9/14 Health News from Medical News Today

Health News from Medical News Today         Three-quarters Of U.S. Babies Start Off On Breast Milk, Less Than Half Still Breastfeed After Six Months September 13, 2010 at 7:00 PM   Three million babies in America, 75% of the ones born in 2007, started off on breast milk; 43% were still breastfeeding when they were six months old, according to CDC's (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's) 2010 Breastfeeding Report Card. The three-quarters (75%) breastfeeding initiation rate meets the country's Healthy People 2010 target. Half of all US states had rates of over 75%. The report reveals that the percentage of babies that started off on breast milk ranged from 52.5% in Mississippi to 90% in Utah...         Hospital Circumcises Baby After Parents Repeatedly Tell Them Not To September 13, 2010 at 2:00 PM   Despite telling hospital staff repeatedly that they did not want their baby boy circumcised, the circumcision was done. According to Vera Delgado, the baby's mother, she had told staff at South Miami Hospital on a number of occasions that she did not want Mario to be circumcised. When the baby was eight days old, even though he was in intensive care, doctors took him out of the ICU unit and performed the circumcision - the mother was not present at the time. In a statement, the hospital announced: The baby's circumcision was an unfortunate mistake caused by a misread consent form...         What Is The State Of Stem Cell Research Today? September 13, 2010 at 2:00 PM   As most are aware, stem cell research has been an ongoing topic of much controversy and debate for years. So what the latest update and general global concensus these days? Will we actually be able to use stem cells and apply the potential this technology holds to treat heart disease, nerve disorders, intestinal disabilities, pulmonary disease, diabetes and much more? In this month's special edition of Translational Research, the latest developments are discussed and debated from both sides of the controversy by an international team of experts. Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, M.D...         Experimental Diabetes Drug Taspoglutide Late-Stage Trials Suspended September 13, 2010 at 1:00 PM   Experimental diabetes drug, taspoglutide, a joint development between Roche (Switzerland) and Ipsen (France), had its late-stage trials suspended because of side effects. Roche announced that it had stopped giving patients taspoglutide because of adverse gastrointestinal reactions. The drug already has some "hypersensitivity problems". The Swiss pharmaceutical company says it is not abandoning taspoglutide. In an announcement the company said it is considering a reformulation of the medication...         Low Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Value And Aggressive Screening, Negligible Benefit For Older Men, Bad For Quality Of Life September 13, 2010 at 12:00 PM   If a man aged 55 to 74 has a low PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and receives aggressive prostate cancer screening, evaluation and treatment, his chances of receiving any benefit are negligible, according to a study published in the medical journal Cancer. Pim J. van Leuwen, MD, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands, and team found that males with low serum PSA levels often undergo biopsies and aggressive treatments, with no significant improvement in mortality, after examining details on 85,000 males aged between 55 and 74 years. Dr...         Acute Myeloid Leukemia Lintuzumab Drug Trial Discontinued September 13, 2010 at 11:00 AM   A Phase IIb clinical trial of lintuzumab (SGN-33) in older patients with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) was discontinued because it did not extend overall survival, Seattle Genetic, Inc., announced today. The company said it will discontinue its development program for lintuzumab. Lintuzumab is a naked monoclonal antibody which targets the CD33 antigen. The trial was a Phase IIb randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial involving 211 patients, all aged at least 60 years with untreated acute myeloid leukemia who were unable to receive intensive chemotherapy...         Four American Health Care Professionals Freed On Bail In Zimbabwe September 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM   Four American health care professionals, consisting of doctors and nurses, have been freed on bail by a Zimbabwean court. They had been arrested last week for not having the right medical licenses and dispensing medications without proper supervision and authorization. They had to pay $200 bail and are to appear in court on September 27th. Local media say the six individuals, four Americans, a Zimbabwean, and a New Zealander, may be fined or deported. They have surrendered their passports. The court ordered them to remain at the Mother of peace Orphanage until September 27th...         Neuroscientist P. Read Montague Joins Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute September 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM   Leading brain researcher P. Read Montague will join the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute on Nov. 15, announced institute director Michael Friedlander. Montague will be a senior professor and will lead programs in human neuroimaging and the new field of computational psychiatry at the research institute. He will be a professor of physics with an affiliation with the School of Biomedical Engineering and Science at Virginia Tech...         Ninety Mosquito Pools Tested Positive For West Nile Virus In Massachusetts September 13, 2010 at 9:00 AM   Two confirmed human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV), as well as 90 confirmed mosquito pools that have tested positive have been announced by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). An elderly lady from Worcester Country developed symptoms on August 19th and was admitted to hospital - she has since been released. A woman in Middlesex County is still in hospital, but is improving, health authorities report...         Novel Study Using Reoviruses Against Ovarian Cancer Pushes Forward September 13, 2010 at 9:00 AM   Researchers are now investigating whether the human reovirus, when prescribed along with chemotherapy, will provide a desperately needed "one-two punch" against ovarian cancer. The news comes during the month of September, which is National Ovarian Cancer Month. The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,880 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and an estimated 13,850 will die from the disease in 2010. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers among women and ranks second among gynecologic cancers...         Doctor In Md. Abortion Case Has Poor Reputation, Advocates Say September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   Recent allegations against an abortion provider involved in a procedure that critically injured an 18-year-old woman have "stunned" abortion-rights advocates, particularly the charge that the doctor initiated an abortion in one state and completed the procedure in another, the AP/Boston Globe reports. Although his medical license has been suspended or revoked in several states since the early 1990s, physician Steven Brigham has been able to continue operating 16 abortion clinics in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia...         