Health Insurance
Researchers at the Peninsula Medical School in Plymouth and Exeter have received a grant of ÷£9,600 from the Northcott Devon Medical Foundation to continue its research into the genetic causes of eye movement disorders.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a new warning urging parents in Scotland to keep their children away from construction sites so they stay safe.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today proposed changes to policies and payment rates for services to be furnished during calendar year (CY 2010) by over 1 million physicians and nonphysician practitioners who are paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). The MPFS sets payment rates for more than 7,000 types of services in physician offices, hospitals, and other settings.
Pregnant women who are indigenous to the Andes Mountains deliver more blood and oxygen to their fetuses at high altitude than do women of European descent. The study helps explain why babies of Andean descent born at high altitude weigh more than European babies born at altitude.
UCSF researchers have identified a new "feed-forward" pathway linking estrogen receptors in the membrane of the uterus to a process that increases local estrogen levels and promotes cell growth.
US researchers said that undiagnosed cases of celiac disease, where the immune system has a strong adverse reaction to the protein found in
Memory loss is love"s great thief. Those who suffer aren"t just the ones who can"t remember - family, friends and loved ones agonize over how to react when the disorder begins its often inexorable progress.
MPS, a leading medical protection organisation, is advising doctors on the issues they should be aware of when consulting with patients via email.
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced data results from the CHAMPIONS (Controlled High-Risk AVONEX® (interferon beta-1a) Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Prevention Study In Ongoing Neurologic Surveillance) study, an open label follow-up to CHAMPS (Controlled High Risk Subjects AVONEX MS Prevention Study). Based on the CHAMPS study, AVONEX was granted approval for use in patients who experienced their first clinical MS episode with MRI findings. The CHAMPIONS ten-year follow up showed that patients treated immediately after their first episode had significantly less chance of experiencing a second attack versus those patients with delayed treatment. These results at ten years also indicate that 80 percent of patients taking AVONEX were below an expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score of three. These data were presented as a poster at the Annual American Academy of Neurology (AAN) meeting.
Homeopathy risks being subsumed by modern medicine, argues a historian of science. Not only does this means that homeopathy"s heroes have become mere footnotes in history, but it could limit homeopathy"s potential to contribute to the treatment of today"s pressing medical problems, she says.
The routine use of this first commercial robot assistant culminates the process of investigation, development, technology transfer and the marketing of this robot.
A group of international experts will meet at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) on the occasion of South Asia Day to discuss ways to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health). This historic conference gathers together specialists in obstetrics and gynaecology, midwives, health care providers and policy makers to share experiences and discuss strategies to improve women"s health in South Asia.
Despite recent internal conflict, Sri Lanka has emerged as a success story in promoting safer childbirth. The country"s significant decline in maternal deaths will be presented today at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) South Asia Day. The conference gathers together a group of international experts to discuss maternal and child health in South Asia.
Osteoporosis and periodontitis are common diseases whose sufferers must cope with weakness, injury and reduced function as they lose bone more quickly than it is formed. While the mechanism of bone destruction in these diseases is understood, scientists have had less information about how bone formation is impaired.
Wake Forest University scientists have developed a new research tool in the pursuit of heart medications based on the compound nitroxyl by identifying unique chemical markers for its presence in biological systems.
A consortium of European and Australian scientists doing a genome-wide association study found three gene variants were strongly linked to
Acupuncture originates from China and has been practiced there for thousands of years. Although there are records of acupuncture being used hundreds of years ago in Europe, it was during the second half of the twentieth century it began to spread rapidly in Western Europe, the United States and Canada. Acupuncture involves the insertion of very thin needles through the patient"s skin at specific points on the body - the needles are inserted to various depths. We are not sure how acupuncture works scientifically. However, we do know that it does have some therapeutic benefits, including pain relief and alleviation from nausea caused by chemotherapy.
Nearly a quarter of married and cohabiting women who took part in a survey said that they
A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food, with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer"s, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson"s. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer"s Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009).
Heart transplant recipients" cardio-respiratory fitness is around 30 to 50 per cent lower than age-matched healthy sedentary individuals. As a result, exercise rehabilitation should be very important to these patients, and a University of Alberta study shows they can improve their overall physical fitness.
