Nutrition
Operation Rescue President Troy Newman on Wednesday said that his group is considering trying to purchase murdered abortion provider George Tiller"s Wichita, Kan., clinic, which Tiller"s family permanently closed on Tuesday, the New York Times reports. The clinic is owned by Tiller"s family. The family"s lawyer, Dan Monnat, called Operation Rescue"s proposal "just another irreverent, extremist publicity stunt." He declined to comment further on the situation. The family has not announced its plans for the building and land, which are worth $734,100, according to Sedgwick County, Kan., property records. The clinic has long been a focal point for the antiabortion-rights movement because it was one of the few in the U.S. that offered abortion later in pregnancy. Newman said that he has discussed the possible purchase with only a few members of Operation Rescue"s board but is certain that the funds could be raised if they decide to attempt to buy the clinic. Newman also said that one possibility for the location would be to turn it into a memorial museum to serve as "a tribute to the babies." He denied the claim that his comments are a publicity stunt.According to the Times, the closing of Tiller"s clinic has set off a "flurry of concerns" from abortion-rights advocates that it will be more difficult for women to access abortion services in situations when catastrophic health issues are identified late in pregnancy (Davey, New York Times, 6/11). LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider who worked with Tiller at the clinic, said that he will continue to perform third-trimester abortions in Kansas but did not provide information on where he will practice, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. Although he did not provide details, Carhart said that "there will be a place in Kansas for the later second- and the medically indicated third-trimester patients very soon." He said he has seen an increase in patients at his Nebraska clinic since Tiller"s murder. Carhart traveled to Tiller"s clinic to perform second- and third-trimester abortions because Kansas has less restrictive abortion laws than Nebraska. Carhart said he has not performed any procedures at his clinic after 22 weeks" gestation because his staff is not trained to do them. According to the AP/Yahoo! News, Nebraska law prohibits abortion when a fetus is considered viable. Kansas law, however, allows abortion after 21 weeks" gestation if continuing the pregnancy would endanger the woman"s life or cause "substantial and irreversible impairment" of a major bodily function, which courts have interpreted to include mental health (Gibbs, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/11).Broadcast CoverageThree media outlets on Wednesday reported on issues related to Tiller"s murder. Summaries appear below.~ MSNBC"s "The Rachel Maddow Show": The program included a discussion with Jennifer Boulanger, executive director for the Allentown Women"s Center, about threats to the center since Tiller"s murder (Maddow, "The Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 6/10).~ NPR"s "All Things Considered": The program included a discussion with NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner about the correct terminology for referring to abortion later in pregnancy and why the phrase "late-term abortion" is inaccurate (Block, "All Things Considered," NPR, 6/10).~ WBUR"s "On Point": The program included a discussion with the Rev. Katherine Ragsdale -- a board member of NARAL Pro-Choice America and the incoming dean and president of Episcopal Divinity School -- and Jim Wallis -- founder and editor of the progressive evangelical group Sojourners -- about abortion-rights supporters" reaction to violence in the antiabortion-rights movement (Ashbrook, "On Point," WBUR, 6/10).
Dr. Damon T. Arnold, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, today announced that 11 additional schools in Illinois will begin implementing the CATCH program - Coordinated Approach to Child Health. With the expansion of the CATCH program, the state is continuing efforts to address the obesity problem by changing children"s and parents" attitudes and behaviors toward nutrition and physical activity.
Recovering stroke patients and others who find it hard to swallow when they eat and drink are now at a lower risk of developing pneumonia or chest infections, thanks to new technology which will help assess and treat their swallowing difficulties. Many patients suffering from stroke, head injury or major trauma often have swallowing difficulties when food and drink can go down the wrong way - patients can later develop nasty chest infections and pneumonias.
A new study suggests that delivering small RNAs, known as microRNAs, to cancer cells could help to stop the disease in its tracks. microRNAs control gene expression and are commonly lost in cancerous tumors. Researchers have shown that replacement of a single microRNA in mice with an extremely aggressive form of liver cancer can be enough to halt their disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.
Researchers at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in Los Angeles and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona have discovered a reason why smoking increases the risk of heart disease and strokes.
The evidence is in. Estrogen does not halt aging or protect women from heart disease and dementia, nor is it the safest or best treatment for the hot flashes, night sweats and the insomnia that are associated with menopause and perimenopause. Quite simply - estrogen is not a good and magical hormone - as Susan Baxter, PhD., and Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior, painstakingly prove in their book, The Estrogen Errors; Why Progesterone is Better for Women"s Health.
