Sexual Health
Ridge Diagnostics, Inc., a neurodiagnostic company, announced that data from clinical studies for its first-in-class, proprietary blood test for Major Depressive Disorder(MDD), will be presented during a poster session entitled Multianalyte Biomarker Blood Test to Aid in Diagnosis, Treatment and Management of Major Depressive Disorder, at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, May 20, 2009.
Dialysis takes hours of kidney disease patients" time several days a week, so why not do it at night while sleeping? Overnight dialysis is more convenient for some patients and offers significant benefits over shorter daytime treatments, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that overnight dialysis is a viable alternative for patients with irreversible kidney disease, particularly in dialysis clinics where there are constraints on time and res.
Alkermes, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALKS) announced the initiation of two new clinical trials of ALKS 33, an oral opioid modulator for the potential treatment of addiction and other nervous system disorders. Study ALK33-004 is a phase 1 clinical trial designed to examine the ability of ALKS 33 to block the effects of an opioid following a single oral dose of ALKS 33 in healthy, non-dependent, opioid-experienced subjects. Study ALK33-003 is a phase 1 clinical trial designed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of multiple doses of ALKS 33 in healthy volunteers.
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) announced European CE Mark approval of its Accent™ RF pacemaker and Anthem™ RF CRT-P (cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker).
"Achieving Health Care Reform -- How Physicians Can Help," New England Journal of Medicine: In a perspective piece, Elliott Fisher, a professor of medicine and of community and family medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and associate director for Population Health and Policy at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice; Donald Berwick, a professor at the Harvard University School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management and president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement; and Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, call on physicians to "lead the change our country needs" on health reform. They suggest several areas for physicians to become involved, saying that physicians should "first help to create a shared vision that could overcome doctrinal divides" and that they also must "recognize that achieving savings sufficient to cover the cost of expanded coverage need not impose a hardship on patients or providers." Finally, physicians also must help with a health reform deal that "all stakeholders can support," the authors say (Fisher et al., NEJM, 5/21).
Yolo County, Calif., Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to cut county funding for health care services for undocumented immigrants in an effort to save the county more than $1 million, the Sacramento Bee reports (Sangree, Sacramento Bee, 5/20).California counties have been taking such action amid the economic recession to reduce their budgets. In February, Sacramento County voted to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving care at county clinics to save an estimated $2.4 million. Contra Costa County last month cut services for undocumented adults, seeking to save an estimated $6 million. Yolo County is facing a $24 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2009-2010 (Kaiser Health Disparities Report, 5/7).Robin Affrime -- head of CommuniCare Health Centers, which provide treatment to low-income residents of Woodland, Davis and West Sacramento -- said the county spending cuts would shift costs to health care providers. Supervisor Jim Provenza said undocumented immigrants would delay care at clinics and eventually seek treatment in hospital emergency departments (Sacramento Bee, 5/20).
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (NYSE: KCI) announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its ABThera™ Open Abdomen Dressing. Earlier this year, the FDA cleared the ABThera™ Open Abdomen Negative Pressure Therapy Unit. Together, the ABThera™ Open Abdomen Negative Pressure Therapy System will be indicated for temporary bridging of abdominal wall openings where primary closure is not possible or repeat abdominal entries are necessary. The intended use of the system is for open abdominal wounds, with exposed viscera, including but not limited to abdominal compartment syndrome.
Reorganizational Healing (ROH), an emerging concept for wellness, healing, and personal growth, is explored in depth in a seminal groundbreaking article and accompanying commentaries in the latest issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The Reorganizational Healing articles are available free online at http://www.liebertpub.com/acm.
Amid renewed calls to consider reducing the legal drinking age, a new University of Georgia study finds that lower drinking ages increase unplanned pregnancies and pre-term births among young people.
Research led by David Worthylake, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, may help lay the groundwork for the development of a compound to prevent the spread of cancer. The research will be published in the May 29, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Inuit children have the highest rate of hospital admission for Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) globally, but new research shows that lowering risk factors though public health interventions and an enhanced immunization program could improve health for Inuit children and lower health care costs significantly. The first-of-its-kind case control research was conducted by Dr. Anna Banerji, a pediatric infectious disease specialist and researcher at St. Michael"s Hospital.
The widely-used Affymetrix Whole-Transcript Gene 1.0 ST (sense target) microarray platform, normally used to assay gene expression, can also be utilized to interrogate exon-specific splicing. Research published in the open access journal BMC Bioinformatics shows scientists how to monitor alternative splicing activity on a genome-wide scale, without investing in new exon microarray technologies.
Interfacing neurons with micro- and nano-electronic devices has been a subject of intense studies over the last decade and is used both in basic research and medical applications. The electronic devices used in such neuroelectronic hybrids are mainly planar metal electrodes and planar transistors.
A class of drugs already approved as cancer treatments might also help to beat alcohol addiction. That"s the conclusion of a discovery in flies of a gene, dubbed happyhour, that has an important and previously unknown role in controlling the insects" response to alcohol.