Mid-Missouri Group Sees Increase In People Seeking HIV/AIDS Services, Patients Testing Positive For HIV
The Iowa Independent looks at the complexity of changing Iowa"s HIV transmission law. The Independent writes that Iowa "isn"t a state with a high percentage of people living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Prosecutions related to this particular law are often highly publicized as much for their uniqueness as for a public"s need to know. In addition, of the statute"s 24 convictions since its inception, three have been appealed and subsequently affirmed by the Iowa Supreme Court." The article features comments from a former state legislator and a member of the legislative study committee that could potentially reconsider this law (Waddington, 7/3).
Ikaria Holdings, Inc. and BioLineRx Ltd. (TASE: BLRX) announced that Ikaria has entered into an agreement to obtain a worldwide exclusive license to BioLineRx"s BL-1040, a potential breakthrough treatment for preventing pathological cardiac remodeling following acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
George K. Michalopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Maud L. Menten Professor and chair of pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, has received the 2009 American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP) Rous-Whipple Award.
A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) reports that patients taking statins with associated muscle complaints may have structural muscle damage.
Health professionals are required to provide help for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet many do not even discuss the issue with their patients, according to a University of Pittsburgh study in the current issue of Violence and Victims.
"The nation"s largest insurers, hospitals and medical groups have hired more than 350 former government staff members and retired members of Congress in hopes of influencing their old bosses and colleagues, according to an analysis of lobbying disclosures and other records," the Washington Post reports. The Post"s analysis of lobbying disclosure records shows that three-quarters of major health firms have hired an insider to lobby on their behalf; half of those insiders once worked for the key senators and congressional committees that are now shaping the reform proposals.
HELP Is On The Way New York Times
The Minister for Health & Children published the Report of the Working Group on certain accounting issues related to the Health Service Executive.
The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (MCCC) received an additional five years of National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding and re-designation as a comprehensive cancer center, according to Robert Diasio, M.D., the center"s director. Mayo Clinic has the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center conducting research at three distinct locations across the United States.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning businesses across Britain not to be duped into buying unnecessary and overpriced copies of its health and safety law poster.
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has published a report on Genomic Medicine which argues that recent developments in genomic science stemming from the sequencing of the human genome represent a unique opportunity for real advances in medical care and that the Government and the NHS must take a range of steps to ensure that these advances are realised.
A British company has launched an anti-infection kit specifically designed to protect hospital patients and visitors from MRSA, Norovirus, Swine-flu, E-Coli and other hospital-acquired infections. The PatientGuard kit includes the world"s first dry-on-contact spray suitable for use on hospital bed linen, curtains and other "near patient touch sites." The launch coincides with the release of new figures on ward closures due to Norovirus from the Health Protection Agency, which show a 23 per cent increase on the same period last year.
The final analysis of the PATRICIA study shows that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine (GlaxoSmithKline) has high efficacy against the precancerous cervical lesions that can eventually lead to cervical cancer. The vaccine also shows cross-protective efficacy against other oncogenic (cancer-causing) HPV types closely related to HPV-16/18. Furthermore, it also shows efficacy in the cohorts relevant to universal mass vaccination and catch-up programmes. The findings are reported in an Article Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Jorma Paavonen, University of Helsinki, Finland, and colleagues.
Children given an oral syrup containing the naturally occurring sweetener xylitol may be less likely to develop decay in their baby teeth, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A new study of expectant mothers suggests that a group of common environmental contaminants called phthalates, which are present in many industrial and consumer products including everyday personal care items, may contribute to the country"s alarming rise in premature births.
Kineta, Inc. of Seattle and Airmid Incorporated of Redwood City, CA jointly announce an agreement in which a Kineta subsidiary has acquired exclusive commercial rights to a portfolio of novel therapeutic compounds from Airmid. The array of compounds holds extraordinary potential for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and numerous other autoimmune diseases.