Keeping your baby fat turns out to be a good thing, as long as it is "brown fat"- the kind that burns calories, according to a study that found adults have much more of this type of fat than previously thought. The results, which suggest a new way to treat obesity, were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) will honor a senior U.S. Senator, a top Administration official, a cutting-edge television network, and several pioneering companies developing treatments for rare diseases at the 2009 NORD Gala at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on Thursday, May 14.
STAAR Surgical Company (Nasdaq: STAA), a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive ophthalmic products, today announced that the FDA has granted 510(k) clearance for its Epiphany Injector System for use with the Affinity(TM) Collamer(R) Three-Piece NTIOL and the Elastimide(TM) Silicone NTIOL. Introduction of the Epiphany will usher in a new era of insertion devices for the company and pave the way for the future introduction of a preloaded injector for the U.S. market.
The U.S. Senate has introduced a bill, S. 1221, "The Medicare Prompt Pay Correction Act," a companion bill to H.R. 1392, which was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and currently has 45 co-sponsors.
In a study comparing two strains of mice, one susceptible to developing cancer and the other not, researchers found that a high-fat diet predisposed the cancer-susceptible strain to liver cancer, and that by switching to a low-fat diet early in the experiment, the same high-risk mice avoided the malignancy. The switched mice were lean rather than obese and had healthy livers at the end of the study.
Faced with a new mosquito species that could transmit disease in Minnesota, state health and mosquito control officials are urging residents to rid their property of water-holding containers. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) confirmed that the Japanese rock pool mosquito (Aedes japonicus) is established in at least five southeastern Minnesota counties. This mosquito could potentially transmit LaCrosse encephalitis virus (LAC) and West Nile virus (WNV) to humans.
Given Imaging Ltd.
A phase 2 trial of the drug belimumab in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed positive results, according to the drug
As many as half of all men taking the antidepressant medication paroxetine (trade names Seroxat, Paxil) may have increased sperm DNA fragmentation -- a predictor of compromised fertility. Research led by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center also found that the changes are reversible with normal levels of sperm returning after discontinuation of the drug.
The American Lung Association cheers the Senate"s overwhelming vote in favor of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1256) today.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) announced results of two ORENCIA® (abatacept) studies at the 2009 Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) currently being held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Help is available - and essential - for teenagers struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.
NanoScan Imaging, LLC announced the publication of new data demonstrating the use of its investigational, radio-opaque contrast agent (N1177) to visualize vulnerable plaques that can cause heart attack or stroke using advanced, non-invasive and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) techniques. Results of the study were published in the current issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Nuclear Medicine (J Nucl Med. 2009 Jun;50(6):959-965).
Pfizer announced today that data from two new mid-stage clinical studies of the company"s oral JAK-3 inhibitor, CP-690,550, showed statistically significant response versus placebo for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data from these two Phase 2 trials and one ongoing open-label safety study are being presented this week at the 10th Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). These results confirm findings from two previously reported Phase 2 studies in RA and have been used to support dose selection for Phase 3.
Ardea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:RDEA) announced positive interim results from an ongoing Phase 2a, proof-of-concept study of RDEA594, its lead product candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, as well as additional positive results from completed Phase 1 studies of RDEA594 in normal, healthy volunteers. The Phase 1 results, along with additional preclinical data, were presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology hosted by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A study involving 678 individuals who apply pesticides, culled from a U.S. Agricultural Health Study of over 50,000 farmers, recently found that exposure to certain pesticides doubles one"s risk of developing an abnormal blood condition called MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance) compared with individuals in the general population. The disorder, characterized by an abnormal level of a plasma protein, requires lifelong monitoring as it is a pre-cancerous condition that can lead to multiple myeloma, a painful cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. The study will appear in the June 18 issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.
WASHINGTON D.C. - Most patients with acromegaly who are switched to the long-acting somatostatin analogue lanreotide (SomatulineR Depot) injection from initial treatment with octreotide cite a preference for lanreotide as their future therapy, according to data released here at the 91st Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society (ENDO 09).
A distinguished panel of clinical and policy experts gathered by Novo Nordisk recently convened in Washington, D.C. to explore solutions to address the exponential growth of diabetes in America. The universal theme from the renowned speakers, including Larry Hausner, CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), was that the cost of the disease to our nation, at $218 billion annually, is startling and the lag in patient motivation to take action to offset the disease is distressing. Without intervention at both a national and patient level, our nation runs the risk of reaching a projected 50 million Americans having diabetes by the year 2025.
The number of talented and motivated applicants for integrated vascular training programs far outweighs available positions according to a new, four-year study by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.
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.
In a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, Saint Louis University"s Center for Vaccine Development is investigating whether the standard vaccine used in foreign countries against tuberculosis offers better protection as a shot, drink or combination of both.
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.
