Employment prospects good for most cancer survivors -- but not all
Only one of five cancer survivors surveyed in a Penn State study were disabled or out of work four years after treatment, but a minority suffered lasting effects that prevented them from working. ... Dr. Pamela Farley Short, professor of health policy and administration and demography who led the study, says, "One of the reassuring findings from this study is that encouraging people to get mammog...Rhesus monkeys reason about perspectives of others in obtaining food
New Haven, Conn.--Rhesus monkeys consider whether someone can or cannot see them when trying to steal food, indicating they have the ability to reason about the mental states of others, according to a study published this month in ....... In each of six experiments, two people stood in front of a platform, each with a grape attached to the platform. The experiments created competitive conditions...MRI proves useful in assessment of suspected breast cancer patients
If a mammogram or sonogram suggests that a woman has breast cancer, an MRI should be done to help determine whether there actually is a cancer and if so, what are the woman's best treatment options, a new study shows. The study, done in a large community hospital, found that MR images, which were acquired and analyzed in a specific way, can help identify if a lesion is benign or malignant and can...Most advanced CT scanner improves imaging of heart, avoids need for surgical inspection
Johns Hopkins Medicine has installed the latest computed tomography (CT) imaging software and machinery, also known as a 64-slice computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner. The newly upgraded device produces precise diagnostic pictures within five to 10 seconds for patients experiencing symptoms associated with heart attack. ...In use at Hopkins since Feb. 21, the scanner is expected to repl...Slow growth in infancy signals poor economic prospects in adulthood
Slow growth in the year after birth seems to signal poor economic prospects as an adult, suggests a study of 50 year old men in Archives of Disease in Childhood....... Over 4,500 men were studied, all of whom had been born in Helsinki, Finland, between 1934 and 1944....... Their heights had been measured an average of eight times during the first year of life. The researchers linked these measure...Hospital mortuary services need regular inspection
Recent stories about improper storage of bodies and organs in hospital mortuaries have generated public interest in both pathology and mortuary services.... ...A study in this weeks BMJ suggests that regular audits are essential for a mortuary to run effectively and safely and to gain public confidence.... ...Researchers at the Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust audited the documents accompanying all 7,...Asthma researchers present new results, new perspectives on the disease
February 25, 2002 -- Preliminary results of a long-term study show two new ways to reduce asthma severity in inner-city children. Researchers will present these results at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), which takes place at the Hilton New York hotel on March 1-6....... The six-year investigation is part of the ongoing efforts of the Inner...Views from space help oil prospectors see deep underground
It takes seismic force to make the ground give up its secrets. Through the years, those searching for oil and gas have used varied methods to send sound energy into the ground and to record the waves reflected by the geological features beneath the surface.... ...Modern methods include large vibrator trucks and many thousands of surface sensors called geophones, all precisely located to obtain th...Examination of possible conflicts of interest to influence look at suspected adverse drug reactions
A review of the published literature and of internal company documents from the manufacturer of cerivastatin, a cholesterol lowering drug removed from the market in 2001, suggests that information about serious adverse effects of this medication was known to the company within months after this drug was launched, and that company analyses showing substantially increased risk of rhabdomyolysis wer...Twenty-Year prospective study of pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease finds healthy babies
ORLANDO (November 1, 2004)--Infants born to women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are no more likely to develop congenital malformations than infants born to healthy mothers, according to a study presented at the 69th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Researchers from the University of Toronto presented a prospective study of 138 women with IBD who gave...CT with multiplanar reconstruction gives new perspective on complex ankle fractures
CT with multiplanar reconstruction provides a clear multi-dimensional view of tibial triplane fractures of the ankle--a view that alters what is found in many medical textbooks and changes the way physicians understand these complex fractures, a new study shows.... ...The study included 51 young people, ranging in age from 10 to 17 years old. Triplane fractures, (fracture lines occur in three pl...Errors in medicine: The patient's perspective
The first study of the patient's perspective on errors in medicine may have health care professional rethinking what is important to their patients.... ...The study, published in the Annals of Family Medicine, suggests that patients are more disturbed with lack of access to and relationships with their physicians than technical errors in diagnosis and treatment.... ...Although much has been wr...CRESTOR leads in 1st international prospective study of statins in the metabolic syndrome
London, United Kingdom, Monday 6 September 2004. New data from the first international prospective study of statin treatment in people with the metabolic syndrome demonstrate that CRESTOR (rosuvastatin) achieves excellent results in lowering LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and raising HDL-C in this important and growing patient population.1 Today's results from the COMETS study, presented at the 40th An...'Good guy' blood cells are now suspects in heart disease, diabetes
