Men's Health Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Older Men By article A one-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men 65 years or older is associated with decreased AAA rupture and AAA-related mortality rates, according to a new review published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
_ Calling Obesity a ΓÇ£DiseaseΓÇ¥ Undermines Healthy Behaviors By Jane Farrell article The American Medical Association declared obesity a disease in June 2013 but messages that describe obesity as a disease may undermine healthy behaviors and beliefs among obese people. That’s the finding of a study done at the University of Richmond in Virginia and the University of Minnesotaand published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
_ Spinal Cord Injuries Increasing in Seniors By Jane Farrell article The rate of traumatic spinal cord injuries is rising sharply among older people, with the leading cause appearing to be falls, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins. In fact, the number-one cause of spinal cord injuries overall no longer appears to be motor vehicle crashes, but falls. The injuries suffered in these accidents range from temporary numbness to paralysis. Researchers said their findings indicated that efforts to prevent falls among older people could significantly reduce the number of spinal cord injuries.
_ Exercise Stronger and Safer with ΓÇ£Cane FuΓÇ¥ Class By article Seniors are learning to defend themselves with an unlikely tool -- their canes. "We turned the fitness equation on its head," said Mike Merino, CEO of “Nifty After Fifty” fitness centers, which are offering "Cane Fu" classes.
Money Matters Hacking & ID Theft: Are You Next? By article By. Scott A. Merritt At least 110 million consumers were affected by the hack involving Target and Neiman Marcus and at least three other retailers. Whether or not millions more will have their identities manipulated and finances ruined within the coming months due to more breaches of security at other stores is anyone’s guess.
_ Alternative Treatments for Quitting Smoking By Jane Farrell article Fifty years ago this month, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an unprecedented report that linked smoking to deadly illnesses like lung cancer and heart disease. As research efforts have expanded over the years, investigators have linked still other illnesses to tobacco.
_ Electronic Health Records = Fewer Unnecessary Tests By Jane Farrell article Electronic health-records systems, in which medical information is securely shared, may be helping avoid unnecessary care, a new study shows. Fewer emergency patients got repeated medical scans when they went to a hospital that takes part in a health information exchange, or HIE, according to researchers published online in the journal Medical Care. Researchers from the University of Michigan said their findings are a good evaluation of the effectiveness of HIEs.
_ Breast Cancer New Way to Image Dense Breasts By article Dartmouth engineers and radiologists are developing new approaches for an emerging technique called MRI with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to image dense breasts for abnormalities. The study will appear in the February 2014 issue of the journal Academic Radiology.
_ Why Inflammation Impairs Memory as We Age By article Inflammation has long been linked to disorders of memory such as Alzheimer's disease. Severe infections can also impair cognitive function in healthy elderly individuals. Now new research done at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the UK and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry not only helps explain why inflammation impairs memory but could spur the development of new drugs targeting the immune system to treat dementia.
_ Flu Vaccines Needed for Diabetics By Jane Farrell article Diabetics between the ages of 18 and 65 are at higher risk of getting the flu than are those without the condition, a new study has shown.
_ Toward a Cure for Advanced Prostate Cancer By article A powerful new animal model for metastatic prostate cancer known as RapidCaP reveals a cancer-gene 'switch' that drives metastasis. That is the finding of research done at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island in New York. The study was published on January 24th 2014 in the journal Cancer Discovery.
_ Heart Health When Good Cholesterol Goes Bad By article A dysfunctional version of the normally protective protein that makes high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – the so-called "good cholesterol" –promotes inflammation and coronary artery disease. That’s the finding of researchers at the Cleveland Clinic who discovered the process by which HDL loses its cardio-protective properties, and instead causes atherosclerosis, or the clogging and hardening of the arteries. Their research was published online January 26th 2014 in the journal Nature Medicine.
_ Aging Well Watch: Stair Safety Tips for Arthritis Sufferers By Jane Farrell article Here's another addition to our ThirdAge Video Collection. Press play to start learning!
_ Personalized Cancer Treatment By Jane Farrell article Researchers have developed a way to predict how a cancer patient's tumor is likely to behave and which of several treatments might be most effective.
Regulator of Amyloid Plaque Buildup in AD By article Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have identified a critical regulator of a molecule deeply involved in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. The new study, published in an advance online edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, shows for the first time that levels of this regulating protein are decreased in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease sufferers and that this decrease could be a significant factor in the advance of the disease.
_ Omega-3s and Liver Health By article Oregon State University researchers in Corvallis and collaborators found that omega-3 fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), could “be of significant value in the prevention of fatty liver disease”, according to a release from the university.