Oncology
A nationwide vaccination effort in Mozambique helped to slash the number of reported cases of measles in Mozambique in 2008, Health Minister Ivo Garrido said Wednesday when addressing the country"s parliament, Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique/allAfrica.com reports.
The first of six online courses to educate healthcare professionals on preventing the transmission of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is being launched by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) cause 99,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
The California Medical Association issued the following statement about the tragic shooting of Dr. George Tiller of Kansas:
Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced that it has received FDA clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new rapid test for Campylobacter, ImmunoCard STAT!® CAMPY. This new test provides fast and accurate detection of Campylobacter bacteria, one of the most common causes of diarrheal illness and the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Approximately 20 million stool culture tests are conducted each year in the U.S. to detect the illness, known as Campylobacteriosis. Campylobacter is most often transmitted by poorly cooked poultry or person-to-person contact.
Eating a curry once or twice a week could help prevent the onset of Alzheimer"s disease and dementia. The magic ingredient in curry is curcumin, a component of the spice, turmeric.
SRI International, an
A new contract that will help improve the use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), which support the NHS to collect patient feedback on the success of their operations, was today awarded to the Royal College of Surgeons and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Scientists at Jefferson Medical College have received a five-year, $1.7 million National Institutes of Health grant funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases to study mechanisms regulating stem cell self-renewal and differentiation with the aim of regenerating diseased and painful intervertebral discs. A previous study by the same group showed that stem cells exist in both animal and human intervertebral discs. This grant will enable the researchers to continue studying the disc cells and determine factors which govern their activities in health and disease.
Dr. Aileen Go of Loyola University Health System, who is studying treatment options for older leukemia and lymphoma patients, has won a prestigious Amgen Foundation Fellowship grant.
New standards to improve access to diagnosis and treatment of sarcomas have been published by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Cigarette smoking induced COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a disease that results in severe breathing difficulty. According to World Health Organization (WHO) it is the fourth leading killer worldwide. However the mechanisms responsible for some smokers developing COPD and others evading the disease have not been well understood.
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) and its fully
Doctors and other health workers should be more aware of the high risk of eating disorders among people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and other anxiety disorders.
Bipolar disorder is misdiagnosed as depression in over a quarter of cases, a new study suggests. The research is presented today at the Royal College of Psychiatrists" 2009 Annual Meeting in Liverpool.
Two-thirds of patients are happy for their medical records to be stored electronically, according to a snapshot survey carried out in a community mental health setting. But many patients still have concerns about security and confidentiality.
A pioneering study of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in nursing homes reveals that more than half of them incurred at least one work-related injury in the previous year. One in three received some kind of means-tested public assistance, and nearly half of those without medical insurance claimed they could not afford their employer-sponsored plan.
The axon is a part of the neuron through which nerve impulses are transmitted, and at the end of which is located the synapse, which connects it to another neuron. In the event of a lesion, the axon is the component which must be regenerated in order to restore the connections between the different neurons and re-form the nerve.
On the 4th June, the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Copenhagen will open the doors of its new research center, The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research. The Center is the result of a historic donation from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which in 2007 gave the University 80 million euros for its establishment.
Ortho Biotech Oncology Research & Development, a unit of Centocor Research & Development, Inc., has announced that it has entered into a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), with Steven A. Rosenberg, M.D., Ph.D., chief, Surgery Branch, serving as the NCI principal investigator, to research and develop novel cell therapy technologies as potential treatments for a variety of cancers. These adoptive immunotherapy technologies are designed to work by helping the immune system fight cancer. Standard cancer treatments still have not progressed much beyond surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, which are effective at killing tumor cells but also can harm or kill healthy tissues. Adoptive immunotherapies have the potential to spare healthy tissue because they are designed to directly find and destroy cancerous tumor cells using a patient"s own immune system T cells.
"ADAP Watch," National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors: The report found that as of May 20, 2009, there were 99 people on AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) waiting lists in Indiana, Montana, Nebraska and Wyoming -- 37 more people than the previous ADAP Watch report, published in March 2009. The report also found that 11 ADAPs anticipate implementing new cost-containment measures by the end of March 2010, six of which anticipate implementing a waiting list. In addition, the report identifies factors contributing to the need for cost-containment measures, and discusses how state budget deficits are affecting HIV programs, including ADAPs ("ADAP Watch," NASTAD, 6/4).
