The first known hepatitis C virus transmission via transplanted cardiopulmonary tissue occurred in September after a tissue bank misread the results of a genetic test of the tissue, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported. In the… Read More ›
Archive for December 2011
Retraction May End Search for Virus–Chronic Fatigue Link
A controversial study that linked chronic fatigue syndrome with a virus has been retracted by the journal Science today, marking a bitter end to a thread of research many patients hoped would lead to effective therapies for the disorder. The… Read More ›
Researchers Uncover the Genetic Mechanism That May Help Lead to a Dengue Virus Vaccine
People who become infected with the dengue virus are at increased risk of experiencing a more severe infection later in life, and researchers are beginning to understand why. Such knowledge may play an important role in helping those trying to… Read More ›
Author Insights: Sleep Disorders Affect Health and Job Performance of Police Officers
Inadequate sleep and sleep disorders, which are known to affect heart health and increase the risk of motor vehicle crashes, may impinge on public health and safety through their effects on police officers, according to research findings reported today in… Read More ›
Patients Eager to See Physicians’ Notes, Physicians More Reluctant
Patients are enthusiastic about the potential benefits of having access to their physician’s notes about their visit, but physicians are more wary about the potential downsides of sharing such information, suggest results of a survey published in the Annals of… Read More ›
Obesity Rates Dip Slightly Among New York City Schoolchildren
A bit of good news in the continuing fight to curb childhood obesity is coming out of New York City: since 2006, the percentage of obese children in grades K through 8 has dipped slightly. The finding, from an analysis… Read More ›
Chimpanzees Aren’t Necessary for Most Research, Says IOM
The era of the chimpanzee as a research tool in federally funded biomedical studies has, for the most part, come to an end. After 9 months of meetings, workshops, and an unprecedented number of public comments, an Institute of Medicine… Read More ›
Infections With Tick-borne Parasite Rise Among US Elderly
A growing number of elderly individuals in the United States are developing babesiosis, an infectious disease transmitted by tick bites or transfusion with infected blood, according to a study published today in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. In the United… Read More ›
Disparities in Stillbirth Rates Identified
The timing and causes of stillbirth differ between black and non-Hispanic white women, and these differences may suggest new strategies for preventing such tragic losses, according to a study published today in JAMA. Although stillbirth is common in the United… Read More ›
Gene Therapy for Hemophilia B Shows Promise in Small Trial
A small study suggests a type of gene therapy shows promise in converting a severe form of hemophilia B into a mild form and possibly even curing this genetic bleeding disorder. Hemophilia B, the second most common type of hemophilia… Read More ›