'Important Step Forward In Research On ADHD And Substance Abuse' September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   With the launch of the website the International Collaboration on ADHD and Substance Abuse (ICASA) is now an official Foundation. "An important step forward for research on ADHD and Substance Abuse", says ICASA-director Geurt van de Glind of the Trimbos Institute in the Netherlands. "When Substance Use Disorders develop in people with ADHD, both disorders are complicated even further...         Novartis Phase III Study Shows Meningococcal B Vaccine Candidate Could Be First To Provide Broad Coverage Against Deadly Disease September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   New data presented by Novartis Vaccines involving thousands of babies indicates that an investigational vaccine has the potential to be the first broad-coverage vaccine against the deadly meningococcal B (meningitis B) disease. 1 There is currently no broad-protection vaccine available against meningitis B, although vaccines exist against other strains. The findings were released at the International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference (IPNC) in Banff, Canada. The Phase III trial looked at a Multicomponent Meningococcal Serogroup B Vaccine (4CMenB)...         Vandetanib Phase II Trial Shows Significant Improvement Of Progression Free Survival In Patients With Advanced Papillary Or Follicular Thyroid Cancer September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   AstraZeneca today announced results from a phase II study evaluating the investigational drug vandetanib for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic papillary or follicular thyroid cancer. This study, ZACTHYF, showed that treatment with vandetanib significantly improved Progression Free Survival (PFS), the primary endpoint of the study, compared to placebo (Hazard Ratio=0.63, p=0.008). Median PFS was improved by 5 months (11.0 months for vandetanib and 5.8 months for placebo patients)...         Chandlers Hill Surgery Wins RACGP South Australia General Practice Of The Year Award 2010, Australia September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   Chandlers Hill Surgery, in the Adelaide suburb of Happy Valley, is the winner of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) South Australia General Practice of the Year Award 2010. The General Practice of the Year Award recognises the outstanding work of general practices, the commitment of the practice to ongoing quality improvements, the standard of facilities offered to patients and staff, and the services offered to the local community...         Westcare Medical Centre Wins RACGP Victoria General Practice Of The Year Award 2010 September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   Westcare Medical Centre in Melbourne's outer suburban Melton West, has been named the winner of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Victoria General Practice of the Year Award 2010. The General Practice of the Year Award recognises the outstanding work of general practices, the commitment of the practice to ongoing quality improvements, the standard of facilities offered to patients and staff and the services offered to the local community...         The Association For Gerontology In Higher Education's Tibbitts Award Won By Ansello September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) - the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America - has chosen Edward F. Ansello, PhD, of Virginia Commonwealth University as the newest recipient of the Clark Tibbitts Award. This distinguished honor, named for an AGHE founder, was established in 1980 to recognize individuals who and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of gerontology as a field of study in institutions of higher education...         Prize In Medical Education Research Awarded To David Irby And Richard Reznick September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   Professors David M. Irby and Richard K. Reznick are awarded the 2010 Karolinska Institutet Prize for Research in Medical Education. They have both paved the way to innovative application of quantitative and qualitative methods within medical education research. Professor Irby, Vice Dean for Education at UCSF School of Medicine in San Francisco, California, United States, receives the prize for his finding that medical expertise is necessary, yet insufficient, in order to become a great teacher in medicine...         Latest Research And Application Work In Human Factors/Ergonomics To Be Presented At HFES 54th Annual Meeting, 'Sully' Sullenberger Keynotes September 13, 2010 at 8:00 AM   Retired US Airways Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III will be the keynote speaker during the Opening Plenary Session of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society's 54th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Sullenberger, who masterfully landed Flight 1549 on the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, will address how preparation, training, and leadership make all the difference when confronting a challenge. "Preparing for Excellence: Leading Your Team to Success" will be presented the morning of Tuesday, September 28, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, Embarcadero Center...         USAID And The Major League Baseball Players Trust Work To Combat Child Malnutrition In The Dominican Republic September 13, 2010 at 7:00 AM   The U. S. Agency for International Development, through the Major League Baseball Dominican Development Alliance (MLB-DDA), teamed up with the Major League Baseball Players Trust on September 9 to help expand medical services in underserved communities in the Dominican Republic. "This alliance with Major League Baseball is the ideal channel to raise resources through baseball in order to promote community development in the Dominican Republic," said James Watson, Acting Director of USAID's Mission in the Dominican Republic...         Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society - North America Announces Speakers For Annual Event September 13, 2010 at 7:00 AM   Keynote speakers have been announced for the TERMIS-North America Conference and Expo, set for Dec. 5-8 at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Fla. This year's conference theme is "Where Discovery Meets Innovation." The TERMIS (Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society) North America conference will cover a wide range of topics within the fields of tissue engineering, biomaterials, stem cells and regenerative medicine...         Dena Shenk, PhD Wins AGHE's Friedsam Award September 13, 2010 at 7:00 AM   The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) - the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America - has chosen Dena Shenk, PhD, of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte as the newest recipient of the Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award. This distinguished honor, named for a former AGHE president and an outstanding mentor in gerontology, is given to an individual who has contributed to gerontological education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty, and administrators...         'Transforming Global Health: The Interdisciplinary Power Of Universities' Is The Theme Of The Consortium Of Universities For Global Health Conference September 13, 2010 at 7:00 AM   More than 600 people will gather for the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH) annual conference being held at the University of Washington in Seattle on September 19-21 to discuss the critical role of universities in global health. The conference is the largest university-based global health conference ever held...         