Half of all patients who undergo myocardial infarction are experiencing onerous fatigue four months after the infarction. The patients who are most fatigued are those who perceive the infarction as a sign of chronic illness, those who experience the illness as difficult to control, and those who believe that the illness has a large impact on their life. These are the conclusions of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Dialysis is the artificial process of getting rid of waste (diffusion) and unwanted water (ultrafiltration) from the blood. This process is naturally done by our kidneys. Some people, however, may have failed or damaged kidneys which cannot carry out the function properly - they may need dialysis. In other words, dialysis is the artificial replacement for lost kidney function (renal replacement therapy). Dialysis may be used for people who have become ill and have acute kidney failure (temporary loss of kidney function), or for fairly stable patients who have permanently lost kidney function (stage 5 chronic kidney disease).
In a new study, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists disprove a century-old theory about why cancer cells often have too many or too few chromosomes, and show that the actual reason may hold the key to a novel approach to cancer therapy.
In the sense that organisms existing today are connected through a chain of life - through their parents, grandparents and other ancestors - almost a billion years back to the first animals of the pre-Cambrian era, an animal"s reproductive cells can be considered to be immortal. These germline cells generate their offspring"s somatic cells - other cells involved in all aspects of growth, metabolism and behavior, which have a set lifespan - and new germline cells that continue on, generation after generation.
WHAT:
Staff at Scotland"s care watchdog have been praised for completing a specialist course aimed at improving care standards across the country.
Health professionals need to look no further than their iPhone to support them at the point of care. Wave Medical, who provides clinical decision support applications to general practitioners, nurses, emergency doctors and medical students has recently expanded its mobile platform offering to include the iPhone™ and iPod® Touch. Now all healthcare professionals can easily access any of Wave Medical"s specialty-focused clinical decision support applications through iPhone"s innovative platform.
"Rehabilitation medicine is facing a major challenge today," says Dr. Karsten Dreinh̦fer (Head of Department for Orthopaedics and Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical Park Berlin Humboldtm̿hle, Germany) speaking at the EFORT Congress in Vienna. "Not only in Germany but in many other European countries too, the trend is towards the shortest possible stay in an acute hospital after orthopaedic or trauma-related surgery. This means patient care is shifting increasingly to the rehabilitation sector, which must then be appropriately equipped and trained." But demographic developments are also presenting a significant challenge to orthopaedic rehabilitation: with modern surgical procedures, surgery such as joint replacement operations can be carried out on more and more patients, including the elderly and the very elderly, who then require special care and mobilization assistance, says Dr. Dreinh̦fer, who has been appointed to the professorship for musculoskeletal rehabilitation, prevention and health care research at the Charit̩ in Berlin. Broad interdisciplinary cooperation is also necessary, he says. "Multimodal concepts have proven to be especially effective in numerous diseases of the musculoskeletal system," says Dr. Dreinh̦fer, speaking of a further important trend. "This involves orthopaedics working together with other disciplines, such as physiotherapy, psychotherapy and sports sciences, to be able to help effectively such common complaints as back pain." He says it is also important to cooperate across various health sectors. "It is increasingly important to optimise, via treatment pathways, the transition from the pre-inpatient sector, to acute care and to rehabilitation."
The current financial meltdown has in part been caused by bankers who display the attributes of Hubris Syndrome, a former leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has claimed.
Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) Federal Secretary Ged Kearney said comments made by Senator Nick Xenophon today display a lack of understanding of the award modernisation process and the benefits this process brings to nursing staff, employers and the aged care industry.
Today, Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced new developments in its long-standing goal to create a "closed-loop" diabetes management system designed to closely mimic the insulin delivery of a normal pancreas. This system, sometimes referred to as an "artificial pancreas," would emulate a healthy pancreas by using technology that continuously monitors glucose levels and automatically adjusts insulin delivery in patients with diabetes.
There is no difference in mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes and stable heart disease who received prompt bypass surgery or angioplasty compared to drug therapy alone, according to a landmark study focused exclusively on patients with both conditions. The study, which was led by investigators at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, published in the June 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Diabetes Association 69th Scientific Sessions, also found that while prompt bypass in patients with more severe heart disease did not lower mortality, it lowered their risk of subsequent major cardiac events.
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada has granted Innovotech (TSV VENTURE:IOT) a Research Authorization for large-scale field trials for the 2009 season to test its novel seed treatment, AgressTM. This Research Authorization provides growers with an opportunity to assess the real-world ability of AgressTM to fight bacterial disease and its ease of use. In conjunction with cooperating growers, dry beans treated with AgressTM have been planted on farms in Alberta.
Researchers have proven that glycemic control in type 1 diabetes is not fully dependent on the individual"s behavior, but is in part subject to genetic influence, according to a presentation here today at the American Diabetes Association"s 69th Scientific Sessions.
Although they have no symptoms themselves, the mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, Ray Nagin, his wife and a member of his security staff
Cystitis refers to inflammation of the lining of the bladder. It usually occurs when the normally sterile urethra and bladder (lower urinary tract) are infected by bacteria and become irritated and inflamed. Cystitis is fairly common and can affect both men and women and people of all ages. However, it is more common in women.
