New report presents strongest evidence yet of human link to global warming

Evidence presented in the first phase of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's 4th Assessment Report, released in Paris, paints the clearest picture yet that human-derived greenhouse gases are playing a significant role in observed global warming, says a Duke University scientist who co-authored one of the report's main chapters. more  

Sentry enzyme blocks two paths to Parkinson's disease

St. Jude study shows the enzyme GST pi stands at the crossroads of several pathways that lead to the death of dopaminergic neurons and prevents both cell degeneration and cell suicide. more

Potential for adult stem cells to repair hearts damaged by severe coronary artery disease

Rush University Medical Center is one of the first medical centers in the country, and currently the only site in Illinois, participating in a novel clinical trial to determine if a subject’s own stem cells can treat a form of severe coronary artery disease. more  

Obesity drug helps unlock clues about cancer

An approved drug for fighting obesity is helping scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine uncover clues about how to stop the growth of cancerous tumors. more

Calcium lowers cardiovascular risk in people on a weight loss program  

Université Laval Faculty of Medicine researchers have discovered that taking calcium and vitamin D supplements while on a weight loss program lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers Geneviève C Major, Francine Alarie, Jean Doré, Sakouna Phouttama, and Angelo Tremblay published the details of their findings in the January issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. more

Emergency departments test chest pain patients differently, based on race, gender and insurance  

The study, conducted by Liliana E. Pezzin, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at the Medical College, along with co-investigators Gary B. Green, M.D., MPH, and Penelope Keyl, Ph.D., at Johns Hopkins, appears in the February 2007 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine. more

A new index for measuring liver fibrosis

A new study to find a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy when diagnosing fibrosis found that a series of simple blood tests can accurately diagnose the condition. Fibrosis, the formation of scar-like tissue in the liver, usually indicates damage and can lead to cirrhosis. The new series of markers, called FibroIndex, was found to more accurately diagnose fibrosis than two other indices that are commonly used. more

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