- Make Informed Medical Device Purchasing Decisions - ECRI Simplifies The Search For Suppliers And Ser
When it's your job to make medical equipment purchases, you want to be sure you're making well-informed decisions. ECRI, an independent health services research agency, is here to help. ECRI's Health Devices International Sourcebase and 2007 Health Devices Sourcebook are now available with critical information needed by healthcare materials managers, purchasers, and biomedical engineers. - Please Exhale: Quick And Easy Breath Analysis
When we drink alcohol, its "flag" precedes us, and enjoyment of large amounts of garlic or onion can often be detected by others the next morning. - It's The Heat And The Humidity: How Each Worsens Gout Symptoms
Climatic factors such as heat and humidity that lead to dehydration can signal a future attack for gout sufferers, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington DC. - Extreme Pain Of Gout Is Detrimental To Quality Of Life & Work , New Poll Shows
Results of a new survey show that two-thirds (65 percent) of gout patients ranked their typical gout flares -- defined as a sudden, intense pain -- as either close to, or the worst pain possible and say that the flares last an average of eight days. Seventy-two percent reported having experienced at least one flare within the last 12 months. - Non-Profit Group Launches Educational Web Site For Gout Sufferers
The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society, a non-profit group of health care professionals, today launched http://www.gouteducation.org , a valuable educational resource for gout sufferers and their caregivers. The Web site is designed to help gout sufferers enhance their understanding of the disease and its treatments, embrace lifestyle modifications and, ideally, restore some control and spontaneity to their lives. - Impact Of Sex Hormones On Erectile Function
UroToday.com - Dr. Varant Kupelian and associates reported at the recent American Urologic Association annual meeting the impact of sex hormones on erectile function as seen in the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. - PTC Therapeutics Announces Positive Phase 2 Results For PTC124 In Cystic Fibrosis
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of small-molecule drugs targeting post-transcriptional control processes, today announced the findings from two Phase 2 clinical trials of PTC124 in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) due to a nonsense mutation. - Newly-Published Data Showed LEVITRA(R) Treated Erectile Dysfunction Effectively At First Dose
LEVITRA(R) (vardenafil HCl), is effective at first dose with continued success in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with associated medical conditions that affect the cardiovascular system. - Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy In Men Using Sildenafil Citrate For Erectile
UroToday.com - NAION is the acronym for Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy. The most common form of acute optic neuropathy in adults over 50 years of age, NAION is due to ischemia of the optic nerve. - Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) Inhibitor Use In Middle Aged And Older Men With Erectile Dysfunction
UroToday.com - In 1994, the first report from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study (MMAS) on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) identified that ED occurs in 52% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 (1). - Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Launches New Web Site
The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to finding a cure for the life-threatening, genetic disease, announced today the launch of its newly designed Web site (http://www.cff.org) as part of a new overall visual identity. - Genzyme Launches New Cystic Fibrosis Gene Sequencing Test
Genzyme Corporation (Nasdaq: GENZ) announced today the commercial availability of cystic fibrosis (CF) gene sequencing, a new diagnostic test that can detect approximately 98 percent of the more than 1,200 disease-causing mutations in the CFTR gene. Mutations in the CFTR gene can cause CF, as well as other health issues such as pancreatitis and male infertility. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, more than 10 million Americans are carriers of CF gene mutations. - Gender And Family Size Influences IBS Symptoms In Children
Research presented at the 71st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology suggests that illness behavior, specifically complaints of recurrent abdominal pain, in girls with mothers who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) may be intensified in smaller families, where children have more one-on-one contact with their mothers. - Compliance With Medications Lowers Health Care Costs
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who take medications as directed have decreased medical costs, researchers from the University of Chicago researchers report at the American College of Gastroenterology annual scientific meeting in Las Vegas. A second study from the same group, however, suggests that there is no simple way to improve compliance. - A Revolutionary Look At The Way Irritable Bowel Syndrome Is Currently Being Treated