A study in the June issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, published by Elsevier, demonstrates that the Hepascore(TM) liver fibrosis blood-serum test panel may help physicians more accurately diagnose and stage liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV), potentially alleviating the need for liver biopsy, the standard of care for staging fibrosis, in a particular subset of patients. The Hepascore test panel is provided exclusively by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world"s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services.
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Delcath Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: DCTH), a medical technology company testing its proprietary percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP(TM)) system for the treatment of cancers of the liver, announced today that it has achieved the seventy-five percent enrollment point of its pivotal Phase III clinical trial treating metastatic cutaneous and ocular melanoma to the liver. The participating cancer centers in this trial continue to evaluate and enroll patients and the Company remains on target to complete enrollment this year.
1994 Group universities are continuing to widen access to higher education, attracting over 4/5 of their students from state schools for a third consecutive year, as highlighted by statistics published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA.) As well as increasing their average percentage of entrants from state schools by three times the national average, 1994 Group universities have also achieved drop-out rates well below the sector-wide average for a forth year running, signalling that wider participation and high quality student experience can go hand in hand.
Patient-provider communication influences quality of care, but black and Asian patients were more likely than white patients to report communication difficulties with their doctors in 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
More than one million Americans are living in nursing homes, but many would prefer to receive the services they need in their own homes, where they would be more comfortable and potentially save the health care system money in the long run. Unfortunately, many Americans who want to be cared for at home can"t because of a costly institutional bias in Medicaid, which pays for nearly two-thirds of the country"s nursing home residents. While state Medicaid programs are required to provide nursing home care, home and community-based services that are often less expensive are optional, leaving them first in line to be cut in a poor economy.
Tau protein tangles are found in the brains of people with a range of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer"s.
The "patient-centered" practices movement is growing in popularity, the New York Times reports. Primary care physicians in the practices "spend more time with patients, emphasize prevention and education" to keep patients healthy and "can handle many medical problems without referrals to specialists." Often, "this kind of care can reduce a patient"s medical bills." Dr. Jose Batlle, a doctor in the Bronx, for example, gives patients his cell phone number and helps his patients cut down on the number of prescription drugs that have him prescribed to them by multiple specialists. "I prefer to keep them healthy than treat them when they are sick," Batlle says.
Nile Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: NLTX), a company focused on the development of novel therapeutics for heart failure patients, received notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that the agency has released the Company"s CD-NP development program from clinical hold.
Obama"s Health Cost Illusion Wall Street Journal
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday said it is "way too early to know" whether Senate Republicans will attempt to filibuster the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama"s nominee for the Supreme Court, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. Although other Senate Republicans have said that they do not plan to filibuster a vote on Sotomayor, McConnell said that Senate Democrats established a precedent of filibustering former President George W. Bush"s nominees. However, he added that he believes blocking votes on judges is generally a "bad idea." Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has said a filibuster is unlikely, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) has said that Republicans do not have the votes or the desire to mount a filibuster against Sotomayor. Senate Democrats hope to have confirmation hearings for Sotomayor in July, followed by a full Senate vote before the August recess. Senate Republicans are hoping to push back the hearings until September to give them more time to review her judicial record.Antiabortion Groups Circulate 1998 Legal Brief Abortion-rights opponents on Friday circulated a 1998 legal brief supporting abortion rights that the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund joined while Sotomayor was on the fund"s board. The brief -- which was submitted to the Supreme Court to support a challenge to a Missouri law that made it illegal to use public facilities for abortion services -- warned of "the danger of tampering with the core framework of Roe v. Wade." The brief added that the law would disproportionately affect poor women of color. According to the AP/Star Tribune, there is nothing to indicate that Sotomayor had any role in drafting the brief.PRLDEF President Cesar Perales said that although its board helps determine which legal issues the organization should focus on, it is not involved with deciding which cases to take on. Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life said, "That specific case makes it very difficult for [Sotomayor] to say that she doesn"t have a position" on abortion rights (Hirschfeld Davis, AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune, 6/5).Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Two Federal Judges In related news, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday voted to approve two of Obama"s federal judge nominees, Roll Call reports. The committee voted 12-7 to approve David Hamilton to fill a vacancy in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and voted 16-3 to approve Andre Davis to fill a vacancy on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. The votes were delayed two weeks because of requests from panel Republicans. This week, the committee will consider the nomination of Judge Gerard Lynch to fill a vacancy on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (Brady, Roll Call, 6/4).
