Obese adolescents lacking vitamin D — New study from Hasbro Children’s Hospital finds need for increased surveillance – A new study from Hasbro Children’s Hospital has found that most obese adolescents are lacking in vitamin D. The researchers call for increased surveillance of vitamin D levels in this population and for further studies to determine if normalizing vitamin D levels will help to lower the health risks associated with obesity.
5-minute screen identifies subtle signs of autism in 1-year olds — NIH-funded study demonstrates feasibility and effectiveness of conducting systematic screening during well-baby check-ups – A novel strategy developed by autism researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, called “The One-Year Well-Baby Check Up Approach,” shows promise as a simple way for physicians to detect cases of Autism Syndrome Disorder (ASD), language or developmental delays in babies at an early age.
Low Health Literacy Associated With Higher Rate of Death Among Heart Failure Patients – An examination of health literacy (such as understanding basic health information) among managed care patients with heart failure, a condition that requires self-management, found that nearly one in five have low health literacy, which was associated with a higher all-cause risk of death.
Combination therapy provides hope for cure of dangerous infections of cystic fibrosis patients – An over-the-counter drug used to treat diarrhea combined with minocycline, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, could one day change the lives of those living with cystic fibrosis.
Immigrant screening misses majority of imported latent TB, finds study – Current UK procedures to screen new immigrants for tuberculosis (TB) fail to detect more than 70 per cent of cases of latent infection, according to a new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Stanford research moves nanomedicine one step closer to reality – A class of engineered nanoparticles — gold-centered spheres smaller than viruses — has been shown safe when administered by two alternative routes in a mouse study led by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Study: Omega-3 consumed during pregnancy curbs risk for postpartum depression symptoms – Fish has long been considered in myriad cultures to be “brain food,” but only recently has bona fide science begun to support this deep-rooted belief.
Closely monitoring low-risk prostate cancer, with biopsy, does not raise risk of death and discourages overtreatment – A Johns Hopkins study of 769 men from across the United States recently diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer shows that forgoing immediate surgery to remove the tumor or radiation poses no added risk of death.
Research suggests HIV-infected patients at higher risk for bone fractures — Study compared fracture rates among HIV patients with general US population – Low bone mineral density in HIV-infected patients is common and raises concerns about increased risks of fracture, revealed by researchers.
New guidelines for preventing falls in the elderly include: start tai chi, cut-back on meds – In the first update of the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatric Society’s guidelines on preventing falls in older persons since 2001, they now recommend that all interventions for preventing falls should include an exercise component and that a number of new assessments should be used, including; feet and footwear, fear of falling, and ability to carry out daily living activities.
Age plays too big a role in prostate cancer treatment decisions – Older men with high-risk prostate cancer frequently are offered fewer ? and less effective ? choices of treatment than younger men, potentially resulting in earlier deaths, according to a new UCSF study.
Parents favor genetic testing for melanoma in their children – The vast majority of parents who tested positive for a genetic mutation that increases the risk of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) support genetic testing of their children or grandchildren. Results of the two-year study at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah (U of U) appear in the December issue of the journal Genetics in Medicine. The data could lead to the establishment of formal, evidence-based guidelines for genetic testing of people younger than 18 years.
