Nutrition
Dr. Michael Holick, a professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at the Boston University School of Medicine who has revolutionized the understanding of vitamin D and its role in disease prevention, has received the $50,000 Linus Pauling Institute Prize for Health Research.
American health care reform has become a "hot topic north of the border," the Washington Times reports. "If Mr. Obama succeeds, the U.S. could draw even more Canadian doctors and nurses to the U.S., exacerbating a shortage of medical professionals, said Dr. Brian Day, a Canadian health care critic and former head of the Canadian Medical Association. If Mr. Obama fails, perhaps Canada could open its system to "medical tourism" from the U.S., Dr. Day said." Under the Canadian system, everyone is insured and has "access to basic health care without ever seeing a doctor or hospital bill." But 70% of Canadians also have "some form of supplemental health insurance," in part because of long wait times for tests and treatments under the government plan. For Canadian citizens who become ill in the U.S., it is often cheaper to "ride on a private Lear jet back to Canada" than to be treated in a U.S. hospital.
The Urban Institute: "Capping The Tax Exclusion Of Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Is Equity Feasible?"
The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine is pleased to announce the release of Medical Ultrasound Safety, Second Edition. All operators of ultrasound systems with an output display should review the information in this publication. The book consists of 3 parts: Bioeffects and Biophysics, Prudent Use, and Implementing ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable). With the information from this 64 page publication, users can better control the diagnostic ultrasound equipment and examination to ensure that needed diagnostic information is obtained with minimal risk to the patient.
Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, today announced that 11 additional schools in Illinois will begin implementing the CATCH program - Coordinated Approach to Child Health. With the expansion of the CATCH program, the state is continuing efforts to address the obesity problem by changing children"s and parents" attitudes and behaviors toward nutrition and physical activity.
Dr. Damon T. Arnold, state public health director, announced the first bird testing positive for West Nile virus in Illinois this year was found in LaSalle County.
Dr. Mark Horton, director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), warned consumers not to eat SENG Chen PiMei Candy, after tests by CDPH found unacceptable levels of lead. Consumers in possession of the candy should discard it immediately.
The International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) and the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) are pleased to release special, complementary peer-reviewed journals containing ten articles on strengthening standards and quality assurance systems of global capacity in health promotion and health education.
The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) is seeing that H1N1 (Swine) flu continues to spread both locally and nationally. In Rhode Island, HEALTH has seen an increase in sporadic cases and outbreak clusters throughout the state, including in schools. As of 11 a.m., June 9, there are 39 confirmed positive cases in RI, doubling the case count in less than a week. Rhode Island and national surveillance data indicate increased infections in children, increased infections in individuals with chronic medical conditions, and a generally higher hospitalization rate of those infected. Although most illness in Rhode Island has been mild, compared to seasonal influenza, there is an increase in the number of hospitalizations. Ten of the Rhode Islanders with swine flu have been hospitalized.
Those pesky graying hairs that tend to crop up with age really are signs of stress, reveals a new report in the June 12 issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication.
A new study suggests that delivering small RNAs, known as microRNAs, to cancer cells could help to stop the disease in its tracks. microRNAs control gene expression and are commonly lost in cancerous tumors. Researchers have shown that replacement of a single microRNA in mice with an extremely aggressive form of liver cancer can be enough to halt their disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.
New research published in the June issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reveals that in counties with the highest levels of segregation, an increase in the African-American or Hispanic population was associated with a decrease in the availability and use of surgical services and an increase in the number of emergency room visits. This research supports prior studies that have shown that minority groups in the United States have comparatively poorer access to a range of health care services, often resulting in late diagnosis of illness and delayed treatment.
Researchers at Addenbrook"s Hospital in Cambridge published a study on bmj.com in which they explain their design and evaluation of a new cognitive test for detecting Alzeimer" disease called TYM ("test your memory") which is considered quicker and more precise than many existing tests, and which can also help diagnose early dementia.
Vitamin D levels in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet predict weight loss success, a new study found. The results, which suggest a possible role for vitamin D in weight loss, were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
Simple weight-loss advice from a physician and regular follow-up helped obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome lose a substantial amount of weight, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
A recent study by Kessler Foundation Research Center published in Brain Injury, the official journal of the International Brain Injury Association, uncovered the possible cause of cognitive fatigue in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive fatigue has been shown to be one of the most challenging symptoms following TBI, greatly affecting everyday life activities such as work and school. The study also addressed the difficult task of measuring cognitive fatigue through the use of functional MRI (fMRI), an advanced imaging technology. In addition to civilians with TBI, methodology from the study could potentially be used in VA Hospitals to improve the lives of the estimated 300,000 U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who suffer from brain injury. Cognitive fatigue is a highly prevalent condition, with 73 percent of TBI patients reporting significant levels of fatigue even five years post-injury.
