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Johns Hopkins Medicine


Guidelines for food allergy testing

Researchers recommend performing oral food challenges on children with at least a 50-50 chance of passing, based on IgE antibody levels less than 2.0 kilounits per liter of blood. This guideline aims to reduce unnecessary avoidance of common allergenic foods and improve the accuracy of food allergy diagnosis.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJul 7, 2004

Chronic care medicine: Physicians say 'help!'

A Johns Hopkins-led study found that most physicians reported positive attitudes towards caring for patients with chronic conditions, but felt they had received less training than needed. Chronic problems like diabetes and heart disease account for over 75% of healthcare spending in the US.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalAcademic Medicine·DateMay 27, 2004

Super-effective 'jumping gene' created

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have created an artificial jumping gene that can randomly silence genes in mice, offering a new way to study genetic function and evolution. The discovery has the potential to reveal how genes interact with each other and contribute to human health and disease.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNature·DateMay 19, 2004

Stem cells toward sperm cells and back again

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered that lost sperm-making stem cells in fruit flies can be replaced by reversing their specialized state. The team found that temperature changes can trigger a process called dedifferentiation, where more specialized cells retrace the path taken by stem cells.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalScience·DateMay 18, 2004

Oxygen therapy may improve vision worsened by diabetes

A study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science found that breathing supplemental oxygen for three months reduced fluid buildup and swelling in the macula, and improved visual acuity in some cases. The therapy was found to reduce excess thickness of the macula by an average of 43 percent.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·DateMay 17, 2004

Patients happy with robo-doc

A study found that robotic doctor visits increased patient comfort and accessibility to medical information, with 57% suggesting it should become a standard practice. Patients preferred having their own physician conduct telerounds over others.

Study: New neurons can get out of spinal cord

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have successfully coaxed new motor neurons out of embryonic stem cells and into the spinal cords of paralyzed rats. The study, funded by various organizations, aims to overcome a major hurdle in clinical therapy for motor neuron diseases like ALS and SMA.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 27, 2004