EurekAlert! InContext Modules

Public Release: 25-Apr-2012
Nano nod for lab on a chip
You wouldn't know it from appearances, but a metal cube the size of a toaster, created at the University of Alberta, is capable of performing the same genetic tests as most fully equipped modern laboratories -- and in a fraction of the time.

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions

Public Release: 25-Apr-2012
Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases launched to tackle killer diseases
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine's new Centre for Global Non-Communicable Diseases will focus research and expertise on this growing global health challenge.

Public Release: 25-Apr-2012
Malaria bed net strategies will save global community estimated $600 million over the next 5 years
A new report released by the Results for Development Institute identifies malaria bed net market dynamics strategies that will save the global community an estimated $600 million over the next five years. The report makes six recommendations, proposing specific actions to drive purchasing of the most cost-effective LLINs and generate market incentives for improved net performance -- including development of new insecticide resistance management products to address the growing threat of mosquito resistance.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Public Release: 24-Apr-2012

Malaria Journal
Malaria resurgence directly linked to funding cuts
Funding cuts for malaria control are the single most common reason for the resurgence of the deadly disease, according to a new study that has linked overall weakened malaria control programs to the majority of global resurgences since 1930.

Public Release: 24-Apr-2012

Nature Communications
An unexpected virus reservoir
International researchers under the aegis of the University of Bonn have discovered the probable cause of not just one, but several infectious agents at the same time. Paramyxoviruses originate from ubiquitous bats, from where the pathogens have spread to humans and other mammals. This could make eradicating many dangerous diseases significantly more difficult than had been thought. The results of this study have just been published in the current issue of Nature Communications.

Public Release: 24-Apr-2012

Lancet
Global health priorities should shift to preventing risky behaviors in adolescence: UW professor
As childhood and adolescent deaths from infectious diseases have declined worldwide, policymakers are shifting attention to preventing deaths from noncommunicable causes, such as drug and alcohol use, mental health problems, obesity, traffic crashes, violence and unsafe sex practices.

Public Release: 23-Apr-2012
Groundbreaking Nigeria summit results in major commitment to reduce child deaths
Nigeria's top government officials, civil society leaders and leaders of private industry resolved last week at the first Nigerian National Vaccine Summit to join forces to expand vaccine access nationwide, a major step in the fight to reduce child mortality in a country with the world's second highest number of child deaths.

Public Release: 23-Apr-2012

Vaccine
Accelerating access to lifesaving rotavirus vaccines will save more than 2.4 million lives
"Rotavirus Vaccines for Children in Developing Countries," a special supplement to the journal Vaccine, adds to growing evidence that rotavirus vaccines offer the best hope for preventing severe rotavirus disease and the deadly dehydrating diarrhea that it causes, particularly in low-resource settings where treatment for rotavirus infection is limited or unavailable. The studies demonstrate that rotavirus vaccines are safe, cost-effective, and that accelerated access will save more than 2.4 million lives by 2030.

Public Release: 23-Apr-2012

World Congress of Cardiology 2012
Global CVD leaders call the world to action – 25 by 2025 - from the World Congress of Cardiology
The Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce called on the 11,000 World Congress of Cardiology delegates in Dubai, and the cardiovascular disease community at large, to support the adoption of a global goal to reduce premature non-communicable disease mortality by 25 percent by 2025.

Public Release: 23-Apr-2012

Malaria Journal
Malaria resurgence is linked to reduction of malaria-control programs
Since the 1930s, there have been 75 documented episodes of malaria resurgence worldwide, most of which were linked to weakening of malaria-control programs, finds a study published in BioMed Central's open-access journal Malaria Journal. The study, which is allied to the theme of this year's World Malaria Day (April 25, 2012) "Sustain Gains, Save Lives: Invest in Malaria," found that the most common reason for weakening of malaria control programs was funding disruptions.

Public Release: 22-Apr-2012
Treatment to benefit African infants at risk of endemic fever
Thousands of preschool children in Africa could benefit from access to treatment for an endemic disease, after tests showed infants to be at high risk of infection.

World Health Organization

Public Release: 22-Apr-2012

Experimental Biology 2012
Army researcher develops potential vaccine carrier
An Army researcher will present findings this week on a new potential vaccine carrier that he hopes will extend the shelf life of and aid in the stockpiling of critical vaccines. Major Jean M. Muderhwa is slated to discuss a microemulsion he developed and that has been found to be both stable and a good candidate for delivering a variety of antigens at Sunday at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's annual meeting.

Public Release: 22-Apr-2012

Experimental Biology 2012
Seeking HIV treatment clues in the neem tree
The neem tree of India is known as the "village pharmacy." As a child growing up in metropolitan New Delhi, Sonia Arora recalls seeing rural villagers using neem bark to clean their teeth. Now an assistant professor at Kean University, Arora is delving into the curative properties of the neem tree in fighting the virus that causes AIDS and will present her findings at 12:25 p.m. Sunday, April 22, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Public Release: 22-Apr-2012
Innovative ideas flourish in pilot program to promote vaccination in developing nations
Armed with creative ideas and a modest Canadian grant, a committed, courageous group of vaccine advocates will venture into Pakistan's notorious SWAT district to fight deadly diseases and ignorance of vaccines and their benefits. The project is one of five awarded $10,000 by the Canadian-based Sandra Rotman Center under the Southern Vaccine Advocacy Challenge to educate populations in need about disease prevention through vaccines and immunization.

Public Release: 21-Apr-2012

World Congress of Cardiology 2012
Additional blood pressure screening may reduce incidence of CVD events and death by up to 3 percent
A 25 percent increase in high blood pressure screening in 19 developing countries would reduce the number of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and deaths that occur each year by up to 3 percent in these countries. The preliminary data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology are the first findings from a new report from Harvard that will be published later this year.

Public Release: 21-Apr-2012

World Congress of Cardiology 2012
Tax on salt could reduce cardiovascular disease deaths by 3 percent
Voluntary industry reductions in salt content and taxation on products containing salt in 19 developing countries could reduce the number of deaths each year from cardiovascular disease by 2-3 percent in these countries. The preliminary data presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology are the first findings from a new report from Harvard that will be published later this year.

Public Release: 21-Apr-2012

World Congress of Cardiology 2012
Screening programs detect cases of undiagnosed rheumatic heart disease in low-resource countries
Widespread screening of children in poorer countries is now being studied and is resulting in the diagnosis of rheumatic heart disease in patients that would likely have gone undetected under normal circumstances, according to two new studies carried out in Fiji and Uganda presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology.

Public Release: 21-Apr-2012

World Congress of Cardiology 2012
Rheumatic heart disease is significantly under-treated in Africa and India
Rheumatic heart disease is significantly under-treated in Africa and India according to the preliminary findings of a new global study presented today at the World Congress of Cardiology.