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Study compares specialty orthopedic and general hospitals

Specialty orthopedic hospitals serve a healthier population of Medicare patients compared to general hospitals, according to a new study by investigators at the University of Iowa and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Iowa City Health Care System.

3 Aug 2007

Strategic alliances between firms yield more patents, innovation

Larger numbers of patents and more perceptible innovation are the outcomes of certain well-designed strategic alliances between firms, according to the Management Insights feature in the July special issue of Management Science on Complex Systems.

3 Aug 2007

Sex and gender differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

In the first study to directly compare men and women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and severe emphysema, researchers have found that there are marked differences between the sexes.

3 Aug 2007

Stem cell therapy rescues motor neurons in ALS model

In a study that demonstrates the promise of cell-based therapies for diseases that have proved intractable to modern medicine, a team of scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has shown it is possible to rescue the dying neurons characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neuromuscular disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

3 Aug 2007

New detection techniques for pancreatic cancer

Using novel light-scattering techniques, researchers have found the first evidence that early stage pancreatic cancer causes subtle changes in part of the small intestine.

3 Aug 2007

Scientists find why red beans and rice can be nauseating

Scientists have discovered how lectins, a family of proteins believed to be a natural insecticide that is abundant in undercooked legumes and grains, can make you feel temporarily miserable.

3 Aug 2007

Rotating shift workers have lower levels of serotonin

People who work rotating shifts have significantly lower levels of serotonin, a hormone and neurotransmitter in the central nervous system believed to play an important role in the regulation of sleep, according to a study published in the August 1st issue of the journal SLEEP.

3 Aug 2007

Obesity linked to average body weight of the population at large

According to a new study in Economic Inquiry, an individual's body weight depends not just on physiology and economic circumstances, but also on average body weight of the population at large.

3 Aug 2007

Hip resurfacing may delay hip replacement

In the world of prosthetic hips, what was old is new again. A procedure known as hip resurfacing, once tried two to three decades ago, is experiencing a resurgence in the U.S., thanks to improved technology.

3 Aug 2007

Detection of gene fusions in prostate cancer

Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered how genes turn on the switch that leads to prostate cancer.

3 Aug 2007

Study looks at progesterone therapy

Progesterone therapy does not reduce the chances of preterm birth in women pregnant with twins, reported researchers in a network sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

3 Aug 2007

CT-guided radiofrequency ablation effective in eradicating small malignant kidney tumors

A relatively new, minimally invasive treatment was 100 percent successful in eradicating small malignant kidney tumors in a study of more than 100 patients, report researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

3 Aug 2007

Discovery of molecular pathway that detects and eliminates defective messenger RNAs from red blood cells

Other such pathways - known as surveillance pathways - operate in a more general way, in many cell types. Knowing how this specific surveillance system works can help researchers better understand hereditary diseases, in this case, thalassemia, a form of anemia, which is the most common genetic disorder worldwide.

3 Aug 2007

Progesterone injections do not prevent preterm birth in twin pregnancies

Weekly progesterone injections do not prevent premature births in women pregnant with twins, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study has found.

3 Aug 2007

Persons with narcolepsy with cataplexy have low levels of protein thought to help regulate sleep

Persons with narcolepsy with cataplexy have low levels of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypocretin-1, a protein thought to help regulate sleep and wakefulness, according to a study published in the August 1st issue of the journal SLEEP.

2 Aug 2007

Phase II study of TroVax vaccine in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

A therapeutic cancer vaccine has shown effectiveness when given alongside chemotherapy to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in a phase II trial, according to researchers at Oxford BioMedica (UK) Ltd.

2 Aug 2007

Breakthrough in cancer treatment at Mount Sinai

A 32-year-old mother of two small children, who was recently diagnosed with metastatic stomach cancer, underwent surgery using Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) at The Mount Sinai Medical Center.

2 Aug 2007

Clear link between newspaper coverage and declines in youth smoking rates

Though the role of anti-tobacco advertising in reducing youth smoking has been fairly well established in recent years, a new study by researchers at RTI International indicates newspaper editorial coverage also may have a significant indirect impact.

2 Aug 2007

Skin-tightening for cellulite

If sagging skin is getting you down, recent advances in skin-tightening technologies can lift your spirits – and your skin – in a matter of a few office visits to your dermatologist.

2 Aug 2007