Genetic perversity: Smoking & gene avert Parkinson's

It has long been known that smoking offers some protection against developing Parkinson's disease and now a Queensland University of Technology PhD researcher has found out part of the reason why. more  

Emergency departments score poorly in child-saving drills, Hopkins study finds

A mock-drill study conducted in a third of North Carolina's hospital emergency departments (EDs) revealed that nearly all failed to properly stabilize seriously injured children during trauma simulations, according to a team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and Duke University Medical Center. Simulations were conducted in 35 of North Carolina's 106 EDs. Of the 35 EDs in the study, five were designated trauma centers (out of a total of 11 in the State of North Carolina), and 30 were located in community hospitals. A report on the work by the research team stating the results probably apply to hospitals nationwide is published in the March issue of Pediatrics. more

New genetic discovery explains 74 percent cases of age-related macular degeneration

A new study, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, pinpoints the role that two genes – Factor H and Factor B – play in the development of nearly three out of four cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a devastating eye disease that affects more than 10 million people in the United States. more  

New open-source software to remove ID from patient reports

Researchers have developed new reliable open-source software to remove identifiers from patient reports. In a study published today in the open access journal BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, researchers report on a new open-source computer programme able to remove 98.3% of all identifiers from 1254 pathology reports processed. This programme provides a basis for others to develop customized tools specific to report types or institutional styles. more

Depression model leaves mice with molecular scar  

In addition to triggering a depression-like social withdrawal syndrome, repeated defeat by dominant animals leaves a mouse with an enduring molecular scar in its brain that could help to explain why depression is so difficult to cure, suggest researchers funded by National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). more

One in 10 Americans suffer with restless legs syndrome  

Approximately 10 percent of Americans suffer from a common, yet under-diagnosed neurological disorder characterized by uncontrollable, often painful urges to kick and thrash the legs when trying to fall asleep. more

Vitamin E: Hurt or help?

One of the most powerful antioxidants is truly a double-edged sword, say researchers at Ohio State University who studied how two forms of vitamin E act once they are inside animal cells. more