Antiabortion-rights legislators in Kansas plan to push for harsher restrictions on abortion when the next legislative session begins in January 2010, despite increased tensions following the murder of abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/Indianapolis Star reports.According to state House Judiciary Committee Chair Lance Kinzer (R), the debate over abortion rights should continue in the state because some laws aimed at restricting abortion access are not being enforced properly. This year, Kinzer pushed legislation (S.B. 218) to strengthen the state"s restrictions on abortions performed later in pregnancy, but the bill was vetoed by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D). Gov. Mark Parkinson (D) has said his views are "very similar" to those of Sebelius on abortion rights. On Monday, he called on advocates on both sides of the issue to tone down their rhetoric. Parkinson also has said that Kansas should aim to reduce unplanned pregnancies.State Rep. Tom Sawyer (D), who supports abortion rights, said he would like to see legislators take one year off of debating the issue, adding that he thinks this is unlikely. He said, "It"d be nice to have one session where we didn"t have to debate it," adding, "People who are adamant, who keep bringing up these issues, are going to keep bringing them up. I don"t think [Tiller"s murder] is going to slow them down."However, state House Speaker Mike O"Neal (R) said tensions over abortion rights "will calm down a great deal" in the coming months. He added, "All those issues are still there. As long as the parties on both sides behave themselves and not let the rhetoric get out [of] hand, I think we can stay focused on the issues." State Sen. Tim Huelskamp (R) said that abortion-rights opponents likely will focus in the short term on the Board of Healing Arts, which licenses and regulates physicians, and the courts. A criminal case against a Planned Parenthood clinic in Johnson County, Kan., is pending (Hanna, AP/Indianapolis Star, 6/5).
The King"s Fund has announced a series of new initiatives and projects to take forward its work to improve health care.
Despite tough economic times, the majority of Canadians want to see federal and provincial governments make clean air a top priority, according to a new poll by The Canadian Lung Association to mark Clean Air Day.
Hemophilia A is an inherited bleeding disease caused by a lack of the blood clotting protein Factor VIII. It had been hoped that gene therapy would provide a breakthrough in treatment, but the most common gene therapy approach has had little clinical success. However, a team of researchers, at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, has now developed a new approach to target genes specifically to mouse liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (the cells that are the main of Factor VIII) and used it to provide long-term expression of Factor VIII in hemophilia A mice, markedly reducing their disease. They hope that their data might prove to be a step toward successful human clinical trials in individuals with hemophilia A.
As National Blood Donor Week begins, Canadian Blood Services is calling on donors across the country to give the life-saving gift during the critical summer months and ensure that the national blood inventory remains at acceptable levels.
According to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, television watching may be an important determinant of bedtime, and may contribute to chronic sleep debt.
Athletes who extended their nightly sleep and reduced accumulated sleep debt reported improvements in various drills conducted after every regular practice, according to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Opal Events is proud to present our next exciting conference Drug Discovery Partnerships: Academia & Industrial Interactions , to be held at the Hyatt Regency in Boston on October 28-30, 2009.
Napping may have a significant influence on young children"s daytime functioning, according to a research abstract presented on Monday, June 8 at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Martin Simon Hickman, a 49-year-old unlicensed and counterfeit medicines dealer, was sentenced to two years imprisonment at the Southwark Crown Court after pleading guilty to six counts of selling and supplying fake and unlicensed medicines, and money laundering to the sum of ÷£1.4m.
Study results presented for the first
MDRNA, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNA) announced that it has obtained full U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for generic calcitonin-salmon nasal spray for the treatment of osteoporosis and that Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. (NYSE: PAR) has launched the product.
When it comes to concussions, children and teens require different treatment, according to international experts who recently published consensus recommendations. The British Journal of Sports Medicine"s new guidelines say children and teens must be strictly monitored and activities restricted until fully healed. These restrictions include no return to the field of play, no return to school, and no cognitive activity.
"My wish is simple, but I wouldn"t have given it a second thought this time last year," Joe Castelli said as his eyes welled up with tears. "I want to see my children grow up. I have two daughters who are nine and seven."
For car designers, secret agents in the movies and jet fighter pilots, data eyeglasses - also called head-mounted displays, or HMDs for short - are everyday objects. They transport the wearer into virtual worlds or provide the user with data from the real environment. At present these devices can only display information. "We want to make the eyeglasses bidirectional and interactive so that new areas of application can be opened up," says Dr. Michael Scholles, business unit manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden. A group of scientists at IPMS is working on a device which incorporates eye tracking - users can influence the content presented by moving their eyes or fixing on certain points in the image. Without having to use any other devices to enter instructions, the wearer can display new content, scroll through the menu or shift picture elements. Scholles believes that the bidirectional data eyeglasses will yield advantages wherever people need to consult additional information but do not have their hands free to operate a keyboard or mouse. The Dresden-based researchers have integrated their system"s eye tracker and image reproduction on a CMOS chip. This makes the HMDs small, light, easy to manufacture and inexpensive.
