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SRI International receives DoD grant to develop novel therapy for MS

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded SRI International a one-year grant to develop a novel therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune nervous system disease that affects about 400,000 people in the United States and more than two million people worldwide. There is currently no cure for this disorder, which can impair vision and movement.

11 Jul 2012

Contraceptive use likely prevents more than 272,000 maternal deaths from childbirth each year

Contraceptive use likely prevents more than 272,000 maternal deaths from childbirth each year, according to a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Researchers further estimate that satisfying the global unmet need for contraception could reduce maternal deaths an additional 30 percent. Their findings were published July 10 by The Lancet as part of a series of articles on family planning.

11 Jul 2012

Colon cancer cells use clever trick to migrate: Study

How does a tumor cell set up a signaling pathway in order to metastasize? Scientists at Technische Universit-t M-nchen's (TUM) Klinikum rechts der Isar and Helmholtz Zentrum M-nchen have made a significant discovery in this area by studying colon cancer.

11 Jul 2012

Common barnyard chicken might offer new ways to attack cancer

The common barnyard chicken could provide some very un-common clues for fighting off diseases and might even offer new ways to attack cancer, according to a team of international researchers that includes a Texas A&M University professor.

11 Jul 2012

Agencies place unqualified, possibly criminal caregivers in homes of vulnerable seniors

If you hire a caregiver from an agency for an elderly family member, you might assume the person had undergone a thorough criminal background check and drug testing, was experienced and trained for the job.

11 Jul 2012

Viewpoints: Obama's 'ideological gymnastics;' Health law's promise of mental health parity; Perry's 'platitudes' on care in Texas

Mitt Romney is under fire for flip-flopping when he declared that the individual mandate is a tax, after a campaign adviser said it was not. In a front-page story, the New York Times wrote that Romney's statement "prompted renewed criticism that he was willing to adjust his views for political expediency." Bill Burton of the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA opined on what he called "Romney's ideological gymnastics."

11 Jul 2012

Eosinophil count predicts mortality risk following heart procedure

Study findings suggest that eosinophil count predicts mortality risk in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

10 Jul 2012

Abused children may become obese adults

Severity of abuse in childhood or adolescence is associated with an increased risk for overall and central obesity in adulthood, report researchers.

10 Jul 2012

Chest X-ray prevents excess antibiotic use in childhood pneumonia

Use of a chest X-ray as well as traditional clinical parameters to diagnose childhood pneumonia can prevent overdiagnosis and unnecessary use of antibiotics, say researchers.

10 Jul 2012

BP variability link to stroke risk reinforced

Analysis of data from the Women’s Health Initiative supports the contention that variability in a person’s blood pressure affects their risk for stroke.

10 Jul 2012

Obstructive sleep apnea worse in cold weather

Study findings based on observations from a sleep clinic in Brazil indicate that obstructive sleep apnea may worsen during the winter months.

10 Jul 2012

Factors linked with MDD transition to BD identified

A wide range of demographic, clinical, and environmental factors are associated with an increased risk for transition from major depressive disorder to bipolar disorder, US study results show.

10 Jul 2012

Obese achieve functional improvements after trauma rehab

Obese patients participating in a rehabilitation program for orthopedic trauma can achieve meaningful functional independence before discharge, US research shows.

10 Jul 2012

Broken heart syndrome arms against epinephrine high

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or “broken heart syndrome,” may actually protect the heart from very high levels of epinephrine, suggest results from an animal study.

10 Jul 2012

Activity levels best reflect functional capacity of back pain patients

The level of physical activity displayed by an elderly individual with chronic low back pain is a better predictor for functional capacity than psychosocial factors, results from a community-based study indicate.

10 Jul 2012

Biomarkers predict benefit of targeted therapy in metastatic renal-cell cancer

In metastatic renal-cell cancer, the level of cytokines and angiogenic factors identify those patients with an aggressive disease course who derive the greatest benefit from treatment with the molecular-targeted therapy pazopanib, a retrospective analysis of clinical trials shows.

10 Jul 2012