Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Health Research:How hospitals can improve outcomes of weekend surgeries ♦ Artificial virus fragment the key to a Chikungunya vaccine ♦ Hepatitis C virus infection

Alcohol use disorders - stronger predictor of mortality than chronic hepatitis C virus infection Scientists show that alcohol use disorders (AUD) have a serious, negative prognostic outcome with higher mortality risks in the general population and patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in particular.
How hospitals can improve outcomes of weekend surgeries Studies have shown that patients who undergo surgeries on weekends tend to experience longer hospital stays and higher mortality rates and readmissions. For the first time, a new study has identified five resources that can help hospitals overcome this 'weekend effect': increased nurse-to-bed ratio; full adoption of electronic medical records; inpatient physical rehabilitation; a home-health program; and a pain management program.
Is a small artificially composed virus fragment the key to a Chikungunya vaccine? The mosquito transmitted Chikungunya virus, which causes Chikungunya fever, is spreading continuously. No vaccine is so far available. Researchers have experimentally recombined segments of the virus surface protein E2, thus creating artificial proteins. The domain generated that way -- 'sAB+' -- was able to confer a protective effect against Chikungunya virus to the animal. An immunization by means of this small protein fragment could thus provide a suitable approach to developing a Chikungunya vaccine.
Whooping cough: A small drop in vaccine protection can lead to a case upsurge In 2012 the USA saw the highest number of pertussis -- whooping cough -- cases since 1955. New research finds that a likely explanation for this rise in disease is a drop in the degree of vaccine protection for each vaccinated individual.

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