Dr. John Dick, Senior Scientist at the Ontario Cancer Institute, the research arm of Princess Margaret Hospital, co-led a multinational team that has developed the first leukemia therapy that targets a protein, CD123, on the surface of cancer stem cells that drive acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which is an aggressive disease with a poor outcome.
A tightly controlled system of checks and balances ensures that a powerful tumor suppressor called p53 keeps a tight lid on unchecked cell growth but doesn"t wreak havoc in healthy cells. In their latest study, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies suggest just how finely tuned the system is and how little it takes to tip the balance.
Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, announced that Health Canada has approved the Company"s Abbreviated New Drug Submission (ANDS) for its Kit for the Preparation of Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi Injection. Covidien"s generic product is fully substitutable for Cardiolite®, a myocardial perfusion imaging agent used for detecting coronary artery disease.
King Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE: KG) and Pain Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PTIE) announced that on July 2, 2009, King met with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the Complete Response Letter regarding the New Drug Application (NDA) for REMOXY(R). The outcome of this meeting provided King with a clear path forward to resubmit the REMOXY(R) NDA and to address all FDA comments in the Complete Response Letter.
The common cold is the most pervasive recurring illness on earth.
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiologists may be able to diagnose deep endometriosis and accurately locate lesions prior to surgery, according to a new study published in the online edition of Radiology.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has proposed a $650 civil penalty against
"While Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is expected to be on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee only for a short time, he should have a major effect on health reform," Roll Call reports. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) chose Whitehouse to temporarily take the place of former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), now secretary of State, on HELP because of his experience with health care policy at the state level." But when Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., takes over "the long-vacant Minnesota seat, Whitehouse"s time on the committee will soon be coming to an end -- but not before the health debate is finished."
The Obama administration released final regulations governing stem cell research on Monday. The New York Times reports that the rules will allow many older stem cell lines to be eligible for federally financed research. "The changes came in response to criticism from scientists that the rules that the administration proposed in April - requiring that donors of fertilized eggs sign extensive consent forms - would have made even some of the stem cell lines approved by the Bush administration ineligible for further money," the Times reports. "Scientists using stem cell lines created before Tuesday may seek review by a group of the Advisory Committee to the Director."
Significant and widespread cognitive problems appear to exist in schizophrenia in its earliest phase, making it very hard for people with the disorder to work, study or be social, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.
Researchers at the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in Wellington, New Zealand have found that abnormally proliferating human T-cells, rapidly dividing cancer cells such as primary myeloid and lymphoid leukemic blast cells undergo programmed cell death when exposed briefly to the investigational anti-tumor drug phenoxodiol.
Atrium Medical is pleased to announce that is has received CE Mark for a new generation Cobalt Chromium Coronary Stent System called Cinatra™. Cinatra™ is indicated for the treatment of coronary artery occlusive disease.
Economic Crisis Presents Opportunity To Reform Pharmaceutical Practices In Africa, Says UNAIDS Head
An international contingent of nearly 500 researchers and physicians are taking part in the International HIV Controllers Study, which is examining "the phenomenon," in which certain people living with HIV seem "somehow protected from AIDS," the Washington Post reports. Fewer "than one in every 300 cases, or perhaps 5,000 of the more than 1 million infected Americans" living with HIV are deemed ""elite controllers" because their ability to combat the virus puts them in exceptional company among infected individuals," according to the Post. The article states, "No one knows how their bodies keep AIDS at bay. Are their immune systems exceptionally strong and effective? Do they possess some genetic trait that protects them? Or does a combination of still-unknown factors set them apart?" Researchers anticipate that studying the T cell levels - which helps determine the progression to AIDS - of the elite controllers, will enable them "to uncover what shields these rare few from AIDS. And perhaps in the process they"ll find a way to safeguard everyone else as well," the Post reports (Slack, 7/7).
As the Lords Science Committee publishes its report on genomic medicine, Which? scientific policy adviser, Dr Rob Reid, says:
Antimicrobial treatments for bacterial vaginosis (BV) are effective, but taking lactobacillus tablets alongside metronidazole antibiotic therapy increases effectiveness over taking this antibiotic alone, according to a Cochrane Systematic Review. The researchers also concluded that intravaginal lactobacillus was as effective as oral metronidazole, although they did note unexplained drop-outs from the trials.