First results from a large tissue survey in Britain of the agent that causes variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) are unable so far to establish that the prevalence is lower than that given by previous estimates, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.
Biovest International, Inc. (Other OTC:BVTI), a majority-owned subsidiary of Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (Other OTC:ABPIQ), announced that BiovaxID®, Biovest"s personalized anti-cancer vaccine targeting B-cell blood cancers, will be featured in an oral presentation during the Plenary Session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 in Orlando, Florida.
New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave is published by the Department of Health.
PharmAthene, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PIP), a biodefense company developing medical countermeasures against biological and chemical threats, announced that the Company has submitted its comprehensive regulatory strategy to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlining the non-clinical and clinical development plans for licensure of SparVax(TM), a next generation recombinant protective antigen anthrax vaccine.
IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced it has been selected to help Ling Tung University build a smarter healthcare system to monitor the health of senior citizens in Taiwan anywhere, at anytime. The project is part of the university"s "Health-4U" program, which has been launched as response to the Senior U-Care Flagship Program initiated by the Department of Industrial Technology under Taiwan"s Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Metabolic Solutions Development Company (MSDC) announced that its lead compound, MSDC-0160, can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood glucose levels in humans without the side effects of current therapies when taken over a 28-day period, according to preliminary data derived from the company"s Phase IIa clinical trial.
Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee delayed a confirmation vote on President Obama"s nominees for federal court positions until after the Memorial Day recess, Roll Call reports. David Hamilton, a district court judge in southern Indiana, is nominated for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and Andre Davis is nominated for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (Brady, Roll Call, 5/21). Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said, "Our members are concerned" about Hamilton, adding that Hamilton "has had a number of troubling rulings dealing with a series of prayers at the Indiana Legislature." Hamilton in 2005 ruled that prayers used to open the Legislature must be nonsectarian. Sessions said he also is concerned about Hamilton"s ruling to prohibit religious displays in public buildings. Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) defended Hamilton"s record. Leahy said, "He is, after all, the son of a minister, and he believes very strongly in the constitutional separation of church and state" (Stern, Bloomberg/Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/22). Leahy added that Hamilton "ought to be commended rather than obstructed or delayed." Meanwhile, the committee is awaiting Obama"s nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court. The nomination could further complicate consideration of Hamilton and Davis, as it is expected to occupy the panel through the summer (Roll Call, 5/21).
Canada has received new support to recruit some of its best minds in pediatric leukemia research, thanks to the Cole Foundation. The family foundation has generously pledged $2.5 million to support up-and-coming, Montreal-based researchers at the Universitç© de Montrç©al, McGill University and the Universitç© du Quç©bec"s Institut national de la recherche scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier. The Cole Foundation investment will include:
The Connecticut House on Wednesday approved two separate measures to expand health insurance pooling in the state, the Hartford Courant reports. The first measure would create a public health insurance pool open to all residents. The pool, intended to compete with rather than replace private insurance, would be based on the existing pool for state workers (Keating, Hartford Courant, 5/21). The bill will create a nine-member board of directors to investigate and recommend a plan to guarantee every resident health insurance. The bill also creates four committees that will work with the board and provide advice on electronic health records, medical homes, clinical care guidelines and preventive care. In addition, three task forces will examine obesity, tobacco use and care provider shortages (Stuart, CT News Junkie, 5/20).The cost of plan, known as SustiNet, could be a "sticking point" given the state"s $8.7 billion budget deficit over the next two years, the Courant reports The state Senate and Gov. Jodi Rell (R) will consider the plan next.The second measure would allow local governments, small businesses and not-for-profit groups join the state employee insurance plan. The bill would increase the current pool"s membership from 200,000 to an estimated 300,000. Juan Figueroa, a former state legislator and president of the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, said, "Both of these plans reduce costs and increase choice. The partnership (pooling) bill has features that SustiNet can build on. The two bills fit hand in glove." Democrats said the second bill would utilize economies of scale to lower costs. Steve Fontana (D), co-chair of the State House Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said, "The larger the pool you have, ... you reduce the volatility and the risk associated with that pool."Opponents say the pooling measure would affect only those who already have coverage. According to House Republican Leader Larry Cafero, "This bill does not solve that problem. If you don"t have it now, you"re not going to have it because of this" (Keating, Hartford Courant, 5/21).
"Less than two weeks" after health industry interest groups pledged to work with President Obama on health reform, "the double-crossing is already well under way" as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina prepares a series of ads criticizing a public plan option that might be included in health reform legislation, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman writes. Krugman says, "The medical-industrial complex has called the president"s bluff," adding, "It polished its image by showing up ... and promising cooperation, then promptly went back to doing all it can to block real change." According to Krugman, "The insurers and the drug companies are, in effect, betting that Obama will be afraid to call them out on their duplicity." He concludes, "It"s up to Obama to prove them wrong" (Krugman, New York Times, 5/22).