Today, over 60 million people of all ages across the USA are suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common chronic medical condition, which is characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. But because patients may find it difficult to discuss their bowel problems with their physicians, they often suffer in silence or even worse, "learn to live with it." - Antibiotic Gives Hope To Patients With IBS
A new study found that patients reported greater global improvements in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms and less bloating after taking rifaximin than patients taking placebo. The randomized, double-blind study is the first to demonstrate a sustained benefit of an antibiotic for IBS symptoms after treatment is stopped. - Pharmaxis Receives UK Approval For Phase III Cystic Fibrosis Trial
Specialist pharmaceutical company Pharmaxis Ltd (ASX: PXS; Nasdaq: PXSL) has received approval from the U.K. Medicines Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to begin the UK arm of an international Phase III clinical trial to evaluate Bronchitol in patients suffering from cystic fibrosis. - Whiplash Volunteers Wanted At University Of Queensland
The best treatment for people who have neck pain from a motor vehicle accident is still not well understood, according to leading University of Queensland whiplash researcher Professor Gwen Jull. - Men With ED Favor Treatment With Vardenafil, Study Shows
Research published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine and presented at the 12th World Congress of the International Society for Sexual Medicine in Cairo, Egypt is unique in that the data is from a head to head trial of PDE5 inhibitors used to treat patients with erectile dysfunction (ED), designed to minimize bias toward either study drug. - New Head To Head Study Proves Non-inferiority Of Levitra® (vardenafil HCI) In Comparison To Viagra®
Launched today, a new medical study shows that in those men who expressed a preference, 53% preferred vardenafil compared to 47% who preferred sildenafil, in patients with erectile dysfunction and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This study demonstrated non-inferiority to sildenafil for overall preference and achieved nominal statistical superiority to sildenafil for several frequently used efficacy measures. - Natural Sex Enhancer Libidus' Potential Health Risks
Health Canada is warning consumers not to use the natural health product Libidus because it contains an undeclared pharmaceutical ingredient, a modified form of vardenafil, which is similar to the active pharmaceutical ingredient found in the prescription drug Levitra. The use of Libidus could pose serious health risks, especially for patients with existing medical conditions such as heart problems, those taking heart medications, or those at risk for stroke. - Better Treatment For Teen Drivers With ADHD
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have found that teenage drivers with attention deficit hyper activity disorder (ADHD) drive better when they took OROS methylphenidate (OROS MPH), a controlled-release stimulant, rather than extended release amphetamine salts (se-AMPH ER). The findings, which reinforce the use of OROS MPH to improve driving performance in teens with ADHD, will appear in the Sept. issue of Pediatrics. - Pharmaceutical Companies Require Incentives For Postmarket Studies Of New Medications, Op-Ed States
Without "any automatic review system" of new prescription drugs once they are approved by FDA, "too little attention is paid -- by both manufacturers and the FDA -- to developing information to determine whether the predicted benefit-to-risk ratio of a drug has remained the same after exposure to it has become widespread," Marsha Cohen, a professor at the University of California's Hasting College of the Law, writes in a Washington Post opinion piece. - FDA Negotiating With Pharmaceutical Companies For Increase In User Fees
FDA officials and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry are in negotiations over the user fees that companies pay the agency to help fund the drug review process, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the Journal, "Exact details of the deal they strike likely will take shape in the next few weeks." Under the 1992 Prescription Drug User Fee Act, pharmaceutical companies agreed to pay fees to FDA, and in return the agency agreed to aim to review drugs in 12 months or less. - FDA Finds Counterfeits Among Prescription Drugs Ordered Through 10 Web Sites Affiliated
Prescription drugs shipped to the U.S. from Canada through certain Web sites operated by Manitoba-based Mediplan Prescription Plus Pharmacy might be counterfeit and should not be used by U.S. consumers because the medications might not be safe, FDA said on Wednesday, the Washington Times reports (Washington Times, 8/31). - Many Medical Students Unprepared For Skilled Prescribing
Many medical students are unprepared for skilled prescribing, warn doctors in this week's BMJ. - Pfizer Wins Norvasc Patent Challenge By Generic Manufacturer Synthon
