Studies and Analyses

Study highlights need for better patient-physician communication about fertility

A new study shows that concern about infertility resulting from breast cancer therapy influenced treatment decisions in nearly one-third of young patients. The study – the largest to date to examine fertility concerns among young women with breast cancer – found that the majority of the women were very concerned about the ability to have a child as well as the impact that pregnancy might have on dis

Results of a new study in monkeys offer scientists a rare glimpse of how, on a molecular level, the smallpox virus attacks its victims. The findings shed light on how the virus caused mass death and suffering, and will help point the way to new diagnostics, vaccines and drugs that would be needed in the event of a smallpox bioterror incident.

The study, led by David Relman, M.D., of Stanford University, is now online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS

How do health professionals approach the complex and sensitive ethics of IVF and embryo research in their work?

While there is a great deal of public debate on contentious issues such as the ethics of stem cell research, egg sharing between couples, and the risk of multiple births, little is known about how professionals deal with these issues in day-to-day practice.

A study is to be conducted by University of York sociologist Dr Anne Kerr who specialises in the ethical a

Dartmouth Medical School cardiology researchers have discovered a new mechanism for what drives the growth of muscle tissue in the lining of injured heart vessels that can eventually lead to blockage. Their study, reported in the October 19 issue of the journal Circulation, raises important questions about the use of drugs that promote or prevent angiogenesis – the formation of blood vessels – to treat the condition.

Normal heart arteries have a muscle tissue layer inside their

Study presented at American Society of Plastic Surgeons annual scientific meeting

To the surprise of many people, the loss of fat and sun exposure play a bigger role than gravity in aging the face, according to a study presented today at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2004 conference in Philadelphia.

“People make assumptions about how the face ages because when they pull up on their facial skin, they look better,” said Val Lambros, MD, A

Children prenatally exposed to pollutants, such as motor vehicle exhaust, and postnatally exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) may be more likely to suffer from asthma and related symptoms early in life. A new study in the October issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians, shows that young children who are exposed to these pollutants may be significantly more likely to develop respiratory conditions at ages 12 and 24 months.

“A gr