Giving students personalised feedback on their drinking behaviour and how it compares to social norms might help to reduce alcohol misuse, according to a Cochrane Systematic Review.
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) may relieve symptoms in the treatment of endometriosis. A systematic review by Cochrane Researchers found some evidence that women had comparable benefits following laparoscopic surgery and suffered fewer adverse effects if they were given Chinese herbs compared with conventional drug treatments.
Scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet and Linkçĥping University are well on the way to creating the first artificial nerve cell that can communicate specifically with nerve cells in the body using neurotransmitters. The technology has been published in an article in Nature Materials.
Following evidence of tumor shrinkage in a recent clinical trial at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ), new research has just begun to further measure the effects of a drug commonly used for Lou Gehrig"s disease (ALS) in the treatment of melanoma. CINJ is a center of excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Virginia Tech chemistry Professor Harry C. Dorn, Emory and Henry College chemistry Professor James Duchamp, and Panos Fatouros, professor and chair of the Division of Radiation Physics and Biology at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine have co-invented a hands-off process for filling fullerenes with radio-active material.
A new Northwestern University-led study of human colon, pancreatic and lung cells is the first to report that cancer cells and their non-cancerous cell neighbors, although quite different under the microscope, share very similar structural abnormalities on the nanoscale level.
MEDRAD Interventional(TM)/Possis(R) announced that it has reached key milestones in bringing the Paccocath(R) Technology closer to market as an option for the over 14 million patients in the United States and Europe who suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). These milestones include the selection of physician investigators for U.S. clinical trials and the completion of a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
Pluronic surfactants are synthetic copolymers based on ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. It has been reported that a nonionic L-81, effectively inhibits absorption of dietary lipids from the intestine and secretion of VLDL and LDL from the liver. Although L-81 is a potent anti-obesity drug, its potential in alleviating obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes has not been fully explored.
Presidio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that they have selected one of the lead compounds in their hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A program to advance toward clinical development.
Since its introduction in 1993, molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) albumin dialysis has been a subject of research, with the hope of effectively treating patients with acute liver failure. The impact of MARS treatment on outcome as well as clinical and laboratory variables has been investigated widely in small non-randomized studies. However, larger studies with longer follow-up time are required to determine the true usefulness of MARS treatment in different liver failure etiologies.
Eisai Corporation of North America announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the company"s supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for an alternative five-day dosing regimen for Dacogen(R) (decitabine for injection) to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). MDS is a potentially life-threatening group of bone marrow diseases that limit the production of functional blood cells.
The IFPMA was invited to attend a special session of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva on health in Africa and other least developed countries, organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission (ECOSOC). Michael D. Boyd, Acting Director General of the IFPMA, gave a briefing on the research-based pharmaceutical industry"s contribution to improving health in the developing world, speaking to an audience which included foreign ministers of UN Member States and senior UN officials.
