EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health

Steroid injections prove effective in treatment of lumbar disc herniations

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) The use of epidural steroid injections may be a more efficient treatment option for lumbar disc herniations, according to research presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco.

Elbow position not a predictor of injury

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) Elbow position alone appeared to not affect injury rates and performance in college-level, male pitchers say researchers presenting at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco, Calif.

New data provides direction for ACL injured knee treatments

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) reconstruction improves quality of life and sports functionality for athletes, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco, Calif.

Helmet fit critical to preventing concussion, say researchers

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) Concussions and the issues that can occur following one, continue to be a serious problem for football players. However, one simple game strategy: proper helmet fit, may be one of the easiest game winners for prevention, say researchers presenting their study at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco.

Treatment for hip conditions should not rest solely on MRI scans

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) When it comes to treating people with hip pain, physicians should not replace clinical observation with the use of magnetic resonance images (MRI), according to research being presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Specialty Day in San Francisco, Calif.

Amateur football players not always keen on returning to play after ACL injuries

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) Despite the known success rates of reconstructive Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) surgery, the number of high school and collegiate football players returning to play may not be as high as anticipated, say researchers presenting at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day in San Francisco, Calif.

PRP treatment aids healing of elbow injuries say researchers

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) As elbow injuries continue to rise, especially in pitchers, procedures to help treat and get players back in the game quickly have been difficult to come by. However, a newer treatment called platelet rich plasma (PRP) may pose hope, according to researchers presenting their findings at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's Specialty Day meeting in San Francisco.

Delaying ACL reconstruction in kids may lead to higher rates of associated knee injuries

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine) Kids treated more than 150 days after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury have higher rates of other knee injuries, including medial meniscal tears, say researchers presenting at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Specialty Day in San Francisco, Calif.

Living in the US puts Hispanic women at high risk for preterm birth

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) The longer a Hispanic woman lives in the United States, the higher her risk of preterm birth (PTB), with nearly half of PTBs among Hispanic women occurring in those who were born in the US.

Study finds elevated levels of cell-free DNA in first trimester do not predict preeclampsia

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine) In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that indicate that elevated levels of cell-free DNA in the first trimester do not predict the subsequent development of preeclampsia.

Study finds that anti-diabetic medication can prevent the long-term effects of maternal obesity

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine) In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Dallas, Texas, researchers will report findings that show that short therapy with the anti-diabetic medication Pioglitazone can prevent the long term effects of maternal obesity on offspring.

Complex wiring of the nervous system may rely on a just a handful of genes and proteins

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Salk Institute) Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings, published Feb. 3 in Cell, may help scientists develop new therapies for neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and provide insight into certain cancers.

SFU cell biologist Lynne Quarmby will address top-flight American high school science students at AAAS conference in Vancouver

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Simon Fraser University) Lynne Quarmby, a Simon Fraser University cell biologist with a passion for promoting science, will deliver a talk to 30-top flight American high school science students and their teachers about the importance of basic science. Quarmby will be the keynote speaker at the Feb. 16 AJAS meeting at SFU Burnaby. It strategically brings together the crème de la crème of young American science students during the AAAS meeting in Vancouver.

Nutritional Medicine for Adults Workshop Series at Rush University Medical Center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Rush University Medical Center) Rush University Medical Center is sponsoring a Nutritional Medicine workshop March 15 to 16, 2012, that features internationally-renowned faculty who are leaders in research in nutritional medicine. The workshop is part of a series that is designed to educate clinicians and anyone interested in nutrition about the newest research as it relates to health and medicine. Participants can earn credits toward a certificate in Nutritional Medicine and nurses can earn CNE credits.

Human cognitive performance suffers following natural disasters, HF/E researchers find

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Human Factors and Ergonomics Society) Not surprisingly, victims of a natural disaster can experience stress and anxiety, but a new study indicates that it might also cause them to make more errors - some serious - in their daily lives. In their upcoming Human Factors article, "Earthquakes on the Mind: Implications of Disasters for Human Performance," researchers William S. Helton and James Head from the University of Canterbury explore how cognitive performance can decline after earthquakes and other natural disasters.

SFU health scientist joins governor general's roundtable at AAAS

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Simon Fraser University) Kate Tairyan, an SFU health scientist and director of public health at Next Generation University, will use a meeting with Canada's governor general at the AAAS conference to promote the world's first free university.

Molecular profiling reveals differences between primary and recurrent ovarian cancers

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(The Clearity Foundation) There is a need to analyze tumor specimens at the time of ovarian cancer recurrence, according to a new study published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. Researchers used a diagnostic technology called molecular profiling to examine the differences in the molecular characteristics of primary and recurrent ovarian tumors and found significant changes for some biomarkers.

C-sections linked to breathing problems in preterm infants

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Yale University) Research conducted at Yale School of Medicine shows that a cesarean delivery, which was thought to be harmless, is associated with breathing problems in preterm babies who are small for gestational age.

UTHealth research: Both maternal and paternal age linked to autism

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) Older maternal and paternal age are jointly associated with having a child with autism, according to a recently published study led by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Women & Infants named Center of Excellence for Neonatal Care for sixth year

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Women & Infants Hospital) For the sixth consecutive year, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island has been named a Center of Excellence for Neonatal Care by the Clinical Sciences Institute of OptumHealth, an independent audit company.

Drug halts organ damage in inflammatory genetic disorder

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(NIH/National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) A new study shows that Kineret (anakinra), a medication approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in stopping the progression of organ damage in people with neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. This rare and debilitating genetic disorder causes persistent inflammation and ongoing tissue damage. The research was performed by scientists at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

EEG pattern reflects brain's shift into low-energy, protective mode

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Massachusetts General Hospital) A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy.

Night, weekend delivery OK for babies with birth defects

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(University of Rochester Medical Center) Weekday delivery is no better than night/weekend delivery for infants with birth defects, according to a new study. Researchers found that infants with birth defects that were delivered at night or over the weekend fared just as well as those delivered on a weekday -- they stayed at the hospital for the same amount of time, were admitted to the NICU at the same rate, and were given antibiotics or got help breathing just as often.

Authors with financial conflicts reporting negative outcomes in major orthopaedic journals

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Papers published in orthopaedic journals by authors with a conflict of interest were equally likely to report negative results as those authored by researchers without conflicts, according to new research presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Researchers develop new method for creating tissue engineering scaffolds

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

(Northwestern University) Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new method for creating scaffolds for tissue engineering applications, providing an alternative that is more flexible and less time-intensive than current technology.