Health Insurance
The partners of Research4Life have announced at the World Conference of Science Journalists 2009 that a new research impact analysis has demonstrated a dramatic rise in research output by scientists in the developing world since 2002. By comparing absolute growth in published research before (1996 - 2002) and after (2002 - 2008) the advent of the Research4Life programmes, the analysis has revealed a 194% or 6.4-fold increase in articles published in peer reviewed journals.
Scientists at Singapore"s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) have made a novel discovery about how the gene, "Fas-apoptosis inhibitory molecule" (FAIM), protects both immune and liver cells from apoptosis, or programmed cell death.
Adult obesity rates did not decrease in a single state over the past year, but rather increased in 23 states. Also, the percentage of obese and overweight children is now at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
A team from MIT and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a genetic explanation for why the new H1N1 "swine flu" virus has spread from person to person less effectively than other flu viruses.
A team from MIT and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found a genetic explanation for why the new H1N1 "swine flu" virus has spread from person to person less effectively than other flu viruses.
The owners of a Prestwick meat processing plant have been convicted of failing to have a safe isolation procedure in place for machinery, after a worker lost three fingers when a machine he was attempting to repair started up.
Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN) launched GoldenGate Indexing, a high-throughput genotyping solution that utilizes multi-sample indexing technology. Researchers may now screen up to 16 times as many samples per reaction as the standard GoldenGate Assay, increasing throughput from 288 samples per day to greater than 2000, while decreasing total reagent consumption. This high-quality genotyping system includes automation control and positive sample tracking through an Illumina Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), creating a turnkey solution for low-complexity screening at an affordable cost per sample. The plexity ranges include 96-plex, 192-plex and 384-plex, which are ideal for screening in the livestock and agriculture market as well as for whole-genome association target validation and quality control applications.
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center have found a way to use a natural compound to stop one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States. The research appears online this month in the journal Diabetes, a publication of the American Diabetes Association.
Hurricane Katrina was the largest natural disaster in U.S. history, claiming the lives of more than 1,800 victims and causing well over $100 billion in damage along the Gulf Coast. The 2005 storm breached every levee in New Orleans, flooding almost the entire city as well as the neighboring parishes. Yet a surprising number of people stayed behind and rode out the storm.
Researchers at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease (GICD) have discovered a key switch that makes stem cells turn into the type of muscle cells that reside in the wall of blood vessels. The same switch might be used in the future to limit growth of vascular muscle cells that cause narrowing of arteries leading to heart attacks and strokes, limit formation of blood vessels that feed cancers, or make new blood vessels for organs that are not getting enough blood flow.
Children with sickle cell disease tend to have interrupted sleep many times during the night leaving them tired and irritable during the day.
Surgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a single moment in time.
Mercedes Walton, CEO of Cryo-Cell International, one of the largest and most established family cord blood banks, is praising legislative progress to date and encouraging continued momentum for existing bills through the second half of the year. H.R. 1718, the "Family Cord Blood Banking Act," and H.R. 2107, the "Cord Blood Education and Awareness Act of 2009" would continue to build on the progress from the first half of the year to enable and promote the continued research, public awareness and tax benefits related to storing and using cord blood, all of which provide great benefit to families across America.
Scientists at deCODE genetics (Nasdaq: DCGN) and academic colleagues from Europe and the United States today present in the journal Nature Genetics the discovery of common genetic risk factors for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) that affect people with fair and dark complexions alike. deCODE had previously discovered five common single-letter variants in the sequence of the human genome (SNPs) linked to risk of BCC, the most common cancer in people of European descent. However, most of these earlier findings were also correlated with fair skin, well known to accompany vulnerability to the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation in sunlight.
The findings of the PATRICIA study are reported in an article Online First and in a future edition of The Lancet. It shows that the HPV-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine (GlaxoSmithKline) has high efficacy against the precancerous cervical lesions that can eventually lead to cervical cancer. There is confirmation that the vaccine also shows cross-protective efficacy against other oncogenic (that cause cancer) Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types closely related to HPV-16/18. In addition, it also shows efficacy in the cohorts relevant to universal mass vaccination and catch-up programs. The article is written by Dr Jorma Paavonen, of the University of Helsinki, Finland, and collaborators.
