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Released: 19-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Reflux Esophagitis Due to Immune Reaction, Not Acute Acid Burn
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Contrary to current thinking, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) might not develop as a direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found in an animal study.

17-Nov-2009 4:15 PM EST
Pivotal Study for PSD502--The First Potential Treatment for Premature Ejaculation
Sciele Pharma, A Shionogi Company and Plethora Solutions Holdings PLC

At the annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA), Inc. in San Diego, Sciele Pharma, Inc. today presented data from its second positive pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

Released: 18-Nov-2009 2:50 PM EST
Small Nanoparticles Bring Big Improvement to Medical Imaging
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

New research at NIST makes it possible to use quantum dots to scrutinize activities that occur over hours or even days inside cells, potentially solving many of the mysteries associated with molecular-scale events occurring in these tiny living things.

Released: 18-Nov-2009 1:50 PM EST
In a Flash: New Flash CT Reduces Radiation Dose by Up to 90%
NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Medical Center is the first hospital in the Northeast to offer one of the world’s fastest and most radiation dose efficient computed tomography (CT) scanner. The Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash can image ten times as fast as other clinical units, with an up to 90% dose reduction in radiation compared to conventional imaging. The scanner’s dual source technology allows NYU Langone Medical Center to provide new levels of patient care, especially for trauma, pediatric, cancer and cardiac patients.

Released: 18-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Easing Needle Anxiety
Dalhousie University

A Dalhousie researcher is studying methods to help alleviate fears of needles.

12-Nov-2009 4:25 PM EST
Vitamin B Niacin Offers No Additional Benefit to Statin Therapy in Seniors Already Diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease
Johns Hopkins Medicine

The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.

12-Nov-2009 3:00 PM EST
Prevalence of High LDL, or ‘Bad’ Cholesterol Levels Decreases in U.S.
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Between 1999 and 2006, the prevalence of adults in the U.S. with high levels of LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol, decreased by about one-third, according to a study in the November 18 issue of JAMA. But a high percentage of adults still are not being screened or treated for high cholesterol levels.

12-Nov-2009 3:00 PM EST
Treatment With Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Associated With Increased Risk of Cancer, Death
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Patients with heart disease in Norway, a country with no fortification of foods with folic acid, had an associated increased risk of cancer and death from any cause if they had received treatment with folic acid and vitamin B12, according to a study in the November 18 issue of JAMA.

12-Nov-2009 3:00 PM EST
Study Examines Challenges of Diagnosing Neurofibromatosis Type 1–like Syndrome
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An analysis of patients with a syndrome similar to the genetic disorder, neurofibromatosis type 1, indicates that diagnosis may be difficult because of shared clinical findings, such as certain pigmentary characteristics, according to a study in the November 18 issue of JAMA.

Released: 17-Nov-2009 2:45 PM EST
Need for Emergency Airway Surgery for Hard-to-Intubate Patients Reduced
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Be prepared, that old Boy Scout motto, is being applied with great success to operating room patients whose anatomy may make it difficult for physicians to help them breathe during surgery, Johns Hopkins researchers report in a new study.

Released: 17-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Nanotechnology Team Discover How to Capture Tumor Cells in Bloodstream
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

A team led by University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) researchers on the cutting edge of nanotechnology has found a way to capture tumor cells in the bloodstream that could dramatically improve earlier cancer diagnosis and prevent deadly metastasis.

Released: 16-Nov-2009 3:20 PM EST
Nanoparticles Found in Common Household Items Caused Genetic Damage in Mice
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, found in everything from cosmetics to sunscreen to paint to vitamins, caused systemic genetic damage in mice, according to a comprehensive study conducted by researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

16-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
An Often Overlooked Protein Actually a Potent Regulator of Cardiac Hypertrophy
Thomas Jefferson University

A protein long thought to be a secondary regulator in the heart’s response to stressors like hypertension actually appears to be a primary regulator according to researchers from the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. The data will be presented in the Late Breaking Science session at the American Heart Associations Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Fla.

Released: 16-Nov-2009 11:20 AM EST
Stroke Incidence Related to Angioplasty Remains Steady over Past 15 Years
Mayo Clinic

Results of a Mayo Clinic study show the incidence of stroke or mini-stroke related to a coronary angioplasty remained steady over a 15-year period. Researchers say this is good news because physicians now are performing the artery-opening procedure on older patients who are sicker and need more complicated treatment.