Angry Doctors Demand Urgent Meeting With PM: Country Independents Urged To Act, Australia September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   An angry Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) has demanded an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard following the axeing by her-after just one term-of the Federal Indigenous, Rural and Regional Health portfolio in the weekend's ministerial reshuffle. The Association has also called on the country independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott to use their power within the new Government to demand the reinstatement of the portfolio...         PM's Axeing Of Rural Health Portfolio "Of Immense Concern", Australia September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   Prime Minister Julia Gillard's axeing of the dedicated portfolio of Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery is "extremely disappointing and of serious concern", the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) warned today...         NursingCAS Expands To Accommodate Applicants To Both Graduate And Entry-Level Nursing Programs September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce that NursingCAS - the nation's only centralized service for students applying to nursing programs - is now accepting applications to graduate nursing programs. Students applying to any level of nursing program - from the doctorate to the diploma - may now submit applications to participating schools across the country through NursingCAS. When the service initially launched in March 2010, only students applying to entry-level nursing programs could benefit from this Web-based system...         Cancer Research UK And AstraZeneca Sign Deal To Trial First-of-Kind Cancer Drug September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology - the charity's development and commercialisation arm - have reached an agreement with AstraZeneca to take compound AZD-3965 - a first-of-its-kind experimental drug to potentially treat a range of cancers- into clinical trial. AZD-3965 targets the monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1)* which is essential in cell metabolism. Blocking this transporter limits cancer cells' ability to generate energy, and decreases their ability to survive. The drug is ready to be taken into early phase clinical trials...         ANF Membership Increase Across Health System, Australia September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has revealed a massive increase in its membership across the Australian health system, with almost 25,000 new members joining the union in the past 12 months. ANF Federal Secretary Lee Thomas said today that its membership had risen 13 per cent between June 2009 and August 2010. She said that the ANF's membership now stands at over 192,000 members and is likely to reach 200,000 members by Christmas. As well as working in the public health system, a "significant" number of new members are employed within the private sector aged care industry...         MGMA/SHM Survey Report Shows That Compensation Model Affects Hospitalist Productivity And Salary September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   New data suggests that base salary impacts productivity and overall compensation for hospitalists. The lower the proportion of total compensation paid as base salary, the higher both productivity and overall compensation tend to be, according to the State of Hospital Medicine: 2010 Report Based on 2009 Data produced by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) and the Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM)...         A Third Of All UK Patients Suffer From Malnutrition: The BDA Heads Off To The TUC To Expose This "National Disgrace" September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   The British Dietetic Association (BDA) will be at the TUC Conference next week in Manchester to present a hard-hitting motion to conference delegates. The motion will be presented by the BDA Trade Union Board Chairman, Suzanne Wong, and it will be seconded by the President of the GMB Union, Mary Turner MBE. The motion (as detailed in the Notes to the Editor below), outlines in very strong terms the unsatisfactory levels of malnutrition in our hospitals and other care settings and the additional £13 billion pounds this costs the UK economy...         AAP Commends FDA On Approval Of Pralidoxime For Pediatric Use September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   The American Academy of Pediatrics issued the following statement regarding the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of pediatric use of Protopam Chloride (pralidoxime chloride), a drug to treat poisoning by organophosphate pesticides and chemicals such as nerve agents. "This approval is a tremendous victory for children," stated AAP President Judith S. Palfrey, MD, FAAP. "As our nation observes the anniversary of the heinous attacks of September 11, 2001, it is fitting that our government has taken this step to protect our children from possible attacks or disasters...         Chemicals In Indoor Swimming Pools May Increase Cancer Risk September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online September 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP)...         National Study Finds 70 Percent Increase In Basketball-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital examined basketball-related injuries treated in emergency departments among children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 from 1997 to 2007. According to the study, more than 4 million basketball-related injuries were treated in emergency departments during the 11-year study. While the number of injuries decreased 22 percent over the course of the study, the average number of injuries per year (375,350) remained high...         Varian Medical Systems Spotlights TrueBeam Treatment System For First Time In Europe At ESTRO 2010, September 12-16, Barcelona September 13, 2010 at 6:00 AM   Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is spotlighting its new TrueBeam™ medical linear accelerator for fast, powerful and efficient cancer treatments at the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology exhibition in Barcelona next week. A fully-featured TrueBeam system will be the centerpiece of Varian's booth at the annual ESTRO meeting (Booth No. 320). TrueBeam uses a multitude of technical innovations to dynamically synchronize imaging, patient positioning, motion management, and treatment delivery...         World Water Week Urges MDG Summit To Highlight Water, Sanitation September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   "The 20th World Water Week Friday issued a statement [.pdf] calling on the forthcoming High Level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals to pay more attention to water and sanitation at its concluding session," Xinhua reports. The statement, which was passed by an "overwhelming majority" of 2,500 participants, reads "Sanitation and water are not just targets or sectors. They are the fundamental basis for life and indispensable to sustainable economic and social development...         