"President Obama, strategizing... with congressional leaders about health-care reform, complained that liberal advocacy groups ought to drop their attacks on Democratic lawmakers and devote their energy to promoting passage of comprehensive legislation," The Washington Post reports. "In a pre-holiday call with half a dozen top House and Senate Democrats, Obama expressed his concern over advertisements and online campaigns targeting moderate Democrats, whom they criticize for not being fully devoted to "true" health-care reform." In the call, "Obama said he is hoping left-leaning organizations that worked on his behalf in the presidential campaign will now rally support for "advancing legislation" that fulfills his goal of expanding coverage, controlling rising costs and modernizing the health system."
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the availability of up to $40 million in grants to help reach families whose children qualify but are not yet enrolled in state Medicaid and Children"s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP). Sebelius was joined for the announcement by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. Colorado has been a leader in the effort to provide health insurance coverage to more children.
HELP Is On The Way New York Times
President Obama on Friday said that although he intends to reverse the Bush administration"s provider "conscience" rule, he still favors a "robust" federal policy that would enhance the rights of health care workers to refuse to perform certain procedures because of moral or religious objections, the Washington Post reports. In a session with reporters one week before his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, Obama said that he is a "believer in conscience clauses." He added that a new policy from his administration "may not meet the criteria of every possible critic of our approach, but it certainly will not be weaker than what existed before the changes were made." According to the Post, Obama"s comments aimed to reassure Roman Catholic health care workers that they would still be able to refuse to perform abortions and other procedures that go against the Church"s teachings. Several federal laws in place since the 1970s protect the rights of health care workers with moral or religious objections (Salmon, Washington Post, 7/3). Nancy Berlinger, deputy director of the Hastings Center, said that conscience laws also "are on the books in almost every state." She added, "The idea was that when abortion moved from being an illegal procedure, therefore something that you did not offer in a hospital, to being a legal procedure, therefore something that you might offer in a hospital, there was a move to protect providers ... from having to participate in abortions." However, not all conscience laws are specific to abortion, NPR"s "Morning Edition" reports. For example, some allow providers to refuse to provide birth control, in vitro fertilization or end-of-life care (Rovner, "Morning Edition," NPR, 7/6).The Bush administration said its 2008 policy was designed to ensure that the federal laws are enforced. The policy would cut off federal funding to health care facilities and other entities that did not accommodate workers who refused to participate in certain procedures (Washington Post, 7/3). Joxel Garcia, the assistant secretary for health in the Bush administration who helped write the policy, said that it is necessary because few health care workers are aware of the protections. He added that the policy gives health workers "a mechanism to seek help" through HHS.However, critics of the Bush administration"s policy contend that it would widely expand the scope of health care covered by the policy and the type of health care workers who could object to procedures. Berlinger said, "Words like belief, when you talk about them in the context of health care, aren"t just anything you might think of." She noted that a "false belief about science or the promotion of ambiguity where things can be disambiguated," such as the claim that birth control is equivalent to abortion, "is not ethical" ("Morning Edition," NPR, 7/6).Obama"s plan to replace the policy has stoked concern from Catholic health care providers that they would be forced to perform abortions, sterilizations and other procedures that go against Catholic teachings (Washington Post, 7/3). A recent survey conducted for the Christian Medical Association found that 90% of doctors surveyed said that "they will quit their practices before violating their conscience," according to David Stevens, executive director of CMA. Stevens said that repealing the Bush administration"s rule "sends a clear message: It"s open season on health care professionals of conscience -- discriminate at will" ("Morning Edition," NPR, 7/6).Obama on Friday also said that although he and the pope have areas of "deep agreement ... there are going to be some areas where we"ve got some disagreements," such as abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research. The president will meet with the pope on July 10, while he is in Europe for a summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations. Obama Addresses Catholic Concerns on Pregnancy PreventionObama also discussed opposition to the inclusion of comprehensive sex education and contraception in any legislative pac
Sex-selective abortion among families in Vietnam with a cultural preference for boys has contributed to a sex ratio of 112 male infant births for every 100 female births in the country, according to a government official, the AP/Yahoo! News reports. According to the AP/Yahoo! News, many doctors in Vietnam do not comply with a 2003 law prohibiting the disclosure of a fetus" sex. Duong Quoc Trong, deputy director of the General Office for Population and Family Planning, said that the birth rate in 1999 was considered close to the natural rate, with about 107 boys born for every 100 girls. Since 2006, the ratio of boys to girls has steadily increased and approached a rate similar to China"s imbalance 20 years ago, he said.Trong added that the government intends to more strictly enforce the country"s ban on sex-selective abortion. The Ministry of Health recently confiscated more than 2,600 books that claim to describe ways to conceive a male child, such as special diets, MOH Deputy Chief Inspector Nguyen Dingh Bach said. He added that the ministry also ordered seven Web sites to remove articles describing such methods (AP/Yahoo! News, 7/2).
