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Researchers Show Prebiotic Can Reduce Severity of Colitis

By Guest PostMay 4, 2012Healthbacterial infection, cells, colitis, colon cancer, elizabeth gardner, fiber supplements, galacto oligosaccharide, good bacteria, gos, gut, inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal ailments, jenifer fenton, michigan state university, natural killer, prebiotic, probiotics, synthetic compound

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Researchers at Michigan State University have shown a prebiotic may help the body’s own natural killer cells fight bacterial infection and reduce inflammation, greatly decreasing the risk of colon cancer.

Prebiotics are fiber supplements that serve as food for the trillions of tiny bacteria living in the gut. When taken, they can stimulate the growth of the “good” bacteria. The evolution of prebiotic supplements (as well as probiotics, which are actual bacteria ingested into the system) provide new therapeutic targets for researchers and physicians. (more…)

Researchers Determine Vitamin D Blood Level for Reducing Major Medical Risks in Older Adults

By Guest PostMay 4, 2012Healthblood samples, caucasian adults, food sources, hip fracture, sun exposure, vitamin D

In testing older patients’ blood vitamin D levels, there’s uncertainty about where the dividing line falls between enough and not enough. The threshold amount has become controversial as several scientific societies set different targets. (more…)

Video Games Can Teach How To Shoot Guns More Accurately And Aim For The Head

By Guest PostMay 1, 2012Health, Technologyhead shots, shooting video game, video games, violent crimes, violent shooting games

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Just 20 minutes of playing a violent shooting video game made players more accurate when firing a realistic gun at a mannequin – and more likely to aim for and hit the head, a new study found. (more…)

Substance Abuse Struggle

By Guest PostApril 29, 2012Health, Sportsdrinking alcohol, lines of cocaine, smoking marijuana, struggle, substance abuse

Former NBA player Herren recounts struggle with substance abuse

Former college basketball and NBA player Chris Herren spoke on the University of Delaware campus Thursday, April 19, about the struggle with substance abuse that eventually ended his career. (more…)

UCLA Researchers Combat Global Disease with a Cell Phone, Google Maps and a Lot of Ingenuity

By Guest PostApril 28, 2012Health, Technologyaydogan ozcan, bish program, cell phone, combat global disease, global mapping function, infectious disease, ozcan research group, rapid diagnostic tests, rdt reader platform, rdts

In the fight against emerging public health threats, early diagnosis of infectious diseases is crucial. And in poor and remote areas of the globe where conventional medical tools like microscopes and cytometers are unavailable, rapid diagnostic tests, or RDTs, are helping to make disease screening quicker and simpler. (more…)

Cells in Blood Vessel Found To Cling More Tightly in Regions of Rapid Flow

By Guest PostApril 27, 2012Health, Sciencebenjamin shuman, biochemical change, blockage, cardiac surgeon, cardiovascular disease, cell, cholesterol, clogging, heart, joon jung, living organ, lucas ting, mechanical engineering, nathan sniadecki, sangyoon han, shirin feghhi, surgeon, tugging force, university of washington, vascular leakage

Clogging of pipes leading to the heart is the planet’s number one killer. Surgeons can act as medical plumbers to repair some blockages, but we don’t fully understand how this living organ deteriorates or repairs itself over time.

Researchers at the University of Washington have studied vessel walls and found the cells pull more tightly together, reducing vascular leakage, in areas of fast-flowing blood. The finding could influence how doctors design drugs to treat high cholesterol, or how cardiac surgeons plan their procedures. (more…)

Guidelines for Prostate Screening Widely Ignored, Study Finds

By Guest PostApril 25, 2012Healthberkshire hathaway, blood test, cancer specific mortality, ceo, controversial decision, data, dezheng huo, diagnosis, jim hu, john easton, los angeles, michael drazer, nhis, prostate cancer, prostate specific antigen, psa, psa screening, recommendation, sandip prasad, scott eggener, treatment, university of california, university of chicago, warren buffett

2008 recommendations from federal task force had no impact

New research confirms that the controversial decision by Warren Buffett – the 81-year-old CEO of Berkshire Hathaway – to undergo a blood test screening for prostate cancer despite his age is hardly unusual. Despite recommendations in 2008 from the United States Preventive Services Task Force against testing for prostate cancer in men aged 75 years or older, almost half of men in that age group continue to get screening tests.

In 2005, before the recommendations were released, 43 percent of men age 75 and above elected to take the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. In August 2008, the Task Force stated it “recommends against the service,” arguing “there is moderate or high certainty the service has no net benefit or that the harms outweigh the benefits.” (more…)

Payment Innovation Cuts Depression Time in Half

By Guest PostApril 23, 2012Healthamerican, community health clinics, depression, depression outcomes, disease, incentive, jurgen unutzer, king county, mental disorder, mental health, payment, university of washington, washington state, world health organization

When 25 percent of the payments to community health clinics were based on quality of care, patients received better care and had better depression outcomes. The results of this initiative are published in the American Journal of Public Health.

University of Washington researchers examined records from almost 8,000 patients treated for depression in 29 community health clinics in the Washington State Mental Health Integration Program before and after the implementation of a pay-for-performance incentive. After the incentive was started, patients were seen more quickly and were more likely to receive consultation from a psychiatrist. They were also more likely to show improvements in their depression. (more…)

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