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Researchers have found that women with irritable bowel syndrome who have experienced sexual and/or physical abuse may have a heightened brain response to pain that makes them more sensitive to abdominal discomfort.

The kidney actively cleans its most selective filter to keep it from clogging with blood proteins, scientists reveal in a new study. Researchers showed that breakdown of this self-cleaning feature can make kidneys more vulnerable to dysfunction and disease.

A new vaccine design strategy could help to develop vaccines against diseases like AIDS and cervical cancer. The secret is using a herpes simplex protein called glycoprotein D to block a receptor molecule on antigen-presenting cells. Scientists showed that vaccine vectors made by fusing glycoprotein D with genes from HIV and HPV antigens increase the immune system's response to those antigens in cell cultures and mice.

The prevalence of congenital heart disease among in vitro fertilization pregnancies was similar to that of the general population, but there is an increasing risk of CHD among twins resulting from IVF, according to new research.

For centuries, the varied cultures and societies of Southeast Asia have revered the mangosteen. Although the mangosteen has been touted for its splendid flavor, it has also been suggested that use of the whole mangosteen Mangosteen fruit can promote good health. In fact, the whole mangosteen fruit—especially the xanthone-packed rind—has also been utilized in folk medicine to treat a variety of health conditions. As early as 600 AD, scribes in Southeast Asia recorded the use of the mangosteen as a general remedy and healing agent.

Legend even has it that Queen Victoria offered knighthood to any subject who could bring her a mangosteen Mangosteen fruit in prime condition. Sadly, no one succeeded in delivering the mangosteen. According to the legend, the virtual impossibility of preserving the fruit during the weeks-long journey prohibited anyone outside of the growing regions from enjoying the sensational flavor of the mangosteen. But, some have suggested that thanks to the Queen’s admirable quest, the fruit achieved the heralded title, “Queen of Fruits,” a name still used by mangosteen adorers around the globe.

The Mangosteen tree requires a warm, very humid, equatorial climate all year round. Many people have tried to grow this tree for its fruit in warm places such as California and Florida or in special greenhouses XanGo outside South East Asia, but they experienced little success because of the different environmental factors. The Mangosteen tree requires abundant moisture and only grows well in a tropical environment.

The Mangosteen fruit grown in Thailand is harvested in the season of optimum ripeness for maximum efficacy. The xanthone rich pericarp (the outer rind) is then separated from the pulp and freeze-dried. For hundreds of years, the people XanGo of Southeast Asia have used the Mangosteen, especially the rind (called the pericarp), to treat various ailments. The latest in scientific research shows Mangosteen contains a class of naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds known as xanthones. These unique antioxidants have a power that people are interested in.

Opioids, such as morphine, are effective and widely used drugs for the control of pain. However, tolerance to opioids can develop with repeated administration (that is, higher and higher doses of the drug are required to achieve the same level of pain relief).

CD8+ T cells are an important component of the antiviral immune response. Much research effort is being invested in identifying new ways to boost antiviral immune responses in individuals with chronic viral infections. Although the use of the soluble factor IL-7 has proven attractive, new data indicate that the timing of IL-7 treatment is important in determining how effective it is at enhancing antiviral immunity.

The food industry has made progress in reducing the trans fat content in its products since a 2003 labeling mandate by the Food and Drug Administration, but consumers should still read labels to be certain the products are trans fat-free. Most margarines and butters, cookies and snack cakes and savory snacks were labeled as containing zero grams of trans fat. However, some of the products contained significant amounts of trans fat.

In what the researchers say could be promising news in the quest to find a therapy to slow the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, scientists have shown that targeting neuronal support cells called astrocytes sharply slows disease progression in mice.