A research published on bmj.com reports that individuals with a family history of genetic disease are frequently discriminated by their relatives, friends and also by insurance companies.
As the World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert for Influenza A (H1N1) to its highest level, humanitarian specialists are calling on governments and health authorities globally to strengthen poor communities" access to primary health care and protect the most at risk.
Kaiser Permanente"s presence this week at the National Childhood Obesity Conference in Los Angeles highlights the need for a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to stop the health crisis caused by childhood obesity. More than 15 million children are obese or overweight in the United States, contributing to skyrocketing type 2 diabetes rates and more than $14 billion in health care expenses.
In today"s image-obsessed society where millions of photos are uploaded daily through digital networks such as Facebook and Flickr, how much of an impact can a common skin condition like acne have on the life of teens? Based on first impressions, teens with acne are perceived to have different personality and social traits than if they had clear skin, according to results of a new online perception survey sponsored by the American Acne & Rosacea Society (AARS), and co-authored by Dr. Eva Ritvo, psychiatrist and co-author of The Beauty Prescription.(1) The survey asked thousands of teens and adults to offer their impressions of a group of teens based solely on photos of their faces - with clear skin or digitally enhanced to simulate acne. The results, which are being released to mark the first-ever National Acne Awareness Month, also expose the significant lengths that teens with acne would go to if it meant they could get rid of their acne forever.(1a)
The U.S. Senate has introduced a bill, S. 1221, "The Medicare Prompt Pay Correction Act," a companion bill to H.R. 1392, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and currently has 45 co-sponsors.
In 2010, cancer will be the single leading cause of death worldwide, overtaking chronic illnesses such as heart disease and stroke. Already cancer causes more deaths than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined. Almost three-quarters of new cases will occur in developing countries, with more than a million cases in sub-Saharan Africa by 2020, according to World Health Organization projections.
Cytokinetics, Incorporated (NASDAQ: CYTK) announced that a
The benefits of alcohol are all about moderation. Low to moderate drinking - especially of red wine - appears to reduce causes of mortality, while too much drinking causes multiple organ damage.
An endoscopy involves examining the inside of a person"s body using an endoscope. An endoscope is a medical device consisting of a long, thin, flexible (or rigid) tube which has a light and a video camera. Images of the inside of the patient"s body can be seen on a screen. The whole endoscopy is recorded so that doctors can check it again. Endoscopy is a minimally invasive diagnostic medical procedure. It is used to examine the interior surfaces of an organ or tissue.
Awarepoint Corporation announced deployment of its Real-time Location System (RTLS) at the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center. This deployment adds a third UCSD Medical Center hospital to Awarepoint"s RTLS coverage, which currently includes the system"s Thornton and Hillcrest campuses. The Awarepoint enterprise RTLS installation has now been expanded to include nearly 1.5 million square feet with more than 2,000 assets under management, covering three hospitals across nearly 14 miles.
The All Wales Medicine Strategy Group (AWMSG) has today recommended two Pfizer medicines, Celsentri® (maraviroc) and Ecalta® (anidulafungin) for use in NHS Wales.1
Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany, has completed
Women who have stable marriages or who have recently gained a partner reported better sleep than women who are unmarried or who have lost a partner, according to a new University of Pittsburgh study.
GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTXI) announced results of a Phase II clinical trial evaluating Ostarine™ (MK-2866), an investigational selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), in patients with cancer induced muscle loss, also known as cancer cachexia. In the study, Ostarine treatment led to statistically significant increase in lean body mass (LBM) and improvement in muscle performance measured by stair climb in patients with cancer cachexia compared to baseline in both the Ostarine 1 mg and 3 mg treatment cohorts. These study results were the subject today of an oral podium presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society in Washington.
A retrospective analysis conducted by clinicians at Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS) found that a protocol of care using a standardized algorithm with advanced products reduced the prevalence of pressure ulcers by 90 percent, according to data presented this week at the 41st Annual Conference of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society.(1)
An embolism - from the Greek ç©mbolos meaning "stopper" or "plug" - is the term that describes a condition where an object called an embolus is created in one part of the body, circulates throughout the body, and then blocks blood flowing through a vessel in another part of the body. Emboli (plural of embolus) are not to be confused with thrombi (plural of thrombus), which are clots that are formed and remain in one area of the body without being carried throughout the bloodstream.
