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Leptin polymorphism combinations influence BMI in Chinese

The presence of genetic variants in both the leptin gene and the gene for its receptor may predispose Chinese individuals to obesity, report researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Children with negative TB skin test at high risk for mortality

Children with clinical signs of tuberculosis but with a negative tuberculin skin test result should not have treatment delayed, suggest study findings showing that false-negatives are common and associated with high mortality.

7 Aug 2012

Taking the heat out of tonsillectomy

Cooling of the spaces in which the tonsils are lodged during tonsillectomy, reduces post-operative pain and accelerates healing, report researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Surprise result in caffeine trial for Parkinson’s patients

Caffeine treatment may improve motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease, research suggests.

7 Aug 2012

Time to carotid stenosis treatment ‘can be shortened’

Researchers say it is possible to surgically treat carotid stenosis patients within 2 weeks of their index symptom.

7 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 7, 2012

Today's headlines include reports that HCA, the largest for-profit hospital chain in the U.S., is facing scrutiny about the medical necessity of some of the cardiac procedures done at some of its facilities.

7 Aug 2012

Post-discharge stroke coaching can help patients with their medications or recovery

When a stroke patient is discharged from the hospital, they often must cope with a new disability or lack of function, so changes in their medications or a new dosing prescription can be particularly confusing. This can lead the patient to overmedicate, take the wrong medication or skip medications entirely and can result in being readmitted to the hospital.

7 Aug 2012

Study suggests race-specific cutoff points for a diabetes diagnostic test

Healthcare providers should take into account differences among racial groups when using hemoglobin A1C levels to diagnose and monitor diabetes, new research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests.

7 Aug 2012

Researchers discover genetic cause of type VII mucopolysaccharidosis in Brazilian Terriers

The genetics research group led by Professor Hannes Lohi, based at the University of Helsinki and the Folkh-lsan Research Center, has, in collaboration with Adjunct Professor Kirsi Sainio's research group, discovered the cause of a life-threatening skeletal disorder affecting Brazilian Terriers. The disease is caused by a mutation in the GUSB gene.

7 Aug 2012

Advances in HIV/AIDS therapy and the International AIDS Conference: an interview with Professor Sharon Lewin

The anti-HIV drugs, also known as anti-retroviral therapy, came about in the mid ‘90’s. These involved using at least 3 different drugs together.

7 Aug 2012

High mold count signals dangerous air quality warning in Chicago

Chicago's mold count today is 125,000 plus - more than double the 50,000 threshold that signals a dangerous air quality warning. "Today's mold count is the highest I have recorded in more than 15 years," said Dr. Joseph Leija, who performs the Gottlieb Allergy Count, the official allergy count for the Midwest. "Midwesterners with sensitive respiratory systems will experience itchy throats, runny noses and feel generally rundown."

7 Aug 2012

NCH conducts workshop to teach participants how and when to use EpiPen

Many children with severe allergies carry injectable epinephrine (EpiPens) - syringes filled with epinephrine to delay an allergic reaction - but the EpiPens sometimes require the help of an adult to dispense. School nurses are often the only school officials authorized to handle medications, leaving the educators who are with the children most of the day untrained. According to doctors at Nationwide Children's Hospital, this lack of training is exactly what becomes most dangerous for children with severe allergies.

7 Aug 2012

Mass. reform increases access to hospital care in vulnerable groups

Healthcare reform providing near-universal insurance coverage in Massachusetts led to increased access to hospital care among vulnerable groups—especially Hispanic and low-income populations, suggests a paper in Medical Care.

7 Aug 2012

IPS reports on efforts to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission at public hospital in Cameroon

"For nearly two years, not a single child with HIV has been born at the public hospital in the Cite-Verte district of Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon," Inter Press Service reports, adding, "Emilien Fouda, the hospital's director, says this proud record is the result of combined effort by his staff and community support groups."

7 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Mass. at disadvantage in cutting health costs; McDonnell says Va. can point to better way

Massachusetts will be the first state to try to cap overall health care spending, both private and public, so that it will grow no faster than the state economy. The state was able to reach near-universal coverage because the vast majority of its population was already covered by some form of insurance. It also could subsidize coverage for the uninsured using a big pool of money that had been used for charity care. But when it comes to controlling health care costs, Massachusetts has no advantage, and in fact is starting behind most other states.

7 Aug 2012

Scientists discover biological marker that may help identify patients’ response to antidepressants

Scientists have discovered a biological marker that may help to identify which depressed patients will respond to an experimental, rapid-acting antidepressant. The brain signal, detectable by noninvasive imaging, also holds clues to the agent's underlying mechanism, which are vital for drug development, say National Institutes of Health researchers.

7 Aug 2012

Minorities more at risk of being impacted by ER crowding

Hospitals in areas with large minority populations are more likely to be overcrowded and to divert ambulances, delaying timely emergency care, according to a multi-institutional study focused on California.

7 Aug 2012

Underinsured CVD patients die sooner, irrespective of race

Insurance status is a better predictor of survival after a serious cardiac event than race, and may help explain racial disparities in health outcomes for cardiovascular disease. A new study by Derek Ng, from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US, and his team shows that race is not linked to an increased risk of death but being underinsured is a strong predictor of death among those admitted into hospital with a serious cardiac event.

7 Aug 2012

Clinical trial targets breast cancer cells by injecting trastuzumab directly into the spinal fluid

In two to five percent of women with breast cancer, tumor cells migrate into the spinal fluid invading the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord called the meninges. While a rare complication, the condition is challenging because there is no agreed-upon standard of treatment, leaving little hope for patients affected. Northwestern Medicine- researchers are currently examining a novel approach to delivering an FDA approved drug that they hope will advance research for this type of cancer and lead to discoveries that may improve outcomes in the future.

7 Aug 2012

New analysis provides overall genetic fingerprint of various Jewish subpopulations

A new genetic analysis focusing on Jews from North Africa has provided an overall genetic map of the Jewish Diasporas. The findings support the historical record of Middle Eastern Jews settling in North Africa during Classical Antiquity, proselytizing and marrying local populations, and, in the process, forming distinct populations that stayed largely intact for more than 2,000 years.

7 Aug 2012

Hospital News and Research

Leptin polymorphism combinations influence BMI in Chinese

Children with negative TB skin test at high risk for mortality

Taking the heat out of tonsillectomy

Surprise result in caffeine trial for Parkinson’s patients

Time to carotid stenosis treatment ‘can be shortened’

First Edition: August 7, 2012

Post-discharge stroke coaching can help patients with their medications or recovery

Study suggests race-specific cutoff points for a diabetes diagnostic test

Researchers discover genetic cause of type VII mucopolysaccharidosis in Brazilian Terriers

Advances in HIV/AIDS therapy and the International AIDS Conference: an interview with Professor Sharon Lewin

High mold count signals dangerous air quality warning in Chicago

NCH conducts workshop to teach participants how and when to use EpiPen

Mass. reform increases access to hospital care in vulnerable groups

IPS reports on efforts to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission at public hospital in Cameroon

Viewpoints: Mass. at disadvantage in cutting health costs; McDonnell says Va. can point to better way

Scientists discover biological marker that may help identify patients’ response to antidepressants

Minorities more at risk of being impacted by ER crowding

Underinsured CVD patients die sooner, irrespective of race

Clinical trial targets breast cancer cells by injecting trastuzumab directly into the spinal fluid

New analysis provides overall genetic fingerprint of various Jewish subpopulations

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

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