College | Page 108 of 128 | SpiritIndia.com

Baby Care :: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Program Reduces Premature Infants’ Length of Stay

An educational intervention program for parents of infants born prematurely that is implemented early in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can reduce parental stress, depression and anxiety, enhance parent-infant interactions, and reduce hospital length of stay, according to a study led by Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, Dean and Distinguished Foundation Professor in Nursing at Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation, Phoenix.

Parkinson’s Disease :: Boehringer Ingelheim’s pramipexole, mirapexin/sifrol to improve depressive and motivational symptoms

New data presented today from a meta-analysis* of nearly 1,300 Parkinson?s disease (PD) patients, indicate that pramipexole (Mirapexin?/Sifrol?) has a beneficial effect on depressive and motivational symptoms in PD.1 This confirms findings from previously published clinical trials,2,3,4 and is in addition to its established efficacy in controlling motor symptoms. These findings are of particular interest as mood symptoms in PD can affect up to 50 percent of the patient population.1,5 The data were presented at the 10th International Congress of Parkinson?s Disease and Movement Disorders (MDS) in Kyoto, Japan.

Cholesterol :: Pfizer’s torcetrapib/atorvastatin clinical trials – raising good cholesterol HDL

Pfizer Inc provided an update on the preliminary results of its torcetrapib/atorvastatin clinical trials in connection with the release of an American Heart Association abstract of a Phase 3 study in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) that shows the drug significantly raising ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol (56 percent) and additionally lowering ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol (27 percent) versus patients taking atorvastatin alone.

Health :: Investigation of the physical and psychological health of UK Armed Forces

The King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) has received further funding from the UK Ministry of Defence to continue its research into the health and well-being of military personnel, many of whom have served in Iraq. The research, which began in 2003 as a prospective investigation of the physical and psychological health of over 12,000 UK service personnel serving in Iraq, will be monitoring service personnel more widely, including those deployed to Afghanistan.

Alzheimer’s Disease :: Diagnosis before onset of Alzheimer’s disease

Proteins found in the blood can indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to groundbreaking new research published today (30 October) in the journal Brain. It is the first time markers for the development of Alzheimer’s have been identified in blood. The findings take researchers a step closer to knowing whether a blood test can be used to diagnose and measure progression of the Alzheimer’s disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis :: Turmeric prevents rheumatoid arthritis, bone loss

An ancient spice, long used in traditional Asian medicine, may hold promise for the prevention of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, according to a recently completed study at The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Turmeric, the spice that flavors and gives its yellow color to many curries and other foods, has been used for centuries by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory disorders. Turmeric extract containing the ingredient curcumin is marketed widely in the Western world as a dietary supplement for the treatment and prevention of a variety of disorders, including arthritis.

Flu :: Employee flu vaccination days planned at Penn State Hershey Medical Center

The employee health department at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine plans several campus-wide vaccination days for any employee interested in receiving the flu shot. Vaccines will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting Oct. 30.

Allergy :: Key enzyme involved in allergic disease identified

A research team has identified a key enzyme responsible for triggering a chain of events that results in allergic reaction, according to new study findings published this week in Nature Immunology. The work by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University, the Hospital for Special Surgery and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York sets the stage for development of new strategies and target therapies that control allergic disease – the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the United States.

ADHD :: Lilly’s Strattera, atomoxetine effective in treating ADHD in children and adolescents

New data suggest that Strattera? (atomoxetine HCl) improved ADHD symptoms in children and adolescents who had both ADHD and a reading disorder, like dyslexia. Results were announced at a meeting of child and adolescent psychiatrists.

Hypertension :: Results of TROPHY study on hypertension are misleading

There may be as many as 70 million Americans with prehypertension. If these people can be treated pharmacologically to avoid or delay progression to clinical hypertension, there would be significant benefits to them and the overall health of the population. The recent TROPHY study seems to lead to that conclusion. However, two editorials published in the November issue of the American Journal of Hypertension emphatically argue that the study is flawed and the conclusions reached are misleading.