Medical News

Genes Influence Criminal Behavior According To Criminologist's Research
Your genes could be a strong predictor of whether you stray into a life of crime, according to a research paper co-written by UT Dallas criminologist Dr. J.C. Barnes. "Examining the Genetic Underpinnings to Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: A Behavior Genetic Analysis" detailed the study's findings in a recent issue of Criminology. The paper was written with Dr. Kevin M. Beaver from Florida State University and Dr. Brian B. Boutwell at Sam Houston State University...Evolved, Mutated Gene Module Linked To Syndromic Autism
A team led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reports that newly discovered mutations in an evolved assembly of genes cause Joubert syndrome, a form of syndromic autism. The findings are published in the online issue of Science Express. Joubert syndrome is a rare, recessive brain condition characterized by malformation or underdevelopment of the cerebellum and brainstem. The disease is due specifically to alterations in cellular primary cilia - antenna-like structures found on most cells...Skin Inflammation Controlled By Gatekeeper Signal
A new study unravels key signals that regulate protective and sometimes pathological inflammation of the skin. The research, published online in the journal Immunity by Cell Press, identifies a "gatekeeper" that, when lost, can cause inflammatory skin disease in the absence of injury or infection. The findings may eventually lead to new treatment strategies for the more than 10% of people in the western world that suffer from inflammatory skin diseases...Mutation Drives Viral Sensors To Initiate Autoimmune Disease
A new study uses a mouse model of a human autoimmune disease to reveal how abnormal regulation of the intracellular sensors that detect invading viruses can lead to autoimmune pathology. The research, published online in the journal Immunity by Cell Press, provides key insight into mechanisms that underlie the development of autoimmune disease and may lead to more effective strategies for therapeutic intervention. There are multiple intracellular sensors that detect viral infection by binding to viral nucleic acids (RNA and DNA)...Stopping Immunosuppressive Prednisone Soon After Transplantation Found To Be Safe
Rapid discontinuation of the immunosuppressive steroid prednisone after a kidney transplant can help prevent serious side effects, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). Also, doing so does not appear to jeopardize the long-term survival of transplant patients and their new organs. Historically, most kidney transplant patients have taken large doses of the immunosuppressive steroid prednisone to help keep their bodies from rejecting their new organ...Brachytherapy Alone Or In Combination With External Beam Radiation Therapy May Be An Effective Option For High-Risk Prostate Cancers
Brachytherapy for high-risk prostate cancers patients has historically been considered a less effective modality, but a new study from radiation oncologists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson suggests otherwise. A population-based analysis looking at almost 13,000 cases revealed that men who received brachytherapy alone or in combination with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) had significantly reduced mortality rates. Their findings are reported online in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology,Biology,Physics...

Featured Stories

Inlyta (axitinib) Approved For Advanced Kidney Cancer, USA
The US FDA has approved Inlyta (axitinib) for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer, in patients with whom other drugs have not been effective, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced today. Inlyta is made and marketed by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc...

Sign Of Autism Can Be Seen In Infants
A recent study that took place at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, and was published in the January edition of Current Biology, states that detecting autism symptoms in babies as young as 6 months old can help to determine how the autism will develop later in the child's life...

3D Study Of Vitamins May Help Combat Malaria
A three-dimensional study of how enzymes in the malaria parasite Plasmodium synthesize essential vitamins, could help develop new drugs to combat the disease. Using electron microscopy, a team of scientists from Germany and the UK studied how the enzymes synthesize Vitamin B6, which has already been proposed as a target for new drugs...

Medical Technology News

Chopra resigns from White House

Aneesh Chopra, the federal government’s first chief technology officer and assistant to the president, has resigned, the White House announced Jan. 27. He is expected to leave in early February.

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Bipartisan Policy Center calls for more, better health IT

A think tank with a healthcare task force chaired by former Senators Tom Daschle, a Democrat, and Bill Frist, MD, a Republican, is advocating for improved and better-used health information technology. Among the group's recommendations is "robust" data exchange.

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5 dos and don'ts of EHR interface design

Sometimes, small tweaks can make a big difference, and according to Bob Hunchberger, a clinical informaticist for a 500-bed hospital, that couldn’t be truer when it comes to your EHR. 

Hunchberger suggests five dos and don’ts of EHR interface design. 

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Clinical Trials

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