Diagnostics
Health experts and politicians filled Sunday talk shows as Obama administration officials push for reform.
What"s Up, Docs? The Wall Street Journal
The Inland Empire HIV Planning Council, an agency that makes HIV/AIDS policy in Riverside and San Bernardino counties in California, has begun a three-day summit, where they will determine how funds - primarily from HHS - will be spent, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports. The council, which oversees spending of more than $7 million for HIV/AIDS care and treatment in the counties, said proposed cuts to HIV/AIDS programs and Medi-Cal at the state level "could affect funding and treatment priorities set by the agency," the article states. Joe Acosta, co-chair of the council said they are looking for ways to make up for the expected shortfalls. The council distributes money to about a half dozen agencies in San Bernardino and Riverside counties that provide services to more than 6,800 HIV/AIDS patients, Acosta said" (Hines, 7/18).
To control mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, researchers need to look
In 1989 scientists identified the gene mutation that causes cystic
Most women surgeons would choose their career again, although many would favor more options for part-time or other alternative work schedules, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Two and a half years after children with sleep-related breathing disorders had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids (glands in the back of the throat), they appear to sleep better than they did before the procedure but not as well as they did six months after, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Initial improvements in their behavior were maintained except when measured by an index of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms.
Should the financial ties between doctors and drug companies be completely
The time it takes to map a single human genome could be radically reduced thanks to two new next generation DNA sequencers to be unveiled at The John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR) at The Australian National University tomorrow.
Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AUXL), a specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced that new data from the two-part HYHYHI Study (Hypogonadal Hypotestosteronism in HIV-Seropositive Men) were presented as a poster today at the 5th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. This retrospective chart review, supported by the Company, evaluated the challenges associated with diagnosing low testosterone in men with HIV/AIDS. The study also compared the difference in testosterone levels achieved after 12 months of treatment with either Testim® 1% (testosterone gel) or AndroGel®, two commonly used FDA-approved testosterone replacement products.
Merck & Co., Inc. issued the following statement in response to study results published today by the World Health Organization offering the first evidence that elimination of the tropical disease river blindness (onchocerciasis) in Africa is feasible with treatment with ivermectin (registered trademark Mectizan®). As the discoverer and manufacturer of Mectizan, Merck decided in 1987 to donate the drug to all who need it for as long as necessary until river blindness is eliminated as a public health problem. The Merck Mectizan Donation Program is one of the longest-running disease-specific drug donation and public/private partnership programs in history.
Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMLN), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) and Alkermes, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALKS) today announced positive results from a study comparing subjects randomized to either exenatide once weekly or Lantus® (insulin glargine). Patients randomized to exenatide once weekly experienced a statistically superior reduction in A1C, a measure of average blood sugar over three months, of 1.5 percentage points from baseline, compared to a reduction of 1.3 percentage points for Lantus after completing 26 weeks of treatment. At the end of the study, patients treated with exenatide once weekly achieved a mean A1C of 6.8 percent compared with a mean A1C of 7.0 percent in those treated with Lantus. Treatment with exenatide once weekly also produced a statistically significant difference in weight, with a mean weight loss of 5.8 pounds at 26 weeks, compared with a mean weight gain of 3.1 pounds for Lantus, a difference of 8.9 pounds between the treatments.
Rhode Island Hospital is one of only four sites across the country to participate in a new clinical trial called the DIGNITY Study. The study will investigate the effectiveness of a chemotherapeutic agent, ThermoDox, used in conjunction with mild hyperthermia (a form of heat therapy) for treating recurrent chest wall breast cancer.
It"s easy to explain why we act a certain way by saying "it"s in the genes," but a group of University of Iowa scientists say the world has relied on that simple explanation far too long.
Scientists at the University of Leicester are investigating how the stuff of stink bombs and flatulence could play a critical role in the human reproductive system.
Prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can adversely affect a child"s intelligence quotient or IQ, according to new research by the the Columbia Center for Children"s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health. PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco. In urban areas motor vehicles are a major of PAHs. The study findings are published in the August 2009 issue of Pediatrics.
A new protein identified as critical to insulating the wiring that connects the brain and body could one day be a treatment target for divergent diseases, from rare ones that lower the pain threshold to cancer, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
Researchers from the Molecular Immunology group at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany have now shown that Beta-Interferon also plays a crucial role during an immune response: without Beta-Interferon immune cells are unable to show "wanted posters" of pathogens to other cells. As a consequence, these cells will not recognize the pathogen and the immune response does not start properly. The group"s results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific magazine Journal of Immunology.