A total of 199 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer underwent breast MRI. "We found additional, unsuspected cancers in the ipsilateral breast (the one that had already been diagnosed with cancer) in 16% of patients; we found cancers in the contralateral breast (the one that had not been diagnosed with cancer) in 4% of patients," said Petra J. Lewis, MD, lead author of the study. "These patients had already had bilateral mammography and these tumors had not been apparent on mammography," said Dr. Lewis.
Today Macmillan Cancer Support has released shocking new statistics from its survey to launch its Sex and Cancer campaign that aims to break the silence surrounding the impact cancer has on sexual relationships. The surprising and funny viral featuring sex guru, Sabina Pleasure, is a way to get people talking about this really difficult issue. It accompanies the Sex and Cancer campaign which encourages people to talk about the impact of cancer on their sexual relationships.
A survey among Britain"s 40,000 sufferers from dystonia - a
Arthritic knee joints may be repaired either partially or totally - known as partial knee replacement and total knee replacement. A partial knee replacement is also called unicompartmental or "UNI". If the bone disease is restricted to the inner side of the knee (the "medial" side), the surgeon will simply reshape those damaged surfaces. The repaired surfaces on that one side of the knee are then partially covered with a combination of metal and plastic bearings. For this reason, a UNI knee replacement is considered less invasive and can provide much shorter recovery times from the operation.
Single women prefer feminine looking men when judging them for long term relationships, this is the finding of a study published online, in the British Journal of Psychology.
The number of people diagnosed with the deadliest form of skin cancer has crashed through the 10,000 barrier after an alarming rise in new cases, according to the latest Cancer Research UK figures revealed today.
Medicaid health plans are producing cost savings for states, increasing access to services for individuals covered by Medicaid, improving quality of care, and earning high satisfaction ratings from enrollees, according to a Lewin Group report released today by America"s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). Twenty-four existing studies were analyzed by the Lewin Group to determine the savings achieved when states have implemented private Medicaid health plans.
Today, Baxter is announcing that its investigation of reports from Beebe Medical Center has determined that the three patient events are unrelated to product quality involving the company"s heparin premix products.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning employers to ensure they assess the safety of equipment and ensure that it is sufficiently guarded after an employee"s left hand was severely damaged by the rotating blades of a valve that forms part of the extraction system in a metal recycling process.
Roche announced that two-year data from the LITHE (TociLIzumab Safety and THE Prevention of Structural Joint Damage) study demonstrated that ACTEMRA(R) (tocilizumab) continued to inhibit the progression of structural damage to joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study also showed that patients receiving ACTEMRA experienced improved physical function, as measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) scores(1). The LITHE study is the fifth international Phase III study in the extensive ACTEMRA clinical development program to successfully meet its primary endpoints in patients with moderately to severely active RA.
UroToday.com - In the only survey of BPS/IC conducted in Japan, done in urology clinics, the prevalence was estimated at 4.5/100,000 women.[Ito et al. 2000] Studies in Finland, Austria, and Taiwan using O"Leary-Sant questionnaires to identify persons with symptoms of BPS/IC have arrived at figures around 300/100,000 women.[Yu 2006;Leppilahti . 2005;Temml et al. 2007]
Funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) could lead to the development of new and better treatments for broken bones and other orthopaedic problems associated with ageing.
In a study of 130 overweight adolescents, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that frequent self-weighing is associated with positive behaviors and may prove to be a useful weight-control tool.
Eating fish long considered "brain food" may really be good for the old grey matter, as is a healthy dose of sunshine, new research suggests.
New light has been thrown on how humans choose their partners, a scientist told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics on May 25. Professor Maria da GraÃıa Bicalho, head of the Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Laboratory at the University of Parana, Brazil, says that her research had shown that people with diverse major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) were more likely to choose each other as mates than those whose MHCs were similar, and that this was likely to be an evolutionary strategy to ensure healthy reproduction.
It is well known that people use head motion during conversation to convey a range of meanings and emotions, and that women use more active head motion when conversing with each other than men use when they talk with each other.
An advance in solving the mysterious machine-workers" disease
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) says two country doctors" skills last Friday-in saving
The Government today responded to the independent inquiry into contaminated blood supplies in the 1970s and 1980s.
Relatives of a young person who dies suddenly should always be referred for cardiological and genetic examination in order to identify if they too are at risk of sudden death, a scientist told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics. Dr. Christian van der Werf, a research fellow at the Department of Cardiogenetics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands said that, although his team"s research showed that inherited heart disease was present in over 30% of the families of sudden unexplained death (SUD) victims, the majority of such relatives were currently not being referred for examination.
The relationship between the dental disease periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for several years. Although a genetic link seemed likely, until now its existence was uncertain. Now, for the first time, scientists have discovered a genetic relationship between the two conditions, a researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics.