The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (MCCC) received an additional five years of National Cancer Institute (NCI) funding and re-designation as a comprehensive cancer center, according to Robert Diasio, M.D., the center"s director. Mayo Clinic has the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center conducting research at three distinct locations across the United States.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a four-year, $1,450,000 grant to the Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory (NDSSL) at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and partners to develop petascale computing environments that model billions of individuals in extremely large social and information networks.
We all know that a diet rich in fruit and veg has huge health benefits, but recent research has shown that swapping to a vegetarian diet can actually cut your risk of cancer by 45%! Cutting out meat can also help you lose weight, detox your body and according to another study, make you feel healthier and happier!
Despite growing evidence that cancer is becoming more prevalent amongst ethnic minority groups, news figures out today at the start of Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness Week show that cancer awareness levels are critically low amongst this cohort.
The prescription charge in England is a tax in all but name - and an unfair one at that - and should be axed, says Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).
A British company has launched an anti-infection kit specifically designed to protect hospital patients and visitors from MRSA, Norovirus, Swine-flu, E-Coli and other hospital-acquired infections. The PatientGuard kit includes the world"s first dry-on-contact spray suitable for use on hospital bed linen, curtains and other "near patient touch sites." The launch coincides with the release of new figures on ward closures due to Norovirus from the Health Protection Agency, which show a 23 per cent increase on the same period last year.
In this week"s open access journal PLoS Medicine, Nayreen Daruwalla and
Chronic seizures caused by traumatic head injuries may result from chemicals released by the brain"s immune system attempting to repair the injured site, according to a study led by the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (NasdaqCM:PSTI) (DAX:PJT), a bio-therapeutics company dedicated to the commercialization of unrelated donor-patient (allogeneic) cell therapy products for a variety of disorders, announced today that the first patient has been enrolled in a Phase I clinical trial of the Company"s allogeneic placental-derived adherent stromal cell product, termed PLX-PAD. PLX-PAD is being used in patients afflicted with critical limb ischemia (CLI), the end-stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The first patient was enrolled at the Franziskus-Krankenhaus Hospital, Berlin. The initiation of this study follows the recent approval of the Company"s Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to begin clinical trials with PLX-PAD by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), the German competent authority in the European Union. The Phase I study is designed to evaluate the safety of PLX-PAD in patients with CLI. A total of up to fifteen adults with the disease will be included in the trial which is being conducted at the Franziskus-Krankenhaus Hospital and Charitē© - Universitē¤tsmedizin Hospital, Berlin.
Pinpointing the genes involved in human brain cancer can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and sometimes the needle you find may not be the right one. By comparing human and canine genomes, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that a gene commonly believed to be involved in meningiomas-tumors that affect the meninges, or thin covering, of the human brain and account for one out of four adult brain tumors -may not be as key for tumor formation as previously thought, and they"ve narrowed the search for the real culprit.
Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have collaborated to uncover important new insights into the neurological basis of autism. Their new study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, examined patterns of movement as children with autism and typically developing children learned to control a novel tool. The findings suggest that children with autism appear to learn new actions differently than do typically developing children. As compared to their typically developing peers, children with autism relied much more on their own internal sense of body position (proprioception), rather than visual information coming from the external world to learn new patterns of movement. Furthermore, researchers found that the greater the reliance on proprioception, the greater the child"s impairment in social skills, motor skills and imitation.
The use of magnetic pulses to stimulate the dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) region of the brain results in an improved ability to learn a skilled motor task. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience show that skilled movements can be stored as memories in the PMd and that magnetic stimulation of this area can facilitate this learning process.
We"ve all been asked at routine visits to the doctor to record our family"s history with medical problems like cancer, diabetes or heart disease. But when it comes to mental disorders, usually mum"s the word.