MedPredict Market Research, a global provider of pharmaceutical competitive intelligence and market research, has published a new report entitled "Thought Leader Insight & Analysis: Alzheimer"s Disease," designed to provide critical strategic insight for pharma and biotech companies with a stake in the market for diagnostics and treatments in this disease area.
A Canadian research group has found that pleasure centers in the brain that respond to drug craving are also active when we listen to emotionally powerful music that gives us "chills" or "shivers-down-the-spine". Using two separate brain imaging tests the researchers examined subjects as they listened alternately to music that gave them chills and music that did not. Using a PET scan, the researchers showed that music that caused chills lead to a release of dopamine in the reward centers of the brain (mesolimbic striatum). Using fMRI on the same subjects, they found that activation in these regions happens both during the experience of chills and while subjects are anticipating them. Music, a mere sequence of notes arranged in time, can activate the same reward centers in the brain as drugs such as cocaine.
For modern implants and the growth of artificial tissue and organs, it is important to generate materials with characteristics that closely emulate nature. However, the tissue in our bodies has a combination of traits that are very hard to recreate in synthetic materials: It is both soft and very tough. A team of Australian and Korean researchers led by Geoffrey M. Spinks and Seon Jeong Kim has now developed a novel, highly porous, sponge-like material whose mechanical properties closely resemble those of biological soft tissues. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, it consists of a robust network of DNA strands and carbon nanotubes.
UroToday.com - Nephron-sparing surgery has become the well-accepted method for treating patients with localized tumor disease of the kidney. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) has evolved such that it is considered equivalent to open partial nephrectomy for tumors 4 cm. They had 110 patients with Stage T1b-T3N0M0 renal cell carcinoma treated with LRN (N=75) or LPN (N=35). As expected the LRN group had larger tumors and more T3a tumors with clear cell pathologic features. The median follow up was 57 months in the LRN group and 44 months in the LPN group. There was no difference between the two treatment groups with regards to overall mortality, cancer-specific mortality, or recurrence rates. However, the LPN group had significantly less reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate compared to the LRN group. None of the LPN group patients developed second stage chronic kidney disease compared to 12% in the LRN group.
It may be possible in the future to use a specimen from the tumour to determine which patients with breast cancer have a good chance of overcoming the disease, and which patients should be given more intensive treatments. Fifty-one genes may together provide information about the prognosis for an individual patient. These are the conclusions of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
The UK reported its first death to H1N1 swine flu on Sunday after a 38-year old mother from Glasgow died in a Scottish hospital days after she
Thousands of people with Alzheimer"s will continue to be denied access to the only drug treatments for the disease following the publication of revised guidance by the NICE.
No Additional Risk
The National Asthma Council Australia is urging the two million Australians with asthma to remain extremely vigilant and seek an immediate lung function check from their GP following new data from the US which confirms people with an underlying medical condition are at highest risk of complications from swine flu - with more than 40 percent of people in New York hospitalised from swine flu having asthma1.
Merck & Co., Inc. issued the following statement in response to today"s communication from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) addressing updated information on leukotriene inhibitors, including SINGULAIR® (montelukast sodium).
Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) announced that it has completed testing and evaluation of the A/H1N1 influenza virus and is now in full-scale production of a commercial A/H1N1 vaccine using its Vero cell culture technology. Baxter received an A/H1N1 strain from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center] in early May and is diligently working to deliver a pandemic vaccine for use as early as July.
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) today announced that it is the leading sponsor of the Catheter Ablation Versus Anti-arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation (CABANA) Trial. The pivotal trial, announced by Mayo Clinic, is intended to determine the effectiveness of catheter ablation (using long, narrow tubes to non-invasively reach and destroy abnormal heart tissue) in eliminating atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart beat quickly and erratically.
What is sure to be a staggering price tag for health reform has Senate Democrats talking about changing the chamber"s normal accounting procedures, The Hill reports.
President Obama used his popularity Thursday at a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wisc., in an effort to help make the case to Americans that a health care system overhaul needs to happen this year, Time reports.
"The nation"s deep recession is helping to alleviate the decade-long nursing shortage, as workers who had left the field in better times are returning in droves," the Wall Street Journal reports. The paper quotes a study, one of six papers on the nursing workforce published today in the journal Health Affairs, that found "nearly a quarter-million nurses entered the work force in 2007-08, an 18% surge that was the largest two-year increase in at least three decades." Many of them had left nursing, but "re-entered the work force to compensate for a spouse"s lost income or health benefits, the study said." The increase is "particularly remarkable at a time when the U.S. economy has shed more than six million jobs, helping to solidify the profession"s "recession-proof" image." The study found that the surge in new nurses is due to "efforts to expand nursing schools, attract more young people into the field and improve working conditions," along with an increase in the number of foreign-born nurses.