Until recently, the story on platelets was pretty simple: tiny blood cells, with limited sophistication because they had no nucleus, and their claim to fame was to be a first-responder to a wound site, to promote healthy clotting and prevent infection. Later scientists theorized platelets might be connected to harmful chronic inflammation, but the links were unclear.... ...In a paper published i...MDCT angiography can replace angiography in diagnosing suspected arterial injuries
Multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography can replace angiography in the initial evaluation of suspected arterial injury in patients with blunt and penetrating neck injuries, a new study shows.... ..."We studied 58 patients who underwent MDCT angiography and/or traditional angiography," said Josh Stuhlfaut, MD, lead author of the study. MDCT angiography is less expensive, less invasive and much faster...MR spectroscopy aids in distinguishing recurring brain tumors from changes related to treatment
MR spectroscopy may be a useful adjunct to conventional imaging to distinguish recurrent tumor from treatment-related change in the brain such as inflammation or dead cells, says a new study by researchers from the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, MI.... ...In the study, MR spectroscopy was performed on 27 patients who were previously treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and rad...Physics and medicine: at Erice the new perspectives of an ancient cooperation
From April the 15th to the 17th, at Ettore Majorana Foundation settled in Erice, in the context of the International School on Physics and Industry, it will take place the congress titled "Particles accelerators and detectors: from physics to medicine". ...... The interaction between physics and medicine, at the centre of the debate of this year, demonstrated to be particularly fruitful since su...Existing therapies applied to new use in broader spectrum of cancer care
ORLANDO - Drugs approved for treatment of specific maladies sometimes show unexpected benefits. Researchers at the 95th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research demonstrated highlighted how some drugs may one day offer previously unforeseen benefits for patients. ... ...The research was presented here today at the 95th Annual Meeting of the Amer...Unsuspected brain region involved in side effects of diabetes drugs
St. Louis, March 15, 2004 -- A brain region involved in emotional and intellectual processes appears to also play an unsuspected role in the body's visceral response to dangerously low blood sugar levels, according to research at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. Low blood sugar, called hypoglycemia, is a common and dangerous side effect of drugs that control insulin levels in...New data on the effect of Atacand(R) on NYHA class in a broad spectrum of heart failure patients
Mlndal, Sweden, 9 March 2004 Data presented today at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) annual meeting add weight to the evidence shown in the original publications from the CHARM* Programme of the effects of Atacand (candesartan cilexetil) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. The results from further analysis of the data add further support for the CHARM study as a landmark clinical...Clinical research key in advance to prospective health care
DURHAM, N.C. -- The vast potential of the U.S. health-care system to improve health, minimize disease and increase the value of each dollar spent cannot be realized without a greater emphasis on clinical research, says a Duke University Health System leader.... ...In an editorial in the Feb. 18, 2004, issue of , Ralph Snyderman, M.D., chancellor for health affairs at Duke University and presiden...Newer formulation of heparin improves outcomes for suspected heart attack patients
ORLANDO, FLA. A newer, more convenient formulation of the blood thinner heparin appears to improve outcomes with fewer complications -- when combined with a platelet receptor blocking drug and invasive management -- for patients who come to emergency rooms with a suspected heart attack....... Duke University Medical Center cardiologists said that the results of their analysis of more than 10,000...Spectators discouraged from watching building demolitions
Building implosions can have a severe, but short-lived impact on air quality, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Hospital. ...... A study of a Baltimore building demolition found that airborne dust concentrations were especially high in the immediate vicinity and downwind of the demolition. Spectators should be discouraged from atte...Sex selection for social reasons: religious and moral perspectives
Two reports in the 25 September 2003 issue of Human Reproduction suggest that the coming availability of sex selection technology is not likely to skew the balance between the sexes. Two experts in religion and reproductive technology respond to this report and to the way it might be used in the ethics and public policy debate over the availability of sex selection technology. ... ...All quotes...Lens replacement material holds prospect of 'young' eyes for people over 40
NEW YORK, Sept. 8 A gel-like material being developed by scientists at the VA Hospital and Washington University in St. Louis could eventually mean the end of bifocals and contacts for millions of middle age and older people who suffer from presbyopia literally "old vision." The material, which could be used to replace old hardened lenses in patients, including those with cataracts, was describ...Study raises prospect of practical vaccine for metastatic melanoma
BOSTON--In a step toward a practical vaccine for advanced melanoma, a notoriously difficult-to-treat form of cancer, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have demonstrated the effectiveness of a vaccine that is safer and easier to produce than earlier versions.... ...Writing in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, investigators led by Dana-Farber's Glenn Dranoff, M.D., r...Registration open for ACS ProSpectives conference on combinatorial chemistry
The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, will hold the next ACS ProSpectives conference at Lansdowne Conference Center, Leesburg, Va., September 21-24, 2003.... ...The topic of the conference is "Combinatorial Chemistry: New Methods, New Discoveries." Registration is still available for the conference, but space is limited.... ...This conference is designed to benefi...Virtual mass spectrometry laboratory transforms learning experience
