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Research examines relative impact of militarization and corruption on civilian populations

New research out of the University of Cincinnati is believed to be the first to examine the relative impact of militarization and corruption on civilian populations. The findings reveal that a specific form of military organization-praetorian militarization-as well as national-level corruption-both adversely affect the well-being of citizens.

17 Aug 2012

Mepolizumab almost halves exacerbations in severe asthma patients

The largest study of patients with severe asthma to date, published in The Lancet special issue on respiratory medicine, shows that those treated with the monoclonal antibody mepolizumab experienced an almost 50% reduction in severe exacerbations, emergency room visits, and hospitalisations compared with patients given placebo.

17 Aug 2012

Affordable Care Act: an interview with Val J. Halamandaris, President of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)

The intent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is to provide all Americans with medical insurance. Thirty-five million additional people will be covered, in part by government premiums and in part by making it easier for them to buy their own insurance.

17 Aug 2012

Study finds genetically modified rice good source of vitamin A for malnourished children

"Genetically modified rice could be a good source of vitamin A for children in countries where deficiency in the vitamin is common," according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Reuters reports.

17 Aug 2012

Parkland Hospital struggles with 1,300 unfilled positions; Largest Boston hospitals pay chiefs up to $3 million

Vacant jobs at Parkland Memorial Hospital have reached "crisis mode" -- almost 16 percent, or more than 1,300 unfilled positions -- a top official said Wednesday. Parkland's board of managers was presented a grim picture of an understaffed facility and a lagging effort to keep track of how many jobs were available. The situation was further crippled by the hospital's inability to process tens of thousands of job applications.

17 Aug 2012

Roundup: States limit Medicaid mental health prescriptions; Mass. to vote on assisted suicide; Insurer earnings drop in Mass.

Medicaid is the largest funder of mental health services in the United States. In 2008, in all 50 states, Medicaid spent a total of $4.5 billion on behavioral health drugs, about a fifth of the $22.5 billion spent by the program on all pharmaceuticals combined. Roughly a third of the participants in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program experience a mental health episode annually, according to a 2010 report by the Mental Health Services Administration.

17 Aug 2012

Researchers develop multi-dimensional MRI method to assess age in children

A national team of researchers led by investigators at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have developed a multidimensional set of brain measurements that, when taken together, can accurately assess a child's age with 92 percent accuracy.

17 Aug 2012

New DNA sequencing tests improve ability to analyze genetic disorders

Scientists at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-New Jersey Medical School (UMDNJ-NJMS) have developed new DNA sequencing tests that hold significant promise for decreasing costs associated with diagnosing cancer and hereditary diseases, including cysticfibrosis.

17 Aug 2012

Nostrum, VCU sign license agreement to develop inhaled dapsone for respiratory diseases

Virginia Commonwealth University and Nostrum Pharmaceuticals, LLC, are pleased to announce the signing of a license agreement for the development of inhaled dapsone for the treatment of respiratory diseases.

17 Aug 2012

Smoking during pregnancy associated with wheezing and asthma in preschool children

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with wheeze and asthma in preschool children, even among children who were not exposed to maternal smoking late in pregnancy or after birth, according to a new study.

17 Aug 2012

Montelukast improves respiratory disturbance and adenoid size in children with OSA

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers revealed that a majority of children suffering from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) treated with montelukast, a drug approved for asthma or hay fever, showed significant improvement in respiratory disturbance and adenoid size, according to a new study published in Pediatrics Journal.

17 Aug 2012

Walnuts provide key nutrients that may be essential in male reproductive health

Research published in the recent issue of Biology of Reproduction Papers-in-Press reports that 75 grams (approximately 2.5 ounces) of walnuts consumed per day improved sperm vitality, motility, and morphology (normal forms) in a group of healthy young men between 21-35 years of age.

17 Aug 2012

Sophisticated brain scans can accurately predict age

It isn't uncommon for people to pass for ages much older or younger than their years, but researchers have now found that this feature doesn't apply to our brains. The findings reported online on August 16 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, show that sophisticated brain scans can be used to accurately predict age, give or take a year.

17 Aug 2012

Be ‘medicinewise’ with cough and cold medicines in young children

NPS MedicineWise is urging parents and health professionals to heed the advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) this week restricting the use of cough and cold medicines to treat young children amidst concerns they have limited efficacy and may even be harmful.

16 Aug 2012