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Australian university students a ‘stressed out’ bunch: Study

According to the latest findings the rates of serious mental illness are more than five times higher among university students than in the general population. The study conducted by researchers at University of Queensland was published in the latest issue of Australian Psychologist. It also found that rate of pyschological distress among university students is almost three times higher than in the general population.

22 Nov 2010

Employers scrutinize dependents for health coverage

The Wall Street Journal: "More employers are scrutinizing employees' health-insurance dependents in order to weed out ineligible beneficiaries" in an effort to cut costs. "Benefits-consulting companies say interest in dependent audits has been growing for the past few years, but has ticked up more recently. … These companies aim to verify the relationships of dependents such as spouses and children, soliciting documents including marriage and birth certificates. In many cases, employers haven't previously asked employees to verify dependents' eligibility" (Mattioli, 11/22).

22 Nov 2010

FDA grants ACT clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of hESC derived retinal cells in patients with SMD

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company's Investigational New Drug (IND) application to immediately initiate a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial using retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to treat patients with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD), one of the most common forms of juvenile macular degeneration in the world. The decision removes the clinical hold that the FDA had placed on the trial.

22 Nov 2010

Parental divorce during childhood linked to stroke in adulthood

Children who experience a parental divorce are over twice as likely to suffer a stroke at some point in their lives, according to new research presented in New Orleans at The Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) 63rd Annual Scientific Meeting.

22 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 22, 2010

Today's headlines offer a range of health policy stories, including more reports on deficit reduction issues, the continuing politics swirling around the health law repeal effort and employers' soaring health care costs.

22 Nov 2010

Acthar Gel may be a viable treatment option for resistant nephrotic syndrome

On November 20 at the American Society of Nephrology 43rd Annual Meeting, Columbia University Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine Andrew Bomback, MD, presented results from a patient case series assessing the potential therapeutic value of H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) as a treatment for patients with nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disorder characterized by excessive loss of urinary protein.

22 Nov 2010

Research shows association between childhood CKD and maternal diabetes, obesity

Children with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) are more likely to have mothers who were obese or had diabetes during pregnancy, according to a study presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition, by Christine W. Hsu, MD (University of Washington, Seattle) and colleagues.

22 Nov 2010

AHF hails Pope Benedict's remarks on condom usage to prevent HIV transmission

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest global AIDS organization, today hailed recent remarks by Pope Benedict XVI on the "justified" use condoms to prevent the spread of potentially deadly diseases like HIV that suggest a softening the Roman Catholic Church's absolute opposition to condom use in all circumstances.

22 Nov 2010

Racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in kidney transplantation

Research shows that people with low incomes are more likely to develop kidney failure and less likely to receive a living donor kidney transplant than people of other socioeconomic classes.

22 Nov 2010

Mass. and Minn. officials struggle with controlling health costs, guaranteeing quality

News outlets report that Massachusetts' health reform hasn't adequately addressed the soaring cost of health care, according to the state's Attorney General.

21 Nov 2010

Dollar General joins St. Jude Children's Hospital for Thanks and Giving campaign

This holiday season, Dollar General again joins St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for the Thanks and Giving campaign by asking customers to "give thanks for the healthy kids in your life, and give to those who are not."

20 Nov 2010

EMQ FamiliesFirst dispels myths about foster care-adoption process

For the Matthews family the foster care-adoption process has not only transformed the lives of some terrific kids in need but also the lives of the Matthews themselves.

20 Nov 2010

First international study to examine human developmental effects of environmental exposure to e-waste

A new international population study, led by the University of Cincinnati, will be the first to examine the human developmental effects of environmental exposure to the complex metal mixture found in electronic waste (e-waste).

20 Nov 2010

Comprehensive guide to current practice of intraoperative neurophysiology

A new book entitled "Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring" has been published by Cambridge University Press, co-authored by Nationwide Children's Hospital Pediatric Neurologists Gloria M. Galloway, MD, and Khaled M. Zamel, MD; Marc R. Nuwer, MD, of UCLA; and Jaime R. Lopez, MD of Stanford University.

20 Nov 2010

Children's Surgical Centre offers no-cost surgery for children with frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele

Frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele is a type of facial malformation that is rarely seen in developed countries, but is quite common in many Southeast Asian countries, occurring in 1 of every 5,000 live births.

20 Nov 2010

Potassium citrate effective for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis: Study

The Western diet creates an acidic environment in the body that removes calcium from bones and may contribute to the development of osteoporosis. Healthy adults who consume the standard US diet sustain a chronic, low-grade state of acidosis that worsens with age as kidney function declines, limiting urinary acid excretion. Reto Krapf, MD (University of Basel, in Bruderholz/Basel, Switzerland) and colleagues designed a study to see if daily alkali as potassium citrate supplement tablets might neutralize these effects.

20 Nov 2010

Tips to improve obese children's surgical outcomes and health

The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is taking action to educate parents about the increased risk of complications faced by obese children undergoing anesthesia. The number of obese children has doubled in the past two decades and tripled among adolescents and the ASA encourages parents to help improve both the surgical outcomes and long-term health of America's youth.

20 Nov 2010

PaedRegCliNet promotes development of medications for children

Many of the medications used to treat children have been developed almost exclusively for adults and approved for them. This is why pediatricians have been demanding for decades that medications be tailored specifically to the needs of the child's body and adequately tested on children. A regulation from the European Commission called the Pediatric Regulation has set out to solve this problem. Clinical studies involving children should ultimately give way to medications tailored for this age group.

20 Nov 2010

Simple strategies to cope with holiday stress

Dr. Richard Blonna, author, life coach, and stress management expert, offers five simple strategies for managing holiday stress. His approach to managing the worry and anxiety associated with holiday stress is adapted from his new book, Stress Less, Live More; How Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Can Help You Live a Busy Yet Balanced Life.

20 Nov 2010

Social limitation troubles teens with food allergies: Study

Teens with food allergies are troubled by the social limitations of their food allergies as well as the burden that this medical condition can place on others, according to the findings of a newly published study concerning the quality of life of American teenagers with food allergy.

20 Nov 2010