12/31/2006
New research, “Herd protection against influenza,” is the subject of a report. According to recent research published in the Journal of Clinical Virology, “Mortality and hospitalization rates due to influenza have risen despite increasing vaccine coverage for the most vulnerable population; however, those most vulnerable to complications and death are the least likely to…
Aldagen, Inc. announced the presentation of data from a clinical trial using its ALDESORT product to isolate stem cells from cord blood. The trial is being conducted by Joanne Kurtzberg, MD, the Duke University physician who pioneered the use of umbilical cord blood as a treatment for fatal childhood cancers and genetic diseases in 1993. Dr. Kurtzberg presented positive…
The March of Dimes Georgia Chapter has selected Terri Bunten, senior vice president and community executive of Bank of North Georgia as the 2006 Chapter Volunteer of the Year. The award is made annually to a distinguished, long-term volunteer who goes above and beyond his or her defined role to exhibit passion, creativity and service in more than a single capacity. A…
Scientists collaborating at Cornell University in Ithaca and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City have identified a panel of 23 protein biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid that acts as a neurochemical “fingerprint,” which doctors might use someday to identify patients living with Alzheimer disease. The research was published in the online-edition of the journal…
A study from researchers at the University of Michigan Health System and the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System suggests that a program focusing on increasing step length and speed is more effective at improving mobility and balance among older adults than is tai chi. While tai chi - a Chinese martial art form consisting of slow, rotational movements and…
An anti-allergy drug in use for more than 40 years significantly reduced tumor growth in animal models of human pancreatic cancer and also increased the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy, say researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. [click link for full article]
Memory training and other non-drug treatments may one day help older adults ward off declines in mental function, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in an editorial in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. [click link for full article]
People with low levels of LDL cholesterol are more likely to have Parkinson’s disease than people with high LDL levels, according to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers.LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; low levels of LDL cholesterol are considered an indicator of good cardiovascular health. [click link for full article]
Viewing prior mammograms in association with current mammograms significantly improves radiologist performance and may decrease unnecessary recalls by up to 44 percent, according to a study in the January issue of Radiology.”Prior mammograms should always be used when available,” said the study’s lead author, Antonius A. J. Roelofs, Ph.D. [click link for full article]
People who receive higher disability ratings for work-related back injuries don’t necessarily fare worse over the long term than those who get lower ratings, a Saint Louis University study finds.The study, which reinforced previous research showing blacks receive less treatment for their back pain than whites, was published online this month in the Journal of Pain. [click link for full article]