WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 — A surgeon’s skill level does not seem to have a big impact on long-term outcomes for weight-loss surgery patients, a new study suggests. However, one weight-loss surgeon disagreed with the study’s conclusion. Prior research had found an association between surgical skill level and short-term outcomes ... Read More »
STATE COLLEGE, Pa., April 13 — There is no definitive test for asthma, with most diagnoses based on history and breathing tests, both of which researchers say lack definition and depend on patients having attacks before any type of treatment. Researchers at Penn State University found microRNAs, or miRNAs, in ... Read More »
WASHINGTON, April 13 — Blood thinners like warfarin have long been used to lower the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but require continuous monitoring and dietary restriction to be sure blood has not been thinned too much. Researchers at Loyola University found, however, that newer blood thinning ... Read More »
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 — Bedbugs may be developing thicker “skins” that help them resist common pesticides, a new study suggests. This might explain why bedbug populations are increasing worldwide, the researchers added. “If we understand the biological mechanisms bedbugs use to beat insecticides, we may be able to spot ... Read More »
ATLANTA, April 13 — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday the Zika virus can cause birth defects like very small heads and other neurological damage in the fetuses of infected mothers. CDC officials said they had gathered enough data to make the announcement, putting to rest ... Read More »
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 — Alcohol sales fell in Maryland following an increase in the sales tax, according to a finding that suggests the tactic could work in other U.S. states. The alcohol tax rose from 6 percent to 9 percent in 2011, and liquor sales subsequently fell 5 percent, ... Read More »
WEDNESDAY, April 13, 2016 — More than half of Americans with high rates of hospitalization either don’t have regular access to healthy food or are at risk of not having enough food at home, a small study suggests. The study highlights obstacles to getting enough food, including people’s dependence on ... Read More »
SHEFFIELD, England, April 12 — Lycopene, the substance that makes tomatoes red, could be the key to boosting sperm counts in men with infertility, according to researchers launching a study of it. While it’s known to slow the growth of prostate cancer and lower risk for stroke, researchers at the ... Read More »
TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 — Southern California has cleaner air than it did 20 years ago, and children there may be breathing better because of it, a new study suggests.Researchers found that as the smog over eight Los Angeles-area communities lessened, children became less likely to suffer from bronchitis, congestion ... Read More »
WASHINGTON, April 12– The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Monday announced Comprehensive Primary Care Plus, an attempt to encourage higher quality “cognitive” care, rather than the quantity of procedures and visits billed. The CPC+ program is the most recent move CMS has taken to transition from the fee-for-service ... Read More »
TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 — Use of the word “breakthrough” in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s expedited approval process could mislead doctors about the new drugs’ actual benefits, researchers warn. The U.S. Congress in 2012 gave FDA the power to designate a drug as a “breakthrough therapy” if preliminary ... Read More »
TUESDAY, April 12, 2016 — It’s probably not a milestone that will do many feminists proud, but teenage girls in the United States now start to drink alcohol sooner than boys do, a new study shows. “This is becoming a public health issue,” said lead researcher Dr. Hui Cheng, an ... Read More »