12-Nov-2009 4:00 PM EST
Migraine Raises Risk of Most Common Form of Stroke
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Pooling results from 21 studies, involving 622,381 men and women, researchers at Johns Hopkins have affirmed that migraine headaches are associated with more than twofold higher chances of the most common kind of stroke: those occurring when blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut off by the buildup of plaque or a blood clot.

Released: 16-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Structured Reporting Software Creates Less Complete and Accurate Radiology Reports than Free Text
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

As many software companies work to create programs that will give uniform structure to the way radiological test results are reported, a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows that such a system does not improve, but rather decreases the completeness and accuracy of the reports.

12-Nov-2009 10:00 AM EST
Viagra for Women? Drug Developed as Antidepressant Effective in Treating Low Libido
University of North Carolina Health Care System

Pooled results from three separate clinical trials of flibanserin, a drug originally created as an antidepressant, show it is effective in treating women with acquired hypoactive sexual desire disorder. These trials were the first ever to test a therapy that works at the level of the brain to enhance libido in women reporting low sexual desire.

13-Nov-2009 5:30 PM EST
Researchers Find Potential Treatment for Huntington’s Disease
Sanford Burnham Prebys

Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research UBC and UCSD have found that normal synaptic activity in nerve cells protects the brain from the misfolded proteins associated with Huntington’s disease.

11-Nov-2009 2:05 PM EST
Heart and Bone Damage from Low Vitamin D Tied to Declines in Sex Hormones
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.

Released: 13-Nov-2009 11:15 AM EST
Horror, it’s Hemorrhoids -- Self-care Tips for Common Problem
Mayo Clinic

By about age 50, more than half of adults have dealt with hemorrhoids. The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers home treatments that can relieve symptoms of this common and embarrassing problem.

Released: 12-Nov-2009 4:00 PM EST
Mouth Is Indicator of Overall Health, Says Dental School Professor
University of Maryland, Baltimore

New to UMBaltimore, researcher says cheek tissue could tell of lung damage.

Released: 12-Nov-2009 2:00 PM EST
Study Provides First Clear Idea of How Rare Bone Disease Progresses
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

An international team of scientists is taking the first step in developing a treatment for a rare genetic disorder called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), in which the body’s skeletal muscles and soft connective tissue turns to bone.

Released: 12-Nov-2009 12:35 PM EST
Heart Transplant Recipient Presents Gold Medal to Her Cardiologist
University of Virginia Health System

During a recent visit to UVA Medical Center, heart transplant recipient Anne Kirchmeir surprised her cardiologist, James Bergin, M.D., with a gift – one of the three gold medals she won during track events at this summer’s World Transplant Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

11-Nov-2009 2:05 PM EST
‘Scaffolding’ Protein Changes in Heart Strengthen Link Between Alzheimer’s Disease and Chronic Heart Failure
Johns Hopkins Medicine

A team of U.S., Canadian and Italian scientists led by researchers at Johns Hopkins report evidence from studies in animals and humans supporting a link between Alzheimer’s disease and chronic heart failure, two of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States.

11-Nov-2009 6:00 AM EST
MDA Grantees Prove Gene Therapy Grows Muscle Strength & Size in Primates
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)

Four macaque monkeys that received injections of genes for a protein called follistatin into upper leg muscles experienced pronounced and durable increases in muscle size and strength and no adverse effects, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) announced today. The findings could have implications particularly for injured and aging people worldwide; and for tens of millions experiencing muscle loss associated with cancer, AIDs and muscle diseases.

Released: 11-Nov-2009 11:00 AM EST
Largest-ever Database for Liver Proteins May Lead to Treatments for Hepatitis
American Chemical Society (ACS)

Scientists at a group of 11 research centers in China are reporting for the first time assembly of the largest-ever collection of data about the proteins produced by genes in a single human organ. Their focus was the liver, and their massive database in both protein and transcript levels could become a roadmap for finding possible new biomarkers and treatments for liver disease.

5-Nov-2009 9:00 PM EST
Ventilation Treatment in Prone Position For ARDS Does Not Provide Significant Survival Benefit
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Despite a current suggestion that patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome be positioned lying face down while receiving mechanical ventilation, study results indicate that this positioning does not significantly lower the risk of death compared to similar patients positioned lying face up during ventilation, according to a study in the November 11 issue of JAMA.

