Health

Latino Summit Draws National/State Health Leaders and Welcomes Public

Rebecca Ruiz-McGill — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Local and national experts in Latino health will host a free public summit Friday and Saturday at the Arizona Health Sciences Center. The summit focuses on the effects of excess weight on health in the Latino community and strategies to address the causes of this epidemic.

Professor Credits UA Surgery/Cardio Team in Bypass Recovery

Rebecca Ruiz-McGill — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0700

UA professor Richard Michod is three months into his recovery from bypass surgery, and fresh from sailing in the Virgin Islands – a trip he was able to make thanks to a pioneering, minimally invasive, robotic-assisted coronary artery bypass graft procedure offered at The University of Arizona Medical Center.

UA Awarded National Cancer Research Grant

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0700

The UA and the Translational Genomics Research Institute have received a three-year, $600,000 grant to study targeted cancer therapies. The grant will fund the Center for Targeted Cancer Therapies, created in 2002 to discover new therapies to treat pancreatic cancer.

Bioscience a Bright Spot for Jobs in Arizona

jfitzen — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:11:12 -0700

Arizona's biosciences sector is expanding, boosted in Southern Arizona by expansion at companies such as Ventana Medical Systems/Roche. Ventana, a UA technology spinoff that makes tissue-diagnostics instruments, now employs about 1,200 people in Arizona.

Science Teachers Discuss Living Beyond 100

jfitzen — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:44:02 -0700

The UA College of Science's popular spring lecture series, "Living Beyond 100," is under way. The next talk, "The Biology of Aging: Why Our Bodies Grow Old" by Janko Nikolich-Zugich, professor and department head of immunobiology, is tonight at 7 p.m. in Centennial Hall.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Abound at UA

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

The UA offers many opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved in cutting-edge scientific research. "Now is the time to apply for research during the summer," said Glenda Gentile, director of the UA College of Science's Office of Undergraduate Research.

For Some Medical Residents, Empathy Declines With Long-Call

La Monica Everett-Haynes — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

In a newly published study, researchers found the majority of medical residents surveyed experienced a decline in empathy over the course of the oft-used "long-call" shift.

UA Students to Host Medical Emergency Forum

Rebecca Ruiz-McGill — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

UA Health Advocacy Committee students will host a free and open-to-the-public forum on Jan. 31 to discuss the Jan. 8, 2011 Tucson shooting with the goal of learning more about how health-care professionals were prepared for and responded to the tragedy.

UA Collaboration Advances Type 1 Diabetes Care Research

Rebecca Ruiz-McGill — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

A new study by UA researchers calls on clinicians and school-based professionals to be aware that poor sleeping patterns in children with Type 1 diabetes can result in higher glucose levels, reduced quality of life and lower grades.

Study: Heartburn Drugs Don’t Help Children’s Asthma

jfitzen — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:28:20 -0700

An acid reflux drug often used for hard-to-treat asthma doesn't help children with the breathing disease and may cause side effects, a study in 300 children found. Use of these drugs has more than doubled in U.S. children in recent years, but the study results suggest doctors should put the brakes on that practice, said UA asthma expert Dr. Fernando Martinez.

Diagnosing Autism Earlier Than Ever Before

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Autism expert Sally Ozonoff will talk about the latest research into autism spectrum disorders during a public talk at the UA on Jan. 27. "Early identification of autism is critical in order to provide early intervention," said Ann Mastergeorge, chair of the UA McClelland Institute's Early Childhood Initiative: Typical and Atypical Development.

UA Study Tests Water Quality in Swimming Pools

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Environmental microbiologist Kelly Reynolds, an associate professor in the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health, has been awarded a $65,459 grant to develop standardized questions that researchers can use when performing a health impact study on pools and spas.

UA Medical Students Serve in Dominican Republic Clinics

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

UA College of Medicine-Phoenix students treated patients in the Dominican Republic during the holiday break. "In one week, they gained experiences that take most young physicians years to get," said Dr. David H. Beyda, an attending physician who accompanied the students on the trip.

Arthritis Conference Offers Information, Hope for Sufferers

jfitzen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:28:26 -0700

Arthritis afflicts millions of people each year and is the No. 1 cause of disability in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control. This weekend, the UA Arthritis Center is hosting its annual conference, which is part of an ongoing effort to educate the public about arthritis.

Professor's Research Helps Restore Sight to the Blind

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

The UA's Wolfgang Fink has been elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Fink's research into artificial retinas helps restore some sight in blind patients with age-related macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa.

UA Study: Divorce Can Raise Risk of Early Death

jfitzen — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:10:20 -0700

Getting a divorce? Be careful. Your health could plummet as if you had taken up smoking, become overweight or started drinking excessively. A new review by the UA of more than 30 published studies found divorced adults have a significantly higher risk of early death compared to married adults.

UA Hospital, Surgeons Build on Successes

jfitzen — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:36:05 -0700

Jan. 8, 2012 marks one year since doctors at The University of Arizona Medical Center-University Campus worked around the clock to treat Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and other victims of the Tucson shooting. Life has changed for the doctors, and the hospital has gained boosts both in philanthropy and reputation.

Smokers Puff Their Last at UA Hospitals, Related Premises

jfitzen — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:37:01 -0700

The University of Arizona Health Network has welcomed the new year by banning smoking at all of its facilities. Employees and their families will get free medically supervised help quitting, patients will get counseling and medication to control nicotine cravings and visitors will be offered free nicotine-replacement gum.

New Mayor Visits UA College of Medicine-Phoenix

Jennifer Fitzenberger — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, just hours after taking the oath of office, expressed his commitment to the development of the UA College of Medicine-Phoenix, as well as the entire Phoenix Biomedical Campus, in a visit with students, faculty and staff.

New Sunscreen Labels Help Consumers Stay Out of the Sun

leverett — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:21:10 -0700

The Food and Drug Administration is overhauling packaging for sunscreens so consumers will have a better understanding of the products. Lisa Quale, senior health educator at the UA Arizona Cancer Center's Skin Cancer Institute, recommends SPF 30 or higher in the desert, along with other suggestions.

UA Transplant Program Notches Record 100th of Year

leverett — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:35:07 -0700

On Dec. 13, the UA's Transplant Program marked its 100th kidney transplant this year. That figure marks the most kidney transplants ever performed at The University of Arizona Medical Center in a one-year period.

Why You Need Your Sleep

leverett — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:54:39 -0700

Dr. Rubin Naiman, clinical assistant professor of medicine at the UA's Center for Integrative Medicine, said among the reasons why people may not be sleeping well is that they are "over-energized." Naiman, also a psychologist who specializes in sleep and dream medicine, said what contributes to this is when people overeat and take in too much information and processed foods.

Poised to Donate Organs, 21-Year-Old Emerges From Coma

leverett — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:13:07 -0700

UA business major Sam Schmid, who was in a wreck on Oct. 19 in Tucson, suffered a brain injury and fell into a coma. Schmid, who is being treated at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, recovered as doctors were considering taking him off life support. A complete recovery is now expected.

What Science Learned about Human Ancestors in 2011

leverett — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:47:18 -0700

The year 2011 was ripe for new knowledge about human ancestors. Research by UA geneticist Michael Hammer and his collaborators indicate that anatomically modern humans interbred with a now-extinct lineage even before they migrated out of Africa.

A Bicycle Built for You

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Recent graduates of the UA McGuire Entrepreneurship Program have launched Velocis, a company that promotes environmental sustainability and healthful living through use of custom-designed electric bicycles.