CSIRO Entomology"s Dr Matt Colloff"s book, Dust Mites , is an exposç© of the lives of house dust mites, the problems they cause, how they cause them and what measures can be taken to control their numbers.
The risk of developing breast cancer due to taking hormone replacement therapy appears to be the same for women with a family history of the disease and without a family history, a University of Rochester Medical Center study concluded.
Affymax, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFY) announced that the independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC), which provides oversight for the Phase 3 program for Hematide™, has completed another review and has informed the company that the cumulative safety data generated thus far from the EMERALD and PEARL Phase 3 trials support continuation of the studies. In the Phase 3 program, Hematide is being evaluated to treat anemia in chronic renal failure patients on dialysis and not on dialysis.
A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and Baystate Medical Center at Tufts University in Massachusetts concludes that patients facing coronary artery bypass surgery should, as a first priority, select a medical facility that has the highest adherence to quality standards.
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, announced results from a Phase 1 cardiac safety study of picoplatin, a new generation platinum-based chemotherapy agent and the Company"s lead product candidate. The Company worked collaboratively with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to design this study, which is required for new chemical entities.
An updated Cochrane review finds that progressive resistance muscle training improves strength in older adults and enhances their ability to do daily tasks such as walking, climbing steps or getting out of a chair.
Secondhand smoke (SHS) is not only a nuisance, but a potential health concern for many college students, and administrators should be taking steps to reduce students" exposure, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
A new paper to be published in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist (TOG) examines the relationship between abortion and domestic violence. The authors call for greater awareness about domestic violence, and underline the need to support women seeking to terminate unwanted pregnancies associated with intimate partner violence.
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) on Monday said that he and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) are negotiating to resolve the concerns of antiabortion-rights Democrats who want to exclude abortion coverage from the House health reform bill (HR 3200), Dow Jones reports. Stupak said that the compromise would affect how state abortion laws are handled under the bill (Yoest, Dow Jones, 7/20.). According to the AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stupak did not give details on the negotiations, and aides said that no final deal has been reached (Werner, AP/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/21).Stupak said that he and Waxman"s staff discussed the compromise over the weekend. According to Stupak, a compromise could be voted on this week as an amendment during the committee"s markup of the bill. According to Dow Jones, Stupak holds a key vote on the health bill, which faces opposition from some other conservative Democrats on the panel over costs. His comments on Monday suggest "an easing of tensions" between antiabortion-right Democrats and supporters of the bill, Dow Jones reports. Stupak and 19 other House Democrats last week sent a letter to party leaders stating that they "cannot support a health care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health plan." They also stated that they want to ensure that a health benefits advisory council created under the bill "cannot recommend abortion services be included under covered benefits or as part of a benefits package." The advisory council would make recommendations to the HHS secretary, who would make final determinations on what public and private plans would be required to cover in a health insurance exchange. Stupak said that the two sides are "working in good faith" and that other members of the committee should not push their own abortion-related amendments (Dow Jones, 7/20). On Monday, committee voted 20-35 to reject an amendment, offered by Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.), that would have eliminated a provision requiring states to adhere to minimum benefits requirements that employer-sponsored insurance must include. Deal said that states could be required to cover abortion or "out of mainstream" services. Stupak responded, "I hope we"re not going to start using reproductive rights as a red herring on every amendment that comes up." Panel Approves Sex Education AmendmentThe panel voted 33-23 to approve an amendment that would authorize $250 million through 2014 for "evidence-based" sex education programs for teenagers. Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), who offered the amendment, said that abstinence-only programs would not be excluded if they are proven effective. Following debate on Capps" amendment, Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) offered an amendment that would reauthorize the Title V abstinence-only sex education program. Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said that Title V "has been a failure," adding that 25 states refused to accept the money through the program because it is ineffective. Terry"s amendment was rejected 26-29.The committee also voted 36-23 to adopt an amendment that would provide $150 million in grants through 2014 to state and local governments and not-for-profits for educating residents in "medically underserved" areas on various topics, including sexual behavior (Wayne, CQ Today, 7/21).