At $1 million, many schools cannot afford the latest spectrometry equipment to help students conduct experiments such as determining the composition of a polymer, detecting the presence of cocaine in a hair sample or identifying an anesthetic. But that may soon change, thanks to collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh on the development of the first virtu...World's largest scientific society announces subjects, dates for 2003 ACS ProSpectives Conferences
The 2003 ACS Spectives Conference series, sponsored by the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, will concentrate on six areas of rapidly changing interdisciplinary research. The sessions will cover process chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry, polymorphism in crystals, catalysis in modern organic synthesis, ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretio...Visual inspection: A low-tech tool for reducing cervical cancer rates
Visual inspection of the cervix, or neck of the womb, coupled with immediate treatment of any abnormalities may be the most cost-effective, comprehensive way to reduce cervical cancer in Thailand and other poor nations, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown universities. The scientists, who worked with reproductive health experts in Thailand, published their results in today's...Behavior plays key role in disease development and control, according to 10-year prospective review
WASHINGTON From daily health concerns such as smoking, exercise and diet, to serious diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS and diabetes, evidence continues to mount that a wide variety of behavioral interventions are having a major influence in producing useful changes in the risk, management and outcome of many diseases and health problems. The progress of these interventions over the past 10 years...SPECT identifies 'silent' cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients
Los Angeles, CaliforniaDiabetic patients who show no symptoms may still be at risk for cardiovascular disease, according to information reported at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's (SNM) 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles....... SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) studies were performed on 189 diabetic patients. Although ECG changes were observed in only 14% of the patients in the study, SP...Highest sustained virologic response in treatment of Hepatitis C ever reported in prospective study
A combination treatment of Pegasys (peginterferon alfa-2a 40kd) a pegylated interferon, with ribavirin, an orally active anti-viral medication, has shown some of the most effective treatment rates yet for individuals with hepatitis C. The combination treatment yielded a 61 percent sustained virologic response (SVR), the highest SVR ever reported in a prospective trial for a pegylated interferon...HFES releases new multiperspective book on team activities
Santa Monica, CA The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society is pleased to announce the release of New Trends in Cooperative Activities: Understanding System Dynamics in Complex Environments. This multiperspective collection of original work by top thinkers with respect to teams, team technologies, and team environments is intended to assist "knowledge workers who toil in this millennium . . . to b....London, UK, 19 June 2001- ReminylTM (galantamine), a new treatment for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease derived from the daffodil, is the first medication of its kind shown to be potentially effective in treating dementia in patients with cerebrovascular disease, such as stroke. .Data from a study presented here today at the XVII World Congress of Neurology show that Reminyl improves memor...Human brain has unsuspected oxygen reserve, challenging previous theories
. . . St. Louis, May 29, 2001 Scientists have discovered that, unlike many other animals, humans have a reserve of oxygen in the brain. This buffer allows the brain to adapt to arduous situations without demanding a sharp increase in blood flow. . Our finding challenges the previously accepted idea that blood flow increases occur during tasks such as reading to raise oxygen levels in the brain...Wet combing is far more effective in detecting head lice than traditional scalp inspection
. . Traditional scalp inspection is a poor technique for detecting head lice, as 30 per cent of its "positive" results and 10 per cent of its "negative" results are false according to an observational study of 260 primary school children in Belgium. . False results are a worry since they lead to non-infested children being treated unnecessarily and infested children missing out on effective erad...Wet combing is far more effective in detecting head lice than traditional scalp inspection
. . . Traditional scalp inspection is a poor technique for detecting head lice, as 30 per cent of its "positive" results and 10 per cent of its "negative" results are false according to an observational study of 260 primary school children in Belgium.. . False results are a worry since they lead to non-infested children being treated unnecessarily and infested children missing out on e...Behavioral sensitization: A new perspective on alcoholism
... ... Alcoholics may drink because they get a "bigger bang" each time they drink.... This phenomenon is known as "behavioral sensitization."... Behavioral sensitization is the opposite of tolerance; it is even known as "reverse tolerance."... A neurochemical called MK-801 may block alcohol's sensitizing effects.... ... One of the ways by which people are believed to develop alcoholism is...Retrospective Statistical Analysis Corroborates Early Results Of Randomized Breast Cancer Trials
.ATLANTA -- Using data on almost 1,300 patients with advanced breast cancer,.researchers from Duke University and other institutions have found no benefit.from high dose chemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplantation..They prepared their findings for presentation at the annual meeting of the.American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).. . The researchers' conclusions are supported...