Researchers have been seeking a safe and effective way to treat cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia by enhancing N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors. Functional deficits in NMDA receptors may contribute to the underlying neurobiology of this disorder. The first generation of studies trying to stimulate NMDA receptors administered large amounts of substances, like glycine or D-serine, which indirectly enhance NMDA receptor function. While there were some positive reports of efficacy, findings across studies were more inconsistent than was hoped.
As Memorial Day Weekend and the opening of the summer beach season fast approach, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is making experts available to discuss the risks of developing skin cancer and what steps can be taken to prevent it.
An over-the-counter prostate cancer test kit
Israeli researchers have developed a technique that could produce a more effective blend of tumor-fighting immune cells used to treat cancers such as metastatic melanoma.
The Escambia County Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2008 that
On Monday, HIV/AIDS advocates staged a rally in Fresno, Calif., to protest a budget proposal by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) that would cut an estimated $80 million statewide in HIV/AIDS services, KMPH.com reports. The proposed cuts would eliminate or reduce funding for HIV testing services, financial assistance for people living with HIV and other programs, according to KMPH.com. A larger rally at the state capitol is planned for Wednesday (KMPH.com. 6/9).
Despite a recent ruling by India"s Supreme Court that all tobacco products must have pictorial warnings by May 31, one week after the ruling was to go into effect, the warning labels have yet to appear on packaging, the National reports.
The Times of Zambia/allAfrica.com examines abortion in Zambia and efforts to reduce maternal mortality. "Unsafe abortions are one of the top five causes of maternal mortality in Zambia," writes the newspaper, which adds they are one factor keeping the country from meeting the U.N. Millennium Development Goal target of reducing maternal mortality.
U.K. Pledges $30M To Vietnam HIV/AIDS Efforts
President Obama"s carefully worded health care reform letter to key Senate Democrats last week highlighted the growing role the president is taking in overhaul efforts, Politico reports.
"Black, Latino and Asian lawmakers want President Barack Obama to focus more on racial disparities reported in medical treatment as the White House works toward overhauling the nation"s health care system," the Associated Press reports. "Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent Obama a letter last week calling for more attention to minority health problems" and are "expected to join lawmakers from Hispanic and Asian caucuses Tuesday at a news conference on Capitol Hill." They plan to "introduce an alternative health care proposal soon that would improve services in low-income areas, eliminate language barriers and improve data collection to help detect gaps in care for various racial and ethnic groups" (Evans, 6/9).
A Selection of Editorials and Opinions
UroToday.com - Angiogenesis is thought to be important in many chronic inflammatory disorders, including diabetic retinopathy, atherosclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. It has also been suggested that the angiogenic components of these diseases contribute to and exacerbate disease conditions. Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been detected in patients with asthma and have been shown to be correlated with the severity of the disease. Anti-VEGF therapy has been shown to ameliorate inflammation in animal models of chronic inflammatory bowel disease. This background forms the prelude to a very interested study by Kiuchi and colleagues from Osaka, Japan.
Young heterosexual men are falling prey to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia just as much as women and gay men - and their numbers are increasing, a leading specialist has warned.
UroToday.com - Robotic and medical imaging technology has made leaps and bounds over the past few decades, and the practice of brachytherapy should take advantage of these advances. Of course, any new technology cannot be implemented in the clinic without a scientifically validated foundation, which must be established in order to justify the move away from tried-and-true methods. With this in mind, we present this paper as a peek into the future -- alternative, potentially useful implant catheter patterns.