Four newspapers recently published editorials responding to last week"s confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Summaries appear below.~ Boston Globe: Sotomayor "far surpassed" the "meager standard" of "just [having] to avoid saying anything damaging," according to a Globe editorial. During the hearings, she "made it clear she believes that Supreme Court justices base their decisions on the Constitution, the law and the relevant precedents," and her "judicial record offers no reason to think otherwise," the editorial states. It continues that "the hearings did nothing to undermine -- and much to underscore -- the notion that Sotomayor has the right temperament, intellect and credentials for the Supreme Court. She should be confirmed" (Boston Globe, 7/20).~ New York Times: The Senate "has learned more than enough about [Sotomayor"s] qualifications to give her a seat on the court," according to a Times editorial. However, "[i]t would also be good if senators -- and the nation -- had a deeper sense of her views on some of the most pressing legal questions of our times," the editorial continues. It adds, "We were disappointed that at her confirmation hearings last week, she continued what is becoming an unbreakable habit of nominees dodging controversy." For example, "[w]e would have liked to hear her boldly defend the idea of the Constitution as a living document, one that changes with the times," and "we would have preferred if she had used the hearings to explain to the public that the much-mentioned distinction between judges making and applying the law has little meaning," the editorial states. Sotomayor "avoided saying much of substance about abortion rights, the scope of presidential power, and other hot-button issues," although this is "not entirely her fault," as the "Senate has shown repeatedly that it will tolerate this sort of evasion." However, "the public has a right to know where judicial nominees stand on important legal issues that will have a direct impact on their lives," the editorial states. It concludes, "We hope the Senate confirms her without delay so we can see more clearly what her contribution will be" (New York Times, 7/21).~ Washington Post: During her confirmation hearings, Sotomayor "proved herself well-qualified and worthy of confirmation," according to a Post editorial. The editorial continues, "She spoke convincingly about her belief in and record of consistently respecting legislative prerogatives -- an approach that signals a modest style of judging." Although the hearings focused on Sotomayor defending her previous speeches and comments, her "attempts to explain away and distance herself" from the statement that a wise Latina might make a better decision than a white man "were unconvincing and at times uncomfortably close to disingenuous, especially when she argued that her reason for raising questions about gender or race was to warn against injecting personal biases into the judicial process." The editorial adds, "Her repeated and lengthy speeches on the matter do not support that interpretation." According to the Post, "It"s too bad that she felt she had to disavow her true intent, because, though a wise Latina won"t necessarily judge better than a white man would, diversity on the bench is indeed important" (Washington Post, 7/19).~ Washington Times: During the hearings, Republican senators "failed to ask questions of great relevance to public understanding of the judge"s record and integrity," a Times editorial states. The editorial continues, "They owe it to all Americans to get tough enough to force an examination of whether the judge may have perjured herself during her testimony." According to the editorial, "The questions for which Judge Sotomayor"s answers are almost impossible to believe involved legal briefs on abortion cases that were filed by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund during the 12 years Judge Sotomayor sat on its board." Republican senators also "failed to ask sharp f
Medical device pioneer Stentys announced that it has established U.S. operations in Princeton, N.J., where the Company will focus its R&D efforts. The Princeton operation will be the cornerstone of the Company"s efforts when seeking FDA clearance to market its self-expanding and disconnectable stent platform.
The Connecticut legislature used its override in both chambers to undo seven vetoes by the governor, including one to cover most Connecticut residents, called SustiNet, The Hartford Courant reports: "Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney said that healthcare, "in many ways, has become a cloud of worry"" over much of society. SustiNet"s nine-member board of directors will study the issue (covering people and cost) for 17 months before giving its recommendations to the legislature in January 2011" (Keating, 7/20).
Dietitians of Canada (DC) released a report today describing the integral role played by registered dietitians, as members of multi-disciplinary teams that contribute to promoting and supporting health among Canadians. The Role of Registered Dietitians in Primary Health Care: Moving Forward - A National Perspective presents evidence for the cost-effectiveness of nutrition services in the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer and heart disease.
James W. Saxton, Esq., Chair of Stevens & Lee"s Health Care Litigation Group and Co-Chair of the Health Care Department, presented "EMR Risk in 2009 and Beyond," at the annual meeting of the Physician Insurers Association of America in Kona, HI on May 14, 2009.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain pledged to continue to build a
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today (22 July) published guidance on the use of rituximab for the first line treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The guidance recommends that rituximab should be considered asa possible first treatment for people with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia who are able to take fludarabine in combination with cyclophosphamide.
Healthy, normal-weight women pregnant with twins should gain between 37 and 54 pounds, according to research from a Michigan State University professor who helped shape the recently released national guidelines on gestational weight gain.
Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd, a specialty pharmaceuticals company, announced today results from a comparative clinical study. The results demonstrate that the company"s two strength Anti-Acne kits achieved pronounced efficacy and markedly improved tolerability. The study will be presented at the 10th International Congress of Dermatology in Prague, May 20-23, 2009.
Chinese patients will soon have the opportunity to take part in a study of a novel therapy aimed at reversing the autoimmune disease, ankylosing spondylitis. Approximately 200 patients will be chosen to participate in a clinical trial that aims to merge the latest molecular discoveries published by the California non-profit Autoimmunity Research Foundation (ARF) with the medical expertise of physicians and researchers at West China Hospital.
