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Common marker can help identify patients at high risk for deadly cardiac events

A marker commonly used to determine if a patient is having a heart attack can also be used to identify stable patients at high risk for deadly cardiac events, according to a new study led by investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

13 Aug 2015

Testosterone administration not associated with atherosclerosis progression among older men

Among older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone administration for 3 years compared with placebo did not result in a significant difference in the rates of change in atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of artery walls), nor was it associated with improved overall sexual function or health-related quality of life, according to a study in the August 11 issue of JAMA.

12 Aug 2015

TEAAM trial finds that testosterone has no effect on atherosclerosis progression

Testosterone sales have grown rapidly over the last decade, but few studies have examined the long-term effects of taking testosterone on cardiovascular health and other important outcomes. This week, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital report the results of the Testosterone's Effects on Atherosclerosis Progression in Aging Men (TEAAM) trial in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

12 Aug 2015

Mount Sinai launches clinical trial to test effectiveness of ticagrelor drug in treating coronary stent patients

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has launched an international clinical trial called TWILIGHT to test the safety and effectiveness of treating coronary stent patients with the anti-clotting medication ticagrelor alone, instead of combining it with aspirin, which is the current standard of care. Researchers will analyze the potential benefits of administering ticagrelor to reduce clotting while at the same time reducing the risk of bleeding associated with the use of both medications.

12 Aug 2015

Sexting, Internet safety climb higher on list of major health concerns for children

With more kids online and using cell phones at increasingly younger ages, two issues have quickly climbed higher on the public's list of major health concerns for children across the U.S: sexting and Internet safety.

11 Aug 2015

ONR holds workshop to discuss impact of sleep deprivation on warfighters

Americans are famously hard chargers who usually don't get enough shut-eye. That's particularly true in military ranks, where operational tempo is fast paced and mission completion paramount. Sleep can become a casualty, and fatigue too often a reality.

11 Aug 2015

Early exposure to repetitive head impacts linked to later life structural brain changes among former NFL players

Former National Football League (NFL) players who started playing tackle football before the age of 12 were found to have a higher risk of altered brain development compared to those who started playing at a later age. The study is the first to demonstrate a link between early exposure to repetitive head impacts and later life structural brain changes.

11 Aug 2015

Major gaps found in existing evidence for best practices for cleaning hospital room surfaces to prevent HAIs

Tray tables, bed rails, light switches, and toilets: All are common vectors for swapping germs between patients and health care workers. While a new systematic overview in this week's Annals of Internal Medicine points to several promising cleaning tactics of these "high-touch surfaces," there's a lack of evidence as to which is the most effective at reducing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

11 Aug 2015

Researchers identify first gene that causes common form of mitral valve prolapse

An international research collaboration led by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified the first gene in which mutations cause the common form of mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a heart valve disorder that affects almost 2.5 percent of the population.

11 Aug 2015

CRI to honor three scientists for contributions to immunology and cancer immunotherapy research

The Cancer Research Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fueling the discovery and development of immunotherapies for all forms of cancer, will bestow its highest honors on three scientists who have made fundamental contributions to the fields of immunology and cancer immunotherapy.

10 Aug 2015

BMC partners with RIH, CVS to support pharmacy-based naloxone rescue kits to help combat opioid addiction, overdose

Boston Medical Center has received a $1.3 million grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to support a demonstration project of pharmacy-based naloxone rescue kits to help reduce opioid addiction and overdose death in two New England States: Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

7 Aug 2015

Scientists publish new important clues about marrow fat

While most of us worry about the fat cells building up on the fleshy parts of our bodies, scientists have started to pay serious attention to another kind of fat cell deep inside our bones, in what's called the marrow.

7 Aug 2015

Investigational topical drug shows promise in patients with early stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma

Results of a phase one trial show that an investigational topical drug, resiquimod gel, causes regression of both treated and untreated tumor lesions and may completely remove cancerous cells from both sites in patients with early stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) - a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects the skin.

7 Aug 2015

BIDMC scientists discover new vitamin B3 pathway that regulates liver metabolism

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have identified a new vitamin B3 pathway that regulates liver metabolism. The discovery provides an opportunity to pursue the development of novel drug therapies to address obesity, type 2 diabetes and related metabolic diseases.

7 Aug 2015

New fly model developed to study motor neuron degeneration

Researchers at the Babraham Institute and University of Massachusetts Medical School in the United States have developed a new model to study motor neuron degeneration and have used this to identify three genes involved in the neurodegeneration process. These findings could have relevance for understanding the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other forms of motor neuron disease (MND).

7 Aug 2015

Discovery may lead to new ways to diagnose, treat brain cancer

Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have uncovered a link between the genomes of cells originating in the neural crest and development of tumors — a discovery that could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat cancer.

6 Aug 2015

Penn researchers identify major genetic factor that keeps moles in non-cancerous, no-growth state

Moles are benign tumors found on the skin of almost every adult. Scientists have known for years that a mutation in the BRAF gene makes them start growing, but until now haven't understood why they stop. Now, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a major genetic factor that keeps moles in their usual non-cancerous, no-growth state.

6 Aug 2015

Diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to depression risk in postmenopausal women

A diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk for new-onset depression in postmenopausal women, according to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

6 Aug 2015

Penn research reveals additional pathway for origin of colon cancer

Cancer researchers already know of some oncogenes and other factors that promote the development of colon cancers, but they don't yet have the full picture of how these cancers originate and spread. Now researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have illuminated another powerful factor in this process.

6 Aug 2015

New biosensors detect efficient microbial workers that produce chemical, pharmaceutical commodities

Super productive factories of the future could employ fleets of genetically engineered bacterial cells, such as common E. coli, to produce valuable chemical commodities in an environmentally friendly way.

5 Aug 2015

Medical School News and Research

Common marker can help identify patients at high risk for deadly cardiac events

Testosterone administration not associated with atherosclerosis progression among older men

TEAAM trial finds that testosterone has no effect on atherosclerosis progression

Mount Sinai launches clinical trial to test effectiveness of ticagrelor drug in treating coronary stent patients

Sexting, Internet safety climb higher on list of major health concerns for children

ONR holds workshop to discuss impact of sleep deprivation on warfighters

Early exposure to repetitive head impacts linked to later life structural brain changes among former NFL players

Major gaps found in existing evidence for best practices for cleaning hospital room surfaces to prevent HAIs

Researchers identify first gene that causes common form of mitral valve prolapse

CRI to honor three scientists for contributions to immunology and cancer immunotherapy research

BMC partners with RIH, CVS to support pharmacy-based naloxone rescue kits to help combat opioid addiction, overdose

Scientists publish new important clues about marrow fat

Investigational topical drug shows promise in patients with early stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma

BIDMC scientists discover new vitamin B3 pathway that regulates liver metabolism

New fly model developed to study motor neuron degeneration

Discovery may lead to new ways to diagnose, treat brain cancer

Penn researchers identify major genetic factor that keeps moles in non-cancerous, no-growth state

Diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to depression risk in postmenopausal women

Penn research reveals additional pathway for origin of colon cancer

New biosensors detect efficient microbial workers that produce chemical, pharmaceutical commodities

Improving healthcare sustainability through carbon data

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

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