Statins May Exert Influence On Prostate Cancer Growth By Reducing Inflammation
Apr. 27, 2009

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce inflammation in prostate tumors, possibly hindering cancer growth, according to a study led by investigators in the Duke Prostate Center. Read

How Plants Protect Us From Disease
Apr. 27, 2009

Everyday foods, beverages, and spices contain healthful compounds that help us fight harmful inflammation. And, in doing that, these phytochemicals—the resveratrol in red wine or the catechins in green, white and black teas, for instance—may also reduce our risk of diseases associated with chronic inflammation, including cancer and diabetes. Read

Psoriasis Associated With Diabetes And High Blood Pressure In Women
Apr. 26, 2009

Women with psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease, appear to have an increased risk for developing diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure), according to a study of 78,061 women. Read

Instead Of Fighting Breast Cancer, Immune Cell Promotes Its Spread
Apr. 26, 2009

Researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center have new evidence that a type of immune system cell thought to be part of the first line of defense against breast cancer may also help promote its spread. They have found that when these cells, known as lymphocytes, make an inflammatory protein called RANKL (RANK ligand), breast cancer is more likely to spread to the lungs. Read

Even Modest Exercise Can Reduce Negative Effects Of Belly Fat
Apr. 25, 2009

A new University of Illinois study suggests that moderate amounts of exercise alone can reduce the inflammation in visceral fat—belly fat, if you will—that has been linked with metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that predict heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Read

Stroke Recovery: 'First Aid' For Brain Cells Comes From Blood
Apr. 21, 2009

In acute ischemic stroke, the blood supply to the brain is restricted. Initially, brain cells die from lack of oxygen. In addition, ischemia activates harmful inflammatory processes in the affected area of the brain. For the first time, scientists at the Neurology Clinic at Heidelberg University Hospital have shown that certain immune cells in the blood inhibit inflammation after a stroke. Read 

Vitamin D Deficiency Related To Increased Inflammation In Healthy Women
Apr. 14, 2009

According to a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 75 percent of Americans do not get enough Vitamin D. Researchers have found that the deficiency may negatively impact immune function and cardiovascular health and increase cancer risk. Now, a University of Missouri nutritional sciences researcher has found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with inflammation, a negative response of the immune system, in healthy women. Read

Cigarette Smoke May Alter Immune Response In COPD Exacerbations
Apr. 14, 2009

Smoking cigarettes is not only the principle cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but it may change the body's immune responses to bacteria that commonly cause exacerbations of the disease, according to new research in a mouse model. Read

Resolvins Have Potential To Resolve Periodontal Inflammation And Restore Tissue Health
Apr. 13, 2009

Periodontal (gum) disease is a chronic inflammation initiated by bacteria that affect the gums and bone supporting the teeth, and may eventually result in tissue and tooth loss. It is similar to other chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, where inflammation causes tissue damage and is responsible for the disease. To date, the prevention of gum disease has been limited to successful oral hygiene and regular professional care. However, despite these preventive actions, in susceptible individuals with a high inflammatory response, plaque control is not enough to prevent disease. Read

Marker For Severity In Adult Brain Cancer Identified
Apr. 12, 2009

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a new biological indicator that may help identify which brain-cancer patients have the most aggressive forms of the disease.

The researchers found that an inflammation-related molecule called RIP1 is commonly found in high levels in glioblastoma, the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults. The protein RIP1 is a component of the complex NF-kB signaling network — a family of proteins that play a key role in inflammation-induced cancer. Read

Cancer, Asthma: New Light Shed On Inflammatory Disease
Apr. 10, 2009

A new study in Science examines a key player in conditions such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma and has shown that cells use a sophisticated communication system to coordinate responses to infection and maintain inflammation in the body. This system is now a target for designing drugs to treat these conditions. Read