Pfizer Inc said today that a federal court in the Middle District of North Carolina has upheld the company's U.S. patent covering amlodipine besylate, the active ingredient in Norvasc, the world's most-prescribed branded medicine for treating hypertension. The patent had been challenged by the generic manufacturer, Synthon Pharmaceuticals. - Abertay Team Devises Chemical-free Disinfectant System
One famous disinfectant's claim to kill 99.9% of germs stone-dead has entered advertising folklore, but a team from the University of Abertay Dundee has gone literally a thousand times better. - Elsevier And UCLA Announce The Publication Of Carranza's Clinical Periodontology
Elsevier (http://www.elsevier.com/), a leading scientific, technical and medical publisher and faculty from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry, Section of Periodontics announce the publication of the 10th edition of Carranza's Clinical Periodontology. - GenoMed Cleared By Indian Government To Distribute Healthcare To India
GenoMed, Inc. (Pink Sheets GMED) a Next Generation Disease Management (DM) company whose business is public health™, announced today that it has obtained clearance, through their Indian distributor Sumit Biosciences Pvt Ltd, from the Indian Government to market its Next Generation DM™ product in India. - ASTRO Annual Meeting Again Named A Fastest Growing Tradeshow
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's Annual Meeting has been selected by Tradeshow Week, a respected weekly industry magazine, as one of the 50 fastest growing tradeshows in the United States and Canada. This is the third time in four years that ASTRO's meeting has received this honor. ASTRO was the only health-related tradeshow recognized this year. - NTT Resonant Study On Public Attitudes Towards Generic Drugs
NTT Resonant, a provider of an Internet-based questionnaire service, called goo Research, did research on the usage status of generic drugs, together with Mitsubishi Research Institute. Conducted between August 2 and 6, the research covered 2,192 respondents in total. - American College Of Physicians To Release "How To Report Statistics In Medicine"
"How To Report Statistics in Medicine," second edition, is being published at the end of August by the American College of Physicians (ACP), the nation's largest medical-specialty society. The second edition revises and expands a popular text that has become a standard guide in the fields of medical writing, scientific publications, and evidence-based medicine. - Message To Older Adults: Embrace, Don't Fear The Effects Of Sensible Exercise
A Johns Hopkins study should ease the concerns held by many older adults with mild high blood pressure about the strain or harm exercise could cause their hearts. Results of the research on 104 men and women age 55 to 75 showed that a moderate program of physical exertion had no ill effects on the heart's ability to pump blood nor does it produce a harmful increase in heart size. - Hopes & Dreams: A Critical Ingredient In The Lives Of Caregivers And Their Loved Ones
It's human nature to hang onto two basic hopes - the hope of overcoming illness and the hope of delaying death. However, in many cases the reality is that your loved one faces a steady medical decline, a life-threatening illness or impending death. - Shire Announces NDA Submission Of Guanfacine Extended-Release For The Treatment Of ADHD In Children
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ) announced today that it has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational compound guanfacine extended release (previously referred to as SPD503) - National Survey Shows 91% Of U.S. Pharmacists Unaware They Dispense Unapproved Prescription Drugs
Medical Marketing Research, Inc. today announced the results of a nationwide, random-sample survey of 500 U.S. retail pharmacists concerning their dispensing habits for pharmaceutical products. This survey was designed to specifically measure pharmacists' awareness that they may be dispensing products that have never undergone the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process. - Establishment Of A Panel And Forum To Discuss Future Challenges In The Regulation Of Pharmaceuticals
In December 2004 the Department of Health's Ministerial Industry Strategy Group (MISG) agreed to develop a long term strategy for medicines. The objectives of this strategy were to continue to secure the provision of safe and effective medicines for patients, whilst maintaining and strengthening the UK pharmaceuticals industry within Europe, and to advance healthcare innovation with the NHS. - Drug Industry Raises Concerns Over Potential Changes To Patent System
Pharmaceutical industry groups have had a "less than enthusiastic response" to a bill (S 3818) sponsored by Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that would revise the U.S. patent system, CongressDaily reports. The legislation would award patents to the first individuals who file for them, rather than first individuals who invent products, and would limit defenses in patent lawsuits filed over willful infringement or "inequitable conduct." - Conference On Communication In Pharma To Be Held In Vienna
