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New genetic alteration can cause familial cancers

Duke University Medical Center and National Cancer Institute scientists have discovered that a novel genetic alteration - a second copy of an entire gene - is a cause of familial chordoma, an uncommon form of cancer arising in bones and frequently affecting the nervous system.

5 Oct 2009

Patients suffering from allergic rhinitis experience escalated symptoms of stress and fatigue

Patients who suffer from both allergic rhinitis and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may experience escalated symptoms of stress and fatigue.

5 Oct 2009

Burns: A common cause of pediatric injury

Burns are a common cause of pediatric injury worldwide, typically resulting from hot water, flames, hot surfaces, chemicals and electrical appliances. A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, found that from 1990-2006 more than 2 million children younger than 21 were treated in hospital emergency departments for burn-related injuries.

5 Oct 2009

Health reform bill moving ahead, despite lingering questions

CongressDaily: "Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said his committee will convene again Tuesday. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the only committee Republican who might cross sides to vote for the health bill, remained on the fence late last week. 'Obviously, there's some things that require significant improvement, for example, on the individual mandate,' Snowe said.

5 Oct 2009

CIBC supports breast cancer initiative in Canada

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure raised $26.5 million today to support the vision of creating a future without breast cancer.

5 Oct 2009

Obama: 'I will not accept partisan efforts' blocking health reform bills

President Obama returned to the topic of health care reform in his weekly Saturday radio and internet address, calling it "a critical step in rebuilding our economy."

5 Oct 2009

Radiofrequency ablation used to treat snoring patients

Radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses heat to shrink the tissue of the soft palate, is an effective and minimally invasive procedure that can be used to treat patients who snore.

5 Oct 2009

Study examines roles of PCPs and hepatologists in post-transplant care

A recent study by researchers from the University of Colorado looked at post-transplant care to determine whether primary care physicians (PCPs) or hepatologists are better suited to manage the overall health care of patients who received a liver transplant (LT).

5 Oct 2009

Research study reveals children's unusualness to ingest small button batteries

Ten years of case studies at a pediatric hospital and a thorough literature review have shown that it is not uncommon for children to ingest small "button" batteries, either through swallowing or inserting the batteries into their noses.

5 Oct 2009

Researchers engineer antidotes for blood-thinner aptamers

Imagine a surgical patient on a blood-thinning drug who starts bleeding more than expected, and an antidote that works immediately - because the blood thinner and antidote were designed to work together. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have engineered a way to do this for an entire, versatile class of drugs called aptamers and published their findings in Nature Medicine.

4 Oct 2009

Blepharoplasty increases patients' quality of life

Cosmetic surgery that repairs droopy eyelids, also known as blepharoplasty, has an overall positive impact on patients' quality of life (QOL).

4 Oct 2009

Study reveals the increasing demand for alternative medical therapies to treat CRS

A new study suggests that a growing segment of patients are turning to complementary and alternative medical therapies to help treat the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

4 Oct 2009

Researchers examine effects of curcumin on HNSCC growths

Curcumin, the compound that gives curry powder its yellow/orange color, may inhibit the adverse effects of nicotine in patients with head and neck cancer who continue to smoke.

4 Oct 2009

The EURORDIS and NORD rare disease organizations form a partnership

The leading advocacy groups for Americans and Europeans with rare diseases -- the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and the European Organization for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS) -- have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join forces on several key strategic initiatives on behalf of rare disease patients and their families.

3 Oct 2009

New study reveals that perception of color depends on biological processes of the eye and brain

Color is normally thought of as a fundamental attribute of an object: a red Corvette, a blue lake, a pink flamingo. Yet despite this popular notion, new research suggests that our perception of color is malleable, and relies heavily on biological processes of the eye and brain.

3 Oct 2009

BUSM's geriatrics clerkship meets all the ambulatory core geriatric competencies

As the population ages, it is imperative that medical students are prepared to treat older adults, regardless of their specialty. Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) report that an interdisciplinary multisite fourth-year geriatrics clerkship, has successfully met all the ambulatory core geriatric competencies as outlined by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) working group.

3 Oct 2009

Lawsuit filed against MultiCare Health System for unilaterally implementing a mandatory vaccination policy

Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), representing more than 16,000 registered nurses in Washington State, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against MultiCare Health System for unilaterally implementing a mandatory vaccination policy. This new policy will force nurses to get the flu vaccination or to wear face masks as a condition of employment and may result in the firing of nurses who do not comply with the policy.

3 Oct 2009

HCRI commences patient enrollment in dual antiplatelet therapy study

The Harvard Clinical Research Institute (HCRI) announced today that the first patients have been enrolled in the DAPT Study, marking the official initiation of the four-year clinical trial to investigate the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT, the combination of aspirin and a thienopyridine/antiplatelet medication to reduce the risk of blood clots) following drug-eluting stent implantations.

3 Oct 2009

Bristol-Myers Squibb to present new data on BARACLUDE and other compounds at the AASLD 2009

New data on four Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) compounds will be presented at the 60th annual meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) in Boston from October 30 to November 3.

3 Oct 2009

HSPH's survey on H1N1 vaccines

In a new survey, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that just 40% of adults are "absolutely certain" they will get the H1N1 vaccine for themselves, and 51% of parents are "absolutely certain" that they will get the vaccine for their children. The survey examined the reasoning among those who said they would not get the vaccine or might not. This is the latest in a series of surveys of public views concerning the H1N1 flu outbreak undertaken by the Harvard Opinion Research Program at HSPH. The polling was done September 14-20, 2009.

3 Oct 2009