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Experts blaze TRAIL for pulmonary arterial hypertension therapy

Researchers have shown that the cell signaling molecule tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand may be a potential therapeutic target for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

16 Oct 2012

Major academic medical centers, teaching hospitals to form Chicago Adult Congenital Heart Network

Seven major academic medical centers and teaching hospitals in the Chicago area have joined together to form the Chicago Adult Congenital Heart Network (CATCH), which is the first patient-centered, inter-institutional network in Chicago established to ensure all adults with congenital heart disease in the area receive appropriate follow-up care.

16 Oct 2012

Language, ethnicity play a role in postoperative behavioral change among chidlren

A study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2012 annual meeting found children's negative behavioral change after surgery differs among Spanish- and English-speaking White and Hispanic families.

16 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 16, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a study regarding the possible impact of premium support on Medicare premiums.

16 Oct 2012

LRRK2 inhibitors may provide neuroprotection for patients with Parkinson's

For decades, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have had the same experience. Their hands start to shake uncontrollably, their limbs become rigid and they lose their balance. Years before those movement problems set in, many begin struggling with fainting, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and depression. Many patients are still treated with a 42-year-old drug called L-DOPA, which temporarily staves off symptoms but can itself cause heart arrhythmias, stomach bleeding and hallucinations.

16 Oct 2012

Transcranial magnetic stimulation can benefit patients with depression, debilitating tinnitus

Three patients who have suffered periodic major depression throughout their adult lives told an audience attending a Loyola Grand Rounds presentation how their lives have been transformed by a new magnetic therapy.

16 Oct 2012

U-M professor receives 2012 ASA Excellence in Research Award

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) today presented Ralph Lydic, Ph.D. with its 2012 ASA Excellence in Research Award. Dr. Lydic, well known for his research on the neurobiology of sleep and breathing, received the award at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2012 annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

16 Oct 2012

Fat cells need sleep to function properly: Study

In a study that challenges the long-held notion that the primary function of sleep is to give rest to the brain, researchers have found that not getting enough shut-eye has a harmful impact on fat cells, reducing by 30 percent their ability to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates energy.

16 Oct 2012

Flagellin in house dust may worsen allergic responses to inhaled substances

A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergic responses to indoor allergens, according to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and Duke University. The finding is the first to document the presence of the protein flagellin in house dust, bolstering the link between allergic asthma and the environment.

16 Oct 2012

Maryland scientists create stem cell model for Gaucher disease

A new method of using adult stem cells as a model for the hereditary condition Gaucher disease could help accelerate the discovery of new, more effective therapies for this and other conditions such as Parkinson's, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

16 Oct 2012

Major holidays associated with reduced number of suicide attempts by poisoning

A joint study by University of Cincinnati Department of Emergency Medicine and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center researchers has found that, in contrast to popular opinion, major holidays are associated with a lower number of suicide attempts by poisoning.

16 Oct 2012

Researchers discover why people exposed to war more likely to develop chronic diseases

Wayne State University School of Medicine researchers may have discovered why people exposed to war are at increased risk to develop chronic problems like heart disease years later. And the culprit that links the two is surprising.

16 Oct 2012

Hospital payments will soon be tied in part to patient satisfaction

The Wall Street Journal reports that, in the year ahead, nearly $1 billion in payments to hospitals will be based in part on patient satisfaction.

16 Oct 2012

Computerized checklist helps physicians to prevent dangerous venous thromboembolisms or PE

A computerized checklist system designed to help physicians identify and use the best methods of preventing potentially deadly blood clots in hospitalized trauma patients dramatically reduced the number of these dangerous venous thromboembolisms (VTEs), new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

16 Oct 2012

Hepatitis C rapid and point of care tests highly accurate and reliable

Timely screening and diagnosis is critical to the success of new treatments and ultimately to the survival of hepatitis C patients. A new study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) is the first to show that hepatitis C rapid and point of care tests with a quick turnaround time are highly accurate and reliable as conventional first-line laboratory tests.

16 Oct 2012

Accumulation of small genetic variations could increase risk of ASD

An increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) could result from an accumulation of many small, common genetic variations rather than large-effect, rare changes in the genetic code, according to a multicenter team led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

16 Oct 2012