Jacob Flemig Group announced that Le Meridien Hotel in Vienna will host speakers and delegates at conference on Linking Corporate Communication with Business Performance on November 14 and 15, 2006. The event will examine issues like how to improve productivity through communication and how to apply proactive aproach towards media. - Three Cancer Researchers Win Awards From ASTRO - Winners To Be Honored At ASTRO's 48thAnnual Meeting
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology is pleased to announce the recipients of the ASTRO Poster Recognition Award. The 2006 awardees are Asif R. Harsolia, M.D., Sandeep S. Hunjan, Ph.D., and Ping Zhang, M.D., Ph.D. The winners will be honored at ASTRO's 48th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Nov. 5-9. - Mental Health Foundation Welcomes New Health Guidance But Calls For A Holistic Approach For All, UK
In response to the 'Choosing Health: Supporting the physical health needs of people with severe mental illness' guidance published by the Department of Health, Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation. - FluChip May Offer Rapid Detection Of Multiple Influenza Virus Strains
U.S. researchers have developed a new diagnostic method capable of rapid identification of influenza A and B subtypes that may ultimately reduce the impact of a potential influenza pandemic. They report their finding in the August 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. - Pharmaceutical Industry Backs CBI Call On Science Teaching, UK
The call by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) for greater effort to promote science teaching both in schools and at higher education level has been endorsed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). - Healing Potential Discovered In Everyday Human Brain Cells
University of Florida researchers have shown ordinary human brain cells may share the prized qualities of self-renewal and adaptability normally associated with stem cells. - California's Small-Business Health Insurance Pool To Shut Down
California's independent, not-for-profit health insurance purchasing pool, called Pacific Health Advantage or PacAdvantage, on Friday said it will shut down at the end of the year because too many insurance providers have withdrawn from the program, the Contra Costa Times reports. The pool, created in 1982, aimed to make a variety of health insurance plans more available and affordable for businesses with between two and 50 employees (Dunai, Contra Costa Times, 8/12). - From The Journal Of Neuroscience
1. Homer is a Foursome
Mariko Kato Hayashi, Heather M. Ames, and Yasunori Hayashi
The long forms of the scaffolding protein, Homer, use their N-terminal EVH1 domain to interact with postsynaptic proteins such as metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), IP3 receptors and TRPC channels. The C-terminal coil-coiled domain allows oligomerization of Homer monomers. The short form, Homer1a, lacks the coiled-coil domains. - From The Journal Of Neuroscience
1. Homer is a Foursome
Mariko Kato Hayashi, Heather M. Ames, and Yasunori Hayashi
The long forms of the scaffolding protein, Homer, use their N-terminal EVH1 domain to interact with postsynaptic proteins such as metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), IP3 receptors and TRPC channels. The C-terminal coil-coiled domain allows oligomerization of Homer monomers. The short form, Homer1a, lacks the coiled-coil domains. - The Sleep Of Babes: One More Reason To Love Nap Time
The life of an infant is certainly one to be envied. They get food, they get unconditional love, and of course they get a luxurious amount of sleep. Now a new study from the University of Arizona shows that these frequent naps are more than just extra ZZZ's. They are actually honing infants' basic abilities to learn about the world around them. - Abbott Laboratories Announces Expansion Of Program Providing Reduced Cost HIV/AIDS Drugs To Low
Abbott Laboratories on Sunday announced that it is expanding a program that provides its antiretroviral drug Kaletra at a reduced cost to include an additional 45 low- and middle-income countries, the Wall Street Journal reports (Kamp, Wall Street Journal, 8/14). - Cancer Stem Cells Spur Glioma Angiogenesis, Could Hold Key To Brain Tumor Therapy
Stem cell-like glioma cancer cells that share many characteristics with normal stem cells propel the lethal growth of brain cancers by promoting tumor blood vessel formation, and may hold the key to treating these deadly cancers, a research team reported in the August 15th issue of Cancer Research. - Young People And HIV: Study Identifies Prevention Interventions
For the first time, the effectiveness of different types of HIV interventions in schools, health services, media, communities, and for young people most at risk of HIV have been reviewed and graded for their usefulness. The review Steady, Ready, GO!, launched at the XVI International AIDS Conference, identifies what should be done now to reduce HIV infection in young people, and achieve the global targets set by world leaders. - Emerging Prevention Technologies Take Centre Stage At Toronto AIDS Conference