Protein Protects Neurons In Brain From Damage Due To Inflammation
Apr. 6, 2009

A new study helps to explain why people who carry mutations in a gene known as Nurr1 develop a rare, inherited form of Parkinson's disease, the most prevalent movement disorder in people over the age of 65. Read

Molecular Switch Linking Infectious Disease And Depression Identified
Apr. 5, 2009

Researchers at the University of Illinois report that IDO, an enzyme found throughout the body and long suspected of playing a role in depression, is in fact essential to the onset of depressive symptoms sparked by chronic inflammation. Read

Low Birth Weight Linked To Heart Disease And Diabetes Risk In Adulthood
Apr. 3, 2009

Lower weight at birth may increase inflammatory processes in adulthood, which are associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study. Both the fetal and infancy periods are sensitive, critical stages of growth and development. Studies have previously suggested babies with lower weight at birth are at a higher risk for developing chronic diseases but until now, there has been little understanding to explain why. This study suggests an association between lower weight at birth and inflammation in adulthood may provide that explanation. Read

By Shutting Down Inflammation, Agent Reverses Damage From Spinal Cord Injury In Preclinical Studies
Apr. 1, 2009

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) have been able to speed recovery and substantially reduce damage resulting from spinal cord injury in preclinical studies. Their research shows that inflammation following injury causes the neurotoxicity that leads to lasting nerve cell damage, and that an experimental agent is able to block this inflammatory reaction. Read

Smokers May Have Increased Risk Of Pancreatitis
Mar. 28, 2009 

Smoking appears to be associated with an increased risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas), according to a new report. In addition, the risk of developing the disease may be higher in those who smoke more. Read 

Depression may Cause Heart Disease and Related Death
Mar. 28, 2009 

Previous research has already suggested that there a two-directional link between depression and health conditions of the heart. A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has added to the body of evidence, having found that being depressed could increase the likelihood that a person gets hit or killed by heart disease. Read

Social Isolation Makes Strokes More Deadly, Study Finds
Mar. 25, 2009

New research in mice suggests that social isolation may promote more damaging inflammation in the brain during a stroke. Researchers at Ohio State University found that all the male mice that lived with a female partner survived seven days after a stroke, but only 40 percent of socially isolated animals lived that long. In addition, the paired mice suffered much less brain damage than did the surviving solitary mice. Read

Hassled Teens May Face High Heart Risk Later
Mar. 18, 2009 

Teenagers who experience a lot of daily interpersonal stress have increased blood levels of a protein linked to chronic inflammation -- which in turn might indicate a greater risk of heart disease later in life -- according to findings from a small study. Read 

New Role For Immune System Pathway In Post-heart Attack Inflammation
Mar. 16, 2009

A new study led by University of Iowa researchers has found an unexpected new link between this inflammation in heart muscle following a heart attack and a previously known enzyme called calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II or CaM kinase II. The findings also reveal the involvement of an immune system gene -- complement factor B -- that has been implicated in other inflammatory diseases. Read 

Diabetes And Elevated Levels Of Cholesterol Linked To Faster Cognitive Decline In Alzheimer's Patients
Mar. 15, 2009

A history of diabetes and elevated levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, are associated with faster cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from Columbia University Medical Center researchers. These results add further evidence of the role of vascular risk factors in the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Read

Ovarian Changes May Link Obesity and Infertility
Mar. 12, 2009

Obese women have alterations in the environment around the ovary before they ovulate that appear to play a role in the well-documented association between obesity and reduced fertility, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. "Characteristics of eggs are influenced by the environment in which they develop within the ovary," lead author Dr. Rebecca Robker, said in a statement. "Our study found that obese women have abnormally high levels of fats and inflammation in the fluid surrounding their eggs, which can impact an egg's developmental potential." Read 

Teens' Lung Health Is Linked to Their Diet
Mar. 7, 2009

Researchers have found that diets lower in fruit, vitamins C and E, and omega-3 fatty acids are associated with lower pulmonary function in adolescents. Christine Karpinski, a sports nutritionist in West Chester, Pa., says that certain nutrients, including those found in fruits and fish, are thought to protect the lungs from cell and tissue damage caused by inflammation. Read

