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Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

A test to detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) provides doctors with useful information on treatment and further testing for patients with cognitive impairment, according to a study published online by the journal Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders.

28 Nov 2012

Prevalence of mental health diagnoses increases with long duration of opioid use

Most patients taking opioids for low back pain or other pain syndromes are prescribed low-to moderate doses, but a substantial number are given higher doses. Although there is no consensus on an absolute limit because tolerance varies over time among individual patients, what is known, however, is higher does are associated with elevated risks for side effects, addiction, overdoses and death.

28 Nov 2012

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, some of which carry FDA warnings on prescription information for these drugs.

28 Nov 2012

HHS, PEPFAR work toward AIDS-free generation

"As World AIDS Day 2012 approaches, it is a timely opportunity to reflect on what we learned at this year's International AIDS Conference" and recognize "the United States, through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has been a remarkable vehicle in this fight, employing sound science to offer the highest quality interventions and treatment," Nils Daulaire, director of the Office of Global Affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), writes in the AIDS.gov blog.

28 Nov 2012

The Neuro clinician-scientists to further research on HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's

Clinician-scientists take a unique, integrated approach that is essential to advancing science and medicine. Problems encountered in the clinic inspire research and new findings from the labs are directly applied to patients' needs.

28 Nov 2012

Workshop examines Post-MDG Agenda for Global Health

Writing in the Council on Foreign Relations' (CFR) "Development Channel" blog, Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at CFR, reports on a workshop on the post-2015 development agenda.

28 Nov 2012

Renowned Mexican singer receives robotic left hepatectomy at University of Illinois Hospital

Renowned Mexican singer Vicente Fernández Gómez underwent a robotic left hepatectomy, a surgical procedure to remove a portion of the liver, Nov. 8 at the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System.

28 Nov 2012

Progress check on states and health insurance exchanges

With Democrats regaining control of the New Hampshire House, lawmakers could revisit a GOP decision not to build a health insurance exchange. In the meantime, Oregon, California and Missouri officials seek to clarify their options.

28 Nov 2012

Digoxin increases risk of death in patients with atrial fibrillation

Digoxin, a drug widely used to treat heart disease, increases the possibility of death when used by patients with a common heart rhythm problem − atrial fibrillation (AF), according to new study findings by University of Kentucky researchers. The results have been published in the prestigious European Heart Journal, and raises serious concerns about the expansive use of this long-standing heart medication in patients with AF.

28 Nov 2012

Impact of Medicaid expansion would vary by state, according to study

The analysis released Monday explored how some states would experience savings while others would see cost increases as a result of the health law's plan to expand Medicaid.

28 Nov 2012

Study broadens understanding of how cells regulate X chromosome inactivation

In a paper published in the Nov. 21 issue of Cell, a team led by Mauro Calabrese, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina in the lab of Terry Magnuson, chair of the department of genetics and member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, broadens the understanding of how cells regulate silencing of the X chromosome in a process known as X-inactivation.

28 Nov 2012

IPS examines undernourishment, efforts to reverse vitamin deficiencies

"Poverty is the leading cause of many vitamin deficiencies, especially vitamin A," and the problem is acute in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where food staples such as cassava and rice are high in calories but low in nutrients, Inter Press Service reports.

28 Nov 2012

Researchers aim to improve feeling of 'walking on marbles' for arthritis patients

Researchers at the University of Southampton are to undertake a new stage of a study aimed at improving the health and mobility of those suffering from the common complaint of 'walking on marbles' associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in the feet.

28 Nov 2012

USAID launches '16 Days of Activism' for Elimination of Gender Violence

"This week we launch the 16 Days of Activism for the Elimination of Gender Violence, which runs from November 25 to December 10," Carla Koppell, senior coordinator for gender equality and women's empowerment at USAID, writes in the agency's "IMPACTblog."

28 Nov 2012

Patients with RA more likely to have dislocation following hip replacement surgery

In the first systemic review of evidence assessing complications following total joint arthroplasty, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were found to have an increased risk for hip dislocation after hip replacement surgery compared to those with osteoarthritis (OA). Study findings published online in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), also indicate that RA patients have a higher infection risk following total knee replacement than patients with OA.

28 Nov 2012

Global Fund's new funding model 'designed to be flexible, focused, fast'

In the Center for Strategic & International Studies' (CSIS) "Smart Global Health" blog, Todd Summers, senior adviser at the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, reviews the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria's old rounds-based grant system that the Global Fund Board recently agreed to replace with a new funding model "that's designed to be flexible, focused, and fast," he says.

28 Nov 2012

Cry acoustics may help identify infants at risk of autism

Autism is a poorly understood family of related conditions. People with autism generally lack normal social interaction skills and engage in a variety of unusual and often characteristic behaviors, such as repetitive movements. While there is no specific medical treatment for autism, some success has been shown with early behavioral intervention.

28 Nov 2012

Critics look to House panels to restrain health law; Big policy issues remain

Questions remain on implementing the health law -- both politically and in settling policy matters -- as opponents look to House committees to police the Obama administration's activities to get the law up and running.

28 Nov 2012

Intramyocardial injection of organ-derived stem cells after AMI improves left ventricle function

A study published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation, now freely available on-line, has found that when mesenchymal cells derived from skeletal muscle (SM-MSCs) or adipose tissue (ADSCs) were injected into the heart muscle (myocardium) of separate groups of laboratory rats that had suffered a myocardial infarction, rats in both groups experienced significantly improved left ventricle function and smaller infarct size after cell therapy.

28 Nov 2012

Democrats resist significant changes to Medicare, other entitlement programs

Efforts to avert the looming "fiscal cliff" have revived talk of raising Medicare's eligibility age. Some Republicans also suggest that spending to carry out the health law should be viewed as a source for savings. Meanwhile, an important meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.

28 Nov 2012

Medical News

Florbetapir PET scans can detect brain amyloid deposits associated with Alzheimer’s

Prevalence of mental health diagnoses increases with long duration of opioid use

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

HHS, PEPFAR work toward AIDS-free generation

The Neuro clinician-scientists to further research on HIV/AIDS, Parkinson's

Workshop examines Post-MDG Agenda for Global Health

Renowned Mexican singer receives robotic left hepatectomy at University of Illinois Hospital

Progress check on states and health insurance exchanges

Digoxin increases risk of death in patients with atrial fibrillation

Impact of Medicaid expansion would vary by state, according to study

Study broadens understanding of how cells regulate X chromosome inactivation

IPS examines undernourishment, efforts to reverse vitamin deficiencies

Researchers aim to improve feeling of 'walking on marbles' for arthritis patients

USAID launches '16 Days of Activism' for Elimination of Gender Violence

Patients with RA more likely to have dislocation following hip replacement surgery

Global Fund's new funding model 'designed to be flexible, focused, fast'

Cry acoustics may help identify infants at risk of autism

Critics look to House panels to restrain health law; Big policy issues remain

Intramyocardial injection of organ-derived stem cells after AMI improves left ventricle function

Democrats resist significant changes to Medicare, other entitlement programs

Voltammetry and machine learning for real-time neurotransmitter detection

How real-time off-gas analysis improves fermentation process control

Advancing Drug Safety Assessment With AI, Predictive Modeling, and Human-Relevant Data

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