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Metallic copper surfaces kill bacteria on contact

Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, says the study's corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.

17 Feb 2011

Researchers develop new pneumococcal vaccine through novel discovery approach

Pneumococcus accounts for as much as 11 percent of mortality in young children worldwide. While successful vaccines like Prevnar exist, they are expensive and only work against specific pneumococcal strains, with the risk of becoming less effective as new strains emerge.

17 Feb 2011

Continued smoking during radiation treatment for head and neck cancer affects prognosis

Smokers who continue to smoke while undergoing radiation treatments for head and neck cancer fare significantly worse than those who quit smoking before therapy, according to a study in the February issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

17 Feb 2011

Children with chronic health conditions may face increased risk of physical abuse

Children with chronic health conditions are 88% more likely to suffer physical abuse than healthy children, according to research in the March issue of Acta Paediatrica. They are also 154% more likely to suffer a combination of physical abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence than their healthy school friends.

17 Feb 2011

CHIS releases latest data on health and well-being of state's residents

The California Health Interview Survey, the nation's largest state health survey and a primary source of information on California's diverse population, released its latest data today on more than 100 topics affecting the health and well-being of the state's residents.

17 Feb 2011

CMS selects BWH to participate in Medicare Imaging Demonstration project

Brigham and Women's Hospital was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as one of five conveners of a demonstration project that promotes appropriate utilization of advanced imaging services, CMS announced February 2, 2011.

17 Feb 2011

HHS to announce health exchange 'early innovator' grants to 7 states

The grants, which are to be used to set up the framework for the health law's state insurance exchanges, will reportedly go to Kansas, Maryland, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wisconsin and a consortium led by Massachusetts.

17 Feb 2011

FAK enzyme plays a key role in preparing lung tissue for metastatic development

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has identified a new role for an important enzyme in preparing lung tissue for the development of metastases.

17 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: NY Times on high-risk pools; GOP on Medicaid 'flexibility;' health workers' rights

As part of the new health care reform, the federal government and 27 state governments are establishing temporary high-risk pools to offer coverage for people with pre-existing conditions until the law takes full effect in 2014.

17 Feb 2011

ICR, AB SCIEX collaborate to standardize mass spectrometry-based tissue imaging

A key research area for The Institute of Cancer Research is investigating the spread of cancer in the human body in an effort to identify new and effective treatment strategies. To help advance this research, the ICR is collaborating with scientists at AB SCIEX, a global leader in life science analytical technologies, to standardize advanced methods of mass spectrometry-based tissue imaging.

17 Feb 2011

Virtual reality exposure therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in active military service members

An article published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress is one of the first to provide evidence of the effectiveness of exposure therapy with active duty military service members suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study shows that virtual reality exposure therapy resulted in significant reductions in PTSD symptoms after an average of seven treatment sessions. Additionally, 62 % of patients reported clinically meaningful, reliable change in PTSD symptoms.

17 Feb 2011

Spirulina Pacifica supplement may improve immune function, anemia in senior citizens

Cyanotech Corporation, world leader in microalgae-based health and nutrition supplements, announced today that researchers at the University of California at Davis have determined that microalgae-based Hawaiian Spirulina Pacifica may improve immune function and ameliorate anemia in persons over 50.

17 Feb 2011

Brain enzyme blocks accumulation of tau proteins, slows down progression of neural degeneration

Increasing puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase, the most abundant brain peptidase in mammals, slowed the damaging accumulation of tau proteins that are toxic to nerve cells and eventually lead to the neurofibrillary tangles, a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, according to a study published online in the journal, Human Molecular Genetics.

17 Feb 2011

First evidence of neurotrophic factors improving status of degenerating dopamine neurons in Parkinson's brains

Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, reported today that its scientists and collaborators have published new experimental findings in support of its Parkinson's disease program which appeared as the lead article in the current issue of Movement Disorders. The publication reports the first evidence that gene transfer can provide targeted expression of a neurotrophic factor, i.e., neurturin or NRTN, intended to restore and preserve dying neurons.

17 Feb 2011

Researchers receive two grants to create diagnostic tool for early detection of childhood mental disorders

A University of Minnesota research team was recently awarded two grants totaling more than $3 million from the National Science Foundation's Cyber-Enabled Discovery and MRI Programs to create robotic devices and computer vision algorithms that will assist with the early diagnosis of children at risk of developing disorders such as autism, attention deficit disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.

17 Feb 2011

ASN opposes proposed $1.6 billion reduction to NIH budget

Proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget for 2011 will limit the nation's ability to advance patient care and public health.

17 Feb 2011

Clinical trial finds atorvastatin may inhibit HIV progression, help in infection's management

A recent multicenter clinical trial of atorvastatin, a type of cholesterol-lowering drug, found that although the drug did not inhibit plasma HIV RNA levels, it did inhibit expression of cellular markers of immune activation and inflammation in patients with HIV infection.

17 Feb 2011

Roundup: Calif. kids' care; high Mass. health workers' costs; Iowa nursing home inspectors

The push is on to enroll thousands of children who previously could not get health coverage or whose parents paid much higher premiums because of their children's pre-existing medical conditions. Under new federal rules that took effect last fall, children with chronic health conditions cannot be denied coverage.

17 Feb 2011

Regional brain structural alterations associated with bipolar disorder

Lithium, introduced in the late 1940's, was the first "wonder drug" in psychiatry. It was the first medication treatment for the manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder and it remains among one of the most effective treatments for this disorder.

17 Feb 2011

Poll: 73% of New Jersey people think investment on global health research is important to state's economy

Despite the unpredictable economy, nearly three-quarters of New Jersey residents think spending money on research to improve health globally is important to jobs and incomes in the state, according to a new statewide poll commissioned by Research!America.

17 Feb 2011

Research News and Research

Metallic copper surfaces kill bacteria on contact

Researchers develop new pneumococcal vaccine through novel discovery approach

Continued smoking during radiation treatment for head and neck cancer affects prognosis

Children with chronic health conditions may face increased risk of physical abuse

CHIS releases latest data on health and well-being of state's residents

CMS selects BWH to participate in Medicare Imaging Demonstration project

HHS to announce health exchange 'early innovator' grants to 7 states

FAK enzyme plays a key role in preparing lung tissue for metastatic development

Viewpoints: NY Times on high-risk pools; GOP on Medicaid 'flexibility;' health workers' rights

ICR, AB SCIEX collaborate to standardize mass spectrometry-based tissue imaging

Virtual reality exposure therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in active military service members

Spirulina Pacifica supplement may improve immune function, anemia in senior citizens

Brain enzyme blocks accumulation of tau proteins, slows down progression of neural degeneration

First evidence of neurotrophic factors improving status of degenerating dopamine neurons in Parkinson's brains

Researchers receive two grants to create diagnostic tool for early detection of childhood mental disorders

ASN opposes proposed $1.6 billion reduction to NIH budget

Clinical trial finds atorvastatin may inhibit HIV progression, help in infection's management

Roundup: Calif. kids' care; high Mass. health workers' costs; Iowa nursing home inspectors

Regional brain structural alterations associated with bipolar disorder

Poll: 73% of New Jersey people think investment on global health research is important to state's economy

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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