Genetic mutation linked to infant lung disease
...enomic Diversity. "The lung surfactants that ABCA3 helps produce are essential for breathing and this work may provide insight into other pulmonary diseases." "These advances are made possible by the availability of the gene sequence provided by the human genome project and by close interactions among d...Lactation program increases rate of breast feeding
...ical Center in Chicago is a lactation program that helps mothers whose children are cared for in the Rush neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). All mothers have access to the support and educational components in the program, and special services have been implemented to address the unique needs of low-inc...New guidelines for cerebral palsy recommend early neuroimaging tests
...inical history and examination. An early diagnosis helps the child's parent or caregiver and their physician understand the cause of the disorder, as well as make informed decisions on a treatment plan. Evidence also suggests that children diagnosed with cerebral palsy should be routinely examined for othe...Mount Sinai to offer NearVision CK
...e, effective and minimally invasive procedure that helps people over 40 to overcome the aging of their eyes."...Study will identify best treatment for type 2 diabetes in youth
...ng drugs called the thiazolidinediones (TZDs). It helps fat, muscle, and liver cells respond to insulin and use glucose more efficiently. TODAY is the first clinical study to look at the effects of intensive lifestyle change aimed at lowering weight by cutting calories and increasing physical activity i...Impaired sense of smell increases risk for certain hazards
...ion in the article. Olfaction, or sense of smell, helps detect environmental cues that can warn of potentially life-threatening situations, like fires, spoiled food or gas leaks. Sense of smell can be impaired by head trauma, viral infection, nasal obstruction or septal deviation, neurologic disorders, m...Study supports new theory for nicotine's protective effect against neurodegenerative disorders
...ling hypothesis among researchers is that nicotine helps protect the brain by binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that sit on the end of nerve terminals. This action by nicotine, similar to turning up the volume of a radio signal, causes brain cells to increase the release of neurotransmitters dep...New computer-aided approach tailors drug dose to patient needs
...that-learns -- promises to provide a new tool that helps doctors tailor the dosage of abciximab, a medicine frequently used before angioplasty to lessen the chance of heart attack. Dr. Mirna Urquidi-Macdonald, professor of engineering science and mechanics, says, "While we tried our approach first with ab...Lupus discovery may pave way to better-designed COX-2 inhibitors
...f an enzyme called cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), which helps trigger inflammation, in tandem with another molecule called c-FLIP, which then prevents the autoimmune T cells from self-destructing. Using commonly prescribed drugs called COX-2 inhibitors, which suppress COX-2 activity and, as a result, inflammat...Study finds male and female brains respond differently to visual stimuli
...n male sexual behavior, Hamann says. "This study helps us get closer to understanding the fundamental functions of this area of the brain," Hamann says. In addition to adding to basic neuroscience knowledge, the findings potentially could have applications that could help scientists develop therapeutic m...Going low tech, low cost to ease the terrors of dementia
... that showed that simply rocking in rocking chairs helps ease anxiety and depression among nursing home residents with dementia. Since then rocking therapy has been implemented in nursing homes around the country. The group has also explored the use of humor as a way to help people with dementia who are up...USP releases first-ever case study book to advance medication error prevention
... order to improve patient care and safety. MEDMARX helps hospitals report, understand and ultimately prevent medication errors in hospitals. The MEDMARX data report, Summary of Information Submitted to MEDMARX in the Year 2002: The Quest for Quality, provides a comprehensive analysis of 192,477 medication ...USC study finds hormone supplement used by athletes may not increase testosterone
...arious sex hormones, including testosterone, which helps build muscle. Researchers report in the March issue of Fertility and Sterility, however, that the testosterone created from DHEA does not stay long in the blood, but instead, quickly breaks down into other hormones associated with prostate gland grow...Mayo Clinic researchers identify testing for patients for prostate treatments
...e simple and inexpensive pretreatment testing that helps identify patients who would be at increased risk for developing urinary complications," says Michael Wehle, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic Department of Urology, and the primary author of the study. Of the 105 men studied at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville...Data shows new drug, rimonabant, helps smokers quit while limiting post cessation weight gain
...balance. By blocking the CB1 receptor, rimonabant helps restore balance to the EC system resulting in redu...c disorders in overweight/obese patients, and also helps people to quit smoking without significant post-cessation weight gain, we may have a very promising ...UNC to become regional center for research on health workforce
...me specialties," he said. "Knowing this in advance helps shape policy and signal the market to adjust." First-year funding will pay for five studies and start-up activities, according to Dennis Zaenger, research associate at Sheps and center manager. One project will generate information on nursing employm...Helping patients focus on prevention
...ases and conditions that lead to tooth loss, which helps them stop those problems in their tracks. The most prevalent cause of tooth loss is periodontal or gum disease. Characterized by swollen gums and bone loss, periodontal disease is usually caused by poor oral hygiene, which makes bacteria build up in...'Care managers' help depressed elderly reduce suicidal thoughts
...ing doctors' offices with depression care managers helps depressed elderly patients reduce suicidal thoughts, a study funded by NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has found. Martha Bruce, Ph.D., Cornell University, Charles Reynolds, III, M.D., University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues report o...Studies focus on vascular spasm as a common cause of cardiomyopathy
...damaged heart cells produce more of an enzyme that helps synthesize nitric oxide, and that high concentrations of nitric oxide were present in regions of damaged heart tissue. In this paper they show that inhibiting the production of nitric oxide could reduce, but not eliminate, coronary artery spasm. "We...High blood pressure in the lungs a major risk for death in adults with sickle cell disease
...den death in those with sickle cell and this study helps to clarify what is causing those fatalities; particularly in the absence of coronary artery disease (hardening of the arteries) as the cause," explained lead investigator Dr. Gladwin. The co-authors agree that this study's findings represent an oppor...