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State highlights: N.Y. docs must now check drug database before prescribing painkillers; Fla. nursing homes quietly drop pediatric units; birth control at issue in Va. Gov. Race

A selection of health policy stories from New York, Florida, Virginia, California, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue. Findings from a team of UC Davis investigators have brought this dream a step closer by developing a method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin - a fatty, insulating sheath essential to normal neural conduction.

29 Aug 2013

NAMS announces recipients of Society's 2013 awards for clinical, research and humanitarian contributions

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the Society's 2013 awards. The awards are given in recognition of exceptional contributions to menopause research, practice, and education; community service; and media.

29 Aug 2013

Patients attending specialist nurse clinics do not get inferior treatment to that offered by rheumatologists

Patients attending clinical nurse specialist clinics do not get inferior treatment to that offered by consultant rheumatologists, the results of a major new clinical trial have revealed.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists create polymer additives that enhance orally administered drugs to reach bloodstream

All too often, when a person takes a pill full of a potent and effective drug, the drug passes straight through the body, not reaching the organ where it is needed - a waste of money and inconvenient if it is a cold medicine, but potentially dire if it is a treatment for a serious illness.

29 Aug 2013

TAP block procedure poses no significant risks to patients and cuts postoperative use of narcotics

Surgeons at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, are working to reduce serious complications that have been known to occur with colorectal operations.

29 Aug 2013

Better-educated middle-aged Americans inclined to make healthy changes in new medical conditions

Better-educated middle-aged Americans are less likely to smoke and more apt to be physically active than their less-educated peers. They are also more inclined to make healthy changes -- in general and in the face of new medical conditions -- and adhere to them, according to a new study in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

29 Aug 2013

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

All people have trillions of bacteria living in their intestines. If you place them on a scale, they weigh around 1.5 kg. Previously, a major part of these 'blind passengers' were unknown, as they are difficult or impossible to grow in laboratories.

29 Aug 2013

Ingestion of strong opioids can cause central nervous system depression, death in young children

Medication poisonings among children are an important public health problem. During 2010-2011, an average of 1500 children under 6 years of age was evaluated in emergency departments each year due to unintentional exposure to buprenorphine. Ingestion of strong opioids, such as buprenorphine, can cause central nervous system depression, respiratory depression, and death in young children.

29 Aug 2013

Experts share tips on preventing ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in American women. Approximately 22,000 women are diagnosed annually and 14,000 die from the disease. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and Mount Sinai experts are sharing tips on prevention.

29 Aug 2013

NAMS publishes new guidance for diagnosing and treating vulvovaginal atrophy

Symptoms of vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), such as lack of lubrication, irritated tissues, painful urination, and pain with intercourse, affect as many as 45% of women after menopause.

29 Aug 2013

Patient-relevant benefit of PET or PET/CT in oesophageal cancer is still unclear

The patient-relevant benefit of positron emission tomography (PET) in oesophageal cancer, alone or in combination with computed tomography (CT), is not proven due to a lack of comparative studies. In terms of their diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, it also remains unclear whether these diagnostic techniques can detect the spreading of tumours better than conventional diagnostics.

29 Aug 2013

Wal-Mart to offer health benefits to same-sex partners of employees

The nation's largest private employer said it's making the move to have one policy for the entire company, which must otherwise navigate each state's laws regarding civil unions and domestic partnerships.

29 Aug 2013

People with bacterial species in intestines are more likely to develop diabetes

The international consortium MetaHIT, which includes the research group of Jeroen Raes (VIB / Vrije Universiteit Brussel), publishes in the leading journal Nature that there is a link between richness of bacterial species in the intestines and the susceptibility for medical complications related to obesity.

29 Aug 2013

AATS agrees with USPSTF recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, a professional organization of surgeons dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases of the chest, strongly supports the United States Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers.

29 Aug 2013

Deadline reportedly delayed for finalizing details with insurance plans on federal exchanges

Reuters reports these agreements are not likely to be signed until mid-September. Also in the news, the race is on to train navigators while, in Washington state, Group Health makes a decision about abortion coverage in exchange plans. And Republicans on Capitol Hill offer a new plan for insuring government officials.

29 Aug 2013

Oral sunscreens not as effective as traditional lotions and creams, warns Loyola dermatologist

While it might be nice to pop a pill to protect your skin from the sun, a Loyola University Health System dermatologist warns that oral sunscreens are not as effective as traditional lotions and creams.

29 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Upton says GOP health ideas overlooked; tying insurance to jobs is a bad idea

In a troubling denial of reality, President Obama now claims that Republicans have no ideas when it comes to health care, saying "they don't have an agenda to provide health insurance to people at affordable rates." But Republicans do have answers – a lot of them (Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., 8/27).

29 Aug 2013

Study: Popular music may promote alcohol use among youth

Four alcohol brands-Patron tequila, Hennessy cognac, Grey Goose vodka, and Jack Daniel's whiskey-accounted for more than half of alcohol brand mentions in the songs that mentioned alcohol use in Billboard's most popular song lists in 2009, 2010 and 2011, according to a new study from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

29 Aug 2013

Jia Shen receives 2013 Jess Hay Chancellor's Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Jia Shen, a student at The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, is a recipient of a 2013 Jess Hay Chancellor's Graduate Student Research Fellowship. This award is given to two students per year across the entire University of Texas System, which is comprised of nine universities and six health institutions.

29 Aug 2013

Medical News

State highlights: N.Y. docs must now check drug database before prescribing painkillers; Fla. nursing homes quietly drop pediatric units; birth control at issue in Va. Gov. Race

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

NAMS announces recipients of Society's 2013 awards for clinical, research and humanitarian contributions

Patients attending specialist nurse clinics do not get inferior treatment to that offered by rheumatologists

Scientists create polymer additives that enhance orally administered drugs to reach bloodstream

TAP block procedure poses no significant risks to patients and cuts postoperative use of narcotics

Better-educated middle-aged Americans inclined to make healthy changes in new medical conditions

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

Ingestion of strong opioids can cause central nervous system depression, death in young children

Experts share tips on preventing ovarian cancer

NAMS publishes new guidance for diagnosing and treating vulvovaginal atrophy

Patient-relevant benefit of PET or PET/CT in oesophageal cancer is still unclear

Wal-Mart to offer health benefits to same-sex partners of employees

People with bacterial species in intestines are more likely to develop diabetes

AATS agrees with USPSTF recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers

Deadline reportedly delayed for finalizing details with insurance plans on federal exchanges

Oral sunscreens not as effective as traditional lotions and creams, warns Loyola dermatologist

Viewpoints: Upton says GOP health ideas overlooked; tying insurance to jobs is a bad idea

Study: Popular music may promote alcohol use among youth

Jia Shen receives 2013 Jess Hay Chancellor's Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Advancing Motor Neuron Disease Diagnosis with Non-Invasive Ultrasound and AI

How agentic AI is reshaping laboratory workflows

Fourier 80: bringing benchtop NMR systems to the laboratory

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