Duke Study Suggests New Class Of Drugs Could Bypass Leptin Loop
...and target the fat cell itself. Duke researchers say their study, reported today in the journal Nature,is the first to demonstrate how leptin initiates the burning of stored fat, a process thathas been postulated but never proven. In fact, their study shows that leptinis only the first step in a series...AIDS Treatments Seek To Eradicate Virus, Restore Immunity
...h," Weinhold said. "Idon't think it's realistic to say that we can wipe the disease out, butby boosting t...an uncommonapproach to saving these patients. They say their approach is extreme, andpotentially toxic, "but these patients need the most aggressive ofther...Shark-Liver Substance May Slow Growth Of Brain Tumors
...ing brain cancer and other solid tumors in people, say scientists from Hopkins and Magainin Pharmaceuticals, which processes squalamine and funded the studies. Hopkins scientists added squalamine, a hormone-like chemical concentrated in the liver of the dogfish shark, and a growth factor to lab dishes co...Emory Doctors Discuss "Killing Heat" In This Week's NEJM
...eved by applying the principles of public health," say authors Arthur Kellermann, M.D., and Knox Todd, M.D. "Sentinel surveillance, public education, outreach to vulnerable individuals, and enlisting the help of the entire community can save lives." Older adults living alone and in the inner-city are a...Discovery Hints At Multitude Of New Targets For Drugs
... assuming different conformations. "Let's say a receptor needs to be in a 'square' conformation to produceall the processes that it normally produces. If a ligand changes it intoa 'round' conformation, some of the processes don't care, and they'll continueto operate. But others will not be trigg...What Makes Tics Tick? Clues Found In Tourette Twins' Caudates
...ather large differences in clinical presentation, say the researchers. Functional brain imaging studies of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), which often occurs along with Tourette Syndrome, also implicate a brain circuit that includes the head of the caudate nucleus, along with areas in the frontal ...Rape Victims Find Relief From Posttraumatic Stress Using The Antidepressant Zoloft.
...s aresimilar no matter the trauma, the researchers say that treatment of warveterans with PTSD is complicated by a high incidence of substance abuse inthat population. "There is a striking similarity of response to different trauma includingcombat, rape, accidents, and disasters," the authors write. "Man...Program Provides Treatment For Prison-Released HIV-Positive Women
...e than 50-percent decrease in the recidivism rate, say BrownUniversity medical personnel, reporting in the American Journal of PublicHealth. They say the program could serve as a model for other states tomeet the need for community follow-up for HIV-...UNC-CH Study Shows State Protects HMO Clients Poorly
...berman said. “Now, for example, lots of plans say they will cover services if they consider the services medically necessary, but they never explain the criteria they use in deciding what's necessary. As a result, an individual with a specific health condition may not know if the services needed to ...Milk Extract May Heal Wounds And Smooth Wrinkles
...s as well. If it passes that test, the scientists say the extract could eventuallyclaim a world market w...hich remains when milk is turned into cheese. They say 1,000litres of whey yields only about 30 grams of the precious powder. The secret process for extra...Condemnation May Be Driving Circumcised Women From Health Care
...he practice of femalecircumcision, but researchers say that physicians' condemnation of the practicemay have the unintended effect of driving circumcised women away from the healthcare they need. Carol R. Horowitz, MD, of Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, and J.Carey Jackson, MD, of the Uni...Studies Find Public Policies For Children And Teenagers Not Very Effective
...ir sexualbehavior. But it hasn't worked very well, say psychologists whohave found that the sex education curriculum ignores the importanceof family and social skills development and is too focused onabstinence. In a review of the research that examined the effectivenessof the different school-ba...American Heart Association Comment: Lancet (Jan. 24, 1998) Report
...ood pressure controlled," saysFuster. Researchers say treating 1,000 men with the drugs would avoid five heart attacksa year....Bi-Monthly Boosts Of Aspirin Benefit Heart
...twice amonth to increase the drug's effectiveness, say researchers today reporting inCirculation: Journal of the American Heart Association. According to recently issued recommendations from the American HeartAssociation (AHA), aspirin is advised for individuals who have had a heartattack or str...Researchers Study 'Natural' Screen For Cancer
...s of an herbal extractcalled hypericin, which they say is quickly absorbed by cancerous cells. Takenorally or applied topically to the skin, hypericin shows up as a red spot when apatient is "illuminated," with blue filtered light. The substance intensifies onareas where cancer is present, even in its ea...Survey Finds Acute Stroke Teams Gaining Prevalence
...volve new equipment or new therapies. Researchers say theformation of an acute stroke team (AST), comprised of stroke-savvy healthprofessionals, can streamline stroke care in major medical centers. The National Acute Stroke Team Group, based in Belle Mead, N.J., todayannounced the results of it...Addicted Doctors Need Special Service
... at special risk of developing addiction problems, say the authors, owing to the strain of medical practice, erosion of the taboo against injecting and opiates and access to supplies. Once addicted, doctors face a major problem in accessing effective treatment, finding themselves isolated and carrying a...Added Benefit Found For Aspirin Use In Patients With Vessel Disease
... be beneficial in making them work correctlyagain, say researchers in a study published in today's Circulation: Journal ofthe American Heart Association. When atherosclerosis -- which is caused by fatty deposits clogging theblood vessels -- occurs, the result can be damage to the endothelium that...Is Ritalin As Effective--And As Harmless--As It Could Be?
...ered as asingle compound rather than as a mixture, say chemists at Brookhaven NationalLaboratory. Yu-Shi... forms work best. Ding and her colleagues say their results illustrate how PET can be usedto study the pharmacokinetic properties of chiral drugs....Keeping Score On Doctors: Report Says Flaws In Counting Must Be Addressed To Ensure Accuracy
...e realistic,"Jollis said. The researchers say before such ratings systems are adopted and result... to gather informationabout patient outcomes. They say such data, while more standardized thanhandwritten physician charts, often are not a clear reflectio...