Scientists have finally figured out how the key gene tied to obesity makes people fat, a major discovery that could open the door to an entirely new approach to the problem beyond diet and exercise. Melina Claussnitzer, instructor in medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, is the lead author of the study.
Kenneth Mayer, professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess, is a co-author of this opinion piece on the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program as a model of HIV medical care.
Tough experiences before age six, like family instability or abuse, are tied to changes in brain structure and to a higher risk of anxiety or depression, according to a study of mother-son pairs in England. Martin Teicher, associate professor of psychiatry at McLean Hospital, is quoted.
Researchers have found that radiation and chemotherapy may be shrinking patients’ brains, leading researchers to search for new methods to treat brain tumors. Jorg Dietrich, assistant professor of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the senior author of the study.
Teenagers who try e-cigarettes are more likely to try cigarettes and other tobacco products, a new study finds. Nancy Rigotti, professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, is quoted.
New legislation designed to rein in prescription narcotic abuse in the state of Florida has prompted a small, but quick decrease in narcotic painkiller prescriptions, a new investigation reveals. Edward Michna, assistant professor of anaesthesia at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is quoted.
Colon cancer patients who were heavy coffee drinkers had a far lower risk of dying or having their cancer return than those who did not drink coffee, with significant benefits starting at two to three cups a day, a new study found. Charles Fuchs, professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, led the research.
As hospitals chase better patient ratings and health outcomes, an increasing number are rethinking how they function at night ― in some cases reducing nighttime check-ins or trying to better coordinate medicines ― so that more patients can sleep relatively uninterrupted. Melissa Bartick, assistant professor of medicine at Cambridge Health Alliance, is quoted.
