The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says the nation's health ministers have failed to tackle the country's ailing health system.

Congress' recent decision to slash funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants from $520 million annually to $170 million will severely curtail action by local anti-drug law enforcement teams battling drug cartels, county sheriffs say.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the CarMax Foundation will make mini-grants of up to $500 to support implementation of evidence-based prevention programs designed to address college drinking problems, both on campus and in surrounding communities.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, an alcohol-industry watchdog, is seeking a court injunction banning Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing Company from selling alcoholic energy drinks, contending that the products appeal to underage drinkers and lack government approval for

Hundreds of youth groups representing 49 states will host local Community Briefings as part of the national Take It Back! youth movement.

The family of a Minnesota woman who died of an alcohol overdose after a night of drinking to celebrate her 21st birthday is suing the bar and friends who provided her with alcohol.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama says he has quit smoking with the help of a nicotine-replacement aid.

Smoking would be prohibited in all enclosed workplaces in Iowa, including bars, restaurants, and casinos, under legislation passed this week by the Iowa Senate.

Background:The risk factors for the transmission of HCV vary substantially between countries and geographic regions. The overall prevalence in south and east Africa region has been estimated to be 1.6% but limited information about the epidemiology of HCV infection in

Background:Disclosing HIV test results to one's sexual partner allows the partner to engage in preventive behaviors as well as the access of necessary support for coping with serostatus or illness. It may motivate partners to seek testing or change behavior,

Sadness and low levels of depression are adaptive since they lead the individual to try and make up a loss. By contrast, severe or clinical depression is not adaptive, but can be thought of as sadness having become malignant.

Background:Environments conducive to walking may help people avoid sedentary lifestyles and associated diseases. Recent studies developed walkability models combining several built environment characteristics to optimally predict walking. Developing and testing such models with the same data could lead to overestimating

Background:The present study tests whether a combined treatment of acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is more effective than acupuncture or TENS alone for treating knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods:Thirty-two patients with knee OA were randomly allocated to four groups. The

Background:Anaemia is the most common haematological complication of HIV and associated with a high morbidity and a poor prognosis. The pathogenesis of HIV-associated anaemia is poorly understood and may include a direct effect of HIV on erythropoiesis. In vitro studies

IntroductionWe report a case of optic atrophy, necrotizing anterior scleritis and keratitis presenting in a patient with Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome.Case presentationA 43-year-old woman developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome secondary to septic arthritis of her right ankle. Streptococcus pyogenes (b-haemolyticus

Tumors arising from the supporting cells of peripheral nerve sheaths are relatively uncommon neoplasms, and as such many clinicians are unfamiliar with the details of their presentation, diagnosis and management. Further, little is known regarding the pathogenesis of these tumors,

Background:Antecedent trauma has been implicated in the causation of soft tissue tumors. Several criteria have been established to define a cause-and-effect relationship. We postulate possible mechanisms in the genesis of soft tissue tumors following antecedent traumatic injury.Case presentationWe present a

Background:In Plasmodium falciparum-infected children, the relationships between blood cell histopathology, blood plasma components, development of immunocompetence and disease severity remain poorly understood. Blood from Nigerian children with uncomplicated malaria was analysed to gain insight into these relationships. This investigation presents

Background:Malaria during pregnancy is characterized by the sequestration of malaria-infected red blood cells (iRBC) in the intervillous spaces of the placenta, often accompanied by the infiltration of maternal mononuclear cells, causing substantial maternal and foetal/infant morbidity. The iRBC bind to

Background:Recessive mutations in WRN gene eliminate WRN protein function and cause Werner syndrome. One of the most important features of Werner syndrome patients is the premature onset and accelerated atherosclerosis process. Since the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1