Broccoli May Help Protect Against Respiratory Conditions Like Asthma
Mar. 4, 2009

Here's another reason to eat your broccoli: UCLA researchers report that a naturally occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Read

How Inflammatory Disease Causes Fatigue
Feb. 28, 2009

New animal research in the February 18 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience may indicate how certain diseases make people feel so tired and listless. Although the brain is usually isolated from the immune system, the study suggests that certain behavioral changes suffered by those with chronic inflammatory diseases are caused by the infiltration of immune cells into the brain. The findings suggest possible new treatment avenues to improve patients' quality of life. Read 

High-fat Diets Inflame Fat Tissue Around Blood Vessels, Contribute To Heart Disease
Feb. 20, 2009

A study by researchers at the University of Cincinnati shows that high-fat diets, even if consumed for a short amount of time, can inflame fat tissue surrounding blood vessels, possibly contributing to cardiovascular disease. Read

Inhibiting Proteins May Prevent Cartilage Breakdown In Arthritis Patients
Feb. 19, 2009

Current arthritis medications can ease the pain, but stopping the progression of the disease requires more aggressive treatments. In a new study, researchers have found potential evidence that blocking the proteins responsible for inducing inflammation prevents cartilage breakdown. Read 

Inflammation May Be Common Thread Behind Nervous And Heart Rhythm Problems In Cirrhosis
Feb. 17, 2009

Liver cirrhosis is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, taking 25,000 lives per year. It is often the result of alcohol over-consumption or exposure to hepatitis C, either of which can damage the liver and prevent it from filtering toxins. These toxins then accumulate in the blood stream and eventually reach the brain where they disrupt neurological and mental performance, a condition known as hepatic encephalopathy. Read

New Target For Medicine To Combat Alzheimer's: Scientists Confirm Protein's Key Role
Feb. 13, 2009

VIB scientists connected to the Center for Human Heredity have demonstrated that a particular protein is extremely well suited to be a target for a new medicine against Alzheimer's disease. Their findings are published in the journal Science. Read

Alzheimer's Prevention? New Method To Stimulate Immune System May Be Effective At Reducing Amyloid Burden In Alzheimer’s
Feb. 13, 2009

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a novel way to stimulate the innate immune system of mice with Alzheimer's disease (AD) - leading to reduced amyloid deposits and the prevention of Alzheimer's disease related pathology - without causing toxic side effects. Read 

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Prevent Medical Complications Of Obesity
Feb. 13, 2009

According to a recent study, diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids protect the liver from damage caused by obesity and the insulin resistance it provokes. This research should give doctors and nutritionists valuable information when recommending and formulating weight-loss diets and help explain why some obese patients are more likely to suffer some complications associated with obesity. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in canola oil and fish. Read 

New Clues To Pancreatic Cells' Destruction In Diabetes
Feb. 12, 2009

Researchers have found what appears to be a major culprit behind the loss of insulin-producing β cells from the pancreases of people with diabetes, a critical event in the progression of the disease. The discovery could lead to new therapies for preventing the death of β cells or restoring those that have already been lost, Kathrin Maedler and colleagues report in the February 4th issue of Cell Metabolism. The inflammatory factor they uncovered, which they call CXCL10, might also offer a warning sign of early or impending disease, they said. Read

Higher Blood Sugar Levels Linked To Lower Brain Function In Diabetics
Feb. 11, 2009

Results of a recent study conducted by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues show that cognitive functioning abilities drop as average blood sugar levels rise in people with type 2 diabetes. Read 

Inflammation Directly Linked To Colon Cancer
Feb. 10, 2009

While chronic inflammation is widely believed to be a predisposing factor for colon cancer, the exact mechanisms linking these conditions have remained elusive. Scientists at the Melbourne Branch of the international Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) and the Technical University Munich have jointly discovered a new piece of this puzzle by demonstrating how the Stat3 protein links inflammation to tumor development, a discovery that may well lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for colon cancer. Read

