTEF Health Research in Trondheim have developed rapid tests that can identify Legionella bacteria in water reservoirs or biofilms in only a couple of days.

Senior scientist Catrine Ahlén at SINTEF Health Research emphasises that many laboratories can test for Legionella, but that the Trondheim scientists test for Legionella pneumophila, which is the most common species that causes Legionnaire’s disease. She has been carrying out such tests on a large scale in cruise ships.

An international research team has discovered a new target molecule, Fbw7, for developing drugs with the potential to complement or replace statins in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The findings are being published in the new issue of the scientific journal Cell Metabolism.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is needed for the formation of our cells and for the production of hormones. The amount needed can be provided by the body itself, but our eating habits o

Carolinas Medical Center is one of only 10 facilities nationwide offering this specialized procedure, which is still experimental but offers hope of dramatic lifestyle improvements for a huge number of Type 1 diabetics.

A Davidson woman has been successfully treated for her Type 1 diabetes through a procedure performed at Carolinas Medical Center. Paul F. Gores, M.D., has led a multi-disciplinary team through a series of three pancreatic islet cell transplants since the summer of 2