Feature Channels: Public Health

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A new study shows that the type of yeast in bread is less similar to the type that causes fungal infections than previously thought.

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A newly published study from researchers working in collaboration with the Regenerative Bioscience Center at the University of Georgia demonstrates fetal death and brain damage in early chick embryos similar to microcephaly—a rare birth defect linked to the Zika virus.

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Rural Appalachia has gone from having the lowest cancer death rate in the country to the highest – and that’s just part of a growing cancer crisis in the region, new research from the School of Medicine suggests. Rural Appalachia has seen disturbing trends across the continuum of cancer care, from screening to diagnosis to treatment, survival and mortality, even as the rest of the country makes major strides in the battle against the disease.

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HOUSTON–(Oct. 19, 2016)–Researchers at Houston Methodist kept mice from getting the flu by removing a gene that regulates their immune system. According to a study recently published in Nature Immunology (online Oct. 3), mice missing the gene Trim29 eliminated human influenza virus within 48 hours, protecting them from infection.

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New research from the University of Montana demonstrates a unique relationship between fluid volume and fluid temperature during arduous work in the heat. The study, published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, indicated that an ice slurry/water mixture was as effective as ambient water even when consumed in half the quantity. Investigators also emphasized the importance of rest.

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DETROIT – Many diabetes patients require continuous or on-demand insulin therapy to manage their disease. Insulin pump therapy offers them more predictable, rapid-acting insulin, providing a more active and normal lifestyle. Over time, foreign body reaction (FBR) occurs to nearly all devices implanted in the body, resulting in fibrotic tissue depositing around the implant surface, a decrease in blood supply around the implant, and a decrease in the molecular transport to the implant. This results in the need to replace the implant. A team of Wayne State University researchers are developing a novel material formulation to be applied to the surfaces of most implantable devices that will aid in resisting FBR and improve the long-term use of devices.

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AMP has announced a new report that examines how sophisticated technology advancements are being implemented to improve diagnosis and optimize treatment selection for multiple invasive, opportunistic and often deadly infectious diseases.

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Although national and local policies have reduced the prevalence of lead poisoning in the United States, severe cases still occur. Whereas, exposures at blood lead levels (BLLs) as low as 5 µg/dL have been associated with long-term irreversible cognitive deficits, more severe exposures at BLLs ≥45 µg/dL can result in organ damage and death. In a new study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers identified sources of exposure and assessed outcomes for children with severe lead poisoning.

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For patients with chronic back pain, "open" treatment with placebo—informing patients that they are taking an inactive pill, and why it might be helpful—leads to reductions in pain and disability, reports a study in PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

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Hundreds of researchers on the leading edge of exercise science will meet at the Integrative Biology of Exercise meeting in Phoenix (Nov. 2–4). Symposia topics will cover brain cell stress responses, metabolic diseases, mitochondrial signaling, sedentary behavior, exercise and pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, aging, stem cells and more.

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Superbugs are causing a super problem in health care, but combating these drug-resistant bacteria presents quite a challenge. Many antibiotic prescriptions administered in the U.S. are either unnecessary or inappropriate and can lead to antibiotic-resistant infections or other adverse events. In an effort to improve antibiotic use, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality a $16 million contract, which will be spread over a period of five years — two initial years, plus three optional years. The Armstrong Institute will collaborate with the Chicago-based research institute NORC to identify which approaches are most helpful and to operationalize efforts to optimize antibiotic prescribing.

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Annual health care costs and lost earnings in the United States from low-level but daily exposure to hazardous chemicals commonly found in plastic bottles, metal food cans, detergents, flame retardants, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides, exceeds $340 billion, according to a detailed economic analysis by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.

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The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission met recently to review the group’s significant progress in developing the infrastructure for a new, voluntary pathway for physicians seeking expedited licensure in multiple states.

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Walking briskly or cycling for the recommended 150 minutes a week can reduce a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 26%, according to new research by UCL and the University of Cambridge.

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Colder temps during the first months of fall are a stark reminder that people should start thinking about how to prevent the influenza virus, or the flu.

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MedStar Washington Hospital Center launched its “Colon Cancer Prevention in the Neighborhood” program, part of the White House’s Cancer Moonshot. The program focuses on African-Americans in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 5 neighborhood, to increase early detection and prevention of colon cancer.

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The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) has been awarded a five year, $6.23 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Administration on Community Living (ACL), National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) for the Southeast Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Center.

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— The Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, software company Dimagi, and Guatemalan NGO TulaSalud announced today that their partnership to locate and assess vulnerable areas in Guatemala to determine their level of risk for a Zika epidemic is being funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

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More than 5,000 gastroenterologists and other health care professionals from around the world will convene at The Venetian in Las Vegas for the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 81st Annual Scientific Meeting to review the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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A pilot study by researchers at Mayo Clinic has found that patients suffering from pain related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may benefit from taking pregabalin, a neuro-pain inhibitor commonly used to treat fibromyalgia. The results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in Las Vegas.

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A new study suggests that the ‘neighbourhood effect’ of slums could help to alleviate some of their associated health problems. A team of academics led by Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick have conducted a review of international slum research, which is being published in The Lancet.

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As section chief for gastroenterology and hepatology at NYU Lutheran Medical Center, Dr. George Abdelsayed will connect with the many cultural enclaves throughout Brooklyn to develop a hepatitis C screening program to help promote early detection of the disease.

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A study conducted by Canadian and Australian researchers shows that nearly everywhere in Canada, the provinces and territories impose obstacles to reimbursement of new direct-acting antivirals (DAA) to treat hepatitis C by because of their cost.

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Mount Sinai researchers are using optimal coherence tomography (OCT) angiography to look at the earliest stages of glaucoma and identify characteristic patterns of different forms of glaucoma based on their vascular patterns. The research can help lead to earlier diagnosis and slow down progression of vision loss.

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Edema frequently occurs in chronic inflammatory diseases including psoriasis and eczema. Capillaries in the lymphatic system usually drain the excess fluid but their dysfunction can lead to another serious condition: lymphedema. A new study published in The American Journal of Pathology found that deficiency in neuropilin 2 (Nrp2) receptors in vascular endothelial cells results in excessive and prolonged fluid build-up after inflammation. This discovery may guide investigators toward new pharmacological therapies for edema and lymphedema.

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Undergoing a computer tomographic angiography was a better motivator to get people with suspected coronary artery disease to adopt healthier lifestyle practices than an exercise electrocardiography and stress test.

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Mount Sinai Health System urges the general public, especially students, to learn lifesaving CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator to reduce sudden cardiac death rates.

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Low socio-economic status and fear of abandonment early in life can lead to poor health in adulthood, regardless of adult socio-economic status, according to a new study from psychologists at Rice University.

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New research from the University of Missouri, has found that attitudes and desires about marriage can place young people on trajectories toward or away from healthy sexual behaviors. This is the first study to investigate links between marriage attitudes and sexual behavior across racial and ethnic minority groups as well as the role skin tone plays in shaping marriage attitudes.

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A collaborative study involving Kansas State University's Biosecurity Research Institute is providing Zika virus insight.

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The PCOM Library has received a $15,000 from the National Institutes of Health and the National Library of Medicine to study health literacy among the patient population in PCOM's community healthcare centers.

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Understanding the full history the Zika virus along with new developments is key to getting a vaccine and medicine to prevent and relieve Zika infections. This includes knowing all the transmission methods--it's more than a mosquito bite.

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Moon Nahm’s groundbreaking research is on the threshold of aiding researchers in producing vaccines at prices that will propel their widespread use and help protect the estimated 1.6 million children, most of them under the age of 5, who die yearly from S. pneumoniae infections.

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America’s poor record on health literacy is a public health issue, but one that can be fixed – not by logging onto the internet but by increased interaction with your fellow human beings, a Michigan State University researcher argues.

