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Genetically engineered immune cells appear to promote healing in mice infected with MS-like disease

Genetically engineered immune cells seem to promote healing in mice infected with a neurological disease similar to multiple sclerosis (MS), cleaning up lesions and allowing the mice to regain use of their legs and tails.

1 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Scalia's 'boost' to Obamacare; California small biz and insurance exchange; Health law's hidden tax

[L]ast week, a divided court decided Arlington v. FCC, an important victory for Barack Obama's administration that will long define the relationship between federal agencies and federal courts. ... In a powerful and convincing opinion by Justice Antonin Scalia, the court's majority ruled that even when the agency is deciding on the scope of its own authority, it has the power to interpret ambiguities in the law.

1 Jun 2013

New study examines arterial stiffening in young, healthy population

Indiana University researchers found that people in their 20s already began to demonstrate arterial stiffening -- when arteries become less compliant as blood pumps through the body -- but their highly active peers did not.

1 Jun 2013

Research roundup: Questioning money-saving value of kids' preventive dentistry, weight loss

Although early preventive dental visits are widely recommended for children, it is unclear whether they reduce future dental visits or costs.

1 Jun 2013

Study shows that 23% of North Sea workers suffer from shift work disorder

Some workers in Norway's North Sea Oil industry alternate between night and day shifts, the so-called swing shift. A recent study conducted by Postdoctoral fellow Siri Waage and colleagues at the University of Bergen's Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, shows that sleep quality and complaints of insomnia became worse during the offshore work period amongst both these swing shift workers and those who only do day shifts.

1 Jun 2013

Study points to synergistic relationship between lead exposure and schizophrenia gene

Mice engineered with a human gene for schizophrenia and exposed to lead during early life exhibited behaviors and structural changes in their brains consistent with schizophrenia.

1 Jun 2013

Theoretical mathematical models offer insights into therapeutic, prevention strategies for HIV

The first few hours to days following exposure to human immunodeficiency virus can be of critical importance in determining if infection occurs in a patient. But the low numbers of viruses and infected cells at this stage makes it very difficult to study these events in humans or animal models.

1 Jun 2013

Study: Young women with breast cancer often choose mastectomy over surgical procedure

A new study of young women with breast cancer has found that most chose to have a mastectomy rather than a surgical procedure that would conserve the breast, researchers will report at the 49th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 31-June 4, in Chicago.

31 May 2013

State highlights: Calif. counties stand to lose $2.5B as state shifts Medicaid costs; Odd bedfellows push for hospital payment equity in Mass.

California counties may lose as much as $2.5 billion in state funding over the next three years for indigent health care as the state assumes responsibility under the federal Affordable Care Act, Gov. Jerry Brown said. The most populous U.S. state plans to cut $300 million this year from counties as its [Medicaid] program expands, Brown told local officials yesterday in Sacramento. The governor projected that figure will grow to $900 million next year and $1.3 billion in the year beginning in July 2015 (Nash, 5/29).

31 May 2013

Study examines physical activity versus structured exercise people experience during the day

Indiana University researchers found that a simple program that uses pedometers to monitor how much people move throughout the day was effective at increasing physical activity, decreasing sitting time, a particular problem for office workers, and helping participants drop some pounds.

31 May 2013

NYC public health officials launch new program to locate lost to follow-up patients with HIV

Public health officials in New York City have launched a successful program to locate HIV-positive patients who have been "lost to follow-up" and reconnect them with treatment services, reports a study published in AIDS, official journal of the International AIDS Society.

31 May 2013

SLU assistant professor receives grant to identify policies that improve health of African-American men

An assistant professor at Saint Louis University's College for Public Health and Social Justice has received a $100,000, two-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to determine which behaviors and policies are most likely to improve the health of African-American men.

31 May 2013

Billions of people across the globe suffer from major untreated dental problems

Billions of people across the globe are suffering from major untreated dental problems, according to a new report led by Professor Wagner Marcenes of Queen Mary, University of London, published in the Journal of Dental Research.

31 May 2013

Innovative approach helps Virginia mount effective response to contaminated steroid crisis

An innovative "hybrid" surveillance strategy-highlighted by close cooperation between public health officials and clinical partners-helped Virginia mount an efficient and effective response to the ongoing outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections, according to a report in the July/August issue of Journal of Public Health Management and Practice.

31 May 2013

Novel approach to create unlimited number of human red blood cells, platelets in vitro

A study led by Boston University School of Medicine has identified a novel approach to create an unlimited number of human red blood cells and platelets in vitro. In collaboration with Boston University School of Public Health and Boston Medical Center, the researchers differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells into these cell types, which are typically obtained through blood donations.

31 May 2013

African-American, Latino children increase consumption of 100% fruit juice, study finds

While there has been a steep decline in kids' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in California, African-American and Latino children may be replacing soda with 100 percent fruit juice while their white peers are not, according to a new study from UC San Francisco.

31 May 2013

Whiplash therapy: an interview with Dr Williamson and Dr Williams, University of Warwick

A whiplash injury is a common soft-tissue injury that may result in neck pain and other symptoms like headaches and arm pain.

30 May 2013

Researchers develop new gene therapy to thwart potential influenza pandemic

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania have developed a new gene therapy to thwart a potential influenza pandemic. Specifically, investigators in the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, directed by James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, demonstrated that a single dose of an adeno-associated virus expressing a broadly neutralizing flu antibody into the nasal passages of mice and ferrets gives them complete protection and substantial reductions in flu replication when exposed to lethal strains of H5N1 and H1N1 flu virus.

30 May 2013

Researchers examine quality of information given by sales reps when promoting drugs to physicians

Dr. Genevi-ve Durrieu (from the Pharmaco-epidemiology team assessing the use of medication and the risks involved, Unit 1027 "Epidemiology and public health analyses: risks, chronic diseases and handicaps" - Inserm / Universit- Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier) led the French part of this study, the results of which are published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Within the framework of this international study, is France proving to be a model student?

30 May 2013

Elective hernia surgery offers value-for-money, improves quality of life for patients

New research suggesting that elective hernia surgery offers value-for-money and improved quality of life for patients has been published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

30 May 2013

Public Health News and Research

Genetically engineered immune cells appear to promote healing in mice infected with MS-like disease

Viewpoints: Scalia's 'boost' to Obamacare; California small biz and insurance exchange; Health law's hidden tax

New study examines arterial stiffening in young, healthy population

Research roundup: Questioning money-saving value of kids' preventive dentistry, weight loss

Study shows that 23% of North Sea workers suffer from shift work disorder

Study points to synergistic relationship between lead exposure and schizophrenia gene

Theoretical mathematical models offer insights into therapeutic, prevention strategies for HIV

Study: Young women with breast cancer often choose mastectomy over surgical procedure

State highlights: Calif. counties stand to lose $2.5B as state shifts Medicaid costs; Odd bedfellows push for hospital payment equity in Mass.

Study examines physical activity versus structured exercise people experience during the day

NYC public health officials launch new program to locate lost to follow-up patients with HIV

SLU assistant professor receives grant to identify policies that improve health of African-American men

Billions of people across the globe suffer from major untreated dental problems

Innovative approach helps Virginia mount effective response to contaminated steroid crisis

Novel approach to create unlimited number of human red blood cells, platelets in vitro

African-American, Latino children increase consumption of 100% fruit juice, study finds

Whiplash therapy: an interview with Dr Williamson and Dr Williams, University of Warwick

Researchers develop new gene therapy to thwart potential influenza pandemic

Researchers examine quality of information given by sales reps when promoting drugs to physicians

Elective hernia surgery offers value-for-money, improves quality of life for patients

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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