The New York Times on Friday examined how two events -- controversy surrounding President Obama"s upcoming commencement speech at University of Notre Dame on Sunday and the selection of a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter -- are testing the "delicate balancing act" the president has pursued on abortion rights. Notre Dame"s invitation to Obama to deliver the commencement speech and receive an honorary degree has sparked ongoing protests from abortion-rights opponents, and Obama is now forced to decide whether he will recognize this opposition in his address on Sunday. According to Anita Dunn, the president"s communication adviser, Obama likely will "make reference to the controversy" in his speech but will not "allow it to become the focus of a day that"s actually supposed to be about the graduates." Meanwhile, the pending Supreme Court vacancy has "galvanized backers of abortion rights," according to the Times. Although both sides expect that Obama will select a nominee who supports abortion rights, advocates "are taking no chances," the Times reports.Obama has attempted to present a nuanced approach to abortion-rights issues and expressed that he intends to form consensus around reducing unintended pregnancies and promoting adoption. In addition, his policy moves to date have attempted "to straddle the abortion divide" by creating a dialogue with religious conservatives, avoiding contentious legislative fights and taking a gradual approach to reversing the policies of former President George W. Bush, the Times reports. Obama has named abortion-rights supporters to head jobs, such as his nomination of Dawn Johnsen, a former legal director of NARAL Pro-Choice America, to lead the Justice Department"s Office of Legal Counsel. He also repealed the "Mexico City" policy, which prohibited federal funding for international groups that provide abortion services or information; lifted some limits on embryonic stem cell research; proposed decreasing funding for abstinence-only sex education; and took action to rescind the Bush administration"s HHS provider "conscience" rule allowing health care workers to refuse to provide services they find morally or religiously objectionable. However, the president has stepped away from some abortion-related issues, including the Freedom of Choice Act, which would effectively codify Roe v. Wade. Although Obama said in a 2007 speech to Planned Parenthood that he would sign the bill if elected president, he said in a press conference last month that it is not his "highest legislative priority."Meanwhile, Obama"s top domestic policy adviser, Melody Barnes, is convening a series of meetings with leaders from both sides of the abortion rights debate to discuss policy ideas, with an aim of drafting recommendations by late summer. David Gushee, a Christian ethics professor at Mercer University who has participated in the talks, said the president is signaling to moderate Catholics and evangelicals that "he clearly knows what the bright red lines are and is trying to avoid stepping over them." However, some religious conservatives and abortion-rights opponents who have not been included in the discussions contend that "Obama is trying to have it both ways," according to the Times. Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, said coming to a consensus would entail the president advocating for restrictions such as parental consent requirements for minors and bans on certain abortion procedures. Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who opposes abortion rights, called Obama"s strategy "[m]oderate rhetoric, hard-left policies."Polls show that U.S. residents remain "deeply conflicted" over abortion rights, with support declining over the years, the Times reports. About 60% of U.S. residents believed abortion should be legal in all or most cases in a 1995 poll; a recent Pew Research Center poll showed the number declined to 46% (Stolberg, New York Times, 5/15).
Almost three-quarters (74%) of people providing unpaid care for a loved
The NHS met a number of key commitments on healthcare priorities at the end of the last financial year and continues to show strong financial management, the Department of Health announced today.
Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., issued The Surgeon General"s Call to Action to Promote Healthy Homes at a press conference from the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. The Call to Action looks at the ways housing can affect health; its release will initiate a national dialogue about the importance of healthy homes.
-- 2 confirmed cases in Wales:
Self-reported nightmares among patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluation uniquely predicted elevated suicidal symptoms, according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
The Missouri Senate on Thursday voted 25-7 to approve a bill (SB 264) that would add additional requirements to the state"s existing informed consent law for women seeking abortion, the AP/Newark Star-Ledger reports.The measure would require physicians to hold in-person meetings with women seeking abortion 24 hours before the scheduled procedure to inform them about the physical and psychological risks and the physical development of their fetuses. The existing informed consent law allows physicians to provide this information by phone. Under the revised bill, health care providers also would be required to offer a woman the option to view ultrasound images of the fetus and to listen to the fetus" heartbeat. Providers also would be required to tell women who are at least 22 weeks pregnant that their fetuses have the ability to feel pain and offer fetal anesthesia. The new measure would exempt the Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia, Mo., one of two in the state that perform abortions, from the requirements until August 2012.Susan Klein of Missouri Right to Life said, "This bill just makes sure the woman is fully informed about what she is about to decide that will affect her for the rest of her life." The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Rob Mayer (R) and now heads to the House for consideration and a vote. If the House approves the bill before 6 p.m. on Friday, when the Legislature concludes its 2009 session, it will go to Gov. Jay Nixon (D) for his consideration. During his campaign last year, Nixon said he supported Missouri"s existing abortion laws without changes but declined to say whether he would veto bills containing additional restrictions the AP/Star-Ledger reports (Blank, AP/Newark Star-Ledger, 5/14).
The naturalistic respiratory muscle training with high resistance wind instruments may potentially reduce musicians" risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a research abstract presented at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.
Researchers at Imperial College London have identified a new appetite suppressant for promoting weight loss that they say works in rodents and may one day be used to develop an effective anti-obesity treatment. Results of the new study were presented at The Endocrine Society"s 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes" natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs - snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms; the discovery of its presence in a natural setting may make it possible finally to learn on a broad scale how microbial communities living at different ocean depths and regions respond to environmental stimuli.
GES or pacing has been under investigation as a potential therapy for gastrointestinal motility disorders. Conventionally, GES is performed using a single pair of electrodes or single-channel GES. However, few studies have investigated the effects of two-channel GES with trains of pulses on gastric motility, such as gastric slow waves and gastric emptying.
Three pseudo kinases of the Tribbles family have been recently recognized, which include TRB1, TRB2 and TRB3. Recent research has found that the expression of hepatic TRB3 increased in a rat model of diabetes. TRB3 could block the insulin signaling pathway through inhibiting Akt activation, which contributes to insulin resistance.