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Bolstering antimicrobial stewardship programs to ensure appropriate use of antibiotics in smaller community hospitals is necessary to combat the global threat of antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as superbugs, according to a new study.

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Robert A. Figlin, MD, will serve as Deputy Director of the Integrated Oncology Service Line at the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. Previously, he was director of the Hematology Oncology Division at the institute.

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Automobiles — and the planning and infrastructure to support them — are making our cities sick, says an international group of researchers now publishing a three-part series in the British medical journal The Lancet.

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Texas A&M School of Public Health research shows new mothers living in rural areas are more likely to be rehospitalized within 30 days of giving birth than their urban counterparts.

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Bowel movements, while considered taboo in polite conversation, are actually one of the best indicators of your overall health. Gabriel Neal explains what your personal time in the restroom could say about your health and why you should pay more attention before you flush.

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For all the culprits of halitosis, there are just as many products to combat it. Whether you’re a clinician looking for a solution on behalf of a patient, or the patient who simply seeks cringe-free breath, a little knowledge about key ingredients can go a long way.

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Currently, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates remain low across the U.S., with fewer than 40% of girls and just over 21% of boys receiving the recommended vaccine series. Research from Roswell Park Cancer Institute has identified barriers that need to be overcome to improve vaccination rates, as well as possible strategies for doing so. The study has been published online ahead of print in the Journal of Cancer Education.

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Researchers in the multidisciplinary PanCuRx research initiative at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, led by Dr. Faiyaz Notta and Dr. Steven Gallinger, today published new findings that challenge current beliefs about how and why pancreatic cancer is so aggressive.

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New research gives these patients—who often feel dismissed and forgotten—evidence that their persistent symptoms are not just in their heads. Research conducted by Bianco and other Rush colleagues published Oct. 6 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that individuals on levothyroxine who had normal TSH levels were significantly more likely to be taking antidepressants than peers with normal thyroid function. The individuals taking thyroid medication were also less physically active, suggesting lower energy levels. They weighed about 10 pounds more than peers of the same height even though they consumed fewer calories, after adjustments for body weight. Plus, they were more likely to be using beta blockers, a drug frequently prescribed to lower blood pressure, and statins that reduce cholesterol levels.

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Ophthalmologists at Massachusetts Eye and Ear are currently accepting patients who may be candidates for a newly FDA-approved outpatient procedure known as “corneal cross-linking.” Corneal cross-linking is a stabilizing treatment to halt the progression of keratoconus, a degenerative eye condition in which the cornea becomes thin and irregularly shaped. Keratoconus can affect adults and children as young as preteenagers, and may result in progressive vision loss if left untreated. While eyeglasses and contacts can serve as visual aids for these patients, —with advanced cases sometimes requiring corneal transplant surgery — corneal cross-linking is currently the only treatment available that can stop the progression of keratoconus.

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After analyzing 10 years of medical tests on more than 2,700 people in a federally funded heart disease study, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and elsewhere conclude that taking calcium in the form of supplements may raise the risk of plaque buildup in arteries and heart damage, although a diet high in calcium-rich foods appears be protective.

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Benjamin Gaston, MD, a pediatric pulmonologist and researcher at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, has received a five-year, $13.3 million federal grant to develop optimized, personalized combinations of medications tailored to the unique needs of children with cystic fibrosis and severe asthma.

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A study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Scripps Translational Science Institute suggests “molecular autopsies” may help detect gene mutations underlying a sudden death. The research, while early, could help doctors alert living family members to hidden health conditions.

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Combining multiple non-invasive measures, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine describe a novel method to quantify the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to its more dangerous and deadly states — advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis.

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A common bacterium that more than half of people have in their gut can use hydrogen gas present in the gastrointestinal tract to inject a cancer-causing toxin into otherwise healthy cells, according to a recently published study led by University of Georgia researchers.