Sexual Health
A simple genetic test can determine a kidney transplant patient"s tolerance for a potent anti-rejection medication, according to an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The test could allow doctors to individualize each patient"s dose, optimizing the drug"s benefits and minimizing its side effects.
A man who used a forged document to obtain an NHS bursary and train as a mental health nurse has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for fraud at Sheffield Crown Court (18 May 2009) after a joint investigation by NHS Counter Fraud and the UK Border Agency.
New liver cancer cases among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are expected to soar in coming years, the result of persistently higher rates of chronic hepatitis B, a leading cause of the disease, and population growth as projected by the US Census.
The advanced wound management market in Europe is experiencing high growth due to the heightened need for better and more cost-effective treatment. As a result, the market is expanding strongly despite significant hurdles, including intense competition and low reimbursement.
Former President Clinton has joined efforts to raise money for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria from travelers purchasing electronic airline tickets, the New York Times reports. At a press conference in Paris with United Nations special advisor Philippe Douste-Blazy, Clinton said, "If you provide a user-friendly, efficient way of giving, the contributors will use this system."The U.N. is behind the effort, which will enable travelers to voluntarily add a $2 donation for projects to fight malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS when buying an airline ticket, the Times reports. Both Clinton and Douste-Blazy are working with a newly formed group - Leading Innovative Financing for Equity, or LIFE. LIFE is comprised of eight different groups working to raising money for health aid. According to Douste-Blazy, efforts targeting small donors will begin in January 2010. He added that "the idea is that the citizens of the world are connected by the Internet and credit cards and can show their solidarity."The groups also hope to reach people renting cars, booking hotels or buying train tickets, the Times reports (Carvajal, New York Times, 5/21). Clinton said U.S. air passengers will be able to voluntarily participate in the program, adding, "There is no question that huge numbers of people will participate in this. They understand that it doesn"t cost much and that 100% will go to save lives." (AFP/Google.com, 5/20).
Impax Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IPXL) confirmed that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval of the Company"s Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for generic versions of Precose® Tablets (acarbose), 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg strengths. Precose®, a Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals product, is used in the management of type two diabetes mellitus.
A meta-analysis of five trials has shown that more intensive glucose control in type 2 diabetes leads to fewer heart attacks and heart disease events - but has no significant effect on stroke or mortality from all causes. The findings are reported in an Article in this week"s diabetes special issue of The Lancet, written by Dr Kausik Ray, University of Cambridge, UK, and colleagues.
Three quarters (75%) of women with BV (Bacterial Vaginosis) admit the condition has prevented them from getting intimate with their partner, according to a new survey by Balance ActivTM Vaginal Gel.1 Sufferers reveal BV affects their personal relationships more than any other aspect of their lives, with one in ten sufferers resorting to ending relationships as a result of the embarrassing symptoms.1
Type-2 diabetes patients who lose at least 5% of their body weight score significantly higher on health-related quality of life measures than those who gain 5%, according to a new Consumer Health Sciences (CHS) study presented today at the 14th Annual ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomic and Outcomes Research) Conference in Orlando, Florida. The benefits of weight loss are particularly dramatic for obese patients, who experience a sharp increase in quality of life scores with just a 5% weight reduction.
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: BCRX) announced long-term data from a Phase 2 study of forodesine, the Company"s lead oncology compound, in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The data will be presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) being held in Orlando, Florida from May 29-June 2. Forodesine is a transition-state analog inhibitor of purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP), a purine salvage pathway enzyme that is essential for the proliferation of T-cells and B-cells.
Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) announced that data from a phase I clinical trial evaluating every three week dosing of SGN-35 and a phase I clinical trial of lintuzumab (SGN-33) will be reported at the 14th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) being held June 4-7, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. The abstracts are available from the EHA website at http://www.ehaweb.org.
Spring cleaning? While clearing out cobwebs and boxing up old clothes, don"t forget an invisible but crucial component of your home: the air you breathe. Even in the spring, people spend most of their time indoors-as much as 90 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For those with allergies or asthma, having clean indoor air is crucial to managing symptoms.
