Nutrition
Nearly two-thirds (63
Have you ever wished you could be in two places at once? Perhaps you"ve had the desire to create a copy of yourself that could stand in for you at a meeting, freeing you up to work on more pressing matters. Thanks to a research project called LifeLike, that fantasy might be a little closer to reality.
Fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer screening or not, but healthcare providers underestimate how much women need to know and wrongly assume that they will ask for information if they want it.
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.
In the first large-scale study of its kind, researchers at the University of Michigan"s C.S. Mott Children"s Hospital and the University of Utah will lead a multi-center study to investigate whether hypothermia-lowering body temperature can prevent or reduce brain damage in children deprived of oxygen after a cardiac arrest.
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 modest reduction in the amount of carbohydrates eaten, without calorie restriction and weight loss, appears to increase a sense of fullness, which may help people eat less, a preliminary study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
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.
In a letter published in this week´s BMJ, Professor David Colquhoun from the University College of London, says that the UK Medicines and Health Care Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) "has made a mockery of its own aims" by allowing the labeling on the first homeopathic product that has gotten a license. It classifies the Arnica 30C pills as "a homoeopathic medicinal product used with the homoeopathic tradition for the symptomatic relief of sprains, muscular aches, and bruising or swelling after contusions". He claims this label should be illegal because it breaches the Unfair Trading Regulations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, following an
A Marion County woman with confirmed novel H1N1 (swine) influenza died on Sunday. "We are saddened by this death, and our hearts go out to the family," said Dr. Karen Landers, health officer for Marion County. "It"s an unfortunate reminder of the seriousness of flu."
The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) announced today that an investigation of gastrointestinal illness reported in a recent Oklahoma City triathlon was related to exposure to water during swimming practice sessions or during the swim portion of the event.
Researchers in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Leicester are developing a new way to make protein based drugs with potential applications in stroke, vascular inflammation, blood vessel formation, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Analyses of data from three studies provide insight into the use of ENBREL®(etanercept) in the treatment of three conditions for which ENBREL is indicated: moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). These analyses, presented this week during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual Meeting in Copenhagen, add to the body of evidence that supports treatment with ENBREL for patients with these conditions.
HCL, the UK"s largest health and social care recruiter, said today that it anticipates increasing demand for its temporary and locum staff as the NHS seeks to increase efficiencies in healthcare provision.
New research released by the MS Society has for the first time revealed an accurate estimate of the number of people living with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK.
Rogers Media is proud to join AstraZeneca Canada and Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) as a presenting partner of the school-based children"s wellness initiative, At My Best. The program addresses three key areas of wellness-physical, nutritional and emotional-and empowers teachers, parents and caregivers to inspire and motivate children and their families to make healthier choices today and develop lifelong healthy habits.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning home owners to check that gas installers are properly registered and carry a current "Gas Safe Register" identity card.
Researchers, doctors and patient groups will today call on
Most patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery want to know when they"ll be able to return to their normal life. "Recovery time" is a common question posed to specialists and non-specialists alike. There are many factors that can contribute to recovery time, but typically patients can return to normal life activities within 1 to 6 months. To be more specific, however, we can examine the difference between "short-term recovery" and "long-term recovery".
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world"s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced the availability of a new laboratory developed test designed to help physicians determine whether a patient with a history of HIV drug resistance will respond to the latest class of HIV antiretroviral therapies. The HIV-1 Coreceptor Tropism Test, which reports results in approximately half the time of the nearest competing test, provides physicians with timely information so they may more quickly determine or change therapy based on how the HIV virus infects cells in the individual patient.
Orphan Therapeutics, LLC and Ikaria Holdings, Inc. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the final section of the New Drug Application (NDA) filing seeking marketing approval for LUCASSIN(R) (terlipressin for injection) for the treatment of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) Type 1. The filing was completed on May 4, 2009, and LUCASSIN has been granted Priority Review as well as Orphan Drug status and Fast Track designation.
Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion and Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced that three new independent studies demonstrating the clinical accuracy and utility of Masimo PVI as a noninvasive and continuous measure of patient fluid status and responsiveness were presented this week at the European Society of Anaesthesiology (ESA) Annual Congress in Milan, Italy.
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.
