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Alpha-2 agonists decrease postoperative consumption of opioid drugs

A study from researchers at Geneva University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland, provides evidence that use of alpha-2 agonists alongside opioids in surgical patients decreased opioid use by 25-30 percent. Even though opioid use was less, these patients reported slightly less pain after surgery.

25 May 2012

Poor cardio-pulmonary function may be strong predictor of survival in women with breast cancer

Women receiving care for breast cancer have significantly impaired cardio-pulmonary function that can persist for years after they have completed treatment, according to a study led by scientists at Duke University Medical Center.

25 May 2012

LVRC safe and effective choice for patients with severe heterogeneous emphysema

A tiny, resilient metal wire designed to gather and compress diseased lung tissue may offer relief to patients with severe heterogeneous emphysema, a subtype of the disease that involves specific, usually isolated areas of the lungs, according to the results of a multicenter international trial conducted in the Netherlands, Germany and France. The wire, called a lung volume reduction coil (LVRC), can be easily implanted and is designed to take the place of more invasive procedures used to improve the lung function of emphysema patients.

24 May 2012

Number of Americans with kidney stones nearly doubled since 1994

The number of Americans suffering from kidney stones between 2007 and 2010 nearly doubled since 1994, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and RAND.

24 May 2012

Omega-3 fatty acids may provide more benefits for elderly people with Alzheimer's

According to a recent study published online in Neurology, Omega-3 fatty acids, like those found in Omega XL fish oil extract containing DHA and EPA from the New Zealand green-lipped mussel, may provide more benefits for elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's.

24 May 2012

Calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart attack

Calcium supplements might increase the risk of having a heart attack, and should be “taken with caution,” concludes research published in the online issue of the journal Heart.

24 May 2012

ACE’s Blood Sugar Basics Game Plan kicks off to help people with diabetes

The Blood Sugar Basics Game Plan, developed by the American College of Endocrinology (ACE), with support from Merck, is kicking off to help the nearly 26 million people in the U.S. who have diabetes find new ways to help manage their disease. Th

24 May 2012

PTH boosts AMPs to fend off infection-causing microbes

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules produced in the skin to fend off infection-causing microbes. Vitamin D has been credited with a role in their production and in the body's overall immune response, but scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say a hormone previously associated only with maintaining calcium homeostasis and bone health is also critical, boosting AMP expression when dietary vitamin D levels are inadequate.

24 May 2012

Study confirms links between metabolic dysregulation, SDB and obesity

Weight loss improved both metabolic parameters and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in obese children in a new study from researchers in Belgium, confirming links between metabolic dysregulation, SDB and obesity.

24 May 2012

LabCorp, XDx partner to develop and commercialize SLE flare predictor test

XDx, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LabCorp)whereby each party will collaborate in marker discovery, and LabCorp will develop and commercialize a diagnostic test to predict flares of systemic lupus erythematosus.

24 May 2012

Viewpoints: The promise and perils of prostate screening; Presidential candidates shy away from frank discussion of spending

After an exhaustive process, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has announced its final recommendation on PSA-based prostate cancer screening. It finds that the known harms of screening outweigh the potential benefits for men who have no cancer symptoms. It notes that all screening studies have demonstrated considerable harms associated with screening, but only one major study found evidence that screening saves lives -- and that study has some internal inconsistencies.

24 May 2012

Alteplase can benefit stroke patients aged over 80 years according to new studies

The Lancet today publishes two papers Online First about the use of alteplase in stroke, timed to coincide with their presentation at the European Stroke Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

23 May 2012

Scientists may be step closer to developing new therapy for AML

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center may be one step closer to developing a new therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after discovering that the targeted agents obatoclax and sorafenib kill leukemia cells much more effectively when combined than when the drugs are administered individually.

23 May 2012

Studies examine effectiveness of CPAP in reducing risk of cardiovascular outcomes linked with OSA

Two studies that included adults with obstructive sleep apnea examined the effectiveness of reducing the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, including high blood pressure, by treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), according to the articles in the May 23/30 issue of JAMA.

23 May 2012

Astrocytes appear to retaliate against AD

When brain cells start oozing too much of the amyloid protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, the astrocytes that normally nourish and protect them deliver a suicide package instead, researchers report.

23 May 2012

Study provides new clues about health-damaging molecular changes by eating high-fat foods

A University of Michigan Health System study provides new clues about the health-damaging molecular changes set in motion by eating high-fat foods.

23 May 2012

New clinical trial to evaluate HSP90 inhibitor plus hormonal therapy for breast cancer

Pushed to the brink of survival, the hyper-driven cells of a cancerous tumor tap into an ancient system that has helped organisms cope with internal stresses and environmental challenges since life began. As an integral part of this system, heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) has been shown to help malignant cells accommodate the genetic changes and profound disturbances in normal biology that occur in cancers.

23 May 2012

Proper care of diabetic foot infections can save limbs, lives

Diabetic foot infections are an increasingly common problem, but proper care can save limbs and, ultimately, lives, suggest new guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

23 May 2012

Scientists identify key mechanism in development of Alzheimer's

New research by scientists at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Osteopathic Medicine (UMDNJ-SOM) demonstrates how dying or damaged brain cells release debris into the bloodstream and give rise to specific autoantibodies that appear to be reliable biomarkers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

23 May 2012

Federal task force recommends dropping routine prostate cancer test

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force finds scant evidence that the PSA blood test saves lives and instead says unneeded treatment leads to serious problems, including impotence and incontinence.

23 May 2012