A resident of Los Altos, Calif., recently became the first patient at Stanford Hospital & Clinics to undergo a scarless surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease. …
Month: November 2011
Physicians launch study on oversights in the physical exam
Abraham Verghese, MD, and colleagues have launched an unusual study examining oversights in the physical exam. In the study, Verghese is asking physicians far and …
More than three-quarters of Americans projected to be overweight, obese by 2020
Unless Americans start dramatically changing their lifestyles to better manage their weight, new data projects that 83 percent of men and 72 percent of women …
Move over, mouse: The search for a better animal model for human disease
Could the grey mouse lemur help researchers better study human disease? Mark Krasnow, MD, PhD, a Stanford professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, suspects …
Unlocking the genetic secret of longevity
UC-San Francisco researcher Cynthia Kenyon, PhD, believes that she and other scientists will one day be able to pinpoint the molecules responsible for the onset …
To stretch or not to stretch: Experts discuss the benefits of stretching before exercise
Last week, my colleague spoke with Michael Fredericson, MD, head team physician with the Stanford Sports Medicine Program, about stretching. Today on the Well blog, …
What brain scans reveal about "super agers"
As you've likely observed at high school and college reunions, the aging process affects us all a little differently. Some go gray early, others accrue …
Examining the effectiveness of text4baby service
Text4baby, a free mobile service providing pregnant women and new mothers with information about caring for their babies, appears to be an effective method of …
Tumors can grow for decades before blood-based detection, study shows
After the crocodile bit off Captain Hook's hand in Peter Pan, the telltale tick-tock of the pirate's swallowed wristwatch served as a dead giveaway to the reptile's presence. …
Study shows poor sleep may increase risk of fibromyalgia among women
Women who have trouble sleeping may have a higher risk of developing fibromyalgia, according to findings published online this week in Arthritis & Rheumatism. In …
Stanford science program for teens receives Presidential Award
A Stanford program that provides low-income and ethnically disadvantaged teens with hands-on training in science and medicine has been given the 2011 Presidential Award for Excellence in …
American Medical Association app challenge winners announced
Seven months ago, the American Medical Association (AMA) launched the 2011 App Challenge and invited U.S. doctors, residents and medical students to submit their ideas …
HHS offers $1B for health care innovations – What would MacGyver do?
With rising health care costs threatening to implode the U.S. economy if we don’t act quickly, the Department of Health and Human Services announced yesterday …
More hospitals offering complementary medicine
As we've previously written about on Scope the popularity of complementary and alternative medicine is growing among U.S. adults. Now a recent survey shows patients' …
Research shows remote weight loss interventions equally effective as face-to-face coaching programs
Remote weight loss interventions, such as online or phone counseling by health coaches, are as equally effective as programs requiring face-to-face contact, according to findings …
New test for heart disease associated with higher rates of procedures, increased spending
The coronary CT angiography, a noninvasive diagnostic test for coronary artery disease, recently emerged as an alternative to the stress test - and Stanford's Mark Hlatky, MD, recently …