Scientists have shown that a single 2.5mg dose of vitamin D may be enough to boost the immune system to fight against tuberculosis (TB) and similar bacteria for at least 6 weeks. Their findings came from a study that identified an extraordinarily high incidence of vitamin D deficiency amongst those communities in London most at risk from the disease, which kills around two million people each year. [click link for full article]

Between 5% and 10% of men aged 65 to 79 have abdominal aortic aneurysms, but don’t know it. If their weakened arteries burst they stand a very high risk of dying. Ultrasound screening of men in this age group can significantly reduce the numbers of men who die from this condition. The overall benefits of screening are complex, however, because many men may be subjected to unnecessary anxiety and/or to the complications of surgery.An aneurysm is a localised widening of an artery. [click link for full article]

Researchers at the University of Warwick have found that the standard British cooking habit of boiling vegetables severely damages the anticancer properties of many Brassica vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and green cabbage.Past studies have shown that consumption of Brassica vegetables decreases the risk of cancer. [click link for full article]

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the world’s largest charitable funder of type 1 diabetes research, today announced the recipients of its second annual Scholar Awards. The award provides sustained support for individual scientists of extraordinary talent and creativity who pursue pioneering research toward finding a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.Among the researchers selected are Dr. [click link for full article]

In the past decade, food allergies have become a major point of concern for paediatricians, especially those treating very young children. The number of cases has almost doubled over the last ten years. EUREKA project E! 3292 MULTI-PATCH has helped to develop a full range of ‘DIALLERTEST’® products, aimed at detecting the most frequently observed children’s allergies, including milk, corn, soy and house dust mites. [click link for full article]

The use of targeted nanoparticles offers promising techniques for cancer treatment. Researchers in the laboratory of Mark E. Davis at the California Institute of Technology have been using small interfering RNA (siRNA), sometimes known as silencing RNA, to “silence” specific genes that are implicated in certain malignancies. [click link for full article]

Hormones in children’s saliva may be a biological indicator of the trauma kids undergo when they are chronically bullied by peers, according to researchers who say biological markers can aid in the early recognition and intervention of long-term psychological effects on youth.”Bullying is mainly self-reported either by students or observed by teachers,” said JoLynn V. Carney, associate professor of counselor education at Penn State. [click link for full article]

Can you imagine an archer trying to improve her accuracy by practicing blindfolded, never seeing how close she was to hitting her target, never getting any information to help correct her aim”Until now, doctors and clinicians treating teens with mental health concerns were in the same position as that blindfolded archer, providing services week after week with no objective and systematic feedback about the effects of their treatment. [click link for full article]

Research presented today at Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW) demonstrates the potential of statins, important cholesterol management therapies, for improving the management of hepatitis C - a disease that affects nearly four million Americans. Although there have been no new treatments for hepatitis C since the introduction of pegylated interferon in 2001, the opportunity to develop a new generation of therapies that offer better outcomes may be imminent. [click link for full article]

Hepatitis C not only affects more than 3.9 million Americans, but continues to impact and influence the occurrence of related inflammatory conditions. Research presented today at Digestive Disease Week 2007 (DDW) analyzes advancements in the diagnosis of hepatitis C and therapies available to patients who suffer from the disease. DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. [click link for full article]