For modern implants and the growth of artificial tissue and organs, it is important to generate materials with characteristics that closely emulate nature. However, the tissue in our bodies has a combination of traits that are very hard to recreate in synthetic materials: It is both soft and very tough. A team of Australian and Korean researchers led by Geoffrey M. Spinks and Seon Jeong Kim has now developed a novel, highly porous, sponge-like material whose mechanical properties closely resemble those of biological soft tissues. As reported in the journal Angewandte Chemie, it consists of a robust network of DNA strands and carbon nanotubes.
The NFU has told a European Commission review of anti-dumping duties imposed on fertiliser from the Ukraine that such measures act as artificial trade barriers and, given the importance of fertiliser to agriculture, can curb profitability of farms across the UK and EU.
Los Angeles County health officials on Wednesday announced a program that will offer young women home delivery of chlamydia and gonorrhea testing kits and send them a text message when the results are available, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports. The $450,000 program aims to curb the rapid spread of sexually transmitted infections in the county while also reducing clinic wait times and costs.According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, Los Angeles County in 2007 led the nation in reported chlamydia cases with 44,030 and ranked second for reported gonorrhea cases with 10,063. CDC has labeled chlamydia a hidden epidemic because women often display no symptoms. It is estimated that three million men and women contract the infection annually. Although chlamydia is treatable with antibiotics, women with untreated cases can experience infertility, higher risk for ectopic pregnancy and other problems. Peter Kerndt, director of the county"s STI program, said that the number of reported cases is expected to rise after the program"s implementation. According to county Health Director Jonathan Fielding, more than 50% of reported cases involve women younger than age 25, many of whom are black and Hispanic teens. It is recommended that women younger than age 25 receive annual testing.Under the program, 10,000 chlamydia and gonorrhea testing kits will be immediately available, with more offered as needed, according to county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. To request a kit, women can visit a Web site or call a toll-free number to have the kits mailed to them. Women can administer the tests at home by inserting a vaginal swab for 10 seconds, sealing the swab in a plastic tube and mailing it to the testing center. They can opt to have a text message sent to their phone alerting them when their results are ready, which can be checked by phone or online. Women will then be referred to a local health clinic if needed. Similar programs have been implemented in Denver, Maryland, Washington, D.C., West Virginia and some Illinois counties. The Los Angeles County program is modeled on a Baltimore pilot program led by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (Mohajer, AP/San Francisco Chronicle, 6/11).
Two newspapers recently published an editorial and an opinion piece in reaction to the announcement that murdered Kansas abortion provider George Tiller"s Wichita clinic would be permanently closed. The clinic was one of a handful in the U.S. offering abortion procedures in the second and third trimesters. Summaries appear below.~ Kansas City Star: The closing of Tiller"s clinic is "a tragedy for American democracy," and the "irrational violence" of his death has "trumped public policy," a Star editorial states. "The basis of civilization is that we agree to submit to the rule of law in order for society to flourish," the editorial says, adding that Tiller"s murder is "antithetical to that principle. It is dismaying to see a killer achieve his objective." The editorial notes that Tiller provided abortion services in "tragic cases" involving women "at risk of infertility or death; fetuses with severe abnormalities; and victims of rape and incest." It continues that the "reduction or loss of that service will create hardships and may put women"s lives at risk." Hospitals and doctors who refer such cases to abortion providers "must reassess the circumstances under which they would perform late-term abortions," according to the editorial. In addition, the "medical profession must take a role in training and supporting doctors willing to provide abortions," and the government and local police "must do all they can to protect a legal medical practice," the editorial says. It concludes, "Democracy demands that we not allow murder to make de facto public policy" (Kansas City Star, 6/11).~ Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune: The announcement that Tiller"s clinic will remain permanently closed "was simply more proof that violence and intimidation can get results where civil discourse and political process fail," Tribune columnist Zorn writes. "The question isn"t whether prominent foes of abortion rights are being honest with us when they decry Tiller"s violent death and express regret over the means used to achieve an end they"ve sought," Zorn writes, adding, "Some are, I"m sure." He continues that abortion-rights opponents "recognize that ... a movement calling itself "pro-life"can"t also be pro-murder" and "are politically savvy enough to know that the gains won by terrorist acts are grudging and difficult to sustain." He continues that to "make terrorism less effective, and thereby discourage it," abortion-rights advocates, the medical profession, politicians and law enforcement officials "need to reopen that clinic in Wichita and assure its safe operation ... to defy terrorism, if for no other reason." He concludes that "as long as abortion remains legal, this same coalition needs to strive to expand the number of facilities where it"s available" (Zorn, Chicago Tribune, 6/11).
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has learned that some stolen vials of the long-acting insulin Levemir made by Novo Nordisk Inc. have reappeared and are being sold in the U.S. market. Three lots or a total of 129,000 vials of this product were stolen in all. These stolen insulin vials may not have been stored and handled properly and may be dangerous for patients to use.
