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Childhood abuse affects the heart

Severe child abuse is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in early adulthood, report researchers in Circulation.

18 Jul 2012

Pastoral support, not life-prolonging care, improves QoL at end of life

Quality of life at the end of life is improved when advanced cancer patients avoid being hospitalized, when their worry is reduced, they are given pastoral as well as medical care, and when they feel they are in alliance with their physician, show results of the Coping With Cancer study.

18 Jul 2012

Cancer more likely in people with serious mental illnesses

People with serious mental illness —schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and disabling depression — are 2.6 times more likely to develop cancer than the general population, new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

18 Jul 2012

Applying more stringent ozone standards would minimize premature mortality and morbidity

Establishing a more stringent ozone standard in the U.S. would significantly reduce ozone-related premature mortality and morbidity, according to a new study published online July 18 in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

18 Jul 2012

Interferon beta not associated with less progression of disability in patients with RRMS

Among patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), treatment with the widely-prescribed drug to treat MS, interferon beta, was not associated with less progression of disability, according to a study in the July 18 issue of JAMA.

18 Jul 2012

State roundup: Mass. to allow coupons for some branded drugs

Johns Hopkins Hospital lost its coveted spot as the nation's top-ranked hospital for the first time in 22 years, edged out by Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital in the latest analysis by U.S. News & World Report to be released Tuesday. Hopkins still ranked No. 2, and marketing experts said falling one spot will hurt the hospital's ego more than its reputation.

18 Jul 2012

Simple shoe insole can improve posture in post-stroke patients

A stroke can weaken one side of the body, raising the dangerous possibility of unstable walking and debilitating falls. Physical therapy can help patients learn to shift their body weight slightly to the weaker, stroke-affected side to help regain balance, but for some patients, the weakness returns after their therapy ends.

18 Jul 2012

U.S. News & World Report names UCLA Medical Center among 2012 America's Best Hospitals

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center ranks among the top five American hospitals, according to a U.S. News & World Report survey that reviewed patient-outcomes data, reputation among physicians and other care-related factors.

18 Jul 2012

VOA examines maternal mortality in South Sudan one year after independence

"A year after independence, South Sudan is still battling a lack of staff and resources as it tries to end its distinction of having the highest maternal mortality rate in the world," VOA News reports.

18 Jul 2012

Study: Medicare payment adjustments could take toll on safety net hospitals

A change in Medicare hospital payments, which is based on quality and scheduled to kick in this October, could add to the financial problems faced by facilities that treat largely the poor and uninsured.

18 Jul 2012

PPAHS releases safety checklist that targets Patient-Controlled Analgesia

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS), an advocacy group devoted to improving patient health and safety, today announced the release of a concise checklist that reminds caregivers of the essential steps needed to be taken to initiate Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) with a patient and to continue to assess that patient's use of PCA.

18 Jul 2012

Va. AG Cuccinelli clashes with state Board of Health over abortion clinic regulations

The attorney general maintains that the board went beyond its authority by removing a provision from the regulations that would have required existing clinics to meet new hospital construction standards. Also in Virginia, Gov. Bob McDonnell appointed an anti-abortion physician to the board of health. Meanwhile, in other state news, Planned Parenthood has filed suit against Arizona.

18 Jul 2012

Three outstanding young scientists named July 2012 Damon Runyon-Sohn Fellows

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Sohn Conference Foundation have named three outstanding young scientists as the first-ever Damon Runyon-Sohn Pediatric Cancer Research Fellows, committing more than half a million dollars to help address a critical shortage of funding for pediatric cancer research.

18 Jul 2012

U.S. News & World Report names Mayo Clinic among 2012 America's Best Hospitals

Mayo Clinic ranked near the top of the 23rd U.S. News & World Report annual America's Best Hospital list, earning the No. 3 overall spot on its "Best Hospitals" list. Mayo Clinic in Rochester also was rated best in the nation in three clinical areas -- gynecology, diabetes and endocrinology, and gastroenterology.

18 Jul 2012

Normalizing weight helps girls with eating disorders improve essential fatty acid status

A study of teenage girls with eating disorders has shown that reduced essential fatty acid levels returned to normal once the girls increased their weight to a healthy level.

18 Jul 2012

Medica releases EasyCell solution for hematology laboratories

Medica Corporation, a provider of easy-to-use, low-cost blood testing analyzers, announced today the global release of its EasyCell assistant cell image analyzer for hematology laboratories.

From Medica Corporation 18 Jul 2012

Marijuana use prior to pregnancy can increase risk of preterm birth

A large international study led by University of Adelaide researchers has found that women who use marijuana can more than double the risk of giving birth to a baby prematurely.

18 Jul 2012

Adding stroke severity in hospital mortality model may improve prediction of death risk

Adding stroke severity to a hospital 30-day mortality model based on claims data for Medicare beneficiaries with acute ischemic stroke was associated with improvement in predicting the risk of death at 30 days and changes in performance ranking regarding mortality for a considerable proportion of hospitals, according to a study in the July 18 issue of JAMA.

18 Jul 2012

Researchers uncover mechanism by which aging may weaken immune response

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have uncovered one of the mechanisms by which aging may compromise the ability of the immune system to fight infections and respond to vaccines.

18 Jul 2012

Memantine boosts memory function in people with Down syndrome

Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found a drug that boosts memory function in those with Down syndrome, a major milestone in the treatment of this genetic disorder that could significantly improve quality of life.

18 Jul 2012