Newswise: MedNews

St. Jude Patients and Expert Chefs Join Forces to Create Gingerbread House

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patients got a head start on the holiday season, and future architect degrees, by helping construct the hospital's signature gingerbread house with some expert chefs.

NIH Awards University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy $1.5 Million for Male Fertility Research

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy researcher looks at the adverse effects of environmental toxins on male fertility and disease.

Unaware and At-Risk

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

A new survey from the American Diabetes Association asked participants to rank which disease: diabetes, breast cancer or AIDS, was responsible for the largest number of deaths annually.

International Sports Star Undergoes Surgery, Regains Sight at UAB After Training Disaster

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST

Baljit Singh was looking forward to 2010. The premier event in professional field hockey, the World Cup, is to be hosted in his native India next year. And Singh, 28, was the goalie on the Indian National Team. He was considered the best goalie in Asia, ranked fourth in the world. Until a practice incident on July 17 changed everything.

Older Problem Drinkers Use More Alcohol Than Do Their Younger Counterparts

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:35:00 EST

Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found.

Researchers Identify Role of Gene in Tumor Development

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:00:00 EST

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis

Rare Pancreatic Cancer Patients May Live Longer When Treated with Radiation Therapy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Radiation therapy is effective in achieving local control and palliation in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNTs), despite such tumors being commonly considered resistant to radiation therapy, according to a largest of its kind study in the November 15 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

FISH Technology Preferred for Choosing HER-2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatments

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

The debate on how to select patients who will respond best to costly drug treatments for aggressive breast cancer now favors fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to measure the HER-2 receptor found in human breast tumors, according to a leading pathologist presenting at the Association for Molecular Pathology annual meeting.

Sweet! Sugared Polymer a New Weapon Against Allergies and Asthma

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:30:00 EST

Scientists at Johns Hopkins and their colleagues have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Their advance is a significant step toward crafting pharmaceuticals to fight these often life-endangering conditions in a new way.

Sleep Apnea May Cause Heart Disease in Kidney Transplant Patients

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST

Sleep apnea is common in individuals who receive a kidney transplant and is associated with increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). Researchers found that kidney transplant patients are just as likely to have this sleep disorder as dialyzed kidney disease patients who are on the transplant waiting list. Therefore, both types of patients who have sleep apnea should be considered at high risk for developing serious heart-related complications.

Mother's Depression a Risk Factor in Childhood Asthma Symptoms

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST

Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in their children, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.

Weill Cornell Science Briefs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

1) Designing Speedier Lab Tests; 2) Reducing Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's Disease; 3) Body's Own Cholesterol Processing May Lead to Innovative Therapies; 4) Making a Better Vaccine; 5) New Way to Get a Boost in Energy Disorder.

Internet Predators, Privacy, Porn: Are Parents Concerned?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

For girls, parents worry most about a loss of privacy and being vulnerable to sexual predators; for boys, parents are most concerned about access to pornographic material.

Surviving the Holidays: 10 Tips for Staying Healthy

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST

A Saint Louis University family physician offers tips for avoiding H1N1 and other bugs this holiday season.

Immunologist at Children's Hospital Receives Daland Prize for Patient-Oriented Research

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:15:00 EST

A pediatric immunologist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has received a prestigious annual award from the American Philosophical Society, an organization founded in 1743 by Benjamin Franklin. Jordan S. Orange, M.D., Ph.D., received the Judson Daland Prize on Nov. 13 for his work in inherited immune deficiency diseases.

Thanks, But No Thanks: Avoiding Food Poisoning At Thanksgiving

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:35:00 EST

Thanksgiving is when people get together around the dinner table and, unless you want your loved ones getting violently ill, it is a good time to think about food safety. Dr. Ben Chapman, food safety specialist and assistant professor of food science at NC State University, can offer suggestions to ensure your Thanksgiving meal is a safe one.

Toward Explaining Why Hepatitis B Hits Men Harder than Women

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:20:00 EST

Scientists in China are reporting discovery of unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women. Their study has been published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.

Surgery Not Linked to Memory Problems in Older Patients

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

For years, it has been widely assumed that older adults may experience memory loss and other cognitive problems following surgery. But a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis questions those assumptions. In fact, the researchers were not able to detect any long-term cognitive declines attributable to surgery in a group of 575 patients they studied.

Breaking the Abuse Cycle

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

CIHR experts speak out in light of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (November 25).

Got the Flu? You Might Pass It on to Your Pet

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST

Pet owners who contract H1N1 flu may pass the disease along to their pets, especially if the pet is a cat or ferret.

U-M Opens New Research Studies For Emphysema & Other COPD

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

The University of Michigan Health System will try to find out why some smokers develop lung disease and others don't, through a multi-center research study that seeks to improve diagnosis and treatment for millions of people affected by emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other lung diseases. This and a second study are now accepting new participants.

Dermatologists Now Offer Non-invasive Skin Tightening

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

A new non-surgical skin-tightening procedure that dermatologists say smoothes and firms up baggy skin uses radio waves. The outpatient Thermage treatments can be done all over the body. The focused waves promote collagen remodeling and continue to tighten for weeks afterward.

Reflux Esophagitis Due to Immune Reaction, Not Acute Acid Burn

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

Contrary to current thinking, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) might not develop as a direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found in an animal study.

Pivotal Study for PSD502--The First Potential Treatment for Premature Ejaculation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST

At the annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA), Inc. in San Diego, Sciele Pharma, Inc. today presented data from its second positive pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

Sculpture of Legendary Michigan Football Coach Bo Schembechler Unveiled

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A bronze sculpture of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler will be unveiled Nov. 19 at the U-M Cardiovascular Center. Long after Schembechler led the U-M football team to prominence, he was working tirelessly to do the same for heart health.