In a world first, West Australian scientists have cured mice of a devastating muscle disease that causes a Floppy Baby Syndrome - a breakthrough that could ultimately help thousands of families across the globe.
Children are a pain in the back!
Navitar, Inc."s cutting edge optical technology dates back over 60 years when the company"s founder, David Goldstein, pioneered his way into the optics industry. Originally forming Elgeet Optical in 1946, Goldstein set out to make innovative optics for the most revolutionary applications and industries. His decision to develop and manufacture optical technologies for Military applications was fundamental in establishing the Navitar name brand. Today, Navitar continues to develop product lines to meet changing technological advancements and is one of the most recognized and respected names in the optics industry.
NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson thanked NHS staff for their hard work improving care for patients this year, including reducing healthcare associated infections and waiting times, and extending GP opening hours.
Definiens, the number one Enterprise Image Intelligence® company, announced that Moffitt Cancer Center will utilize Definiens technology in the analysis of lung cancer CT images for the purpose of developing more accurate prognosis and prediction models for response to specific lung cancer therapies. Image features extracted with Definiens technology will be compared to disease outcomes, as well as gene expression data available through Total Cancer CareTM, Moffitt"s comprehensive approach to cancer that enables researchers and caregivers to identify and meet all the needs of a patient and their family during the patient"s lifetime and for future generations.
Leading HIV and AIDS charity Crusaid has called for a scaling up in sexual health education and health services to people travelling abroad after research conducted by scientists found that popular tourist destinations such as Greece, Portugal and Spain probably spread HIV, with tourists infected during their holidays.
ReachMD, which provides medical news and information to healthcare practitioners, is raising its profile with the Continuing Medical Education, or CME, application for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. This is the first CME application that lets users listen to all ReachMD Continuing Medical Education content, get regular updates on new Continuing Medical Education content and take Continuing Medical Education tests for credit, all from their iPhone or iPod touch.
American climber Lori Schneider of the US State of Wisconsin has become what is believed to be the first person with diagnosed multiple sclerosis to get to the top of Mt Everest. Lori Schneider, aged 52, reached the top of the world in the early hours of Saturday morning London time, carrying with her a banner celebrating the upcoming World MS (Multiple Sclerosis) Day on Wednesday 27 May (http://www.worldmsday.org). The banner reads: "Join the Global Movement. End MS!" (Note to picture editors: photo will be available as soon as Lori Schneider descends).
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) praises Representative Allyson Schwartz and nearly 100 cosponsors of The Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act for their leadership in health care reform. This legislation, which will increase the number of primary care providers and improve patient access to primary care services, is a critical step if we truly are to reform our health care delivery system. Our nation needs leaders like Representative Schwartz to affect real and lasting change in our health care system.
Ascenta Therapeutics announced that eleven presentations or publications on pre-clinical and clinical studies of AT-101, an oral, pan-Bcl-2 inhibitor, in several major tumor types will be made during the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, May 29-June 2, in Orlando, Florida.
Cancer patients treated with the widely used drug bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy are at greater risk of life-thereatening gastrointestinal (GI) perforations. This is the conclusion of Shenhong Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator, and colleagues at Stony Brook University Medical Center, in a study published online and in the June print issue of The Lancet Oncology.
The key to reducing the leading cause of pediatric emergency room visits could be to educate young patients and their parents about how to manage asthma, according to an updated review of studies. Moreover, such programs could lead to fewer hospitalizations for children.
The American Association for Homecare supports expanded anti-fraud efforts announced today by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) designed to curb fraud and abuse in Medicare. The two agencies outlined plans for expanding anti-fraud strike forces to Houston and Detroit and creating a new Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team.
It"s not just MPs who can make inappropriate claims for recompense or misunderstand the rules, warns the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS).
California (USC) have identified a
Supporters of embryonic stem cell research have expressed concern about the impact on existing research efforts under the Obama administration"s draft guidelines outlining criteria for federal funding of stem cell research, the Washington Post reports. The public comment period for the guidelines ends Tuesday and has generated more than 20,000 comments addressing nearly every element of the proposal. The guidelines, which NIH issued in April, propose limiting federal funding for the research to stem cells derived from unused embryos created for fertility treatments and willingly donated by patients who have given written consent. Former President George W. Bush in August 2001 enacted restrictions limiting federal funding for the research to the 21 stem cell lines existing at the time. Although President Obama in March signed an executive order lifting Bush"s restrictions, some proponents of embryonic stem cell research have suggested that Obama"s plan could actually jeopardize many existing research efforts. The Obama administration is expected to issue its final version of the guidelines by July 7, the Post reports.After Bush restricted federal funding to the embryonic stem cell lines already in existence, many researchers turned to private donors and state governments for the financial support to create hundreds of new lines. Although supporters of the research initially were pleased that the Obama administration"s guidelines would allow federal funding for research on these new existing lines, some are now concerned that certain stipulations in the new guidelines could actually disqualify these research efforts from receiving federal funding. For example, NIH"s proposal requires that couples who wish to donate unused embryos for research sign a consent form indicating that they were fully informed of their alternatives. Although many fertility clinics provide information for couples about their other options, few clinics note these details in written consent forms, according to the Post. Therefore, existing stem cell lines derived from embryos donated by couples who did not sign the required consent forms could be ineligible under NIH"s draft proposal, the Post reports. In addition, many stem cell research supporters also expressed disappointment that only unused embryos created for fertility treatments would be eligible for federal funding.George Daley of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute said that the Obama administration"s guidelines "take 2009 standards and attempt to apply them retroactively, which isn"t really a standard that would allow most of the pre-existing lines to be acceptable for NIH funding." Lawrence Goldstein, director of the University of California-San Diego"s stem cell program, said, "It"s not that past practices were shoddy. But they don"t necessarily meet every letter of the new guidelines moving forward." Goldstein added that researchers would "have to throw everything out and start all over again" under the new proposed guidelines. Amy Comstock Rick, CEO of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, said that her group is "very concerned" about the funding prospects for existing research efforts, adding that if NIH officials do not modify the guidelines, "very little current research would be eligible" to receive federal funds. However, Raynard Kington, acting NIH director, said the agency is aware of the concerns and "will take them into consideration." He added that "it"s unambiguous that the intent of the president was to expand opportunities and research in this area," as long as such research is "scientifically worthy" and "ethically responsible" (Stein, Washington Post, 5/25).
The Excellence in Oncology Awards (EinO) 2009 are now open for entry. The Awards, now in their fourth year, recognise and reward best practice in oncology management, education and patient care throughout the UK. Winners will be announced at a prestigious dinner on 6 October 2009 during the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference.
Research from the National Osteoporosis Society has revealed that almost half (49%)* of young people do not know that there are steps they can take to keep their bones healthy. This knowledge gap puts them at risk of osteoporosis and fractures in later life.
Agendia, a world leader in molecular cancer diagnostics, today announced
CircuLite®, Inc. will be participating at the 2009 American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) conference in conjunction with the 5th International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems & Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion (PEDS) held May 28 - 30, 2009 in Dallas, with a booth display featuring it"s Synergy® Pocket Circulatory Assist Device. Synergy is the first micro-pump designed for long-term, partial circulatory support to improve the quality of life for a broad range of chronic heart failure patients.
May is Healthy Vision Month, which in 2009 focuses on the 60 percent of Americans who have refractive vision problems.
Anaphylaxis Canada is responding to the growing public health challenge of keeping teens and young adults with potentially life-threatening food allergies safe by creating a number of interactive tools including a groundbreaking new website, http://www.whyriskit.ca, an online "Reaction Registry" and radio podcasts. These tools are part of a comprehensive new strategy to help allergic youth manage risky situations by reaching out to them in forums in which they are comfortable.
Providing girls in rural Africa with a deworming drug could help reduce the spread of HIV, according to a study recently published in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, the New York Times reports. The drug, called praziquantel, costs about 32 cents per pediatric dose and prevents schistosomiasis, a worm disease that starts as a urinary tract infection. If untreated, schistosomiasis can lead to female genital sores that can facilitate HIV infection. Because the drug can kill the worms but cannot cure genital sores, girls should be protected before they reach sexual maturity, according to the Times. "For this relatively small investment, the reproductive health of young women would be improved," the authors from the Sabin Vaccine Institute, Imperial College London and Oslo University wrote, adding that "there is a reasonable chance that HIV/AIDS transmission can be reduced." There are about 207 million schistosomiasis cases worldwide, 90% of which occur in Africa, where humans are exposed usually through snail-infested water. According to a pilot program conducted in Burkina Faso, all 70 million cases among young children in Africa could be treated for $22 million, and repeating universal treatment every two years for 10 years would cost $112 million (McNeil, New York Times, 5/26).
The new project is an interdisciplinary research project covering the neurobiological and socio-psychological causes of obesity. It has been awarded EUR 6 million from the EU, corresponding to just over SEK 60 million. The project will gather scientists from seven countries, and will be co-ordinated from the Sahlgrenska Academy.
Roche Diagnostics announced the launch of a new tuberculosis test for South Africa. Worldwide, South Africa is one of the countries with the highest prevalence of tuberculosis. The new kit detects different species of Mycobacterium from human sputum samples using the LightCycler® 2.0 Instrument.
Mice and rabbits immunized with a multimeric-L2 protein vaccine had robust antibody responses and were protected from infection when exposed to human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 four months after vaccination, according to a new study published in the May 26 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, tabled legislation in the House of Commons to protect children and youth from tobacco marketing that encourages them to smoke.
Humans may be programmed by evolution to care about the future of the environment, suggests research just published.
Many Americans support increased funding to address HIV/AIDS in the U.S. according to a report released Wednesday for the National AIDS Coordinating Committee with support from the MAC AIDS Fund, Reuters Health reports.The report -- titled "Impressions of HIV/AIDS in America: A Report on Conversations With People Throughout the Country" -- aimed to provide a better understanding of perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS among average U.S. residents. For the report, researchers interviewed "people in five focus groups, which featured a cross-section of Americans living in urban, suburban and rural settings. Several experts in HIV/AIDS also contributed to the report," according to Reuters. Focus group participants were generally supportive of increased domestic funding for HIV/AIDS programs, particularly prevention, education and vaccine research programs. The report found that HIV/AIDS has fallen "off the radar" of many Americans but that many people are sympathetic to HIV-positive people. The report also found that some people continue to attach a stigma to HIV and do not understand how the virus is transmitted. Many participants also said HIV-positive people have "risky lifestyles," the report found. "Many people we spoke with had inconsistent views of HIV/AIDS," lead researcher Jonathan Rochkind said, adding, "Even though most people were aware of the primary ways HIV is transmitted, when presented with the idea of being in casual contact with people who are HIV-positive, they often said it was a possibility HIV could be transmitted that way and that they were concerned about the risk." Rebecca Haag, CEO and president of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, said the report "highlights the empathy people have for those living with HIV/AIDS, and an understanding that access to medical care and drug treatment is critical." Haag added, "Unfortunately, the reality in this country is that about one-half of those living with HIV/AIDS are not in care and treatment" (Reuters Health, 5/13).
The atherosclerosis vaccine development program by AFFiRiS AG is receiving financial support from the EU"s EUROTRANS-BIO call. The respective project is being carried out in cooperation with German company EMC microcollections GmbH. The aim of atherosclerosis vaccination is to increase the amount of "good" high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) in the blood and thus reduce the occurrence of harmful fatty deposits in the arteries. Product candidates were delivered by AFFiRiS" AFFITOME(R) platform technology. The target is a protein known as CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein). Following vaccines for Alzheimer"s disease and Parkinson"s disease, the atherosclerosis vaccine is the third such project announced by AFFiRiS AG.
A landmark clinical trial led by a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher concludes that radiofrequency ablation is an effective treatment for dysplasia in people with Barrett"s esophagus, a condition that can lead to deadly gastrointestinal cancer.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center"s Gynecologic Oncology Division was named among the nation"s top 10 programs by Contemporary OB/GYN, a leading publication read by the nation"s obstetricians and gynecologists.
A Senior Lecturer from Canterbury Christ Church University has been awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) at a ceremony on Thursday 14th May.
More people in the Atlanta area and across the U.S. are delaying pregnancy in a possible reaction to the current economic recession, leading to a decline in the number of couples seeking infertility treatments, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. According to the Journal-Constitution, 13 states saw a decrease in the number of recorded births in 2008 compared with 2007. The Georgia Hospital Association reports that there were 5,352 fewer recorded births in Georgia in 2008 than in 2007. Mark Perloe of Georgia Reproductive Specialists said there has been a 20% decline in the number of people seeking infertility services. To retain business during the economic downturn, Perloe said Georgia Reproductive Specialists is offering a discount on select services of as much as 70%.Elisabeth Burgess, a Georgia State University sociology professor who focuses on families, said, "In times of economic downturns, different people react in different ways." For some people, "[f]amily becomes more important, so you might decide to have a child." The Journal-Constitution reports that one cycle of treatment can cost $15,000 or more, which some people pay for through credit, retirement savings or home equity loans. Evelina Sterling, co-author of a book on budgeting finances for infertility treatments, said that 70% of infertility patients cover the costs of the treatments completely out of pocket. She added that some older infertility patients "can"t wait on" the economy to recover to start a family.Carol Hogue, a professor of maternal and child health at Emory University, said there has been a "very predictable" pattern of reduced births during periods of economic recessions dating back to the Great Depression. The Journal-Constitution reports that some people delay planned pregnancy because of concerns over job security, health insurance, income and the cost of raising a child. Statistics from USDA show that the average middle-class family will pay $11,000 to raise a child in the first year, with the largest portion of that cost going to child care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported in 2007 -- the latest year for which data are available -- that prenatal care and routine delivery costs about $7,600 after insurance (Cash, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/24).
The Des Moines Register on Friday profiled Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, which marks its 75th anniversary this year. Established in 1934 as the Iowa Maternal Health League, PPGI now includes 17 clinics offering a range of reproductive health services, as well as an education and re center. The organization originally was founded by four women with a mission of providing birth control for low-income married women. Over the years, it frequently "has been on the forefront of advances in reproductive history," according to the Register. For example, in the early 1960s, PPGI became the first provider in the Midwest to offer the oral contraceptive Ortho-Novum, leading to a more than 350% increase in its number of patients.Although antiabortion-rights advocates often discuss Planned Parenthood in relation to abortion services, the vast majority of its services are not abortion-related. Jill June, president and CEO of PPGI, said that although the organization"s services have greatly expanded since its founding, the "needs people have for the services we provide and the challenges we face in meeting those needs haven"t changed." She added, "People still face unintended pregnancies despite great technological advances in birth control and efforts to make contraception more available and to normalize contraception use" (Challender, Des Moines Register, 5/22).