The PHAC (Public Health Agency of Canada) announced that as at the end of 22 May, 2009, the total number of confirmed swine flu cases is 805, including one death, in 9 provinces and 1 territory. Half of all confirmed human infections are under 22 years of age. 21 people have been hospitalized.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced results of a study showing that coadministration of the ADHD medication VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Prilosec OTC® 40 mg (20 mg X 2), did not alter the median time it took for maximum plasma concentration of d-amphetamine to be reached in the subjects evaluated. In the same study, coadministration of Prilosec OTC with ADDERALL XR resulted in a nearly 45 percent reduction in the median time to reach maximum plasma concentrations of amphetamine, the active medication. Other pharmacokinetic parameters (maximum plasma concentration and area under curve) of active medication were not altered for either VYVANSE or ADDERALL XR when coadministered with Prilosec OTC. This study, which is the first to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of VYVANSE and ADDERALL XR taken alone and with Prilosec OTC 40 mg, was recently presented at the International Congress on Clinical Pharmacy, co-sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), in Orlando, FL.
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.The blogosphere is buzzing about the GOP "alternative" health reform proposal from Sens. Richard Burr (N.C.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Tom Coburn (Okla.), and Reps. Devin Nunes (Calif.) and Paul Ryan (Wis.). Known as the Patients" Choice Act (.pdf), it would create state-based private health insurance exchanges and provide U.S. residents tax credits to subsidize coverage premiums. Yuval Levin of conservative stalwart The Corner calls the plan "the best comprehensive health care proposal Republicans have produced to date, and shows that at least some in the party understand the need to engage the issue with a grasp of the differences between underlying problems (like cost control) and symptoms of those problems (like access to coverage), and with an actual appreciation for economic incentives and pressures." Marguerite Higgins of the Heritage Foundation"s The Foundry says the plan "features several important conservative principles for health care reform that would allow free-market solutions to take root in the broken U.S. health care system, and give patients more decision-making power with their health care dollars."But Michael Cannon of the libertarian Cato@Liberty blog says he is "troubled" by aspects of the plan that are "self-contradictory." He writes, "On the one hand, it lists "No Tax Increases" as a core concept. Do its authors not know that imposing price controls on health insurance premiums imposes a tax on healthier-than-average consumers? And where do they think the money for "risk-adjustment" payments will come from? Heaven?" The New Republic"s Jonathan Cohn seems to agree, saying, "The details are pretty unappealing, except where there are none; and the whole thing is presented as the antithesis of big government when, in fact, it too would require at least some government intervention." Overall Cohn thinks the plan indicates good news for Democrats, concluding, "Passage of a bill seems ever more likely, to the point where potential opponents feel they must offer alternatives that embrace some of the same concepts."The Washington Post"s Ezra Klein examines the structure of the plan, calling it "the bastard child of the Massachusetts health reforms and the McCain campaign proposal." He also seems to think it"s positive news for reformers, adding, "But it"s still a step forward for the Republican Party. It"s an admission that individuals can"t go it alone. That the state has a large and important regulatory role to play. The business model of insurers is not simply broken but actively cruel. A Republican Party that accepts the principles of this plan is a Republican Party that is much likelier to accept the principles of Obama"s eventual plan." He notes that GOP leadership was not involved in the proposal.Interesting elsewhere:
Researchers of the Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have gained crucial insight into how mechanosensitivity arises. By measuring electrical impulses in the sensory neurons of mice, the neurobiologists and pain researchers Dr. Stefan G. Lechner and Professor Gary Lewin were able to directly elucidate, for the first time, the emergence of mechanosensitivity. At the same time they were able to show that neurons develop their sensitivity to touch and pain during different developmental phases but always coincidentally with the growth of the neuronal pathways. (EMBO Journal, 2009, doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.73).*
Using a specially adapted tool called P[acman], a collaboration of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine has established a library of clones that cover most of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) and should speed the pace of genetic research.
Commenting in response to the Public Accounts Select Committee report into financial management in the NHS, which highlighted the service had a ÷£1.7 billion surplus at the end of 2007/8, The King"s Fund"s Chief Executive Niall Dickson said:
People with diabetes who were prescribed the cholesterol-lowering drug fenofibrate reduced their risk of minor amputations by 36 per cent, according to new research.
Johns Hopkins Medicine"s patient safety program has earned second place in Healthcare Informatics magazine"s eighth annual Innovator Awards.
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.
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced it has received the first of what is expected to be a series of orders from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commence production of a vaccine to help protect against the new influenza A(H1N1) virus.