Accord Reached On Draft Declaration For MDG Summit September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   "World powers have reached an accord, after weeks of tough talks, on a document to be adopted at a Millennium Development summit this month for which [U.N.] Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is seeking billions of dollars of new funding," Agence France-Presse reports in an article that describes how representatives from donor and developing nations debated how best to "pay for a kick start to the ambitious development goals first set at the Millennium summit in 2000" (Donnet, 9/9). "The 27-page draft declaration on the U.N...         IRIN Reports On Efforts To Better Address Moderate Acute Malnutrition September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Aid groups in West Africa are trying out new strategies and products for treating moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) as part of a U.N.-led effort to change 30 year old policies, IRIN reports. Different approaches are currently being researched in Chad, Mali and Niger. Robert Ackatia, a researcher in the Mali capital Bamako, said one of the main goals of a project he is working on is to develop a global protocol for treating MAM, like the one that exists for severe malnutrition...         College Of American Pathologists Forges Agreement On Cancer Protocol Development With Canadian And Australasian Associations September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   The College of American Pathologists (CAP) recently signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Canadian Association of Pathologists (CAP-ACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia (RCPA), forging a collaboration in the development of cancer datasets, also called protocols. The CAP Cancer Protocols are designed as a guideline for definitive cancer reporting. This collaboration agreement not only allows pathologists from many different countries to participate actively in developing cancer protocols, but also helps better define staging parameters for cancer specimens...         Good Health In The Hands Of Indigenous Students, Australia September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Local Indigenous high school students will experience the medical and allied health professions first-hand at a workshop at The Australian National University Clinical School today. What: Media Call: 'Know Your Body': Hands-on medical workshop for Indigenous students When: 11...         Application For RECALBON® Tablets 50mg/ Bonoteo® Tablets 50mg, A Monthly Oral Osteoporosis Treatment In Japan September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Ono"; headquarters: Osaka; President and Representative Director: Gyo Sagara) and Astellas Pharma Inc. ("Astellas"; headquarters: Tokyo; President and CEO: Masafumi Nogimori) announced the submission of a market authorization application for RECALBON® Tablets 50mg (Ono) / Bonoteo® Tablets 50mg (Astellas) (generic name: minodronic acid hydrate) to Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan. Minodronic acid hydrate is an oral bisphosphonate that has been discovered by Astellas and has been co-developed by Ono and Astellas...         SymBio And Eisai To Launch In Singapore For The Treatment Of Low-grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma And Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   SymBio Pharmaceuticals Limited (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Fuminori Yoshida, "SymBio") and Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito, "Eisai") announced that Eisai's Singapore subsidiary Eisai (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. launched bendamustine hydrochloride ("bendamustine") in Singapore under the brand name Symbenda® as a treatment for low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphatic leukemia...         Health Systems Use Fulcrum Methods Electronic Methodology To Maximize ARRA Meaningful Use Economic Incentives September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Fulcrum Methods, the leading developer of methodologies to assist health care providers with systems lifecycle project management, announced the formal release of a meaningful use methodology. Hospitals and eligible provider clients use the methodology to ensure proper electronic health record assessment, remediation and project governance throughout the meaningful use reporting period, with the goal of maximizing federal stimulus dollars...         Anti-Angiogenic Anti-Cancer Agent Avastin® Condition For Approval (All Patients Surveillance) Removed In Japan September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. [Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Osamu Nagayama (hereafter, "Chugai")] announced that it has received a notification from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) that the condition for approval (surveillance of all patients*1) has been removed for the humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody Avastin® (brand name: Avastin® for intravenous infusion 100mg/4mL or 400mg/16mL). for the treatment of patients with "advanced or refractory colorectal cancer who is not the candidate for the curative operation...         Global Dental Devices And Consumables Market To Be Worth $27.6 Billion By 2015 September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   The dental devices report forecasts the size of global dental devices and consumables market over the period from 2010 to 2015. The report analyses the key trends of the market, and segments the global dental equipment and consumables market by components and into various geographic regions (with the market size of each of these regions). Further, it discusses the key market drivers, restraints and opportunities of the global dental equipment and consumables market. Browse 111 market data tables and in-depth TOC on Global Dental Devices and Consumables Market...         Prescription Narcotics Present A Social Epidemic September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Sober Living in Delray, Recovery Residences, in conjunction with the "Moment of Change - Intervention Approaches for Professionals - 32nd National Conference" is sponsoring the presentation of "Mood Disorders and Addictive Disorders: Current Treatment Strategies" at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at the Old Calypso Restaurant in Delray Beach, Florida. Nationally recognized expert Dr. Dean J. Rotundo, M.D., P.A., F.A.P.A...         Children's Hospitals And Clinics Of Minnesota Receives $1.6 Million National Institutes Of Health Grant To Help Fund Pediatric Palliative Care September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota was awarded a five-year $1.6 million grant by the National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute) Cancer Education Grants Program. Children's will use the funds to develop a training program to improve access to, and quality of, pediatric palliative care for children with advanced cancer and other life-threatening conditions...         Increased Uptake Of Currently-Available Therapies Will Drive Modest $400 Million Growth In The Parkinson's Disease Drug Market From 2009 To 2019 September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues finds that, although increased uptake of currently-available therapies will drive modest $400 million growth in the Parkinson's disease drug market through 2019, generic erosion of key agents will constrain overall market growth in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and Japan...         