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Asthma may be overdiagnosed in countries like Canada, suggests a longitudinal study of 540 obese and non-obese adults (http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg1121.pdf)that found approximately one third of Canadians with physician-diagnosed asthma do not have asthma when objectively tested.

A study of Chinese adolescents living in mainland China, Hong Kong and Canada suggests that asthma may be influenced by environmental factors as well as genetics(http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg1133.pdf).

A cost-effectiveness analysis of Insite, Canada's only supervised safe injection site in Vancouver, concludes that it results in $14 million in savings and health gains of 920 life-years over 10 years. The study (http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg1143.pdf), published in CMAJ, estimated the number of HIV and Hepatitis C cases that could be prevented with decreased needle sharing, safer injection practices and more referrals to addiction services.

Mortality rates for most types of cancer in Canada are declining, although rates for some are increasing, states this article on the changing size and nature of cancer in Canada (http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg1163.pdf). The results come from the 2008 edition of Canadian Cancer Statistics. In men, liver cancer incidence and mortality are increasing while thyroid cancer incidence is increasing in men and women as are deaths due to lung cancer in women.

The Canadian Society of Nephrology has issued new guidelines (http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg1154.pdf) through CMAJ for the management of chronic kidney disease that aim to encourage shared care for patients by general practitioners and specialists. They include recommendations by disease stage to help slow progression, prevent complications and reduce mortality.

A new research study suggests that asthma may be over-diagnosed by up to 30 per cent in Canadian adults. The study, led by Ottawa researcher Dr. Shawn Aaron, examined 496 people from eight Canadian cities who reported receiving a diagnosis of asthma from a physician. When the individuals were retested for asthma using the accepted clinical guidelines, it was found that 30 per cent had no evidence of asthma. Two thirds of these individuals were able to safely stop taking asthma medications.

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An ointment made from indigo naturalis, a dark blue plant-based powder used in traditional Chinese medicine, appears effective in treating plaque-type psoriasis, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Identifying the sun-protection practices and risk profiles of beachgoers may help determine those who would benefit from targeted interventions intended to reduce the risk of skin cancer, according to a study in the November issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Patients appear more likely to have immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy if they live in communities with higher household incomes, lower population density and more individuals who have gone to college, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

The initial evaluation and management of injured patients from minority ethnic groups nationwide appears to be similar to that of non-Hispanic white patients, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Episodes of dizziness tend to become less frequent over time in patients with Ménière's disease, a condition characterized by vertigo, hearing loss and ringing in the ears, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A second report finds that a surgical procedure to drain fluid from the inner ear appears to reduce vertigo in three-fourths of patients with the condition.

The November/December 2009 issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the journal's publication and features a special series of articles on the art and science of the specialty.

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---The blood-thinning drug heparin is highly effective when used to prevent and treat blood clots in veins, arteries and lungs, but earlier this year its reputation as a lifesaver was sullied when contaminated heparin products caused serious allergic reactions that led to a large number of deaths.

Now, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated a simple, inexpensive method for detecting contaminants in heparin, a development that could prevent such tragedies in the future.

(Boston) -- A series of genetic clues led a team of Boston University biomedical engineers to uncover exactly how certain antibiotics kill bacteria. The findings could help rejuvenate the efficacy of older antibiotics and reveal new antibiotic targets within bacterial cells.

"The research speaks to new insights into how current antibiotics work and how those insights can point toward development of more effective antibiotics," said James Collins, Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University.