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.
Cellulose is a fibrous molecule that makes up plant cell walls, gives plants shape and form and is a target of renewable, plant-based biofuels research. But how it forms, and thus how it can be modified to design energy-rich crops, is not well understood. Now a study led by researchers at the Carnegie Institution"s Department of Plant Biology has discovered that the underlying protein network that provides the scaffolding for cell-wall structure is also the traffic cop for delivering the critical growth-promoting molecules where needed. The research, conducted in collaboration with colleagues at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and published in the advance online publication (AOP) of Nature Cell Biology on June 14th, is a significant step for understanding how the enzymes that make cellulose and determine plant cell shape arrive at the appropriate location in the cell to do their job.
Could sleep be a critical component to maintaining a healthy body weight? According to new research presented on Sunday, May 17, at the American Thoracic Society"s 105th International Conference in San Diego, body mass index (BMI) is linked to length and quality of sleep in a surprisingly consistent fashion.
Warwickshire, Solihull & Coventry Breast Screening Service (WSCBSS), which installed its first Sectra MicroDose system in 2005, has now invested in another two systems. With the new units, WSCBSS will become one of the first publicly operated breast screening services in the UK to provide a fully direct digital mammography screening service.
New wireless keyboards for use with hospital patient entertainment and point-of-care terminals are hygienic, monitoring their own disinfect status to give reminders when sterilisation is due.
Over half (56%) of people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also have periodontitis (a chronic inflammatory disease of the gum and surrounding ligaments and bones that hold the teeth in place), displaying fewer teeth than healthy matched controls, high prevalence of oral sites presenting dental plaque and advanced attachment loss (the extent of periodontal support that has been destroyed around a tooth) (chi square p
Since August 2008, Meda (STO:MEDAA) and BioDelivery Sciences International (BDSI) have worked in close collaboration with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to complete the final requirement of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program for Onsolis (fentanyl - treatment of breakthrough cancer pain).
Boehringer Ingelheim and Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today that they have entered into a significant worldwide collaboration to research and develop beta-secretase (BACE) inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer"s disease. Current therapies for Alzheimer"s disease can improve symptoms, but do not affect the progression of the disease. The inhibition of BACE - an enzyme involved in the formation of amyloid-beta plaques which accumulate in the brains of patients with Alzheimer"s disease - offers the potential to slow or even halt disease progression.
92.8% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suffer anxiety and depression which significantly affects both their physical and emotional quality of life (QoL), 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. Logistic regression analysis revealed that depression was the most significant factor shown to affect QoL (p=0.015; OR=0.18; CI 95%:0.045-0.72).
Over half (63%) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) also suffer from psychiatric disorders, with the majority of these (87%) occurring in the depressive spectrum, according to the results of a new study presented recently at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark. Interestingly, over half (52%) of the patients studied indicated that they had experienced stress events before the onset of their RA.
UroToday.com - Over the past decade, the most significant advance, in my mind, with regard to the treatment of the distal ureteral stone, has been the advent of medical expulsive therapy as described by Porpiglia and colleagues in 2000, and corroborated by many subsequent studies. Savings with this approach, according to work by Lotan and colleagues, is around $1100/patient in addition to the benefits of decreased renal colic. Stone passage rates increase anywhere from 40-100% of controls within 10 days of starting medical expulsive therapy. While a variety of medications have been used (e.g. alpha blockers, steroids, calcium channel blockers), the alpha blockers (i.e. tamsulosin and alfuzosin) appear to be effective and well tolerated.
A protein known to be overly active in breast cancer can exist in a form that seems to change the structural composition of mammary tissue, potentially making it more conducive to tumor progression, say researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC).
Gallstones are lumps or stones that develop in the gallbladder or bile duct. Some of the chemicals which exist in the gallbladder, such as cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, harden into either one large stone or many small ones. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, a gallstone is "A concretion in the gallbladder or a bile duct, composed chiefly of a mixture of cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and calcium carbonate, occasionally as a pure stone composed of just one of these substances". An article describes a gallbladder in the bile duct similar to trying to squeeze a golf ball through a straw.
President Barack Obama is seeking support from America"s doctors today as he addresses delegates at the 158th annual meeting of the American
Biologists have long wondered why the embryonic heart begins beating so early, before the tissues actually need to be infused with blood. Two groups of researchers from Children"s Hospital Boston, Brigham and Women"s Hospital, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) - presenting multiple lines of evidence from zebrafish, mice and mouse embryonic stem cells - provide an intriguing answer: A beating heart and blood flow are necessary for development of the blood system, which relies on mechanical stresses to cue its formation.
