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Discovery of pathway that reactivate myelin repair

UMDNJ researchers have identified a key pathway that could lead to new therapies to repair nerve cells' protective coating stripped away as a result of autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). An article reporting their findings will appear in the May 13 online edition of the Journal of Neuroscience.

12 May 2009

In retinal disease, sight may depend on second sites

If two people have the same genetic disease, why would one person go blind in childhood but the other later in life or not at all? For a group of genetic diseases - so-called ciliary diseases that include Bardet-Biedl syndrome, Meckel-Gruber syndrome, and Joubert syndrome - the answer lies in one gene that is already linked to two of these diseases and also seems to increase the risk of progressive blindness in patients with other ciliary diseases. The findings are published online this week at Nature Genetics.

12 May 2009

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

Hospitals' efforts to reduce the portion of patients who are readmitted for follow-up care are proving successful in many cases, but even though the moves often result in savings for insurers, the hospitals do not necessarily benefit financially, the New York Times reports. Because insurer payments are based on treatments provided rather than the health of patients, hospitals can "actually lose money by providing better care," the Times reports.

12 May 2009

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

A plan being developed by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) would give tax credits to employers offering wellness programs, such as periodic screenings for health problems and counseling, to encourage workers to adopt healthier lifestyles, the New York Times reports.

12 May 2009

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

Leading health care industry groups on Monday are expected to pledge to President Obama that they will attempt to reduce $2 trillion in expected health care spending increases over the next 10 years, Obama administration officials said on Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reports (Adamy, Wall Street Journal, 5/11).

12 May 2009

Botswana announce HIV-prevention project to circumcise 80% of eligible men over five years

Botswana's Ministry of Health is launching a project that aims to circumcise nearly 500,000 men over the next five years in an effort to prevent the spread of HIV, the AFP/Daily Telegraph reports.

12 May 2009

Omega-three fatty acid rich foods lower risk for eye disease

Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to two reports in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

12 May 2009

Children who suffer traumatic brain injuries experience lasting or late-appearing neuropsychological problems

In one study, a team of psychologists used a longitudinal approach to gain a better idea of what to expect after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The researchers found that severe TBI can cause many lasting problems with day-to-day functioning.

12 May 2009

More patients needed in clinical trials to find treatment for patent foramen ovale (PFO)

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology are calling on doctors to enroll more patients in clinical trials for catheter-based closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO), a condition caused when an opening between the two chambers of the heart fails to close at birth.

12 May 2009

Radical prostatectomy improves survival for prostate cancer patients younger than 50

For men younger than 50 with prostate cancer, undergoing a radical prostatectomy can greatly increase their chances for long-term survival, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital.

12 May 2009

Study finds child booster car seats not being used appropriately

While child booster car seat use has increased across the United States, many seats are improperly installed, leading to increased risk of serious injury for their little passengers.

11 May 2009

Swine flu now in 29 countries and continuing to spread

The latest update (# 24), from the World Health Organisation on influenza A H1N1 (swine flu) says as of the 10th May 2009, 29 countries have now officially reported cases of human infection.

11 May 2009

Australia's top medical experts throw their weight behind alcopops tax increase

Australia's top medical experts have called for the retention of the 'alcopops' tax and have wholeheartedly thrown their support behind the Federal Government's plans to reintroduce the tax.

11 May 2009

FDA approves Samsca tablets (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Samsca tablets (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia, an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood.

8 May 2009

Two government reports show little progress in improving patient safety; reducing racial, ethnic health disparities

The U.S. has not made substantial improvement in narrowing health care disparities among racial and ethnic groups, nor has it improved quality of care, according to two Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports released on Wednesday by HHS, Politico reports (Allen, Politico, 5/6).

7 May 2009

Sen. Grassley says he is confident President Obama wants bipartisan agreement on health reform

Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Wednesday said that President Obama during a lunch meeting to discuss plans to proceed with health care reform legislation indicated that he favors a bipartisan solution, the Des Moines Register reports.

7 May 2009

Hospital News and Research

Discovery of pathway that reactivate myelin repair

In retinal disease, sight may depend on second sites

Hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions not recognized under current payment model

Lawmakers considering changing tax rules to allow employers to encourage wellness, prevention among workers

Health industry members vow to reduce spending by $2 trillion over next 10 years; savings could help finance reform

Botswana announce HIV-prevention project to circumcise 80% of eligible men over five years

Omega-three fatty acid rich foods lower risk for eye disease

Children who suffer traumatic brain injuries experience lasting or late-appearing neuropsychological problems

More patients needed in clinical trials to find treatment for patent foramen ovale (PFO)

Radical prostatectomy improves survival for prostate cancer patients younger than 50

Study finds child booster car seats not being used appropriately

Swine flu now in 29 countries and continuing to spread

Australia's top medical experts throw their weight behind alcopops tax increase

FDA approves Samsca tablets (tolvaptan) to treat hyponatremia

Two government reports show little progress in improving patient safety; reducing racial, ethnic health disparities

Sen. Grassley says he is confident President Obama wants bipartisan agreement on health reform

Africa prepares for possible H1N1 flu outbreak amid concerns about HIV/AIDS, other diseases

British scientists win grant to develop hand-held self-monitoring test for HIV viral loads

New device for patients too sick for open-heart surgery

Home versus outpatient ultraviolet B phototherapy for mild to severe psoriasis

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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