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Synthetic oil triheptanoin improves Rett syndrome, longevity

When young mice with the rodent equivalent of a rare autism spectrum disorder (ASD), called Rett syndrome, were fed a diet supplemented with the synthetic oil triheptanoin, they lived longer than mice on regular diets. Importantly, their physical and behavioral symptoms were also less severe after being on the diet, according to results of new research from The Johns Hopkins University.

10 Oct 2014

New UCLA study reveals why people with autism experience neural stem cell overgrowth after birth

People with autism spectrum disorder often experience a period of accelerated brain growth after birth. No one knows why, or whether the change is linked to any specific behavioral changes.

10 Oct 2014

Slug flow microextraction method for drug testing yields results in one minute

A new technique makes it possible to quickly detect the presence of drugs or to monitor certain medical conditions using only a single drop of blood or urine, representing a potential tool for clinicians and law enforcement.

10 Oct 2014

State highlights: Gubernatorial election outcomes will have big impact on health law's future

The deciding factor in the Senate races will be President Barack Obama's sagging approval numbers, he said, which are weighing down Democrats like Sen. Mary Landrieu in Louisiana and Sen. Mark Pryor in Arkansas. ... Mr. McAuliffe pushed Virginia legislators to expand the state's Medicaid program as part of the Affordable Care Act last summer, but Republicans wouldn't have it (Bauerlein, 10/8).

10 Oct 2014

Vancomycin drug still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections

A University of Nebraska Medical Center research team has determined that a longtime antibiotic, vancomycin, is still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections and that physicians should continue to use the drug even though several newer antibiotics are now available in the marketplace.

10 Oct 2014

Chronic contact allergy from metal orthopedic implant linked to aggressive form of skin cancer

In rare cases, patients with allergies to metals develop persistent skin rashes after metal devices are implanted near the skin. New research suggests these patients may be at increased risk of an unusual and aggressive form of skin cancer.

10 Oct 2014

New findings link obesity and dietary factors to late-life dementias

Difficulties learning, remembering, and concentrating. An inability to resist environmental temptations to eat. A lifetime of progressive deterioration in the brain.

9 Oct 2014

Bedside ultrasound machine in pediatric ER is cost-effective, reduces length of stay in the ER

Using a portable or bedside ultrasound machine in the pediatric emergency room has been proven to lessen the length of stay in the ER and to provide images equal in accuracy to x-ray or CT scan without exposing children to potentially harmful radiation.

9 Oct 2014

Obama administration delays home-care worker minimum-wage, overtime protections

In a Tuesday announcement, the administration said it won't enforce this rule, which involves an estimated 2 million home-care workers, for the first six months after its Jan. 1, 2015, effective date.

9 Oct 2014

Northwestern University scientist honored for pioneering work in patient-reported outcomes

David Cella, chair of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, has received a prestigious international award for his contributions as a pioneer in the field of patient-reported outcome measures and his mission to put the patient's voice in the center of health care.

9 Oct 2014

Surgical treatment of strabismus can be carried out at any age

Around four per cent of all newborn children have a squint. In about 50 per cent of cases, this can be corrected with appropriate glasses, however the other half require treatment for their squint and in some cases even squint surgery.

8 Oct 2014

Nurse-led intervention program fails to improve 30-day hospital readmission rates

Researchers at UC San Francisco have found that a nurse-led intervention program designed to reduce readmissions among ethnically and linguistically diverse older patients did not improve 30-day hospital readmission rates. Their findings suggest hospitals evaluate such programs before implementing or continuing.

8 Oct 2014

Loyola Medicine, Gilda's Club Chicago launch new transition program for cancer survivors

Loyola Medicine and Gilda's Club Chicago are launching a new program to help cancer survivors make the transition from active treatment to post-treatment care.

7 Oct 2014

First three recipients of inaugural Harry Winston Fellowships named

Harry Winston, Inc. and the UCLA Children's Discovery and Innovation Institute have named the first three recipients of the inaugural Harry Winston Fellowships.

7 Oct 2014

USC scientists find new way to suppress obesity

Imagine being able to take a pill that lets you eat all of the ice cream, cookies, and cakes that you wanted – without gaining any weight.

7 Oct 2014

State highlights: Ohio Medicaid and senior annuities; Mich. extends Medicaid dental coverage for kids

A war is being waged in Ohio over whether elderly couples with one person in a nursing home can buy an annuity to keep the other from going broke -- and still apply for public assistance. Elder-law attorneys say the state isn't following federal laws regarding Medicaid-compliant annuities, and that's hurting middle-class seniors who worked hard and saved for a rainy day. Several courts seem to agree, with one judge recently putting the state on notice that it could lose millions of dollars in federal funding if it doesn't change its ways (Pyle, 10/6).

7 Oct 2014

CHLA reports first confirmed case of enterovirus D68 in Los Angeles

In September, Children's Hospital Los Angeles physicians predicted it was a matter of when, and not if, Los Angeles children would become infected with Enterovirus EV-D68, commonly referred to as enterovirus D68. On Oct. 1, that day came. CHLA and public health officials announced that a young patient who had been hospitalized at CHLA with a respiratory illness and later experienced partial limb paralysis had tested positive for enterovirus D68.

7 Oct 2014

Medicare open enrollment brings lots of choices

For millions of older Americans, it is time to sift through the mind-boggling array of Medicare plans. There is an average of 29 drug plans to digest, and about 18 options for Medicare Advantage, the plans delivered through private insurers. Then there are the 10 supplemental plans that cover what traditional Medicare does not. The choices can be paralyzing for anyone, and they can be even more challenging as you age. ... Here are some ideas on how to approach the decision-making process (Bernard, 10/3).

7 Oct 2014

Gigapixel whole-body photographic camera may help doctors spot cancer early, save lives

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer type in the United States, and it's also the deadliest form of skin cancer, causing more than 75 percent of skin-cancer deaths. If caught early enough though, it is almost always curable. Now a camera, capable of taking snapshots of the entire human body and rendering high-resolution images of a patient's skin may help doctors spot cancer early and save lives.

7 Oct 2014

As new Obamacare enrollment period approaches, challenges loom

Officials hope to renew coverage for the 15 million people who signed up last year as well as expand the pool by another 10 million, but there are concerns about consumer costs and choices.

6 Oct 2014

OCT News and Research

Synthetic oil triheptanoin improves Rett syndrome, longevity

New UCLA study reveals why people with autism experience neural stem cell overgrowth after birth

Slug flow microextraction method for drug testing yields results in one minute

State highlights: Gubernatorial election outcomes will have big impact on health law's future

Vancomycin drug still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections

Chronic contact allergy from metal orthopedic implant linked to aggressive form of skin cancer

New findings link obesity and dietary factors to late-life dementias

Bedside ultrasound machine in pediatric ER is cost-effective, reduces length of stay in the ER

Obama administration delays home-care worker minimum-wage, overtime protections

Northwestern University scientist honored for pioneering work in patient-reported outcomes

Surgical treatment of strabismus can be carried out at any age

Nurse-led intervention program fails to improve 30-day hospital readmission rates

Loyola Medicine, Gilda's Club Chicago launch new transition program for cancer survivors

First three recipients of inaugural Harry Winston Fellowships named

USC scientists find new way to suppress obesity

State highlights: Ohio Medicaid and senior annuities; Mich. extends Medicaid dental coverage for kids

CHLA reports first confirmed case of enterovirus D68 in Los Angeles

Medicare open enrollment brings lots of choices

Gigapixel whole-body photographic camera may help doctors spot cancer early, save lives

As new Obamacare enrollment period approaches, challenges loom

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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