In a discovery that could lead to new treatment approaches for depression, researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) have shown that internet-based therapy programs are as effective as face-to-face therapies in combating the illness.
Scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have initiated the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial to expand restorative neurotechnology research for some patients with paralysis. This trial expands on previous research that explores methods that may help paralyzed patients control assistive technologies.
New research from Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience (JHN) may redefine how Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) is diagnosed. Eduardo De Sousa, M.D., assistant professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and director of the Electrodiagnostic Neuromuscular Lab at JHN, led the study which looked at the number of demyelinating features that are needed to differentiate between CIDP, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig"s disease) and diabetic neuropathy. His research suggests a minimum number of three demyelinating features can be used to positively identify CIDP in a patient. CIDP is a neurological disorder characterized by progressive weakness and impaired sensory function in the legs and arms. It affects about 50,000 people in the United States. The study, available in the current edition of the Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease, may help doctors more effectively diagnose and treat CIDP.
The most important factors for a successful stay in hospital short-stay units (SSUs) are the types of diagnostic tests performed and whether or not specialty consultations are needed. When hospitalists staff these units, they can ensure that only patients who need readily accessible services are admitted. These are the findings of a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
The Automation Partnership (TAP), a world leader in the design and development of innovative advanced automation for life science applications, announced it is collaborating with world leading academics on the prestigious, Technology Strategy Board funded, RAFT (Rapid Automated Fabrication of Tissues) Project to develop and commercialise novel technology for rapid production of 3D tissues, which have the potential to transform drug discovery and regenerative medicine.
Four suspects often found at the scene of the crime in cancer are guilty of the initiation and progression of breast cancer in mice that are resistant to the disease, a team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports in the June edition of Cancer Cell.
Sysmex America, Inc. announced that a study titled "Day-to-Day, Week-to-Week, and Day-of-the-Week Variations in Tests of Anemia and Iron Status in Hemodialysis Patients" has identified Sysmex"s Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Equivalent (RET-He) parameter result as key input used by physicians to assist in Anemia treatment decisions in ESRD patients on hemodialysis. David Van Wyck, M.D., Vice President of Clinical Affairs at DaVita Inc., and Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, in Tucson et. al followed five hematologic parameters in 30 patients undergoing hemodialysis three times a week. The patients were followed for 12 consecutive treatment days. The parameters studied were Hb, Hct, reticulocyte Hb (RET He or CHr), TSAT and ferritin levels.
InteKrin Therapeutics Inc presented Phase 2a clinical study results at the American Diabetes Association annual meeting in New Orleans demonstrating that once a day oral treatment with INT131 provides anti-diabetic efficacy consistent with maximal dose thiazolidinedione (TZD) therapy but with less hematocrit reduction and weight gain.
Osteotech, Inc. (Nasdaq: OSTE), a leader in the emerging field of biologic products for regenerative healing, announced that it has completed enrollment for the clinical trial of its DuraTech(TM) BioRegeneration Matrix. Based upon Osteotech"s proprietary HCT(TM) (human collagen technology) platform, DuraTech is used to repair dura mater (the tough, outermost membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord) during cranial surgical procedures.
The Desert Sun published a series of articles related to HIV/AIDS. The articles include a feature profiling people living with the virus and others looking at efforts by advocates to offer culturally appropriate information on HIV to Hispanics, blacks and other minorities; the efficacy of antiretrovirals, and how the drugs are enabling people to live longer; and the potential effects of proposed state budget cuts on HIV/AIDS programs in Riverside County (Brambila, Desert Sun, 6/10).
Democratic leaders have begun moving the rank and file closer to acceptance of basic tenets of health reform proposals, but concerns remain among the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats on how it will be paid for, Politico reports.
Sen. Chris Dodd has taken the reins on health care reform while he juggles other bills and a tough re-election campaign, Roll Call reports.
General Motors and the United Auto Workers are close to finalizing a deal that would reduce the automaker"s cash obligation to a retiree health care trust fund, according to people with knowledge of the matter, the Wall Street Journal reports. UAW in 2007 agreed to establish the voluntary employees" beneficiary association, totaling $35 billion, that would cover health care costs of retired GM workers and their spouses starting in 2010. GM has paid about $15 billion into the fund, but under the deal now being discussed, the remaining $20 billion obligation could be paid using about $10 billion in cash and a 39% equity stake in the restructured GM that will be formed under the Treasury Department"s "controlled bankruptcy" plan for the firm. The deal would be subject to approval by UAW"s 60,000 GM members, who likely would face "steep cuts" in pay and benefits as a result, as well as 20,000 additional layoffs, according to the Journal. Union officials also have expressed concern that the GM stock making up the equity stake is "illiquid and hard to value, posing a big risk for UAW members," the Journal reports. GM and UAW could agree to a final version of the deal "as early as next week," according to the Journal (Stoll, Wall Street Journal, 5/15). Chrysler
Weatherwood Manor, a UPMC Senior Living Community, will host a health fair from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and a blood drive from 12 to 5 p.m., Thursday, June 11. Weatherwood Manor is located at 896 Weatherwood Lane in Greensburg.