Inhaled Corticosteroids Boost Pneumonia Risk in COPD
Feb. 9, 2009

The use of inhalers containing corticosteroids to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) might increase the risk of pneumonia by as much as 70 percent, researchers report. Read

Hepatitis C Is Killing Liver Cells
Feb. 9, 2009

It has long been thought that liver disease in hepatitis C patients is caused by the patient's immune system attacking the infected liver, ultimately killing the cells. University of Alberta researchers have discovered something different though. Read

Body's Defenses May Worsen Chronic Lung Diseases In Smokers
Feb. 9, 2009

Although the immune system is designed to protect the body from harm, it may actually worsen one of the most difficult-to-treat respiratory diseases: chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), according to new University of Cincinnati (UC) research. In a preclinical research study, UC environmental health scientists have identified a link between cigarette smoke and activation of a specific cellular receptor (NKG2D) critical to immune system activation. They say the finding is key to understanding COPD disease progression and developing future interventional drug therapies.  Read 

Study Links Gene Variant and Vitamin D to MS Risk
February 5, 2009

A certain genetic variant combined with a vitamin D deficiency when young may increase a person's chances of developing multiple sclerosis later in life, British researchers said Thursday. The finding suggests that giving vitamin D supplements to pregnant women and young children could reduce the risk of getting the disease, they reported in the journal PLoS Genetics. Read 

Process Found To Play Role In Rheumatoid Arthritis Could Lead To New Treatment
Feb. 5, 2009

Although the origin of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains unclear, bioactive proteins known as cytokines, particularly TNFα and IL-6, which are involved in inflammation, play a major role in the disease by contributing to joint and tissue destruction. Placenta growth factor (PIGF), another cytokine, has been thought to be critical for a new blood vessel formation in the placenta to sufficiently deliver oxygen and nutrients to fetus. A new study examined the effects of PIGF on the inflammatory process of RA. The results suggest that PIGF may play an important role in inflammation in RA joints. Read 

Older Age Increases Risk of Clot in Lupus Patients
February 4, 2009  

Older age at diagnosis and kidney inflammation are among the factors that increase the risk of blood clots in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, new research shows. Read

Two Immune-system Proteins Linked To Colitis-associated Cancer
Feb. 3, 2009

Recent research from the laboratory of Michael Karin, PhD, at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine – the first researcher to demonstrate a molecular link between inflammation and cancer – has identified two potential targets for the prevention and treatment of colitis-associated cancer (CAC), the most serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease. Read

Resistin Arrest: New Approach Shows Human Resistin Contributes To Insulin Resistance
Feb. 3, 2009

Individuals who are obese have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, in part because they often become resistant to the effects of the hormone insulin. Resistin is a soluble factor produced by fat cells (adipocytes) that is linked to the development of insulin resistance in mice. However, studies have thus far failed to determine such a clear association in humans. Read  

New Clues To Pancreatic Cells' Destruction In Diabetes
Feb. 3, 2009

Researchers have found what appears to be a major culprit behind the loss of insulin-producing β cells from the pancreases of people with diabetes, a critical event in the progression of the disease. Read  

Inflammation Directly Linked To Colon Cancer- Potential New Drug Targets Revealed
Feb. 2, 2009

While chronic inflammation is widely believed to be a predisposing factor for colon cancer, the exact mechanisms linking these conditions have remained elusive. Scientists at the Melbourne Branch of the international Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) and the Technical University Munich have jointly discovered a new piece of this puzzle by demonstrating how the Stat3 protein links inflammation to tumor development, a discovery that may well lead to the identification of new therapeutic targets for colon cancer. Read 

