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A new analysis highlights that diseases very similar to those plaguing Africa, Asia, and Latin America are also occurring frequently among the poorest people in the United States, especially women and children. These diseases -- the "neglected infections of poverty" -- are caused by chronic and debilitating parasitic, bacterial, and congenital infections.

Drugs known as HDAC inhibitors, which have antitumor activity and can be used to treat some forms of skin cancer and some types of leukemia, are also known to have anti-inflammatory properties, but the mechanisms by which they modulate the immune system have not been determined.

Scientists have determined that human cells are able to shift important gene products into their own mitochondria, considered the power plants of cells. The finding could eventually lead to therapies for dozens of diseases. The gene products, known as tRNAs, assemble amino acids for the production of proteins within mitochondria. If the mitochondrial tRNA genes are defective or missing, and proteins are not manufactured, the mitochondria are unable to generate adequate energy.

An ultrasound exam of the heel may be able to predict if a woman is at heightened risk for fractures due to osteoporosis, according to a new multicenter study.

A new study shows how "directed thinking" led to an increase in exercise and fitness in sedentary college students.

Among the first cells of the immune system to respond to microorganisms that invade our body are neutrophils. Although neutrophils are considered the "good guys" in such circumstances, they also contribute to the noninfectious chronic inflammation that underlies various diseases, including autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Oral cannabis (a form of medical marijuana) not only failed to alleviate certain types of pain in human volunteers but, surprisingly, it instead caused increased sensitivity to some forms of pain. Researchers evaluated the analgesic potency of orally administered cannabis extract that included its main psychoactive component, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

More than 55 million cosmetic surgery procedures will be performed in 2015, predicts a recent study. This more than quadruples the number of procedures performed in 2005.

Researchers have discovered an important factor in the development of B-cell lymphomas, one of the fastest growing forms of cancer. The B-cell receptor on the surface of B cells can cooperate with the MYC oncogene to accelerate the development of lymphomas. The research team also showed that disruption of signals from the B-cell receptor can inhibit growth of the tumors.

An anti-inflammatory drug may help restore brain function in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to an animal study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.