People who take cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins after a stroke may be less likely to have another stroke later, according to research published in the May 26, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The primary objective of this workshop was to develop a comprehensive R&D roadmap that would fast-track the use of focused ultrasound technology to treat a variety of brain disorders including benign and malignant tumors, Parkinson"s disease and essential tremor, stroke, and epilepsy.
Our genome is a patchwork of neighborhoods that couldn"t be more different: Some areas are hustling and bustling with gene activity, while others are sparsely populated and in perpetual lock-down. Breaking down just a few of the molecular fences that separate them blurs the lines and leads to the inactivation of at least two tumor suppressor genes, according to researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.
UroToday.com - "Urgency" is the cornerstone of the diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB) as well as a common complaint of patients with BPS/IC. What the term actually refers to when used by patients remains problematic and the subject of some controversy. The International Continence Society defines it as a "sudden compelling desire to void that is difficult to defer". The word sudden is designed to differentiate the sensation from the "urgency" that patients with BPS/IC complain of, but the distinction is quite vague in practice. Many believe that it is the reason for the urgency (fear of incontinence vs. pain) that should make the distinction.
Dr Hamish Meldrum, Chairman of BMA Council, has written to the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Johnson, to request that he intervenes to ensure that the UK does not lose further doctors as a result of recent changes to the immigration system. The changes restrict international medical students, who are studying in the UK, from continuing with their medical training beyond the two-year postgraduate Foundation Programme.
Private well water should be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, took a lead role in working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink well water. The recommendations call for annual well testing, especially for nitrate and microorganisms such as coliform bacteria, which can indicate that sewage has contaminated the well. The recommendations point out circumstances when additional testing should occur, including testing when there is a new infant in the house or if the well is subjected to structural damage.
Researchers in Indiana are reporting an advance toward faster, more sensitive tests for detecting melamine, the substance that killed at least 6 children and sickened 300,000 children in China who drank milk and infant formula adulterated with the substance. The improved tests may ease global concerns about food safety, the researchers say. Their report is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS" Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) says two country doctors" skills last Friday-in saving
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.
Reacting to the Government"s response to the Archer Report (http://www.archercbbp.com) into the contaminated blood and blood product disaster Chris James, Chief Executive of the Haemophilia Society said:
Children are a pain in the back!
At a time when the drug industry is striving for patient-friendly delivery methods for new and existing drugs, the growing availability of innovative inhaler device designs is driving interest in pulmonary drug delivery technology and devices as an alternative to oral and parenteral routes of administration. While well-established for treating upper respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD, companies competing in the inhaled drug delivery sector - major players such as GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim as well as pure-play start-ups - continue to view delivery of systemic drugs via inhalation as a major opportunity.
U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) commended the Departments of Justice (DoJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) for their decision to focus on detecting, preventing, and prosecuting Medicare fraud cases.
Amid emerging concerns that blood platelets donated for transfusion by individuals with Type 2 diabetes may be unsafe, scientists are reporting the first detailed identification and analysis of a group of abnormal proteins in platelets from diabetic donors. The study could lead to screening tests to detect and monitor these so-called "high risk platelets," the researchers say. Their study is scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS" Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. About 18 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, and the disease is spreading with the epidemic of obesity.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to prosecute Sellafield Ltd for alleged breaches of health and safety law. This follows HSE"s investigation into the exposure of two contractor employees to airborne radioactive contamination on 11 July 2007 at Sellafield Nuclear Licensed Site in Cumbria.
Trying to quit cigarettes but don"t know how? A new analysis led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Public Health, suggests that Web- and computer-based smoking cessation programs are worth a try, and fortunately during these tough economic times, many of them are free.
New research from the US suggests that children whose parents won"t let them be vaccinated are 23 times more likely to get whooping cough
Researchers from around the world will present the latest breakthroughs in electro-optics, lasers and the application of light waves at the 2009 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics/International Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/IQEC) May 31 to June 5 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore.
Driven by rising health care costs at home, nearly 1 million Californians cross the border each year to seek medical care in Mexico, according a new paper by UCLA researchers and colleagues published in the journal Medical Care.
When a cancer patient and his or her doctor discuss the value of a treatment option, the conversation usually centers on a consideration of the treatment"s medical benefits versus its possible side effects for the patient. Increasingly, however, as the already high costs of cancer care continue to rise, a full view of the patient"s welfare must also take into account the economic impact of the treatment on the patient and his or her family.
A short, preoperative team briefing prior to cardiac surgery - where each person on the team speaks - improves communication and reduces errors and costs, according to a pilot study conducted at Mayo Clinic.