DNA Component Can Stimulate And Suppress Immune Response
Feb. 2, 2009

A component of DNA that can both stimulate and suppress the immune system, depending on the dosage, may hold hope for treating cancer and infection, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.Low levels of CpG increase inflammation, part of the body's way of eliminating invaders. But high doses block inflammation by increasing expression of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase, or IDO, an immunosuppressor, the researchers say. Read

Missing Genes Link To Psoriasis
Feb. 2, 2009

Genetics experts at The University of Nottingham have been involved in a scientific breakthrough which is helping to explain why some people may be more likely to suffer from the chronic skin condition, psoriasis. Read

Inflammation In Colon May Get Doused Before Fueling Cancer Development
Feb. 2, 2009

A tiny molecule found in most plant-based foods douses the flames before damaging lesions can form in the colon, according to a study by Texas AgriLife Research scientist Dr. Nancy Turner. Read  

Inflammation May Be Link Between Extreme Sleep Durations And Poor Health
Feb. 1, 2009

A new study in the journal Sleep shows that sleep duration is associated with changes in the levels of specific cytokines that are important in regulating inflammation. The results suggest that inflammation may be the pathway linking extreme sleep durations to an increased risk for disease. Read 

Research Elucidates Way Lungs Fight Bacteria And Prevent Infection
Jan. 29, 2009

Actor and pancreatic cancer patient Patrick Swayze's recent hospitalization with pneumonia as a result of his compromised immune system underscores the sensitivity of the lungs: many patients die from lung complications of a disease, rather than the disease itself. Lungs are delicate and exposed to the environment, almost like an open wound. Consequently, the body has developed an elaborate immuno-defense system to combat inhaled pathogens and bacteria – in a healthy individual, this system effectively blocks hundreds of potentially sickening assaults daily. Read

Aspirin May Prevent Liver Damage That Afflicts Millions
Jan. 27, 2009

Simple aspirin may prevent liver damage in millions of people suffering from side effects of common drugs, alcohol abuse, and obesity-related liver disease, a new Yale University study suggests. The study documents that in mice, aspirin reduced mortality caused by an overdose of acetaminophen, best known by the brand name Tylenol. It further showed that a class of molecules known as TLR antagonists, which block receptors known to activate inflammation, have a similar effect as aspirin. Read 

Scientists Unmask Genetic Markers Associated With Psoriasis
Jan. 27, 2009

Scientists at the University of Michigan Department of Dermatology, the U-M School of Public Health and their collaborators have found DNA "hotspots" that may reveal how genetic differences among individuals result in psoriasis, an autoimmune disease of the skin. Published in Nature Genetics, the findings could lead to new drug targets and tailored treatments for the disease. Read

Cutting Calories May Boost Aging Brains-Memory, thinking improved for those who ate less, study found
Jan. 27, 2009

Eating less to remember more might become a new prescription for some elderly people, German researchers say. They found that memory and thinking skills improved among healthy, overweight subjects who cut their calorie intake by 30 percent over a three-month period. Read 

Blocking Toxic Effects Could Make Clot-buster Safer
Jan. 26, 2009

Since the introduction of the life-saving clot-busting drug tPA more than a decade ago, evidence has been accumulating that tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) can be a double-edged sword for a brain affected by stroke. Although it remains the only FDA-approved treatment for acute stroke, tPA can also contribute to inflammation and brain cell damage. Read

Key Protein Regulator Of Inflammation And Cell Death Discovered
Jan. 26, 2009

Scientists have discovered a key protein component involved in inflammation. The work, by researchers led by Emad Alnemri, Ph.D., professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson, was recently reported in the journal Nature. The protein, AIM2 (absent in melanoma 2), is involved in the detection and reaction to dangerous cytoplasmic DNA that is produced by infection with viral or microbial pathogens, or by tissue damage. AIM2 also appears to be a tumor suppressor, and its inactivation may play a role in the development of cancer, according to Dr. Alnemri. Read

Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Have Surprisingly High Folate Levels, Study Finds
Jan. 25, 2009

