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Intermittent exotropia will lead to nearsightedness in most children

Intermittent exotropia, a condition in which the eyes turn outward while looking at an object, occurs in about 1% of American children and is less common than esotropia, where the eyes turn inward. In an article published in the March 2010 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers from the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN, followed 135 patients with intermittent exotropia over a 20-year period and found that slightly more than 90% of these children became nearsighted by the time they reached their 20s.

8 Apr 2010

Pair of proteins excreted in urine could lead to earlier diagnosis of kidney cancer: Researchers

Studying patients with kidney cancer, a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified a pair of proteins excreted in the urine that could lead to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of the disease.

8 Apr 2010

Obstructive sleep apnea associated with increased risk of stroke in men

Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of stroke in middle-aged and older adults, especially men, according to new results from a landmark study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

8 Apr 2010

Entry to aged-care facilities largely preventable

Lifestyle, social and health factors, such as being underweight, having inadequate nutrition or having low social activity, have been shown to be significant contributing factors to the entry of older people into residential aged care.

8 Apr 2010

Transcendental Meditation may reduce symptoms of depression

The Transcendental Meditation- technique may be an effective approach to reduce symptoms of depression, according to two new studies to be presented at the 31st Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Seattle, Washington April 9th, 2010.

8 Apr 2010

Women need to be educated on osteoporosis risk factors and treatment: Study

Underscoring what researchers call a serious global public health concern, results from a new study led by Columbia University Medical Center reveal that many women at an elevated level of risk for osteoporosis-associated fractures fail to perceive the implications of the risk factors.

8 Apr 2010

Researchers discover two genetic regions that influence birth weight

New research uncovers two genetic regions that influence birth weight. One of the regions is also associated with type 2 diabetes, which helps to explain why small babies have higher rates of diabetes in later life.

8 Apr 2010

Scientists discover how mechanical stress promotes new bone growth

For osteoporosis patients unable to exercise, help may be on the way. That's because scientists have discovered precisely how mechanical stress, such as exercise, promotes new bone growth. This opens the door to entirely new therapies that can trick bones into thinking they are getting a workout. The research report describing this advance is published online in The FASEB Journal.

8 Apr 2010

Women living in northeastern U.S. more likely to develop RA: Study

Women living in the northeastern United States are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting a link between the autoimmune disease and vitamin D deficiency, says a new study led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher.

8 Apr 2010

Researchers develop new mouse model of VUR to study chronic kidney disease in children

Kidney damage associated with chronic reflux is the fourth leading cause of chronic kidney disease and is the most common cause of severe hypertension in children. Doctors and researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed a new mouse model of vesicoureteral reflux, a common childhood condition that can lead to chronic kidney disease in children.

7 Apr 2010

HRV devices reduce respiratory symptoms in children: Study

Houses today are so well sealed that they can trap humidity and pollutants indoors as a result of insufficient ventilation. Recently, a team of Canadian scientists led by Dr. Tom Kovesi, a pediatric respirologist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa, Canada, performed a randomized double-blind, placebo controlled trial to determine whether use of heat recovery ventilators would increase home ventilation and therefore reduce the risk of lower respiratory tract illness in young children.

7 Apr 2010

Researchers find small inverse relationship between intake of fruits, vegetables and cancer risk

An analysis by Mount Sinai researchers of over eight years of dietary data from more than 400,000 people has found that the relationship between high consumption of fruits and vegetables and a reduced risk of cancer is not as strong as commonly thought. The study is published online April 6, 2010 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

7 Apr 2010

Implementation of electronic health record systems may not be enough to improve health quality

The implementation of electronic health record systems may not be enough to significantly improve health quality and reduce costs. In the April 2010 issue of Health Affairs, researchers from the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital report finding that currently implemented systems have little effect on measures such as patient mortality, surgical complications, length of stay and costs.

7 Apr 2010

CAV1 gene variation contributes to kidney transplant failure: JAMA

Among kidney transplant donors, variation of a gene that is an inhibitor of the development of fibrous connective tissue is significantly associated with an increased risk of graft failure, according to a study in the April 7 issue of JAMA.

7 Apr 2010

Therapeutic swing for autism-spectrum disorder sheds metallic particles directly into eyes of children

The presence of metallic foreign bodies in the eye is an uncommon injury in children, so much so that two children with autism presenting with this injury led to detective work by two physicians that found the common cause.

7 Apr 2010

Researchers commence Phase 2 research study to test CERE-110 for AD

Researchers at Banner Sun Health Research Institute are about to start the first Phase 2 research study to test a gene transfer agent for Alzheimer's disease. AD is a degenerative and ultimately fatal disorder affecting as many as five million Americans and that number is expected to soar to more than 11 million by 2040.

7 Apr 2010

Study provides benchmark data to evaluate quality of management of sickle cell disease

The largest study to date of the use of acute care medical services by people with sickle cell disease found four of every 10 had to return to the hospital within 30 days of a previous hospitalization or go to the emergency department for treatment of pain, according to a new study funded in part by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

7 Apr 2010

Tigermed Consulting signs alliance agreement with ICON

ICON, a global provider of outsourced development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries and Tigermed Consulting, a leader in the provision of clinical drug development services in China, today announced that they have signed an alliance agreement.

7 Apr 2010

Research highlights first steps in the formation of Lewy bodies, the hallmark of Parkinson's brain

Although the cause of Parkinson's disease remains a mystery, scientists now have a better understanding of the earliest stages of abnormal aggregation of a key disease-associated protein. The research, published by Cell Press online on April 6th in Biophysical Journal, provides new insight into the first steps in the formation of neurotoxic structures called Lewy bodies that are the hallmark of the Parkinson's brain.

7 Apr 2010

Stimulant medication normalizes brain function in children with ADHD: Study

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common mental health disorders affecting children and adolescents. Children with ADHD are excessively restless, impulsive, and distractible and experience difficulties at home and in school. Problems inhibiting behavior are a common theme for ADHD symptoms.

7 Apr 2010