The issue of whether government-subsidized health care programs should include coverage for abortion procedures is gaining attention as Congress continues drafting health care reform legislation, Time reports. Currently, the Hyde Amendment -- a legislative provision attached annually to major spending bills since 1976 -- prohibits states from using federal Medicaid funds to pay for abortion. All but 17 states have similar restrictions on their own funds. Although current versions of health reform legislation do not yet address the issue of abortion, congressional s involved in the process say that an explicit ban on abortion coverage could have "much further-reaching implications" than the Hyde Amendment. According to Time, the restrictions could deny abortion coverage to women whose private insurance plans currently cover the procedure. A 2002 Guttmacher Institute survey found that nearly 90% of private insurers cover abortion procedures. Under the legislation being worked on in three House committees, U.S. residents with incomes up to 400% of the poverty level -- about $88,000 annually for a family of four, or $43,000 for an individual -- would be eligible for government subsidies to help purchase coverage. However, antiabortion-rights lawmakers are pushing to prohibit those subsidies from being used to purchase health insurance policies that include abortion coverage, Time reports. Such restrictions would mean that women who currently have abortion coverage in their private plans would have to give up the benefit. According to Time, such a provision also "would raise all sorts of other questions if insurers were allowed to discriminate among their customers based on whether or not they are using federal dollars to pay for their policies."Pelosi Negotiating With House Dems Over ConcernsLast week, 19 House Democrats sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) stating that they "cannot support any health care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan." They also said that abortion "must be addressed clearly in the bill text" of the legislation. The signers of the letter include Reps. Bart Stupak (Mich.) and Charlie Melancon (La.), both members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the three panels with jurisdiction over health care reform. According to Time, Pelosi"s office is attempting to address the concerns through negotiations.Poll Shows Support for Reproductive Health CoverageMeanwhile, abortion-rights advocates are "pushing back" against those seeking to specifically exclude abortion coverage in health care reform legislation, Time reports. The National Women"s Law Center on Monday released results of a nationwide poll of 1,000 likely voters showing that 71% of respondents favor including reproductive services like birth control and abortion in health care reform (Tumulty, Time, 7/8). The poll also found that 72% would oppose exclusion of abortion coverage from any national health care plan (Eaton, Plain Dealer, 7/7). In addition, 75% of respondents said that an independent commission, not Congress, should determine what medical services are included in the basic benefits offered under health reform. Congress also is weighing giving that power to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (Time, 7/8).Judy Waxman, NWLC vice president, said that 80% of employer-based insurance plans provide coverage for abortion services, adding that "people will be angry if they don"t get to keep what they already have" under any public insurance option (Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7/7). Waxman said Congress should "refrain from practicing medicine and instead let medical professionals determine what health care services will be included in a benefits package" (Time, 7/8).
The White House announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan will host an all-day H1N1 Flu Preparedness Summit with states to further prepare this nation for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of H1N1 flu. The Summit will be held on July 9, 2009 at the Natcher Conference Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently published new guidelines on electronic fetal monitoring in an attempt to increase consistency in the way physicians interpret and act on the results, the New York Times reports. Electronic fetal monitoring, which was introduced in the 1970s, is used during labor for more than 85% of the four million infants born alive in the U.S. annually, the Times reports. According to the Times, use of fetal monitors became standard obstetrical practice before it was known if the benefits outweighed the risks. The new guidelines refine the meaning of various readings from fetal monitors and could help doctors make better decisions about whether to intervene during labor.According to experts, the widespread adoption of fetal monitoring has produced both negative and positive consequences, including significant increases in caesarean deliveries and the use of forceps during vaginal deliveries. Monitoring has not been found to reduce the risk of either cerebral palsy or fetal death resulting from inadequate oxygen to the fetal brain, as it was intended to do. Furthermore, lawyers commonly use monitoring results to support malpractice cases that might have little merit, which in turn has driven rising malpractice insurance costs and prompted some obstetricians to stop delivering infants.The new guidelines divide monitor readings into three categories to help doctors interpret readings more consistently. The old guidelines had two categories -- reassuring and non-reassuring -- and it was up to the obstetrician to determine whether a non-reassuring reading required intervention. Under the new guidelines, the first category applies when tracings of the fetal heart rate are normal and no specific action is required. The second category is for indeterminate tracings that require evaluation, continuous surveillance and re-evaluation. Obstetricians treating patients in this category should consider other clinical factors that could affect the fetus and whether the patient could be safely moved to category one, according to Catherine Spong of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which produced recommendations on which the guidelines are based. The final category is for abnormal tracings that require immediate evaluation and efforts to reverse the abnormal heart rate. The Times reports that more refinements to the guidelines are expected to be released in 2010 (Brody, New York Times, 7/7).
The Elephant In The Room On Health Care Minneapolis Star Tribune
The American Lung Association and The CHEST Foundation are partnering to further clinical research to benefit the estimated 22.9 million of Americans living with asthma.
"Today"s White House health care reform announcement clearly demonstrates that hospitals are willing to make a tremendous sacrifice to help expand health care coverage to millions of Americans who desperately need and deserve better access to care.