"Prevention" and "new technologies" are the buzzwords at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, but UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is calling attention to the fact that millions of people still lack access to the most basic and available preventive method of all - the male and female condom. - Progress And Obstacles To Achieving Universal Access To AIDS Treatment Outlined By WHO
Addressing a plenary session of the XVI International AIDS Conference here today, WHO HIV/AIDS Director Dr. Kevin De Cock reported that the number of people receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa has surpassed 1 million for the first time, a ten-fold increase in treatment access in the region since December 2003. - Ph.D. Students Get Clinical Training, Focus On Translational Research
Five students in the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Ph.D. program in molecular medicine have recently won awards for their research. The training program is one of the first in the country to provide clinical training to doctoral students who are studying the biology of cells and molecules. - Actor, HIV/AIDS Advocate Richard Gere Says Media Is Crucial In Fighting Pandemic
Actor and HIV/AIDS advocate Richard Gere on Monday at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto joined media officials from the Caribbean, India, Russia and South Africa to promote the media's role in raising HIV/AIDS awareness, the Associated Press reports (Duff-Brown, Associated Press, 8/14). - Results Of Study Published This Month As Researchers Look For A Better Vaccine To Combat Anthrax
A new study published this month by a Saint Louis University vaccine researcher scrutinizes what in the future could be an alternative to the presently available anthrax vaccine. - New Orleans Times-Picayune Examines Debate Over Breast-Feeding
The New Orleans Times-Picayune on Monday examined the debate over breast-feeding in the U.S. According to the Times-Picayune, one side of the debate cites "mounting scientific evidence that breast-feeding is the healthiest choice" for women and infants, while the other side says that there are "cultural and other pressures" that prevent most women from breast-feeding for even a short time. - Sale Of Counterfeit Prescription Drugs Amounts To 'Health Care Terrorism,' Opinion Piece States
Counterfeit drug trafficking is "health care terrorism" that allows practitioners to "profi[t] immensely from selling fake medicines" around the world, Peter Pitts, director of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and former associate commissioner of FDA, writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. CMPI estimates that counterfeit drug commerce will increase 13% per year through 2010, at which time revenues are projected to reach $75 billion -- a 92% increase from 2005, Pitts writes. - Lack Of Funds Could Sharply Reduce Aid Deliveries In Lebanon
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today warned that a severe shortage of funding for its logistics operation in Lebanon is threatening to halt international aid efforts to provide relief to hundreds of thousands of displaced people and appealed to the donor community for more cash contributions. (http://www.wfp.org/donate) - Sudan Again Faces Food Ration Cuts: Situation Becomes More Desparate
The United Nations World Food Programme today urged the international community to help end the misery in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, where almost half a million people are now cut off from emergency food aid because of fighting and attacks. - Panel Appointed To Help Improve Lung Disease Services, UK
Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) will be offered more choice and improved standards of care thanks to a newly appointed panel advising on the development of a National Service Framework. - Treatment For Sexually Transmitted Infections Has A Role In HIV Prevention - Timing Of Care Importan
The findings of a WHO/UNAIDS consultation presented at the XVI International AIDS Conference confirm that caring for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the right stage of an epidemic and targeting them at key population groups can reduce HIV transmission. The consultation, in mid-July 2006, was held to clarify the importance of treating STIs and the role of STI control programmes and services in HIV prevention. - Link Between Antidepressants And Suicidality In Teens? Carnegie Mellon
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and The Ohio State University has received a five-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to investigate the link between antidepressants and suicidality -- including suicidal thoughts, attempts and suicide deaths. - WHO Urges Routine, Voluntary HIV Testing, Some Advocates Stress Need For Civil Liberties
The World Health Organization is pushing for routine, voluntary HIV testing worldwide, Kevin De Cock, director of WHO's HIV/AIDS Department, said Monday on the sidelines of the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, AFP/Today Online reports. "Only 10% of people living with HIV in the world are aware of their HIV status," De Cock said, adding, "We have to scale up the traditional ways of knowledge, in other words voluntary [testing], counseling and testing. - Young Adults Largest Age Group Of Uninsured In Florida
