Category: School of Medicine
Genetic hint for ridding the body of hepatitis C
October 26, 2009
More than 70 percent of people who contract hepatitis C will live with the virus that causes it for the rest of their lives, and some will develop serious liver disease, including cancer. However, 30 percent to 40 percent of those infected somehow defeat the infection and get rid of the virus with no treatment. In the Sept. 16 advanced online edition of Nature, Johns Hopkins researchers working as part of an international team report the discovery of the strongest genetic alteration associated with the ability to get rid of the infection.
Nerve transplants possible treatment for ALS-related respiratory failure
October 26, 2009
Because the inability to breathe is an ultimate cause of death of patients with ALS, Johns Hopkins scientists are targeting the diaphragm as a therapeutic target by transplanting stem cells directly into rats’ cervical spinal cords, precisely where the motor neurons that control this respiratory muscle are located.
Policy set for H1N1 vaccine
October 19, 2009
As the first doses of injectable H1N1 vaccine began making their way into the pipeline, Johns Hopkins last week announced its plans for inoculating faculty, staff and students.
Bedside eye exam outperforms MRI for diagnosing stroke
October 19, 2009
In a small “proof of principle” study, stroke researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Illinois have found that a simple one-minute eye movement exam performed at the bedside worked better than an MRI to distinguish new strokes from other less serious disorders in patients complaining of dizziness, nausea and spinning sensations.
Roux-en-Y weight-loss surgery raises kidney stone risk
October 19, 2009
The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery appears to nearly double the chance that a patient will develop kidney stones, despite earlier assumptions that it would not, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study. The overall risk, however, remains fairly small at about 8 percent.
Our newest Nobelist: Carol Greider
October 12, 2009
Carol Greider honored for her groundbreaking work on telomeres
Autism: Genomewide hunt reveals new genetic links
October 12, 2009
About 90 percent of autism spectrum disorders have suspected genetic causes, but few genes have been identified so far. Now, leading an international team, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified several genetic links to autism, chief among them a variant of semaphorin 5A, whose protein product controls nerve connections in the brain.
Hispanic children rarely get top-notch care for brain tumors
October 12, 2009
Hispanic children diagnosed with brain tumors get high-quality treatment at hospitals that specialize in neurosurgery far less often than other children with the same condition, potentially compromising their immediate prognosis and long-term survival, according to research from Johns Hopkins published in October’s Pediatrics.
‘Mask debate’ diverts from flu-preventive measures that work
October 12, 2009
Infection control experts at Johns Hopkins and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that a contentious debate in the medical community over what type of protective masks health workers should wear to prevent the spread of H1N1 and other flu viruses is dangerously distracting the health care community from focusing on simple prevention measures that are clearly known to work.
Preventing med errors: Avoid blame game, punish offenders
October 5, 2009
Patient safety experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere are taking their prescription for avoiding medical errors in hospital care one step beyond already successful “no fault, no blame” approaches, calling now for penalties for doctors and nurses who fail to comply with proven safety measures.