It"s well known that those who suffer from mental illness can benefit greatly from an active lifestyle. But most of the existing research focuses almost solely on physical activity, and while exercise is certainly important for mind and body, Temple researcher Yoshitaka Iwasaki says it"s not the only aspect of an active lifestyle.
WASHINGTON-AARP"s Health Action Now campaign turns its
bioMçİrieux (Paris:BIM), a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, announced that an AOAC-RI certification has been granted (No. 060903) to the VIDAS® UP E. coli O157 (Including H7) method for screening beef, selected produce and irrigation water. Food manufacturers in the U.S. and many other countries rely on AOAC-RI certified testing methods to release their products on the market. The new solution is based on recombinant phage protein, the latest technology available for food pathogen screening, which offers unique specificity and sensitivity. E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially lethal strain of Escherichia coli that has caused many food outbreaks in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.
Boston University School of Medicine researchers (BUSM) have observed in a study of pregnant women that consumption of at least seven servings per day of fruits and vegetables moderately reduced the risk of developing an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). The BUSM study appears online in the journal Public Health Nutrition.
The Department of Health and Human Services" Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has again granted The Joint Commission deeming authority for the accreditation of critical access hospitals.
Saudi Arabia"s warning to elderly Muslims, pregnant women and children against undertaking Hajj/Umrah pilgrimage this year in view of rapidly spreading swine flu worldwide sent a shock wave amongst Muslim community in Britain.
A consultation on a new national three-digit number - 111 - that will make it easier for patients to access urgent care wherever they are was launched by Ofcom.
SunTech Medical, a leading manufacturer of blood pressure monitors and OEM non-invasive blood pressure (OEM NIBP) modules, is pleased to announce the inclusion of their clinical-grade blood pressure technology in ExpressMD"s Electronic House Call™ remote patient monitoring device for telemedicine.
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. announced the successful treatment of the first patient of its IDE feasibility trial. The case, which was performed at The Ohio State University Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, marks the first natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedure involving the company"s investigational devices. NOTES is a surgical method in which external incisions are eliminated, potentially leading to reduced pain, a quicker recovery and a faster return to normal activities for the patient.
Like clothing and hairstyles, oral piercings give teens and adults a way to express themselves. While trendy, this fashion statement poses a number of potential oral and overall health care risks. It"s also important to note that oral piercings most commonly involve the tongue, and also the lips, cheeks, uvula or a combination of sites. Oral piercings have been implicated in a number of adverse oral and systemic conditions.
A potential vaccine for Alzheimer"s disease also has been shown in mice to slow the weakening of muscles associated with inclusion body myositis, a disorder that affects the elderly.
The "outstanding" work of Julia Hippisley-Cox, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and General Practice at The University of Nottingham, has been recognised by the Royal College of General Practitioners.
"As Congress wrangles with overhauling the health care system, there is one population not being discussed. No proposal for a national health plan would cover the nation"s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants," NPR reports. But "analysts say the notion that illegal immigrants drain the health system is overblown. Simply figuring out how many undocumented immigrants lack insurance is not easy," although the Lewin Group has estimated that the number is about 6.1 million, which is "only about half the total population of undocumented immigrants." John Sheils of the Lewin Group "says many illegal immigrants use false documents to work on the books, with regular tax deductions and benefits."
Francesca Dominici, PhD, a biostatistican whose work has affected air pollution regulation, has joined the faculty of the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) as professor of biostatistics.
UT Southwestern Medical Center and UT Arlington have reached an agreement with Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. to develop a groundbreaking toolbox of magnetically controlled surgical instruments for minimally invasive surgery.
Starting in October 2009, Springer will publish The HUGO Journal in cooperation with the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO). Formerly published at Springer as Genomic Medicine, The HUGO Journal has a new design, new features and a new editorial team. Members of HUGO will receive free access to the journal online and be able to purchase print subscriptions at discounted rates.
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A group of chemicals found in many fruits and vegetables, as well as tea, cocoa and red wine, could protect the brain from Alzheimer"s disease, a dementia expert will tell scientists at a conference today (Friday).
A new rapid test can confirm quickly and accurately that breast cancer has most likely not spread into adjacent lymph nodes, offering reassurance to patients and reducing the need for a second operation.