A pioneering University of Wolverhampton lecturer has won a ÷£25,000 grant to research the healing effect of sugar on cuts and wounds.
The Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) and SDI, a U.S. private-sector healthcare information company, announced the formation of the European Paediatric Influenza Analysis (EPIA) group, created to generate data needed to inform the decision process about paediatric influenza vaccination policy in individual European countries. Researchers from Denmark, England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain and Wales are participating; it is hoped that other countries will also join. EPIA was formed to address knowledge gaps highlighted in a recent European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) report that concluded that a key barrier to decision-making about paediatric flu vaccines is the lack of high-quality, European-specific data on disease burden, especially for young children. It is estimated by ECDC that at least 40,000 people die each year from influenza in the European Union (EU). EPIA will present the initial results from their research project at the 27th annual meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID) in June.
A new technique that detects the HIV virus early and monitors its development without requiring refrigeration may make AIDS testing more accessible in sub-Saharan Africa.
As the ESC Congress 2009 draws ever closer, the evidence in favour of a healthy lifestyle for the prevention of cardiovascular disease grows ever stronger. Prevention is the highlight theme of this year"s event, which will take place in Barcelona from 29 August to 2 September. Lifestyle factors are heavily on the agenda.
A paper in this week"s Lancet raises questions about the transparency, accountability and governance of the Gates Foundation (GF). This Health Policy paper is written by Dr David McCoy, Centre for International Development, UCL (University College London), UK, and colleagues. An Editorial and Comment accompany the piece.
Purdue University researchers have created magnetically responsive gold nanostars that may offer a new approach to biomedical imaging.
The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget released "Health Care and the Federal Budget," documenting the alarming state of the U.S. health care system with a special focus on the role of health care in the federal budget.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are
The National Neutropenia Network (NNN) and the Severe Chronic Neutropenia International Registry (SCNIR) will host the 9th Annual Neutropenia Family Conference in Ann Arbor, Mich., on July 24-26, at the Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest.
Researchers from Cincinnati Children"s Hospital Medical Center have discovered that a specific gene - Sox17 - plays an important role in directing cells to become part of the pancreas or part of the bile duct (used in the digestion of food).
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), announced that its Endeavor drug-eluting stent (DES) is the first and only coronary stent to have received CE (Conformité Européene) Mark approval for treating patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which includes unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as heart attack.
AnaSpec has introduced a wide selection of membrane potential fluorescent probes.
The United States will start human trials of an experimental vaccine for preventing the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus in August; the first
The California Medical Association today praised the state Department of Insurance (DOI) for conducting a public hearing this week on its proposed regulations to prevent private insurers from unjustly canceling health coverage for patients after they get sick and file an expensive claim. The DOI released the proposed regulations last month.
UK Advocates (UKA), a new charitable campaign group dedicated to helping the still suffering alcoholic achieve lasting sobriety, has welcomed the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Alcohol Misuse report published which calls for urgent action to address serious shortcomings in the treatment of alcohol dependents in England.
Radiotherapy is also known as radiation therapy, radiation oncology and XRT. It is used for treating cancer, thyroid disorders and some blood disorders. Approximately 40% of cancer patients undergo some kind of radiotherapy. It involves the use of beams of high-energy X-rays or particles (radiation) to destroy cancer cells. Radiotherapy works by damaging the DNA inside the tumor cells, destroying their ability to reproduce.
Asthma UK"s team of clinical experts is offering important advice on how people with asthma can help protect themselves against swine flu now and into the autumn.
The U.N. on Tuesday said "it is running a record funding-shortfall of $4.8 billion for its aid operations in 16 crisis-ridden countries" and has received "less than half of the $9.5 billion it needs to carry out it humanitarian operations this year," VOA News reports (Schlein, 7/21).
Results show percutaneous mitral repair using the MitraClip(R) system in symptomatic high-risk surgical patients with either functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) or degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) improves patient clinical status. The results from the 78 patient EVEREST II High Risk Registry demonstrated improvement in left ventricular function and reduced hospitalization for congestive heart failure for both MR groups at twelve months. Additionally, a reduction in mortality compared to the predicted mortality risk of surgery was reported for the registry. The results of the High-Risk Registry were presented at the third annual meeting of EuroPCR, the official congress of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).
