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U.S. should continue funding maternal health programs in Afghanistan as troop drawdown begins

The success of the Afghan Safe Birth Project, funded by HHS, and the Community Midwife Education program, supported by USAID, in helping reduce maternal mortality in Afghanistan "is in jeopardy - not because of security threats, but because of a fiscal one," authors Isobel Coleman and Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, both fellows at the Council on Foreign Relations, write in a Bloomberg opinion piece.

9 Aug 2011

Maternal mortality rate quadruples in South Africa, according to Human Rights Watch report

"South Africa's maternal mortality rate has quadrupled while most African countries have cut that crucial health indicator - from 150 to 625 deaths for each 100,000 live births between 1998 and 2007," according to the Associated Press, citing a new Human Rights Watch (HRW) report that used data from the South African government.

9 Aug 2011

Study reveals increase in number of laparoscopic bariatric operations between 2003-2008

According to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, there was an increase in the number of laparoscopic bariatric procedures, an increase in the number of bariatric surgeons and a decrease of inhospital mortality rates between 2003 and 2008.

9 Aug 2011

UCSD opens first cardiovascular center in the San Diego region

UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center (SCVC) will officially open its doors to the public on Monday, August 8 after the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) certified the SCVC for patient care.

9 Aug 2011

Novel link between two receptors mediates fungal recognition in macrophages

Whitehead Institute researchers have uncovered a novel association between two fungal recognition receptors on the surface of certain immune cells, called macrophages.

9 Aug 2011

Integrated treatment approach could save lives of women with addiction

Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center reports people suffering from addiction rarely, if ever, have just substance abuse or addiction issues. Most addicts have trauma histories, many have mood and/or anxiety disorders, and up to 50 percent of women with substance abuse disorder have co-occurring eating disorders.

9 Aug 2011

EDRP offers free family counseling to combat eating disorders in adolescents

In an effort to combat eating disorders among adolescents, the Eating Disorder Research Program (EDRP) at University of the Sciences is offering free treatment for families with an adolescent who struggles with eating and weight concerns.

9 Aug 2011

Debate on rationality of coronary angiography in low risk patients continues

A new study reveals that American hospitals vary widely in how they decide who's eligible for an invasive type of heart scan.

9 Aug 2011

Guardian features fact pages on MDGs

The Guardian on Friday published fact pages on the eight Millennium Development Goals.

8 Aug 2011

CMS unveils updated website to help consumers compare quality data

Officials from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Friday that site includes updated data to help consumers compare hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, home care or dialysis providers.

8 Aug 2011

22nd Century initiates enrollment in Phase II-B clinical trial of X-22 for smoking cessation

22nd Century Group, Inc., a company focused on smoking cessation and tobacco harm reduction products, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 22nd Century Limited, LLC, enrolled the first patients in its Phase II-B clinical trial for X-22, a prescription smoking cessation aid in development.

8 Aug 2011

Bladder cancer patients can benefit from radical cystectomy surgery

Bladder cancer patients who have radical surgery at university hospitals can benefit from excellent local control of the disease, acceptable clinical outcomes and low death rates, according to research in the August issue of the urology journal BJUI.

8 Aug 2011

Study finds connection between public health spending and population health

A groundbreaking new study published in the journal, Health Affairs, suggests that increases in public health spending result in healthier people, especially in communities with fewer resources.

6 Aug 2011

Measles Initiative vaccinates one billion children

The Measles Initiative on Thursday "announced it has helped vaccinate one billion children in more than 60 developing countries since 2001, making significant gains in the global effort to stop measles," according to a Measles Initiative press release.

6 Aug 2011

Research roundup: Hospitalists & health costs; treating substance abuse

This study looks at the effects hospitalists -- or physicians who specialize in hospital medicine and health care -- have on patient care, costs and use of medical services.

6 Aug 2011

Akonni to develop closed amplicon RT-PCR microarray for virus detection in CSF

Akonni Biosystems, a molecular diagnostics company that develops novel nucleic acid extraction and microarray-based testing systems designed to rapidly and economically analyze biological samples, today announced receipt of a $300K grant from the National Institutes of Health.

5 Aug 2011

Obama administration issues new guidance on aid to drought-stricken Somalia

The Obama administration on Tuesday issued new guidance stating "the U.S. would not prosecute relief agencies for delivering aid to parts of Somalia controlled by the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabab, despite concerns that unrestricted aid in the failed state would be diverted to the wrong hands," Inter Press Service reports.

4 Aug 2011

Breastfeeding for up to one year after birth can reduce child mortality, UNICEF says

Breastfeeding from birth to six months or a year can reduce deaths among children under five by 13 percent, a fact UNICEF is highlighting during World Breastfeeding Week, which runs through August 7, the International Business Times reports.

4 Aug 2011

U.N. issues appeal for air cargo space, warns about rising child mortality among Somalis in Kenya

UNICEF on Tuesday "appealed to the air transport sector to provide free and discounted cargo space to bring emergency food supplies into the region," the U.N. News Centre reports.

4 Aug 2011

$Strengths and limitations of FRAX in assessing fracture risk$

Strengths and limitations of FRAX in assessing fracture risk

FRAX- is a computer-based algorithm developed by the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases to help predict the 10-year risk of fragility fracture. Now with 34 specific country models, FRAX is being used increasingly by physicians around the world to help assess their patients' fracture risk in the course of a clinical assessment.

3 Aug 2011