While U.S. hospitals struggle to maintain adequate blood supplies, a new study co-authored by a Johns Hopkins University business professor shows that economic incentives can significantly increase donations from the public. In addition, the findings [...]
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There will be blood — if donors are compensated
Babies remember even if they seem to forget
Fifteen years ago, textbooks on human development stated that babies 6 months of age or younger had no sense of “object permanence” – the psychological term that describes an infant’s belief that an object still [...]
Feet first? Old mitochondria might be responsible for neuropathy in the extremities
The burning, tingling pain of neuropathy may affect feet and hands before other body parts because the powerhouses of nerve cells that supply the extremities age and become dysfunctional as they complete the long journey to these areas, Johns Hopkin…
Hearing loss rate in older adults climbs to more than 60 percent in national survey
Nearly two-thirds of Americans age 70 and older have hearing loss, but those who are of black race seem to have a protective effect against this loss, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins and National Institute on Aging researchers. These f…
Famed neurosurgeon’s century-old notes reveal ‘modern’ style admission of medical error
The current focus on medical errors isn’t quite as new as it seems. A Johns Hopkins review of groundbreaking neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing’s notes, made at the turn of the last century, has turned up copious documentation of his own surgical mishaps a…
Macho muscle cells force their way to fusion
In fact, according to new research from Johns Hopkins, the fusion of muscle cells is a power struggle that involves a smaller mobile antagonist that points at, pokes and finally pushes into its larger, stationary partner using a newly identified …
Motorcycle helmets reduce spine injuries after collisions
Motorcycle helmets, long known to dramatically reduce the number of brain injuries and deaths from crashes, appear to also be associated with a lower risk of cervical spine injury, new research from Johns Hopkins suggests.
“We are debunking a popu…
Math may help calculate way to find new drugs for HIV and other diseases
Using mathematical concepts, Princeton researchers have developed a method of discovering new drugs for a range of diseases by calculating which physical properties of biological molecules may predict their effectiveness as medicines.
The techn…
Johns Hopkins researchers capture jumping genes
An ambitious hunt by Johns Hopkins scientists for actively “jumping genes” in humans has yielded compelling new evidence that the genome, anything but static, contains numerous pesky mobile elements that may help to explain why people have such a var…
Safety checklist use yields 10 percent drop in hospital deaths
A Johns Hopkins-led safety checklist program that virtually eliminated bloodstream infections in hospital intensive-care units throughout Michigan appears to have also reduced deaths by 10 percent, a new study suggests. Although prior research showe…
More doctors must join nurses, administrators in leading efforts to improve patient safety, outcomes
Efforts to keep hospital patients safe and continually improve the overall results of health care can’t work unless medical centers figure out a way to get physicians more involved in the process.
“Physicians’ training and perspectives on patient …
Body counts
In the aftermath of a dirty bomb, hundreds or even thousands of victims could require medical attention. First responders conduct extensive training to prepare for such a cataclysmic event, but planning is difficult without a solid estimate of h…
Cell death pathway linked to mitochondrial fusion
New research led by UC Davis scientists provides insight into why some body organs are more susceptible to cell death than others and could eventually lead to advances in treating or preventing heart attack or stroke.
In a paper published Jan. 21 …
Minimally invasive technique appears helpful to reanimate facial paralysis
A procedure involving only one small incision and no major modifications to bone can be used to transpose a tendon and appears helpful in reanimating the lower face after paralysis, according to a report in the January/February issue of Archives of …
Protein involved in cystic fibrosis also plays role in emphysema, chronic lung disease
A team of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center researchers has discovered that a protein involved in cystic fibrosis (CF) also regulates inflammation and cell death in emphysema and may be responsible for other chronic lung diseases.
The findings,…
Missing molecules hold promise of therapy for pancreatic cancer
By determining what goes missing in human cells when the gene that is most commonly mutated in pancreatic cancer gets turned on, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered a potential strategy for therapy.
The production of a particular cluster of …
Buprenorphine is better than methadone for opioid dependence in pregnant women, study shows
Using buprenorphine instead of methadone — the current standard of care — to treat opioid-dependent pregnant women may result in healthier babies, suggests new findings from an international team led by Johns Hopkins researchers and publish…
On…off…on…off… The circuitry of insulin-releasing cells
A myriad of inputs can indicate a body’s health bombard pancreatic beta cells continuously, and these cells must consider all signals and “decide” when and how much insulin to release to maintain balance in blood sugar, for example. Reporting in N…
Gene that causes some cases of familial ALS discovered
Using a new gene sequencing method, a team of researchers led by scientists from Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health has discovered a gene that appears to cause some instances of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The f…
Set of specific interventions rapidly improves hospital safety ‘culture’
A prescribed set of hospital-wide patient-safety programs can lead to rapid improvements in the “culture of safety” even in a large, complex, academic medical center, according to a new study by safety experts at Johns Hopkins.
“It doesn’t take de…
World Health Report 2010 balanced but incomplete account of how to achieve universal health coverage
With the financial crisis still hanging over many countries, this year’s World Health Report from the World Health Organization, “Health Systems Financing: The Path to Universal Coverage” is timely and relevant to the question of how to ensure that …
Compound that blocks sugar pathway slows cancer cell growth
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have identified a compound that could be used to starve cancers of their sugar-based building blocks. The compound, called a glutaminase inhibitor, has been tested on laboratory-cultured, sugar-hungry brain cancer cel…
Mysterious cells may play role in ALS
By tracking the fate of a group of immature cells that persist in the adult brain and spinal cord, Johns Hopkins researchers discovered in mice that these cells undergo dramatic changes in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
A study reported N…
Vitamin D deficiency does not increase stroke risk among blacks
While vitamin D deficiency is associated with fatal stroke among whites, it is not linked to more stroke deaths among blacks, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2010.
Analyzing the health records…
Vitamin D deficit doubles risk of stroke in whites, but not in blacks
Low levels of vitamin D, the essential nutrient obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, doubles the risk of stroke in whites, but not in blacks, according to a new report by researchers at Johns Hopkins.
Stroke is the nation…
Hard work improves the taste of food, Johns Hopkins study shows
It’s commonly accepted that we appreciate something more if we have to work hard to get it, and a Johns Hopkins University study bears that out, at least when it comes to food.
The study seems to suggest that hard work can even enhance our appreci…
Mayo Clinic Proceedings: November highlights
The November issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings includes three articles with leading research, highlighted below.
Khat Chewing Increases Risk of Stroke and Death in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Researchers found th…