The August issue of the journal Anesthesiology, contains a study on potential long-term adverse effects resulting from blood transfusion and reveals that moderate amounts of transfused blood in patients in patients undergoing cardiac surgery did not lead to long-term health problems or increased death rates for the majority of recipients.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed a new anesthetic agent, which they think could be a breakthrough in the quest to discover drugs that retain beneficial anesthetic properties while reducing unwanted and occasionally dangerous side effects.
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) unveiled its new PLEX-ID system currently in development for detecting and characterizing a wide range of pathogens, including infectious agents commonly transmitted in hospitals and other clinical sites. PLEX-ID is the next generation of Abbott"s Ibis T5000™ Biosensor System and is among an innovative portfolio of instruments and tests the company is featuring this week at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry"s 2009 Clinical Lab Expo.
Over the last four years, heart specialists at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center have implanted an innovative aortic heart valve replacement using a catheter-based approach that does not require open-heart surgery in a total of 100 patients -- the most of any U.S. medical center to date.
The role of a protein called XIAP in the regulation of cell death has been identified by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers and has led them to recommend caution when drugs called IAP inhibitors are used to treat cancer patients with underlying liver conditions.
When the Apollo 11 crew got back from the moon, 40 years ago this week, they showed no ill effects from seven days spent in weightlessness. But as American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts began conducting longer-duration space flights, scientists noticed a disturbing trend: the longer humans stay in zero gravity, the more muscle they lose. Space travelers exposed to weightlessness for a year or more - such as those on a mission to Mars, for example - could wind up crippled on their return to Earth, unable to walk or even sit up.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has announced that a study published online in the peer-reviewed journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health found once-daily Vyvanse® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII significantly reduced the symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children aged 6 to 12 from the first time point measured (1.5 hours) up to the last time point assessed (13 hours) after administration. In this pediatric analog classroom study, treatment with Vyvanse was associated with significant improvement in behavior and attention in children at each time point measured, with improvement at 13 hours after administration.
Scientists have launched a project to make hair dye out of seaweed from around the Shetland Islands.
Foot & Ankle Specialist (FAS), published by SAGE, has been accepted for inclusion in MEDLINE, the premier bibliographic database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), containing more than 16 million journal article citations.
Psychopharmaceutical use has risen over recent years. This is fact, but what is not clear is the reason why. Researchers from four Madrid-based health centres have shown that family conflict is not a significant factor. However, the results published in the journal AtenciÃön Primaria are striking: in Spain, 24% of women take antidepressants and more than 30% take tranquillisers.
The 2009 Cancer Congress Update held at the Park Plaza hotel in central London was hailed a resounding success by clinicians from the worlds of breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and haematological cancer.
Whites experiencing depression are far more likely to be diagnosed by a physician than other ethnic groups, according to a new Consumer Health Sciences (CHS) study presented today at the 14th Annual ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research) Conference in Orlando, Florida. The study reveals that 76% of whites with self-reported depression symptoms are officially diagnosed, compared to just 58.7% of blacks, 62.7% of Hispanics and 47.4% of Asians.
Vets are not being adequately trained to deal with the increasing "customer care" expectations of dog-owners, reveals a small study published in this week"s Veterinary Record.
Earlier this month the University of Wisconsin Cancer Center Riverview became the first medical facility in the world to treat patients with a breakthrough treatment of skin cancer. Located within Riverview Hospital, Wisconsin Rapids, the UW Cancer Center Riverview is the first to treat skin cancer patients with the FDA-cleared Axxent(R) Electronic Brachytherapy System from Xoft, Inc. Electronic Brachytherapy, eBx(TM) , delivers a high therapeutic dose to a cancer tumor while sparing nearby normal tissue by using a miniaturized X-ray rather than radioactive isotopes.
Most cancers are rare in people with Down syndrome, whose overall cancer mortality is below 10 percent of that in the general population. Since they have an extra copy of chromosome 21, it"s been proposed that people with Down syndrome may be getting an extra dose of one or more cancer-protective genes. The late cancer researcher Judah Folkman, MD, founder of the Vascular Biology Program at Children"s Hospital Boston, popularized the notion that they might be benefiting from a gene that blocks angiogenesis, the development of blood vessels essential for cancer"s growth, since their incidence of other angiogenesis-related diseases like macular degeneration is also lower. A study from Children"s confirms this idea in mice and human cells and identifies specific new therapeutic targets for treating cancer.
The National Changing Diabetes((R)) Program (NCDP), a program of Novo Nordisk, and several member associations today urged President Obama and members of Congress to make the prevention, detection and treatment of diabetes, one of the nation"s most pervasive and costly diseases, a priority in reforming the U.S. healthcare system.