ViiV Healthcare Awards Southern Initiative Grants To Reduce HIV Disparities Among African Americans And Latinos September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   ViiV Healthcare announced the grant awardees of the Positive Action Southern Initiative, focused on supporting African American and Latino populations in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi to help high-risk HIV/AIDS individuals and provide linkages to HIV/AIDS care and treatment adherence. "The Positive Action Southern Initiative awards are being made at a critical time in the national fight against HIV. These funds are nothing short of life-saving...         FDA, New Warnings Required On Use Of Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requiring that gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) carry new warnings on their labels about the risk of a rare and potentially fatal condition known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), if the drug is administered to certain patients with kidney disease. Three of the GBCAs Magnevist, Omniscan, and Optimark will be described as inappropriate for use among patients with acute kidney injury or chronic severe kidney disease...         UK Meeting On International Food Security September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   "At the dawn of the 21st century, we are faced with a set of emerging and growing challenges: The population of the world has grown at a rapid pace, turning the demand for increasing our global food production into a formidable challenge", says Professor Gebisa Ejeta (winner of the world food prize 2009) who is speaking at the International Food Security and Safety Meeting to be held in Lancaster, UK, 13 - 15th September 2010...         African-Americans' Lack Of Trust In Hospitals A Major Deterrent For Blood Donation September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Disparities in healthcare between races exist in the United States. A new study published in the journal Transfusion explores why African Americans donate blood at lower rates than whites. The findings reveal that there is a significant distrust in the healthcare system among the African American community, and African Americans who distrust hospitals are less likely to donate. Led by Beth H. Shaz, MD, Chief Medical Officer of the New York Blood Center in New York, New York, researchers created a survey to explore reasons for low likelihood of blood donation in African Americans...         Recent Releases In Global Health September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Lancet Comment: Make Pain Treatment, Palliative Care Available To End 'Suffering Of Millions' "The undertreatment of pain caused by cancer and other conditions is a global health tragedy," write the authors of a Lancet Comment. Noting a resolution adopted by the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which called on states to "improve the availability" of opioid analgesics, the authors write that "the challenge for the global health community now is to ensure that the resolution is implemented to end the pain and suffering of millions of people around the world...         IPS Examines Obstetric Fistula In Africa September 13, 2010 at 5:00 AM   Inter Press Service examines how women's "low status" can contribute to the development of obstetric fistulas in women in "East, Central and Southern Africa." "Very young women or girls face a higher risk of fistula because their bodies have not fully developed; the continuing practice of early marriage in many parts of the continent, and the frequent absence of family planning place women at risk. ... Women's low status means the decision to spend precious money on fees for medical care - or even transport to the nearest facility - is deferred as long as possible...         Johnson & Johnson Donates $200M Toward Meeting Maternal, Children's Health MDGs September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   On Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson announced a five-year, $200 million program focusing on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals of improving maternal and children's health in developing nations, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. The program -- "Every Mother, Every Child" -- aims to provide aid to up to 120 million women and children annually for the next five years. The program will operate in more than 50 countries (Johnson, AP/Yahoo! News, 9/8). J&J's initiative includes four components, Reuters reports...         Scientists Elucidate Structure Details Of Protein Sam68 September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Scientists of the Institute of Structural Biology of Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen and the Technische Universitat Munchen have succeeded in elucidating the structure of an important region of the Sam68 protein. The renowned Journal of Biological Chemistry has selected the report of these research findings as one of two "papers of the week" for its September 10, 2010 issue and has chosen the structural model as cover image...         Blogs Comment On History Of Abortion-Rights Movement, Teen Sexuality, Other Topics September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The following summarizes selected women's health-related blog entries. ~ "An Ob-Gyn's Thoughts On Abortion," Lissa Rankin, Care2: Rankin, an ob-gyn and author of a forthcoming book about reproductive health, writes about her decision to offer abortion care. Growing up, Rankin was taught by her Christian parents and her church that abortion was wrong. "I wanted all pregnant women to keep their babies -- no matter what," she writes. Rankin continues, "But over time, I learned that this was not always in everyone's best interest...         Research Roundup: Shifting ER Visits To Urgent Care Centers; Evaluating Doctors; Medicare Advantage Quality Ratings September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Health Affairs: Many Emergency Department Visits Could Be Managed At Urgent Care Centers And Retail Clinics - Researchers analyzed samples of patient records and found "13.7 percent of all emergency department visits could take place at a retail clinic" - 7.9 percent when hours are restricted - and "an additional 13.4 percent of emergency department visits could take place at a urgent care center - 8.9 percent when hours are restricted. That is, a total of 27.1 percent of all emergency department visits could be managed at a retail clinic or urgent care center - 16...         Today's Opinions: Democrats Running Away From Health Care; One Company's Success With Insurance; Calif.'s Effort On Mental Health Parity September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   ObamaCare 'Amnesia' Wall Street Journal Facing a grim November, Democrats are now running on another quarter-baked stimulus plan and the specter of John Boehner's perpetual tan, instead of the bill they spent more than a year debating and hailed as the liberal triumph of the century. Democrats now barely mention ObamaCare on the trail - unless they're trashing it (9/9). How My Company Beat Rising Health Care Costs Forbes Though we still have much more work to do, we have found a way to make health care costs more manageable...         