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Cirrhosis burden expected to climb in frail population

New research shows that older Americans with cirrhosis have significantly worse health status and greater functional disability compared to those without this potentially deadly disease. In fact, findings now published in Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that elderly patients with cirrhosis require twice the amount of informal caregiving and contribute added strain on the health care system. Given the increase in obesity and aging of those with hepatitis C (HCV), researchers expect the prevalence of cirrhosis to climb in this frail population.

10 Jan 2012

Nicotine patch may help those with mild dementia

The nicotine patch designed to help people quit smoking can also improve memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, a small clinical trial found.

10 Jan 2012

Statins may raise type 2 diabetes risk

A new study suggests statin medications used to lower cholesterol may raise the risk of diabetes to a slight extent. Study authors advise patients not to stop taking their medications without talking to a doctor, because statins' proven power to prevent heart attacks and strokes outweighs any potential increase in type 2 diabetes risk.

10 Jan 2012

ADHD diet: Review of studies

A new review finds that some foods may not be good for children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fast foods, red meat, processed foods, soft drinks, high fat dairy foods and potato chips may not be right.

10 Jan 2012

Shire acquires rights to develop and market Resolor in the U.S.

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it has acquired the rights to develop and market Resolor (prucalopride) in the United States (US) in an agreement with Janssen Pharmaceutica N.V. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

10 Jan 2012

Study finds no support for primary pathogenic role of LBs in PD

The pathology of Parkinson's disease is characterized by a loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra (SN), an area of the brain associated with motor control, along with the development of α-synuclein (αS) protein in the form of Lewy bodies (LB) in the neurons that survive. The spread of LB pathology is thought to progress along with the clinical course of Parkinson's disease, although recent studies suggest that they are not the toxic cause of cell death.

10 Jan 2012

'ConTxt' study to evaluate whether cell phone technology can help with weight loss

Cell phones aren't just for talking any more. Surfing the web, storing music and posting to Facebook have all contributed to the near-mandatory use of a cell phone. How about using that cell phone to lose weight? Researchers with Calit2's Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems (CWPHS) and the Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, at University of California, San Diego are expanding a previous study aimed at finding out if cell phone technology can help with weight loss.

10 Jan 2012

Personalized medicine could offer a valuable tool to help combat the diabetic epidemic

With the trend in healthcare moving toward an era of personalized medicine, there is much anticipation and hope that customized approaches to prevention and treatment based on a person's genetic make-up will result in better health outcomes. Some advances, most notably with prevention and treatment of breast and colon cancer, have been widely heralded, raising questions about the potential for personalized medicine for other common diseases, such as diabetes.

10 Jan 2012

Researchers use 3-D imaging to identify proteins involved in arterial stiffness

Human arteries - some smaller than a strand of hair - stiffen as a person ages. This stiffening is a factor in cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, because it contributes to the circulatory complications in disorders such as high blood pressure and diabetes. University of Missouri researchers have now used advanced 3-D microscopic imaging technology to identify and monitor the proteins involved in this stiffening process.

10 Jan 2012

Link between loss of loved one and heart attack

A person's risk of suffering a heart attack increases by approximately 21 times in the first 24 hours after losing a loved one, according to a study lead by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

10 Jan 2012

ORMOSIL nanoparticles show promise as potential drug delivery vehicle

In the images of fruit flies, clusters of neurons are all lit up, forming a brightly glowing network of highways within the brain. It's exactly what University at Buffalo researcher Shermali Gunawardena was hoping to see: It meant that ORMOSIL, a novel class of nanoparticles, had successfully penetrated the insects' brains. And even after long-term exposure, the cells and the flies themselves remained unharmed.

10 Jan 2012

Young female cancer survivors concerned about their future fertility

Young female cancer survivors are concerned about their future fertility and parenthood options and want better information and guidance early on, according to a new study by Jessica Gorman and her team from the University of California in the US.

10 Jan 2012

Delaying hypertension treatment in diabetic patients for up to a year is unlikely to be harmful

Confronted with a high blood pressure value in a diabetic patient, most doctors would treat aggressively with medications. According to new research, however, delaying drug treatment for up to a year is unlikely to be harmful. The delay allows doctors and their patients to focus on lifestyle changes such as salt restriction, weight management, and exercise.

10 Jan 2012

New evidence on heading and risk of brain injury in soccer

Could heading the ball in soccer lead to degenerative brain disease, like that seen in athletes in other sports? That's the question addressed by a review in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

10 Jan 2012

Cardiologist measures risk factors associated with CR

The cardiologist Aitor Jim-nez has managed to gather and characterise in detail 110 cases of cardiac rupture (CR), after spending 22 years (1978-2000) gathering data at the Hospital de Cruces, near Bilbao. It is one of the broadest anatomical series described in this respect. CR is the most serious complication of acute myocardial infarction; it is not very common, but when it does occur, it is mortal in practically all cases. So prevention, although difficult, seems more feasible than cure.

10 Jan 2012

'Where is my Memory? Cognitive Changes in MS' teleconference to be held on Jan. 24

John DeLuca, PhD, VP for Research at Kessler Foundation, will conduct a teleconference, "Where is my Memory? Cognitive Changes in MS," on Tues., January 24, 6:30-7:30 pm. Dr. DeLuca is well known for his neuropsychology research in cognition and multiple sclerosis and is a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New York.

10 Jan 2012

Nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults

Using a nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults, according to a study published in the January 10, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Jan 2012

Study confirms safety and effectiveness of rAHF-PFM in managing hemophilia A

A Rush University Medical Center led international research team has announced that a treatment to prevent bleeding episodes in children with hemophilia A also is effective for adolescents and adults.

10 Jan 2012

Study demonstrates that individuals can eat out and still lose weight

Going out to eat has become a major part of our culture. Frequently eating out and consuming high-calorie foods in large portions at restaurants can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain. However, a study in the January/February 2012 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior demonstrates that individuals can eat out and still lose weight.

10 Jan 2012

MAL3-101 appears to have potent anti-tumor effects on multiple myeloma

A new study from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, shows that MAL3-101, a recently developed inhibitor of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), appears to have potent anti-tumor effects on multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer.

10 Jan 2012