Is it possible that one day your physician may prescribe a walk in the woods for what ails you? Although writer Richard Louw's notion of …
Month: April 2011
An introduction to the peer-review process
Maggie Koerth-Baker has written a really nice primer on the peer-review process over on Boing Boing. She begins: Who are these "peers" that do the …
Rap video teaches how to recognize, treat sepsis in hospitals
After reporting yesterday on a program that has reduced death rates from sepsis in Bay Area hospitals, San Francisco Chronicle writer Victoria Colliver included a …
Antidepressants don't improve all symptoms of depression
Antidepressants aren't a cure-all. That's according to a new analysis from UT Southwestern Medical Center, which found that many patients for whom the medication citalopram …
Kaiser Health News profiles CEO who rebuilt an Alameda hospital
On the subject of interesting people, Kaiser Health News and Fast Company published a fascinating profile of Wright L. Lassiter III, CEO of Alameda County …
Nun discusses health care in rural America
Here's a gripping podcast: In today's installment of American Public Media's The Story podcast, Sister Anne Brooks, DO, talks about health care in rural Mississippi. …
Study shows intestinal microbes may fall into three distinct categories
You may have read yesterday about new research (subscription required) suggesting there are three distinct types of microscopic ecosystems that exist in the human intestine. …
U.S. Senator calls for continued investment in pediatric workforce
Last week, I wrote about the efforts of pediatrician Lisa Chamberlain, MD, to restore funding for a federal pediatric training program. As it turns out, …
City planning may help or hinder healthy exercise
Houston, where I grew up, seemed devoid of sidewalks. It was a 45 minute freeway drive from where I lived to downtown. According to exercise …
Nanomedicine moves one step closer to reality
Colorectal cancer represents the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. But early detection of cancer - for example, by imaging methods such as …
Can proper nutrition help blunt brain injury?
The Institute of Medicine suggested today that paying immediate attention to a person's nutrition - particularly providing adequate protein and calories within the first 24 …
How patients use social media to foster support systems, connect with physicians
A recent San Francisco Chronicle story highlights the increasing popularity among patients with serious or chronic medical conditions in using Facebook, Twitter and blogs to …
A glimpse at the price of drugs: Why they cost what they cost
We've written about drug development before on Scope, but here's another really interesting look at drug prices from Jessica Wapner, author of the PLoS blog …
Open-source encyclopedia of human genome's functional elements in the works
An international research consortium is working to develop a free, open-source encyclopedia cataloging the human genome's functional elements for the scientific community and for the …
California hand-transplant patient talks about procedure and adjusting to life
Emily Fennell lost her right hand after it was crushed in a roll-over car accident five years ago. But last month she underwent a 14-hour …
Study shows high rates of substance use disorders among veterans with mental illness
A large number of soldiers returning home are struggling with a wide range of psychological difficulties. An estimated 30 percent of Iraq war veterans have …