Ill. Prepares High Risk Pool; Calif. Residents Struggle With Rising Health Care Costs September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The New York Times: "At first glance, the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan ... sounds like welcome relief for jobless Illinoisans who have serious medical issues and are struggling with the loss of employer-financed health care. The federally financed $5 billion plan - $196 million of which is earmarked for Illinois - provides an affordable health insurance option to people who previously were limited to the far more expensive, state-run Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan...         Hospitals Lobby For Broader Health IT Rewards; Mobile Devices Infiltrate Health Care September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The American Hospital Association stepped up its advocacy efforts to get lawmakers to revisit a program that will reward hospitals for adopting electronic medical records by expanding its opportunities for hospital systems with multiple facilities, The Hill reports. "In an advocacy alert sent ... Thursday, the AHA requests that its members press lawmakers to get on board [with] legislation that would tweak regulations released in July...         Appeals Court Ruled That Feds Can Temporarily Fund Stem Cell Research September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The Washington Post: "An appeals court ruled Thursday that the federal government can resume funding human embryonic stem cell research while the court reviews a judge's order that had temporarily prohibited such funding. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit granted a request from the Justice Department to lift a temporary injunction issued Aug. 23 blocking the funding on the grounds that it violated a law barring funding any research that involves the destruction of human embryos...         Doctor Works To Measure Outcomes Of Provider Care September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Forbes profiles "the most powerful doctor you never heard of," a Yale cardiologist who does "outcomes research" in which he measures "how well doctors are doing in the real world, outside of controlled trials--what they are doing right, what they are doing wrong and what they are forgetting to do entirely." "By figuring out what to measure and how, [Harlan Krumholz] showed that even top hospitals were systematically underperforming, largely because no one was tracking the results. In 2004 he proved that only one-third of American hospitals were treating heart attack patients quickly enough...         Newcastle To Coordinate An International Research Network To Research The Role Of Genetic Variation In Drug Induced Liver Injury September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) has announced that it will collaborate with Newcastle University to research the genetics of drug induced liver injury. The SAEC is a novel, non-profit international research consortium, formed by the global pharmaceutical industry and the Wellcome Trust, to better understand the role genetics plays in drug safety. Newcastle University is one of the UK's top research universities and has an impressive history of pioneering education and scientific research...         IFAT/Entsorga Fair Focuses On The Precious Commodity Of Water September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Water is a valuable resource, which is why the Fraunhofer Alliance SysWasser is demonstrating how we can extract precious drinking water from air, discover a leak in pipeline systems and even effectively clean sewage water at the IFAT/Entsorga fair (September 13-17 in Munich, Germany). As the General Assembly of the UN resolved on July 28 of this year, clean drinking water and basic sanitary provision are human rights. Unfortunately, there are more than one billion people all over the world who do not have access to drinking water, while as many as 2...         OMICS: A Journal Of Integrative Biology: Special Focus On Glycomics September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   The glycome, encompassing all of the complex sugars produced by an organism, is comprised of multiple families of molecules whose function in the human body is often determined by the structure, composition, and placement of the attached sugars, as explored in a comprehensive look at the field of glycomics in a group of key articles in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The relevant articles are available free online here. Guest Editors Jeremy E. Turnbull, from the University of Liverpool, U.K...         Graphene Could Hold The Key To Speeding Up DNA Sequencing September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   In a paper published as the cover story of the September 9, 2010 Nature, researchers from Harvard University and MIT have demonstrated that graphene, a surprisingly robust planar sheet of carbon just one-atom thick, can act as an artificial membrane separating two liquid reservoirs. By drilling a tiny pore just a few-nanometers in diameter, called a nanopore, in the graphene membrane, they were able to measure exchange of ions through the pore and demonstrated that a long DNA molecule can be pulled through the graphene nanopore just as a thread is pulled through the eye of a needle...         People With Disabilities Find Unemployment Programs Lacking September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Federal programs to assist the unemployed are failing job seekers with disabilities, according to an investigation by Jean Hall and Kathy Parker of the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas...         Award For Biomedical Research Recognizes Drs. Erik De Clercq And Anthony S. Fauci For Pioneering Work In Understanding And Combating HIV/AIDS September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Johnson & Johnson have announced that Erik De Clercq, M.D., Professor Emeritus, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Leuven, Belgium, and Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, have been named the recipients of the 2010 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research by an independent selection committee comprised of world-renowned scientists. The Dr...         Stockpiling Of Children's Vaccines September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   A creative version of a classic engineering technique may improve decisions about building and using supplies of important pediatric vaccines, potentially leading to lower public health costs and healthier children. The United States maintains a six-month supply of common pediatric vaccines to ensure protection from deadly diseases, such as the flu, polio, and diphtheria, despite interruptions in vaccine production...         LiXEdrom: Innovative Measuring Chamber For X-Ray Study Of Liquid Jets September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   X-rays are the medium of choice for many scientific studies. When you shine them on a sample, they literally shed light on the material's structure, providing loads of information about it. Unfortunately, this mostly applies to solids only, since the sample has to be in a vacuum for the entire time it is being irradiated with soft X-rays. For liquids, that means you have to remove all the water. In the case of biological samples such as proteins, however, this destroys their natural environment. The solution to this problems has always been to measure liquids through membranes...         