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Depressed pregnant women at increased risk of delivering preterm birth and low-birth weight infants

Clinical depression puts pregnant women at increased risk of delivering prematurely and of giving birth to below-normal weight infants, according to a report published Oct. 4 in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

5 Oct 2010

Health industry funding more Republicans than Dems, anti-reform political activity ramps up

Politico: "A new portrait of the health industry landscape has begun to take shape, with some of those major players shifting their dollars from the very Democrats who passed the law they seemingly endorsed at the White House. The insurance industry, for instance, has consistently donated more to Republicans than to Democrats ever since August 2009."

4 Oct 2010

Non-reversible gastric bypass surgery linked to increased risk of fetal neural tube defects

An increasing number of obese adolescents, particularly females, are undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Yet a case study presented Sunday, Oct. 3, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, highlights the possible link between gastric bypass surgery in adolescent girls and an increased risk for neural tube defects, which can lead to varying degrees of disability such as paralysis and mental retardation due to damage to the nervous system, in their future children.

4 Oct 2010

Increase in unemployment rate linked to child maltreatment

The stresses of poverty have long been associated with child abuse and neglect. In a study presented Sunday, Oct. 3, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, researchers directly linked an increased unemployment rate to child maltreatment one year later.

4 Oct 2010

Puerto Rican's awarness of genetic testing high, but usage low

Awareness of genetic testing was higher among adults in Puerto Rico compared to previous U.S. population-based studies, while use of genetic testing was lower, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities, held Sept. 30 to Oct 3, 2010.

4 Oct 2010

Alexander Technique training program improves endurance and posture during surgery

A century-old posture improvement technique developed by Shakespearian actor F.M. Alexander to correct his chronic laryngitis appears to enhance the posture and proficiency of surgeons who perform minimally invasive procedures.

4 Oct 2010

Merck's boceprevir Phase III studies for HCV to be presented at 61st AASLD

Merck today announced that final results from two pivotal Phase III studies of boceprevir, its investigational oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor, will be presented in oral plenary sessions at the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), which is taking place from Oct. 29 through Nov. 2 in Boston. Results for boceprevir in response-guided therapy strategies, which evaluated treatment durations shorter than current standard therapy, will be presented during the meeting.

4 Oct 2010

Researchers identify ways to predict embryonic developmental success

Two-thirds of all human embryos fail to develop successfully. Now, in a new study, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that they can predict with 93 percent certainty which fertilized eggs will make it to a critical developmental milestone and which will stall and die. The findings are important to the understanding of the fundamentals of human development at the earliest stages, which have largely remained a mystery despite the attention given to human embryonic stem cell research.

4 Oct 2010

Fred Hutchinson Center offers research-based tip sheets on breast cancer

Throughout October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, experts from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and its clinical care partner, the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, are offering a series of weekly research-based tip sheets regarding a variety of topics related to breast cancer, including breast cancer prevention, screening and early detection, treatment, and survivorship.

4 Oct 2010

Inability to pay for pediatrician-recommended care is problem even in families with health insurance

One in eight parents reported that his or her child had not received pediatrician-recommended care - medication, laboratory testing and/or appointments with specialists - during the previous 12 months due to concerns over cost and payment, according to a study, presented Sunday, Oct. 3, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco.

4 Oct 2010

Researchers examine new genes to control mosquito-borne diseases

An Iowa State University researcher searched for new genes that are turned on during infection in a type of mosquito that is not only a pest, but transmits disease-causing pathogens.

4 Oct 2010

Researchers find STIM1 protein inhibits voltage-operated calcium channels

A calcium sensing protein, STIM1, known to activate store-operated calcium channels has been found to also inhibit voltage-operated calcium channels, according to researchers at Temple University.

4 Oct 2010

Researchers find link between arterial stiffness and diastolic function

Physicians have identified a risk factor for heart disease in adulthood that can be present in children as young as 10. They're also calling for screening for this risk factor to help motivate children to exercise and lose weight.

4 Oct 2010

Researchers discover new mechanism of DNA repair process

Tucked within its double-helix structure, DNA contains the chemical blueprint that guides all the processes that take place within the cell and are essential for life. Therefore, repairing damage and maintaining the integrity of its DNA is one of the cell's highest priorities.

4 Oct 2010

Environmental smoke exposure increases breast cancer risk among Mexican women

Mexican women who do not smoke but are exposed to smoking, known as environmental smoke exposure, are at three times higher risk for breast cancer than non-smoking women not exposed to passive smoking, according to findings presented at the Third AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, being held Sept. 30-Oct.3, 2010.

4 Oct 2010

Socioeconomic status impacts colorectal cancer incidence

People living in economically deprived neighborhoods were more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage, non-localized colorectal cancer, even after researchers controlled for known colorectal cancer risk factors, according to data presented at the Third American Association for Cancer Research Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities, being held Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2010.

4 Oct 2010

Healthy respect for flu this season

Flu season officially begins Friday, Oct. 1, and unlike last year's season when shortages lead to rationing, there will be plenty of vaccine on hand for everyone who wants a flu shot.

1 Oct 2010

Study examines link between insufficient sleep and blood pressure among pregnant women

A study in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Sleep found that getting too little or too much sleep in early pregnancy is associated with elevated blood pressure in the third trimester. The study suggests that improving prenatal sleep hygiene may provide important health benefits.

1 Oct 2010

New RF detection device may help eliminate retained surgical sponges in patients after surgical procedure

Using the same technology found in clothing tags used in retail store tracking systems, a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shows that surgical sponges with implanted radio frequency (RF) tags may be an effective adjunct to manual counting and X-ray detection in preventing sponges from being left behind in patients following a surgical procedure.

1 Oct 2010

Experts to discuss impact of health information technology on pediatric practice

David Blumenthal, MD, will discuss the impact of health information technology on pediatric practice during a "Pediatrics for the 21st Century" symposium at 1 p.m. PT Friday, Oct. 1, as part of the National Conference and Exhibition of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in San Francisco.

1 Oct 2010

OCT News and Research

Depressed pregnant women at increased risk of delivering preterm birth and low-birth weight infants

Health industry funding more Republicans than Dems, anti-reform political activity ramps up

Non-reversible gastric bypass surgery linked to increased risk of fetal neural tube defects

Increase in unemployment rate linked to child maltreatment

Puerto Rican's awarness of genetic testing high, but usage low

Alexander Technique training program improves endurance and posture during surgery

Merck's boceprevir Phase III studies for HCV to be presented at 61st AASLD

Researchers identify ways to predict embryonic developmental success

Fred Hutchinson Center offers research-based tip sheets on breast cancer

Inability to pay for pediatrician-recommended care is problem even in families with health insurance

Researchers examine new genes to control mosquito-borne diseases

Researchers find STIM1 protein inhibits voltage-operated calcium channels

Researchers find link between arterial stiffness and diastolic function

Researchers discover new mechanism of DNA repair process

Environmental smoke exposure increases breast cancer risk among Mexican women

Socioeconomic status impacts colorectal cancer incidence

Healthy respect for flu this season

Study examines link between insufficient sleep and blood pressure among pregnant women

New RF detection device may help eliminate retained surgical sponges in patients after surgical procedure

Experts to discuss impact of health information technology on pediatric practice

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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