A new study published online in the journal Obesity provides further evidence that strict maternal control over eating habits - such as determining how much a child should eat and coaxing them to eat certain foods - during early childhood may not lead to significant future weight gain in boys or girls. Instead, this behavior may be a response to concerns over a child"s increasing weight.
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.
Penicillin and other antibiotics in the beta-lactam family work as well as other antibiotics to treat MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcuss aureus) infections in the skin and soft-tissue of children and may help prevent further resistance to antibiotic treatment, according to a new study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
UCLA has opened a new technology incubation space within the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) to Matrix Sensors Inc., a start-up that"s developing multichannel gas and biological sensor systems based on technology developed jointly by UCLA and Stanford University researchers.
The AMA says the most alarming element of last night"s budget is the total absence of health support measures for the unemployed.
Small businesses increasingly are eliminating their employee health coverage plans because of rising health care premiums and declining revenue attributed to the current economic recession, the Wall Street Journal reports. About 10% of small companies are considering ending their employee health coverage plans over the next year, compared with 3% of small businesses in 2005, according to a recent survey by the National Small Business Association. In 2008, 38% of small companies offered health coverage, compared with 41% in 2007 and 61% in 1993, according to NSBA. According to a Hewitt Associates survey, 19% of all U.S. businesses plan to halt providing health care benefits to their employees in the next three to five years.A rise in health care coverage premiums has contributed to employers eliminating plans, according to the Journal. Premiums for single policies increased by 74% for small businesses from 2001 to 2008, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. According to Scott Krienke, senior vice president of product lines for Assurant Health, health insurance premiums for small businesses increase by 8% to 16% annually on average, with smaller firms often having the highest increases. According to the Journal, many employers are choosing to eliminate health coverage instead of eliminating jobs or closing down their business. Some businesses have chosen instead to shift more health care costs to workers, change health insurers, switch prescription drug plans to encourage employees to purchase more generic drugs or offer employees wellness plans that encourage healthy habits as a strategy to reduce health care costs, the Journal reports (Mattioli, Wall Street Journal, 5/26).
Preliminary results from a double-blind, randomised, multicentre trial among 660 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) show that budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®: AstraZeneca) plus tiotropium (Spiriva™: Boehringer Ingelheim Limited) significantly improves disease control and patients" quality of life.1,2
Health officials recently held a regional consultation in Kenya to examine mother-to-child HIV transmission services and pediatric HIV/AIDS care in nine Eastern and Southern African countries, IRIN/PlusNews reports. The consultation -- hosted by UNICEF, UNAIDS and the World Health Organization -- included representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The meeting addressed issues in MTCT prevention services -- including the continued use of single-dose nevirapine instead of more effective combination therapies, as well as delays in diagnosing and initiating treatment -- that are weakening prevention programs in focus countries. According to IRIN/PlusNews, 70% of pregnant women in Eastern and Southern African countries are seen by a health care provider at least once during pregnancy. However, 43% of HIV-positive pregnant women have a health care worker present during labor who can administer PMTCT treatment. In Uganda, a national policy calls for all sub-county level health facilities to provide PMTCT services, but only 53% offer such services because of health worker shortages. Janet Kayita, regional PMTCT adviser for UNICEF, said, "We are doing a bad job of testing women for HIV and then following them up, and an even worse job of ensuring that infants receive appropriate prevention and treatment services." She added that national PMTCT guidelines have not reached local levels. "These policies must become a reality for the people they were designed to help," Kayita said, adding that primary health care systems at all levels must be strengthened (IRIN/PlusNews, 5/25).Some officials at the meeting called on African governments to reach 80% of pregnant women, mothers and children with services; reduce by 50% the number of women and infants who do not receive follow-up care; and double the number of HIV-positive children who receive antiretroviral treatment. Xinhuanet reports that prevention services currently reach about 50% of pregnant women in all Eastern and Southern African countries. At the close of the consultation, officials issued a set of recommendations for meeting PMTCT goals, including increased community involvement in prevention programs; reduced workloads for health workers; and increased coverage of and compliance with PMTCT regimens. In addition, the experts urged governments to prioritize regions with high HIV burdens and strengthen data management to better understand trends (Ooko, Xinhuanet, 5/25). James Kamau, coordinator of the Kenya Treatment Access Movement, recommended that more women in the country deliver in hospitals in order to ensure that they receive PMTCT services (Mwaniki, Daily Nation, 5/25). David Alnwick, a UNICEF regional adviser, said, "It is critical at this juncture, when many countries are faced with shrinking budgets and competing demands, that we do not lose the momentum of what needs to be done to create an AIDS-free generation" (Xinhuanet, 5/25).
