The microorganism that causes tuberculosis, M. Tuberculosis, infects more than a one third of the world’s population. Although the currently used vaccine (M. bovis BCG) provides young children with protection from tuberculosis, it is not effective at preventing the type of tuberculosis that most adolescents and adults suffer from. Therefore, there is an intensive research effort designed to develop new, more efficient vaccines that protect all individuals from tuberculosis. [click link for full article]

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have identified a key mechanism underlying proteinuria — excess protein in the urine which signifies a breakdown in the kidney’s filtering process. They have discovered that a protein called dynamin is required for the function of a critical filtering structure called a podocyte and that a specific enzyme’s processing of dynamin will cause podocytes to break down, allowing protein to leak out of the bloodstream. [click link for full article]

The August 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association contains articles and research studies you may find of interest. Below is a summary of one of this month’s articles. [click link for full article]

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have found that a triple combination therapy consisting of both tolerance-inducing and anti-inflammatory properties is successful in abolishing adverse autoimmunity against insulin-producing cells in a mouse model of Type 1 diabetes. [click link for full article]

Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography is highly accurate in depicting intracranial aneurysms, according to a study published in the August issue of Radiology. In addition, MDCT angiography can be used to quickly determine the possibility of using minimally invasive treatment rather than open surgery. [click link for full article]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enables radiologists to accurately identify tumors missed by mammography and ultrasound, according to a multicenter study comparing the three screening methods in women at high-risk for breast cancer. The findings of the study appear in the August issue of the journal Radiology.”Women at high risk for breast cancer can benefit from undergoing screening MRI,” said the study’s lead author, Constance Dobbins Lehman, M.D., Ph.D. [click link for full article]

A noninvasive, outpatient treatment for noncancerous uterine tumors provides sustained relief from symptoms, according to a new Mayo Clinic led collaborative study.The study of this innovative treatment approach — called magnetic resonance imaging guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) — also shows that the more completely tumors are destroyed by focused ultrasound, the more durable the symptom relief. In addition, the incidence of severe side effects is low. [click link for full article]

Certain laser printers used in offices and homes release tiny particles of toner-like material into the air that people can inhale deep into lungs where they may pose a health hazard, scientists are reporting. Their study appeared in the online issue of the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T), a semi-monthly journal.Lidia Morawska, Ph.D. [click link for full article]

When it comes to searching out cancer cells, gold may turn out to be a precious metal.Purdue University researchers have created gold nanoparticles that are capable of identifying marker proteins on breast cancer cells, making the tiny particles a potential tool to better diagnose and treat cancer. [click link for full article]

Blood clots are a leading cause of disability and death in patients following surgery, despite medical advances in their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) issued updated evidence-based treatment recommendations to help reduce the incidence of this frequent, but often preventable, cause of death in gynecologic surgery patients. [click link for full article]