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Study: BP oil spill causes psychological impact on people living in coastal communities

The explosion and fire on a BP-licensed oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 had huge environmental and economic effects, with millions of gallons of oil leaking into the water for more than five months. It also had significant psychological impact on people living in coastal communities, even in those areas that did not have direct oil exposure, according to researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who worked in collaboration with the University of Florida, Gainesville.

17 Feb 2011

Over and under treatment of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients leads to patient safety issues

The publication of the systematic review of intensive insulin therapy in hospitalized patients and the American College of Physicians (ACP) clinical guidelines for inpatient glucose control in the February 15th issue of Annals of Internal Medicine has again raised the issue of optimal management of hyperglycemia in the hospital.

17 Feb 2011

Molecular explanation to higher tendency for autism among males

George Washington University researcher, Dr. Valerie Hu, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and her team at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, have found that male and female sex hormones regulate expression of an important gene in neuronal cell culture through a mechanism that could explain not only higher levels of testosterone observed in some individuals with autism, but also why males have a higher incidence of autism than females.

17 Feb 2011

New method may eliminate colonoscopies

Nobody enjoys colonoscopies, including mice. University of Missouri researchers are excited about the potential of using genetic biomarkers to predict colon cancer caused by inflammation. A new method developed at the MU Research Animal Diagnostic Laboratory (RADIL) could eventually lead to a method that might eliminate colonoscopies altogether.

17 Feb 2011

Obama launches push to reform state med-mal laws, curb defensive medicine

Meanwhile, in other news related to health reform, the Internal Revenue Service is seeking $119 million in new funds in order to enforce the tax-related provisions of the health overhaul.

17 Feb 2011

Patients with high blood pressure can benefit from 'adherence therapy' course

A high proportion of patients with high blood pressure are failing to take their medication properly and would benefit clinically from a course of 'adherence therapy', according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

17 Feb 2011

Impaired brain insulin action may worsen type 2 diabetes

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered a novel function of brain insulin, indicating that impaired brain insulin action may be the cause of the unrestrained lipolysis that initiates and worsens type 2 diabetes in humans. The research is published this month in the journal Cell Metabolism.

17 Feb 2011

Inexpensive drug therapy shows promise in treating premature infants with childhood blindness

A readily available, inexpensive drug therapy showed a significant benefit in treating premature infants with the worst and historically most difficult-to-treat cases of retinopathy of prematurity.

17 Feb 2011

Mutations in gene linked to structure of the heart seen in Ebstein's anomaly patients

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital valvular heart disease. Now, in patients with this disease, researchers of the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Newcastle, UK and the Max Delbr-ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have identified mutations in a gene which plays an important role in the structure of the heart.

16 Feb 2011

BG Medicine receives US patent for galectin-3 testing to detect heart failure

BG Medicine, a life sciences company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel diagnostics based on biomarkers, today announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 7,888,137, entitled "Method For Identifying a Subject at Risk of Developing Heart Failure by Determining the Level of Galectin-3 or Thrombospondin-2" to the University of Maastricht. BG Medicine has an exclusive license to this issued patent, which pertains to galectin-3 testing for individuals at risk for heart failure.

16 Feb 2011

Break-induced Replication more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair

Researchers from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Umea- University report in a study published in the February 15, 2011, issue of PLoS Biology that a method by which cells repair breaks in their DNA, known as Break-induced Replication, is up to 2,800 times more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair.

16 Feb 2011

Researchers develop new DNA test for accurate detection of Turner syndrome in children

As a child grows, a short stature is not usually cause for concern, but it is often the only sign of a condition called Turner syndrome. Prevalent in girls, Turner syndrome is a genetic defect that short-circuits normal growth and leads to cardiac and renal problems. It is not commonly detected until age 10 or older when a youngster's unusually short height raises suspicions.

16 Feb 2011

Bone remodeling inflammatory protein linked to metastatic lung cancer development in mice with breast cancer

When doctors discover high concentrations of regulatory T cells in the tumors of breast cancer patients, the prognosis is often grim, though why exactly has long been unclear.

16 Feb 2011

Smoking during radiation treatments reduces chance of overall survival

Smokers who continue to smoke while undergoing radiation treatments for head and neck cancer fare significantly worse than those who quit smoking before therapy, according to a study in the February issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology·Biology·Physics, an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

16 Feb 2011

Life and death: Cardiologist explores the connection

In 1.58 Seconds, author Dr. Alfred Sparman provides a revealing look into near-death episodes through a fictional take on his own experiences. Vividly descriptive, the book gives readers a captivating look at the pressures inside the operating room. Among many gripping scenes, it details a setting involving a 9mm pistol pointed at the chest of a potential patient and the fractured facial bones of another.

16 Feb 2011

Flu vaccine update

This new vaccine which could become available in the United States in the next few years, is made by growing the influenza virus in cultures of animal cells rather than in the chicken eggs that have been used for more than five decades. This shortens the process by six months. Using animal cells, which are grown in enclosed steel tanks, also reduces the risk of bacterial contamination, which has led to shortages of seasonal vaccines in some years. The study was reported in The Lancet this Tuesday.

16 Feb 2011

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia establishes Jeffrey Modell Endowed Chair in Pediatric Immunology Research

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia today announced the establishment of the Jeffrey Modell Endowed Chair in Pediatric Immunology Research.

16 Feb 2011

Congress must address unprecedented shortage of primary care physicians

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today told leaders of the House of Representatives that ACP understands the serious financial constraints on the federal budget at this time and supports bipartisan efforts to reduce funding for discretionary programs that do not achieve sufficient value, but firmly believes that Congress must continue on a path towards reversing an unprecedented shortage of primary care physicians in this country.

16 Feb 2011

Study finds chances of dying early are higher in north of England due to health inequalities

Since 1965, the chances of dying early are a fifth higher in the north of England than the south, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

16 Feb 2011

Study finds water softener does not provide benefit to children with eczema

The first study of its kind in the world — involving 336 children aged between six months and 16 years old — has shown that installing a water softener for three months brings no additional relief for eczema sufferers.

16 Feb 2011

Medicine News and Research

Study: BP oil spill causes psychological impact on people living in coastal communities

Over and under treatment of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients leads to patient safety issues

Molecular explanation to higher tendency for autism among males

New method may eliminate colonoscopies

Obama launches push to reform state med-mal laws, curb defensive medicine

Patients with high blood pressure can benefit from 'adherence therapy' course

Impaired brain insulin action may worsen type 2 diabetes

Inexpensive drug therapy shows promise in treating premature infants with childhood blindness

Mutations in gene linked to structure of the heart seen in Ebstein's anomaly patients

BG Medicine receives US patent for galectin-3 testing to detect heart failure

Break-induced Replication more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair

Researchers develop new DNA test for accurate detection of Turner syndrome in children

Bone remodeling inflammatory protein linked to metastatic lung cancer development in mice with breast cancer

Smoking during radiation treatments reduces chance of overall survival

Life and death: Cardiologist explores the connection

Flu vaccine update

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia establishes Jeffrey Modell Endowed Chair in Pediatric Immunology Research

Congress must address unprecedented shortage of primary care physicians

Study finds chances of dying early are higher in north of England due to health inequalities

Study finds water softener does not provide benefit to children with eczema

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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