Medicine News and Research

RSS

GUMC receives NIH grant to establish Center of Excellence for Health Disparities

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a $6.1 million grant over the next five years to Georgetown University Medical Center to establish the Center of Excellence for Health Disparities in Our Nation's Capital.

27 Jun 2012

Study investigates how glucose metabolism affects biochemical signals in cancer cells

Compared to normal cells, cancer cells have a prodigious appetite for glucose, the result of a shift in cell metabolism known as aerobic glycolysis or the "Warburg effect." Researchers focusing on this effect as a possible target for cancer therapies have examined how biochemical signals present in cancer cells regulate the altered metabolic state.

27 Jun 2012

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator discusses lessons learned from U.S. response to HIV/AIDS worldwide

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby "discussed lessons learned from the U.S. response to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic over the past decade at an event hosted by the Brookings Institute Monday morning," the Center for Global Health Policy's "Science Speaks" blog reports.

27 Jun 2012

Oxford University Press launches PASSit for medical community

Royal College exams are a critical hurdle in a doctor's career. Oxford University Press is pleased to be launching PASSit, an online service which will meet doctors' demands for high quality exam revision tools on their PCs and tablets.

27 Jun 2012

Women with PCOS and sleep apnea more likely to develop prediabetes

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who also have obstructive sleep apnea have at least three times the risk of having prediabetes compared with women who do not have PCOS, according to a new study.

27 Jun 2012

Study: Moderate coffee intake reduces risk of heart failure

While current American Heart Association heart failure prevention guidelines warn against habitual coffee consumption, some studies propose a protective benefit, and still others find no association at all. Amidst this conflicting information, research from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center attempts to shift the conversation from a definitive yes or no, to a question of how much.

27 Jun 2012

Study finds increase in incidence of gout and hyperuricemia in the U.S.

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that the incidence of gout and hyperuricemia (high uric acid levels) in the U.S. has risen significantly over the last 20 years and is associated with major medical disorders like hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

27 Jun 2012

Prenatal exposure to BPA appears to program uterine estrogen responsiveness in adulthood

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical found in many common plastic household items, can cause numerous genes in the uterus to respond differently to estrogen in adulthood, according to a study using a mouse model. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

27 Jun 2012

Vitamin D and calcium supplements could increase risk of kidney stones

Calcium and vitamin D supplements are associated with high calcium levels in the blood and urine, which could increase the risk of kidney stones, a new study finds. The results will be presented Tuesday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

27 Jun 2012

Research reveals benefits of exercise in combating Alzheimer's disease

In a recent Journal of Biological Chemistry "Paper of the Week," research led by Ayae Kinoshita at the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan reveals the benefits of exercise in combating Alzheimer's disease.

27 Jun 2012

Link between bacterial vaginosis and female-to-male HIV transmission risk

An investigation led by UCSF has found that the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission is increased three fold for women with bacterial vaginosis, a common disorder in which the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted.

27 Jun 2012

DHA and curcumin preserve walking ability in rats with spinal-cord injury

UCLA researchers discovered that a diet enriched with a popular omega-3 fatty acid and an ingredient of curry spice preserved walking ability in rats with spinal-cord injury. Published June 26 in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, the findings suggest that these dietary supplements help repair nerve cells and maintain neurological function after degenerative damage to the neck.

27 Jun 2012

Astellas submits enzalutamide MAA with EMA for treatment of CRPC

Today, Astellas Pharma Inc. announces the submission of a European marketing authorisation application to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for enzalutamide for the treatment of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have been previously treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy.

27 Jun 2012

Medela, King West Pictures and NWMMB partner to increase awareness of human milk banks

Medela, Inc., today announced a partnership with King West Pictures and the Northwest Mothers Milk Bank (NWMMB) to increase awareness of human milk banks and the value of breastmilk feeding, especially for preterm babies. The collaborators will launch the film screening series this summer to showcase families helping to provide the life-saving benefits of breastmilk including to preterm babies in neonatal intensive care units.

27 Jun 2012

MRI scans determine whether chemotherapy is working long before tumors shrink

Studies on some 55 U.S. men and women with potentially deadly liver or pancreatic cancers show that specialized MRI scans can tell within a month whether highly toxic chemotherapy is working and killing tumor cells long before tumors actually shrink – or fail to shrink.

26 Jun 2012

Molecular determinant of implantation success uncovered

A signaling sequence initiated by the embryo and hinging on the epithelial Na+ channel leads to successful implantation, researchers report in Nature Medicine.

26 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 26, 2012

Today's headlines include reports setting the scene for Thursday's Supreme Court decision that will determine the health law's future.

26 Jun 2012

Age at which ADHD children begin taking medication influences academic progress

A team of researchers led by an epidemiologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and University of Iceland has found a correlation between the age at which children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) begin taking medication, and how well they perform on standardized tests, particularly in math.

26 Jun 2012

Investigational parathyroid hormone replacement effectively treats hypoparathyroidism

An investigational parathyroid hormone replacement effectively treated a rare disorder characterized by low calcium and high phosphate levels in the blood, a new study finds. The results will be presented Saturday at The Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

26 Jun 2012

Nanoparticles that can slip through mucus barriers shown to protect against herpes infections

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have demonstrated, for the first time in animals, that nanoparticles can slip through mucus to deliver drugs directly to tissue surfaces in need of protection. The researchers used these mucus-penetrating particles (MPPs) to protect against vaginal herpes infections in mice and the goal is to create similar MPPs to deliver drugs that protect humans against sexually transmitted diseases or even treat cancer.

26 Jun 2012