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Though costly, helicopter trips save lives of seriously injured trauma patients

Seriously injured trauma patients transported to hospitals by helicopter are 16 percent more likely to survive than similarly injured patients brought in by ground ambulance, new Johns Hopkins research shows.

18 Apr 2012

Study sheds light on why ageing makes us more susceptible to gum disease

New research from Queen Mary, University of London in collaboration with research groups in the USA sheds light on why gum disease can become more common with old age.

18 Apr 2012

Role of inability to express emotions in cancer

A review published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics raises the issue of the role of the inability to express emotions in cancer. Several interesting hypotheses emerge such as a possible link between alexithymia and the immune system, between alexithymia and quality of life, or between alexithymia, anxiety and depression.

18 Apr 2012

Caffeine increases eye's ability to produce tears

Researchers at the University of Tokyo's School of Medicine have shown for the first time that caffeine intake can significantly increase the eye's ability to produce tears, a finding that could improve treatment of dry eye syndrome. This common eye condition affects about four million people age 50 and older in the United States.

18 Apr 2012

Study tests effectiveness of personally tailored exercise programmes on young people with depression

A unique study to test the effectiveness of personally tailored exercise programmes on young people with depression has been launched by researchers at The University of Nottingham.

18 Apr 2012

Novel system for 3D reconstruction and examination of tissues at microscopic resolution

Researchers have developed a novel, easy-to-use system for three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and examination of tissues at microscopic resolution, with the potential to significantly enhance the study of normal and disease processes, particularly those involving structural changes. The new approach, using conventional histopathological methods, is described in the May issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

17 Apr 2012

Inadequate sleep can increase risk of obesity

Can lack of sleep make you fat? A new paper which reviews the evidence from sleep restriction studies reveals that inadequate sleep is linked to obesity. The research, published in a special issue of the The American Journal of Human Biology, explores how lack of sleep can impact appetite regulation, impair glucose metabolism and increase blood pressure.

17 Apr 2012

WHO report discusses financing, coordinating R&D for health needs in developing countries

This post on IntraHealth International's "Global Health Blog" discusses a new report from the WHO, titled "Research and Development to Meet Health Needs in Developing Countries: Strengthening Global Financing and Coordination," which "concludes that 'all countries should commit to spend at least 0.01 percent of GDP on government-funded R&D [research and development] devoted to meeting the health needs of developing countries.'"

17 Apr 2012

Study looks at quality measures provided by nursing homes

While nursing homes are the place where an estimated 30 percent of Americans die, there currently exists no way to compare which institutions do a better job at managing end of life care. A new study appearing this week in the Journal of Palliative Medicine is starting a discussion over the need to create end of life quality measures in order to both inform consumers and provide nursing homes with incentive to improve care.

17 Apr 2012

Study: Sharp increase in airborne pollens across Europe

When trees and plants release their pollen, millions of hay fever sufferers are affected by sneezing fits and itchy, watery eyes. Today in Germany, roughly every fourth person suffers from allergies - and this figure is set to rise. Climate change is seen as one of the factors fuelling the increase in allergic responses.

17 Apr 2012

Study: 1 in 26 may develop epilepsy at some point in life

A landmark study from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports that your chance of developing epilepsy at some point in your life is one in 26. Onset is highest in children and older adults. But epilepsy knows no boundaries—it can strike at any age and across all socio-economic levels and ethnicities. There is no known cure and one-third of people with epilepsy have treatment-resistant or refractory epilepsy.

17 Apr 2012

Football-related brain injuries appear to rise among high school students

Catastrophic brain injuries associated with full-contact football appear to be rising, especially among high school students, according to a new report.

17 Apr 2012

Cosmetics may contain chemicals that raise risk of obesity and diabetes

Scientists found that those who were exposed to phthalates, colourless man-made substances included in a variety of common consumer products, were more prone to weight gain. And subjects with even 'modest' levels of the substance in their bloodstream were twice as likely to develop diabetes.

16 Apr 2012

32 genetic variations could play a role in osteoporosis risk

A team of international researchers have found 32 new genetic regions linked to fractures and osteoporosis. According to the new study published in the April 15 online edition of Nature Genetics, changes in these regions could offer protection from, or greater risk for, bone-weakening disease.

16 Apr 2012

Genes linked to major brain functions and disorders

An international team of researchers have found the genes that increase or reduce the risk of certain mental illnesses and Alzheimer's disease. They claim that some genes that may explain individual differences in brain size and intelligence as well. The team of more than 200 scientists at 100 institutions said this was the largest-ever brain study to date.

16 Apr 2012

Study calls for research into all aspects of follow-up care in lung cancer

Scientist say there is an urgent need for research into all aspects of follow-up care in lung cancer. The study presented in the May 2012 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology focused on different follow-up strategies for patients with lung cancer.

16 Apr 2012

Conformetrix's NMR-based technology to be applied across AstraZeneca's pre-clinical therapeutic pipeline

Conformetrix Ltd, a leader in optimising drug discovery and design, and AstraZeneca announced today that they have signed a research collaboration agreement under which Conformetrix's proprietary NMR-based technology will be applied across AstraZeneca's pre-clinical therapeutic pipeline to enhance lead discovery and hit identification.

16 Apr 2012

Keck Foundation awards UF $1M to study how proteins in cells are made

The Center for NeuroGenetics at the University of Florida has received a competitive $1 million grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation to study a new idea that challenges conventional understanding of how proteins in cells are made, and their impact on inherited diseases.

16 Apr 2012

Seminar series on issues related to intervention, implementation science in aging

A seminar series focusing on issues related to intervention and implementation science in aging is the latest interdisciplinary initiative at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON) Center for Innovative Care in Aging.

16 Apr 2012

Panel discussion on personalized medicine at USciences

Advances in fields such as genetics and genomics have created new opportunities for personalized medicine applications in clinical practice and the healthcare delivery. This integration raises important questions about how personalized medicine can best help patients without increasing costs and improving health outcomes.

16 Apr 2012