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released the following statement today on the Administration"s comments regarding financing health care reform:
The WHO"s decision Thursday to declare H1N1 (swine) flu a pandemic will "speed the production of a vaccine against the new virus," however scientists continue to caution that "it will be fall at the earliest before the first doses are available," the Los Angeles Times reports.
Several African countries have successfully scaled up their HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs, U.N. Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in Africa Elizabeth Mataka said during a media briefing at the World Economic Forum on Africa being held in Cape Town, South Africa, the ZANIS/Lusaka Times reports. Zambia and Botswana were among some of the countries that have made significant progress in southern Africa, according to Mataka.
Men are almost 40 per cent more likely than women to die from cancer, reveals a report published today (Monday) by the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) and Cancer Research UK together with the Men"s Health Forum to mark Men"s Health Week.
Cellulose is a fibrous molecule that makes up plant cell walls, gives plants shape and form and is a target of renewable, plant-based biofuels research. But how it forms, and thus how it can be modified to design energy-rich crops, is not well understood. Now a study led by researchers at the Carnegie Institution"s Department of Plant Biology has discovered that the underlying protein network that provides the scaffolding for cell-wall structure is also the traffic cop for delivering the critical growth-promoting molecules where needed. The research, conducted in collaboration with colleagues at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and published in the advance online publication (AOP) of Nature Cell Biology on June 14th, is a significant step for understanding how the enzymes that make cellulose and determine plant cell shape arrive at the appropriate location in the cell to do their job.
Australian and New Zealand researchers have accelerated research into Multiple Sclerosis by discovering two new locations of genes which will help to unravel the causes of MS and other autoimmune disease.
LSU"s WAVCIS, or Wave-Current-Surge Information System for Coastal Louisiana, has a few new tricks up its sleeve in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season.
It"s happy hour for Texas wineries.
A new type of robot being developed will make it easier to detect drugs, weapons, explosives and illegal immigrants concealed in cargo containers.
Scientists have unlocked the code for the building blocks of fungal organisms which are responsible for mild as well as potentially deadly infections in people.
The COPD Foundation announces launch of the Lung Health Check, developed in an educational collaboration with WebMD. Development of the Lung Health Check was made possible by funding from the COPD Foundation.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati at the University of Kentucky has discovered a biological marker for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in older adults.
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) says the establishment of the new Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery portfolio and the appointment of Warren Snowdon MP as the new Minister is recognition of the significant problems that Australians who live in the bush have in accessing health care services.
A protein known to play a role in growth of some types of leukemia appears to have a mixed function in breast cancer development, say researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC).
President Barack Obama is seeking support from America"s doctors today as he addresses delegates at the 158th annual meeting of the American
Drinking a glass of skimmed milk, rather than fruit juice, at breakfast time could leave you feeling fuller for longer and less likely to eat heavily at lunchtime, according to new research.
BioElectronics Corp. (PINKSHEETS: BIEL), the maker of inexpensive, disposable drug-free anti-inflammatory devices, announced it is filing an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 510(k) clearance to market its Allay™ Menstrual Pain Relief Patch product. The filing follows a very successful double blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial in which 71% of women in the active group reported either complete elimination or a reduction in their typical menstrual pain symptoms, with 49% showing at least a 50% reduction in pain associated with dysmenorrhea.
Vitamin D deficiency was found to be prevalent in cancer patients regardless of nutritional status, according to the results of a recent study conducted at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Based on these results, CTCA researchers determined that screening for vitamin D deficiency and aggressive vitamin D repletion should be considered for all people with cancer.
Early results from the second series of trials have demonstrated a 5 log reduction (99.999%) in Pseudomonas aeruginousa and a 4.4 log reduction (99.994%) in Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA). Both of these pathogens are of major concern to medical treatment facilities world wide with the spread of MRSA infection often being referred to as the "silent epidemic". The CDC reported (JAMA 2007) that MRSA alone is now associated with an estimated 19,000 deaths annually in the US. Dr. Michael E. Shannon, Medizone"s Director of Medical Affairs commented, "Although the results from our first round of trials were very encouraging, introducing several procedural refinements in this second round resulted in levels of bactericidal action well above what was expected. Indeed, breaking through the 5 log barrier has led us to conclude that with a third technological development still to be introduced in this series of trials, the bactericidal ceiling for our system is now unclear, but well above what we ever expected. Needless to say, we are very excited over these findings and even more convinced that our new technologies will save hundreds of thousands of lives each year world wide. Add to the system"s efficacy the fact that it will be safe, extremely cost effective and adaptable to virtually any situation anywhere, leads me to conclude that AsepticSure will have a global reach."
