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Latest Science News | Snakebites: At Least 421,000 Venom Bites And 20,000 Deaths Occur Each Year, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2008) — Snakebites cause considerable death and injury worldwide and pose an important yet neglected threat to public health, says new research published in this week's PLoS Medicine.
The study used the most comprehensive methods yet to estimate that at least 421,000 envenomings (venomous bites) and 20,000 deaths from snakebites occur each year, especially in South and South East Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
To estimate death and injury from snakebite, Janaka de Silva (University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka) and colleagues conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature, reviewed county-specific mortality data from databases maintained by United Nations organizations, and identified unpublished information from Ministries of Health, National Poison Centres, and snakebite experts on snakebites in countries that do not have reliable data on snakebite incidence and mortality....More | T cell-based HIV vaccine candidate demonstrates positive results
Study demonstrates proof-of-concept for vaccine model
BOSTON -- The question of whether or not to continue to pursue the development of T-cell-based HIV-1 vaccines has been a source of controversy following last year's widely publicized failure of the field's most promising candidate, a vaccine developed by Merck known as V520.
Now a study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) provides the proof-of-concept that a T-cell-based strategy remains a viable course to follow.
Described in today's dvance On-line Publication of Nature, the study showed that an improved regimen using two distinct adenovirus vectors – rAd26 prime/rAd5 boost – and expressing the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag protein, resulted in potent T-cell immune responses leading to long-term immune control of an SIV challenge in monkeys. The findings demonstrate for the first time using this stringent animal model that such a vaccine may be effective in the fight against AIDS.....More | Getting a new kidney can boost brain function
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with kidney disease often suffer from cognitive impairment, but kidney transplantation can improve their mental performance, research presented Thursday at the Society of Nephrology's annual meeting in Philadelphia confirms.
It's well known that chronic or advanced kidney disease requiring dialysis is associated with declining cognitive function. Previous small studies have suggested that cognitive impairment in dialysis patients is reversed by successful kidney transplantation.
To investigate further, Dr. Mark Unruh of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania and colleagues assessed cognitive performance before and after kidney transplantation in 37 patients with advanced kidney disease. They also assessed cognitive function at two different time points in a matched control group of 23 advanced kidney disease patients who did not receive a kidney transplant.
Unruh and colleagues found a statistically significant improvement in performance on tests of verbal learning and memory, attention, and language after patients received kidney transplants.
They found no such improvement in patients who did not have a kidney transplant. In fact, cognitive test scores declined in these patients over time. ....More | New Evidence Challenges Old Notions About Diet And Survivorship
New evidence is shifting traditional approaches to treating and caring for cancer survivors, according to experts at a major conference on nutrition, physical activity and cancer. Researchers, dietitians and policy makers gathered today in Washington to hear about the latest progress in the study of diet's role in survivorship.
The survivorship session was part of the Annual Research Conference on Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and Cancer hosted by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR).
Going Further with Soy and Selenium
Do soy foods help or hinder recurrence of breast cancer? AICR grantee Stephen Barnes, PhD, of the University of Alabama in Birmingham referred to the large body of often-conflicting evidence from animal studies, clinical trials and studies of large populations in Asia and Western countries.....More | Vitamins E and C supplements not effective for prevention of cardiovascular disease in men
Neither vitamin E nor vitamin C supplements reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events in a large, long-term study of male physicians, according to a study in the November 12 issue of JAMA. The article is being released early online November 9 to coincide with the scientific presentation of the study findings at the American Heart Association meeting.
Most adults in the United States have taken vitamin supplements in the past year, according to background information provided by the authors. "Basic research studies suggest that vitamin E, vitamin C, and other antioxidants reduce cardiovascular disease by trapping organic free radicals, by deactivating excited oxygen molecules, or both, to prevent tissue damage." Some previous observational studies have supported a role for vitamin E in cardiovascular disease prevention. Some previous observational studies have also shown a role for vitamin C in reducing coronary heart disease risk.....More | More News |
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| Message from Dr. Abhay Jere | Nobel Prize 2008* New | The Nobel Prize in Biology, 1982-2007
During the period 1901-2000, a total of about 190 scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. And 58 of them received the Prize between 1982 and 2007. Their discoveries range from basic to clinical research. The following is a compilation the scientists who were awarded Nobel Prizes during the last 25 years and their brief discoveries. ....More | | | 
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