The number of teenagers contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections has increased over the past several years, Singapore"s Education Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Thursday, the Straits Times reports. In 2008, 787 STIs were recorded among teenagers, a more than threefold increase from the 238 cases in 2002. In addition, nine new HIV cases were reported among teenagers in 2007, compared with one in 2002. According to Ng, the figures highlight the need for sex education programs. The programs also are needed because of increases in sexual activity and unintended pregnancies among teens, the Times reports. According to a 2006 Health Promotion Board and education ministry survey of 4,000 students between ages 14 and 19, about 8% reported being sexually active. In addition, less than one-quarter of sexually active teenagers reported using contraception to protect against STIs and unintended pregnancies. Changes in attitudes toward sex -- as well as the increased exposure teens have to information about sex -- only increase the need for schools to provide students with objective and reliable information about sex, according to Ng. He added that sex education programs in schools have changed since the programs were introduced in 2000. He said, "When we started, the key message was abstinence, reflecting the conservative social tone of our Asian society, where liberal values on sex are not espoused," adding, "This is not a negative facet of our society. It is not prudish, regressive or naç¯ve." Ng said that two years ago, the focus of sex education programs changed from abstinence to include information about how to prevent unintended pregnancies and STIs. He said, "In 2007, messages were added -- beyond knowing how to say no -- students were also taught the repercussions of unwanted pregnancies and STIs and HIV and how to prevent them. This is now a key focus of sexuality education, and should continue to be moving forward" (Tan, Straits Times, 5/22).
The Department of Health must start to think beyond simple numerical measures of access to dentistry if it is serious about reducing the oral health inequalities of England"s population, according to the British Dental Association (BDA). The BDA"s message comes after figures published today by the NHS Information Centre demonstrated a small recovery in the number of people able to access NHS dental care.
A growing number of American children are enrolled in child care and questions remain about how these settings may affect them in both positive and negative ways. A new study published in the May/June 2009 issue of the journal Child Development finds that early interpersonal experiences - center-based child care and parenting - may have independent and lasting developmental effects.
Despite reports indicating that placement of retail clinics are determined by physician shortages and higher uninsured populations, these clinics appear to be located in more advantaged neighborhoods, according to a report in the May 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Faculty physicians at academic medical centers may be less likely to experience burnout if they spend at least one day per week on the aspect of their work that is most meaningful to them, according to a report in the May 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A new study has found that some black women with advanced breast cancer declined treatment with chemotherapy or radiation, though researchers did not know the reason why so many of the women opted against treatment, HealthDay/Las Vegas NOW reports. For the study, researchers examined records for 107 women with cases of advanced breast cancer that were reported at one inner-city hospital between 2000 and 2006. Eighty-seven percent of the women were black, and 29% of them had breast cancer tumors that did not respond well to new, targeted treatments. Of all women, 20.5% declined chemotherapy and 26.3% opted against radiation.Lead researcher Monica Rizzo, an assistant professor of surgery at the Division of Surgical Oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine, said the reason why the women declined treatment is not clear, adding, "We looked at marital status, as well as religious background, of those women, and unfortunately, we were not able to find any clear identifier." Researchers speculated that fear of the medical system, poverty and cultural differences might play a role. Rizzo"s group has started a community outreach program through which a nurse practitioner and social worker follow up with breast cancer patients (Reinberg, HealthDay/Las Vegas NOW, 5/22). An abstract of the study is available online.
Mountain climbers and adventurers who aspire to ascent Mount Everest have more information on immune function and the onset of acute mountain sickness (AMS), thanks to research presented today at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Seattle. A team of medical students climbed to Everest Base Camp in order to find physical factors that would reveal information about illness severity in association with immune and hormonal responses to high-altitude exposure.
Heart rate and core temperature spike for NASCAR pit crew athletes during pit stops, a combination of physiological demands that may take a toll on crew performance, says a study presented today at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle. These factors, linked with demand for highly skilled pit crews, heighten the need for physical conditioning of pit crew athletes based on the unique demands of the sport.
