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Brains could process new situations by relying on method similar to "pointer" system

Our brains give us the remarkable ability to make sense of situations we've never encountered before-a familiar person in an unfamiliar place, for example, or a coworker in a different job role-but the mechanism our brains use to accomplish this has been a longstanding mystery of neuroscience.

24 Sep 2013

Study shows beneficial effects of mild hypothermia on cellular responses to TBI

Moderate reductions in body temperature can improve outcomes after a person suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI). New research that identifies positive effects of mild hypothermia on brain tissue is presented in an article published in Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

24 Sep 2013

ACR journals publish guide that provides new treatments for children with systemic JIA

In the U.S., there are nearly 300,000 children with juvenile arthritis and other rheumatic illnesses according to estimates from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). For pediatric patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), effective treatment for this disabling disease is imperative.

24 Sep 2013

New ultra-stretchable OLED could lead to foldable screens for new smartphones

Imagine an electronic display nearly as clear as a window, or a curtain that illuminates a room, or a smartphone screen that doubles in size, stretching like rubber. Now imagine all of these being made from the same material.

24 Sep 2013

Lung cancer patients who received IMRT report less decline in their QOL

An analysis of quality of life (QOL) data of stage III lung cancer patients who received higher doses of radiation therapy (with chemotherapy) shows a significantly lower quality of life at 3 months after treatment compared to patients who received a standard dose of radiation (with chemotherapy), according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 55th Annual Meeting.

24 Sep 2013

Study shows need for improved detection of sepsis for all women in labor

Rates of severe sepsis and deaths from sepsis among U.S. women hospitalized for delivery have risen sharply over the last decade, reports a study in the October issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

24 Sep 2013

Lobbyists, including restaurant owners, looking to make changes in health law

The efforts, some from strident opponents of the law, suggests they may now believe that they have to learn to live with the measure, The Washington Post reports. Also, Politico examines how President Barack Obama came to embrace the notion of changing health care.

24 Sep 2013

New ad campaigns compete over Obamacare enrollment

The Obama administration and its opponents in implementing the health law are readying to launch ad campaigns aimed at getting people to sign up for or stay away from new online health insurance exchanges that open Oct. 1. Many of the ads are airing in swing states, but they are also aimed at the young and uninsured in California and Texas who are uninsured in the largest numbers.

24 Sep 2013

Study suggests certain pediatric surgeries carry low risk of serious blood loss

Certain pediatric surgeries carry such low risk of serious blood loss that clinicians can safely forgo expensive blood typing and blood stocking before such procedures, suggest the results of a small study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

24 Sep 2013

Protein linked with asthma severity in children with high diesel exposure

A new study shows that exposure to diesel exhaust particles from traffic pollution leads to increased asthma severity in children. Moreover, the study finds that this is due to increased blood levels of IL-17A, a protein associated with several chronic inflammatory diseases, in children with high diesel exposure.

24 Sep 2013

The health law: Asking questions and getting answers

News outlets detail some frequently asked health law questions and also note some of the places people will turn to find out how the overhaul will work.

24 Sep 2013

Escapism, social interaction and rewards fuel problematic gaming behaviors among adults

New research from the University of Missouri indicates escapism, social interaction and rewards fuel problematic video-game use among "very casual" to "hardcore" adult gamers. Understanding individual motives that contribute to unhealthy game play could help counselors identify and treat individuals addicted to video games.

24 Sep 2013

FDA approves revised labeling for Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved revised labeling for the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve, making the device available to an expanded group of patients who have inoperable aortic valve stenosis, a disease of the heart valves that causes narrowing of the aortic valve, restricting blood flow from the heart.

24 Sep 2013

Tel Aviv University researchers develop spring-like fibers to help repair damaged heart tissue

The threat from a heart attack doesn't end with the event itself. Blockage of blood flow to the heart can cause irreversible cell death and scarring. With transplants scarce, half the people who live through a heart attack die within five years. Scientists are trying to address this problem by engineering cardiac tissue to patch up damaged areas.

24 Sep 2013

Digital devices may contribute to pulse oximetry's role as 'fifth vital sign'

Do you have a smartphone in your pocket or purse? If so, you may be carrying the future of mobile medical monitoring technology, according to a special article in the October issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

24 Sep 2013

Proton radiotherapy proves to be cost-effective in treating pediatric brain tumors

Proton therapy, an external beam radiotherapy in which protons deliver precise radiation doses to a tumor and spare healthy organs and tissues, is cost-effective in treating medulloblastomas, fast-growing brain tumors that mainly affect children, when compared to standard photon radiation therapy, according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 55th Annual Meeting.

24 Sep 2013

Understanding genetic, physiological basis for metabolic diseases related to circadian function

A new study by a team of University of Notre Dame researchers, which appears in the Sept. 2 edition of the journal PLoS ONE, is a significant step in understanding the molecular genetic and physiological basis for a spectrum of metabolic diseases related to circadian function.

24 Sep 2013

Marriage improves outcomes among patients with cancer, says oncologist

New results from a large retrospective study of the National Cancer Institute's SEER database show that patients with cancer who were married at the time of diagnosis live markedly longer compared to unmarried patients.

24 Sep 2013

Researchers develop first imaging tool to examine myelin damage in MS

Researchers have made an exciting breakthrough - developing a first-of-its-kind imaging tool to examine myelin damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). An extremely difficult disease to diagnose, the tool will help physicians diagnose patients earlier, monitor the disease's progression, and evaluate therapy efficacy.

24 Sep 2013

New study finds the tally for medical mistakes much higher than previous estimates

It seems that every time researchers estimate how often a medical mistake contributes to a hospital patient's death, the numbers come out worse. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine published the famous "To Err Is Human" report, which dropped a bombshell on the medical community by reporting that up to 98,000 people a year die because of mistakes in hospitals.

24 Sep 2013