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TDLP) a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing non-invasive, topically administered products, announced that they anticipate reporting top-line results from their current Phase 3 study of Ketotransdel(R) during the third quarter of 2009.
In recent years, the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has been changing. This trend may be the result of antimicrobial use, infection control practices, or other factors. It is critical for healthcare professionals to be aware of the epidemiology of this virulent pathogen and apply evidence-based principles for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
The Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP), a cooperative partnership between the public and private sectors that works to ensure the interoperability of electronic health records (EHRs) in the United States, has begun work to identify global standards to support "core research data element exchange," specifically, a common set of information that can readily be exchanged between EHRs and clinical research systems.
AEterna Zentaris Inc. (NASDAQ: AEZS; TSX: AEZ), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, reported that patient follow-up in the open-label safety study (study 041) of its Phase 3 program in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with its lead endocrinology compound, cetrorelix pamoate, is scheduled to be completed at the end of this week. Therefore, data analysis and reporting will be brought forward from the scheduled fourth quarter into the third quarter of 2009, and will follow the disclosure of results from the first double-blind placebo controlled efficacy study (study 033). BPH is a benign enlargement of the prostate, affecting more than 20 million men in the U.S. alone.
Possessing a greater purpose in life is associated with lower mortality rates among older adults according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center.
Novartis has successfully completed the production of the first batch of influenza A(H1N1) vaccine, weeks ahead of expectations. Cell-based manufacturing technology[1] allows vaccine production to be initiated once a pandemic virus strain is identified without the need to adapt the virus strain to grow in eggs, as with traditional vaccine technologies. This advance has cut weeks off the time required to begin vaccine production. This first batch of ten liters of wild type influenza A(H1N1) vaccine monobulk will be used for pre-clinical evaluation and testing and is also being considered for use in clinical trials. It demonstrates the value of the cell-based production approach, that is also being used by Novartis with reassortant influenza A(H1N1) seed.
Cheltenham Borough Council has today lost its case to sue former employee Christine Laird for ÷£1million for not disclosing her past experience of depression. Leading mental health charity Mind says the landmark ruling serves as an important reminder to employers about the importance of providing adequate support to people with mental health problems in the workplace.
Medical Protection Society (MPS) GP members, who are expected to work outside of their normal duties during a pandemic flu, should feel confident that they can turn to the MPS for assistance, in the event they are subject to a clinical negligence claim or other medicolegal matter such as a complaint.
John A. Gans, PharmD, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer for the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) has been selected as a recipient of the Food and Drug Administration"s (FDA) Commissioner"s Special Citation Award. The award will be bestowed upon Dr. Gans today during a ceremony at Martin"s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, Maryland.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is enforcing the laws that protect consumers from illegal products marketed through the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 flu virus.
The Genetic Interest Group, the UK patient organisation for all those affected by genetic disorders,
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today outlines the scope of its review of the provision and commissioning of out-of-hours GP services run by Take Care Now.
Which? is challenging the belief that it"s impossible to get an appointment with an NHS dentist as its new research shows that nine out of 10 people* who have tried in the last two years were, in fact, able to get one.
The BDA is pleased to announce the expansion of its highly successful Good Practice Scheme (GPS) with the launch of the Good Practice Scheme Scotland (GPS Scotland) at this year"s British Dental Conference and Exhibition in Glasgow.
All Global, the world"s
As Congress drafts health care reform legislation, HIV clinicians urge lawmakers to include a public plan option to ensure affordable access to comprehensive care for HIV patients - nearly 30 percent of whom have no insurance. The HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) believes that a public plan option can help offer everyone the chance to benefit from early and reliable access to lifesaving HIV care and treatment.
The Government has, for the first time, declared its support for what could be England"s first Autism Bill. The National Autistic Society (NAS) celebrated the move as a vital development for people with autism as Care Services Minister Phil Hope committed to enshrining in law a raft of new measures, via the Autism Bill, which could drive a dramatic improvement in local authority and NHS services for people with the condition.
Research by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor has led to the development of a product that has been shown in clinical trials to be successful in halting the growth of various types of cancer cells.
Scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany and the Medical School Hannover, Germany have succeeded in treating immune cells in a way that enables them to inhibit unwanted immune reactions such as organ rejection. Their results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.
New research from Cincinnati Children"s Hospital Medical Center highlights the critical role a certain gene and its protein play during early embryonic development on formation of a normal heart and skull.