UCB has announced that Vimpat® (lacosamide) C-V , a new antiepileptic drug (AED) is available in the U.S. as an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in people with epilepsy who are 17 years and older. Vimpat® will be available in U.S. pharmacies by the first week of June 2009.
Targeted Molecular Diagnostics (TMD), a Quintiles Central Laboratory, announced the availability of two new laboratory tests used to develop more effective cancer treatments.
New findings by researchers UT Southwestern Medical Center are accelerating efforts to eradicate worm infections that afflict a third of the world"s population.
A new way of assessing professionalism among medical students could help to make better doctors, a new research study suggests.
Effects of MYC Protein and CIP2A in Gastric Cancer
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.
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.
UNICEF has appealed for an additional $41.4 million to provide urgent assistance to people displaced by fighting in northwest Pakistan. Over half of the displaced are children. UNICEF Pakistan has now almost exhausted its contingency stocks of supplies and funding.
The MS Society Scotland has backed a school boy from Glasgow whose campaign aims to seek support for the use of vitamin D in helping to prevent the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Arlington Medical Res (AMR) and Decision Res find that surveyed physicians will increase prescribing of Wyeth"s Tygacil, Merck"s Invanz and Johnson & Johnson"s Doribax in the next five years for the treatment of intra-abdominal infections because of their potent broad-spectrum activity and efficacy against gram-negative and anaerobic organisms.
PAREXEL International Corporation (Nasdaq: PRXL), a leading global biopharmaceutical services provider, announced it has reached a milestone in managing oncology-based clinical trials over the last five years, which have involved over 175,000 patients in hundreds of programs across 80 countries. PAREXEL will be marking this milestone during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, to be held May 29 - June 2, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. PAREXEL"s hematology and oncology experts will be available during the ASCO meeting at Booth #1980 to discuss their capabilities to support the successful development of novel cancer treatments.
A pain condition common in people with migraines also has a high prevalence in patients with cluster headache, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Jefferson Headache Center at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.
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.
Workshop A
The Indiana Alzheimer Disease Center will host a screening of HBO"s "The Alzheimer Project" from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28, in the lower level auditorium of the Riley Outpatient Center, 601 West Drive, on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus.
President Obama on Tuesday in his official announcement of his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court emphasized what he called her "extraordinary journey" from a modest background to the top of the judiciary, launching a "confirmation battle that he hopes to wage over biography more than ideology," the New York Times reports. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court, as well as the sixth of the court"s current members with a Roman Catholic background, the Times reports (Baker/Zeleny, New York Times, 5/27). Sotomayor would replace retiring Justice David Souter, who typically is a liberal vote on social issues, the Wall Street Journal reports. Therefore, the addition of Sotomayor would not likely change the ideological balance of the court (Bravin/Koppel, Wall Street Journal, 5/27). The Washington Post reports Obama in his remarks cast Sotomayor "as the embodiment of the qualities he seeks in a judge," including superior intelligence, an understanding of the limited role of the judiciary and what he called "an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live" (Barnes/Fletcher, Washington Post, 5/27). The president said he wants Sotomayor to be confirmed before the Senate leaves in August for its summer recess, so she can join the court in time for its September review of potential cases. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the Senate has "ample time" to complete the confirmation process, as the average time span is 72 days and there are 74 until the recess (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26). Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) praised Obama"s decision, calling Sotomayor"s record "exemplary" and her nomination "historic." Leahy noted that both former President George H.W. Bush and former President Clinton nominated Sotomayor to federal judgeships, adding, "She has been nominated by both Democratic and Republican presidents, and she was twice confirmed by the Senate with strong, bipartisan support" (Stanton, Roll Call, 5/26).Rulings on Abortion Rights Throughout her career as a federal judge, Sotomayor has not issued what are considered major decisions regarding abortion rights, although her record on cases involving civil and social rights issues appear "more liberal than not," according to the New York Times (Liptak, New York Times, 5/27). Politico reports that Sotomayor has ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights groups in two cases. The first case occurred in 2002 when she sided with the Bush administration in its efforts to implement the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding for international family planning groups that offer abortion services or information with their own funds. Sotomayor ruled that the government had the right to decide how to spend its funding. In 2004, Sotomayor ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights protesters who alleged that they were brutalized while being arrested in West Hartford, Conn. (Gerstein/Javers, Politico, 5/26). Gibbs said that Obama did not ask Sotomayor about issues related to abortion during her vetting and there was "no litmus test" on abortion-rights issues (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26).Obama"s announcement was well-received by many groups that support abortion rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said the group is anticipating more information about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights and the right to privacy. She added that the group is "encouraged by the strong support she receives from her peers and other legal scholars and the fact that the Senate has twice confirmed her for federal judgeships" (Posner, Congress Daily, 5/26). Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women, said that Sotomayor "brings a lifelong commitment to equality, justice and opportunity, as well as the respect of her peers, unassailable integrity and a keen intellect informed by experience." Gandy added that Obama "said he wanted a justice with "towering intellect" and a "common to
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).
