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GW Hospital, The Wireless Foundation announce new initiative to improve cardiac care

Today, the George Washington University Heart and Vascular Institute and The Wireless Foundation, in partnership with the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services, announced their innovative public health initiative, which will improve cardiac care in the nation's capital.

14 Nov 2012

Brevetoxin-2 stimulates nerve cell growth and plasticity in cultured mouse neurons

A new study using brevetoxin-2, a compound produced naturally by marine algae, stimulated nerve cell growth and plasticity in cultured mouse neurons. This research advances a potentially new pharmacological treatment to aid recovery of brain function following a stroke or other traumatic brain injury.

14 Nov 2012

Lung cancer stem cells can be isolated and grown in preclinical models

A University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Institute lung cancer research team reports that lung cancer stem cells can be isolated-and then grown-in a preclinical model, offering a new avenue for investigating immunotherapy treatment options that specifically target stem cells.

14 Nov 2012

CSIS video discusses global health and national security

A recent video from the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) on global health and national security discusses the importance of military and non-military health partnerships with middle- and low-income countries, the American Public Health Association's "IH-Blog" reports.

14 Nov 2012

DNA sequencing helps detect MRSA outbreaks in hospitals

This study used DNA sequencing to examine an outbreak of MRSA in a hospital, to uncover new cases and, as the study developed, to intervene in the outbreak to end it more quickly. Sequencing illuminated each person infected and described the transmission of MRSA between people coming to the hospital and within the hospital.

14 Nov 2012

EU Tobacco Products Directive: an interview with Professor John Britton

The EU Products Directive is intended to regulate tobacco products to protect consumers and reduce harms to health that come from using tobacco.

14 Nov 2012

U.N. has 'moral responsibility' to address cholera outbreak in Haiti

Sometimes "[w]hen the international aid community descends on a vulnerable place ... good intentions make a bad situation even worse," a Boston Globe editorial states, adding that is "what happened two years ago, when United Nations peacekeepers arrived in Haiti in the wake of a devastating earthquake, bringing the deadly disease cholera with them."

14 Nov 2012

Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as homeless children age

Obesity and dental cavities increase and become epidemic as children living below the poverty level age, according to nurse researchers from the Case Western Reserve University and the University of Akron.

14 Nov 2012

LA Times investigates doctors' connection to prescription drug abuse

Prescription overdoses kill more people than heroin and cocaine. An L.A. Times review of coroners' records finds that drugs prescribed by a small number of doctors caused or contributed to a disproportionate number of deaths.

14 Nov 2012

Certain UTI-causing bacteria become more difficult to treat with current antibiotics

Certain types of bacteria responsible for causing urinary tract infections (UTIs), the second-most-common infection in the United States, are becoming more difficult to treat with current antibiotics, according to new research from Extending the Cure (ETC), a project of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy.

14 Nov 2012

Despite election, health overhaul faces changes and legal challenges

Lawsuits continue to go forward against the health law and some politicians continue to vow repeal efforts.

14 Nov 2012

UT Southwestern receives two major patient satisfaction awards from Press Ganey

UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of only two academic medical centers in the country to receive two major patient satisfaction awards from Press Ganey, a national consulting firm specializing in health care performance.

14 Nov 2012

WHO member states approve new treaty to fight illegal tobacco trade

WHO member states meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday unanimously approved a new international treaty to combat the illegal tobacco trade, VOA News reports.

14 Nov 2012

Study reveals how interneurons navigate during cerebral cortex development

As the brain develops, each neuron must find its way to precisely the right spot to weave the intricate network of links the brain needs to function. Like the wiring in a computer, a few misplaced connections can throw off functioning for an entire segment of the brain.

14 Nov 2012

Blog examines RTS,S malaria vaccine trial results

In a post in the Center for Global Development's (CGD) "Global Health Policy" blog, Owen Barder, a senior fellow and director for Europe at the CGD, reports on the results of a large Phase III clinical trial conducted in Africa on the malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S, published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on Friday.

14 Nov 2012

Study analyzes menu offerings and nutrient information from major U.S. fast food restaurants

With grilled chicken, salads and oatmeal now on fast food menus, you might think fast food has become healthier. And indeed, there has been greater attention in the media and legislatively, paid to the healthfulness of fast food. But a close look at the industry has found that calorie counts have changed little, while the number of food items has doubled.

14 Nov 2012

Obama administration gives states more time to decide on health exchanges

On Friday afternoon, the Department of Health and Human Services extended the deadline until Dec. 14 for states to submit plans to set up state-based health insurance exchanges under the health care law. Those states that want to partner with the federal government have until Feb. 15 to outline the duties the state government would handle in running the exchanges.

14 Nov 2012

Biofactory introduces FastFraX FMR1 Identification Kit at MEDICA 2012

The Biofactory, a biomedical incubator based in Singapore, has launched a new genetic test at MEDICA 2012, the world's largest medical trade fair. Called FastFraX, this genetic test is able to effectively screen for Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), a genetic condition that is the most common form of inherited intellectual disability.

14 Nov 2012

States wrestle with decisions regarding how to move forward on exchanges

News outlets report on how various states are responding to the implementation of the health law now that President Barack Obama has been re-elected.

14 Nov 2012

Combination of hormones may effectively treat obesity with few side effects

Scientists at Indiana University and international collaborators have found a way to link two hormones into a single molecule, producing a more effective therapy with fewer side effects for potential use as treatment for obesity and related medical conditions.

14 Nov 2012