One way diabetes is bad for your blood vessels is by creating too much competition for an amino acid that helps blood vessels relax, researchers say.That amino acid, L-arginine, is broken down by the enzyme arginase to urea, which helps the body eliminate toxins resulting from the proteins we eat. Diabetics have a lot of arginase activity, which means they use a lot more L-arginine, says Dr.

How do multiple deployments affect soldiers and their families? The U.S. Military researched that question last year and put together a report, “The Mental Health Advisory Team IV,” that studied soldier mental health and well-being.

Vivian Cheung, M.D., a pediatric neurologist at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, has been named a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator. Following a nationwide competition in 2007, Cheung was one of 15 physician-scientists selected recently by the prestigious research organization.Like all those chosen, Dr. Cheung focuses on translating research discoveries into improved medical treatments.

Use of vitamin and mineral supplements among cancer survivors is widespread, despite inconclusive evidence that such use is beneficial, according to a comprehensive review of scientific literature conducted by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and published Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products in Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency has issued a positive opinion to recommend marketing authorisation of their novel, oral direct thrombin inhibitor, dabigatran etexilate. The CHMP recommends approval of dabigatran etexilate for the prevention of venous thromboembolic events in patients who have undergone total hip replacement surgery or total knee replacement surgery.

Influenza activity in Norway is still low, but is expected to increase in the coming weeks. Thirty-eight of 58 studied influenza viruses (66 %) are resistant against the anti-flu drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu®). The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) is asking physicians who are treating patients for influenza to be aware of this when deciding on medicinal treatment.

IRIN/PlusNews recently examined a ritual, known as tarbessadu, performed by traditional healers in Guinea-Bissau that many people in the country believe can prevent a woman who has given birth from contracting HIV. According to IRIN/PlusNews, traditional healers use a pig, half a sack of rice, black corn and five liters of sugarcane brandy to perform tarbessadu.

UroToday.com - Diverticula of the male penile urethra are rare. Recognized etiologies for acquired male diverticula include trauma, impacted stones, strictures and infection. Iatrogenic injury following endoscopic urethrotomy should also be considered. Symptoms of urethral diverticula depend on their size, location, and the degree to which they cause obstruction. Men can present with hematuria, urinary tract infection, lower urinary tract symptoms, incontinence or post-void dribbling.

UroToday.com - Tumor angiogenesis have shown to be correlated with metastasis in invasive prostate carcinoma1. In-vitro inhibition of Ras/Raf pathway has shown growth arrest and cell death of LNCaP and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines2 and in a separate study modulation of this pathway have been implicated in restoring the sensitivity to hormonal interventions, in-vitro3.

UroToday.com - Daniel Culkin, MD, Chair of Urology and lead clinical researcher teamed with Robert Hurst, PhD to investigate changes in the bladder urothelium that lead to the loss of impermeability. For an earlier paper1 a set of shallow cold-cup biopsies was collected under very rigidly controlled conditions from patients who all experienced moderate to severe symptoms.