U.S. antitrust laws could affect health care industry groups" efforts to work together to rein in health care costs, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 5/27). In a letter sent to President Obama on May 10, a coalition of groups -- the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the Advanced Medical Technology Association, America"s Health Insurance Plans and the Service Employees International Union -- pledged to reduce the annual health care spending growth rate by 1.5%. The groups did not elaborate on what specific measures they would use to achieve such reductions, but the Obama administration has requested specific plans from the groups by June 1 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/26). According to the Times, many of the plans being considered by the health care industry would require greater cooperation across health care providers. Robert Leibenluft, a former Federal Trade Commission official, said, "Any agreement among competitors with regard to prices or price increases -- even if they set a maximum -- would raise legal concerns." In addition, while Obama is asking for specific plans from the health care industry, the administration has not offered any relief from antitrust laws, the Times reports. Furthermore, during his campaign Obama pledged to increase enforcement of antitrust laws, according to the Times.Antitrust laws have had a negative effect on previous health reform efforts, the Times reports. In 1993, the drug industry established a voluntary cost control plan that limited each drug company"s annual increase in the average price of prescription drugs to the increase in the Consumer Price Index, but the Department of Justice ruled that the proposal would violate antitrust laws. DOJ officials said that the U.S. Supreme Court made it clear that setting price maximums was akin to setting price minimums, which is illegal. In a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, AHA wrote that uncertainty regarding the enforcement of antitrust laws "makes it difficult for a hospital and doctors to collaborate to improve care" and reduce costs. AMA has asked Congress to amend antitrust laws to allow physicians to collectively negotiate with insurers over fees and other concerns, but FTC repeatedly has designated the practice illegal price-fixing, according to the Times. FTC officials said that consumers could benefit from cooperation among health care industry groups but that cooperation also could lead to increased bargaining power for physicians and hospitals, making it easier for them to set prices and eliminate competition (New York Times, 5/27). Reform Developments
Over the next 18 months, psychiatrists will revise the American Psychiatric Association"s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used to determine how U.S. residents" mental health is assessed, diagnosed and treated, the Los Angeles Times reports. Since the manual was last updated in 1994, technologies such as brain imaging and new understandings of the biological and genetic causes of many disorders have "almost guaranteed alterations" in the number of mental disorders included in fifth DSM volume, which is scheduled to be published in 2012, the Times reports.While some psychiatrists argue the manual should be broad enough to determine treatment for those who need it, others are concerned that if too broad, the manual will diagnose conditions that would otherwise be considered normal human behavior. David Kupfer, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh"s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinics and chair of the DSM-V task force, said the DSM-V will recognize variations of disorders that have not been seen as part of "classic" illnesses, and will describe disorders in more detail, including how they differ based on race, gender, age, physical health and culture. Health insurance companies use the manual to determine coverage options for certain treatments.People involved in the revisions said the manual will be a better reflection of mental conditions of "real" people, rather than just those with the most severe cases of disorders or obvious diagnoses, the Times reports (Roan, Los Angeles Times, 5/26).
Authorities in South Africa have begun construction of one of the 20 planned Football for Hope centers in Africa -- part of a 2010 World Cup campaign called "20 Centers for 2010" aimed at reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, poverty and crime in local communities -- the AP/Google.com reports. The center under construction in South Africa"s Khayelitsha township will include a soccer field, community center and after-school programs that will focus on sex education and HIV/AIDS education. The International Federation of Football Association, or FIFA, in alliance with Streetfootballworld, a network of development groups, is providing the campaign with $10 million in funding. Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Namibia, Rwanda and other African countries will be home to the remaining 19 centers.According to FIFA President Joseph Blatter, the campaign "emphasizes the power of football far beyond the boundaries of the pitch." He added that the centers will "provide a platform for communities to address social issues such as children"s rights, education, health, HIV/AIDS prevention and will leave a legacy for Africa that will last long after the final whistle of the 2010 FIFA World Cup has been blown." Helen Zille, premier of the Western Cape Province, said construction of the center in the township "shows what we can do when we focus on getting things right rather than concentrating on what"s wrong," adding that she hopes the center is successful with its HIV/AIDS education efforts. The center will be run by Grassroots Soccer, an HIV/AIDS education organization that uses the sport to educate youth. Nocawe Tyali, a life-skills and football teacher who works with teenagers, said the new center will give young people an alternative to high-risk behaviors and enable the area to offer more youth football programs that include an HIV/AIDS prevention message (Nullis, AP/Google.com, 5/25).