Neurological diseases including Parkinson"s, Tourette"s, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer"s, and schizophrenia are all associated with alterations in dopamine-driven function involving the dopamine transporter (DAT). Research published recently in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience suggests that a number of estrogens acting through their receptors affect the DAT, which may explain trends in timing of women"s susceptibility to these diseases.
Although maintaining the integrity of blood vessel walls is essential for life, well-controlled temporary leakage of blood contents through the walls of blood vessels into the tissues is a hallmark of inflammation. Although the molecule S1P is known to act on the cells that line blood vessels (endothelial cells) to regulate the permeability of blood vessel walls, the in vivo of SIP in this process remains unknown, and whether it has a role in inflammation has not been determined. In a new study, Shaun Coughlin and colleagues, at UCSF, San Francisco, have shed light on these issues, revealing that mice that lack S1P selectively in plasma (the liquid component of blood) have increased leakage from the blood vessels in response to a variety of stimuli, including inflammatory ones. As the leakage was reversed by treatment with either S1P-containing red blood cells or an agonist for the protein to which SIP binds, the authors conclude that S1P in the blood regulates blood-vessel integrity and prevents potentially lethal decreases in blood volume after exposure to leak-inducing stimuli.
Has the key to reducing breast cancer gotten lost in the race for a cure? A new book, No Family History, presents compelling evidence that exposure to everyday products such as cosmetics and toiletries, hormones in food, household cleaners and pesticides is behind the dramatic increase in breast cancer and argues that the solution is simple: prevention.
KMR GROUP, a firm analyzing biopharmaceutical R&D performance since the early 1990s, announces SiteView, its newest module in the Enrollment Metrix Application. Enrollment Metrix helps companies plan more effectively and reliably when setting recruitment targets and timelines, therefore helping companies save millions of dollars due to delay and non-conformance.
Breast cancer researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have been awarded a prestigious Department of Defense Synergistic Idea Award, one of just 12 such grants in the United States. The $725,000 research grant over two years will allow Lisa Baumbach, Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Miller School, and Mark Pegram, M.D., professor of medicine and associate director for clinical and translational research at the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute at Sylvester, to expand their work examining the genetic differences found in African-American breast cancer patients.
The 2009 monsoon season will soon arrive in the Asian territories and culicine mosquito populations are expected to increase. "These mosquitoes may carry the virus that causes Japanese Encephalitis (JE), which kills 10-15,000 people each year," warned Fran Lessans, CEO of Passport Health, the largest provider of travel medical services in the U.S. A new vaccine called Ixiaro(R) has been approved by the FDA, and is ready for distribution in the United States. Some Passport Health"s offices will have both JE-VAX(R) and Ixiaro(R) until JE-VAX(R) is phased out. "The new vaccine is good for adults over 18 so we still have to use JE-VAX(R) for the younger population," concluded Lessans. Both vaccines protect against JE.
Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc. (CRi) announced that Oosight(TM), a non-invasive optical imaging system manufactured by CRi and widely used by embryologists as an aid in the field of in vitro fertilization (IVF), has been used in a groundbreaking study that investigated ways to select eggs most likely to produce a pregnancy.
According to a new report by HHS" Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that genetic testing for two gene mutations in adults with a history of blood clots helps to prevent a condition known as deep-vein thrombosis or to improve other clinical outcomes.
Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, announced that it has received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its R2(TM) DigitalNow(TM) HD software application.
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have found a new way to study how genes function in living organisms, and their approach could substantially cut the time and costs that drug makers spend in searching for potential targets for new cancer therapies.
A report released by the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that binge drinking and drinking-related deaths among college-age students are increasing.
A German study published in The Journal of Pain showed that an external suction technique mainly used outside the U.S., called cupping, is effective for providing temporary relief of pain from carpal tunnel syndrome (CPS).
Alzheimer"s disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Osteoporosis. These are the diseases for which Eli Lilly and Company will be engaging
MEDICAL experts have cautioned against indiscriminate use of new classes of medication for Britain"s increasing number of people with diabetes - saying the drug advances needed "careful adoption" to meet their full treatment potential.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised consumers yesterday not to use certain cold remedies under the Zicam label because they
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) applauds President Obama"s address to the annual conference of the American Medical Association (AMA) Monday in Chicago in which he outlined his vision for health care reform. Pharmacists stand ready to be part of the solution and active participants in developing the framework for a reformed health care system.
Several African countries have made impressive gains in child survival in recent years but much more needs to be done, UNICEF said today in marking the International Day of the African Child. This year"s theme is "Africa Fit for Children: A Call for Accelerated Action Towards Child Survival".