New Neurological Deficit Behind Lazy Eye Identified By NYU Researchers September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   Researchers at New York University's Center for Neural Science have identified a new neurological deficit behind amblyopia, or "lazy eye." Their findings, which appear in the most recent issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, shed additional light on how amblyopia results from disrupted links between the brain and normal visual processing. Amblyopia results from developmental problems in the brain. When the parts of the brain concerned with visual processing do not function properly, problems ensue with such visual functions as the perception of movement, depth, and fine detail...         Stem Cells, A Smart Use For Wisdom Teeth September 13, 2010 at 4:00 AM   For most people, wisdom teeth are not much more than an annoyance that eventually needs to be removed. However, a new study appearing in the September 17 Journal of Biological Chemistry shows that wisdom teeth contain a valuable reservoir of tissue for the creation of stem cells; thus, everyone might be carrying around his or her own personal stem-cell repository should he or she ever need some...         Appeals Court Temporarily Suspends Ban On Federal Funding September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., on Thursday lifted a U.S. district court judge's preliminary injunction prohibiting federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, allowing researchers to continue work on federally approved projects, the New York Times reports (Harris, New York Times, 9/9). U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth on Aug...         Routine Resite Of IV Drips Unnecessary September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   Small intravenous devices (IVDs) commonly used in the hand or arm do not need to be moved routinely every 3 days. A randomized controlled trial comparing regular relocation with relocation on clinical indication, published in the open access journal BMC Medicine, found that rates of complications were the same for both regimens. Claire Rickard, from Griffith University, Australia, worked with a team of researchers to carry out the study with 362 patients at Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania...         Dartmouth Study Says Primary Care Not Always A Cure-All September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   A new study by Dartmouth Health Atlas researchers contends that making primary care more widely accessible -- one of the goals of the health overhaul -- won't necessarily improve the nation's health, Reuters reports. The researchers found wide variations in the quality of care that do not always match up with the level of access to physicians...         Pentagon Health Costs Cut Into Defense Spending September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   MarketWatch: Defense Secretary Robert Gates predicts health care costs will eat up about 10 percent of the military's budget by 2015, up from 6 percent now. "At a time when the overall U.S. defense budget growth is being constrained by a Congress nervous over a ballooning federal deficit, every dollar that goes to health care is one dollar less for purchasing and upgrading military equipment." Driving the spending are an increasing number of veterans eligible for retiree benefits. Out-of-pocket costs for these retirees remain unchanged since 1995...         Physician Shortage Could Grow Under New Health Law September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   News outlets report on how primary care might be impacted by the new health law. HealthDay/Bloomberg BusinessWeek: With tens of millions of patients newly insured under the law, "[s]ome experts worry that there could be longer wait times to see a doctor, particularly in rural areas and underserved markets where primary-care physicians are in short supply. ... [P]rimary-care physicians make up only 35 percent of America's physician workforce, and the pipeline of fresh talent is tapering off. Fewer than 20 percent of U.S...         Lawmakers Plot Health Overhaul Tax Provision Change, Other Provisions Under Fire September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   National Journal: Senate aides expect Republicans and Democrats to offer competing amendments to change a tax-reporting provision in the health law. "The provision requires businesses to report to the Internal Revenue Service purchases over the course of the year that exceed $600. Shop owners and the companies they do business with are required to file a detailed 1099 tax form that allows the IRS to better track the flow of money from one business to the next...         Sebelius Warns Insurers Not To Blame Rate Hikes On Health Overhaul September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday said insurers who blame their rate increases on the new health overhaul could be excluded from health insurance exchanges and the 30 million new customers they promise, The Associated Press reports. "'There will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases,' ... Sebelius said in a letter to the insurance lobby...         CMS Issues Hospice Benefit Guidance For Terminally Sick Kids September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a guidance Thursday regarding a health overhaul mandate that state Medicaid programs allow terminally ill kids to get curative treatment even if they take hospice benefits, The Hill's Healthwatch Blog reports. "The new rules apply to both state Medicaid programs and Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operating as Medicaid expansions." States will be required to issue paperwork certifying both options are given concurrently, said Cindy Mann, federal Medicaid director, in a letter to state health officials...         Tracking Triclosan's Field Footprint September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   A study by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and cooperators provides new details about how fertilizing soils with biosolids also introduces triclosan - an antibacterial agent in soaps and other cleaning supplies - into the environment. Farmers add "Class B" biosolids, also known as treated wastewater solids, to their fields as a fertilizer. These biosolids meet federal regulations for human health and safety, but little information has been obtained about their triclosan levels. Triclosan has not been identified as a human health hazard, but the U.S...         Study Of First US Portable Driver For Powering The Total Artificial Heart September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center is the lead institution in a national clinical trial of technology that will allow artificial heart patients to recuperate, rehabilitate and wait in the comfort of their own homes until a donor heart becomes available for transplant. The VCU Pauley Heart Center is one of up to 30 centers that will investigate a portable, mechanical driver that can power patients' artificial hearts and enable them to recover outside the hospital environment, including at home and at step-down facilities...         Canadian Employers Burdened With Mental Health, The Most Costly Disability September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   Mental illness is associated with more lost work days than any other chronic condition, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion annually in lost productivity. In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have calculated the actual cost of mental health leave and found that on average it's double the cost of a leave for a physical illness. The study, published in the Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, looked at data tracking the short-term disability leave of 33, 913 full-time employees in Ontario...         