Archives: February 2014

Robotic-assisted prostate surgery offers better cancer control

An observational study has found that prostate cancer patients who undergo robotic-assisted prostate surgery have fewer instances of cancer cells at the edge of their surgical specimen and less need for additional cancer treatments like hormone or radiation therapy than patients who have traditional “open” surgery. While the robotic surgery method has higher upfront costs, these may systemically be offset by a reduction of additional cancer therapy costs after surgery due to better cancer control outcomes.
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Poor sleep quality linked to reduced brain gray matter in Gulf War vets

A new study of Gulf War veterans found an association between poor sleep quality and reduced gray matter volume in the brain’s frontal lobe, which helps control important processes such as working memory and executive function. “This study emphasizes the importance of seeking medical help if you are troubled by the poor quality of your sleep,” said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President. “A board certified sleep medicine physician can identify the cause of your sleep problem and develop an effective treatment plan for you.”
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Great freeze over Great Lakes, as seen from satellite

The true-color image above, from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Aqua satellite, shows the mostly frozen state of the Great Lakes on Feb. 19. On that date, ice spanned 80.3 percent of the lakes. The ice reached an even greater extent on Feb. 13, when it covered about 88 percent of the Great Lakes — coverage not achieved since 1994, when ice spanned over 90 percent. In addition to this year, ice has covered more than 80 percent of the lakes in only five other years since 1973.
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