5-Nov-2009 4:00 PM EST
Findings Suggest Lipid Assessment in Vascular Disease Can Be Simplified, Without the Need to Fast
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Lipid assessment in vascular disease can be simplified by measuring either total and HDL cholesterol levels or apolipoproteins, without the need to fast and without regard to triglyceride levels, according to a study in the November 11 issue of JAMA.

Released: 10-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Hair Care on a Budget
American Academy of Dermatology

These days, saving a little money here and there is all the rage. Even small changes – carpooling to work or making coffee at home – can really add up. But when it comes to cutting back on hair care, many people might be hesitant to make significant changes for fear that it could impact their looks and the health of their hair. That’s where a dermatologist can help.

Released: 10-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
What’s the Skinny on Fat Removal?
American Academy of Dermatology

For many people, diet and exercise help keep them looking and feeling healthy. But even those who work hard on staying in shape might have a hard time shaking stubborn love handles or lower belly fat, which can bulge through clothing like a neon sign. While the market for getting rid of unwanted fat has grown over the years to include stomach stapling and behavioral techniques, there is still a demand for procedures that can reduce areas of localized fat safely and effectively.

Released: 10-Nov-2009 9:00 AM EST
Saving Face 101: How to Customize Your Skin Care Routine with Your Skin Type
American Academy of Dermatology

Finding the right skin care routine starts with understanding the unique needs of your skin type. For example, people with dry skin can benefit from applying moisturizer several times a day; whereas, those with oily skin might need to apply a lightweight moisturizer only once a day, if at all. Customization is key, and dermatologists can help people of all ages and skin types select products based on their individual skin care needs.

Released: 10-Nov-2009 7:00 AM EST
Study Shows Drop in Heart Attacks After Smoking Ban Implemented
Mississippi State University

A recent study found a 27-percent decrease in heart attacks from citizens of Starkville, Miss., three years after the city passed a smoking ban in public places.

5-Nov-2009 10:00 PM EST
Mood Improves on Low-Fat, but not Low-Carb, Diet Plan
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters’ mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a report in the November 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4-Nov-2009 8:00 AM EST
Scientists Successfully Grow Animal Penile Erectile Tissue in Lab
Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist

In an advance that could one day enable surgeons to reconstruct and restore function to damaged or diseased penile tissue in humans, researchers at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have used tissue engineering techniques to completely replace penile erectile tissue in rabbits. This is the most complete replacement of penile erectile tissue to date and suggests the possibility of using the same approach for men with erectile dysfunction or conditions that require reconstruction, including penile cancer and congenital abnormalities.

5-Nov-2009 2:45 PM EST
Now Hear This: Mouse Study Sheds Light on Hearing Loss in Older Adults
University of Wisconsin–Madison

Becoming “hard of hearing” is a standard but unfortunate part of aging: A syndrome called age-related hearing loss affects about 40 percent of people over 65 in the United States, and will afflict an estimated 28 million Americans by 2030.

4-Nov-2009 8:00 PM EST
Nano Bubble Gum for Enhancing Drug Delivery in Gut
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Of the many characteristic traits a drug can have, one of the most desirable is the ability for a drug to be swallowed and absorbed into the bloodstream through the gut. Some drugs, like over-the-counter aspirin, lend themselves to this mode of delivery and are trivial to take. They can be pressed into a pill and swallowed. Other drugs cannot be swallowed and must be administered instead through more complicated routes. Insulin, for instance, must be injected.

4-Nov-2009 8:15 PM EST
Antimicrobials: Silver (And Copper) Bullets to Kill Bacteria
American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Dana Filoti of the University of New Hampshire will present thin films of silver and copper she has developed that can kill bacteria and may one day help to cut down on hospital infections. The antimicrobial properties of silver and copper have been known for centuries -- last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officially registered copper alloys, allowing them to be marketed with the label "kills 99.9% of bacteria within two hours." Copper ions are known to penetrate bacteria and disrupt molecular pathways important for their survival.

Released: 9-Nov-2009 11:50 AM EST
Form of Mercury in Older Dental Fillings Unlikely to be Toxic
University of Saskatchewan

Amid the on-going controversy over the safety of mercury-containing dental fillings, a University of Saskatchewan research team has shed new light on how the chemical forms of mercury at the surface of fillings change over time.

