Synbiotic modulation of gut flora improves minimal hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhotic patients
...ent of MHE in patients with cirrhosis. Significant reductions in viable counts of potentially pathogenic gut flora occur with both treatments." In an accompanying editorial in the same issue of Hepatology, Drs. Steven F. Solga and Anna Mae Diehl of Johns Hopkins University discuss the "impressive and exciting i...Vaccine reduces racial disparity in incidence of childhood pneumonia and meningitis
... Ann Arbor, Mich., writes that the key to dramatic reductions in pneumococcal disease across all age groups has been the opportunity to immunize many individuals in the age group most at risk for the illness--children younger than 2 years--with this new, effective vaccine. "For the immediate future, pneumococca...New study: Small, frequent doses of caffeine best strategy for staying awake
... misalignment and sleep disruption, with attendant reductions in industrial productivity and increased risk of accident or even catastrophe, such as the infamous grounding of the Exxon Valdez for which the National Transportation Safety Board cited crew sleep deprivation as the probable cause. Due to the high-p...Researchers identify novel method of distinguishing Alzheimers disease from other types of dementia
...g Alzheimer's, 16 exhibited significant blood-flow reductions in the posterior cingulate cortex. Of the 20 patients suspected of having frontotemoporal disease, only one showed signs of reduced blood flow in the region. That patient was later re-evaluated and diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Linda Hynan,...Exercise helps heart attack patients who are depressed, without social support
... with lower baseline levels of depression, greater reductions in the symptoms of depression, as well as increased survival," Blumenthal continued. "We believe that exercise can be valuable in treating the physical and mental health of these high-risk heart attack patients." While the medical communi...'Considerable reductions' in radiation exposure possible with 16-MDCT scanner on body applications
...nner as opposed to a 4-slice scanner, considerable reductions in effective radiation dose can be achieved on body CT without sacrificing established clinical image quality levels, a new study by researchers from Leiden University Medical Center in Leiden, The Netherlands, says. Specifically, the authors state t...Adopting 12-step philosophy may enhance outcomes of counseling for cocaine addiction
...nts' beliefs became less negative, there were more reductions in drug use. In fact, changing beliefs about addiction was more highly correlated with reduced drug use than was adopting the 12-step philosophy. A possible explanation, the scientists suggest, is that beliefs about substance abuse change in response...Study finds combination therapy successful for treating depression
...apy or pharmacotherapy). At follow-up, significant reductions in depression were observed. Participants receiving the combined treatment were about 2.5 times more likely than those not receiving treatment to be in depression remission. Nearly 40 percent of participants who were fully adherent to treatment were ...Preliminary results are promising in Alzheimer's gene therapy trial
...ognitive testing before and following surgery, and reductions in rates of cognitive decline compared to their pre-operative function were noted. The six subjects who successfully completed the surgery showed a 50 percent reduction in their annual rate of decline on one of the measured cognitive scales. On ano...Testosterone replacement improves muscle strength, function in HIV-infected women
... study participants were found to have significant reductions in both muscle strength and function, an observation not previously documented in any study of HIV-infected women. After the 6-month study period, which 52 participants completed, those who received testosterone patches were found to have significan...Non-drug treatment device delivers sustained blood pressure reductions within 3-4 weeks in the home
...of the reduction is achieved within 3-4 weeks. The reductions were significantly greater than those observed in patients in the control group. Patients in both groups self-monitored their blood pressure with data-logging digital blood pressure monitors. The study also demonstrated quantitatively that patients d...1st data show CRESTOR highly effective at lowering LDL-C in patients with type 2 diabetes
...ta show CRESTORTM (rosuvastatin) provides superior reductions in a major cardiovascular risk factor, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia compared to atorvastatin.1-3 Results from the CORALL study demonstrated that for each dose of CRESTOR, LDL-C was reduced significantl...Sufficient evidence for reducing sugar intake to tackle obesity?
...d Health Assembly (WHA) of this strategy, in which reductions in fat, salt, and sugar content of foods and increased physical activity are recommended (see also Lancet 2004; 363: 339). He comments: "Industry objections seem to centre largely on the recommended intake of sugar. There are claims by food industrie...Ingredient in asthma inhaler drug may counteract inhaler benefits, according to Pittsburgh study
...f the same pro-inflammatory cell signal. Thus, the reductions normally produced by the steroid were nullified by the inactive isomer of the beta-agonist. These results indicate that (S)- albuterol may diminish the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of steroids by a mechanism that is not currently understood, ...New study supports use of PET scans in early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
...ortical areas. Such a pattern of coupled metabolic reductions between the deep and surface brain may make PET even more accurate at differentiating AD from other forms of dementia," said lead author Lisa Mosconi, MD, of the Department of Clinical Pathophysiology Nuclear Medicine Unit of the University of Floren...Evidence suggests that the brain can switch to 'automatic pilot' during learning
...y disrupt performance and preclude neural activity reductions because the subjects can't use their earlier responses when the question direction changes." The researchers got the idea for the experiment from their own personal experiences with the tasks. "We were going through these size comparisons, and we had...Thursday, March 4, 2004 news tips
... intensity physical activity brought "significant" reductions in weight and blood cholesterol levels during an experimental program for 18 youths ages 9 to 16. They enrolled in six- or 13-day interventions that included a low-fat diet of 15-20 percent of calories from fat, more than 40 grams of fiber and less ...Statins could reduce stroke risk by a third
...idelines should now be revised so that stroke risk reductions are taken into account when the initiation of statin therapy is being considered."...Intensive statin therapy reduces amount of plaque buildup in arteries compared to moderate treatment
...hs of intensive lipid-lowering therapy had greater reductions in LDL-cholesterol than patients who received the ...erate lipid lowering regimen, and also had greater reductions in C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation). Patients in the intensive therapy group also show...Anti-epilepsy drug, topiramate, effective at preventing migraine headaches
...," the authors report. "Statistically significant reductions occurred within the first month with topiramate at... the participants in the 100 mg/d and 200 mg/d had reductions in the number of days with migraines per month, and were also able to reduce their rescue medication...