Cancerous tumors sometimes form at the site of chronic wounds or injury, but the reason why is not entirely clear. Now researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have engineered mice with a persistent wound-like skin condition, and the mice are helping them understand the tumor-promoting effects of long-standing wounds and injuries.
Consuming an amino acid commonly found in vegetable protein may be associated with lower blood pressure, researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
African-American women who were younger at menarche, or the onset of their menstrual periods, were more likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse, according to a new study led by a researcher at Boston University"s Slone Epidemiology Center. The results suggest that a history of sexual abuse may increase the risk of early menarche (i.e., onset of menstrual periods before age 12 years).
The aggressiveness of tumors and their susceptibility to chemotherapy may become easier to predict based on a mathematical model developed at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
CardioFocus, Inc. announced that it has received a CE Mark allowing the company to commence European marketing of the Endoscopic Ablation System (EAS) to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. The EAS is the latest generation, percutaneous catheter system that has been used clinically to treat patients with atrial fibrillation. This novel device incorporates both a micro-endoscope and light energy fibers to give physicians the capacity to actually see within the heart, and for the first time, visually direct the application of energy through a catheter. "We are grateful for the thorough review and the rapid response we received from our notified body," said Burke Barrett, CardioFocus VP of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs.
Despite the increase of breast reconstruction procedures performed in 2008, nearly 70 percent of women who are eligible for the procedure are not informed of the reconstructive options available to them, according to a recently published report. Newly released statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows there were more than 79,000 breast reconstruction procedures performed in 2008 - a 39 percent increase over 2007. But in spite of this, current research suggests that many breast cancer patients are missing out on a key conversation that should take place at the time of diagnosis.
A unique electrode developed for non-invasive use by a University of Rhode Island biomedical engineer is showing promising results in helping to interpret brain signals so paralyzed patients may control their environment. It is also being studied as a means of delivering a stimulus to control epileptic seizures.
Using a combination of innovative genomic tools, researchers have turned up twenty genes that have important roles in controlling cholesterol within cells. The findings reported in the July 8 issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, could point the way to important new risk factors for cardiovascular disease, according to the researchers.
The Washington Times recently included a two-part series examining President Obama"s proposed reallocation of abstinence-only sex education funding in his 2010 budget plan. The proposal would redirect funding toward a new Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative that uses comprehensive sex education curriculums. Summaries of the series appear below.~ Part 1: Obama"s budget proposal states that funds for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative should go to programs that are proven to help delay first sex, increase contraceptive use or reduce teen pregnancy, though a few advocates of comprehensive sex education say such goals are laudable but too narrow, the Times reports. William Smith -- vice president for public policy for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States -- and James Wagoner -- president of Advocates for Youth -- wrote in a June 17 blog entry that preventing unintended pregnancy among teens is "incredibly important" but that it is "not the only sexual and reproductive health issue facing our nation"s youth." They continued that it would be more beneficial to "expand the scope" of the initiative so it can serve "all young people in all communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, whose needs fall wholly outside of the narrow teen-pregnancy-prevention framework." According to the Times, Smith said in an interview that money allotted for the initiative would be best used if it went to programs focused on "good outcomes" for youth, "not these disaster-aversion silos that don"t serve us well." Wagoner said that advocates have been "very clear in giving the president credit for shifting tracks here in a big way" by ending funding for abstinence-only sex education. However, he added that it is "our job to press for the right destination" and to see the changes implemented into law (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 6/28).~ Part 2: Some supporters of Obama"s proposal argue that it is "exactly the right idea, at the right time," as the U.S. teen birth rate has increased in the last two years after 14 years of decline, the Times reports. Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said that Obama"s proposal is the "first really focused expenditure on effective teen pregnancy prevention programs." Brown noted that the U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and birth in the industrialized world. She said that the best programs will address one or more of the three goals of the initiative -- delaying first sex, increasing contraceptive use or reducing teen pregnancy. Last month, about 175 organizations sent a letter to Obama and members of Congress calling for an expanded initiative that would include subjects such as sexually transmitted infections and abusive relationships. However, Brown said that many teen pregnancy prevention programs include discussion of STIs and other areas, "[s]o we really don"t see much tension here" (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 7/5).
