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Exercise can prevent inherited obesity & obesity raises injury risk: Two studies

A new study has shown that having an obesity gene should not mean absolute obesity for individuals. The gene may be countered by physical activity.

2 Nov 2011

New Mayo Clinic social network connects global community of esophageal cancer patients

In 2008, physicians at Mayo Clinic Florida led by Herbert Wolfsen, M.D., were looking for new ways to keep in touch with the large group of esophageal cancer patients cared for by him and other gastroenterologists and surgeons. Telephone calls, faxes and email had worked to create a network of patients but many now wanted interactive and remote access capability to share their experiences and challenges with this serious disease.

1 Nov 2011

U.S. earns a 'C' on March of Dimes 2011 Premature Birth Report Card

Preterm birth rates improved in almost every state between 2006 and 2009, and in several states the change was more than 10 percent, according to the March of Dimes 2011 Premature Birth Report Card.

1 Nov 2011

Preventive use of ACZ may reduce risk of severe high altitude illness

Measuring specific, exercise-related responses can help physicians determine who may be more at risk for severe high altitude illness (SHAI), according to a study conducted by researchers in France. The researchers also found that taking acetazolamide (ACZ), a drug frequently prescribed to prevent altitude illness, can reduce some of the risk factors associated with SHAI.

29 Oct 2011

First Edition: October 28, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about the health law's public support, the latest on the super committee and news about the cost of Medicare Part B premiums.

28 Oct 2011

Blood biomarker panel can predict survival in IPF patients

A panel of blood proteins can predict which patients with the progressive lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are likely to live at least five years or to die within two years, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Centocor R&D.

27 Oct 2011

Quarter of Medicare drug plans get poor ratings

Federal officials gave negative assessments to more than 25 percent of these prescription drug plans. In the Washington area, that number is even higher. Also in the news, Medicare's database comparing hospital patient safety.

27 Oct 2011

Yoga for low back pain as effective as stretching exercises: Study

Study shows that weekly yoga classes eased pain and improved functioning in some people with chronic lower back pain. However the effects of yoga were not much different from usual stretching exercises.

25 Oct 2011

Research questions aromatherapy safety

Aromatherapy oils are relied upon to relax, reduce stress and soothe aches and pains by many. However researchers from Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science Tainan, Taiwan say these oils may not be completely harmless.

24 Oct 2011

Two Philadelphia scientists to receive John Scott Award

Two internationally recognized scientists with strong Philadelphia ties are to receive the John Scott Award this year.

21 Oct 2011

New form of respiratory distress syndrome in newborn mice

A discovery by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies might explain why some premature infants fail to respond to existing treatments for a deadly respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and offers clues for new ways to treat the breathing disorder.

19 Oct 2011

Obese children require much smaller doses of anesthetic propofol

A study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2011 this week found that obese children required much smaller doses of the anesthetic propofol than non-obese children to bring about a safe level of unconsciousness.

18 Oct 2011

AHRQ: Asthma drug usage among children doubles

The proportion of children who used a prescribed controller drug to treat their asthma doubled from 29 percent in 1997-1998 to 58 percent in 2007-2008, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Oct 2011

New WPI smart-phone app can measure heart rhythm, respiration and pulse rate

An iPhone app that measures the user's heart rate is not only a popular feature with consumers, but it sparked an idea for a Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researcher who is now turning smart phones, and eventually tablet devices, into sophisticated medical monitors able to capture and transmit vital physiological data.

7 Oct 2011

PE, CT appear to reduce PTSD symptoms in patients with recent traumatic event

Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, and delayed prolonged exposure therapy, appear to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients who have experienced a recent traumatic event, according to a report published Online First by Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

4 Oct 2011

FDA approves NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System to treat ALS

An electronic system that stimulates the nerve of the diaphragm muscles has received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

30 Sep 2011

Study reports positive effect of RESPeRATE on CHF patients

InterCure Ltd., a medical device company publicly traded on the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange, today announced that European Journal of Heart Failure, a peer reviewed medical journal of the European Society of Cardiology, published the results of a 72-patients, randomized, controlled study which demonstrated that device-guided respiratory modulation with RESPeRATE applied at the home setting can significantly relieve symptoms of heart failure in elderly patients.

29 Sep 2011

WHO releases global survey of worst, best cities for air pollution

"Cities in Iran, India, Pakistan and the capital of Mongolia rank among the worst on the planet for air pollution, while those in the United States and Canada are among the best, according to the first global survey released Monday by the World Health Organization," the Associated Press/San Francisco Chronicle reports.

28 Sep 2011

Asthmatic kids with type 1 diabetes have tougher time maintaining healthy sugar levels: Study

The reason why asthma might complicate pediatric diabetes care remains unclear, however, and is “something that needs to be explored more,” said Dr. Anita Swamy, a pediatric endocrinologist and medical director of the Chicago Children's Diabetes Center at La Rabida Children's Hospital in Chicago. She was not involved in the new study. The study appears in the October issue of Pediatrics.

27 Sep 2011

Patients with chronic conditions likely to change their preferences for CPR

Patients with chronic conditions are likely to change their preferences for receiving emergency procedures in the event of cardiac arrest, according to new findings.

27 Sep 2011