Early results from the second series of trials have demonstrated a 5 log reduction (99.999%) in Pseudomonas aeruginousa and a 4.4 log reduction (99.994%) in Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA). Both of these pathogens are of major concern to medical treatment facilities world wide with the spread of MRSA infection often being referred to as the "silent epidemic". The CDC reported (JAMA 2007) that MRSA alone is now associated with an estimated 19,000 deaths annually in the US. Dr. Michael E. Shannon, Medizone"s Director of Medical Affairs commented, "Although the results from our first round of trials were very encouraging, introducing several procedural refinements in this second round resulted in levels of bactericidal action well above what was expected. Indeed, breaking through the 5 log barrier has led us to conclude that with a third technological development still to be introduced in this series of trials, the bactericidal ceiling for our system is now unclear, but well above what we ever expected. Needless to say, we are very excited over these findings and even more convinced that our new technologies will save hundreds of thousands of lives each year world wide. Add to the system"s efficacy the fact that it will be safe, extremely cost effective and adaptable to virtually any situation anywhere, leads me to conclude that AsepticSure will have a global reach."
Proteolix, Inc. announced that in an article published in Nature Medicine, Proteolix"s selective immunoproteasome inhibitor PR-957 was shown to block disease progression in mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis in a dose-dependent manner and to completely eliminate visible signs of disease at the highest dose. The anti-inflammatory effect induced by PR-957 was rapid and long-lasting, lowering expression of multiple inflammatory mediators, including TNF-a and IL-6. Disease regression was evident 24 hours after dosing and a complete amelioration of disease was achieved with a single dose. When compared to anti-TNF-a therapy (etanercept), PR-957 mediated a more rapid resolution of clinical symptoms, including joint inflammation, and was more effective than etanercept in a model of aggressive arthritis.
Transdel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TDLP) a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing non-invasive, topically administered products, announced that they anticipate reporting top-line results from their current Phase 3 study of Ketotransdel(R) during the third quarter of 2009.
-Mental Health America honored two extraordinary mental health advocates on Saturday during the final day of its Centennial Conference.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is enforcing the laws that protect consumers from illegal products marketed through the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure the 2009 H1N1 flu virus.
Nucletron, a knowledge-based leader in radiation oncology,
As the Senate Finance Committee prepares to unveil a health overhaul proposal this week, key players have been weighing in on aspects of potential legislation.
The International AIDS Society (IAS) announced Thursday it is considering Washington, D.C., as the location for the 2012 biannual International AIDS Conference, Science Magazine"s blog, the ScienceInsider reports. "But before it holds the conference anywhere in the U.S., the federal government must change a law that bans HIV-infected people from entering the country," according to Science Insider. The conference has not been held in the U.S. since 1990, because the government banned people living with HIV from entering the U.S. "This long-standing law, which is contrary to all scientific evidence and human rights principles, is one of the U.S."s weakest spots in HIV policy," IAS President Julio Montaner said in a statement. The law has been repealed, but HHS still has HIV on the list of communicable diseases that bar entry. "In a statement to ScienceInsider, HHS said it has submitted "a notice of proposed rule-making to implement this change" to the Office of Management and Budget for its review," according to the blog (Cohen, ScienceInsider/Science, 6/11).
UK and US researchers found that more intelligent people are often healthier, and suggest that this could be due to what they describe as a genetic
Numerous Global Health Events In Seattle This Week
Which? is challenging the belief that it"s impossible to get an appointment with an NHS dentist as its new research shows that nine out of 10 people* who have tried in the last two years were, in fact, able to get one.
Roche Diagnostics announces launch of new Accu-Chek Smart Pix diabetes management system for consumers. Traditionally, Accu-Chek Smart Pix has been an information management tool used by healthcare specialists in clinics, but now people with diabetes can benefit from this advanced technology for home use. With this brand new device, manual log books become a thing of the past, and patients remain fully in control of their diabetes at all times.
PATH and WaterAid America released two new reports that show that the international aid community and developing-country governments are not responding to clear evidence on child mortality by targeting res where the disease burden is greatest. Diarrheal disease, a leading killer of children under age five worldwide, is responsible for the deaths of nearly 1.6 million children annually, yet it receives very little attention from both policymakers and the public. During the 1980s and 1990s, diarrheal disease mortality rates were cut by nearly 50 percent, made possible by wide availability and implementation of lifesaving prevention and treatment interventions.
A low cellular level of a tiny fragment of RNA appears to increase the spread of breast cancer in mouse models of the disease, according to researchers at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.
A lung cancer treatment that inhibits nicotine receptors was shown to double survival time in mice, according to Italian researchers.
