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HELP program for older adults reduces hospital readmissions rates

The Hospital Elder Life Program, or HELP, is an evidence-based treatment plan developed in the 1990s to prevent hospitalized older adults from developing delirium (the medical term for sudden confusion).

9 Nov 2017

California cracks down on weed killer as lawsuits abound

Jack McCall was a fixture at the local farmers market, where he sold avocados and other fruits he grew on his 20-acre ranch in Cambria, on California's Central Coast.

8 Nov 2017

Ohio’s drug-pricing ballot question triggers voter confusion

Lawmakers in the nation's capital have yet to grapple with rising drug costs, but Ohio voters are being asked — in a single ballot-box question next week — to figure out how best to lower the tab the state pays for prescriptions.

7 Nov 2017

Study shows promise and potential risk in reversing hearing loss using inner ear stem cells

Want to restore hearing by injecting stem cells into the inner ear? Well, that can be a double-edged sword.

7 Nov 2017

An alternative approach to augmenting the effect of antibiotics in chronic CF lung infections

There are about 77,000 people known to have cystic fibrosis. That's from the various cystic fibrosis registries available globally. The World Health Organization suggests that this number may be low, because there's no reporting on cystic fibrosis from the developing world. The accepted number, at the moment, is about 80,000. That's the one that is used for most of the work that's being done on cystic fibrosis.

From Neem Biotech 3 Nov 2017

Study solves critical piece of deafness puzzle by identifying long non-coding RNAs

A new Tel Aviv University study solves a critical piece of the puzzle of human deafness by identifying the first group of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the auditory system.

2 Nov 2017

Molecular tests to detect Zika virus should be repeated more than once in pregnant women

Molecular tests to detect Zika virus, which enable identification of the pathogen's genetic material in body fluids, such as blood, urine, semen and saliva during the acute phase of infection, have been used routinely in prenatal checkups for pregnant women with symptoms of the disease.

1 Nov 2017

GW-led network will receive NIH grant to follow children with autism transition into adulthood

A George Washington University-led national collaborative network aimed at improving outcomes for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will receive more than $11.7 million from the National Institutes of Health over the next five years to help propel innovative research in the field.

1 Nov 2017

Findings offer new approach for detecting dyslexia risk before children learn to read

Almost 10% of the world population suffers dyslexia. Establishing an early diagnosis would allow the development of training programs to palliate this disorder.

31 Oct 2017

Mumps outbreak in U.S. necessitates third booster dose of vaccine for at-risk individuals

According to a federal experts panel yesterday (25th October 2017), a third dose of mumps vaccine is recommended when there is an outbreak of the viral disease. There have been several mumps outbreaks since 2006 in the United States, especially among students who have already been vaccinated before. Last year 6366 cases of the highly infectious viral infection were reported in the United States.

27 Oct 2017

Research advance may lead to preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III

A research advance co-led by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine's Kumar Alagramam, PhD, may stop the progression of hearing loss and lead to significant preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III, a form of hereditary hearing loss linked to defects in the sensory "hair" cells in the inner ear. USH3 is caused by a mutation in the clarin-1 gene.

26 Oct 2017

Penn study sheds light on genetic cause of early hearing loss

From the moment a baby is born, they are put through a battery of screenings to test for all sorts of characteristics, which includes the sense of hearing.

26 Oct 2017

Judge questions claims that ceasing Obamacare insurance subsidies hurts consumers

A federal judge Monday expressed skepticism that President Donald Trump's decision to halt certain health law insurance subsidies would cause consumers immediate harm, as California and many other states claim in a lawsuit.

24 Oct 2017

Research suggests a mother’s brain is hard-wired to respond in a certain way to baby cries

A study has shown that specific regions of a mother’s brain are activated in response to her baby crying, irrespective of which country she lives in and her culture.

24 Oct 2017

One nurse per 4,000 pupils = not the healthiest arrangement

During a 15-minute recess, the elementary school students trooped from the playground toward nurse Catherin Crofton's office — one with a bloody nose, a second with a scraped knee and a third with a headache.

23 Oct 2017

Brain-training could help elderly people increase their understanding of words in noisy situations

For many people with hearing challenges, trying to follow a conversation in a crowded restaurant or other noisy venue is a major struggle, even with hearing aids. Now, Mass. Eye and Ear researchers reporting in Current Biology on October 19th have some good news: time spent playing a specially designed, brain-training audiogame could help.

19 Oct 2017

New research provides insights into role of key cancer gene

New research represents a promising step towards better understanding of a key cancer gene. A long-running collaboration between researchers at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge, and the AstraZeneca IMED Biotech Unit reveals new insights into how the PTEN gene may control cell growth and behavior and how its loss contributes to the development and advancement of certain cancers.