Nephrology News and Research

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Nephrology is a branch of internal medicine and pediatrics dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.

HUP launches Penn Hand Transplant Program

The Penn Transplant Institute, the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and the Division of Plastic Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) have collaborated to form the Penn Hand Transplant Program.

15 Dec 2010

German Research Foundation opens four new research units

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is establishing four new Research Units. The decision was made by the DFG Senate at its December session in Bonn. The establishment of the Research Units will enable researchers to explore prevailing topical questions and generate new approaches in their respective fields.

15 Dec 2010

FP/TMEM127 gene germline mutations associated with adrenal gland tumors

Analysis has identified variations of a gene that are associated with a type of tumor that forms within the adrenal gland, according a study in the December 15 issue of JAMA. The age group in which these variations were found are frequently excluded from genetic screening models for this type of tumor.

15 Dec 2010

Davita launches online tool for dialysis patients

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease, today announced the launch of MyDaVita, an online tool intended to help patients connect with one another for friendship, support and educational information.

15 Dec 2010

Two patients receive first kidney transplants through OPTN national program

A man in St. Louis and a woman in New Hampshire have received the first kidney transplants made possible through a new national program of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network that uses a Carnegie Mellon University computer algorithm to match transplant candidates with living donors.

14 Dec 2010

Drug to reverse immunological decline in aging

UCSF researchers have identified an existing medication that restores key elements of the immune system that, when out of balance, lead to a steady decline in immunity and health as people age.

14 Dec 2010

Research: Kidney disease caused by autoimmune disease lupus may be twice as lethal in children

Kidney disease caused by the autoimmune disease lupus may be twice as lethal in children as kidney disease caused by other disorders, according to research led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center investigators.

13 Dec 2010

Prostate cancer study identifies 295 genes associated with clinical recurrence following radical prostatectomy

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced the first results of a large prostate cancer study that identified 295 genes strongly associated with clinical recurrence following radical prostatectomy. Top-line findings from this study, which applied the same RT-PCR technology used in Genomic Health's Oncotype DX® breast and colon cancer tests, will be presented today at the Society for Urologic Oncology (SUO) annual meeting.

13 Dec 2010

UAB researchers pinpoint protein that causes nephrotic syndrome

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have pinpointed a protein that compromises the kidney's filtering ability, causing nephrotic syndrome, and demonstrated that a naturally occurring precursor of an acid in the body offers potential for treating some forms of the condition.

13 Dec 2010

New challenges to FDA's 'no risk' classification of mercury fillings

FDA Device Division, still concerned about mercury toxicity in American dentistry, is convening yet another professional panel review regarding safety issues. A nationwide convergence of scientists, dental and medical professionals, lead by the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT) are provoking new challenges to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) July'09 "no risk" classification of mercury fillings .

10 Dec 2010

OPTN arranges first paired donation of living donor kidneys

Kathy Niedzwiecki of Pelham, NH, and Ken Crowder of St. Louis are experiencing renewed life and health thanks to the generosity of two living kidney donors.

10 Dec 2010

Low phosphate diets may increase dialysis patients' risk of premature death

Doctors often ask kidney disease patients on dialysis to limit the amount of phosphate they consume in their diets, but this does not help prolong their lives, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

10 Dec 2010

Exercise can help prevent or manage diabetes, boost quality of life: New guidelines

New guidelines on exercise for people with diabetes are likely to open some eyes — and, for those who follow them, help prevent or manage diabetes, improve overall health and boost quality of life. A panel of nine experts developed the recommendations, published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

10 Dec 2010

Mortality is higher in for-profit than non-profit dialysis centers, says study

If you need dialysis for advanced kidney disease, where you get it could make a big difference. A large study found that patients in certain large chain facilities are significantly more likely to die than those treated elsewhere. Mortality was also higher in for-profit than non-profit dialysis centers.

9 Dec 2010

MassMutual broadens life insurance underwriting guidelines for prostate cancer survivors

Building on a long-standing commitment to helping people before, during and after a cancer diagnosis, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has broadened its life insurance underwriting guidelines for prostate cancer survivors.

8 Dec 2010

Lung transplant saves economist from near-lethal bout of swine flu

According to the critical care experts at The Johns Hopkins Hospital who treated him, Allen Bagents, 24, of Arlington, Va., is the least likely person anyone ever expects to get sick, let alone suffer a six-week, potentially fatal bout with the swine flu, better known as H1N1 influenza.

8 Dec 2010

Detection of blood biomarker cTnT associated with structural heart disease

With the use of a highly sensitive test, detection of the blood biomarker cardiac troponin T, a cardiac-specific protein, is associated with structural heart disease and an increased risk of all-cause death, according to a study in the December 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Dec 2010

Video games effective in improving diet behaviors of children

Obesity in youngsters has risen dramatically in recent decades. Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and increased water intake can lower the risk of obesity, as can increased physical activity, but it is not always easy to convince children to eat better and exercise more. In a new study published in the January 2011 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that video games designed to encourage these behaviors were effective.

8 Dec 2010

Reduced salt intake prevents serious threats in diabetic patients

For patients living with diabetes, reducing the amount of salt in their daily diet is key to warding off serious threats to their health, a new review of studies finds.

8 Dec 2010

32% of UAE residents could have diabetes or prediabetes by 2020

One in three United Arab Emirates (UAE) residents could have diabetes or prediabetes by the end of the decade, according to a new analysis from international health and well-being company UnitedHealth Group, released today at the World Health Care Congress Middle East meeting in Abu Dhabi.

7 Dec 2010