Health Affairs unveiled a series of six studies examining the nursing workforce in the context of health reform. The papers were released at a forum presented by Health Affairs and the Center to Champion Nursing in America (CCNA) that featured a lively discussion among policy-makers, nursing leaders and researchers, and health reform experts. The Center is a joint initiative of AARP, the AARP Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Pathfinders, a program designed to care for the whole person -- body, mind and spirit -- has been found to help women with terminal cancer cope and has improved their quality of life, according to a study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Vaccines are not just for children any more."
Fighting infectious disease, the very heart of public health and the genesis of contemporary nursing, is about more than hand washing and immunizations. It"s about screening and early detection, identifying risk and protective factors, and educating clinicians, facilities and the public. But it all begins with research, like that underway by nurse researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing (JHUSON). Their work is more important now than it has been in nearly the past century. Infectious disease rates, stable since the 1918 influenza pandemic, have been on the rise since the mid-1980s. The battle against these illnesses from HIV/AIDS to MRSA and from STDs to resurgent tuberculosis (TB), and others has been escalating, and long before the recent emergence of the H1N1 influenza virus earlier this year.
When Jason Martin gives a talk about his research, he begins with the dramatic story of Mariana Bridi da Costa: The young Brazilian supermodel died from severe sepsis in January after amputation of both her hands and feet failed to stop its spread.
UroToday.com - The mortality rate for prostate cancer is declining due to improvements in earlier detection and in local therapy strategies, however, the ability to predict the metastatic behavior of a patient"s cancer, as well as to detect and eradicate disease recurrence remains some of the greatest clinical challenges in oncology.
Nearly 20 years ago, it was discovered that bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori were responsible for stomach ulcers. Since then, antibiotics have become the primary therapy used to combat the H. pylori infection, which affects approximately six percent of the world population and is also a primary cause of stomach cancer. But today the bacteria is growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics.
Almost 90 per cent of the world"s population will not have timely access to affordable supplies of vaccines and antiviral agents in the current influenza pandemic, but it is possible that inexpensive generic drugs that are readily available, even in developing countries, could save millions of lives.
A new PTB measuring system offers the possibility of measuring the absorbed dose in the direct environment of the irradiated tumour
The Soil Association is pleased to announce a new EU-wide, harmonised standard for organic health and beauty products.
Spread and extent of the outbreak (information as at 5pm on 11 June)
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).
XenaCare Holdings Inc. (OTCBB:XCHO), a healthcare company specializing in the branding, retailing and internet distribution of consumer products, has announced today that in the July 2009 issue of Prevention Magazine™ an article written by Roopoka Malhorta which is about Ageless Summer Beauty - 21 fast, easy ways to look young - and stay that way - this summer and beyond states as their #1 choice was to "Try a Sun Protection pill" they further stated "ò€¦boost your UV protection by taking an antioxidant supplement such as SunPill ($20 for a month"s supply; available at http://www.sunpill.com)." According to Frank Rizzo, president of XenaCare, the SunPill can also be purchased at Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Amazon.com, Drugstore.com, CVS.com, Target.com and various other major retailers.
As health reform heats up, many lawmakers agree that the government should take a larger role in preventing disease. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that "many previous government prevention efforts aimed at costly chronic diseases have had little success in reducing illness or costs."
A large, well-controlled, multi-national clinical trial program has demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of what may become the first FDA-approved medicine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or IPF.
A new study using advanced cardiac imaging technology indicates that cardiac abnormalities experienced by some marathon runners following competition are temporary, and do not result in damage to the heart muscle. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Manitoba, marked the first use of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, or CMR, in a post-marathon setting.