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication in patients in intensive care. A new laboratory test called urine neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) helps predict if patients will develop acute kidney injury, reports an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). "As a stand-alone marker, urine NGAL performed moderately well in predicting ongoing and subsequent AKI," comments T. Alp Ikizler, MD (Vanderbilt University).
The American Academy of Ophthalmology announced the participants for its 2010 Leadership Development Program (LDP), an annual program designed to recognize and support ophthalmologists with the potential to become leaders in ophthalmic societies.
As part of a multi-center clinical trial, UC San Diego Medical Center is evaluating the safety and effectiveness of a potential new way to treat angina by injecting a protein that stimulates the growth of new oxygen-rich blood vessels directly into the heart. Angina is a debilitating form of chest pain caused by coronary artery disease that affects more than nine million Americans.
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) welcomes the Federal Government"s announcement of funding to upgrade the skills of workers in aged care.
A protein from algae may have what it takes to stop Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) infections, according to new research. A recent study has found that mice treated with the protein, Griffithsin (GRFT), had a 100 percent survival rate after exposure to the SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), as compared to a 30 percent survival for untreated mice.
"Will failing to reform health care have the same consequences for Obama"s administration as it did for Clinton"s?" CNN asks.
Vitamin D may slow the progressive decline in the ability to breathe that can occur in people with asthma as a result of human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania.
A San Mateo County, Calif., program that provides in-home case management services for people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as other programs that assist people living with the virus, could be eliminated, forcing patients to obtain more expensive outpatient care, if proposed state budget cuts are approved, the San Francisco Examiner reports. John Conley, director of public health programs for San Mateo County, said case management services are alternatives to hospitalization or nursing facility care, which are more expensive. "Additionally, the state"s AIDS office will not allow municipalities to make reductions to case management activities or other requirements such as client/staff ratios, according to county officials," the Examiner reports. Conley said, the state is paying half the costs of the program, but the program is "becoming very, very expensive to run" (Koskey, 7/23).
The Alabama Department of Corrections has expanded to all inmates a re-entry program that provides newly released inmates with HIV/AIDS "with information on obtaining licenses [and] other documents and preparing for returning to life outside prison," the AP/USA Today/Montgomery Advertiser reports (Hunter, 7/22). "In the past, prisoners at the end of their sentences were sent back into the free world with minimal assistance, not the in-depth services the inmates with HIV and AIDS had received," according to AP/WZTV.com. The expanded Alabama Prison Initiative will allow all inmates to enroll in classes that provide them with "practical tips" and guidance "that will hopefully help keep them from returning," the AP/WZTV.com reports (7/22). AIDS Alabama CEO Kathie Hiers said, "We"ve seen it help so much in the HIV community. They"re smart to take a good program and expand it" (Hunter, 7/22).
Volunteers are needed for the final phase of a Diabetes UK-funded study investigating whether flavonoids - compounds found in chocolate - can protect older women with diabetes from heart disease.
In her 1984 boot camp graduation photo, Adrienne Fitts is smiling. Her hair is neatly groomed, her Navy cap and dress whites are spotless and she is regulation fit and trim.
Dog breeds selected to work in visual contact with humans, such as sheep dogs and gun dogs, are better able to comprehend a pointing gesture than those breeds that usually work without direct supervision. A series of tests, described in BioMed Central"s open access journal Behavioral and Brain Functions, should caution researchers against making simple generalizations about the effects of domestication and on dog-wolf differences in the utilization of human visual signals.
It may be possible to improve impaired attention after stroke - which could aid recovery - according to research reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
New data collected at Columbia University Medical Center and by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine are helping researchers understand the extent to which a certain protein - NGAL - can play a significant role in marking chronic kidney disease resulting from HIV while at the same time distinguishing nephropathy from more common causes such as diabetes and hypertension.
Join America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) September 13 - 17, 2009, along with senior health insurance plan executives, policymakers, and federal and state representatives for updates, analyses, and discussion on the leading issues for health insurance plans participating in Medicare and Medicaid. Whatever is of special interest to you, AHIP"s Medicare & Medicaid Conferences offer sound public policy analyses and access to best practices and insights to help you strengthen your work serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
Gangrene occurs when tissue dies (necrosis) because its blood supply is interrupted. Gangrene may be caused by an infection, injury, or a complication of a long-term condition that restricts blood circulation. It most commonly occurs in the extremities - the toes, fingers, arms and legs - but internal organs and muscles may also become gangrenous. There are five main types of gangrene: 1. Dry gangrene. 2. Wet gangrene. 3. Gas gangrene. 4. Internal gangrene. 5. Fournier"s gangrene.
Bayer HealthCare AG and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that their first cooperative group-sponsored randomized Phase II trial in advanced metastatic breast cancer met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival. The study evaluated Nexavar® (sorafenib) tablets in combination with the oral chemotherapeutic, capecitabine, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER-2 negative breast cancer. Study findings demonstrated that the median progression-free survival was extended in patients treated with Nexavar and capecitabine compared to patients receiving capecitabine and placebo. These results were statistically significant (p-value = 0.0006). In this trial, the safety and tolerability of the combination was as expected and did not show any new or unexpected toxicities. A complete data analysis from this study is expected to be presented at an upcoming scientific meeting.
Lancet Commends U.K. All-Parliamentary Group on AIDS Call For HIV Drug Patent Pool
Current treatment of cystic echinococcosis is surgery or percutaneous aspiration, injection and reaspiration (PAIR) using hypertonic saline or ethanol. It is aimed at causing permanent damage to the endocyst - the thin, delicate, and translucid inner membrane that produces the cystic fluid and generates new larval elements able to expand the infestation. Surgery and PAIR on liver and lung can result in biliary or bronchial fistulae, prompted by endocyst detachment; chemical cholangitis or pneumonia, due to passing of hypertonic saline or ethanol into the biliary or bronchial tree; and infection or abscess on the residual cyst cavity.
New research shows that training your brain may be just as effective as training your muscles in preventing ACL knee injuries, and suggests a shift from performance-based to prevention-based athletic training programs.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced that Energy Department-funded researchers have won 46 of the 100 awards given out this year by R&D Magazine for the most outstanding technology developments with promising commercial potential. The coveted awards are presented annually in recognition of exceptional new products, processes, materials or software developed throughout the world and introduced into the market the previous year.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it has issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a another diagnostic test for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, whose spread has caused the virus to be characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
Concussion is also known as mild brain injury, mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), mild head injury and minor head trauma. Some experts define concussion as a head injury with temporary loss of brain function, which can cause cognitive, physical and emotional symptoms. Concussion may also be defined as an injury to the brain generally caused by a jolt or blow to the head - in the majority of cases the individual does not lose consciousness.
The European Medicines Agency"s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has concluded that there is no cause for concern of the risk of cancer for people with diabetes on insulin glargine (Lantus).
Roofing companies in Greater Manchester are being urged to make safety one of their top priorities after a man fell through the roof of a Swinton factory.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD) received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommending expanded marketing authorisation for "Isentress" (raltegravir) in combination with other antiretroviral (ARV) medicinal products for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in all appropriate adult patients, including patients starting HIV therapy for the first time (treatment-naç¯ve), as well as treatment-experienced patients. The positive opinion will be reviewed by the European Commission, which grants marketing authorisation to the 27 countries that are members of the European Union (EU), as well as Iceland and Norway.
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC) announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial of PTC299 in adult patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disorder that causes the development of non-malignant brain tumors. PTC299 is a novel, orally administered investigational new drug that is designed to selectively block tumor-related vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). With its novel mechanism of action, PTC299 has the potential to meet significant unmet medical need in NF2 and other conditions resulting from the overexpression of VEGF.
Lutonix, Inc., a privately held medical device start-up, announced that patient enrollment is underway for its three simultaneous first-in-human clinical trials. The three studies are designed to test whether the proprietary Lutonix Drug Coated Balloon (DCB) Catheter is safe and effective in the treatment of vascular narrowing.
Smoking has once again been implicated in the development of advanced cancer. Exposure to nicotine by way of cigarette smoking may increase the likelihood that pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma will become metastatic, according to researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson. Their study was published in the August edition of the journal Surgery.
Scientists are closer to understanding how to grow replacement bones with stem cell technology, thanks to research published in the journal Nature Materials.
The House on Friday voted 264-153 to approve its fiscal year 2010 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill (HB 3293) after voting on five amendments addressing price and policy issues, CQ Today reports. The bill would appropriate $730.5 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to begin markup of its version of the bill on July 28.The House voted 183-247 to reject an amendment offered by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) that would have prohibited family planning funding through the Title X program to Planned Parenthood clinics. The House also voted 211-218 to reject an amendment by Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) that would have stripped language to lift the ban on federal funding for needle-exchange programs. Lawmakers did approve an amendment offered by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) to strip $5 million in funding for three NIH grants to study the HIV/AIDS risks associated with alcohol and substance use among sex workers in Asia and alcoholics in Russia (Wolfe, CQ Today, 7/24).
A recent audit by the U.S. Agency for International Development"s inspector general has "raised questions about several USAID expenditures" on a number of "faith-based" projects initiated during former President George W. Bush"s administration, a Los Angeles Times editorial says. Among other issues, the report highlighted "the use of instructional materials, including biblical references," in an HIV/AIDS prevention program that promoted sexual abstinence in Africa, the editorial continues. It adds that USAID said that it "stopped allowing "religiously infused" curricula after the Justice Department expressed legal qualms."According to the Times, the issue raises several questions, including whether the U.S. Constitution is "violated when U.S. officials abroad ... endorse religious activities in the furtherance of this nation"s foreign policy." It states, "Our answer is no, but policymakers still need to be cautious about mixing religion and diplomacy" (Los Angeles Times, 7/24).
Several news organizations have published lists to explain health care reform legislation.
"Premiums for small employers have been rising by double-digit increases for a few years, and they don"t have the negotiating power of larger employers," the Hartford (Conn.) Courant reports. This year"s increases are even higher than usual, on top of an economic recession. Connecticut businesses are resorting to drastic measures to preserve employee"s coverage, or are forced to drop it all together.
A study published in today"s issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine provides further reinforcement that tight control of blood glucose as soon as possible after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes yields long-term benefits with regard to lowering the rates of eye, kidney and heart complications associated with diabetes. These findings stem from the landmark Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and its follow-up study, the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC), both funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The Health-Care Sacrifice The Washington Post
UNICEF Using SMS Text Messages To Fight Polio In Zambia
The House on Friday passed a $730.5 billion bill (HR 3293) "to fund health, education and labor programs in fiscal 2010 after narrowly defeating an attempt to strip language that would lift the ban on federal needle exchange programs," in the U.S., CQ Today reports (Wolfe, 7/24). Lawmakers voted 211-218 to reject an amendment by Mark Souder (R-Ind.) that sought to keep the ban in place, the AP/Lewiston Sun Journal reports (Taylor, 7/25). The bill that passed includes a restriction against using federal funds for needle exchanges within 1,000 feet of day care centers, schools, parks, playgrounds, pools and youth centers, the Washington Post reports.
A drug used to remove iron from the body could help doctors fight one of diabetes" cruelest complications: poor wound healing, which can lead to amputation of patients" toes, feet and even legs.
A team of researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have solved the mystery of why some children are more susceptible to malaria infection and anemia. These novel findings suggest that some children who are exposed to Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) malaria before birth become tolerant to the malaria parasites, or their soluble products. This tolerance, which persists into childhood, reduces the ability of the immune system to attack and destroy parasites and increases the susceptibility of these children to develop a malaria infection. It also increases their risk for anemia. The study, published in this week"s issue of the open access journal, PLoS Medicine, is led by Indu Malhotra, Ph.D., and Christopher King, M.D., Ph.D., professor of international health, medicine, and pathology, with their colleagues at the Center for Global Health and Diseases at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and their Kenyan colleagues at the Kenya Medical Research Institute and Division of Vector Borne Diseases.
Program is top priority under new health care imperatives to reduce the rate of 30-day readmissions
Men with early stages of prostate cancer who delay radical treatment in favor of an approach of "expectant management" do not have high levels of anxiety and distress. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the September 1, 2009 issue of Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study"s results suggest that living with untreated cancer is not upsetting for many patients with early prostate cancer.
Long-term survivors of cancer that developed in adulthood are at increased risk of experiencing serious psychological distress, according to a report in the July 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
We"ve all experienced it after long hours driving, the eyelids getting heavy, a deep yawn, neck muscles relaxing, the urge to sleep, the head nodding down... But, you"re hands are still on the wheel and you only just stopped yourself nodding off in time to avoid the oncoming traffic.
The University of Southern Nevada (USN) College of Nursing has been granted provisional approval by the Utah Board of Nursing to begin offering its 18-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the university"s campus located 10920 South River Front Parkway in South Jordan.
Nanoparticles are being developed to perform a wide range of medical uses -- imaging tumors, carrying drugs, delivering pulses of heat. Rather than settling for just one of these, researchers at the University of Washington have combined two nanoparticles in one tiny package.
President Barack Obama will join AARP leaders and members tomorrow for the next in a series of national tele-town hall meetings on the need for quality, affordable health care choices for every American. The Association"s town hall meetings have now reached nearly one million of its members and volunteers nationwide.
Since the groundbreaking 2002 ISAT International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) which ultimately was halted due to overwhelming evidence that minimally invasive coiling (an endovascular therapy) was, on average, superior to traditional surgical clipping in the treatment of brain aneurysms many studies have continued to prove the short and long-term viability of this procedure. Further technical refinements for coiling are underway all over the world.