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Elephantiasis :: Scientists solve genetic code of parasitic worm that causes elephantiasis

More than 150 million people worldwide are infected with filarial parasites — long, thread-like worms that can live for years inside the human body and cause severe, debilitating diseases such as elephantiasis. Mosquitoes spread the larvae of these parasitic nematodes from human to human, placing at risk more than a billion people who live in places in Africa, Asia and Latin America where filarial parasites thrive.

Air Pollution :: Linking air pollutants and blood clotting

Air pollution is caused by any particulate matter, chemical, or biological agent that changes the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Exposure to particulate matter has been linked to an increased risk of heart problems, including increased risk of heart attack.

Insulin :: Smart insulin nanostructures pass feasibility test, UT study reports

Biomedical engineers at the University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston have announced pre-clinical test results in the September issue of the International Journal of Nanomedicine demonstrating the feasibility of a smart particle insulin release system that detects spikes in glucose or blood sugar levels and releases insulin to counteract them

Psychology :: The science of collective decision-making

Why do some juries take weeks to reach a verdict, while others take just hours? How do judges pick the perfect beauty queen from a sea of very similar candidates? We have all wondered exactly why we did not win a certain award. Now, new psychological research explains how groups come to a collective decision.

Aging :: Sirtris & Harvard discover new mechanism to slow aging

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing small molecule drugs to treat diseases of aging, announced publication of a study by Sirtris and Harvard University scientists in the journal Cell that reveals a new mechanism to slow aging.

Lou Gehrig’s Disease :: Understanding the Noxious cause of Lou Gehrig’s disease

There is no known cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often known as Lou Gehrig disease and motor neuron disease. ALS is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of nerves that control voluntary muscle movement.

Cancer :: Communication in Cancer World is Key to Survival

For the 10 million Americans who are living with cancer or have survived it, one factor may be most indispensable for keeping their spirits intact: communication. In recognition of this, the National Cancer Institute plans to issue a special report by November 1, co-authored by a University of Rochester physician, stating that effective communication is truly essential to good cancer care and deserves more research.

Healthcare :: Minnesota families give $3 million to Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic recently received $2 million from The Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation and $1 million from The Nelson Family Foundation, created by Marilyn Carlson Nelson and her husband Glen Nelson, M.D. Together these gifts will endow the Curtis L. Carlson Family Professorship in Genomics Research and the Nelson Family Genomics Research Fund. Mayo Clinic will match both gifts.

Gastroenterology :: Common abdominal pain may be due to a potentially treatable newly recognized inflammatory reaction

As many as one in four people in westernized countries experience pain or discomfort in their upper abdomen, and physicians have almost nothing to offer except anti-acid medicines, which usually don’t work. Now, in a small but novel study, researchers have found evidence that an abnormal amount of inflammatory cells populates the upper intestine of affected individuals, which suggests a fresh way of understanding the common complaint.

Obesity :: Does being overweight in old age cause memory problems?

While obesity has been shown to contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, being overweight in old age does not lead to memory problems, according to a study published September 19, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.