The Miami Herald on Sunday examined rates of insurance among young adults ages 19 to 24 -- the largest uninsured age group in Miami-Dade County, the state of Florida and much of the nation. Summaries of the articles appear below - Cellulite Found To Be Reduced By Weight Loss In Some Overweight Women
Weight loss may decrease the severity of cellulite for some women - but may worsen the condition for others, reports a study in August's Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). - Clinton, Gates Address Stigma, Other Challenges To Combating HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Former President Clinton and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Monday called on world leaders to do more to combat the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, the New York Times reports. At a joint panel discussion at the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Clinton said that "leaders don't necessarily have to be the reigning head of government if you have a critical mass" and that the "government does not undermine you with counterproductive policies. - San Francisco Chronicl Examines Gap In Medicare Drug Coverage
The San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday examined how millions of Medicare beneficiaries "will have to find a way to survive Medicare's notorious doughnut hole." Under that provision of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, beneficiaries are responsible for 100% of prescription drug costs between $2,250 and $5,100. Medicare drug plans generally cover 75% of drug costs after a $250 deductible up to $2,250, and then 95% of prescription drug costs beyond $5,100. - Tissue Microenvironment Implicated In Susceptibility To Liver Cancer Metastases
A new research study reports that, in addition to the metastatic potential of tumor cells, a permissive target environment plays a critical role in promoting progression and metastases of liver cancer. The findings, which appear in the August issue of Cancer Cell, published by Cell Press, may lead to strategies for identifying and possibly treating patients that are highly likely to develop metastases. - Breast Cancer Drug Herceptin, Radiation Therapy Can Cause Treatable, Preventable Heart Problems
Two studies published in the Aug. 15 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology find that two breast cancer treatments -- radiation and Genentech's breast cancer drug Herceptin -- can cause heart problems in women, the New York Times reports. One study, led by Eleanor Harris of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, looked at 961 women with early stage breast cancer who received radiation treatment at the University of Pennsylvania between 1977 and 1994. - Hospital Group Criticizes CMS Plan To Regulate Specialty Hospitals As Inadequate
A CMS plan for regulation of physician-owned specialty hospitals would "neither meaningfully change the behavior of specialty hospitals or level the playing field for full-service community hospitals," the Federation of American Hospitals said in an Aug. 10 statement, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 8/14). - Clinical Review Of Minimally Invasive IDET(TM) Procedure Demonstrates Significant Decrease
A meta-analysis of the Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL(TM) Therapy (IDET(TM)) procedure examining outcomes of 17 clinical studies demonstrates that patients suffering from chronic disc-related low back pain experience a significant decrease in pain and improvement in physical function, as well as a low incidence of complications. The study is published in the July/August issue of Pain Medicine, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. - Qualitative Review Of Chronic Lower Back Pain Clinical Studies Finds Minimally Invasive Procedure
A systematic literature review of outcomes from 51 clinical studies and case series finds that the Intradiscal ELECTROTHERMAL(TM) Therapy (IDET(TM)) procedure would spare up to 65 percent of patients with chronic lower back pain from spinal fusion surgery. In addition, the study also found that IDET patients experienced similar outcome benefits when compared against spinal fusion. - Alantos Pharmaceuticals Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Studies With Lead Compound For Type II Diabetes
Alantos Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biopharmaceutical company based on the discovery and development of small molecule drugs with a focus on type II diabetes and Osteoarthritis/inflammation, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical study with its first clinical candidate, ALS 2-0426, an orally active, small molecule inhibitor of Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV (DPP-IV), for the treatment of type II diabetes. - Novel Treatment Approach For Lung Cancer At The University Of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
