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White House's Childhood Obesity Task Force must focus on providing treatment for minority children

A recent U-M study highlights the need for a shared emphasis on both obesity prevention and treatment strategies to achieve the White House's goal of eliminating childhood obesity. The study concludes that prevention programs alone cannot effectively address the epidemic affecting minority children, who are disproportionately affected.

Atherosclerosis is not limited to the heart

The new ESC guidelines on peripheral artery disease emphasize the need to assess patients with coronary artery disease for symptoms or asymptomatic atherosclerosis in other vascular areas. The guidelines also highlight the importance of considering multisite artery disease and the overall clinical status of patients.

SourceEuropean Society of Cardiology·JournalEuropean Heart Journal·DateAug 27, 2011

Referring doctors increasingly aware of deep brain stimulation therapy; more work remains

Researchers found that while deep brain stimulation has increased acceptance among referring physicians for Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, only half of recommended patients are appropriate candidates for immediate therapy. This suggests that physicians have become more aware and accepting of the treatment, but may re...

SourceCedars-Sinai Medical Center·JournalArchives of Neurology·DateAug 15, 2011

Don't suffer in silence with toe pain

Lesser toe deformities, such as hammer toes and claw toes, can cause significant pain and limit activities. Improper footwear is a common cause, while genetic and neuromuscular conditions also play a role. Nonsurgical treatments like pads and gel sleeves can be effective, but surgery may be necessary for severe cases.

SourceAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons·JournalJournal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons·DateAug 1, 2011

Battle won against Asian tiger mosquito

A combination of strategies, including eliminating stagnant water and removing vegetation, significantly reduced the number of tiger mosquito eggs in treated areas. The study, published in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, demonstrates a substantial reduction in eggs compared to control areas.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalTransactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·DateJul 22, 2011

What makes a happy meal?

Researchers found that ghrelin hormone is required for prolonged psychosocial stress to promote preference and intake of high-fat food in mice. This discovery could lead to new therapeutic targets for curbing stress-related food behavior.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateJun 23, 2011

Depressed, pregnant women receive inconsistent treatment, have longer hospital stays

A recent study by the Medical College of Georgia found that depressed pregnant women often receive inconsistent treatment, leading to longer hospital stays. The lack of uniformity in addressing perinatal depression is attributed to providers feeling burdened and isolated in making decisions about complex issues.

SourceMedical College of Georgia at Augusta University·JournalGeneral Hospital Psychiatry·DateJun 16, 2011

AcademyHealth honors leading health services researchers

The Distinguished Investigator Award recognizes Dr. Vince Mor for his significant contributions to health services research, while the Alice S. Hersh New Investigator Award is given to Dr. Scott Halpern for exceptional promise in early career. The Article-of-the-Year Award honors researchers Jeffrey Silber and Robert Kaestner for their...

Study estimates potential for ranibizumab to prevent blindness from age-related macular degeneration

A computer modeling study suggests that ranibizumab can reduce the magnitude of legal blindness and visual impairment caused by age-related macular degeneration in non-Hispanic white individuals. The model estimated that monthly ranibizumab usage could prevent 16,268 cases of legal blindness and 34,702 cases of visual impairment.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Ophthalmology·DateJun 13, 2011

'1-stop' clinic ups mental health, social work visits for veterans

A study found that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who visited a VA integrated care clinic were more likely to undergo initial mental health and social work evaluations than those visiting standard clinics. The integrated care model increased the rate of initial mental health evaluations, especially for women veterans, younger veterans, ...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateJun 10, 2011

UK Government plans for mentally ill prisoners are unrealistic, research suggests

Research suggests that UK government plans to divert mentally ill prisoners into mental health services are unlikely to succeed due to a lack of suitable facilities. The study found that only a small percentage of psychotic prisoners receive treatment, and those who do often face significant barriers to follow-up care after release.

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalInternational Journal of Law and Psychiatry·DateJun 7, 2011

Several abstracts on gout reveal true burden of disease and highlight promising new treatments

A pan-European study found gout prevalence highest in the UK and lowest in France, with lower quality of life scores and more comorbidities. New treatments like pegloticase demonstrated long-term efficacy and safety, with up to 90% complete resolution of tophi and improved patient-reported outcomes.

SourceEuropean Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)·JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases·DateMay 26, 2011

People with body-image disorders process 'big picture' visual information abnormally

A new UCLA study reveals that individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) exhibit abnormal brain activity when processing holistic visual elements, such as the overall shape of an object. This finding suggests that BDD patients have general abnormalities in visual processing, which may contribute to the development of the disorder.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPsychological Medicine·DateMay 26, 2011

Using war games to treat post-traumatic stress disorder

A new virtual reality application delivers exposure therapy for PTSD by immersing soldiers in simulated trauma-relevant environments. The system has shown encouraging clinical results, with 80% of patients experiencing clinically meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings·DateMay 16, 2011

No smoking policies may present challenges to treatment centers

Researchers found that implementing a tobacco-free policy at an Ohio women's substance abuse treatment center led to a 28 percentage point decrease in program completion rates. The study suggests that smoking bans may pose challenges for treatment centers, but they are not a reason to abandon tobacco-free policies entirely.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions·DateMay 5, 2011