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Researchers in Philippines develop machine to quickly detect drug-resistant TB

In this post in the Global Post's "Global Pulse" blog, journalist John Donnelly reports on how a machine developed by researchers at the TB Laboratory at the Lung Center of the Philippines "that can detect multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in record time may revolutionize TB treatment."

15 Nov 2011

Problems in India's public health care system lead to growth of private medicine

Toronto's Star reports on how problems within India's health care system -- such as absent doctors and nurses, a lack of necessary equipment, corruption and one of the lowest health budgets in the world -- has led to the mistrust of the public system and has paved the way for private medicine in the country.

15 Nov 2011

New Handbook offers overview of social work practice in health care

Increased complexity in health care demands a greater body of knowledge for health social workers. The newly released Handbook of Health Social Work, Second Edition is a key resource for social workers, offering a comprehensive and evidence-based overview of social work practice in health care.

15 Nov 2011

Prox1 gene plays a critical role in formation and maintenance of lymphatic system

A century after the valves that link the lymphatic and blood systems were first described, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have detailed how those valves form and identified a gene that is critical to the process.

15 Nov 2011

Malpractice lawsuits linked to surgeon depression and career burnout

According to the results of a new study published in the November 2011 Journal of the American College of Surgeons, malpractice lawsuits against U.S. surgeons occur often and can take a profound personal toll on the surgeon, resulting in emotional exhaustion, stress, and professional dissatisfaction.

15 Nov 2011

Researchers explore how design of chronic and acute pain trials might be improved

For chronic pain sufferers, a day can feel like a year and a year can feel like an eternity. With very few truly new therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for this condition since 2005, the outlook is far from bright.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists find new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders

Research released today shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior.

15 Nov 2011

Experts discuss treatment as prevention at USAID-, World Bank-sponsored debate

In this post in the Center for Global Development's "Global Health Policy" blog, Amanda Glassman, director of Global Health Policy and a research fellow at the center, reports on last week's USAID- and World Bank-sponsored debate on treatment as prevention, "where debaters were asked to support or oppose the proposition that countries should spend the majority of flat or declining HIV prevention budgets on 'treatment as prevention,' building off the results of the HPTN 052 study which found a relative reduction of 89 percent in the total number of HIV-1 transmissions resulting from the early initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

15 Nov 2011

Kessler Foundation researchers to improve rehabilitation after stroke

Kessler Foundation received a $250,000 stroke research grant from the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life Improvement. Anna Barrett, MD, director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation, will apply the funds to finding better ways to treat hidden disabilities that often complicate recovery after stroke.

15 Nov 2011

Nearly one-fifth of Americans have severe hearing loss

Nearly a fifth of all Americans 12 years or older have hearing loss so severe that it may make communication difficult, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers and published in the Nov. 14 Archives of Internal Medicine.

15 Nov 2011

State roundup: Md.'s medical home; N.Y. malpractice action; Texas nursing homes

Instead of a doctor seeing patients mostly when they're sick - and the physician is getting paid for that visit or service - this program gives financial rewards to practices that use a team of doctors, nurses and other staff to treat the whole person on a continuing basis, not just for one illness. ... The state initiative is among dozens of public and private experiments across the country that are trying to fundamentally change the way doctors practice medicine.

15 Nov 2011

Risk of heart failure appears to be higher among low-income seniors

The risk of heart failure appears to be higher among low-income seniors — even those with a college education — according to research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham presented during the 2011 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions.

15 Nov 2011

Beer, like wine can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease

Beer could stand up alongside wine regarding positive effects on cardiovascular health. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Research Laboratories at the Fondazione di Ricerca e Cura "Giovanni Paolo II", in Campobasso, Italy. Both for wine and beer the key is moderate and regular drinking.

15 Nov 2011

New animal research finds life experiences influence brain development, behavior

Scientists presented new research today demonstrating the impact life experiences can have on genes and behavior. The studies examine how such environmental information can be transmitted from one generation to the next - a phenomenon known as epigenetics.

15 Nov 2011

Report highlights difficulties in uncovering Medicare fraud

Contractors paid tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to detect fraudulent Medicare claims are using inaccurate and inconsistent data that makes it extremely difficult to catch bogus bills submitted by crooks, according to an inspector general's report released Monday.

15 Nov 2011

DNP effectively identifies structure of biological proteins in small samples

Researchers from Hull, Bristol and Frankfurt have shown that a new technique for identifying molecular structure can be used effectively on small samples of biological proteins, particularly proteins that are targeted for drug development.

15 Nov 2011

New technology speeds up 'near real-time' vaccination data collection

New technology now makes it possible to collect 'near real-time' data about whether people are having any side effects from vaccination. By studying people who received the 2009-10 swine flu vaccination in Scotland, researchers showed that this rapid reporting can add another layer of safety to future vaccination campaigns. In addition, the data collected revealed no significant safety issues in patients exposed to the vaccine.

15 Nov 2011

New non-invasive measurement may predict people at risk of heart failure

A new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators at various institutions, presented at the 2011 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, shows that a novel, non-invasive measurement of arterial wave reflections may be able to predict who is most at risk for heart failure.

15 Nov 2011

Study examines abortion services for women living with HIV in Brazil, Namibia, S. Africa

In this paper published in the Journal of the International AIDS Society, researchers from South Africa, Namibia, Brazil, and the U.S. "explore the existing evidence related to global and country-specific barriers to safe abortion for all women, with an emphasis on research gaps around the right of women living with HIV to choose safe abortion services as an option for dealing with unwanted pregnancies."

15 Nov 2011

New human research shows benefits and challenges for aging brain

New human research released today shows the benefits and challenges for the aging brain. The studies probe common characteristics of normal aging - including memory loss, reduced sleep quality, and decision-making problems - and suggest the benefits of exercise, hormone treatment, and social interaction.

15 Nov 2011