Children with newly diagnosed cases of inflammatory bowel disease have higher concentrations of folate in their blood than individuals without IBD, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley. The findings bring into question the previously held theory that patients with IBD are prone to folate – also known as folic acid – deficiency. Read

Further Study Of Helicobacter Pylori Reducing Gastric Blood Flow
Jan. 23, 2009

Gastric mucosal blood flow has a vital role in gastric mucosal protection. A high blood flow is considered a good protection against injury, as it dilutes, neutralizes, and removes hazardous substances that have penetrated the gastric mucosal barrier. A research group in Sweden has previously found that a water extract of H. pylori reduces the mucosal blood flow in rats by a mast cell- and platelet activating factor (PAF)-dependent pathway. Read 

Problems Tied to Obesity Also Seem to Affect Sleep-Studies find three separate links with sleep apnea
Jan. 24, 2009

A John Hopkins University study found a strong tie between insulin resistance -- the body's inability to metabolize glucose -- and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), pauses or other abnormalities in breathing while sleeping. Read

Inflammation Worsens Danger Due To Atherosclerosis
Jan. 23, 2009

Current research suggests that inflammation increases the risk of plaque rupture in atherosclerosis. Inflammatory cells are often observed at the site of plaque rupture. Researchers led by Dr. Göran K Hansson at the Karolinska Institute explored the role of inflammatory cells in atherosclerotic plaque rupture using an animal model of atherosclerosis with hyper-activated immune cells. They found that inflammation leads to a reduction of mature collagen in atherosclerotic plaques, leading to thinner caps that are more likely to rupture. They then identified a collagen-maturing enzyme, lysyl-oxidase (LOX), which represents a novel target in inflammation-induced plaque rupture. Read

Immune System: Decoding The Language Of Memory Cells
Jan. 23, 2009

When an infection attacks, the body's immune system sounds the alert, kills the invading germs and remembers the pathogen to protect against contracting the same type of infection again. Exactly how immunological memory develops is a mystery just beginning to be unveiled by Emma Teixeiro, PhD, in an article published in the journal Science. Read

Interleukin Genetics To Present Data Highlighting Link Between Inflammatory Gene Variations And Less Effective Weight loss
Jan. 23, 2009

“In this study, we investigated whether inflammatory gene variations were associated with response to weight-loss in overweight subjects," said Nazneen Aziz, Vice President of Research and Development at Interleukin Genetics. "We found that individuals with a specific genetic make-up were resistant to loss of body weight and body fat when they were placed on a calorie restriction diet, but individuals with the same genetic pattern were more likely to lose weight if their diet was not only calorie-restricted but also had a low glycemic content." These results suggest that inflammatory gene variations could have important clinical utility in the design of optimal weight-loss programs in the overweight population. Read  

How Aging Undermines Bone Healing
Jan. 20, 2009

Researchers have unraveled crucial details of how aging causes broken bones to heal slowly, or not at all, according to study results published today in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The research team also successfully conducted preclinical tests on a potential new class of treatments designed to "rescue" healing capability lost to aging. Read

Osteoporosis? Look Out For Depression
Jan. 19, 2009

A review article which is published in the current issue of the European Journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics analyzes the relationship between depression and bone metabolism. This study reveals that the association between psychiatric illness, in particular depression, and osteoporosis has been the subject of a growing body of research yielding various findings, although most identify some effect on bone. In addition to medication-related processes and/or modifiable lifestyle factors associated with mood disturbances, endocrine and immune alteration secondary to depression may play a pathogenetic role in bone metabolism. Read

Cholesterol Levels May Not Measure Cardiac Risk-Normal readings showed up in many who had heart attacks
Jan. 17, 2009

Nearly three-quarters of patients hospitalized for heart attacks had cholesterol levels indicating they were not at high risk for cardiovascular trouble, a new, nationwide study shows. The finding points to the possibility that current guidelines on cholesterol levels should be changed, said study author Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiovascular medicine and science at the University of California, Los Angeles. His report appears in the current issue of the American Heart Journal. Read 