Clinicians at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Cancer Centers successfully treated a lung cancer patient in her mid-fifties using a new more precise technique that combines image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) with respiratory gating to zero in on her tumor while adapting for breathing motion. The new tissue sparing procedure was made possible using advanced imaging and treatment technology from Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) of Palo Alto, California. - Peregrine's Final HCV Phase 1a Study Results Accepted For Oral Presentation At AASLD Annual Meeting
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM), a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, clinical stage products for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cancer, today announced that data from its Phase la study of bavituximab in patients with chronic hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection have been accepted for oral presentation at The Liver Meeting(R) 2006. - Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. Announces FDA Approval To Market Baclofen
Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Ltd., (Amex: CPD) announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted final approval for the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Baclofen Tablets. - Program Leaders Outline Effective Strategies For Fighting HIV/AIDS In Children In Resource-Limited
XVI International AIDS Conference, Toronto, August 13-18, 2006 -- Program leaders from Bristol-Myers Squibb, New York (NYSE: BMY), and Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, today outlined innovative medical care, treatment and research and social support strategies to fight HIV/AIDS among infants and children in impoverished areas of sub-Saharan Africa. - GenoMed's Treatment Speeds Up Texas Policeman's Recovery From West Nile Paralysis
GenoMed (Pink Sheets: GMED), a Next Generation Disease Management company whose business is public health(TM), today announced that a Texas policeman with paralysis from the waist down due to West Nile virus has accelerated his recovery since starting GenoMed's treatment last week. - Innovative Charter School In Chicago Shares Its Secrets Of Success In Fighting Childhood Obesity
Schools are increasingly under pressure to be part of the solution to stem soaring childhood obesity rates. But thanks to a pioneering new program, educators nationwide can learn lessons from an innovative charter school in Chicago that's been breaking new ground in the fight for the health and wellness of America's children. - Innovative Charter School In Chicago Shares Its Secrets Of Success In Fighting Childhood Obesity
Schools are increasingly under pressure to be part of the solution to stem soaring childhood obesity rates. But thanks to a pioneering new program, educators nationwide can learn lessons from an innovative charter school in Chicago that's been breaking new ground in the fight for the health and wellness of America's children. - Pennsylvania Department Of Health To Promote Anti-Chewing Tobacco Message At Little League Baseball
Sports fans attending the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Aug. 18-27, will also be part of the commonwealth's latest efforts to educate the public about the dangers of tobacco products, especially chewing tobacco. - Arryx And Boulder Nonlinear Systems Announce Availability Of HOTkit(TM) Holographic Optical Trapping
Arryx, Inc., a Haemonetics(R) Company, and Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc. (BNS) today announced the HOTkit(TM) product line. The new HOTkit products provide researchers the core high-performance building blocks for creating their own Holographic Optical Trapping (HOT) configurations. - The ABCs Of Back-to-School Sleep Schedules: The Consequences Of Insufficient Sleep
For many children and teens, summer vacation is synonymous with staying up late and sleeping in. Returning to an early morning sleep schedule can be challenging, but it is vital to the health and successful school performance of America's youth. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is calling on parents and students to start adjusting their sleep schedules now, in order to be well-rested and alert for the start of the school year. - Jamie Lee Curtis Lends Star Power To Fight Breast Cancer
Actress and children's author Jamie Lee Curtis, known around the globe for her roles in such blockbuster films as "A Fish Called Wanda," "Trading Places," and "Freaky Friday," is now putting her efforts behind fighting breast cancer. - Nano Chemical Systems Holdings Explores The Use Of The Mold And Fungus Product In AthleticFacilities
Nano Chemical Systems Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: NCSH) announced today that it is exploring the use of it's propriety nano-enhanced Mold and Fungus Inhibitor to deliver solutions to control disease causing agents that occur in professional sports venues. - DermAvance Acquires Hyalogy(TM) - Novel Nanotechnology For Skincare
DermAvance Pharmaceuticals, a privately held pharmaceutical company specializing in advanced technology applications for skin health and cosmetic dermatology, today announced the acquisition of the North American rights for the Hyalogy(TM) Total Skin Care Line from Forlle'd in Japan. - Former Senators Daschle And Nickles Concur On Incremental Health Care Reform For Uninsured Americans