Osmetech plc (LSE:OMH), the fast growing international molecular diagnostics company announces that it has received US Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") 510(k) clearance for its eSensor® Cystic Fibrosis Genotyping Test for use on the eSensor® XT-8 System. This multiplex test is used for cystic fibrosis carrier screening for adults of reproductive age, as an aid in newborn screening for cystic fibrosis, and as a confirmatory diagnostic test for cystic fibrosis in newborns and children.
Several large adoption agencies are reporting an increase in the number of women with unintended pregnancies who are considering adoption, a trend that some advocates say is tied to the recession, USA Today reports. Scott Mars of American Adoptions said that he has observed a 10% to 12% increase in the past year in the number of women asking about adoption and a 7% to 10% increase in actual placements. Mars said that the economy has led women to "take a second look at adoption." Adam Pertman of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, a research group, said, "Finances are one of the major reasons women feel compelled to place their children for adoption." According to USA Today, more women also are considering delaying pregnancy or inquiring about abortion because of financial factors. A recent Gallup poll found that the economy has prompted one in 10 married women to delay pregnancy. Vicki Saporta of the National Abortion Federation, which represents abortion providers, said that calls to the group"s hotline have increased nearly threefold since 2008 and that many of the calls have come from women who have experienced job loss in their families.According to Joan Jaeger of the Chicago-area adoption agency The Cradle, about 30% more women are asking about placing a child for adoption than in 2008. She noted that many of the women inquiring about adoption are in their 20s and have at least one child. Joseph Sica of Adoption by Shepherd Care said he has seen a "dramatic increase in girls calling us from the hospital" who are interested in placing a child for adoption. Sica said that many of these women expect to receive assistance in raising their infants but inquire about adoption after they give birth and find that little help is available. He said that in 2008 his agency facilitated 14 such adoptions, an increase from 11 in 2007 and four in 2006. However, Chuck Johnson -- chief operating officer of the advocacy group the National Council for Adoption -- said that the percentage of women who place a child for adoption remains low overall, which he attributed to access to legal abortion and greater societal acceptance of single parenthood. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that before abortion became legal in 1973, one in five never-married white women and one in 10 never-married women overall placed a child for adoption after giving birth. Since then, that rate has "plummeted," USA Today reports. A 2002 survey, the most recent available, found that only 1% of such women placed a child for adoption (Koch, USA Today, 5/19).
The seventh and final member of a multi-million pound international counterfeit gang was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court earlier this week, 6 July 2009.
Dharma Therapeutics, Inc., ("Dharma") Seattle, WA (a subsidiary of the Transcu Group Limited, a company listed on the Singapore Exchange Limited) announced that its improved active transdermal delivery technology, which administers lidocaine and epinephrine through the skin via a mild electric current, has demonstrated safety and efficacy in a Phase 2 clinical trial.
A sometimes fatal "superbug" is popping up in hospitals, other health care settings and even communities where healthy people live. It"s called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA "mer"-sa"). Health experts urge common-sense steps by medical workers and the public to slow its spread.
Starr County, Texas, sits on the Texas-Mexico border along the banks of the Rio Grande River. Populated largely by Mexican Americans, it is a rural county where some of the residents live in colonias, unincorporated areas with no city services. The county seat, Rio Grande City, is home to approximately 15,000 people. Scratch the surface and Starr County has one surprising distinguishing feature: one of the highest prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes in the entire country, and the highest diabetes death rate in Texas.
Emerging research suggests that nutritional factors including vitamin D, magnesium, and others may influence the risk and progression of cardiovascular disease. The new data on nutrition and heart disease were the topic of a recent symposium and are summarized in the July issue of The American Journal of the Medical Sciences (AJMS), official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (SSCI). The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and biomedical intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.