Thousands of people with Alzheimer"s will continue to be denied access to the only drug treatments for the disease following the publication of revised guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The original guidance recommended that only people in the moderate stages of Alzheimer"s disease should have access to drugs in the NHS, denying them to people in the early stages.
The latest issue of the online journal Diabetic Hypoglycemia features an authoritative review on sulfonylureas by Professor Ian Campbell, a leading expert in oral hypoglycemia therapy.
Can $167 million in provincial funding make a difference to Ontario"s community mental health system? According to the results from the Systems Enhancement Evaluation Initiative (SEEI), the answer is yes. Ontarians now have access to more appropriate community mental health services. But, the research also highlights the system"s limited res to serve all those in need.
Paul Farmer -- founder of Partners in Health and vice chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School -- said he is in discussions with the State Department about a possible Obama administration appointment to coordinate U.S. global health initiatives, the Boston Globe reports. Farmer made the announcement Monday during a meeting with HMS faculty. Farmer said that he has not decided whether he will accept the appointment if he receives a formal offer but that he is considering it, according to the Globe. The Globe reports that it was unable to confirm whether Farmer is being considered for a full-time policy position or for an advisory role or if the appointment would be a new or existing position. Several top positions at USAID -- including administrator, deputy administrator and the assistant administrator in charge of global health are vacant, the Globe reports. These positions are presidential appointments and would require Senate confirmation. In addition, Farmer could be discussing health policy positions with the State Department. Farmer did not respond for requests seeking comment. PIH and HMS also declined comment. A spokesperson at the State Department would not discuss personnel discussions that are in progress or possible new positions. Laurie Garrett, a global health policy specialist at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the administration"s announcement last week of a $63 billion, six-year initiative that aims to address HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other illnesses could allow new appointees the opportunity to make a significant impact in U.S. global health policy. Garrett, who has known Farmer for several years, added that she would be surprised if he is considering a government position in part because of his extensive involvement with PIH (Smith, Boston Globe, 5/15).
A new drug being studied for the treatment of muscle degenerating diseases has shown promising results. According to a study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, Debio 025 is as effective as current drugs but, crucially, does not cause unwanted immunosuppressive effects.
The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) announced its official product endorsement of the NESS L300 Foot Drop System, manufactured by Bioness Inc. of Valencia, CA, the first functional electrical stimulation (FES) foot drop system to be endorsed by APTA.
A free, online lifestyle self-assessment service to help teenagers improve their health and wellbeing is being rolled out nationally by the Department of Health today.
U.S. researchers have reversed multiple sclerosis symptoms in early stage patients by using bone marrow stem cell transplants to reset the immune system.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases (EFA) today announced that they are bringing together over 150 international delegates to discuss the growing epidemic of Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) that affects one billion people worldwide1, [2], [3] and is responsible for four million deaths annually1. The conference which will discuss the implementation of a five-year initiative to unite policy makers, providers and patient groups will be hosted by the Italian Ministry of Health in Rome on June 12 and 13.
Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS) announced that its flagship product, BioThrax® (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed), has been granted a shelf life extension from 3 to 4 years by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Based on this approval, Emergent has achieved a contract milestone warranting a payment of approximately $30 million for doses previously delivered to the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) under the terms of the company"s existing BioThrax procurement contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This amount is expected to be recognized as revenue in the second quarter of 2009. In addition, FDA approval of 4-year expiry dating results in an immediate price increase for the future delivery of BioThrax doses under the current contract as well as under the follow-on multi-year contract, valued at $405 million, for the delivery of 14.5 million doses of BioThrax.
Altus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTU) announced that patient dosing in its Phase 2 trial for ALTU-238 in growth hormone deficiency pediatric subjects began on June 2, 2009. ALTU-238 is a long-acting, extended-release formulation of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH, somatropin), which is being developed utilizing Altus" proprietary protein crystallization technology. ALTU-238 is a ready-to-use liquid suspension of crystallized rhGH that preserves the structure of the rhGH molecule without the need for pegylation, polymerization, or encapsulation and enables administration through a fine gauge needle. The Phase 2 ALTU-238 pediatric trial is being conducted in approximately 18 clinical sites in the U.S. and targets enrolling 36 growth hormone deficient pediatric patients. ALTU-238 has been studied in a series of Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies in healthy and GH deficiency adults.