Triage technology comes with a Star Trek twist, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security"s Science & Technology Directorate (DHS S&T).
Acculis Limited, the UK based specialist microwave ablation company based in Denmead, England, announced the clearance of its latest device for coagulating and killing unwanted tissue during surgery. The device, designed for coagulations at the surface of the tissue fires controlled high power microwave energy into the target area causing it to heat rapidly and the cells to die. Liver surgeons around the world are using the Acculis MTA System to address tumours inside the liver using its existing needle probes that take the microwave energy to the centre of tumours. Using the same control unit, this latest device allows surgeons to address deposits on the surface of the liver without using a needle. David Lloyd, consultant surgeon from Leicester Royal Infirmary, worked with Professor Nigel Cronin on the device which was also used by consultant HPB surgeons Graeme Poston, Liverpool Aintree and David Sherlock, North Manchester General during the development phase under MHRA control.
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.
Dr Peter Coleman, Deputy Director of Research at The Stroke Association said:
A group of researchers from the LGC Chemical Metrology Laboratory in the United Kingdom and the University of Oviedo, Spain, have come up with a method to detect how the proportions of isotopes in a chemical element (atoms with an equal number of protons and electrons but different numbers of neutrons) vary throughout the length of a single hair. The mid-term objective is to be able to use these methods to track the geographical movements of people, including international crime suspects and victims.
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are reminding Canadians that fresh fiddleheads should be properly cooked before being consumed.
A report released by the consumer health organization Families USA spotlights a growing crisis among insured families, as rising health care costs devour a growing portion of their pre-tax income.
Elderly people who live below the poverty line and perceive their neighborhoods to be dangerous are more likely to have a mobility disability. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health suggest that even perceiving one"s neighborhood as unsafe can "get into the body" and, ultimately, prove hazardous for elder health.
Celleron Therapeutics Ltd, the Oxford UK based specialist in the development of individually targeted cancer medicines, has secured exclusive rights to AstraZeneca plc"s lead histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (AZD 9468), for global development in conjunction with its proprietary "CancerNav" predictive biomarker platform. "CancerNav" specifically identifies those tumours which are most likely to respond to an individual cancer drug, thereby enabling a highly focussed clinical development and commercialisation programme, based on a closely linked diagnostic and therapeutic "personalised medicine" approach.
That"s one conclusion from a new study that looked at how virulence evolves in parasites. The research examined whether parasites evolve to be more or less aggressive depending on whether they are closely connected to their hosts or scattered among more isolated clusters of hosts.
PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, announced the introduction of four new products leveraging the Company"s innovative infrared sensing (IR) and photon detection technologies. Aimed at a range of OEM applications including energy conservation, enhanced home security, and clinical diagnostics applications, the new products will be showcased at the 16th annual Sensor + Test Fair taking place this week in NÃørnberg, Germany.
A procedure that uses heat generated by radio waves to treat Barrett"s esophagus, a condition caused by acid reflux (severe heartburn), can eliminate signs of the potentially cancer-causing disorder and reduce the risk that the disease will progress.
A new instrument for improving patient understanding and acceptance of long-acting injectable antipsychotic therapy (LAT) has been published in the April edition of Psychiatry 2009.1 This novel, psychosocial approach encompasses Goal setting, Action planning, Initiating treatment, and Nurturing motivation (GAIN) through the use of a clinical discussion tool.
Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust has "gone-live" with Horizon Enterprise Visibility; a visual control system designed specifically for hospitals, from healthcare IT solutions and services specialists, McKesson. Via real-time access to patient information, Walsall will be using Horizon Enterprise Visibility to improve re efficiency and bed utilisation to reduce costs and improve the quality of patient care.