A new test can predict both the risk of breast cancer recurrence and may identify women who will benefit most from chemotherapy, according to research supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and performed in collaboration with the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) and Genomic Health Inc. These results suggest that almost half of over 50,000 U.S. women diagnosed with estrogen-dependent, lymph-node negative breast canc

Irritable bowel syndrome, frequent indigestion common in people with insomnia

Mayo Clinic researchers report in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings an association between gastrointestinal disorders and sleep disturbances. The association is important because these problems cause significant health issues including greater need for general medical and mental health treatment. It’s estimated that nearly one-half of American adults experience one or more symptoms that ind

Diabetes affects 18.2 million people in the United States and is expected to double by the year 2010. Additionally, diabetics who do not have good control over their blood sugar levels are more susceptible to oral health problems than non-diabetics, according to a study that appears in the November/December 2004 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

“Oral health symptoms of diabetics include dry mouth, periodontal (g

Hypertension, a controllable and preventable disease (and more commonly known as high blood pressure), affects 1 in 4 American adults. Causes are unknown in 90 percent of all cases. However, the most common cause of secondary hypertension in women is oral contraceptive use, according to a report in the November/December issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

Up to five percent of women taking birth control pills

Dental visits usually result in patient recommendations to floss or reschedule more appointments to treat a cavity, however, some patients are learning they may be at risk for a stroke too, according to a case report in the November/December issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer-reviewed journal.

According to the American Stroke Association (ASA), every 45 seconds, someone in America has a stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause o

Cumulative trauma during a person’s lifetime can have an overall effect on health in one’s later years, according to a study that examines the consequences of traumatic events on older adults’ physical health. Also, traumas experienced in adulthood compared to traumas experienced in childhood appear to cause more damage to an older person’s (65 and older) health, say researchers of a new study reported on in the December issue of Psychology and Aging published by the America

Men being treated for prostate cancer using hormone therapy maybe under-recognized for their risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a new study. Researchers writing in the January 15, 2005 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, say few patients get tested for osteoporosis during treatment. Moreover, even men with other risk factors for osteoporosis, such as smoking or receiving the hormone treatment for a long time, are still unlikely to receive preven

What is the relationship between atherosclerosis and the immune response and what are the possibilities for the development of a vaccine against cardiovascular disease? What role do stem cells play in angiogenesis and what are the possible clinical applications of stems cells in cardiac recovery?

These are few of the topics that will be discussed during the First European Vascular Genomics Network (EVGN) Conference, which starts today at New Hall College in Cambridge, UK. Chaired by

Persistence pays off – for bacteria as well as people. Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Rockefeller University in New York have demonstrated the constant presence of antibiotic-tolerant “persistent cells” within bacteria colonies and have shown, through mathematical modeling, how these cells develop into “normal” cells following their survival of even heavy dosages of antibiotics.

The findings have consequences for development of new tactics for overcoming t

Aircraft the size of bees that get the energy they need by feeding themselves a diet of dead flies could be buzzing around the battlefields and motorways of the future, thanks to research in southwest England.

The aircraft, up to 15cm long and equipped with sensors and cameras, could have a number of uses in civilian life and modern warfare, including reconnaissance missions, traffic monitoring or fire and rescue operations. By “digesting” its own fuel, the aircraft could become au

A comprehensive examination of research by a panel of independent experts finds insufficient evidence to draw a link between serious adverse health consequences and commonly used ’silver’ fillings

For many of us, having a dental cavity filled can be a frightening experience. Others take such dental repair in stride. Regardless of how you approach a trip to the dentist, you can take comfort in a new report, which concludes that the peer-reviewed scientific and medical literature pub

Northwestern University researchers have identified a key molecular “signal” that allows malarial parasites to release virulence proteins inside human red blood cells.

The investigators, led by Kasturi Haldar and N. Luisa Hiller, also found that the process by which the malarial parasite remodels red blood cells is far more complex than scientists previously had realized. Haldar is Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor in Pathology and professor of microbiology-immunology a

A newly discovered genetic defect might represent an important risk factor for major depression, a condition which effects 20 million people in the U.S., according to Duke University Medical Center researchers. The mutation in the gene — whose protein product plays a primary role in synthesizing the brain chemical serotonin — could lead to the first diagnostic test for genetic predisposition to depression, the team said.

“Abnormalities in brain levels of serotonin have been wide

Scientists have found a “molecular Achilles heel” in the organism that causes pneumonia, providing a target for the development of a new class of antibiotics that could eventually eradicate the disease. Their report is scheduled to appear in the Dec. 28 edition of Biochemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

“Streptococcus pneumoniae places an enormous burden on the welfare of humanity,” says Thomas Leyh, Ph.D.,

Results of a preliminary study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET suggest a step forward in our understanding of the processes behind narcolepsy; there appears to be an underlying autoimmune process for people with a certain genetic profile. Future diagnostic testing of people with this profile should lead to substantial improvements in disease treatment.

Narcolepsy is a chronic disabling sleep-wake disorder characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness, which is caused by changes in horm

An international trial comparing blood-pressure lowering treatments has been stopped early due to the significantly better performance of one of the treatments in the trial.

The 19,000 patient Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial (ASCOT) has been comparing a new treatment strategy for hypertension against an old one, in order to discover which is better at preventing various cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes.

The older treatment strategy based on