University Of Oklahoma Study On Genetics In Fruit Flies Leads To New Method For Understanding Brain Function September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   A team of University of Oklahoma researchers studying neurobiology in fruit flies (Drosophila) has developed a new method for understanding brain function with potential applications in studies of human neurological diseases. The work is carried out in the laboratory of Bing Zhang, a professor in the OU Department of Zoology, using fruit flies as a model for understanding what happens in the human brain because they share thousands of the same genes with a human. Zhang and his students use a 'reverse engineering' approach to understand how the brain works...         Researching The Genetics Of Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Reactions September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) has announced that it will collaborate with The University of Liverpool to research the genetics of a form of serious adverse drug reaction called hypersensitivity. These are thought to involve the body's immune system, and mostly involve serious skin rashes. The SAEC is a novel, non-profit international research consortium, formed by the global pharmaceutical industry and the Wellcome Trust, to better understand the role genetics plays in drug safety...         What Progress Has Been Made In Stem Cell Research, What Is Its Potential? September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The use of stem cells for research and their possible application in the treatment of disease are hotly debated topics. In a special issue of Translational Research published this month an international group of medical experts presents an in-depth and balanced view of the rapidly evolving field of stem cell research and considers the potential of harnessing stem cells for therapy of human diseases including cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, neurologic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, pulmonary diseases, neoplastic diseases, and type 1 diabetes mellitus...         Supporting Expanded Analyses Of The 510(k) Product Review Process, Lifetime Benefits Of Implantable Devices September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The Institute for Health Technology Studies (InHealth) has awarded two follow-on grants totaling more than $830,000 to research teams at Northwestern University and Duke University. Northwestern investigators will study opportunities for improving the Food and Drug Administration's 510(k) product review process for medical devices. The work builds on previous InHealth-funded research that for the first time documented in detail the medical technology development process...         Studies Aim To Prevent, Treat Childhood Obesity September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   The National Institutes of Health is launching two major research efforts, totaling $72.5 million, to examine ways to curtail the nation's childhood obesity epidemic. One will study long-term approaches to prevent or treat childhood obesity, and the other will examine community efforts to reduce childhood obesity rates. "Childhood obesity is a major public health concern. If we don't curb this widespread problem, our country will see a substantial increase in cardiovascular disease and other health issues in the years ahead," said Susan B. Shurin, M.D...         Grant For Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Research September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   A disease that has no cure in young children and adults is getting closer attention, thanks to a University of Colorado Denver Bioengineering assistant professor and a five year National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. Kendall Hunter, PhD, will perform research to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in children and adults with approximately $700,000 over a five-year period. PAH is a fatal disease in children and adults...         Fiber Optic Interface To Link Robotic Limbs, Human Brain, Driving Development Of Advanced Prosthetics September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   Lightning-fast connections between robotic limbs and the human brain may be within reach for injured soldiers and other amputees with the establishment of a multimillion-dollar research center led by SMU engineers. Funded by a Department of Defense initiative dedicated to audacious challenges and intense time schedules, the Neurophotonics Research Center will develop two-way fiber optic communication between prosthetic limbs and peripheral nerves...         Cesarean Sections 17% More Likely In For-profit Hospitals Compared To Nonprofit Ones, California September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   Women who give birth at for-profit hospitals in the state of California have a 17% higher chance of undergoing a C-section (cesarean section) than at nonprofit hospitals, according to a California Watch analysis, which compiled a database from state birthing records. The authors add that a C-section can bring in much more revenue than a vaginal birth. California Watch believes some hospitals may be carrying out C-sections for other than medical reasons...         Function Found For Alzheimer's Protein September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   In people with Alzheimer's, the brain becomes riddled with clumps of protein, forming what are known as amyloid plaques. Now, a report appearing in the September 17th print issue of Cell appears to have found a function for the amyloid precursor protein (APP for short) that yields the prime ingredient in those plaques. It turns out that APP is an iron oxidase whose job it is to convert iron from an unsafe form to a safe one for transport or storage. When APP fails to function properly, as it does in Alzheimer's disease, iron levels inside neurons mount to toxic levels...         Scientists Find Low Levels Of Bacteria In Fields Sprayed With Swine Manure September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   That swine manure sprayed on to fields adds valuable nutrients to the soil is well known. But what is not known is whether all that manure is bringing harmful bacteria with it. A new study looks at the levels of nutrients and bacteria in soils of fields that have been sprayed with manure for fifteen years or more. The research team, composed of scientists from the USDA-ARS Crop Science Research Laboratory at Mississippi State, tested soils inside and outside fields of five farms on twenty different soils types...         Drug Halts And Can Even Reverse Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy In Mice September 13, 2010 at 3:00 AM   A drug developed at the University of Kansas has the potential to stop a debilitating condition of diabetes that often leads to pain in the extremities and even amputations, KU researchers have found. The researchers recently published an article showing that KU-32 can stop and even reverse diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or DPN, in mice. The condition leads to death of nerves in the extremities of individuals with diabetes...             This email was sent to medicalblogsyahrul@gmail.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox 230 Franklin Road Suite 814 Franklin, TN 37064 Create Account Unsubscribe Here