The following summarizes news coverage on two pregnancy-related studies. ~ Morning sickness: The commonly prescribed heartburn drug metoclopramide -- sold generically and under the brand-names Reglan, Octamide and Maxolon -- can be used to treat morning sickness without harming the health of the fetus, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, Time reports. The drug, which also has anti-nausea properties, is not FDA-approved for use in pregnant women in the U.S., though it is commonly prescribed in European and other countries to treat morning sickness (Park, Time, 6/10). According to the Los Angeles Times, U.S. physicians occasionally prescribe metoclopramide to treat severe morning sickness cases. The new study found that there were no statistically significant differences between infants born to women who took metoclopramide and those who did not. Researchers said that the findings "provide reassurance regarding the safety of metoclopramide for the fetus when the drug is given to women to relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy." The study involved 81,703 births among women enrolled in Israel"s largest health HMO, including 33,458 who used the drug (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 6/11). Jennifer Niebyl, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Iowa, said, "There are very few drugs approved for use in the first trimester of pregnancy. But this study could lead to metoclopramide getting approved to treat morning sickness because this is good data with big numbers" (Time, 6/10).~ Progesterone: The hormone progesterone was not effective at preventing premature births among women pregnant with twins, despite evidence suggesting its effectiveness at preventing premature births in single pregnancies, according to a University of Edinburgh study published in the journal Lancet, Reuters reports. Multiple pregnancies have a larger health risk for women and significantly increase the likelihood of miscarriage, premature birth and long-term health problems. The study involved 500 women who took either progesterone or a placebo daily for 10 weeks. Although previous studies have shown that progesterone might prevent premature birth in certain high-risk pregnancies, the new findings show the treatment did not reduce the likelihood of premature delivery or a fetus dying in utero in twin pregnancies. Twenty-five percent of women delivered or had a fetus die before 34 weeks in the progesterone group, compared with 20% in the placebo group (Kahn, Reuters, 6/10).
Two newspapers recently published an editorial and an opinion piece in reaction to the announcement that murdered Kansas abortion provider George Tiller"s Wichita clinic would be permanently closed. The clinic was one of a handful in the U.S. offering abortion procedures in the second and third trimesters. Summaries appear below.~ Kansas City Star: The closing of Tiller"s clinic is "a tragedy for American democracy," and the "irrational violence" of his death has "trumped public policy," a Star editorial states. "The basis of civilization is that we agree to submit to the rule of law in order for society to flourish," the editorial says, adding that Tiller"s murder is "antithetical to that principle. It is dismaying to see a killer achieve his objective." The editorial notes that Tiller provided abortion services in "tragic cases" involving women "at risk of infertility or death; fetuses with severe abnormalities; and victims of rape and incest." It continues that the "reduction or loss of that service will create hardships and may put women"s lives at risk." Hospitals and doctors who refer such cases to abortion providers "must reassess the circumstances under which they would perform late-term abortions," according to the editorial. In addition, the "medical profession must take a role in training and supporting doctors willing to provide abortions," and the government and local police "must do all they can to protect a legal medical practice," the editorial says. It concludes, "Democracy demands that we not allow murder to make de facto public policy" (Kansas City Star, 6/11).~ Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune: The announcement that Tiller"s clinic will remain permanently closed "was simply more proof that violence and intimidation can get results where civil discourse and political process fail," Tribune columnist Zorn writes. "The question isn"t whether prominent foes of abortion rights are being honest with us when they decry Tiller"s violent death and express regret over the means used to achieve an end they"ve sought," Zorn writes, adding, "Some are, I"m sure." He continues that abortion-rights opponents "recognize that ... a movement calling itself "pro-life"can"t also be pro-murder" and "are politically savvy enough to know that the gains won by terrorist acts are grudging and difficult to sustain." He continues that to "make terrorism less effective, and thereby discourage it," abortion-rights advocates, the medical profession, politicians and law enforcement officials "need to reopen that clinic in Wichita and assure its safe operation ... to defy terrorism, if for no other reason." He concludes that "as long as abortion remains legal, this same coalition needs to strive to expand the number of facilities where it"s available" (Zorn, Chicago Tribune, 6/11).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration provided further updated safety information on a class of asthma drugs known as leukotriene modifiers. The FDA has requested that manufacturers include a precaution in the drug prescribing information (drug labeling) regarding neuropsychiatric events (behavior, mood changes) that have been reported in some persons taking montelukast (Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), and zileuton (Zyflo and Zyflo CR).
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.
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.
People over the age of 60 are more likely than younger people to take risks with "use by" dates, according to new research findings published by the Food Standards Agency.
A new strategy in the fight against pneumonia, the world"s greatest killer of children, was announced in Lecce, Italy. Global health partners gathered to sign an innovative new financing agreement called the Advance Market Commitment (AMC), designed to accelerate access to life-saving new vaccines and medicines in developing countries.
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have identified a key mechanism that causes chromosomes within blood cells to break - an occurrence that marks the first step in the development of human lymphoma.
Gallstones are lumps or stones that develop in the gallbladder or bile duct. Some of the chemicals which exist in the gallbladder, such as cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, harden into either one large stone or many small ones. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, a gallstone is "A concretion in the gallbladder or a bile duct, composed chiefly of a mixture of cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, occasionally as a pure stone composed of just one of these substances". An article describes a gallbladder in the bile duct similar to trying to squeeze a golf ball through a straw.
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada has made public the creation of five research and training centers with the participation of over one hundred established scientists and two hundred and fifty trainees. Funded entirely by the MS Society of Canada, which has already raised 32 million dollars from a goal of 60 million, the objectives of these new centers is to considerably increase the speed on MS research investigations so that an end to MS may be found as quickly as possible. These centres will serve as key establishments in achieving these goals.
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.
Genomas, a biomedical company advancing DNA-guided medicine and personalized healthcare, announced its participation at the prestigious XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis, a meeting held triennially by the International Atherosclerosis Society. Gualberto Ruano, MD, PhD, President of Genomas, will present "Physiogenomic Contours of Statin Safety and Efficacy," a clinical study examining the differences in response to statin drugs based on individual gene variations.
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.
Sanofi Aventis (Euronext: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: REGN) announced that advanced ovarian cancer patients with recurrent symptomatic malignant ascites (SMA) receiving aflibercept (VEGF Trap) in a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 study experienced a statistically significant improvement in the primary study endpoint, mean time to first repeat paracentesis (removal of fluid from the abdominal cavity), versus placebo control. Symptomatic malignant ascites is an abnormal build-up of fluid in the abdominal cavity in patients with advanced cancer.
H. Lundbeck A/S (Lundbeck) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda) jointly announced headline results from the first three clinical trials in the phase III development programme with Lu AA21004 in major depressive disorder (MDD). Previously reported clinical phase II data showed equal efficacy with the 5 and 10 mg doses.
A new study by researchers in the US suggests there may be a link between the use of stimulant drugs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
City of Hope Medical Center registered nurses will be joined by a broad coalition of public officials, religious and labor leaders, and hospital employees at a June 17 rally at the Duarte facility, the California Nurses Association announced.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced the approval of a new of Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) for Canada.
Governments and drug companies are struggling with efforts to prepare for a possible resurgence of swine flu in the fall as well as questioning who should receive swine flu vaccines as they ramp up production.
Finance ministers from Italy, Canada and Russia Friday voiced their support for a program aimed at lowering the prices of vaccines for developing countries, the AFP/Google.com reports. "The Advanced Market Commitment (AMC) programme was first outlined in 2007 and will encourage pharmaceutical companies to invest in research for vaccines against deadly diseases by promising to buy the vaccines at a fixed price," the AFP/Google.com writes (AFP/Google.com, 6/12).
Reuters examines the WHO"s battle against the H1N1 (swine flu) virus in "[d]eveloping countries, where medical care systems are weak and supplies of antivirals insufficient." In addition to "supplying countries with diagnostic kits, medicines and masks and gloves to protect health care workers and minimize the further spread of the new virus," the WHO is continuing to distribute doses of the antiviral Tamiflu, which has been "shown to be effective so far against H1N1," according to Reuters.
South African AIDS activist Thembi Ngubane recently died of drug-resistant tuberculosis at the age of 24, the AP/Washington Post reports (Nullis, AP/Washington Post, 6/14). According to the Wall Street Journal, "millions of radio listeners around the world" heard Ngubane"s voice in "Thembi"s AIDS Diary," which was broadcast in English in 2006 on National Public Radio in the U.S., and then in the U.K., Australia, Canada and South Africa (Miller, Wall Street Journal, 6/13).
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) plans to decrease the prices of many of its leading medicines in emerging markets following the success of a pilot program in the Philippines, Andrew Witty, GSK"s chief executive, said, Financial Times reports. Witty said the price cuts are part of an effort to diversify and expand globally.
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.
A new lung cancer therapy employing a vaporized viral vector to deliver a cancer-inhibiting molecule directly to lung tissue shows early promise in mouse trials, according to researchers at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Korea.
A new article in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News highlights enormous change in cancer medicine with highly personalised treatments, patient top-up payments in some markets, response-related payments and even refunds when there is no response to a treatment, all driving the future of cancer care worldwide.
The Louisiana Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday approved a bill (H.B. 517) that would expand the ability of health care workers to refuse to provide services for moral or religious reasons, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The bill passed by a 3-2 vote after the addition of amendments to narrow the scope of the legislation. According to the Advocate, the bill would allow a medical worker to choose not to participate in any service "that violates his conscience," which it defines as a religious belief or moral conviction. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) supports the legislation, as do conservative groups like the Louisiana Family Forum and the Louisiana Right to Life Federation. Several groups oppose the bill, including Planned Parenthood, the Forum for Equality, Louisiana Agenda for Children and the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU of Louisiana"s Marjorie Esman said that the bill could "lead to all kinds of unintended consequences," based on assertions of moral and religious objections (Blum, Baton Rouge Advocate, 6/11).
We"ve all experienced listening to a song until we can"t stand it. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research may help people continue to enjoy the products and experiences they once loved.
The UPMC Cardiovascular Institute currently is enrolling participants for a Phase 2 clinical trial to examine whether administering a naturally occurring protein improves blood supply to the cardiac muscle in patients with severe coronary artery disease.
Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Amex: RNN), announced the results of a wide-ranging animal study offering more evidence that Serdaxin™ may be an effective therapeutic for the treatment of anxiety disorders in humans. Serdaxin is Rexahn"s leading anxiety and depression drug candidate, and is currently in Phase II clinical trials.
Australian and New Zealand scientists are a step closer to unravelling what causes multiple sclerosis.
- 3 confirmed cases in Wales.
In a letter sent to President Obama and House and Senate leaders today, the Premier healthcare alliance and GNYHA Ventures, Inc., Greater New York Hospital Association"s supply chain enterprise that includes group purchasing organizations (GPOs), said that hospitals could improve healthcare quality and achieve cumulative savings of $317 billion if certain policies are enacted to create a more competitive and transparent purchasing environment. The savings are based on an analysis conducted by the two groups and projected over 10 years, to be fully realized by 2019.
Scarring of the liver, which can progress to cirrhosis and/or cancer of the liver, is caused by persistent liver damage, such as occurs in those with untreated hepatitis C or alcoholism. Although such scarring (fibrosis) develops in an inflammatory environment, the role of inflammatory molecules has not been well defined. However, a team of researchers at Columbia University, New York, and UCSD, La Jolla, has established that the proteins CCR1 and CCR5 and the soluble inflammatory molecules that bind to them promote the development of liver fibrosis in mice.
Stalled microtubules might be responsible for some cases of the neurological disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, Tanabe and Takei report in the June 15, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology. A mutant protein makes the microtubules too stable to perform their jobs, the researchers find.
Resident physicians from the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare will join activist doctors, nurses, and medical students from across the country in Philadelphia tomorrow, May 15 to call for urgent reforms to the nation"s health care system. The group will gather at Independence National Historic Park at 1:30 p.m. Friday on Market between S. 5th and S. 6th Streets.
President Barack Obama spoke to the American Medical Association (AMA) recently addressing concerns about health insurance reform and the whole nation, including physicians from coast to coast, listened.
Recently, researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory"s European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) launched a new database, the Gene Expression Atlas, which allows scientists to search and compare gene expression data at unprecedented detail and scope. Observing how gene expression varies in different cell types, tissues and under disease conditions can help researchers understand gene function and to develop new drugs and therapies.
The University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center have been awarded a highly competitive, $6-million federal grant to create a National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) Center of Excellence. The five-year program grant from the NCMHD, National Institutes of Health, will focus on research, education and training, and community outreach activities to reduce cancer-related health disparities among minority and underserved communities in Florida.
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.
The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Lunivia (eszopiclone), 2 and 3 mg tablets.
Kidney stones, usually comprised of a compound called calcium oxalate, are the result of a build-up of dissolved minerals on the inner lining of the kidneys. These deposits can grow to the size of a golf ball while maintaining a sharp, crystalline structure. They may be small and pass unnoticed out of the urinary tract, but they may also cause extreme pain upon exiting. Kidney stones that remain inside the body can lead to many conditions, including severe pain and ureter (the tube connecting the kidney and bladder) blockage that obstructs the path urine uses to leave the body.
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced the initiation of SPIRIT PRIME, a clinical trial to study the performance of the company"s next-generation XIENCE PRIME(TM) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, currently an investigational device, for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Results from SPIRIT PRIME will be used to support the regulatory filing for XIENCE PRIME in the United States. The first patient was enrolled into the SPIRIT PRIME clinical trial at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla., by Rajesh Chandwaney, M.D.
New data presented showed that pitavastatin is an effective treatment for the management of dyslipidemia in elderly patients, with a similar safety and tolerability profile to low-dose pravastatin. The Phase III data were presented by Kowa, at the XV International Symposium on Atherosclerosis in Boston.
The American Dental Association (ADA) Center for Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) and The Forsyth Institute announce the offering of an intensive, five-day training course in evidence-based principles and tools, including systematic reviews and applications for clinical decision making.
NECT (Nifurtimox-Eflornithine Combination Therapy), a new treatment option for sleeping sickness, a fatal disease that threatens 60 million people across sub-Saharan Africa, has been added to the Essential Medicines List (EML) of the World Health Organization (WHO). The inclusion is based on an application submitted by the non-profit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), supported by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Mç©decins Sans Frontiç¨res (MSF), and Epicentre, MSF"s epidemiological research center.
More and more couples from the United Kingdom are crossing the ocean for donor egg treatment at Shady Grove Fertility Center, the Washington/Baltimore area"s largest in vitro fertilization (IVF) and fertility clinic. More than five dozen British patients received IVF treatment there last year, which was a 350-percent increase over 2007; most were donor egg recipients.
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.
In 2004, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center announced a crucial discovery in the understanding of cellular aging. They found that as cells and tissues age, the expression of a key protein, called p16INK4a, dramatically increases in most mammalian organs. Because p16INK4a is a tumor suppressor protein, cancer researchers are interested in its role in cellular aging and cancer prevention.
Scientists in Brazil say they have isolated and identified a new strain of the A(H1N1) swine flu virus from a patient who was hospitalized in São
In testimony before the Listening Panel of the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (FCCC) on June 10, 2009, ECRI Institute President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey C. Lerner, Ph.D., called for devoting a substantial proportion of the $1.1 billion allocated to the comparative effectiveness research to go toward establishing a National Patient Library™. ECRI Institute® (http://www.ecri.org) is an independent nonprofit organization that researches the best approaches to improving patient care.
This June, the Alzheimer Society is recognizing the extraordinary efforts of four Canadians who are rising to the challenge in the fight against Alzheimer"s disease and related dementias.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission - an independent group that makes recommendations to Congress on Medicare issues - said in its annual June report that the "government must give doctors and health-care facilities incentives to rein in costs in providing care for the elderly and disabled," the Wall Street Journal reports. The panel, known as MedPAC, raised specific questions about high priced imaging services that encourage doctors to over use them, the possibility of penalizing physicians who provide poor care at high cost with lower payments, and whether to cut payments to private plans that provide Medicare coverage (Zhang, 6/16).
Good communication between patients and their healthcare practitioners is essential to good care. To help older adults better communicate with their healthcare providers, the American Geriatrics Society"s Foundation for Health in Aging (FHA) has released a new, easily understandable tip sheet for older people and their caregivers.
UNICEF and the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict launched the Machel Study 10-Year Strategic Review today, calling on governments, UN agencies, and civil society to urgently step up efforts to protect all children affected by conflict.
PBS" "NOW" on Friday examined whether violence against abortion providers should be prosecuted as domestic terrorism. The segment included comments from abortion providers LeRoy Carhart, who previously worked with murdered provider George Tiller at his Kansas clinic, and Warren Hern, a Colorado-based provider. Both Carhart and Hern perform abortions later in pregnancy. Carhart said that he and his family live as "targets" because of his work but that he plans to continue Tiller"s mission of providing abortion services to women who need the procedure later in pregnancy. Hern said that he has been living "under siege" for decades, working in a clinic that has four layers of bulletproof windows and 24-hour federal protection. The segment also examined claims that law enforcement officials did not adequately respond to threats against Tiller from his alleged killer (Hinojosa, "NOW," PBS, 6/12).Newman, Page Debate Abortion Access Later in Pregnancy PBS" "NOW" also included an online debate between Troy Newman -- president of Operation Rescue -- and Cristina Page -- an abortion-rights advocate, blogger and author -- about abortion in the third trimester of pregnancy. Page said that so-called "late-term" abortion generally refers to procedures that take place at or beyond 24 weeks" gestation. She noted that such procedures are extremely rare, as only 1% of abortions take place after 21 weeks" gestation. When asked under what circumstances abortion is appropriate later in pregnancy, Newman said that rather than terminating the pregnancy, viable fetuses that face life-threatening conditions "should be delivered and given the appropriate medical treatment." Page countered, "There are a wide array of tragic conditions that can harm a pregnancy, threaten the viability of the fetus, and the health and life of the woman. Until you have walked in the shoes of those who have suffered through these decisions, you can never know what the right course of action is."Newman and Page also responded to a question about the impact that access to late abortion procedures has on society. Newman said that there exists an "abortion culture that openly implies that a person who is inconvenient is somehow disposable," which "creates an environment that fosters violence and is something that the pro-life movement is working to change." Page said that "to understand the impact, we must hear from women and their families who have needed an abortion at this stage of pregnancy," adding that these cases typically are intended pregnancies "with grave or fatal anomalies."The debate also addressed the issue of domestic terrorism and the antiabortion-rights movement. Page said the movement "espouses non-violent measures to achieve its goals" but "has been tremendously injured by domestic terrorists independently acting under the banner "pro-life."" She added that Newman has a "tremendous opportunity to transform his organization into a beacon for non-violence in the abortion conflict" and that he "should take steps to de-escalate the rhetoric, continue to send strong and consistent messages in opposition to terror [through] the media and to his organization"s members and alert law enforcement to unstable people," such as Tiller"s alleged murderer (Newman/Page, "NOW," PBS, 6/12).
A poll commissioned by comedy channel Gold and to be revealed shows that we Britons are the angriest people in Europe, losing our cool on average four times a day and topping even the Italians and French. And what do we believe makes us most angry? Queue jumpers.
The ways we deal with death are finding a new life online, according to research being published by a Kansas State University journalism professor and her colleague.
The member of parliament for Feltham and Heston Alan Keen MP together with his wife, Health Minister Ann Keen MP,(Brentford & Isleworth) wrote to the UK Autism Foundation wishing the "Scope for Hope" autism charity dinner in Feltham every success. Hundreds attended the glittering event, held at the Royal Naval Association Club in Feltham, Middlesex on Saturday 13th June.
More than half of the UK population feels that a breakdown in communications between healthcare agencies would allow a pandemic outbreak such as swine flu to spread unnecessarily and slow the effective distribution of vaccines, according to a survey by specialist healthcare technology consultants, 21C.
Doctors who ignore the socioeconomic status of patients when evaluating their risk for heart disease are missing a crucial element that might result in inadequate treatment, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study published in the June 2009 American Heart Journal.
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.
The kids are playing in the backyard and enjoying their break from school. Your husband is enjoying the day on the golf course. And you"re cleaning up the house, folding laundry and cooking three meals. Sound familiar?
Computed tomographic (CT) colonography may offer patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer an alternative to colonoscopy that is less-invasive, is better-tolerated and has good diagnostic accuracy, according to a study in the June 17 issue of JAMA.
The following statement was issued by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) regarding a study on biosimilars presented to Congressional staff by the AARP:
If dad looks exhausted this Father"s Day it could be due to his job, suggests new research that found many male employees are now pressured to work up to 40 hours of overtime - often unpaid - per week to stay competitive.
A group of researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University Biological Sciences Professor Aaron Mitchell has identified a novel regulatory gene network that plays an important role in the spread of common, and sometimes deadly, yeast infections. The findings, which establish the role of Zap1 protein in the activation of genes that regulate the synthesis of biofilm matrix, will be published in the June 16, 2009, issue of PLoS Biology, a peer-reviewed open-access journal from the Public Library of Science.
Contur Software, a leading provider of electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) systems, announced added chemistry functionality in iLabber, the company"s recently launched high-end ELN system available as an online service. Using a software as a service (SaaS) model, Contur Software is making iLabber available to individual researchers and smaller R&D organizations that previously have not been able to utilize the advantages of high-end ELN systems due to investments in hardware, licenses and maintenance.
What
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.
A leading Danish cancer hospital has treated its first patient using RapidArc(R) radiotherapy after installing eight advanced radiotherapy treatment machines from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) of Palo Alto, California. Herlev Hospital, to the north-west of Copenhagen, delivered the fast and efficient RapidArc treatment to a prostate cancer patient using a Clinac(R) iX linear accelerator.
Targeting children may be an effective use of limited supplies of flu vaccine, according to research at the University of Warwick funded by the Wellcome Trust and the EU. The study suggests that, used to support other control measures, this could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu.
HIV and sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) Cymru is reminding visitors to Swansea Pride (Saturday 27th June) not to put their sexual health at risk by getting carried away with the party mood.
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.
The American Cancer Society will host its inaugural Corporate Impact Conference June 18-19 in Chicago to help large corporate employers diminish the impact of cancer on the workforce and help improve workplace productivity. "Companies Changing the Course of Cancer" is designed to guide businesses in potentially lowering health care costs related to cancer and improving their overall bottom line.
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 Globe and Mail examines GlaxoSmithKline"s RTS,S malaria vaccine trials in Kilifi, Kenya - one of the sites where the experimental vaccine is being tested. "The stories of the mothers of Kilifi open a window on the challenges faced by researchers as they build a trial that will include more than 16,000 babies from 11 sites spread across sub-Saharan Africa," the Globe and Mail reports.
Endocrine Society Unveils First-Ever Scientific Statement: Inaugural Statement Identifies Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals as a Significant Concern to Public Health
The Endocrine Society is pleased to announce the 2009 Laureate Awards established in 1944 to recognize the highest achievements in endocrinology including: science, leadership, teaching and service. This year"s Laureate Awards were presented at ENDO 09, the 91st Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society, being held June 10-13, in Washington, DC.
Legislation (H.R. 1740, S. 994) proposed in March would help make certain groups of women younger than age 40 aware of their elevated risk for breast cancer, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Tuesday in a news conference sponsored by United Jewish Communities/Jewish Federations of North America, CQ HealthBeat reports. Wasserman Schultz -- who proposed the House bill after announcing that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year -- said that about one in 40 Jewish women of Ashkenazi descent carry the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations, which make them three to seven times more likely to develop breast cancer. The mutations also increase women"s risk for ovarian cancer, according to Wasserman Schultz. Few Jewish women are aware of the mutations, she said. The bill would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a national education campaign aimed at increasing awareness about breast cancer risk factors and promoting early detection of the disease among women younger than age 40. A second CDC campaign would seek to educate health care professionals about specific breast cancer risk factors and treatments. The bill also would develop medical counseling programs for young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Wasserman Schultz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, said they hope the legislation will be enacted by the end of the year (Attias, CQ HealthBeat, 6/16).
ZOLL Medical Corporation (Nasdaq GS: ZOLL), a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, announced that the ambulance service, RAV Gooi en Vechtstreek in Hilversum, The Netherlands, is the first EMS organization to equip its ambulances with a revolutionary new system that allows rescuers to defibrillate a heart without the need to stop chest compressions.
BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMTI) announced it has submitted both the pre-clinical pharmacology/toxicology and quality/manufacturing modules of its Premarket Approval (PMA) application for marketing of Augment Bone Graft in the U.S. These are two of the three parts, or modules, required for a complete PMA application to the FDA. The Company intends to file the third and final module, containing the clinical data, in the fourth quarter of 2009.
VaxInnate Corporation today reported positive preclinical results for a recombinant swine flu vaccine it developed in less than three weeks, making it one of the first companies in the world to begin testing a vaccine that could help halt the spread of the swine flu pandemic.
In the decade since the Implicit Association Test was introduced, its most surprising and controversial finding is its indication that about 70 percent of those who took a version of the test that measures racial attitudes have an unconscious, or implicit, preference for white people compared to blacks. This contrasts with figures generally under 20 percent for self report, or survey, measures of race bias.
A collaboration of researchers, which includes scientists at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) and Virginia Tech, have completed the genome sequence of Azotobacter vinelandii, uncovering important genetic information that will contribute to a more complete understanding of the biology of this versatile, soil-living bacterium. The work will help advance research on A. vinelandii"s role as a model study organism for investigation of nitrogen fixation and other biochemical processes. It will also pave the way for new applications in biotechnology, including the possible use of A. vinelandii as a "factory" for the production of other proteins, in particular those that may be damaged by the presence of oxygen.
A new National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) assay using a "glow or no glow" technique may soon help the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defend the nation against a spectrum of biological weapons that could be used in a terrorist attack. One very dangerous toxin on the list is ricin, a protein derived from castor beans that is lethal in doses as small as 500 micrograms - about the size of a grain of salt.