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Medi-Cal benefits eliminated a decade ago, such as foot care and eyeglasses, are back

San Diego podiatrist Dr. John Chisholm recalls the jolt some of his patients felt in 2009 when Medi-Cal, the government-funded health insurance in California for low-income people, eliminated coverage for podiatry care and several other benefits for adults due to a massive budget shortfall engendered by the Great Recession.

27 Jan 2020

Medtronic: RCT demonstrates profound back pain relief with DTM therapy

Medtronic plc today announced three-month results from a large, multicenter randomized controlled trial showing statistically significant (p=0.0009) and superior back pain relief with Differential Target Multiplexed (DTM) Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) compared to conventional SCS.

From Medtronic 27 Jan 2020

Robotic heart to replace human transplants on the horizon

Scientists are working to end the need for human heart transplants by 2028. A team of researchers in the UK, Cambridge, and the Netherlands are developing a robot heart that can pump blood through the circulatory network but is soft and pliable. The first working model should be ready for implantation into animals within the next 3 years, and into humans within the next 8 years.

26 Jan 2020

Puberty blockers reduce suicidal ideations among transgender teens

Transgender teens have a higher risk of having suicidal ideations, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A new study suggests that having access to puberty blockers can significantly reduce the risk of suicide and other mental health issues.

26 Jan 2020

A microdose lithium formulation could halt signs of Alzheimer's pathology

There remains a controversy in scientific circles today regarding the value of lithium therapy in treating Alzheimer's disease.

24 Jan 2020

Data from high-quality registries to be considered in benefit assessment of drugs

Particularly in the case of accelerated drug approvals and drugs for rare diseases (orphan drugs), the evidence available at the time of market access is often insufficient for the early benefit assessment of drugs.

24 Jan 2020

Determining Microsatellite Instability Status Using Multiplex PCR-Based Methods

Determining microsatellite instability status using multiplex PCR-based methods used to screen for Lynch Syndrome, a dominant hereditary cancer propensity.

From Promega Corporation 24 Jan 2020

Non-hormonal options are effective in treating menopause symptoms

The classic symptoms of menopause – hot flashes, sleeplessness, and vaginal dryness – have typically been treated with estrogen therapy. Studies published today report that non-hormonal options are effective, too.

24 Jan 2020

Opioid dependence produces permanent changes in the brains of rats

Approximately one-quarter of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them, with five to 10 percent developing an opioid use disorder or addiction.

24 Jan 2020

30-year study of MSUD highlights critical need for more effective disease-modifying therapies

A new study analyzes 30 years of patient data and details the clinical course of 184 individuals with genetically diverse forms of Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), which is among the most volatile and dangerous inherited metabolic disorders.

24 Jan 2020

Majority of people knowingly use fentanyl, UBC research shows

Fentanyl use by people who use drugs has doubled since 2015, and two-thirds of people are aware they've taken it, finds new research out of British Columbia, the Canadian province that has experienced the highest number of illicit drug toxicity deaths as a result of the opioid crisis.

24 Jan 2020

Horseback riding along with brain-building tasks can benefit children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Therapeutic horseback riding combined with brain-building exercises can improve the dexterity, coordination and strength of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, shows a study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.

24 Jan 2020

Study reveals new "crosstalk" between intestinal microbes and developing thymic cells

Newborns face unique immunological challenges immediately after birth. As they depart a relatively sterile fetal environment, they are abruptly exposed to a multitude of foreign antigens, the major burden of which is in the form of the microbiota newly colonizing the gastrointestinal tract.

24 Jan 2020

Healing and hope for families affected by fragile X in Eastern Europe

Mothers and fathers and their young children crowded into an old, government-run children's hospital in Belgrade, Serbia, colorful, cartoonish drawings covering its hallway walls. Parents struggled to soothe their anxious, wriggly boys and girls. But they were patient, polite. It was, after all, a day unlike any other. A day for hope.

23 Jan 2020

Diabetes-related proteins seen in high-res for the first time

A team of researchers have reported, in an exciting study published in the journal Nature Communications, that they were able to examine an important receptor at high definition for the first time. This detailed visualization has helped them greatly to understand its mechanism of functioning. This could help develop better ways to treat Type 2 diabetes mellitus as well as other conditions.

23 Jan 2020

Lung microbes could help predict outcomes in the seriously ill

A new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine shows that recording the way the organisms living within the lungs change in type and numbers could reflect the response of the critically ill patient to medical care. Though changes in the lung microbiome have been known to exist even before this study, this research shows the clinical importance of this test.

23 Jan 2020

Elagolix drug suppresses ovarian hormone production, prevents heavy menstrual bleeding

About 50 % of women with uterine fibroids--non-cancerous muscle tumors that grow in the uterus--experience heavy menstrual bleeding and other symptoms. Surgery is commonly recommended when these symptoms are severe enough to prompt a woman to seek treatment.

23 Jan 2020

Scientists use human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons

Researchers at the University of Sydney have used human stem cells to make pain-killing neurons that provide lasting relief in mice, without side effects, in a single treatment.

23 Jan 2020

Researchers identify novel cellular entry factor for AAV vector types

Researchers led by a team at Massachusetts Eye and Ear have identified a novel cellular entry factor for adeno-associated virus vector (AAV) types--the most commonly used viral vectors for in vivo gene therapy. AAVs are vectors-or vehicles--that are created from a virus that is made harmless by molecular engineering, and have shown promise transporting genetic therapy treatments to affected tissues.

23 Jan 2020

Treatment for low back pain in older adults does not match guidelines

Many Medicare patients with new episodes of low back pain receive care inconsistent with current guidelines - including high use of opioids and advanced imaging tests, reports a study in the February issue of Medical Care.

23 Jan 2020