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Isoflurane induces Alzheimer's-associated changes in mouse brains

For the first time researchers have shown that a commonly used anesthetic can produce changes associated with Alzheimer's disease in the brains of living mammals, confirming previous laboratory studies.

12 Nov 2008

New blood test identifies sickest heart failure patients in ER

A new blood test identifies the sickest heart failure patients better than tests now used in emergency departments, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008. Results of the Mid-Regional pro-Adrenomedullin (proADM) versus BNP and NTproBNP as Prognosticator in Heart Failure Patients: Results of the BACH Multinational Trial were presented as a late-breaking clinical trial.

11 Nov 2008

A probiotic bacterium reduces hospital infections

A probiotic bacterium, Lactobacillus plantarum 299, has been used to out-compete the dangerous bacteria that cause respiratory illness in ventilated patients.

6 Nov 2008

Researchers look at benefits and applications of medical simulation

Emergency medicine physicians and simulation experts from Rhode Island Hospital discuss the benefits of advanced medical simulation in five manuscripts appearing in the November 2008 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (now available online).

4 Nov 2008

Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis increase risk for heart problems

People who take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis may be at risk for serious atrial fibrillation (AF), or irregular heartbeats, according to a new study.

27 Oct 2008

Healing process found to backfire in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients

A mechanism in the body which typically helps a person heal from an injury, may actually be causing patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) to get worse, researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and their collaborators have found.

27 Oct 2008

Human rhinovirus found to manipulate genes

Sneezing, runny nose and chills? You might blame the human rhinovirus (HRV), which causes 30 to 50 percent of common colds. But in reality, it's not the virus itself but HRV's ability to manipulate your genes that is the true cause of some of the most annoying cold symptoms.

26 Oct 2008

Simple gene-based blood test, quicker, more accurate evaluation for cystic fibrosis

Researchers at National Jewish Health have identified a simple gene-based blood test that more accurately and quickly measures cystic fibrosis patients' response to therapy than current tests.

26 Oct 2008

Even minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea increases cardiovascular risk

People with even minimally symptomatic obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease because of impaired endothelial function and increased arterial stiffness, according to a study from the Oxford Centre for Respiratory Medicine in the UK.

26 Oct 2008

Aires Pharmaceuticals signs license agreement with NIH

Aires Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement with the U.S. National Institutes of Health for the patented use of a nitric oxide prodrug to treat cardiopulmonary conditions.

22 Oct 2008

Prolonging the withdrawal of life support in the ICU affects family satisfaction with care

Clinicians in the intensive care unit (ICU) often care for patients who are on several life support measures at once. When such a patient is dying and the decision is reached to withdraw life support, these clinicians may make an imperfect compromise in seeking to balance the complex needs of the patient and the patient's family - they may remove the life support measures one at a time over a period of days, rather than withdrawing all at once.

15 Oct 2008

Quark Pharmaceuticals' siRNAs examined alone and in xombination with chemotherapy

Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that the journal Cancer Research published results on efficacy of siRNA targeting its proprietary target gene against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the edition dated October 1, 2008.

12 Oct 2008

Ginkgo biloba may prevent brain cell damage after a stroke

Working with genetically engineered mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that daily doses of a standardized extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree can prevent or reduce brain damage after an induced stroke.

12 Oct 2008

Vicor Technologies announces publication of positive results in study conducted in collaboration with U.S. Army

Vicor Technologies, Inc. today announced publication of the results of its first clinical study conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR).

15 Sep 2008

Key component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease identified

For the first time, researchers have demonstrated a close correlation between the decline in a key component of the lung's antioxidant defense system and the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in humans.

14 Sep 2008

New marker for raised intracranial pressure

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of the thickness of the optic nerve sheath are a good marker for raised intracranial pressure (ICP).

10 Sep 2008

Boys more likely to grow out of asthma

According to researchers in the U.S. boys are more likely than girls to grow out of childhood asthma when they reach their teenage years.

19 Aug 2008

Virginia Hospital Center to launch $14 million new hospital information system

Virginia Hospital Center will launch a $14 million new Hospital Information System (HIS) in 2009 that will utilize advanced information technologies (IT) to create efficiencies and orchestrate clinical best practices. The Hospital signed an agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions and will implement its powerful workflow-engineered health information solution, Soarian.

12 Aug 2008

Immune system protein accurate predictor of survival in pediatric septic shock

About 4,000 children in the United States die every year from uncontrolled infections of the body known as septic shock, and researchers are pushing the boundaries of molecular science to find new therapies that can stem the condition. But a simple measure of an immune system protein within 24 hours of being admitted to the hospital for septic shock can predict survival in children, yielding a powerful tool for diagnostics and clinical trials of new septic shock therapies, according to a research team led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the Aug. 1 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

4 Aug 2008

Current tuberculosis treatment regimens need to updated

The standard regimens to treat tuberculosis (TB) are inadequate in countries with high rates of multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB. In countries with high rates of MDR-TB, patients are nearly twice as likely to fail their initial treatment than those in countries with low rates, according to a new analysis of World Health Organization (WHO) data. This finding suggests strongly that current TB treatment regimens need to updated and revised to address the shifting landscape of public health in the face of MDR-TB.

3 Aug 2008