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries. ~ "Report: Higher Rates of Unintended Pregnancy, Abortion Among Women of Color," Sharon Camp, RH Reality Check: A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation on health disparities between white women and women of color "provides further stronger evidence debunking claims" from antiabortion-rights advocates who "have long argued that high abortion rates among minorities are the result of supposed aggressive marketing by abortion providers to minority communities," Camp, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute, writes. In addition to identifying disparities in conditions like heart disease and cancer, the report documents "widespread disparities in access to health insurance and health screenings" and explores growing evidence of the association between social factors and health behaviors, access and outcomes, according to Camp. She continues that research from Guttmacher has consistently demonstrated that "rates among racial and ethnic minorities -- especially blacks and Hispanics -- are directly linked to their higher rates of unintended pregnancy, which in turn reflect pervasive health disparities more generally." Camp writes that the "fundamental question policymakers should be asking is not why women of color have high abortion rates, but rather what can be done to help them have fewer unintended pregnancies and achieve better health outcomes more generally," such as improved access to affordable contraception. Women"s dissatisfaction with health care providers, quality of service and the contraceptive methods themselves also are factors in contraceptive use, as are "[u]nstable life situations," which can make consistent use a low priority for some women, according to Camp. She writes, "By continuing to label abortion providers as "racists" and refusing to support expanded access to contraceptive services, antiabortion-rights activists are by no means part of the solution -- to high rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion among racial and ethnic minorities or to persistent and tragic disparities in health care generally" (Camp, RH Reality Check, 6/15).~ "What"s Next for Women"s Legal Rights in the Supreme Court?" Amy Matsui, Womenstake: Matsui, senior counsel for the National Women"s Law Center, examines several women"s rights issues "that we see peeking around the corner" of the next Supreme Court session. Matsui writes that "increasingly draconian abortion restrictions have begun to work their way through state legislatures." These restrictions include giving personhood rights to fetuses, mandates on the information women are given prior to abortion procedures and "outright abortion bans," she writes. Challenges to laws that expand protections for providers who deny health care services also "are likely to come before the courts," Matsui writes. Challenges to health care reform proposals also are likely, "specifically, the interaction of the federal statute that governs employee health care and pension plans ... and any new requirements for employers to provide health care coverage," according to Matsui. The Supreme Court has "obviously considered the underlying legal doctrines in these cases (the constitutional right to privacy, federal anti-discrimination statutes, Equal Protection guarantees and federal benefits statutes) in the past; some might say that there is a clear roadmap of where the Court should go in some of these cases," Matsui writes, concluding, "But when every vote counts on the Supreme Court, women should be watching what cases come next" (Matsui, Womenstake, 6/12).~ "Antiabortion Groups" Case Against Sotomayor," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s "God and Country": "With no clear evidence for a pro-abortion-rights position in her judicial decisions, antiabortion groups" case against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor can be summed up in eight words: the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund," Gilgoff writes. From 1980 to 1992, Sotomayor sat on the l
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has named Fela Viso-Gurovich, Ph.D., an honorary member of the Society for her pioneering work in the development of hospital pharmacy in Mexico. Dr. Viso-Gurovich received the honor during ASHP"s Summer Meeting in Rosemont, Ill.
The General Optical Council (GOC) has launched an open consultation on its five-year strategy. Registrants, patients and the public, and partner organisations are encouraged to have their say on the GOC"s role and work priorities for 2010-2015.
MiCardia® (MiCardia Corporation, Irvine, California) announced the completion of the first U.S. implant of its Dynaplasty® mitral valve repair technology. The surgery was performed last week at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan. Francis L. Shannon, M.D., who is a partner in SEMCVS and Director of CV Surgical Research and Quality Outcomes at Beaumont, commented, "The MiCardia® device implanted easily and conformed well to the patient"s mitral annulus. The complete D-shaped ring was used to reinforce a complex repair of a flail leaflet segment using minimally invasive techniques. We are excited to be participating in the DYANA Study and believe Dynaplasty® technology will address a major weakness of current devices, namely their inability to deal with changes in valve shape and function after the initial repair procedure."
Building on the historic $19 billion investment provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), efforts continued today to further the national adoption and implementation of health information technology (HIT) -- an essential tool to modernize the health care system and bring about improved health for all Americans. The Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), met today to begin the process of defining "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs). This meeting is a first step for the department, as it investigates possible definitions for meaningful use.
To improve efficiency and expand capacity to monitor the growing number of clinical studies being conducted in Western Sub-Saharan Africa, Quintiles today announced the opening of a new office in Accra, Ghana.