Hepatitis C Ups Liver Cancer Risk
January 15, 2009

The risk of a rare form of liver cancer called intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, which occurs in the bile ducts of the liver, is significantly elevated in individuals who are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), according to a large "case-control" study of US veterans. Read 

Potential New Molecule To Prevent Inflammation
Jan. 15, 2009

Dr. Sonia Oliani and colleagues at São Paulo State University have identified a potential new molecule that inhibits inflammation, receptor for formylated peptides-2 (FPR-2). Inflammation of the peritoneum is characterized by severe abdominal pain. This inflammation can be prevented by annexin A1, which inhibits the migration of inflammation-inducing white blood cells into the affected area. Read

How Aging Undermines Bone Healing
Jan. 15, 2009

Researchers have unraveled crucial details of how aging causes broken bones to heal slowly, or not at all, according to study results published today in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The research team also successfully conducted preclinical tests on a potential new class of treatments designed to "rescue" healing capability lost to aging. Read

Control of Inflammation May Benefit Many of the Most Feared Illnesses in Middle and Old Age
January 14, 2009

Millions of Americans are affected by chronic inflammation without knowing much about it. FlameEz.com is launched to provide the latest information and innovative products for chronic inflammation, the root cause of many of the most feared illnesses in middle and old age. Read

For Fats, Longer May Not Be Better
Jan. 12, 2009

Researchers have uncovered why some dietary fats, specifically long-chain fats, such as oleic acid (found in olive oil), are more prone to induce inflammation. Long-chain fats, it turns out, promote increased intestinal absorption of pro-inflammatory bacterial molecules called lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Read  

Antioxidants Offer Pain Relief In Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis
Jan. 11, 2009

Antioxidant supplementation was found to be effective in relieving pain and reducing levels of oxidative stress in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), reports a new study in Gastroenterology. CP is a progressive inflammatory disease of the pancreas in which patients experience abdominal pain (in early stage) and diabetes and maldigestion (in late stage). Read

Gene That Increases Susceptibility To Crohn's Disease Discovered
Jan. 10, 2009

Researchers at McGill University, the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) and the McGill University and Génome Québec Innovation Centre, along with colleagues at other Canadian and Belgian institutions, have discovered DNA variations in a gene that increases susceptibility to developing Crohn's disease. Read 

Nerve Cells In The Brain And Spinal Cord Sense Pain Caused By Physical Insult
Jan. 9, 2009

Researchers have shown that the protein COX2 in mouse nerve cells in the central nervous system (CNS) is crucial for hypersensitivity to pain caused by the physical insult associated with inflammation, but not pain caused by the heat associated with inflammation. As pain caused by physical insult is a major symptom of postoperative and arthritic inflammation, it seems that COX2 in nerve cells in the CNS is central to the pain that accompanies these conditions. Read   

Inflammatory Factors And Diabetic Macular Edema
Jan. 9, 2009

With a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicting that diabetic retinopathy will triple from 5.5 million in 2005 to 16 million in 2050, improved treatments are urgently needed for this leading cause of blindness in working-age people. The CDC study is the latest indicator of a world-wide diabetes epidemic that is motivating ophthalmic research around the globe. Read

Inflammation Markers May Help Predict Stroke Risk
January 8, 2009

Two molecular signs or "biomarkers" of inflammation may provide useful information when trying to assess a person's risk of stroke, new research says. Read

Lung Cancer Cells Activate Inflammation To Induce Metastasis
Jan. 5, 2009

A research team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has identified a protein produced by cancerous lung epithelial cells that enhances metastasis by stimulating the activity of inflammatory cells. Read 

Inflammation Contributes To Colon Cancer
January 3, 2009

Researchers led by Dr. Brian Iritani at The University of Washington found that mice that lack the immune inhibitory molecule Smad3 are acutely sensitive to both bacterially-induced inflammation and cancer. They report these findings in the January 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Read