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Medical school applicants anxious about new MCAT

One of the biggest hurdles that college students face if they want to go to medical school is the MCAT - the Medical College Admission Test. The one-day standardized multiple-choice exam, which takes more than five hours to complete, is required for admission to nearly all medical schools in the United States. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, more than 85,000 students take the MCAT each year.

16 Oct 2014

Patients with severe psoriasis more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension, shows research

Patients with more severe psoriasis are also more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension, according to new research by a team at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

16 Oct 2014

NIH presents 2014 New Innovator Award to Penn Medicine researcher

Roberto Bonasio, PhD, an assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a core member of the Penn Epigenetics Program is one of the recipients of a 2014 New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

16 Oct 2014

Study: Nursing home care quality not associated with risk of hospital readmission or death

Nursing home care quality does not impact the likelihood of patients being readmitted to the hospital or dying within 30 days of discharge from hospital to nursing home, according to a new analysis of Medicare data and nursing home performance measures by Penn Medicine researchers.

16 Oct 2014

New book offers advice on how to meet contraceptive needs of women with chronic medical problems

Women with chronic medical conditions can be at higher risk for complications during pregnancy and therefore require specialized preconception and contraceptive care and counseling. However, many medical providers are hesitant to prescribe contraception to these women due to concerns about the safety of various contraceptives with co-existing medical disorders.

16 Oct 2014

Research on zebrafish helps identify cause of unknown genetic disorder

Research in zebrafish has helped identify the cause of an unknown genetic disorder affecting a boy and two of his uncles, scientists report in an article published October 14 in the journal GENETICS.

16 Oct 2014

Children from lower-income families more likely to have complications following tonsillectomy

Removing a child's tonsils is one of the most common surgeries performed in the United States, with approximately 500,000 children undergoing the procedure each year. New research finds that children from lower-income families are more likely to have complications following the surgery.

16 Oct 2014

Scientists combine new type of nanoparticle with photodynamic therapy to kill cancer cells

An international group of scientists led by Gang Han, PhD, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has combined a new type of nanoparticle with an FDA-approved photodynamic therapy to effectively kill deep-set cancer cells in vivo with minimal damage to surrounding tissue and fewer side effects than chemotherapy. This promising new treatment strategy could expand the current use of photodynamic therapies to access deep-set cancer tumors.

16 Oct 2014

Massachusetts General Hospital installs Agfa HealthCare's direct radiography technologies

Agfa HealthCare announced today that Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School located in Boston Mass., installed several of Agfa HealthCare's direct radiography (DR) technologies to update their inpatient and outpatient facilities. The eight DX-D 100 mobile DR systems and eight DX-D 600 fully automated DR rooms replace previous technologies.

15 Oct 2014

Penn Medicine announces recipients of new Basser External Research Grant Program

The University of Pennsylvania's Basser Research Center for BRCA has announced $6.9 million to research teams both at Penn and at five other institutions across the United States, aimed at advancing the care of patients living with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations through multi-disciplinary collaboration.

15 Oct 2014

Mount Sinai Hospital first in nation to use drug-coated balloon to open blocked arteries in the leg

The Mount Sinai Hospital is first in the United States to use the first and only FDA-approved, drug-coated balloon to open blocked arteries in the leg.

15 Oct 2014

Researchers discover new kind of stem cell that may hold clues to origins of liver cancer

A Mount Sinai-led research team has discovered a new kind of stem cell that can become either a liver cell or a cell that lines liver blood vessels, according to a study published today in the journal Stem Cell Reports. The existence of such a cell type contradicts current theory on how organs arise from cell layers in the embryo, and may hold clues to origins of, and future treatment for, liver cancer.

15 Oct 2014

Systematic review finds higher levels of multimorbidity in women

In the context of an aging population, the number of cases of people with multimorbidity, or multiple health conditions, is increasing, creating significant healthcare challenges. Now, the first comprehensive systematic review in this field has found higher levels of multimorbidity in women. Equally as importantly, it has revealed the poor quality of evidence on this increasingly critical area of healthcare.

15 Oct 2014

Early childhood neglect associated with changes in brain structure

Under the rule of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, thousands of Romanian children were placed in overcrowded orphanages with bleak conditions and minimal human contact. Even after the 1989 revolution, the legacy of institutionalization continued. Only recently has research and public concern over early childhood environments caused changes in policies.

14 Oct 2014

UMMS, UMMSM researchers identify key genetic pathway underlying bipolar disorder

A team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have identified what is likely a key genetic pathway underlying bipolar (manic depressive) disorder, a breakthrough that could lead to better drugs for treating bipolar affective disorder, as well as depression and other related mood disorders.

14 Oct 2014

Most surgical patients lack knowledge about roles of physician anesthesiologists

Most surgical patients know a physician anesthesiologist will "put them to sleep," but what they don't realize is that this medical doctor plays a major role in preparing them for the operation. Just as important, these physicians keep them safe and preserve their health during surgery and help them recover as quickly and as comfortably as possible, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2014 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2014

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

A new guideline from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology recommends guidance on how doctors should evaluate the full picture—from symptoms, family history, and ethnicity, to a physical exam and certain lab test results—in order to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

14 Oct 2014

Improper splinting can lead to swelling and other skin complications

More than 90 percent of potential pediatric fractures are splinted improperly in emergency rooms and urgent care centers, which can lead to swelling and skin injuries, according to a study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

14 Oct 2014

New culture system confirms amyloid theory, can revolutionize drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease

An innovative laboratory culture system has succeeded, for the first time, in reproducing the full course of events underlying the development of Alzheimer's disease.

13 Oct 2014

Wireless Health 2014 international conference to highlight latest developments in mobile health

From the benefits of wearable devices for remote patient monitoring to opportunities for big-data applications to a changing regulatory environment, the Wireless Health 2014 international conference here Oct. 29 – 31 aims to disseminate the latest advances and promising prospective developments in mobile health.

13 Oct 2014

Medical School News and Research

Medical school applicants anxious about new MCAT

Patients with severe psoriasis more likely to have uncontrolled hypertension, shows research

NIH presents 2014 New Innovator Award to Penn Medicine researcher

Study: Nursing home care quality not associated with risk of hospital readmission or death

New book offers advice on how to meet contraceptive needs of women with chronic medical problems

Research on zebrafish helps identify cause of unknown genetic disorder

Children from lower-income families more likely to have complications following tonsillectomy

Scientists combine new type of nanoparticle with photodynamic therapy to kill cancer cells

Massachusetts General Hospital installs Agfa HealthCare's direct radiography technologies

Penn Medicine announces recipients of new Basser External Research Grant Program

Mount Sinai Hospital first in nation to use drug-coated balloon to open blocked arteries in the leg

Researchers discover new kind of stem cell that may hold clues to origins of liver cancer

Systematic review finds higher levels of multimorbidity in women

Early childhood neglect associated with changes in brain structure

UMMS, UMMSM researchers identify key genetic pathway underlying bipolar disorder

Most surgical patients lack knowledge about roles of physician anesthesiologists

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

Improper splinting can lead to swelling and other skin complications

New culture system confirms amyloid theory, can revolutionize drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease

Wireless Health 2014 international conference to highlight latest developments in mobile health

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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