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University of Queensland Looks To The Future With Smart Fellows
Six scientists from The University of Queensland have received Smart Future Fellowships to help further their research into areas such as disease detection and clean energy.

Arizona ADAP Cuts Number Of Medications Covered Under Program
The Arizona AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) has reduced the number of medications it will cover - antiretrovirals and drugs that treat opportunistic infections will not be affected, the Arizona Daily Star reports. The program relies heavily on federal funding. Judy Norton, chief of the state"s Office of HIV, STD and Hepatitis C Services, said the state received $2.3 million less than what it requested from the federal government, requiring the program to make cuts. According to the Daily Star, federal ADAP funds are "drying up as drug costs rise and as more" people living with HIV/AIDS are enrolling in the program. The Arizona ADAP has been serving about 1,100 patients statewide, although the number has gone up in recent months, Laura Oxley, Arizona Department of Health Services spokesperson, said. A letter explaining the changes to the program was sent to clients and providers earlier this week (Innes, Arizona Daily Star, 6/11).
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Wheelchair Tai Chi - One Of The Simplest Ways For People Who Use Wheelchairs To Improve Their Physical And Mental Health
Studies overwhelmingly point to regular physical exercise as the crucial medicine for what ails Americans. Physicians have a hard time convincing even healthy patients to take action, but it"s a much harder sell for those with limited movement caused by physical disabilities. They often lack the self-confidence to begin a physical fitness plan, and it"s easy to understand why. They face transportation obstacles to visit an exercise facility. If they can get to the facility, accessing the building and equipment is often difficult or impossible, and fees are often high, says Dr. Zibin Guo, a medical anthropologist in The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Geography. He says appropriate and interesting exercise is often not available to this group.
Mental Health

Kidney Damage From Medical Imaging Procedures Can Cause Long-Term Health Problems

Kidney injury that can arise after undergoing certain medical imaging procedures increases a patient"s risk of having a stroke or heart attack over the next year or two, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that seemingly minor and reversible kidney damage from these common clinical procedures is a serious health threat. Medical imaging often uses contrast agents, substances such as iodine and barium that enhance the contrast of structures or fluids within the body. For example, contrast agents may be used during cardiac angiography and computed tomography procedures to visualize blood vessels and changes in tissues. Exposure to contrast agents can injure the kidneys, but patients are often told that this is only a temporary side effect. Recent research has suggested that such contrast-induced kidney damage may actually be more serious, although no thorough studies have looked into the hypothesis. To investigate the issue, Richard Solomon, MD (University of Vermont), and his colleagues studied 294 patients with kidney disease who were exposed to contrast agents during cardiac angiography. Patients in the CARE (Cardiac Angiography in REnally Impaired Patients) trial were randomly divided to receive one of two contrast agents: iopamidol or iodixanol. After following patients for at least one year, the researchers found that 92 (31%) of the patients experienced negative health effects. Thirty-eight (13%) of the patients experienced a major event, such as death, stroke, heart attack, or end-stage renal disease. Individuals who developed contrast-induced kidney injuries had twice as many long-term negative health effects compared with patients whose kidneys were not damaged. In the absence of contrast-induced kidney injury, there was no difference in the incidence of long-term negative health effects between patients taking iopamidol or iodixanol. However, the investigators found that patients taking iopamidol had reduced incidences of both kidney damage and long-term negative effects. These parallel decreased incidences support the theory that contrast-induced kidney injury causes long-term negative effects. The CARE trial findings should prompt investigators to design additional studies on the long-term negative health effects of contrast-induced kidney damage. This work was supported by Bracco Diagnostics, Inc., which manufactures iopamidol. Dr. Solomon serves as a consultant for Bracco Diagnostics, Inc. Study co-authors who received research funding from Bracco Diagnostics, Inc. include Madhu Natarajan, MD (Hamilton Health Sciences, Canada), Serge Doucet, MD (Montreal Heart Institute, Canada), Richard Katholi, MD (Prairie Educational and Research Cooperative), Cezar Staniloae, MD (St. Vincent"s Hospital Manhattan and Medical Center), Samin Sharma, MD (Mt. Sinai Medical Center), Marino Labinaz, MD (University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Canada), and Joseph Gelormini, MD (Buffalo Heart Group). Co-authors Roxana Mehran, MD (New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center) and Brendan Barrett, MD (Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada) report no financial disclosures. Founded in 1966, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) is the world"s largest professional society devoted to the study of kidney disease. Comprised of 11,000 physicians and scientists, ASN continues to promote expert patient care, to advance medical research, and to educate the renal community. ASN also informs policymakers about issues of importance to kidney doctors and their patients. ASN funds research, and through its world-renowned meetings and first-class publications, disseminates information and educational tools that empower physicians. American Society of Nephrology (ASN)


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