Public Health News and Research

RSS

Rhabdomyolysis episode at University of Iowa signals a public health crisis

On January 26, 2011, it was reported that 13 University of Iowa football players were affected so severely by rhabdomyolysis that they were hospitalized. Occurrences of rhabdomyolysis—muscle breakdown—are so rare that it suggests an additional causal factor, such as a drug.

10 Feb 2011

Avian flu vaccine stockpiled in 2004 still useful

A stockpiled vaccine designed to fight a strain of avian flu that circulated in 2004 can be combined with a vaccine that matches the current strain of bird flu to protect against a potential pandemic, researchers from Saint Louis University's Center for Vaccine Development have found.

10 Feb 2011

AHF commends LA City Council for legal study on tying condom use to adult-film production permits

On Friday, the Los Angles City Council voted unanimously on a motion to instruct the City Attorney to explore the feasibility of conditioning the issuance of film permits granted under City authority to the use of condoms in adult film productions.

10 Feb 2011

HIV-negative babies born to HIV-positive mothers have lower antibody levels for some infections, study finds

"Babies who are exposed to HIV at birth but don't become infected with the virus have lower levels of antibodies to diseases such as whooping cough, tetanus and pneumococcus," according to a study published in the Feb. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), HealthDay News/U.S. News & World Report.

10 Feb 2011

World Bank report documents rise of noncommunicable diseases in S. Asia

"South Asia is facing a health crisis, with rising rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity, and patients facing impoverishment as they pay for treatment out of their own pockets," according to a report released Wednesday by the World Bank, Reuters reports (Lyn, 2/9).

10 Feb 2011

Myriad Genetics' 46-gene PROLARIS molecular diagnostic test predicts prostate cancer outcome

Myriad Genetics, Inc. announced today that a study published in Lancet Oncology shows the Company's 46-gene PROLARIS™ molecular diagnostic test significantly predicts prostate cancer outcome.

10 Feb 2011

E-cigarettes produce abstinence rates nearly double that of traditional method

Two new studies available online and being published in the April edition of the American Journal of Preventative Medicine find that electronic cigarettes produces abstinence rates nearly double that of traditional nicotine replacement methods and that consumer interest in e-cigarettes is currently much higher than interest in traditional nicotine replacement products.

10 Feb 2011

Opinions: Polio vaccines; Alternatives to DDT, insecticides; Food price volatility; Global poverty; Foreign aid for vaccines

"No one denies" that the oral polio vaccine "has considerable merits. It's cheap to make. It's easy to administer; you don't need a trained nurse with a clean syringe [like the inactive vaccine needs], just a volunteer with a dropper. And it gives excellent immunity. ... But there are problems with the method," Wendy Orent, author of the book Plague: The Mysterious Past and Terrifying Future of the World's Most Dangerous Disease, writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece.

10 Feb 2011

People with memory problems may face high risk of stroke

People who have memory problems or other declines in their mental abilities may be at higher risk for stroke, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16, 2011.

9 Feb 2011

Study: E-cigarettes are safer alternative to tobacco smoking

A study just released by the Journal of Public Health Policy is taking a closer look at traditional tobacco cigarettes vs. e-cigarettes, and the results are surprising even the biggest skeptics. Based on available evidence, the study "Electronic cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes?" concluded that e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco cigarettes, and have the potential to become a smoking cessation device.

9 Feb 2011

Researchers find large variations in quality and safety across diabetes websites

Nearly one-half of U.S. adults who use the Internet participate in social networks. While these increasingly include health-focused networks, not much is known about their quality and safety. In one of the first formal studies of social networking websites targeting patients, researchers in the Children's Hospital Boston Informatics Program performed an in-depth evaluation of ten diabetes websites.

9 Feb 2011

BreathableBaby's mesh crib bumper offers parents a safer alternative to traditional one

The Breathable Mesh Crib Bumper from Minneapolis-based company BreathableBaby offers a safer alternative to traditional crib bumpers for under $30. The patented, award-winning Breathable Mesh Crib Bumper offers parents a design alternative to traditional bumpers which are typically thick, plush or pillowy and made of less breathable fabrics.

9 Feb 2011

Gates Foundation awards USF $5.45M for malaria research

The University of South Florida received $5.45 million in grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The first grant is to create advanced devices that mimic the human liver to better study the life cycle of the malaria parasite - particularly the elusive liver stage where the disease may be most vulnerable to attack.

9 Feb 2011

Cardiac enzyme elevations following CABG surgery is associated with worse prognosis

Patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery and had elevated levels of the cardiac enzymes creatine kinase or troponin in the 24 hours following surgery had an associated intermediate and long-term increased risk of death, according to a study in the February 9 issue of JAMA.

9 Feb 2011

Study finds low awareness about kidney risks posed by diabetes

The first time that many patients realise that diabetes can affect their kidneys is when they are referred to renal services, according to a multi-cultural study in the March issue of the Journal of Renal Care.

9 Feb 2011

Improved awareness of AIDS deaths, fear of infection lead to huge decline in Zimbabwe's HIV rates

The big drop in the numbers of people infected with HIV in Zimbabwe is because of mass social change, driven by fear of infection, according to an international study reported today in the journal PLoS Medicine. The scientists unravelling the reasons behind this unexpected downturn now reveal what they hope are the most important lessons in the fight against the disease for the rest of Africa.

9 Feb 2011

FDA proposes new Innovation Pathway program for pioneering medical devices

Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed the Innovation Pathway, a priority review program for new, breakthrough medical devices and announced the first submission: a brain-controlled, upper-extremity prosthetic that will serve as a pilot for the program. The FDA also announced plans to seek further public comment before the Pathway can be used more broadly.

9 Feb 2011

Public Health News and Research

Rhabdomyolysis episode at University of Iowa signals a public health crisis

Avian flu vaccine stockpiled in 2004 still useful

AHF commends LA City Council for legal study on tying condom use to adult-film production permits

HIV-negative babies born to HIV-positive mothers have lower antibody levels for some infections, study finds

World Bank report documents rise of noncommunicable diseases in S. Asia

Myriad Genetics' 46-gene PROLARIS molecular diagnostic test predicts prostate cancer outcome

E-cigarettes produce abstinence rates nearly double that of traditional method

Opinions: Polio vaccines; Alternatives to DDT, insecticides; Food price volatility; Global poverty; Foreign aid for vaccines

People with memory problems may face high risk of stroke

Study: E-cigarettes are safer alternative to tobacco smoking

Researchers find large variations in quality and safety across diabetes websites

BreathableBaby's mesh crib bumper offers parents a safer alternative to traditional one

Gates Foundation awards USF $5.45M for malaria research

Cardiac enzyme elevations following CABG surgery is associated with worse prognosis

Study finds low awareness about kidney risks posed by diabetes

Improved awareness of AIDS deaths, fear of infection lead to huge decline in Zimbabwe's HIV rates

FDA proposes new Innovation Pathway program for pioneering medical devices

Researchers to estimate air pollution using GPS-equipped smart phone

BUSPH: Electronic cigarettes are promising tool to help smokers quit

New study: Cannabis use significantly hastens onset of psychotic illness

News Medical 2025: Healthcare Shifts That Mattered Most eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Applications Engineer

Latest News