Asthma :: Aspirin may protect against the development of asthma
Results of a large US study suggest that taking low-dose aspirin on a regular basis may not only protect against heart attacks, but also the development of asthma in adulthood.
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Asthma :: Total control of asthma symptoms could mean normal quality of life
Researchers report that patients with asthma can achieve near-normal quality of life if they aim for total control of their symptoms.
Cancer :: Low protein diet might reduce cancer risk
Researchers studying a group of vegetarians who’d maintained a diet relatively low in protein and calories found that they had lower blood levels of several hormones and other substances that have been tied to certain cancers.
Healthcare :: CDC awards $3.7 million to improve public health and healthcare information
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced $3.7 million in new grants designed to enhance healthcare information in an effort to improve the detection and response to emerging public health threats. The new grants will fund studies at three new Centers of Excellence in Public Health Informatics located at New York City Department of Health and Hygiene; the University of Utah, Salt Lake City; and Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Vaccine :: Canada’s Investment of $25 Million in Vaccine Laboratory to Keep Canadians Safe and Healthy
The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue, and Parliamentary Secretary David Anderson (representing the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board) announced that Canada`s New Government will invest in an ambitious new vaccine research and development facility at the University of Saskatchewan which will significantly enhance Canada’s capacity to develop vaccines for both humans and animals.
Asthma :: Florida red tide harmful for people with asthma
The ecological phenomenon, known as Florida red tide, can be harmful for people with asthma. Florida red tides, an annual event in areas along the Gulf of Mexico, are blooms of the ocean organism, Karenia brevis (K brevis), that are concentrated along shorelines and produce highly potent aerosolized toxins. New research reported in the January issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), shows that Florida red tide toxins (known as brevetoxins) can impact respiratory function and increase respiratory symptoms in patients with asthma.
Care :: ICU quality measure easily biased
New research suggests that the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), the outcome-based measure of intensive care unit (ICU) performance, may be easily biased. Overall, an SMR greater than one indicates a higher than expected mortality and less than one indicates a lower than expected mortality.
Cholesterol :: New therapy to treat severely elevated cholesterol levels
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated the potential of a new type of therapy for patients who suffer from high cholesterol levels. The findings are in the January 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In this study, patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a high-risk condition refractory to conventional therapy, had a remarkable 51 percent reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol” levels.
Mental Health :: People with mental health disabilities fare worse in discrimination lawsuits
Sixteen years after Congress enacted the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with psychiatric disabilities are faring worse in court cases against employers for discrimination than are people with physical disabilities, researchers have found in a national study.
Heart Failure :: Healthy heart study – living with chronic heart failure
Dr. Angela Clark, associate professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Austin, is conducting a new study to help people living with chronic heart failure, an illness which affects five million people in the United States. Clark says an estimated one-third to one-half of hospital re-admissions for chronic heart failure could be prevented with better education about symptoms, medications and diet.