A new article in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News highlights enormous change in cancer medicine with highly personalised treatments, patient top-up payments in some markets, response-related payments and even refunds when there is no response to a treatment, all driving the future of cancer care worldwide.
Today, the Israeli medtech startup company CLT Ltd. announced the establishment of Closed Loop Therapies (CLT) BV - a joint venture between Erasmus University Medical Centre (Rotterdam, the Netherlands), a highly prominent medical institute in Europe, and CLT Israel. The joint venture aims to develop and commercialise a novel therapeutic system, consisting of an arrhythmia-detecting drug pump combined with a unique drug, for automatic and immediate treatment of emerging atrial fibrillation (AF). Market size is estimated at 2.5-3 billion Euro, annually.
Paul Kubes and colleagues, at the University of Calgary, Canada, have provided evidence in mice to refute the paradigm that the initial phase of the immune response to infection with Gram-negative bacteria (the recruitment of immune cells known as neutrophils to the site of infection) is triggered following immune sentinel-cell recognition of the bacterial molecule LPS via the protein TLR4. Rather, the researchers found that LPS recognition by TLR4 on the cells that line blood vessels (endothelial cells) is the crucial event that initiates neutrophil recruitment and bacterial clearance in mice.
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.
Science fact surpasses science fiction at the Canadian Light (CLS) synchrotron"s 12th Annual Users" Meeting Thursday, June 18 at the Radisson Hotel in Saskatoon. Conference participants will hear about some of the newest biomedical results from the CLS, as well as ways that synchrotron techniques are lighting the way to advances in environmental clean up and nanotechnology.
The American Medical Association warmly welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama to its 158th annual meeting in Chicago. Like the president, the AMA is committed to health reform this year that provides all Americans with affordable, high-quality health coverage.
June is National Osteoporosis Month and health experts from NHS Somerset are urging people to look after their bones by living well and eating well.
The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Lunivia (eszopiclone), 2 and 3 mg tablets.
KMR GROUP, a firm analyzing biopharmaceutical R&D performance since the early 1990s, announces SiteView, its newest module in the Enrollment Metrix Application. Enrollment Metrix helps companies plan more effectively and reliably when setting recruitment targets and timelines, therefore helping companies save millions of dollars due to delay and non-conformance.
MacroGenics, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that the PROTEGE trial achieved its targeted patient enrollment. The trial is a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical study evaluating teplizumab, an investigational compound under development for the treatment of individuals with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.
Global Med Technologies(R), Inc. ("Global Med" or the "Company") (OTC Bulletin Board: GLOB), an international healthcare information technology company, announced that its Wyndgate Technologies(R) division has licensed its SafeTrace Tx(R) transfusion management software to a 40+ hospital healthcare system. The organization will also be contracting validation services, another cost-effective business solution, from Global Med"s PeopleMed subsidiary. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
In 2004, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center announced a crucial discovery in the understanding of cellular aging. They found that as cells and tissues age, the expression of a key protein, called p16INK4a, dramatically increases in most mammalian organs. Because p16INK4a is a tumor suppressor protein, cancer researchers are interested in its role in cellular aging and cancer prevention.
MEDICAL experts have cautioned against indiscriminate use of new classes of medication for Britain"s increasing number of people with diabetes - saying the drug advances needed "careful adoption" to meet their full treatment potential.
A report published revealed the social care workforce is unfit to deliver quality care for people with dementia.
The following statistics were released by the Department of Health:
Albany, Ga., health officials are recommending that all residents between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested for HIV as a part of their routine medical care, the Albany Herald reports. Officials are concerned about HIV in Southwest Georgia, as there are large percentages of low-income and black residents in the area -- populations that have been hard hit by the epidemic, according to the Herald. In addition, Chanel Scott-Dixon, HIV/AIDS program manager for Southwest District Health, said, "We have been seeing an increase in young adults testing positive." In observance of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, public health officials will be offering free HIV testing to residents (Parks, Albany Herald, 6/14).
To mark Day of the African Child on Tuesday, the U.N. Millennium Campaign is calling on African governments, civil society organizations and the private sector to address child and maternal mortality and other targets related to the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), InDepthNews reports (Mwanda, InDepthNews, 6/16), while Save the Children released a new briefing paper, indicating that more than 1,500 babies born in sub-Saharan Africa die daily, "mostly from preventable or treatable causes," (Save the Children release, 6/16).
