Sleep News and Research

Latest Sleep News and Research

New UNC clinic to address individuals with Angelman Syndrome

February 3, 2012 marks the grand opening of the UNC Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD).

1 Feb 2012

Proteus receives U.S. patent entitled, 'Body Associated Receiver and Method'

Proteus Biomedical Inc., a pioneer in digital health, announced today that the United States Patent Office will award U.S. Patent Number 8114021 to Proteus. The patent, entitled "Body Associated Receiver and Method," is directed to the Proteus wearable and ingestible sensor technologies and related sensor devices used to create digital communication networks within, on and around the human body for health-related and other applications.

31 Jan 2012

HealthHelp's Emergency Medicine Program to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure

Approximately one-third of all high-tech imaging performed in the United States proves medically unnecessary. Specialty benefits management provider HealthHelp announced today the launch of a new program designed to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure and to promote cost-effective treatment planning for the best possible outcome.

31 Jan 2012

Mayo Clinic Healthy Heart For Life! to be available online on Jan. 31

Heart disease is the nation's No. 1 killer for both men and women. But what's most astonishing is that almost 80 percent of heart disease is preventable, and even small lifestyle changes can have a big impact.

31 Jan 2012

Psychosocial interventions can reduce cancer patients' pain severity

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center, who teamed with colleagues at five universities around the United States, analyzed past studies of cancer-related pain reduction and found that psychosocial interventions can have a beneficial effect on cancer patients' pain severity. They also found that certain psychosocial interventions provide better pain management and are effective in reducing the degree to which pain related to cancer and its treatment interferes with patients' lives.

31 Jan 2012

MT2 gene mutations may increase risk of diabetes

Researchers in Lille and Paris demonstrated that mutations in the melatonin receptor gene (melatonin or the "hormone of darkness" induces sleep) lead to an almost sevenfold increase in the risk of developing diabetes.

31 Jan 2012

Study finds link between body clock hormone melatonin, type 2 diabetes

A study published in Nature Genetics today has found new evidence for a link between the body clock hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes. The study found that people who carry rare genetic mutations in the receptor for melatonin have a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

30 Jan 2012

Working 11 hours or more a day linked to depression

New research suggests that working for 11 hours or more a day may not only tire an individual but also raise the risk of depression.

29 Jan 2012

Caffeine intake among women of child-bearing age influences estrogen levels

Asian women who consumed an average of 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day-the equivalent of roughly two cups of coffee-had elevated estrogen levels when compared to women who consumed less, according to a study of reproductive age women by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.

27 Jan 2012

Two NIH clinical trials to evaluate treatments for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

The National Institutes of Health has launched two multi-site clinical trials to evaluate treatments for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. One will compare continuous chest compressions (CCC) combined with pause- free rescue breathing to standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which includes a combination of chest compressions and pauses for rescue breathing.

27 Jan 2012

CAT can assess exacerbation severity in patients with COPD

Exacerbation severity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be reliably assessed with the COPD Assessment Test- (CAT), according to a new study from the UK.

27 Jan 2012

LCI feasible, sensitive non-invasive marker of early lung disease in young children with CF

The lung clearance index (LCI) is a sensitive non-invasive marker of early lung disease in young children with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to a new study from Australian researchers.

27 Jan 2012

Lansoprazole increases risk of sore throats, respiratory problems in children with asthma

Adding the acid reflux drug lansoprazole to a standard inhaled steroid treatment for asthma does not improve asthma control in children who have no symptom of acid reflux, according to a new study funded in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Lansoprazole therapy slightly increased the risk of sore throats and other respiratory problems in children, however.

25 Jan 2012

Studies indicate infant brains come equipped with knowledge of 'intuitive physics'

While it may appear that infants are helpless creatures that only blink, eat, cry and sleep, one University of Missouri researcher says that studies indicate infant brains come equipped with knowledge of "intuitive physics."

24 Jan 2012

Fitbit raises $12 Million in Series C funding

Fitbit, the market leader in the digital health and fitness device category and maker of the popular Fitbit Ultra Wireless Activity and Sleep Tracker, today announced it raised $12 Million in Series C funding from existing investors: Foundry Group, True Ventures, SoftTech VC and Felicis Ventures. The capital will be used to further accelerate the company's strong growth trajectory.

24 Jan 2012

Study shows childhood experiences have long-term effects on health in midlife

Nurturing mothers have garnered accolades for rescuing skinned knees on the playground and coaxing their children to sleep with lullabies. Now they're gaining merit for their offspring's physical health in middle age.

24 Jan 2012

UCSF-led study to sequence DNA from 4,000 people with epilepsy

To probe the genetic secrets of one of the most common neurological diseases, more than 4,000 people with various forms of epilepsy will have their DNA decoded over the next five years in a study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and several collaborating institutions.

23 Jan 2012

RBC storage duration not associated with transfusion-related pulmonary complications

There is no difference in early measures of pulmonary function, immunologic status or coagulation status after fresh versus standard issue single-unit red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, according to a new study from the Mayo Clinic.

21 Jan 2012

Awake ECMO may be an effective bridging strategy for lung transplantation candidates

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in awake, non-intubated patients may be an effective strategy for bridging patients to lung transplantation, according to a new study from Germany.

21 Jan 2012

Accelerated growth may increase risk of asthma symptoms in young children

Accelerated growth in the first three months of life, but not fetal growth, is associated with an increased risk of asthma symptoms in young children, according to a new study from The Generation R Study Group at Erasmus Medical Center in the Netherlands.

20 Jan 2012