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Monthly Archives: July 2008

An ID for Alzheimer’s?

UCLA researchers have confirmed the existence of biomarkers that may track the progression of AD, long before symptoms appear.

Scientists Suspect Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Slow Acute Wound Healing

A recent study shows that popular fish oil supplements have an effect on the healing process of small, acute wounds in human skin. But is that effect detrimental or helpful?

Diabetes Experts Recommend One-Two Punch for Treating Patients with Pre-Diabetes

For the first time, a consensus of diabetes and metabolic disorder experts have recommended a comprehensive treatment regimen for patients with pre-diabetes. The recommendations call for specific guidelines on both lifestyle, and pharmaceutical intervention where appropriate.

Limiting Fructose May Boost Weight Loss

One of the reasons people on low-carbohydrate diets may lose weight is that they reduce their intake of fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly, according to a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Statins Linked to Improved Survival in Kidney Transplant Recipients

For patients receiving kidney transplants, treatment with cholesterol-lowering "statin" drugs may lead to longer survival, reports a study in the November 2008 Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

Drugs Commonly Used for Erectile Dysfunction Allowed More Chemotherapy to Reach Brain Tumors

Researchers found that medications commonly prescribed for erectile dysfunction opened a mechanism called the blood-brain tumor barrier and increased delivery of cancer-fighting drugs to malignant brain tumors.

Researchers Detecting Alzheimer’s Disease Earlier

Researchers have identified two new techniques to detect the progression of Alzheimer's disease earlier. By catching Alzheimer's disease before symptoms are apparent, physicians can prescribe treatments to slow down the disease progression.

Current Stats Severely Underestimate Costs of Medical Errors

A new review suggests that current statistics on medical mistakes might not be comprehensive because they do not factor in all inpatient costs or include readmissions and patient care for the 90 days following surgery.

Statins May Protect Against Memory Loss

People at high risk for dementia who took cholesterol-lowering statins are half as likely to develop dementia as those who do not take statins, a new study shows.

Obesity Linked to Newer, Less Walkable Neighborhoods

The age of your neighborhood may influence your risk of obesity, according to a new study from the University of Utah.

Dietary Factors Appear to Be Associated With Diabetes Risk

Drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages or eating fewer fruits and vegetables both may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas eating a low-fat diet does not appear to be associated with any change in diabetes risk.

New Protocol Streamlines Therapy That Makes More Kidney Transplants Possible

A new therapy developed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center improves transplant rates and outcomes for patients awaiting living- and deceased-donor kidney transplantation.

Drug Lowers Body’s Set Point to Control Hyperparathyroidism in Dialysis Patients

A medication used to control high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in patients receiving dialysis for end-stage renal disease works by resetting the balance between calcium and PTH levels.

Membrane Model May Unlock Secrets of Early-Stage Alzheimer’s

Researchers are using a new laboratory model of the membrane surrounding neurons in the brain to study how a protein long suspected of a role in early-stage Alzheimer's disease actually impairs a neuron's structure and function.

Warning: Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes in Young Adults Coming

As concern about children's health grows along with their waistlines, experts at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital warn that the childhood obesity epidemic could lead to large numbers of younger adults developing type 2 diabetes, causing serious and lasting health complications for future generations of Americans.

Keeping a Food Diary Doubles Diet Weight Loss

Keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss according to a study from one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted.