Nutrition
Congress is turning its" attention to long-term care insurance producing information about how such insurance may help consumers make informed decisions for their long-term care needs.
Legislation seeks to fix Medicare payment rates for doctors, who are routinely underpaid for services in California, while hearings in South Dakota focus on Medicare reimbursement issues in rural areas.
Twenty-five diabetic patients will be given computers that connect them to health care providers to maintain an ongoing dialogue about their condition, and allow doctors to monitor their status, in a new patient-care experiment by Microsoft and the University of Miami, the Miami Herald reports. The patients can send blood-sugar levels and other data in real time, while physicians can "nudge" patient"s who veer from appropriate care "with an e-mail."
Nearly two-thirds (63
Dr. Damon T. Arnold, state public health director, announced a mosquito batch collected in St. Clair County has been confirmed as the first positive West Nile virus test results in southern Illinois this year.
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.
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.
BACKGROUND: Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the so-called "bad cholesterol" often linked to medical problems like heart disease and clogged arteries. Cells in the liver produce a specific receptor that sticks to LDL and removes it from the blood, lowering cholesterol levels. Statin drugs also reduce LDL cholesterol levels by boosting cells" production of the receptor.
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.
When combined with a cocktail of chemotherapy drugs, two monoclonal antibodies, instead of one, appear to offer superior results in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, according to Mayo Clinic researchers working with the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG).
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.
More than 300 infection prevention experts have completed a text that serves as one of the most valuable tools for infection preventionists throughout the world, the APIC Text of Infection Control and Epidemiology. The 1,700-page document, now in its 3rd edition, has been completely revised and is now available, offering a concise information re containing more than 120 expanded and enhanced chapters.
On 16 June, boys living with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, their families and supporters will be lobbying MPs and marching to No. 10 Downing Street to bring an end to the continuing serious under-funding for research into the condition. Results from recent clinical trials into the effectiveness of Exon Skipping as a gene therapy for the treatment of Duchenne have been very promising and scientists say that a cure is tantalisingly close, but more funding is needed. The lobby action is being organised by Action Duchenne, the only UK charity dedicated solely to raising awareness and raising funds for research into treatments and finding a cure, and providing support for families living with Duchenne.
BVA and Animal Health have agreed to undertake a survey/time and motion study of the time taken for on-farm TB testing. This is being undertaken in order to provide an up-to-date assessment of how long each element of an on-farm test takes.
Researchers, doctors and patient groups will today call on
Help is available - and essential - for teenagers struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.
The research group of Dr. Frçİdçİric Charron, a researcher at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montrçİal (IRCM), has made a discovery which could help treat spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. This new finding has been published in the current issue of the prestigious scientific journal Neuron. Patricia T. Yam, Sçİbastien D. Langlois and Steves Morin, all at the IRCM, are listed as co-authors.
Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSPT) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the company that it should expect to receive formal notice of a three month extension of the review period for the new drug application (NDA) for Intermezzo(R) (zolpidem tartrate sublingual tablet). The Intermezzo(R) NDA had been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of July 30, 2009. Under this revised timeline, Transcept now anticipates action from the FDA on the NDA on or before October 31, 2009.
Recently the use of laparoscopy for vascular procedures has been limited by difficulties in aortic exposure and anastomosis techniques, as well as the concurrent competitive progress of endovascular surgery. For aortic repair, best results (in terms of long-term patency) have been obtained by conventional surgery which has been associated short-term morbidity and mortality.
In middle-aged and older men with low testosterone levels, long-term testosterone replacement therapy greatly improves their fatty liver disease and their risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, a new study found. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
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.
UroToday.com - The metabolic syndrome is estimated to occur in 25-35% of U.S. adults and is defined by having >3 of the following 5 features; abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension, and high fasting blood glucose. Studies suggest that the men with the metabolic syndrome are 50% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer (CaP). This report by Jennifer Beebe-Dimmer and colleagues in the online version of Urology examined the association between the metabolic syndrome, its specific features, and CaP in a hospital-based, case-control study of white and African-American (AA) men residing in Detroit, Michigan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that globally a total of 8,840 swine flu A(H1N1) cases of human infection have been confirmed, including 71 deaths (all of them in Mexico, the USA and Canada). The death rate for this novel influenza strain appears to be no different from that of seasonal human influenza. Several countries have now lifted travel restrictions on non-essential visits to Mexico.
On Monday June 15th 2009, it"s the Department of Health"s National Bug Busting Day. It"s the day for families everywhere to check their hair for traces of head lice and nits. In support of this Department of Health incentive, The Hairforce are setting up a Head Lice Check & Clear Hotline (0844 848 5948) for people to call-in and listen to advice about checking and clearing hair.
Health care could be the next Michigan industry to take a tumble, as hospitals anticipate caring for more uninsured patients in the wake of General Motor"s bankruptcy and cuts to the state Medicaid program, the Detroit Free Press reports. "Job seekers will notice fewer openings, as health systems, once a reliable of employment and good benefits, cut their workforce. Patients may see longer waits, particularly in areas like imaging or surgery, hit by drops in business as people without insurance or higher co-pays postpone care," the Free Press reports. "Jack Weiner, CEO of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, said as much as 7%-9% of his hospital"s budget comes from services to autoworkers. Free care at the hospital is up; more people seek costly emergency department care; waits to see an obstetrician at the hospital"s Mercy Place free clinic have stretched to six weeks, up from two, he said."
CombinatoRx, Incorporated (NASDAQ: CRXX) announced the presentation of full data on Synavive (CRx-102) Phase 2 knee osteoarthritis (OA) trial (COMET-1) at EULAR 2009, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Copenhagen on June 12, 2009. The presentation, "CRx-102, a dissociated glucocorticoid (GC), and prednisolone provide safe and effective pain relief in knee osteoarthritis (OA) in a placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial (COMET-1)", Huttner et.al., describes the full, modified intent-to-treat, safety and efficacy results of Synavive in this clinical trial:
New research suggests that patients newly diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who use a short-course of the sleep aid, eszopiclone, when beginning continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, are more adherent with therapy in six months.
Data presented at the 19th Scientific Meeting of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) confirm that Diovan® (valsartan) and valsartan-based combinations deliver sustained, 24-hr blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy2-6.
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.
The Los Angeles County"s Commission on HIV this week backed down on a proposal that would have cut $350,000 from nutrition programs that serve people living with HIV, the Los Angeles Daily News reports. The commission members voted on Thursday to send the proposal back to a committee for further review after protests by food pantry clients and volunteers and staff from AIDS Project Los Angeles, Project Angel Food and other organizations attending a hearing on the issue. While this year"s Ryan White Program funds, which the county uses for its programs, were increased from last year, the bad economy and increasing medical and pharmaceutical costs for people living with HIV prompted the commission to consider using the $350,000 slated for nutrition for other services, according to the Daily News. Roughly 3,000 people use the nutrition services monthly (Abram, Los Angeles Daily News, 6/11).
Protesters gathered outside a Washington, D.C., CVS Pharmacy on Thursday to urge the pharmacy chain to end the practice of locking condoms in display cases in certain neighborhoods, WJLA News reports. The protesters contend that CVS restricts access to condoms in poor black neighborhoods, whose residents may be at higher risk for HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies (WJLA News, 6/11). The protest was a part of a nationwide effort called, "Cure CVS: Unlock the Condoms Initiative," which aims to urge CVS to keep condoms unlocked at all times (Business Wire release, 6/10). CVS said in a statement, "All CVS stores sell condoms that are unlocked and accessible" (WJLA News, 6/11).
The New York Times on Thursday examined how thousands of women have posted videos on YouTube showing themselves giving birth. According to the Times, the women believe the videos help "demystify" childbirth by candidly presenting the process in a manner that pregnant women and their partners otherwise might not see. Along with YouTube, Web sites like Internet chat rooms and pregnancy blogs are helping to shift dynamics between pregnant women and their care providers, the Times reports. Eileen Ehudin Beard, an adviser for the American College of Nurse-Midwives, said, "The more information you have, the more s you have, the more informed you are, the better questions you ask." However, she added that the videos could have negative effects, particularly if they make women more fearful of childbirth. The childbirth videos are relatively controversial because of their graphic nature, which has challenged some of YouTube"s rules and raised issues of propriety. Victoria Grand, the head of policy for YouTube, said that nudity generally is banned from YouTube but that the site "make[s] exceptions for videos that are educational, documentary or scientific." Most childbirth videos on YouTube are age restricted to ages 18 and older. A majority of them show home births because most U.S. hospitals prohibit patients from recording births due to liability concerns, the Times reports. Although childbirth education classes have shown edited videos of births since the 1970s, the Internet and YouTube could change the way such classes are taught, according to Jeanette Schwartz, president of the International Childbirth Education Association. She noted that most videos currently used in childbirth classes are heavily edited and out of date, adding that the YouTube videos "create a wonderful opportunity to show free, real life, candid videos in a classroom setting." Eugene Declercq, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, said, "A hundred and fifty years ago, women viewed birth on a pretty regular basis -- they saw their sisters of neighbors give birth." He said that changed with a trend toward hospital births beginning in the late 19th century. "But now, with YouTube, we"ve come back around and women have this opportunity to view births again," Declercq said (Wollan, New York Times, 6/11).
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~ " White House Leaning Toward Pregnant Women Support Act," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s "God and Country": Congressional sponsors of the Pregnant Women Support Act are "growing more optimistic about prospects for White House support," Gilgoff writes. Antiabortion-rights groups like the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops support the bill, as does Democrats for Life. According to Gilgoff, although the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has not officially come out in opposition to the bill, PPFA opposes provisions that aim to convince women to forgo abortion. The group supports informing women of options without attempting to persuade them in any way, Gilgoff writes. He continues that the White House has not publicly commented on the bill and that aides to President Obama are still working to produce a "common ground" policy related to abortion and other reproductive health issues. However, Gilgoff says that he received an e-mail from a congressional close to the bill who wrote that the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships ""reached out to our office at the staff level for information on [PWSA] to begin what would become a larger dialogue on the issue of abortion reduction."" The e-mail added that there has been continued correspondence on the issue and that a meeting is scheduled in the coming weeks with White House and congressional staff. Gilgoff writes that the also told him that the recent appointment of Alexia Kelley -- former president of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good -- to head the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships could be a sign of the White House"s potential support for the bill, as CACG showed support for PWSA under Kelley. Gilgoff concludes, "It seems more likely that the White House could incorporate less controversial parts of the bill into its own plan around abortion; I doubt President Obama would back legislation that would trigger objections from abortion-rights groups" (Gilgoff, "God and Country," U.S. News & World Report, 6/10).~ "God and Abstinence: State Funding for Religious Agendas," Kathryn Royals, RH Reality Check: None of the speakers at a Mississippi Department of Human Services" recent youth event -- called "Abstinence Works: Let"s Talk About It" -- provided any information "on what to do if abstinence fails," Royals writes. Although the speakers at the event "didn"t talk about abstinence," they "sure did chant, cheer, dance, pray and sing about it," she continues. She notes that the "constant and overzealous" Christianity references at the conference were "wrong" not only because they "ostracized anyone who didn"t prescribe to a particular brand of Christianity," they were "wrong because ... [t]axpayer and state money funded the event." She adds that she "would like to know why scientifically valuable and lifesaving information is being censored and made unavailable, and to what end," noting that speakers at the event offered misogynistic comments and medically inaccurate information but no thoughts on the "proper use of condoms or birth control." Royals also notes that Mississippi ranks No. 1 in the U.S. for teen births and has spent more than $16 million in abstinence-only sex education programs. "I tried to put myself in the place of the kids who attended the pep rally -- I mean, summit," Royals writes, concluding, "I would have walked out ... that day humming a new tune or chanting a new cheer, but my level of sexual education would not have improved. In fact, it would have been dangerously stunted" (Royals, RH Reality Check, 6/10).~ "Ross Douthat"s Abortion Solution: Don"t Let Women Have Abortions," Kathleen Reeves, RH Reality Check: New York Times columnist Ross Douthat argued in a Tuesday opinion piece that "that we should reconsider the conditions for legal abortion, and that stricter regulation of (restriction on) abortion, particularly after the
The American Nurses Association (ANA) applauds the efforts of lawmakers to bring primary care services offered through registered nurses to Medicare beneficiaries in their homes by reintroducing the "Independence at Home Act of 2009" (H.R. 2560/S. 1131). ANA supports this legislation because it provides patients with care options that enhance individual independence and can lead to a better quality of life. This legislation also smartly recognizes the integral role nurses and nurse practitioners play in the delivery of primary care and helps bring the focus of our health care system back where it belongs- on the patient and the community.
It was long believed that conception does not involve a meeting of equals. The egg is a relatively large, impressive biological factory compared with the tiny sperm, which delivers to the egg one copy of the father"s genes. However, a new study from Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah reveals that the father"s sperm delivers much more complex genetic material than previously thought. The findings could lead to a diagnostic test to help couples deal with infertility.
Roughly a billion years from now, the ever-increasing radiation from the sun will have heated Earth into inhabitability; the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that serves as food for plant life will disappear, pulled out by the weathering of rocks; the oceans will evaporate; and all living things will disappear.
Exposure to particulate matter has been recognized as a contributing factor to lung cancer development for some time, but a new study indicates inhalation of certain particulates can actually cause some genes to become reprogrammed, affecting both the development and the outcome of cancers and other diseases.
When a patient"s first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occur in winter, the severity of their RA (as measured by the modified Total Sharp Score, mTSS, an assessment of erosion and joint space narrowing) was rated more severe at six months, when compared to patients whose RA first became symptomatic in summer (Odds Ratio (OR) =2.82 [1.14;7], p=0.0255). Furthermore, RA patients with their first symptoms in spring showed poorer radiographic outcome compared to summer-onset patients (OR=2.83 [1.10;7.37], p=0.0322), according to the results of a new study presented today at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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.
People with memory problems who are depressed are more likely to develop Alzheimer"s disease compared to people who are not depressed, according to a study published in the June 16, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the research also shows that the popular Alzheimer"s drug donepezil may delay the progression to Alzheimer"s disease for depressed people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or memory problems.
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.
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.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced today the appointment of Dr. Alexander (Sandy) McEwan as Special Advisor on Medical Isotopes to the Minister of Health for the duration of the isotope shortage.
Nucletron, a knowledge-based leader in radiation oncology,
Diabetes UK is today bringing together 100 people, including 20 diabetes amputees, at the "Body Worlds and Mirror of Time" exhibition at London"s O2 Arena for a photo call to highlight the fact that diabetes causes 100 amputations a week in the UK.
Regulators have fined a hospital in Lanham, Maryland, for not reporting errors. The Washington Post reports that "Doctors Community Hospital in Prince George"s County has been fined by Maryland health regulators after failing to notify them that a patient had died and that at least seven others suffered serious harm last year as a result of mistakes by the medical staff. The 185-bed medical surgical hospital in Lanham paid the $30,000 fine last month for violating a Maryland law that requires hospitals to report serious medical errors. State officials agreed to reduce a proposed penalty of $95,000 as long as the hospital uses the remaining $65,000 to develop a patient safety program."
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is conducting a three-week tour featuring a mobile testing unit named for former National Basketball Association player Earvin "Magic" Johnson that provides free HIV testing to local residents, WDSU.com reports. During the tour, which recently stopped in New Orleans, AHF will present $5,000 grants to local HIV/AIDS organizations (WDSU.com, 6/14). In related news, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) sponsored a health awareness festival in Pensacola, Fla. that sought to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among the black community as part of its annual state convention. According to Art Rocker, head of the local SCLC chapter, since 2007, there has been an increase in the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in Escambia County, Fla., which prompted the organization to focus its event on HIV/AIDS (Dugas, Pensacola News Journal, 6/14).
The Boston Globe examines the U.S. strategy towards global health aid. "President George W. Bush scored major advances in his administration"s worldwide campaign against AIDS," and "[t]he Obama administration believes it can leverage Bush"s successes into an assault against a much broader array of diseases that afflict poor countries," writes the Globe.
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).
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published an inspection report on the Yorkshire-based independent mental health hospital, Linden House in Market Weighton near York.
Mayo Clinic cardiology researchers have found a peptide that helps preserve and improve kidney function during heart failure, without affecting blood pressure. Earlier variations of this peptide caused blood pressure to drop limiting the potential benefits to the kidneys. The findings appear in the current Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries with plaque buildup, is the underlying cause of heart disease and stroke, which together account for more than half of all death and disability in developed nations. The world"s largest forum for new research on the topic, the International Symposium on Atherosclerosis (ISA), will hold its 15th triennial meeting at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, June 14 to 18.
Research indicating distorted ratios of male to female births among U.S. residents of Chinese, Indian and Korean descent could reflect those families" openness to sex-selection techniques, according to some demographers, the New York Times reports. Historically, male births in the U.S. have led female births by a ratio of 1.05 to 1. A study published last year in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examined 2000 census data and found that among Chinese-, Indian- and Korean-American families, if the first child was a girl, the likelihood that the second child was a boy increased to 1.17 to 1. In addition, if the first two children were girls, the chance that the third was a boy was 1.51 to 1, or about 50% greater than normal. In a study published this year, Jason Abrevaya of the University of Texas examined census data and birth records through 2004, finding that the incidence of boys as third children among immigrant Chinese parents in New York was 558 of every 1,000 births, significantly higher than the national average of 515. Many experts were surprised at the evidence that the cultural preference for sons among some Asian cultures has carried over to immigrants in the U.S., the Times reports. Studies have not demonstrated a slanted proportion of male births among Japanese immigrants, according to the Times. According to demography experts, the deviation toward male births among some Asian-American immigrants reflects both a cultural preference for boys and an increased tendency for families to seek out sex-selection techniques such as in vitro fertilization, sperm sorting or abortion. Some clinics that offer IVF or sperm sorting to select for sex market their services to Asian-American families through advertisements in Indian- and Chinese-language newspapers. In 2001, criticism arose within the Indian-American community about clinics targeting that population, and some community newspapers and magazines expressed regret for publishing advertisements that critics said were perpetuating a misogynistic practice. Joyce Moy, executive director of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute of the City University of New York, said that younger Chinese immigrants have adopted the family values that are common in China -- such as the tradition of elders depending on their sons for support -- even though some of the reasons behind those customs are less relevant in the U.S. Experts say that the preference for male children may fade with further assimilation, the Times reports.In China, sex selection typically is achieved through abortion of female fetuses. Although doctors say the practice also occurs in the U.S., few families discuss it, the Times reports. Lisa Eng, a Hong Kong-born gynecologist who practices in New York City"s Chinatown and Brooklyn, said that she attempts to discourage couples who prefer boys from having abortions. "If it"s going to be a third [child], they"re pretty determined to have a boy," she said, adding, "If it"s a boy, they keep it. If it"s a girl, they"ll abort" (Roberts, New York Times, 6/15).
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.
Ads that feature positive emotions, like happiness, are not always the best way to reach consumers, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.
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 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide guidance to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases. However, what evidence is there that following the DGA optimizes health? Is this advice useful for individuals already in poor health? To study these questions, researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and Wake Forest University devised a statistical model that assessed adherence to the DGA and then related it to progression of atherosclerosis in women. Their results can be found in the July 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The immune system"s T-cells react to foreign protein fragments and therefore are crucial to combating viruses and bacteria. Errant cells that attack the body"s own material are in most cases driven to cell death. Some of these autoreactive T-cells, however, undergo a kind of reeducation to become "regulatory T-cells" that keep other autoreactive T-cells under control. A group led by immunologist Professor Ludger Klein of LMU Munich has now shown that the developmental stage of an autoreactive T-cell is decisive to its ultimate destiny. Young autoreactive T-cells are very readily reeducated into regulatory T-cells. Under identical conditions, however, older T-cells become fully activated and can cause damage - they are in a way resistant to reeducation. "We now intend to study at the molecular level what makes a T-cell accessible for reeducation," said Klein, "because then it may be possible to convert even normal adult T-cells, which can be obtained easily and in great numbers from blood. Possibly, they could then be used as regulatory T-cells in therapies for autoimmune diseases such as type-1 diabetes or multiple sclerosis: these are diseases that are triggered by uncontrolled autoreactive T-cells." (PNAS, 10 June 2009)
More pre-cancerous polyps were found in colonoscopies performed with deep sedation primarily using Propofol than with milder sedation in which patients remained conscious, according to a recent study conducted by Katherine Hoda, M.D. of Oregon Health and Science University. This improvement in cancer detection will save lives and reduce the number of patients requiring surgery and chemotherapy.
HydroCision Inc. announced the launch of its new SpineJet® Percutaneous Access Set for use in herniated disc procedures using its novel cutting-with-water fluidjet technology. "These instruments will assist the company to more quickly capitalize on the double digit growth of the minimally invasive percutaneous discectomy market," says Doug Daniels. "A large driver of procedural growth has been patients who seek out surgeons who perform minimally invasive procedures to reduce down time from work in these tough economic times. This has led to rapid adoption of this new and evolving technique for the treatment of lower back pain by a growing number of neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and interventional pain physicians. This trend has created the need for new instruments that can work through very small incisions."
Cameron Health, Inc. announces CE approval for Cameron Health"s Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator (S-ICD®) System. The minimally invasive S-ICD System is prescribed for use in patients at risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). The system is unique in that the implantation of the system is entirely subcutaneous; no leads are in or on the heart. Additionally, there is no imaging equipment required for placement of the S-ICD System, as all of the components may be positioned using anatomical landmarks.
- 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.
Boston University Biomedical Engineer Joyce Wong will work to create engineered blood vessels aimed at correcting pediatric heart defects under a major grant from The Hartwell Foundation. Wong is one of just 12 researchers nationwide to win the foundation"s prestigious Individual Biomedical Research Award.
Fluoride is a chemical ion of the element fluorine (from the Latin fluo meaning "to flow"), in that fluoride has one extra electron that gives it a negative charge. Fluoride is found naturally in water, foods, soil, and several minerals such as fluorite and fluorapatite. However, it is also synthesized in laboratories where it may be added to drinking water or used in a variety of chemical products.
The University of California, San Francisco, has partnered with Abbott, a global health care company, to launch a first-of-its kind, non-profit viral diagnostics center near the UCSF Mission Bay campus to help identify unknown viruses from around the world.
Sparta Systems, Inc., the maker of TrackWise(R) software and the market leader in enterprise quality and compliance management solutions, outlined its recommendations to help companies prepare for electronic Medical Device Reporting (eMDR), the expected regulation from FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). The mandate will require electronic filing of safety reports for medical device organizations.
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/Mçİdecins Sans Frontiç¨res (MSF), and Epicentre, MSF"s epidemiological research center.
In remarks on health care reform to the American Medical Association"s (AMA) House of Delegates on Monday, President Barack Obama pointed to pharmacists" participation on "multidisciplinary rounds" as an "island of excellence" that should become the "standard in our health care system."
When: 8 July 2009 6:00pm - 8:00pm
The AP/Kansas City Star on Sunday examined how the upcoming election for the next president of the National Organization for Women has brought to the forefront a debate over how the feminist movement should define itself moving forward. NOW President Kim Gandy is stepping down after eight years in which she led the group in opposition to many of former President George W. Bush"s policies. Running to replace her are Latifa Lyles, a 33-year-old who serves as a vice president to Gandy, and Terry O"Neill, a 56-year-old who served as NOW"s vice president for membership from 2001 to 2005. Lyles, who is black, would be NOW"s youngest president while O"Neill, who is white, would be its oldest to start a term. According to the AP/Star, the election represents "both an unusual clash of generations and an opportunity for activists to confront some of the challenges facing the feminist movement." The election will be held at NOW"s conference in Indianapolis this weekend.The candidates share the goals of ensuring that women"s needs are represented in health care reform and economic recovery efforts, and they both support working to make abortion and birth control more accessible. Lyles said she contrasts with NOW"s current membership, which is mostly white and older than age 40. Lyles believes she could help give the organization a more diverse, younger image and help encourage participation from a broader range of women. "The profile of NOW is just as important as the work we do," she said, adding, "There are a lot of antiquated notions about what feminism is." Gandy, who has endorsed Lyles, said, "It"s hard to ignore the fact there"s been a generational shift in the country, and an organization that doesn"t recognize that is living in the past." She added that Lyles" "youth is not a detriment, but an advantage. ... She"ll take NOW to a different level." Jessica Valenti, a prominent younger feminist and founder of the blog Feministing, said, "This could be the moment where NOW becomes super-relevant to the feminist movement again."O"Neill said she would focus on grassroots organizing and membership recruitment. She said that "even with a friend in the White House and a lot of friends in the Congress, it"s going to take well-organized, grassroots movement to advance our agenda." O"Neill added, "I keep hearing "Terry, I want to see more activism in my community,"" adding, "The press releases, the media exposure, invitations to the White House -- these are excellent things, but they"re not enough. The grass roots are not personally engaged." Former NOW President Patricia Ireland, who supports O"Neill, said, "There is a role that requires us to take unpopular stands and push on our friends. That"s what I think [O"Neill] really gets. She"s the one I believe will be very willing to use a wide array of tactics -- not just traditional letters and e-mails, but also engage in civil disobedience, organize fasts, be at some congressman"s district office" (Crary, AP/Kansas City Star, 6/14).
The 150th anniversary of the death of Jacob Bell, founder of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, was remembered on Friday 12 June at a ceremony at his memorial in Woodbury Park Cemetery, Royal Tunbridge Wells.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) welcome the announcement that the European Commission will propose an extension to the derogation that allows the UK - along with Finland, Ireland, Malta and Sweden - to continue to apply stricter controls to the movement of pet animals from other EU Member States for time being.
University of Alberta researchers conducting a water study in the Mackenzie River Delta have found a dramatically higher delivery of mercury from the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean than determined in previous studies.
A new study by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) researchers contradicts the conventional wisdom that living near a fast food outlet increases weight in children and that living near supermarkets, which sell fresh fruit and vegetables as well as so called junk food, lowers weight.
With one in five, or 60 million, Americans suffering from some kind of allergy, spring and summer can be a difficult time of year as pollen, moisture and humidity increase. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies are considered the fifth leading chronic disease and are a major cause of work absenteeism, resulting in nearly four million missed or lost workdays each year.
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.
OptumHealth Inc. announced that it is providing a free help line to people in Missouri and Oklahoma who are trying to cope with the emotional consequences of the recent tornadoes that hit the region. Staffed by experienced master"s-level behavioral health specialists, the free help line offers assistance to callers seeking help in dealing with stress, anxiety and the grieving process. Callers may also receive referrals to a database of community res to help them with specific concerns, such as financial and legal issues.
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.
In a multi-center trial led by a Saint Louis University researcher, investigators found that a new combination therapy of daily consensus interferon and ribavirin helps some hepatitis C patients who have not responded to previous treatment. The findings, published in the June issue of Hepatology, offer a new option for hepatitis C patients, and may be effective even for those patients with factors that make their condition difficult to treat.
Scientists at Harvard University have shown, for the first time, that intelligence varies among individual monkeys within a species - in this case, the cotton-top tamarin.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, announced recently that the Government of Canada is supporting research to find alternatives to nuclear-produced Technetium-99m, the principal medical isotope affected by the current shutdown at the Chalk River nuclear reactor. Health professionals use medical isotopes in combination with imaging technologies to diagnose and treat conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
More than 13,000 people who have lost the ability to make their own decisions die in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales each year after doctors have withheld life-sustaining medical treatment such as CPR.
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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.
CuraGen Corporation (Nasdaq: CRGN) announced that its Phase I/II Trial evaluating CR011-vcMMAE for the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer has met the efficacy criteria for advancement to the second stage of enrollment. To date, 29 patients have been enrolled in this trial, including 15 in the Phase II portion. Two of the first four evaluable Phase II patients were progression-free at 12 weeks, therefore, as part of the Simon 2-Stage design, the Phase II trial will now advance to the second stage and enroll a total of approximately 25 patients. The principal investigator of the study is Dr. Linda Vahdat, Medical Director of the Breast Cancer Research Program and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, /Weill Cornell. CuraGen anticipates presenting updated results from this study during the second half of 2009.
Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Zipsor (diclofenac potassium) Liquid Filled Capsules, a new treatment option indicated for relief of mild to moderate acute pain in adults (18 years of age or older).
The most popular type of gastric bypass surgery appears to nearly double the chance that a patient will develop kidney stones, despite earlier assumptions that it would not, Johns Hopkins doctors report in a new study. The overall risk, however, remains fairly small at about 8 percent.
The histamine-3 receptor is important in terms of alcohol-related behaviour, and a drug affecting that receptor may have qualities that alter alcohol-related behaviour. This appears in the study headed by Pertti Panula entitled "Tuberomamillary nucleus neurons, histamine and H3 receptor in hypothalamic regulation of alcohol addiction" which is part of the Substance Use and Addictions research programme of the Academy of Finland.
The Ozone Man, Inc. (OTCBB: OZOM), dba TOMI Environmental Solutions, or TOMIES, announced today the completion of a deep cleaning treatment of Xaverian High School with a student body of 1400 located in Brooklyn, New York. The Ozone Man"s treatment eliminated contaminants including Swine Flu "H1N1" along with inactivating viruses. The Ozone Man"s treatment also eliminates odor, mold spores and kills bacteria in the treated areas. Its proprietary Ultraviolet Ozone Generators produce the cleanest ozone south of the stratosphere, helping to ensure the health, safety and well being of the building and its inhabitants.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson announced the agency has determined that a public health emergency exists at the Libby asbestos site in northwest Montana. Over the past years, hundreds of asbestos-related disease cases have been documented in this small community, which covers the towns of Libby and Troy. The announcement was made today at a joint press conference with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester.
A group of people living with HIV/AIDS in Madison, Wis., demonstrated in front of the state Department of Health Services to protest what they claim to be inadequate services provided by the AIDS Network and lack of oversight from the state, WISCTV.com reports. State officials conducted a formal review of the nonprofit regarding how the AIDS Network dispersed and tracked services to its clients, and issued the nonprofit 38 directives for corrective action as a result. To date, nearly one-third of the directives have not been fully addressed, according to WISCTV.com. State officials said it will verify compliance on remaining issues in August. AIDS Network Director Karen Dotson said most of the organization"s problems are due to issues related to a new computer system (WISCTV.com, 6/16).
NAEA calls upon Congress to reject the President"s request to eliminate abstinence education funding from the 2010 budget. NAEA also urges the Administration to retract its overreaching decision to zero out abstinence education funding. Abstinence education programs must continue using the same legislative guidelines as have been applied under the previous administrations of Clinton and Bush.
Endocrine Society Unveils First-Ever Scientific Statement: Inaugural Statement Identifies Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals as a Significant Concern to Public Health
Researchers in Japan are reporting new evidence that the ordinary vinegar - a staple in oil-and-vinegar salad dressings, pickles, and other foods - may live up to its age-old reputation in folk medicine as a health promoter. They are reporting new evidence that vinegar can help prevent accumulation of body fat and weight gain. Their study is scheduled for the July 8 issue of ACS" Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
The Premier healthcare alliance has recognized the nation"s top hospitals for their commitment to outstanding patient care and operational efficiency with the 2009 Premier Award for Quality (AFQ). Premier announced the 23 winners of the award, out of more than 3,796 eligible hospitals nationwide, at Premier"s annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition in Anaheim, Calif.
"The need for health reform that provides coverage and high quality, affordable health care for all Americans is clear. Rising health-care costs strain individual, business and government budgets, and projected increases in health spending are not sustainable. The AMA is committed to action to help achieve greater value from our nation"s health-care spending. We want to help bend the spending curve and move forward on health reform.
A Minnesota program that provides psychiatric medications to low-income patients received a 2009 Community Leadership Award honorable mention from America"s Health Insurance Plans. The awards, which were announced at AHIP"s annual Institute in San Diego, recognize programs that address a community need.
CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ:CYTR), a biopharmaceutical research and development company engaged in the development of high-value human therapeutics, announced that tamibarotene, currently under evaluation in a U.S. registration trial as a third-line treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), showed statistically significant anti-tumor activity in human myeloma cells transplanted into animals. Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignant tumor of the plasma cells of bone marrow. Results of the trial were published in the June 2009 peer-reviewed journal Cancer Science (Volume 100, No. 6, Pages 1137-1143).
Cytokinetics, Incorporated (NASDAQ: CYTK) announced that the company has initiated a first-time-in-humans, Phase I clinical trial of CK-2017357 in healthy male volunteers. CK-2017357 is a fast skeletal muscle troponin activator and is the lead drug candidate that has emerged from the company"s skeletal sarcomere activator program. CK-2017357 selectively activates the troponin complex and increases its sensitivity to calcium, subsequently leading to an increase in skeletal muscle force. This mechanism of action has demonstrated encouraging pharmacological activity in preclinical models that may relate to the potential treatment of diseases associated with aging, muscle wasting, and neuromuscular dysfunction.