Released: 9-Nov-2009 11:30 AM EST
Researchers Find Robotic Repair for Vaginal Prolapse Has Significant Benefits
Mayo Clinic

New Mayo Clinic research has found that robotic surgery for vaginal prolapse dramatically reduces patient hospital stay and recovery time.

Released: 9-Nov-2009 9:05 AM EST
Dermatologists Can Help Separate Fact from Fiction for Sun Exposure, Sunscreen and Vitamin D
American Academy of Dermatology

When it comes to vitamin D, consumers are bombarded with mixed messages about the best source for this essential nutrient. While some may argue that small doses of intentional sun exposure are safe, dermatologists point out that the risk of developing skin cancer from ultraviolet (UV) radiation far outweighs the benefit of stimulating vitamin D production – particularly when enriched foods and supplements are safe and effective sources of this vitamin.

Released: 6-Nov-2009 2:35 PM EST
Researchers Find New Way to Attack Inflammation in Graves’ Eye Disease
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A small group of patients with severe Graves’ eye disease experienced rapid improvement of their symptoms—and improved vision—following treatment with the drug rituximab. Inflammation around their eyes and damage to the optic nerve were significantly reduced. The same patients had not previously responded to steroids, a common treatment for Graves’ eye disease.

Released: 6-Nov-2009 1:05 PM EST
Possible Help in Fight Against Muscle-wasting Disease
University of Oregon

A compound already used to treat pneumonia could become a new therapy for an inherited muscular wasting disease. A five-member team of researchers from University of Oregon and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry report that pentamidine might be adapted to counter genetic splicing defects in RNA that lead to type 1 myotonic dystrophy.

Released: 6-Nov-2009 12:40 PM EST
Dust Control Research Leads to a NIOSH Grant to Facilitate Adoption of Hazard Controls
Virginia Tech

Barriers to the adoption of sanding tools that lead to healthier environments include productivity, work quality, and perceptions of benefits and risks.

Released: 6-Nov-2009 4:00 AM EST
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing Urges Policies and Prevention To Reduce Deaths from Venous Thromboembolism
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott

In a newly-published special supplement, the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing calls for new hospital policies to prevent and treat venous thromboembolism (VTE), a major cause of death and disability in hospitals throughout the world. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is publishing the supplement to bring attention to VTE, a disease that includes both the common medical condition of deep vein thrombosis and its most serious complication, pulmonary embolism, which accounts for 10% of hospital deaths annually.

3-Nov-2009 12:15 PM EST
Kidney Function Decline Increases Risk of Heart Failure and Premature Death- Even in People Without Kidney Disease
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)

Declining kidney function is linked to a higher risk of heart failure, heart attack, peripheral arterial disease, and early death in individuals with or without kidney disease, according to a pair of studies appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN).

Released: 5-Nov-2009 12:30 PM EST
Research Findings Key for Understanding, Interpreting Genetic Testing for Long QT Syndrome
Mayo Clinic

Results of a long QT syndrome (LQTS) study published in the current issue of Circulation play an important role in understanding genetic testing’s role in diagnosing disease, according to the senior author, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. A pediatric cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ackerman directs Mayo’s Long QT Syndrome Clinic and is the director of the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory.

Released: 5-Nov-2009 12:15 PM EST
Study Suggests Dentists Can Identify Patients at Risk for Fatal Cardiovascular Event
American Dental Association (ADA)

A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for further evaluation.

Released: 5-Nov-2009 8:00 AM EST
First-Ever Leading Calcium Supplement to Help Support Bone AND Heart Health
Bayer Consumer Care

Bone strength and heart health are two of the most important health issues for women. One out of every two women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime and more than 50 million women have blood cholesterol levels high enough to pose a risk for heart disease. Now there is a new product available to help address both of these issues at the same time.

   
29-Oct-2009 2:00 PM EDT
Cultural Beliefs About Pesticides Put Mexican Farmworkers at Risk
Health Behavior News Service

Pesticides, unfortunately, are not without risk to those who labor in the fields and orchards, planting, tending and harvesting crops -- and this risk increases for Mexican farmworkers.

28-Oct-2009 1:00 PM EDT
Stereotactic Radiosurgery as Effective in Eliminating Parkinson’s Disease Tremors as Other Treatments, but Less Invasive
American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO)

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) offers a less invasive way to eliminate tremors caused by Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor than deep brain stimulation (DBS) and radiofrequency (RF) treatments, and is as effective, according to a long-term study presented November 2, 2009, at the 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).



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