QuantRx® Biomedical Corporation (OTCBB:QTXB), a broad-based diagnostic company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative diagnostic products, announced that its affiliate, FluoroPharma Inc., a company developing breakthrough PET molecular imaging agents, will present Phase I data relating to the safety, dosimetry, and pharmacokinetics in human subjects of BFPET, its novel 18-F labeled (PET) tracer for myocardial perfusion imaging, at the Society of Nuclear Medicine 2009 Annual Meeting in Toronto.
Nanoparticles specially engineered by University of Central Florida Assistant Professor J. Manuel Perez and his colleagues could someday target and destroy tumors, sparing patients from toxic, whole-body chemotherapies.
Duke University engineers have taken a first step toward a minimally invasive treatment of brain tumors by combining chemotherapy with heat administered from the end of a catheter.
Aruba Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARUN), a global leader in wireless LANs and secure mobility solutions, announced that Saudi Arabia"s King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), the teaching hospital of King Saud University, has deployed Aruba"s high-speed 802.11n Wi-Fi and security solutions for PACS, RIS, and HIS applications at its facilities in Riyadh. KKUH is the largest teaching hospital in the Kingdom, with more than 800 beds and 500 medical specialists. The network was deployed by ASACO-IT (Ahd Al-Saudia Company), an authorized Aruba partner in Saudi Arabia.
ChemGenex Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:CXS) (NASDAQ:CXSP) announced that updated clinical data from the registration-directed clinical trial of omacetaxine will be presented as an oral presentation at the forthcoming American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 45th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
Although worlds apart, the way fish learn could be closer to humans" way of thinking than previously believed, suggests a new research study.
A new study by UK scientists showed that cooking carrots whole preserves their anti-cancer properties better than cooking them sliced or
A coalition of organizations representing healthcare stakeholders throughout Greater Boston has been selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to participate in a planning grant to become part of the Aligning Forces for Quality (AF4Q) initiative. AF4Q is the Foundation"s signature effort to lift the overall quality of healthcare in targeted communities, reduce racial and ethnic disparities, and provide models for national reform.
Pablo Sobrado, assistant professor of biochemistry with the infectious disease research group at Virginia Tech, has received a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award for his research on enzymes that are essential for infection in two important human pathogens.
The first formal meeting of the Health Minister"s new National Advisory Board will take place on Monday, 29 June at 11am in Conference Room 24, Ty Hywel, Cardiff Bay.
Good news for the 1.3 million Canadian patients at risk for anaphylaxis, as Paladin Labs Inc. (TSX:PLB), a leading Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, announced the Canadian launch of Twinject® TwinpackTM, making it more convenient for people to manage this potentially life threatening condition.
As the recession forces more hospitals and doctors to pare costs and services, children are being especially hard hit.
Ahead of this year"s World AIDS Day, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the World AIDS Campaign and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have come together to announce the theme of "Universal Access and Human Rights".
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its Cool Point™ Irrigation Pump. Used in conjunction with SJM open-irrigated ablation catheters, an irrigation pump supplies a continuous flow of saline through the catheter"s inner lumen to cool the ablation electrode for more effective energy delivery. Designed to enhance physicians" ability to perform successful atrial ablations, the new Cool Point irrigation pump was developed specifically for use with the company"s IBI-1500T9-CP cardiac ablation generator and family of Therapy™ Cool Path™ irrigated catheters.
The Endocrine Society"s Corporate Liaison Board (CLB) will host its annual forum on Wednesday June 10, as part of ENDO 09, the Society"s 91th Annual Meeting. The 2009 topic for the forum is "Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Endocrinology in Clinical Trials & Drug Development."
To support doctors who are confronted with challenging issues in medical practice, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria have developed a DVD that provides doctors with tips on managing difficult situations while maintaining their legal and ethical obligations.
Concerns over whether the tests a treatment undergoes before release onto the market are enough to ensure its long-term safety are raised in an editorial published by BMJ Clinical Evidence today.
A recent local study shows a new approach to treating bunions could save up to 400 million dollars a year.
Antisense Therapeutics Ltd. (ASX: ANP) is pleased to report further positive results from its collaborative preclinical research studies on the therapeutic potential of ATL1101 in prostate cancer. In experimental models, ATL1101 treatment significantly enhanced the tumor-suppressive effect of the cancer drug Paclitaxel. Paclitaxel is one of a class of drugs known as taxanes. Along with androgen (a male hormone) blockade, taxane chemotherapy is an important treatment option in the most dangerous form of the disease, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).