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Biomedical engineer develops highly innovative technology to make blood transfusions safer

A biomedical engineer at the University of Houston (UH) is working to develop highly innovative technology to make blood transfusions safer. His work is supported by a $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

25 Apr 2014

Adolescents who find pleasure in pro-social activities are less likely to become depressed

It is better to give than to receive - at least if you're an adolescent and you enjoy giving, a new study suggests. The study found that 15- and 16-year-olds who find pleasure in pro-social activities, such as giving their money to family members, are less likely to become depressed than those who get a bigger thrill from taking risks or keeping the money for themselves.

25 Apr 2014

Va. lawmakers back at work, but not dealing with Medicaid impasse

Republicans in the General Assembly are opposed to expanding the program for low-income residents, but that could threaten the passage of a state budget. Meanwhile, news outlets look at the issue in North Carolina, Missouri and Arizona.

25 Apr 2014

Researchers launch detailed atlas with environment and health maps

Researchers have launched a detailed atlas with environment and health maps at a fine scale across England and Wales.

25 Apr 2014

Viewpoints: Health spending ready to start climbing again; Cruz's 'nightmare' comes true

Standing before a roomful of economists, policy makers and health care experts earlier this month, Amitabh Chandra, director of Health Policy Research at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, closed a presentation about the slowdown in health care spending over the last decade by citing an article in The New York Times.

25 Apr 2014

FSA project to map occurrence of norovirus in food premises

The University of Liverpool is leading a -2 million Food Standards Agency (FSA) project to map the occurrence of norovirus in food premises and industry workers.

25 Apr 2014

ASTRO’s guideline details use of adjuvant radiation therapy in treatment of endometrial cancer

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has issued a new guideline, "The Role of Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Endometrial Cancer: An ASTRO Evidence-Based Guideline," that details the use of adjuvant radiation therapy in the treatment of endometrial cancer.

25 Apr 2014

Researchers compare risk of traffic accident injury between men and women

Young men are more likely to injure themselves on the road or crossing a street than women, but among the elderly females are more vulnerable. This is according to a study on injuries and citizen mobility undertaken by researchers from the Barcelona Public Health Agency.

25 Apr 2014

Health law influences small business owners' decisions

The Wall Street Journal reports that even though the mandate was delayed requiring businesses with more than 50 employees to provide coverage for their workers, the overhaul is affecting how companies are run.

25 Apr 2014

Enhanced recovery approach used for colorectal surgery cut hospital stays

Changes in managing patients before, during and after colorectal surgery cut hospital stays by two days and reduced readmission rates, according to researchers who led a study of the approach at Duke University Hospital.

25 Apr 2014

Survey: Most Americans favor health law's birth control coverage mandate

Though this health law provision continues to be controversial and is the subject of various legal challenges, a recent survey conducted by University of Michigan researchers found that 69 percent of Americans support the requirement.

25 Apr 2014

Aetna raises earnings outlook

In other market news, coverage continues of the cost and effectiveness of Sovaldi, a new drug to treat hepatitis C, and the related earnings gained by Gilead Sciences, its manufacturer.

25 Apr 2014

Better educated people appear to recover from traumatic brain injury

Better-educated people appear to be significantly more likely to recover from a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), suggesting that a brain's "cognitive reserve" may play a role in helping people get back to their previous lives, new Johns Hopkins research shows.

25 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 24, 2014

Today's headlines include a number of reports about how the health law is playing in midterm election campaigns.

25 Apr 2014

Youth who work with horses experience substantial reduction in stress

New research from Washington State University reveals how youth who work with horses experience a substantial reduction in stress - and the evidence lies in kids' saliva.

25 Apr 2014

Study explores how food portrayed in children's TV programmes

Fruits and vegetables are often displayed in the popular Swedish children's TV show Bolibompa, but there are also plenty of high-sugar foods. A new study from the University of Gothenburg explores how food is portrayed in children's TV programmes as well as the link between young children's TV viewing, dietary habits and weight status.

25 Apr 2014

Community-based structured weight loss program improves diabetes symptoms

Weight loss and control of blood sugar can reduce the risk of complications in patients with diabetes but this is difficult for many to achieve. A University of California, San Diego School of Medicine randomized controlled trial of obese adults with type 2 diabetes suggests that participants enrolled in a community-based structured weight loss program are able to shed more pounds, improve blood sugar control and reduce or eliminate insulin use and other medications compared to a control group.

25 Apr 2014

Sales of hepatitis drug shatter records

Record sales of the pricey new drug, Sovaldi, pushed first-quarter earnings of Gilead Sciences beyond expectations. Meanwhile, Novartis' recently announced deals with GlaxoSmithKline and Eli Lilly show manufacturers' swing towards specialization, reports The Wall Street Journal.

25 Apr 2014

Regulators vote against approving new painkiller

A key government panel Tuesday voted unanimously against approval of a powerful opioid prescription painkiller intended to provide faster relief with fewer side effects. At the conclusion of a hearing, the Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted 14-0 against recommending that the agency approve Moxduo, the first drug to combine morphine and oxycodone into one capsule (Stein, 4/22).

25 Apr 2014