Health News

Awareness Of Mortality Can Result In Positive Behaviors

Date: May-02-2012
Contemplating death doesn't necessarily lead to morose despondency, fear, aggression or other negative behaviors, as previous research has suggested. Following a review of dozens of studies, University of Missouri researchers found that thoughts of mortality can lead to decreased militaristic attitudes, better health decisions, increased altruism and helpfulness, and reduced divorce rates. "According to terror management theory, people deal with their awareness of mortality by upholding cultural beliefs and seeking to become part of something larger and more enduring than themselves, such as...

Survival Gap Closes For Young African-American Cancer Patients With Equal Access To Care

Date: May-02-2012
A new analysis from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital adds to evidence that equal access to comprehensive treatment and supportive care typically translates into equally good outcomes for most young African-American and white cancer patients. Researchers found no significant difference in survival rates between African-American and white children treated at St. Jude for virtually all cancers during a 15-year period ending in 2007. Racial disparities in cancer survival are widely recognized among African-American patients of any age. These patients are less likely than their white...

Key To Fertility In Mammals: Gene Involved In Sperm-To-Egg Binding

Date: May-02-2012
Experts from Durham University have identified a new gene that could help the development of fertility treatments in humans in the future. Scientists from Durham University, UK, and Osaka University, Japan, looking at fertility in mice, have discovered for the first time that the gene, which makes a protein called PDILT, enables sperm to bind to an egg, a process essential to fertilisation. The team found that when the gene was 'switched off' in male mice, less than three per cent of females' eggs were fertilised compared to more than 80 per cent in mice when the gene was left switched on. It...

A Synthetic Mixture Of Intestinal Bacteria Could One Day Replace Stool Transplants As A Treatment For Clostridium difficile

Date: May-02-2012
A Synthetic Mixture Of Intestinal Bacteria Could One Day Replace Stool Transplants As A Treatment For Clostridium difficile Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Article Date: 02 May 2012 - 1:00 PDT  email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions    rate article  Current ratings for: 'A Synthetic Mixture Of Intestinal Bacteria Could One Day Replace Stool Transplants As A Treatment For Clostridium difficile' Patient / Public: Healthcare Prof: A synthetic mixture of intestinal bacteria could one day...

Risk Factors For Contrast Induced Nephrotoxicity Challenged

Date: May-02-2012
Contrary to current belief, a new study finds that patients with a history of diabetes are not one of the most at risk for contrast induced nephrotoxicity. Instead, the study found that patients with a history of renal disease, hypertension and/or heart disease are more likely to suffer from renal insufficiency, putting them at greater risk for contrast induced nephrotoxicity. The study, done at Northwestern Memorial Hospital-Northwestern University in Chicago, included 2,404 patients. All patients underwent an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) test immediately before undergoing a CT...

Minimal Risk Of CT-Induced Cancer Compared To Risk Of Dying From Disease

Date: May-02-2012
Young patients who undergo chest or abdominopelvic CT are more than 35 times more likely to die of their disease than develop a radiation induced cancer, according to an analysis of 23,359 patients, some of whom were scanned more than 15 times. The analysis conducted at three hospitals in Boston, found that in the chest CT group, 575 out of 8,133 patients were deceased after a mean follow-up of about 4 years. "That compares to the 12 cases of radiation-induced cancer that would be expected in this group based on the BEIR-VII method, a commonly used model for determining CT-induced cancer...

Most Asthmatic Youths Are Exposed To Tobacco Smoke And Suffer Array Of Health Problems

Date: May-02-2012
Despite longstanding recommendations for children with asthma to avoid tobacco smoke, many youths are still exposed to secondhand smoke and their health suffers because of it, according to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston. "National asthma guidelines have advised avoidance of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) for patients with asthma for decades, but it is unclear to what degree these recommendations are being followed and what the impact of exposure has been in an era of increased awareness of the effects of ETS exposure," said lead author...

Researchers Urge More Patient-Centered Care For African-American Breast Cancer Survivors

Date: May-02-2012
African-American breast cancer survivors were satisfied with their cancer treatment, but most were never offered clinical trials opportunities or support services during or after their treatment, according to a study by a UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center researcher and her community partner, Rev. Tammie Dynse.

The study, "The Unmet Needs of African-American Women with Breast Cancer," involved interviews with 137 African-American women who survived breast cancer. Researchers sought to assess patients' clinical experiences, concerns and needs, asking participants questions about their treatment, access to information, support services and clinical trials, insurance and employment status, general health and lingering effects of cancer treatment.

Technology Eases Migraine Pain In The Deep Brain

Date: May-02-2012
Migraine pain sits at the upper end of the typical pain scale - an angry-red section often labeled "severe." At this intensity, pain is debilitating. Yet many sufferers do not get relief from - or cannot tolerate - over-the-counter and commonly prescribed pain medications. Recently, a team of researchers that includes Dr. Marom Bikson, associate professor of biomedical engineering in CCNY's Grove School of Engineering, has shown that a brain stimulation technology can prevent migraine attacks from occurring. Their technique, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), applies a mild...

Taking Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Before A Meal May Improve Small Bowel Motility

Date: May-02-2012
The common antibiotic, amoxicillin-clavulanate, may improve small bowel function in children experiencing motility disturbances, according to a study appearing in the June print edition of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition from Nationwide Children's Hospital. Amoxicillan-clavulanate, also known as Augmentin, is most commonly prescribed to treat or prevent infections caused by bacteria. However, it has also been reported to increase small bowel motility in healthy individuals and has been used to treat bacterial overgrowth in patients with chronic diarrhea. Upper...