Health News

Africa still mired in poverty despite growth reports

Date: Oct-02-2013
Despite continued reports of economic growth in Africa, much of the continent remains wracked by poverty, with roughly one in five citizens saying they frequently lack food, clean water and medical care, according to the largest survey of African citizens. This suggests the growth is not trickling down to the poorest citizens or that actual growth rates are inflated, said Carolyn Logan, assistant professor of political science at Michigan State University and deputy director of the survey, called the Afrobarometer...

Study finds restaurant industry takes one step forward, one step back in menu nutrition

Date: Oct-02-2013
Although a number of chain restaurants have announced healthy menu changes over the years, the overall calorie and sodium levels in main entrees offered by top U.S. chain restaurants assessed from 2010 to 2011 have remained the same, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The study, "Changes in the Energy and Sodium Content of Main Entrées in U.S. Chain Restaurants from 2010 to 2011," evaluated the nutritional content changes of more than 26,000 regular menu entrées in a year by 213 major U.S. chain restaurants nationwide...

Similar total hospital costs involved for robotic and conventional open-chest mitral valve repair surgery

Date: Oct-02-2013
The total hospital cost of mitral valve repair surgery - from the time a patient is admitted to the hospital until release - is similar, whether performed through small port incisions using robotic equipment or via the conventional open-chest method, a Mayo Clinic study of 370 patients found. Importantly, robotic surgeries were just as safe as conventional open procedures, but patients who underwent robotic mitral valve repair recovered more rapidly and returned home earlier than patients who had open-chest surgery, the study found...

Policy statement on disparities in respiratory health published by ATS and ERS

Date: Oct-02-2013
To address the global phenomenon of disparities in respiratory health, the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society have released an official policy statement in which each pledges its commitment to reducing health disparities between the lowest and highest socioeconomic groups by continuing or initiating work with leaders from governments, academia, and other organizations to promote scientific inquiry and training, disseminate medical information and best practices, and monitor and advocate for public respiratory health...

Researchers gain insight into 'lazy ear'

Date: Oct-02-2013
Short-term hearing loss during childhood may lead to persistent hearing deficits, long after basic auditory sensitivity has returned to normal. The processing of sound in the brain is shaped by early experience. New research from Massachusetts Eye and Ear has identified two critical periods occurring shortly after hearing onset that regulate how sounds from each ear are fused into a coherent representation in the brain. Their research is described in Nature Communications. Hearing scientist Daniel Polley, Ph.D...

Cancer diagnosis and treatment may improve with liquid biopsy

Date: Oct-02-2013
A microfluidic chip developed at the University of Michigan is among the best at capturing elusive circulating tumor cells from blood - and it can support the cells' growth for further analysis. The device, believed to be the first to pair these functions, uses the advanced electronics material graphene oxide. In clinics, such a device could one day help doctors diagnose cancers, give more accurate prognoses and test treatment options on cultured cells without subjecting patients to traditional biopsies...

Cancer therapies likely to improve with new insights into DNA repair process

Date: Oct-02-2013
By detailing a process required for repairing DNA breakage, scientists at the Duke Cancer Institute have gained a better understanding of how cells deal with the barrage of damage that can contribute to cancer and other diseases. The insights, reported online the week of Sept. 30, 2013, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, build on earlier work by the research team and identify new prospects for developing cancer therapies...

Testosterone can promote prosocial behavior in the absence of competition

Date: Oct-02-2013
Boosting testosterone can promote generosity, but only when there is no threat of competition, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings show that testosterone is implicated in behaviors that help to foster and maintain social relationships, indicating that its effects are more nuanced than previously thought...

The effects of divorce on men's health

Date: Oct-02-2013
Divorced men have higher rates of mortality, substance abuse, depression, and lack of social support, according to a new article in Journal of Men's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article provides assessment and treatment recommendations for care providers and is available on the Journal of Men's Health website.* Authors Daniel S. Felix, PhD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W. David Robinson, PhD, Utah State University, Logan, and Kimberly J...

Cocaine increases susceptible to HIV

Date: Oct-02-2013
Cocaine use may increase one's vulnerability to HIV infection, according to a new research report published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. In the report, scientists show that cocaine alters immune cells, called "quiescent CD4 T cells," to render them more susceptible to the virus, and at the same time, to allow for increased proliferation of the virus. "We ultimately hope that our studies will provide a better understanding of how drugs of abuse impact how our body defends itself against disease," said Dimitrios N. Vatakis, Ph.D...