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Researchers investigate performance levels of resident and staff physicians

Research on the quality of US resident physician performance levels has often been limited by lack of a comparison group or strict focus on specific diseases and geographical areas. In order to gain insight on differences in quality of care provided by resident physicians versus staff physicians, Boston Medical Center and Palo Alto Medical Foundation researchers investigated performance of physicians in 33,900 hospital-based outpatient visits throughout the US.

22 Sep 2010

Paper calls for revision of STEMI guidelines around oxygen therapy

The European Society of Cardiology welcomes a paper published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology highlighting concerns over the use of oxygen therapy during MI in patients with normal oxygen levels. The publication adds to calls for revision of the STEMI guidelines around oxygen therapy and for a prospective, large scale randomised trials, issues that were both first raised in a Cochrane Review published in June.

22 Sep 2010

Study finds no benefit from self-management counseling in patients with heart failure

Patients with mild to moderate heart failure who received educational materials and self-management counseling in an attempt to improve adherence to medical advice did not have a reduced rate of death or hospitalization compared to patients who received educational materials alone, according to a study in the September 22/29 issue of JAMA.

22 Sep 2010

Newborn Coalition praises SACHDNC's Critical Congenital Heart Disease universal screening recommendation

In a historic vote on September 17, 2010, the Secretary's Advisory Committee for Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children (SACHDNC) unanimously agreed to recommend the addition of screening for Critical Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease to the core panel for universal screening of all newborns in the United States.

22 Sep 2010

Protein zyxin necessary for maintenance and repair of cell's cytoskeleton

Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah have discovered that a protein, zyxin, is necessary for the maintenance and repair of the cell's cytoskeleton, or internal framework, which serves as the muscle and bone of the cell. The research has implications for cancer, as well as other diseases, since alterations in the cytoskeleton are often associated with disease. The research was published in the Sep. 14, 2010, issue of the journal Developmental Cell.

22 Sep 2010

U.S. community health centers receive $500,000 grant to increase access to quality healthcare

The GE Foundation - the philanthropic organization of GE - announced today the award of $500,000 in total to two Baltimore-based community health centers in an effort to help increase access to quality healthcare across the United States. As part of the GE Developing HealthTM program, these grants will support Chase Brexton Health Services and People's Community Health Centers, Inc. in providing increased access to healthcare in their respective communities.

22 Sep 2010

JHS conference focuses on future research directions to eliminate health disparities

The tenth anniversary of the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) will be observed on Sept. 23-24 in Jackson, Mississippi. The JHS is the largest study in history to investigate genetic factors that affect high blood pressure, heart and lung disease, stroke, diabetes, and other important diseases in African-Americans.

22 Sep 2010

Zyxin protein is critical to maintain and repair internal framework

22 Sep 2010

ARRA's legacies may solve challenges related to health, energy and environment

The presidents of six leading research universities and two higher-education associations joined Vice President Joe Biden and White House science advisor Dr. John Holdren this morning to discuss the scientific research and related activities that have been made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

22 Sep 2010

Physical or psychological stress before cancer treatment may sabotage therapy

Patients who experience physical or psychological stress - including rigorous exercise - one or two days before a cancer treatment might be unknowingly sabotaging their therapy, new research suggests.

22 Sep 2010

Immunization is critical to reduce child deaths

Immunising children against preventable diseases is critical to achieving United Nations-led goals to reduce child deaths, global health and development chiefs said in New York today.

22 Sep 2010

Dogs can encourage children to be active, help combat rising childhood obesity

Children whose families own dogs are more active than those without, according to new research. Researchers from St George's, University of London studied 2,065 children aged nine to ten, and found that children from dog-owning families have higher levels of physical activity compared to children without.

22 Sep 2010

Catheter ablation benefits atrial fibrillation patients younger than 45

Patients under age 45 had fewer major complications than older patients and comparable improvement after a medical procedure to treat irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, in a study reported in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, an American Heart Association journal.

22 Sep 2010

Study: New percutaneous mitral valve clip offers marked clinical benefit

A percutaneous mitral valve clip designed to stop mitral valve regurgitation demonstrated clinical benefit as measured by the degree of mitral regurgitation, according to a study presented at the 22nd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

22 Sep 2010

Fatty issues

In a new survey it was seen that too fat and too thin people suffer more from depressive moods. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index published these findings it its September 17 issue and noted obese and underweight Americans are more stressed, worried, angry and sad than their overweight and normal weight friends.

22 Sep 2010

Specific orofacial characteristics can lead to accurate diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term that describes the range of effects that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol while pregnant. Each year, FASD affect an estimated 40,000 infants in the United States—more than spina bifida, Down syndrome, and muscular dystrophy combined.

22 Sep 2010

Impact of cancer treatment on cardiovascular function

For the past two decades, cancer therapy has become more sophisticated and effective, resulting in an ever-expanding group of long-term cancer survivors. There is also a growing awareness of the potentially negative effects of cancer treatment on the heart and the management of cardiac disease during and after cancer therapy.

22 Sep 2010

PROMUS Element Stent receives expanded indications approval for high-risk diabetic and AMI patient groups

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that its PROMUS® Element™ Everolimus-Eluting Coronary Stent System has received CE Mark approval for use in patients with diabetes and those experiencing an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or heart attack.

21 Sep 2010

Celera receives patent on KIF6 gene variant

Celera Corporation today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued United States Patent 7,799,530 relating to methods of determining heart attack risk by detecting the KIF6 gene variant and reduction of such increased risk by statin therapy.

21 Sep 2010

Tips to protect physical health

Fifteen years ago, the non-profit Educational Television Network created Healthy Aging Month to focus attention on the positive aspects of getting older and to encourage people to learn how to increase longevity and avoid preventable declines in physical, mental and emotional health. Healthy aging is of particular interest as life expectancy in the United States continues to rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2007 the life expectancy was 75.4 for men and 80.4 for women .

21 Sep 2010