Today, former Senator John Breaux released the most recent episode in the Ceasefire on Health Care campaign podcast series, featuring discussions with former Senators Tom Daschle and Don Nickles. The two prominent former Senators share their views on the controversial topics of "means testing" and "individual mandates" to help reform health care policy for uninsured Americans. - Carolinas Try Contrasting Medicaid Experiments
HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care industry intelligence, reports that North Carolina's last Medicaid HMO, Coventry-owned SouthCare, has gotten out of the Medicaid business as of August 1, meaning that the state will manage the entire Medicaid population through its own primary-care case-management (PCCM) program. - Lorus Therapeutics Announces The Allowance Of A United States Patent To Protect Anticancer Agents
Lorus Therapeutics Inc. ('Lorus'), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, research and development of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, GeneSense Technologies Inc., has been allowed a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for antisense oligonucleotides directed towards the novel cancer target neuropilin. - STAAR Surgical Announces First Myopia Treatment In China Using The Visian ICL(TM)
STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, today announced that the first Visian ICLs(TM) (Implantable Collamer Lenses) have been surgically implanted in China since the State Food and Drug Administration of the People's Republic of China (SFDA) approved the marketing of the product last month. - HealthSaver Focus On Back-To-School: Vision, Dental Check-Ups Open Eyes, Brighten Smiles ForLearning
It's back-to-school across America, and it's time to focus on ways to open students' eyes and brighten their smiles for learning success. As the school bell is set to ring -- and with one in four children having undiagnosed vision problems and tooth decay one of the most common childhood diseases -- now is the time to give students a clear vision for their future. Also, make sure pre-schoolers have the recommended immunizations and vaccinations - Reins And Spurs For The Immune System
A finely tuned equilibrium between aggressive and inhibitive immune cells ensures that the intestinal mucosa remains healthy and functional. Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research in Braunschweig, however, have studied on mice what happens when the normal interaction between these cells is disrupted: severe intestinal inflammation, whose symptoms closely resemble human autoimmune diseases, such as Morbus Crohn or Colitis ulcerosa. - Dementia Film Gets Edinburgh Festival Screening
A short film about one woman's experience of dementia is being screened at the Edinburgh Film Festival next week (21 and 23 August 2006). - Lack Of Outdoor Play Is Health Time Bomb For Children
Unless more suitable outdoor play opportunities are provided for children and young people, a physical and mental illness time bomb is likely to explode, an international conference in Bristol was told. - British Heart Foundation Announces New Round Of Research Investment In Dundee
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has announced a new raft of research grants worth almost £900,000 to scientists across Scotland.
Among those winning awards are researchers from the University of Dundee. - Are You A Little Low? Failure To Match Energy Intake With Requirements
As many as one third of women experience symptoms which they believe are caused by low blood glucose (sugar), according to a recent survey conducted in Nottinghamshire (1). The symptoms of such low blood glucose (or hypoglycaemia, as it is medically termed), include: irritability; faintness; tremor; hunger and anxiety. However, it is not known whether such women experience true (biochemically defined) hypoglycaemia or whether their symptoms are caused by some other factor. - White House, Some Governors Disagree Over Planned Medicaid Cuts For Hospitals, Nursing Homes
The Bush administration faces "growing opposition" from state officials, members of Congress, hospitals and nursing homes over proposed rules that would reduce Medicaid reimbursements to public hospitals and nursing homes to save the federal government an estimated $12.2 billion over five years, the New York Times reports. The rules -- part of the fiscal year 2007 budget proposed by President Bush -- would reduce from 6% to 3% the allowable rate that states can tax hospitals and nursing homes. - Novel Pathway Identifies Rapamycin As Tumor Angiogenesis Inhibitor
New research has uncovered a signaling pathway sufficient to induce formation of abnormal tumor-like blood vessels in otherwise healthy, normal tissues. These changes in vasculature were reversible and could be blocked by rapamycin, a compound that is currently in clinical use as an immunosuppressant and under investigation as an anticancer therapy. The findings appear in the August issue of Cancer Cell, published by Cell Press.
|
