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Mumps outbreak in U.S. necessitates third booster dose of vaccine for at-risk individuals

According to a federal experts panel yesterday (25th October 2017), a third dose of mumps vaccine is recommended when there is an outbreak of the viral disease. There have been several mumps outbreaks since 2006 in the United States, especially among students who have already been vaccinated before. Last year 6366 cases of the highly infectious viral infection were reported in the United States.

27 Oct 2017

Proton beam therapy has lower rates of toxicity in pediatric patients with head and neck cancer

Pediatric patients with head and neck cancer can be treated with proton beam therapy (PBT) instead of traditional photon radiation, and it will result in similar outcomes with less impact on quality of life.

23 Oct 2017

Point-of-care ultrasound helps surgeons perform thyroid surgery without general anesthesia

A FUJIFILM SonoSite SII point-of-care ultrasound system recently played a key role in an innovative procedure allowing thyroid surgery without the use of general anesthetic.

19 Oct 2017

CUMC researchers discover ‘cell of origin’ for esophageal cancer

Columbia University Medical Center researchers have identified cells in the upper digestive tract that can give rise to Barrett's esophagus, a precursor to esophageal cancer. The discovery of this "cell of origin" promises to accelerate the development of more precise screening tools and therapies for Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, the fastest growing form of cancer in the U.S.

11 Oct 2017

Flexible sensors can measure rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract

Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital have built a flexible sensor that can be rolled up and swallowed. Upon ingestion, the sensor adheres to the stomach wall or intestinal lining, where it can measure the rhythmic contractions of the digestive tract.

10 Oct 2017

NIH-funded study to evaluate treatment options for newborns with opioid withdrawal syndrome

The National Institutes of Health is funding a new study to evaluate treatment options for newborns with opioid withdrawal syndrome, a condition caused by exposure to opioids during pregnancy.

3 Oct 2017

Study suggests magnesium cream could be used to combat deficiencies

A new study by the University of Hertfordshire has revealed that a magnesium cream could be used as an alternative to tablets to combat major health problems including high blood pressure which are linked with deficiency.

From BetterYou Ltd 15 Sep 2017

FDA grants accelerated approval to new treatment for children with Chagas disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted accelerated approval to benznidazole for use in children ages 2 to 12 years old with Chagas disease. It is the first treatment approved in the United States for the treatment of Chagas disease.

29 Aug 2017

Small clinical trial shows promise for treating rare neurodegenerative disease

Results of a small clinical trial show promise for treating a rare neurodegenerative condition that typically kills those afflicted before they reach age 20.

11 Aug 2017

Studies show how endoscopic procedures can improve outcomes and care

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, features a study reporting that a simpler procedure for collecting biopsy specimens during various procedures can improve patient care, and a study showing how a relatively new procedure, POEM, has been adapted to help an additional set of patients with gastroparesis, a troubling stomach problem.

3 Aug 2017

Music therapy helps strengthen muscle activity in people with Parkinson's disease

Elizabeth Stegemöller arranged a circle of metal folding chairs around a piano as clients started arriving for a weekly music therapy class for people with Parkinson's disease.

2 Aug 2017

Wayne State researchers receive $1.9 million NIH grant to better understand rare genetic disorders

A team of Wayne State University researchers recently received a $1.9 million grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health to better understand leukodystrophies (LD) and genetic Leukoencephalopathies (gLE), rare genetic disorders affecting the white matter -- myelin -- in the central nervous system.

21 Jul 2017

Youngest person in U.S. receives full face transplant by Cleveland Clinic team

A team of surgeons and doctors at the Cleveland Clinic made history after operating upon a 21 year old woman for 31 hours to give her a full face transplant. The operation held in May this year was a successful one with the woman receiving a completely new face from a donor.

18 Jul 2017

New research offers crucial step towards understanding cause of myopathy

Pioneering research using the tropical zebrafish could provide new insights into the genetic basis of myopathy, a type of human muscle disease.

6 Jul 2017

Novel technique to monitor nerve function could transform the way doctors perform surgeries

In a first-of-its-kind study, Mount Sinai researchers have discovered a novel technique to monitor laryngeal and vagus nerve function while patients are under anesthesia during otolaryngology and neurosurgery procedures.

3 Jul 2017

New cranberry derivative could help patients dependent on tube feeding

Synesis, a University of Wisconsin-Madison spinoff developing a patented formula for liquid nutrition, is advancing a plant-based additive designed to reduce or eliminate severe side effects of tube feeding.

28 Jun 2017

Four-food elimination diet can resolve symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis in children

Children with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) – a chronic inflammatory disease that injures the esophagus – who temporarily eliminated cow's milk, wheat, egg and soy from their diet for eight weeks had their symptoms and esophageal swelling resolve, according to a study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

27 Jun 2017