On Monday, USA Today examined how the popularity of vasectomies remains relatively low compared with other contraceptive methods, despite the procedure"s high level of effectiveness. However, some physicians believe that the current economic recession might be a factor in the recent surge of men seeking the procedure, according to USA Today. Charles Wilson, founder of The Vasectomy Clinic in Seattle, said although it has been a "long-term struggle trying to sell vasectomy," he now performs about 140 vasectomies monthly, compared with the usual 100. Lawrence Ross, a professor of urology at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said vasectomy consultations have about doubled compared with one year ago.Despite the recent uptick, experts say that sterilization surgeries for women remain much more popular than vasectomies. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 50% of women ages 40 to 44 who used birth control in 2002 had undergone sterilization surgery, but fewer than 20% of their male partners had undergone a vasectomy. According to USA Today, physicians cite several reasons for the lower popularity of vasectomies. Compared with women, men generally are less comfortable with medical procedures, particularly procedures involving sexual organs. In addition, myths about side effects of the procedure -- such as reduced testosterone levels and diminished sexual function or desire -- continue to persist.Some men experience feelings of regret post-surgery, but there is a lack of data on the number of men who seek vasectomy reversals, USA Today reports. Wilson said that although the recent increase in vasectomy surgeries might be tied to the economy, the trend probably does not reflect a long-term shift. He said that fears of losing a job and health insurance might play a role in convincing some men to go ahead with a vasectomy but that most of these individuals would eventually have had the procedure anyway (Painter, USA Today, 6/14).
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 following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries. ~ "Report: Higher Rates of Unintended Pregnancy, Abortion Among Women of Color," Sharon Camp, RH Reality Check: A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation on health disparities between white women and women of color "provides further stronger evidence debunking claims" from antiabortion-rights advocates who "have long argued that high abortion rates among minorities are the result of supposed aggressive marketing by abortion providers to minority communities," Camp, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute, writes. In addition to identifying disparities in conditions like heart disease and cancer, the report documents "widespread disparities in access to health insurance and health screenings" and explores growing evidence of the association between social factors and health behaviors, access and outcomes, according to Camp. She continues that research from Guttmacher has consistently demonstrated that "rates among racial and ethnic minorities -- especially blacks and Hispanics -- are directly linked to their higher rates of unintended pregnancy, which in turn reflect pervasive health disparities more generally." Camp writes that the "fundamental question policymakers should be asking is not why women of color have high abortion rates, but rather what can be done to help them have fewer unintended pregnancies and achieve better health outcomes more generally," such as improved access to affordable contraception. Women"s dissatisfaction with health care providers, quality of service and the contraceptive methods themselves also are factors in contraceptive use, as are "[u]nstable life situations," which can make consistent use a low priority for some women, according to Camp. She writes, "By continuing to label abortion providers as "racists" and refusing to support expanded access to contraceptive services, antiabortion-rights activists are by no means part of the solution -- to high rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion among racial and ethnic minorities or to persistent and tragic disparities in health care generally" (Camp, RH Reality Check, 6/15).~ "What"s Next for Women"s Legal Rights in the Supreme Court?" Amy Matsui, Womenstake: Matsui, senior counsel for the National Women"s Law Center, examines several women"s rights issues "that we see peeking around the corner" of the next Supreme Court session. Matsui writes that "increasingly draconian abortion restrictions have begun to work their way through state legislatures." These restrictions include giving personhood rights to fetuses, mandates on the information women are given prior to abortion procedures and "outright abortion bans," she writes. Challenges to laws that expand protections for providers who deny health care services also "are likely to come before the courts," Matsui writes. Challenges to health care reform proposals also are likely, "specifically, the interaction of the federal statute that governs employee health care and pension plans ... and any new requirements for employers to provide health care coverage," according to Matsui. The Supreme Court has "obviously considered the underlying legal doctrines in these cases (the constitutional right to privacy, federal anti-discrimination statutes, Equal Protection guarantees and federal benefits statutes) in the past; some might say that there is a clear roadmap of where the Court should go in some of these cases," Matsui writes, concluding, "But when every vote counts on the Supreme Court, women should be watching what cases come next" (Matsui, Womenstake, 6/12).~ "Antiabortion Groups" Case Against Sotomayor," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s "God and Country": "With no clear evidence for a pro-abortion-rights position in her judicial decisions, antiabortion groups" case against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor can be summed up in eight words: the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund," Gilgoff writes. From 1980 to 1992, Sotomayor sat on the l
Youngsters suffering severe nerve poisoning following a scorpion sting recover completely and quickly if a scorpion-specific antivenom is administered, according to a study conducted by researchers from The University of Arizona and reported in the May 14 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
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.
Clear Innova announced the launch of a next-generation radiology information system (RIS) that will serve as an efficient, cost-effective practice management solution for imaging centers and hospital radiology departments.
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.
A life-saving program that speeds up the matching of donated organs to would-be transplant patients has been named a finalist in the international Computerworld Honours Program 2009.
Three-dimensional, real-time X-ray images of patients could be closer to reality because of research recently completed by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a pair of Russian institutes.
