Ear News and Research

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Ragweed allergy sublingual immunotherapy: an interview with Dr. Peter Creticos, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Ragweed is a dominant seasonal allergen in North America (~26% of US and North American population is allergic to this noxious weed which pollinates from early August to early October).

31 May 2013

Common sugar molecule promising target for development of broad-spectrum vaccine

Developing new vaccines to protect against diseases that plague humans is fraught with numerous challenges-one being that microbes tend to vary how they look on the surface to avoid being identified and destroyed by the immune system. However, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have discovered a sugar polymer that is common on the cell surface of several pathogens.

28 May 2013

Study reveals that an epilepsy drug shows promise in preventing noise-induced tinnitus

An epilepsy drug shows promise in an animal model at preventing tinnitus from developing after exposure to loud noise, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

28 May 2013

Prostaglandin analogues cause droopy eyelids, new study finds

Prostaglandin analogues, drugs which lower intraocular pressure, are often the first line of treatment for people with glaucoma, but their use is not without risks.

22 May 2013

Study: Air and noise pollution may increase risk of cardiovascular disease

Both fine-particle air pollution and noise pollution may increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to German researchers who have conducted a large population study, in which both factors were considered simultaneously.

21 May 2013

Measuring genetic diversity within tumor predicts outcomes of patients with head and neck cancer

A new measure of the heterogeneity - the variety of genetic mutations - of cells within a tumor appears to predict treatment outcomes of patients with the most common type of head and neck cancer.

20 May 2013

Study shows strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used for cell phone

If you're a left-brain thinker, chances are you use your right hand to hold your cell phone up to your right ear, according to a newly published study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

17 May 2013

Switching to new ICD-10 codes

University of Illinois at Chicago researchers have developed a website that walks healthcare providers through the challenging transition from the current International Classification of Diseases -- ICD-9 -- to the new ICD-10.

16 May 2013

Massachusetts hospital performs first cornea transplant with pre-loaded donor tissue

The first successful cornea transplant with donor endothelial tissue preloaded by an eye bank has been performed at Massachusetts Eye and Ear in Boston, Mass. Roberto Pineda II, M.D., Director of the Refractive Surgery Service at Mass. Eye and Ear, and an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, recently performed the groundbreaking transplant.

8 May 2013

State roundup: Medicaid contractor sues La. over canceled deal

A Maryland-based company whose nearly $200 million Medicaid contract was canceled amid an ongoing federal investigation sued Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration Monday for terminating the deal (5/6).

8 May 2013

IL-1 antagonist relieves dry eyes

Clinical trial results point to a role for interleukin-1 targeted agents for the treatment of dry eye disease associated with meibomian gland dysfunction.

29 Apr 2013

UAB expert offers simple strategies to tackle summer allergy season

Sneezing, wheezing and coughing are just some of the symptoms that seasonal allergies can stir up. One sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham said despite a late spring, the summer allergy season will be strong.

29 Apr 2013

Auricular point acupressure shows promise for chronic back pain

Auricular point acupressure may have potential for the treatment of chronic low back pain, findings from a feasibility study show.

25 Apr 2013

Researchers develop sensor system to assess how blasts impact human body

Improvised explosive devices are becoming a global problem for the U.S. armed forces. To prevent injuries to soldiers and provide better care to those who are injured, the U.S. military is striving to better understand how blasts impact the human body.

24 Apr 2013

$Johns Hopkins researchers find that diagnostic errors accounted for largest fraction of claims$

Johns Hopkins researchers find that diagnostic errors accounted for largest fraction of claims

In reviewing 25 years of U.S. malpractice claim payouts, Johns Hopkins researchers found that diagnostic errors — not surgical mistakes or medication overdoses — accounted for the largest fraction of claims, the most severe patient harm, and the highest total of penalty payouts.

23 Apr 2013

Arthritis drug reduces dry eye disease

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common condition that causes discomfort, visual disturbance and potentially damaging ocular surface inflammation that greatly impacts a person's quality of life.

19 Apr 2013

Research findings provide new hope for people suffering from dry eye disease

Natural lubricants play an important role in health, including a well-known effect to help prevent osteoarthritis in knee and ankle joints. However, much is still unknown about their role and function in other areas of the body.

19 Apr 2013

Scientists working on pollen count map to warn hay fever sufferers

In future there could be precise, personal travel warnings for hay fever sufferers covering the whole of Europe. The pollen warning service of the MedUni Vienna is working on a pollen count map in order to be better able to warn hay fever sufferers.

18 Apr 2013

Study exposes unexpected features of why humans sometimes make incorrect decisions

Making decisions involves a gradual accumulation of facts that support one choice or another. A person choosing a college might weigh factors such as course selection, institutional reputation and the quality of future job prospects.

17 Apr 2013

Newly characterized adenoviruses can cause severe human infections

The ongoing dance between a virus and its host distinctly shapes how the virus evolves. While human adenoviruses typically cause mild infections, recent reports have described newly characterized adenoviruses that can cause severe, sometime fatal, human infections.

12 Apr 2013