Berlin, Germany: New research has found that switching post-menopausal women with early breast cancer to the drug exemestane (Aromasin) after two or three years of tamoxifen rather than keeping them on tamoxifen for five years improves the chance of remaining cancer free and reduces the risk of death for at least the next six years.
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Public smoking bans appear to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, particularly among younger individuals and nonsmokers, according to a new study published in the September 29, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Researchers find that smoking bans can reduce the number of heart attacks by as much as 26 percent per year.
Traumatic spinal cord injury causes permanent disability or loss of movement (paralysis) and sensation below the site of the injury. Currently, there are no treatments that can reverse the damage to the spinal cord, there are only approaches to prevent further damage and to help people return to an active lifestyle. However, Philip Popovich and colleagues, at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, have studied the problem in mice and identified potential new therapeutic targets for minimizing injury and/or promoting repair after traumatic spinal cord injury
Women with mutations in either their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes have a dramatically increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. Identifying such women provides them with an opportunity to take preventive measures such as surgery to remove their breasts. One caveat to identifying such women by simply sequencing their BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and detecting mutations is that not all mutations are harmful. However, Shyam Sharan and colleagues, at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick, have now developed an assay to distinguish harmful BRCA1 mutations from those that are not.
Healing badly damaged lungs: Distinct set of white blood cells found to set the pace of wound repair
After more than 50 experiments in mice, medical scientists at Johns Hopkins have mapped out the basic steps taken by a particular set of white blood cells in setting the pace of recovery after serious lung injury.
The white blood cells are called regulatory T cells, or Tregs for short, and their best known function is to keep the body's immune system from attacking its own healthy tissues.
Researchers have identified a mechanism that may keep a well known signaling molecule from eroding bone and inflaming joints, according to an early study published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
One year after passing smoking bans, communities in North America and Europe had 17 percent fewer heart attacks compared to communities without smoking restrictions, and the number of heart attacks kept decreasing with time, according to a report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A new technique for reconstructing the palate after surgery for tonsil cancer maintained patients' ability to speak clearly and eat most foods, a new study shows.
The technique, developed at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, is described in the September Archives of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.
Restricting elective surgeries, limiting incoming transfers and enhancing the efficiency of the discharge process helped one major hospital reduce capacity before a relocation without interrupting emergency or trauma services, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Similar principles could help hospitals absorb patients in the aftermath of a disaster, the authors observe.
Many indoor tanning businesses require parental consent for teenagers to use their facilities, but most would allow young tanners more than the government-recommended amount of exposure during the first week, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Facilities with specific state laws regarding parental consent or accompaniment were more likely to require these steps.
Medicare recipients with head and neck cancer commonly do not complete radiation therapy without interruptions or at all, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Patients who have surgery before radiation treatment appear more likely to complete therapy, whereas those who have other illnesses or who have chemotherapy first may be more likely to experience interruptions or discontinuation in radiation treatment.
An international team, led by researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the National Eye Institute, has discovered gene variants for glaucoma in a black population. The finding could lead to future treatments or a cure for this disease, which leads to blindness in two million Americans each year.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Scientists expect a new mathematical model of chronic wound healing could replace intuition with clear guidance on how to test treatment strategies in tackling a major public-health problem.
Whether we're deciding to return to a restaurant or to purchase a DVD, manyconsumers rely on memory when they're making decisions. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research examines the role of mood on those memory-based decisions.
ATLANTA—September 21, 2009—Consumers are taking back control of their personal data as more businesses are proactively seeking detailed information (buying habits, demographic data, etc.). While retailers may use new technology as a way to gain a competitive edge, new research shows that if customers don't see the personal benefits to these data mining practices, they are likely to respond with limited or false data, or even worse, feel the desire to "get back" at the company. This in turn creates a costly quality assurance issue for retailers and leads to poor business decisions.