Body

Surgery may help, but not cure, obese children with sleep disorders

Chicago, IL –Surgical interventions for many obese children suffering from obstructive sleep apnea may not cure the problem, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

Obese children are at increased risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that is associated with a decreased quality of life as well as behavioral, neurocognitive, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and psychiatric complications.

Reflux a possible factor in recurrent pediatric croup

Chicago, IL – Children who suffer from several occurrences of croup should be evaluated for reflux disorders, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

Olfactory stimuli may influence dreams

Chicago, IL – What you smell as you sleep has the power to influence your dreams, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

New options when pancreatic cancer returns

BOSTON -- Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging malignancies to treat, and recurrence is common, even after initial treatment with surgery and radiation. When the cancer does return, treatment options are often limited to chemotherapy, but researchers at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center are utilizing the precision allowed by CyberKnife® to see if radiosurgery is a viable treatment option in select patients.

Study suggests some breast cancer patients facing radiation after a mastectomy may be over-treated

BOSTON -- A new study suggests standard radiation therapy for some breast cancer patients may not be medically required and may, therefore, be causing unnecessary serious side effects such as lymphedema and pulmonary problems. The research conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center involved women who got a mastectomy, but whose lymph nodes were negative.

Botox can improve first impressions for attractiveness, dating success

The popular cosmetic enhancement, botulinum toxin A (Botox) positively effects first impression judgments in relation to attractiveness, dating success, and athleticism, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

ENT/sleep apnea patients experience higher levels of depression

Chicago, IL – Patients who experience a range of ear, nose, and throat-related health problems exhibited a greater prevalence of depression than is observed in the general population, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

Children with hay fever more likely to experience headaches, facial pain

Chicago, IL – Children who suffer from bouts of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) are also more likely to suffer from headaches, facial pain, and ear aches than children without these allergies, says new research presented at the 2008 American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO in Chicago, IL.

Quality assurance programs improve clinical trials

Boston – Quality assurance programs like the one at the Quality Assurance Review Center (QARC) in Worcester, Mass., strengthen the quality of clinical trials, including cooperative groups conducting National Cancer Institute-supported clinical trials, thereby improving the standard of care in cancer patients, according to a study presented September 21, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.

Breast MRI scan could determine need for radiation therapy

SEATTLE -- For women whose breast cancer has spread to their lymph nodes, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan could replace exploratory surgery as the method for determining whether those women need radiation therapy to treat their disease, according to a study to be presented during the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) which opens today in Boston.

OptiNose presents data on highly effective nasal polyp treatment

CHICAGO, IL – September 20, 2008 – OptiNose today announced important results from a Phase II trial of its novel nasal drug delivery device with fluticasone for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Patients experienced a significant reduction in polyp size and associated symptoms, with almost 80% reporting overall improvement. The data was presented at the annual meeting of the American Rhinologic Society.

A case of false positive octreoscan in Crohn's disease

Neuroendocrine tumors, such as carcinoid tumors, overexpress somatostatin receptors in their membranes. Octreotide is an analogue whose molecule is a shortened version of somatostatin's with a high affinity for these receptors. The labelled form of octreotide is able to be imaged in scans (Octreoscan) and, therefore, pathological conditions overexpressing somatostatin receptors are easily recognized in this technique. Specifically, in the case of the detection of carcinoid tumors, the Octreoscan has sensitivity nearly to 90%.

Is the intestinal mucosa barrier malfunction involved in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis?

The pathogenesis of NASH remains unclear. Nowadays, lipid metabolism abnormality, insulin resistance and oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation reaction are thought to place an important role in the pathogenesis of NASH. Several researches have also demonstrated that the change of intestinal environment may play a role in NASH, which may be a cause of enterogenous endotoxemia. While the relationship between intestinal mucosa barrier function and NASH is uncertain.

Minimally invasive aortic valve bypass benefits high-risk elderly patients

An uncommonly used surgical procedure that bypasses a narrowed aortic valve, rather than replacing it, effectively restores blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body and gives high-risk patients a safe alternative to conventional valve surgery. That is the finding of a study conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The researchers conclude that the procedure, called aortic valve bypass, is an important treatment option for high-risk elderly patients with a narrowed aortic valve, a condition called aortic stenosis.

Using novel tool, UD researchers dig through cell 'trash' and find treasure

A person's trash can reveal valuable information, as detectives, historians and identity thieves well know. Likewise, a cell's "trash" may yield certain treasures, University of Delaware researchers have found.

Using a new technique they developed, scientists at UD's Delaware Biotechnology Institute analyzed the cellular waste of one of the world's most-studied plants and discovered formerly hidden relationships between genes and the small molecules that can turn them off.