Doc Blog

Individuals reporting a history of periodontal disease were more likely to have increased levels of inflammation, a risk factor for heart disease, compared to those who reported no history of periodontal disease, according to an American Journal of Cardiology report available online today. Led by investigators from Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, the [...]

The number of children being adopted from care in Northern Ireland has increased, according to a study by Queen’s University. However, Health Boards and Trusts vary dramatically in their decisions on long-term placements for children in care. From Care to Where? A Care Pathways and Outcomes Report for Practitioners explores the placements of the 374 [...]

In Washington, DC, The George Washington University Hospital’s (GWUH) internal survey shows employee satisfaction with hospital communication increased by 33 percent. The increase is a result of communication with hospital staff, visitors and patients via a mixture of interactive PC screensavers and Digital Signage presentations. The solution also includes an Emergency Alert functionality to [...]

A new report from the nation’s leading cancer organizations shows that, for the first time since the report was first issued in 1998, both incidence and death rates for all cancers combined are decreasing for both men and women, driven largely by declines in some of the most common types of cancer. The report [...]

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest and most difficult to treat cancers. Now, in a major step forward, researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center have shown that administering radiation therapy prior to surgery nearly doubles survival in pancreatic cancer patients with operable tumors. “Patients who received pre-surgical (neoadjuvant) radiation had almost double the [...]

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have learned to customize a key human enzyme responsible for producing heparin, opening the door to a more effective synthetic anticoagulant as well as treatments for other conditions. Jian Liu, Ph.D., and colleagues at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy have learned to modify the [...]

Dieters or those who consume fewer calories during flu season could have a harder time fighting off the flu virus, according to research by Michigan State University nutritional immunology professor Elizabeth Gardner. In a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Nutrition, Gardner showed that mice with a calorie-restricted diet were more [...]

Hormone therapy could accentuate certain pre-existing heart disease risk factors and a heart health evaluation should become the norm when considering estrogen replacement, new research suggests. The research also showed that in women without existing atherosclerosis, hormone therapy use included some positive effects on lipids but also some negative effects related to heart health, said [...]

Today, the average size soft drink is 20 ounces and contains 17 teaspoons of sugar. More startling is that some citric acids found in fruit drinks are more erosive than hydrochloric or sulfuric acid - which is also known as battery acid. These refined sugars and acids found in soda and citrus juice promote tooth [...]

A Mayo Clinic study shows a majority of stroke patients don’t think they’re having a stroke — and as a result — delay seeking treatment until their condition worsens. The findings appear in the current issue of Emergency Medicine Journal at http://emj.bmj.com/. Researchers studied 400 patients who were diagnosed at Mayo Clinic’s emergency department with [...]