The "hard truth of our economic turmoil is almost at term," as hospitals are beginning to report a decrease in the number of births, about nine months after "American banks first admitted their collective crisis," author Lauren Sandler writes in Slate"s "The Big Money" column. Sandler writes that the trend is "hardly unprecedented," noting that the contraception business "was just about the only one booming" during the Great Depression. She asks, "Are market forces the great contraceptive?" Sandler continues that in the first few months of 2009, Nielsen reported a 10% increase in U.S. sales of condoms and emergency contraceptive pills. Additionally, sales of the permanent female contraceptive Essure have increased 28% over the past year, and clicks on physician profiles on Vasectomy.com have risen 40%. According to Sandler, Vasectomy.com"s chief operating officer, Maya Wank, reports that many urologists say that vasectomies are increasing because patients" salaries are down, with many men seeking vasectomies out of fear of job or health insurance loss.Sandler writes that the "tanking economy has delivered an awakening" that the "choice to have a child is probably the most serious, not to mention one of the most costly, that you"ll ever make." According to Sandler, a Gallup poll found that 12% of women say they know someone who has delayed a planned pregnancy because of the recession. The poll also found that one in five women reports that she is more concerned about unintended pregnancy than she was one year ago, and the same number reports being more "conscientious" about using birth control. Additionally, the poll found that, compared with one year ago, 13% more women who use hormonal contraception are concerned that they will be unable to afford their birth control. Since 2008, there has been an increase of 15% in the number of U.S. residents who say they had to cut back on medications due to cost.Sandler writes that it is "not surprising" that the National Network of Abortion Funds reports a fourfold increase in the number of calls from women who need assistance paying for abortion procedures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recently announced that teen birth rates are up after a 14-year decline. "In other words, the recession could result in a drop in birth rates for women with easy access to contraception and abortion," Sandler writes, adding that experts believe that women with "more limited access ... may see the rate climb." Sandler concludes that "it"s not unreasonable to consider what things will look like if the middle class reduces its reproduction, while men and women who are struggling to even afford condoms expand their numbers despite their personal choice" (Sandler, "The Big Money," Slate, 5/17).
The Washington Post reports: "Leaders of the world"s major economies pledged Friday to raise $20 billion over the next three years for food and agricultural aid to the world"s most impoverished countries." According to Obama administration officials, "the U.S. will contribute at least $3.5 billion over the next three years to the worldwide effort," which in addition to the funding, "hopes to better coordinate global food aid efforts and work through initiatives already in place in poor countries around the world, rather than creating new plans," the Washington Post reports (Fletcher, 7/10).
ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 will take place at the ICC Berlin - Internationales Congress Centrum, Messedamm 22, D-14055 Berlin, Germany (http://www.icc-berlin.de) from Sunday 20 September to Thursday 24 September 2009.
The Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research® (NOSCAR®), a joint effort of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), has announced Olympus" continuing commitment to funding research in an emerging minimally invasive transdisciplinary therapy known as Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery®, with a $250,000 grant to the existing Olympus Research Fund supporting NOTES® research. This grant increases Olympus" total funding to $1.25 million.
Partnering with local physicians, working with local clinics, and conducting educational seminars and health fairs were found to be the most effective tools in recruiting people for Alzheimer"s clinical studies, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer"s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer"s Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
Infections of wounds, pneumonia, etc. in hospitals in particular are often caused by bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once they reach a certain density, colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce virulence factors and can enter into a slimy state, a biofilm, which prevents antibiotics from penetrating. The process of quorum sensing, which cells use to "sense" cell density, is triggered when the concentration of certain signaling compounds generated by the bacteria reaches a threshold level. A team working with Rustem F. Ismagilov at the University of Chicago has now demonstrated that the absolute number of cells is irrelevant; only the number of bacteria in a given volume plays a role. As the researchers report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they were even able to trigger quorum-sensing processes in single cells when these were confined in extremely small volumes.
A doctor"s positive attitude to Alzheimer"s diagnosis and their trusting, personal relationships with local dementia support service providers are powerful enablers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer"s, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer"s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer"s Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
The destructive cellular pathways activated in Alzheimer"s disease are also triggered following traumatic brain injury, say researchers from Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC). They say this finding suggests that novel therapy might successfully target both conditions.
Oral healthcare could hold the key to beating obesity according to new dental research*.
The Union will offer 8 MDR-TB courses in 2009 as part of its commitment to addressing the global increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis.