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Alterations In Brain's White Matter Key To Schizophrenia, UCLA Study Shows
Schizophrenia, a chronic and debilitating disorder marked in part by auditory hallucinations and paranoia, can strike in late adolescence or early adulthood at a time when people are ready to stand on their own two feet as fully independent adults.

Male Circumcision Does Not Appear To Reduce HIV Transmission Risk To Female Partners
Although several studies have shown that circumcision, removal of the foreskin which contains cells that are particularly susceptible to HIV, appears to reduce a man"s risk of contracting HIV from his female sex partner, it does not reduce the female sex partners" risk of contracting the virus, according to a study in the Lancet, Reuters reports. Maria Wawer of Johns Hopkins University and colleagues in Uganda followed 922 HIV-positive, uncircumcised men ages 15 to 49. Some of the men immediately underwent a circumcision, and some had the procedure two years later. The researchers also followed 163 female partners of the men.The researchers decided to end the study early when they found that male circumcision did not convey the expected benefits to women. The study also found that men"s partners were no less likely to contract other sexually transmitted infections, except for trichomonas.However, based on observational studies, researchers say that circumcision is so effective in protecting men that it will still likely benefit women indirectly by reducing circulation of the virus in general (Fox, Reuters, 7/16).
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Human Genome Sciences And GlaxoSmithKline Announce Positive Phase 3 Study Results For BENLYSTA(TM) In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) and GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) announced that BENLYSTA(TM) (belimumab, formerly LymphoStat-B(R)) met the primary endpoint in BLISS-52, the first of two pivotal Phase 3 trials in patients with serologically active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In the placebo-controlled BLISS-52 study, the results showed that belimumab plus standard of care achieved a clinically and statistically significant improvement in patient response rate at Week 52, compared with standard of care alone. Study results also showed that belimumab was generally well tolerated, with adverse event rates comparable between belimumab and placebo treatment groups.
Endocrinology

Physician-Owned Hospitals Under Fire In Reform Bills, While One M.D. Moves Into Franchising

The mood in Washington to compromise with hospitals, pharmaceutical makers and physician groups is not extending to physician-owned specialty hospitals, Time reports. "Any health-reform package passed by Congress will likely deal a major blow to an upstart competitor of many hospitals. Buried in the 850-page House health-reform draft is a provision that could in effect ban further construction of doctor-owned, for-profit specialty hospitals and prohibit existing ones from expanding. ò€¦ Senators Charles Grassley and Max Baucus, who lead the body"s powerful Finance Committee, have been vocal critics of the doctor-owned specialty-hospital model and the industry expects similar language to be included in any upcoming Senate health-reform bill as well." Congress is targeting hospitals that focus on high-price procedures in areas such as orthopedics and cardiology, and lure patients with the offer of such added amenities as wine and gourmet meals, Time reports. However, despite the add-ons, many such hospitals don"t have adequate emergency facilities, and may not have an on-site physician at all times, a shortcoming that regulators say have contributed to recent deaths. There are 220 such hospitals currently operating, with another 80 under development, mainly in the South and Midwest (Pickert and Stier, 7/13). Meanwhile, Dr. Scott Burger, the proprietor of Doctors Express, an urgent care center in Towson, Md., wants to do "for urgent health care what, say, Papa John"s did for pizza - making sure the public can find it anywhere and always knows what it"s going to get," USA Today reports. His model would put a Doctors Express "in every community, at least one," and sell franchises - perhaps as many as 3,000, with $500,000 in start-up costs each - to corporate managers around the country. The franchisers needn"t be medical professionals, Burger says, although he promises a physician on duty at all times. The first franchise based on the Towson center will be in Texas (Jones, 7/13). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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