Clavis Pharma ASA (OSE: CLAVIS) announces positive final results from a Phase II trial of its novel investigational cancer drug, elacytarabine (CP-4055), in patients with late-stage acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). In the trial, elacytarabine showed statistically significant superior efficacy compared to published clinical data for late-stage AML. Based on these encouraging results an elacytarabine registration study is being planned.
Two new studies published by neurologists at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital demonstrate a need for more vigilant monitoring for seizure activity among intensive care patients who may be experiencing subtle seizures that are typically unrecognized. These subtle seizures may be affecting patients" prognoses and causing long-term brain damage, death and severe disability.
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.
For many women who suffer from migraines, pregnancy can be a period of relief from their headaches. Studies have found that preexisting migraines diminish or disappear in 42% to 98% of pregnant women. However, new, persistent, or worsening migraines during pregnancy can signal a serious problem that could result in a stroke. A study published in the March 2009 issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) stroke found that migraine was associated with a 17-fold increase in pregnancy-related stroke.
A German study published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics addresses the differences between inpatient versus day clinic treatment of bulimia nervosa.
The National Public Health Service (NPHS) reports that, as at 17.00 on 15 June 2009, the total number of measles cases in Wales now stands at 302 with 36 people having been hospitalised.
Parents of babies and young children are being urged to stop using the "First Steps" medicine feeder range manufactured by RSW International Ltd after the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) uncovered potential safety and quality concerns.
As attempts to gain support for health reform across party lines and from stoic interest groups like the American Medical Association continue, House leaders are seeking to rally centrist members of their own caucus, CQ Politics reports. "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose liberal committee leaders will write health care legislation is attempting to engage moderate Democrats whose votes she will need on the floor."
Responding to the Care Quality Commission"s report (18 June) of trusts" self declaration of compliance, NHS Confederation deputy director of policy, Jo Webber, said there is a great deal that is improving in the NHS.
Ahead of this year"s World AIDS Day, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the World AIDS Campaign and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) have come together to announce the theme of "Universal Access and Human Rights".
Endocrine Society Unveils First-Ever Scientific Statement: Inaugural Statement Identifies Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals as a Significant Concern to Public Health
To support doctors who are confronted with challenging issues in medical practice, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria have developed a DVD that provides doctors with tips on managing difficult situations while maintaining their legal and ethical obligations.
Scotland has one of the highest rates in the world of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and its incidence is rising among Scots children. Now researchers have begun a major Scotland wide study into IBD - which encompasses Crohn"s disease and ulcerative colitis - which afflicts around 1,000 people under 18 years old in Scotland. Their work - led by the University of Aberdeen - is being supported by a research grant of ÷£182, 235 from the Chief Scientist Office.
Legislation (H.R. 1740, S. 994) proposed in March would help make certain groups of women younger than age 40 aware of their elevated risk for breast cancer, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Tuesday in a news conference sponsored by United Jewish Communities/Jewish Federations of North America, CQ HealthBeat reports. Wasserman Schultz -- who proposed the House bill after announcing that she was diagnosed with breast cancer last year -- said that about one in 40 Jewish women of Ashkenazi descent carry the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations, which make them three to seven times more likely to develop breast cancer. The mutations also increase women"s risk for ovarian cancer, according to Wasserman Schultz. Few Jewish women are aware of the mutations, she said. The bill would direct the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create a national education campaign aimed at increasing awareness about breast cancer risk factors and promoting early detection of the disease among women younger than age 40. A second CDC campaign would seek to educate health care professionals about specific breast cancer risk factors and treatments. The bill also would develop medical counseling programs for young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Wasserman Schultz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, said they hope the legislation will be enacted by the end of the year (Attias, CQ HealthBeat, 6/16).
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 collaboration of researchers, which includes scientists at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) and Virginia Tech, have completed the genome sequence of Azotobacter vinelandii, uncovering important genetic information that will contribute to a more complete understanding of the biology of this versatile, soil-living bacterium. The work will help advance research on A. vinelandii"s role as a model study organism for investigation of nitrogen fixation and other biochemical processes. It will also pave the way for new applications in biotechnology, including the possible use of A. vinelandii as a "factory" for the production of other proteins, in particular those that may be damaged by the presence of oxygen.
A comprehensive survey of veterinary students concludes that one in three find themselves in difficult or severe financial situations, more than half have suffered from stress, over a fifth from depression, over a quarter from anxiety and one in every 14 from an eating disorder.
Shape is turning out to be a particularly important feature of some commercially important nanoparticles - but in subtle ways. New studies* by scientists at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) show that changing the shape of cobalt nanoparticles from spherical to cubic can fundamentally change their behavior.