(NEW ORLEANS, December 7, 2013) – Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), once considered an effective yet risky alternative to drug therapy for blood cancer, has become more accessible and successful in a wide range of patients as a result of major advances in transplant strategies and technologies. Several studies representing these advances were presented today during the 55th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.
Culture
The majority of all violent crime in Sweden is committed by a small number of people. They are almost all male (92%) who early in life develops violent criminality, substance abuse problems, often diagnosed with personality disorders and commit large number non-violent crimes. These are the findings of researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy who have examined 2.5 million people in Swedish criminal and population registers.
New York, NY, December 6, 2013 – Although the demand for infertility treatment is rising, the high cost may deter some couples from seeking care. Researchers from the University of California-San Francisco assessed direct out-of-pocket costs for couples undergoing fertility treatment. Those using medication only had the lowest out-of-pocket expenses at $912, while those using in vitro fertilization (IVF) had the highest at $19,234. The results, published in The Journal of Urology®, will help inform couples who seek infertility care and the physicians who counsel them.
Enzalutamide (trade name: Xtandi) has been approved since June 2013 for men with metastatic prostate cancer in whom the commonly used hormone blockade is no longer effective and who have already been treated with the cytostatic drug docetaxel. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy specified by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).
WASHINGTON D.C. Dec. 6, 2013 -- To technology insiders, graphene is a certified big deal. The one-atom thick carbon-based material elicits rhapsodic descriptions as the strongest, thinnest material known. It also is light, flexible, and able to conduct electricity as well as copper. Graphene-based electronics promise advances such as faster internet speeds, cheaper solar cells, novel sensors, space suits spun from graphene yarn, and more.
A new study has found that leg ulcers take the same time to heal when people wear compression stockings rather than traditional bandages.
People in a trial, carried out by researchers from the universities of Manchester and York and funded by the National Institute for Health Research as part of their Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR HTA), also reported less ulcer recurrence after using the stockings and required fewer nurse visits making the stockings better value for money for the NHS.
ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Imetelstat, a novel telomerase inhibiting drug, has been found to induce morphologic, molecular and clinical remissions in some patients with myelofibrosis a Mayo Clinic study has found. The results were presented today at the 2013 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
Washington, DC (December 5, 2013) — Acute kidney injury, a condition that is common but often asymptomatic, may be more deadly than a heart attack, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that follow-up and surveillance may be critical to protect the health of individuals who develop this form of kidney damage.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – How do you measure the pain of a patient who can't communicate? A Rhode Island Hospital researcher studied an observational pain scale in cardiac surgery patients, and found that the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) provided an accurate measure of a patient's pain level. The study by Sandra Linde, RN, is the first study conducted in Rhode Island Hospital's Clinical Nurse Scholar program, in which direct care nurses are mentored to serve as principal investigators. The paper is published in the American Journal of Critical Care.
Women with moderate to severe menstrual cramps may find relief in a class of erectile dysfunction drugs, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State College of Medicines Richard Legro.
Primary dysmenorrhea, also called PD, is the most common cause of pelvic pain in women. The current treatment is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen. However, ibuprofen does not work well for all women, and can be associated with ulcers and kidney damage when used chronically as it often is for PD.
Bethesda, Md. (Dec. 5, 2013)—There are over a million people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States alone with an estimated 11,000 new cases every year. Furthermore, it is estimated that there are, at least, 100,000 veterans with SCI, making the VA the largest integrated health care system in the world for SCI care. But despite this large prevalence, researchers are still discovering all the various ways that SCI affect those with this condition beyond the obvious paralysis.
Asking patients about their exercise habits was associated with weight loss in overweight patients and improved glucose control for patients with diabetes, according to a recently published study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
LA JOLLA, Calif., December 5, 2013 – Sanford-Burnham scientists have identified the B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) inhibitory receptor as a key factor in limiting inflammatory responses, particularly in the skin. The study, published online today in Immunity, provides clarity on how T cells get fired up to protect against pathogens, and then cool down to restore immune homeostasis.
The drug saxagliptin (trade name: Onglyza) has been approved also as monotherapy in Germany since July 2013 for certain adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is an option when drug treatment is needed, but the drug metformin is not tolerated or cannot be used.
Rapid rehabilitation is a must after a heart attack or other cardiovascular event. Different forms of exercise as a part of rehabilitation have been examined by researchers, including high-intensity interval training (85-95 % of maximum heart rate), which has proved to be both a good and efficient form of rehabilitation.
However, most of the studies that document these findings have been conducted in exercise laboratories, where patients and the intensity of their exercise are carefully monitored. But can we expect the same benefits when patients are told to exercise at home?