Culture

Highlights

• A treatment consisting of vascular endothelial growth factor fused to a bioengineered carrier promotes the recovery of kidney function in pigs with a disease frequently observed in patients in which the kidneys' arteries are blocked.

Washington, DC (November 5, 2015) -- A new treatment may help patients with a chronic kidney condition that can also lead to heart problems and premature death, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

Mixed martial arts has a reputation for being one of the most brutal and bloody of all contact sports, but the reality is boxing poses a greater risk of serious injury, according to new research from the University of Alberta.

SAN DIEGO--When acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in people with diabetes, the rate of renal function loss is twice that of their non-AKI counterparts, says a University of Cincinnati (UC) researcher.

First-time expectant mothers who do not plan to follow the recommended childhood immunization schedule differ in a number of ways from mothers who do, according to a recent study led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the University of Georgia.

Conducting an economic analysis of drug use is a particularly difficult endeavor, but for Michigan State University professor and economist Siddharth Chandra, it just meant taking a look at the history books.

"You can't simply go to Wal-Mart and look at the sticker price, and people don't want to talk to you because drugs are illegal and they think they'll get in trouble, " Chandra said. "Our study is the first time the subject of how populations of consumers switch between drugs is being studied with data considered reliable."

Philadelphia, PA, November 5, 2015 - Changes in sexual satisfaction and decreases in sexual activity are often reported by heart patients. Both patients and partners may have misconceptions about the perceived dangers of sexual activities and commonly restrict their activities. However, in a new study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, researchers provide a comprehensive and updated review of the relevant literature and offer evidence- and expert-based practical recommendations regarding sexual activity in heart patients.

While 12 million Americans are enrolled in health care networks through the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) insurance marketplace, a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) raises concerns about patient access to specialists within these insurance plans.

The study, "Adequacy of outpatient specialty care access in marketplace plans under the Affordable Care Act," shows that nearly 15 percent of the plans lacked in-network physicians for at least one specialty.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy and Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera today announced plans by the departments to revise the immunization regulations for school children to ensure all students are better protected from illness. Current state regulations require Pennsylvania children to get immunized against certain diseases in order to attend school.

Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a medical condition that requires a lifetime of management, barely half of health care providers follow the clinical practice guidelines established on how to evaluate and manage patients with the condition.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- If you need health care in rural Michigan, and you don't have insurance or money, you can turn to a free clinic -- like the one University of Michigan medical students run each Saturday in the tiny town of Pinckney.

Fewer people need this kind of help these days, because of new insurance options made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

But hundreds of people still rely on free primary care from the students and the U-M doctors who volunteer with them, because they still lack health insurance.

November 5, 2015 - Training in meditation and other mindfulness-based techniques brings lasting improvements in mental health and quality of life for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), according to a study in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, official journal of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

Edoxaban (trade name: Lixiana) has been approved since June 2015 for two therapeutic indications in adults: on the one hand, for prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) with other risk factors for stroke; on the other, for treatment and prevention of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 5, 2015) - Pregnant women and new mothers receive many messages regarding the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding for babies in the first year of life. Breastfeeding is thought to reduce the risk of allergic rhinitis (hay fever), asthma, food allergies and eczema in children.

According to a new study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, no significant difference in allergies were found between children who were ever breast fed versus those formula fed.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 5, 2015) - Anyone suffering with seasonal allergies knows the local pharmacy carries shelves full of over-the-counter medications to help manage symptoms. Unfortunately, most seasonal allergy sufferers take over-the counter (OTC) products rather than the treatments they actually prefer - prescription medications.

SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 5, 2015) - Most people who think they're allergic to penicillin have been told so by a doctor after they've had a reaction to the drug. And the majority, even though they've never been allergy tested, never take penicillin again.

A study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, examined the records of 15 patients who, after being told they were penicillin-allergic, tested negative for penicillin allergy, and were then able to be treated with intravenous penicillin on multiple occasions.