Calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML), a key cellular protein in humans, restricts the release of HIV particles from infected human cells, thereby blocking the spread of the virus, according to a study published in the recent online issue of Nature. Continue Reading

Daily intake of pirfenidone (Intermune, Inc.), an antifibrotic agent, retards the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by improving the lung capacity, according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society’s International Conference held at Toronto, during May 16 to 21, 2008. Continue Reading

Medtronic, Inc. makes another advancement in heart valve surgery with the launch of its Profile 3D™ Annuloplasty System in the United States, which aids in repairing the damaged mitral valve, avoiding the need for valve replacement surgery.

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Alzheimer disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by prominent neuropathologic features such as formation of amyloid (neuritic) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that can lead to progressive synaptic and neuronal loss. Recently, a team of researchers, led by William Bowers, an associate professor of neurology, microbiology and immunology at the University of Rochester Medical Center have designed a novel vaccine for treating and/ or preventing the development of Alzheimer disease-like pathology in mice models. The vaccine developed will help inhibit the accumulation of amyloid plaques or dissolve the existing plaques, thereby reducing the pathological features of AD without causing any significant adverse effects. Continue Reading

Researchers from Mayo Clinic, Florida have found a novel technology called high resolution confocal endomicroscopy probe system for determining the benign or malignant status of colon polyps without the need for diagnostic surgery. The study, presented at the meeting, Digestive Disease Week, at San Diego in May 17-22, 2008, holds the potential to revolutionize the colonoscopy procedure in the future. Continue Reading

A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that erectile dysfunction (ED) could predict heart disease in men with type 2 diabetes, thereby underscoring the importance of diagnosing ED not only to overcome the disease, but also to enhance the overall cardiovascular health of the affected individuals. Continue Reading

A positive family history of herpes zoster may be a risk factor for the disease condition, according to a study published by Hicks DL, et al., in the latest May issue of Archives of Dermatology. Risk factors for herpes zoster (HZ) are still unclear and the only factor proven to affect reactivation is age-related decline in cell-mediated immunity. In the current study, the investigators sought to verify if family history had any influence on the reactivation of the virus. Continue Reading

Women, who have first degree relatives (mother, sister, and daughter) with breast cancer, are at a higher risk for developing the disease all through their lives, according to a recent research study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Continue Reading

The results from a Phase III trial demonstrated that the combination treatment with lapatinib (Tykerb® | GlaxoSmithKline plc) and trastuzumab (Herceptin® | Genentech, Inc.) helps to extend the progression-free survival of women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. The data will be presented at the annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), scheduled to be held at Chicago from May 30th – June 3rd 2008. Continue Reading

Expanding the number of umbilical cord derived-natural killer (NK) cells using a novel technique, could be an effective treatment strategy for acute leukemia, according to a research study presented at the recent annual conference of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology held at Ohio. Continue Reading