Several newspapers on Wednesday included editorials and opinion pieces on President Obama"s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Summaries appear below. ~New York Times: Obama "seems to have made an inspired choice" in selecting Sotomayor as his nominee because she "has an impressive judicial record, a stellar academic background and a compelling life story," a Times editorial states. According to the editorial, "Based on what we know now, the Senate should confirm her so she can join the court when it begins its new term in October." The editorial notes that, "Conservative activists have already begun trying to paint Judge Sotomayor as a liberal ideologue, but her carefully reasoned, fact-based decisions indicate otherwise." The editorial continues, "If Judge Sotomayor joins the court, it will be a special point of pride for Hispanic-Americans," and "will also bring the paltry number of female justices back to two." It adds, "Judge Sotomayor, though, is more than just a distinguished member of two underrepresented groups. She is an accomplished lawyer and judge, who could become an extraordinary Supreme Court Justice" (New York Times, 5/27).~Gerard Magliocca, New York Times: In addition to sharing Obama"s "experience and intellect," Sotomayor "also mirror"s the president"s measured temperament," Magliocca, a law professor at Indiana University, writes in a Times opinion piece. Magliocca writes that he has known Sotomayor for 13 years and notes that although he is a conservative and has at times been "at odds with" Sotomayor professionally, he does not dispute her qualifications. According to Magliocca, "For those of us who think that intellectual rigor and fairness are the crucial factors" to be a Supreme Court justice, "no matter which party the president hails from, there is no question that Judge Sotomayor should be confirmed" (Magliocca, New York Times, 5/27).~USA Today: Upon hearing that Sotomayor was Obama"s nominee, Republican critics "quickly insisted that the Senate assure itself that Sotomayor would not make rulings based on her "personal politics, feelings and preferences,"" a USA Today editorial states. According to the editorial, "To some extent, the entire argument is overblown. People inevitably are the product of their experiences, and they can hardly shed their history and character at the courthouse door." The editorial continues, "That is why the court is enriched by having an eclectic mix of justices who can bring differing perspectives to bear on the case at hand." The editorial concludes, "Sotomayor"s education and experience make her far more than a political twofer who allowed Obama to check the "female" and "Hispanic" boxes. But there"s a limit to the application of empathy and heritage to the law, and her confirmation hearings will be an opportunity for her to spell out exactly where she believes that line falls," (USA Today, 5/27).~ Steven Waldman, Wall Street Journal: "Everyone seems to assume" that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is "ardently for abortion rights," but there is "stunningly little information about her abortion views -- and what we do know hardly paints her as a pro-choice activist," Waldman, president and editor-in-chief of Beliefnet.com and author of "Founding Faith," writes in a Journal opinion piece. He continues that Sotomayor has ruled only on three cases "indirectly related to abortion," and each time ruled in a way preferred by abortion-rights opponents, "albeit for reasons unrelated to the merits of abortion." Although Sotomayor"s decisions in the cases were related "to matters of constitutional law and criminal procedure, ... at a minimum, it showed that whatever her abortion views, it didn"t produce some powerful inclination against the pro-life position," according to Waldman. "Now all of this might not mean anything. She may prove to be a strong advocate of Roe v. Wade. But it"s telling that the abortion interest groups took sides without knowing anything about her abortion
United Auto Workers leaders on Tuesday agreed to accept up to 20% of General Motors stock, as well as concessions on labor rules and retiree health care obligations, as the automaker faces a June 1 deadline to restructure or seek bankruptcy protection, the Detroit News reports (Aguilar/Shepardson, Detroit News, 5/27). Under the deal, the voluntary employees" beneficiary association would receive 17.5% of common GM stock, $6.5 billion of preferred shares, a $2.5 billion note and warrants equal to 2.5% of GM"s stock (Reuters/USA Today, 5/27). In addition, the VEBA would receive $585 million annually in interest income on its preferred stock (Detroit News, 5/27). Another concession included in the tentative deal is the elimination of dental, vision and some prescription drug coverage for hourly retirees (Shepardson/Aguilar, Detroit News, 5/26). UAW also would hold a seat on the GM board of directors (Cho et al., Washington Post, 5/27).Because of a proposed deal announced earlier this month, the Treasury Department and UAW, together, are to own 89% of GM"s stock, meaning that if the UAW-GM deal is approved, the Treasury would own about a 70% share of GM"s stock (Detroit News, 5/26). Current bondholders would hold about a 10% stake in the company (Washington Post, 5/27). The remaining 1% would be held by existing shareholders (Detroit News, 5/26).The total 20% is about half of what was anticipated (Higgins, Detroit Free Press, 5/26). The "significant concessions" made by UAW, which was eligible to receive up to 39% of GM"s equity through the VEBA, "could mean that [GM] is attempting to appease unsecured bondholders, who charged that the UAW was getting a better deal," according to the News (Detroit News, 5/27). UAW said the revised agreement with GM was necessary for the automaker to survive, but the deal will leave hundreds of thousands of GM retirees paying higher out-of-pocket medical expenses, the Wall Street Journal reports (Stoll et al., Wall Street Journal, 5/27).UAW members are scheduled to vote on the agreement on Wednesday and Thursday (Detroit News, 5/26). However, "[e]ven with UAW approval, GM is still likely to file for bankruptcy, since bondholders are unlikely to swallow deep concessions," according to the News (Detroit News, 5/27).
A recent estimate from the World Health Organization says that the number of HIV cases in the Solomon Islands could reach at least 350 by 2010, the Solomon Star News reports. The Star News reports that 12 new HIV cases were confirmed in 2008, although the actual number of new cases could be higher because of unreported cases. Of the 12 cases reported in 2008, eight were among women and four were among men, according to a health report.In addition, sexually transmitted infections, particularly syphilis and chlamydia, are prevalent among pregnant women in the country and overall condom use is low, indicating that people could be at a high risk for HIV, according to the report. The most at-risk populations include mobile workers, commercial sex workers, students and men who have sex with men. Twelve facilities in the country currently offer HIV tests, and a relatively low number of tests are conducted, according to the Star News. The Ministry of Health has partnered with various groups and agencies to address HIV/AIDS in the country, the Star News reports (Carter, Solomon Star News, 5/26).
Black women are nearly three times as likely as white women to have a vitamin D deficiency, which is linked with an increased risk of the vaginal infection bacterial vaginosis, according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the New York Times reports. Black women likely have lower levels of vitamin D because the higher amount of pigment in their skin prevents the body from absorbing the vitamin.For the study, researchers led by Lisa Bodnar, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh, examined 209 white pregnant women and 260 black pregnant women at a Pittsburgh clinic. More than half of the women had low levels of vitamin D, the study found. Women whose vitamin D levels were 50 nanomoles or less had a 26% increased risk of BV, while women whose vitamin levels were less than 20 nanomoles had a 65% increased risk of the infection. About 52% of black women had the infection, compared with 27% of white women, the study found (Bakalar, New York Times, 5/26). The study found that 93% of women with BV had low vitamin D levels and that BV prevalence decreased as vitamin levels increased.In addition, although black women were more likely to have BV, white women who had low levels of vitamin D were as likely to have the infection as black women. Poor diets and obesity also contributed to a vitamin deficiency. Bodnar noted that black women are less likely than white women to meet dietary recommendations for vitamin D. Bodnar recommended that women discuss their level of vitamin D with their physicians and that pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin, which typically includes vitamin D.According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bodnar"s research team has received NIH funding to conduct a study of whether vitamin D deficiency in women increases the risk of poor birth outcomes and whether high infant mortality among blacks can be attributed to factors such as obesity (Templeton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5/23).
Approximately 800,000 people suffer a stroke in the United States each year, nearly three-quarters of which occur in people over 65 years old. On average, someone in the U.S. suffers a stroke every 40 seconds.
While often overshadowed in the public consciousness by cancer and heart disease, recent trends in certain pathologies of the central nervous system are becoming equally challenging for clinicians and researchers. Growth in the incidence of a number of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer"s and Parkinson"s has captured the concerns of healthcare professionals, and reached the public at large through personal experience and the media.
When Chicago Blackhawk"s leading scorer Martin Havlat returned to the ice for game four of the Western Conference Final after sustaining a concussion only two days earlier, questions were raised surrounding his swift return. According to a new study by St. Michael"s Hospital neurosurgeon Dr. Michael Cusimano, similar questions were raised by 25% of minor league hockey players who did not know if an athlete with symptoms of a concussion should continue to play hockey. Nearly a majority of these players were also unable to identify a concussion or its related symptoms.
A generation of DNA-like compounds, class R inhibitory oligonucleotides (INH-ODNs), have been shown to effectively inhibit cells responsible for the chronic autoimmune condition lupus. Researchers writing in BioMed Central"s open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of the INH-ODNs in both in vitro and mouse experiments.
"Maximising Health Gain Through Community Pharmacy" is the title of two jointly badged publications from pharmacy organisations CCA, NPA, RPSGB, PSNC and AIMp. The documents, which were produced in collaboration with the NHS Alliance, were launched to the NHS this week, as part of a strategy to promote the role of pharmacists to commissioners, managers, general practitioners and others in primary care. The documents also seek to influence the commissioning of pharmacy services by PCTs under World Class Commissioning and the integration of pharmacy into Practice Based Commissioning (PBC).
This is no fish story. When it comes to the importance of veterinarians helping prevent, control and eradicate aquatic animal diseases, there"s no need to exaggerate or boast.