Medical News

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Tens of millions of people worldwide have abnormal, leak-prone sproutings of blood vessels in the brain called cerebral cavernous malformations. These abnormal growths can lead to seizures, strokes, and hemorrhages, yet their precise molecular cause has never been determined. Now, cardiovascular scientists have studied this pathway in heart development to discover an important set of molecular signals, triggered by CCM-linked gene defects, that potentially could be targeted to treat the disorder.

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The International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) announces that Jean-François Pittet, MD, will succeed Steven L. Shafer, MD, as Editor-in-Chief of its flagship journal Anesthesia & Analgesia (A&A). Dr. Shafer’s current term expires in March 2016.

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Results of the small study of nine men provide further evidence for potential long-term neurological risk to football players who sustain repeated concussions and support calls for better player protections.

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January tip sheet of patient features and human interest story ideas from Cedars-Sinai. All of these patients have been -- or are being -- treated for brain-related disorders -- malignant and benign brain tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and essential tremor, etc. From a former professional singer to a young mother of three, to a retired church pastor, all have compelling stories to tell and are available for interviews along with their physicians. A detailed backgrounder is available for each individual highlighted.

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A new study shows that more than half the people in some developing countries could become newly at risk for malnutrition if crop-pollinating animals — like bees — continue to decline.

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A new study by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers suggests that targeting a key enzyme and its associated metabolic programming may lead to novel drug development to treat lung cancer.

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“Gum health is measured by millimeters on a scale of 1 to about 9 with a calibrated dental instrument,” says Martin Hogan, DDS, Loyola University Medical Center. “The exposed space between the gum and the tooth or root is measured. The more space between the tooth and gum, the higher the number and the greater the likelihood of gum disease.”

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How can states and federal government provide adequate health care to poor people, without overburdening taxpayers or leaving health care providers with billions in unpaid bills? That thorny problem is especially challenging in the aftermath of a recession and congressional mandates expanding Medicaid eligibility.

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Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists have identified a circuit in the brains of mice that regulates thirst. When a subset of cells in the circuit is switched on, mice immediately begin drinking water, even if they are fully hydrated. A second set of cells suppresses the urge to drink.

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A team of oncology and genetic researchers from Georgetown Lombardi and electrical and computer engineers and bioinformatics specialists from Virginia Tech collaborated in an effort designed to study the living cell as an information processing system.

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Infants show distinct, consistent patterns of brain activity in response to painful vaccinations, reports a study in the February issue of PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

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A new study by Kansas State University veterinary diagnosticians finds that pets with out-of-date rabies vaccinations are very unlikely to develop the fatal disease if given a rabies booster immediately after exposure to the virus.

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“Precision medicine” is becoming a national catchphrase after President Obama highlighted it in his State of the Union address. But what exactly is it? Richard Weinshilboum, M.D., acting director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, describes this new, rapidly advancing frontier in medicine and outlines 10 changes that would speed development and help more patients benefit from a personalized approach to health care:

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According to a study published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR), large majorities of primary care physicians believe that advanced medical imaging, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), provides considerable value to patient care.

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Georgia Tech researchers, working with colleagues in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), have released a new version of a genome annotation system capable of analyzing more than 2,000 prokaryotic genomes per day, helping researchers accelerate prokaryotic genomics-based studies worldwide (the average was 20 a day).

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A unique new method to treat a specific group of patients who are at greater risk of rejecting a donor lung, allowing them to live longer after transplant without rejection, has been developed by the Toronto Lung Transplant Program at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network.

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Renowned Johns Hopkins Children’s Center pediatrician and former JAMA editor Catherine D. DeAngelis, M.D., M.P.H., will receive the 2015 Howland Medal of the American Pediatric Society, one of the highest awards in pediatric medicine, bestowed annually for distinguished service in the field as a whole

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The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) was recently recognized for outperforming its anticipated one-year survival rate for allogeneic transplant patients. The new performance results were calculated by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) and published in the 2014 Transplant Center-Specific Survival Report. The annual report is designed to provide potential stem cell transplant recipients, their families, and the public with comparative survival rates among transplant centers. This is the second consecutive year the Fred Hutch Bone Marrow Transplant Program at SCCA has achieved higher than expected one-year survival rates, an accomplishment that only 12 other institutions have achieved.

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Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Proton Therapy, A ProCure Center is proud to announce the additions of Patti Brooke and Jason Dixon to the Seattle team. Brooke joins the team as vice president of marketing and business development leading the Center’s strategic plan and ongoing marketing initiatives. Additionally, Dixon brings more than nine years of experience in the proton industry and will serve as the Center’s director of operations.