The word malaria comes from 18th century Italian mala meaning "bad" and aria meaning "air". Most likely, the term was first used by Dr. Francisco Torti, Italy, when people thought the disease was caused by foul air in marshy areas. It was not until 1880 that scientists discovered that malaria was a parasitic disease which is transmitted by the anopheles mosquito. The mosquito infects the host with a one-cell parasite called plasmodium. Not long after they found out that Malaria is transmitted from human-to-human through the bite of the female mosquito, which needs blood for her eggs.
"While Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is expected to be on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee only for a short time, he should have a major effect on health reform," Roll Call reports. "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) chose Whitehouse to temporarily take the place of former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), now secretary of State, on HELP because of his experience with health care policy at the state level." But when Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., takes over "the long-vacant Minnesota seat, Whitehouse"s time on the committee will soon be coming to an end -- but not before the health debate is finished."
Innovations in care by a Seattle-area cooperative and clinic are shaping debate about what health care reform around America should look like, The New York Times reports.
NPR reports on the struggle of Alzheimer"s patients who don"t have health insurance trying to find ways to pay for their care and lobby for greater protections for themselves.
Australia"s aged care workers have been "short-changed" by today"s decision by the Fair Pay Commission to put a freeze on minimum wages, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said today.
KPBS profiled San Diego"s "only clean syringe exchange program," a mobile van that twice weekly provides injection drug users with clean needles in exchange for used ones. The program also offers HIV and Hepatitis C tests and gives referrals to drug treatment programs. According to KPBS, "The concept behind syringe exchange is simple: people are going to shoot drugs. It"s crucial to make sure they have access to clean equipment, so they don"t spread blood-borne infections." However, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors is "adamantly opposed to the concept," and it is "illegal in San Diego for people to buy clean needles without a prescription," KPBS reports. In 2008, the privately-funded exchange program, which has the support of the mayor and the city council, collected more than 183,000 used syringes and handed out about 172,000 new ones (Goldberg, 7/7).
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has announced that it will convene a guidance development group to formally review the recommendations relating to the diagnosis and removal of "low risk" basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) in primary care in its guidance Improving Outcomes in Cancer for people with skin tumours including melanoma (2003).
Iron supplements do not increase the likelihood of contracting malaria and should not be withheld from children at risk of the disease, despite World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines to the contrary, a new review by Cochrane Researchers suggests.
Reducing children"s exposure to a variety of allergens, rather than targeting a single "trigger," might be a better way to avoid asthma, according to a new review of studies.
Diabetes UK and NHS Diabetes have joined forces to deliver an innovative project that will support three primary care trusts (PCTs) in England to develop effective user involvement approaches in diabetes care. The charity is now seeking three organisations to become our local partners.
There is not enough evidence to support using gels and creams containing rubefacients for chronic and acute pain, according to a systematic review by Cochrane Researchers. Rubefacients cause irritation and reddening of the skin, due to increased blood flow. The review focused on formulations containing salicylates, which are widely prescribed or sold over the counter as topical treatments for sports injuries and muscle pain.
Stressing out can cause people to gain weight, according to a study appearing in the July 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. This new study is believed to be one of the first of its kind to look at the relationship between weight gain and multiple types of stress - job-related demands, difficulty paying bills, strained family relationships, depression or anxiety disorder - in the U.S. population.
Agennix announced that talactoferrin alfa (talactoferrin) has been granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first-line treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in combination with sunitinib (Sutent(R) - Pfizer).
Peplin, Inc. (ASX:PLI) announced the completion of enrolment of its two Phase 3 clinical trials for the use of PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) Gel to treat actinic (solar) keratoses (AK), a common pre-cancerous skin lesion, on head treatment areas, which include the face and scalp.
Jay K. Kolls, MD, Professor and Chairman of Genetics at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, has been awarded $1.8 million over five years by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to study whether antibodies that recognize carbohydrate (sugars) and proteins on the surface of the fungus that causes Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) can be used to prevent the infection.
A new study from the US suggests that travel is linked to a higher risk of developing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), also known as a venous
Patients across the country are voicing a growing desire for greater engagement in, and control over, their own medical care. A new study led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) will examine the impact of adding new layer of openness to a traditionally one-sided element of the doctor-patient relationship - the notes from patients" doctors" visits.
Pioneering medical device company Signostics announced it has secured clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its palm-sized personal ultrasound device, the "Signos".
Rasilez® (aliskiren), the first new type of high blood pressure medicine in more than a decade, has been approved for use in Japan. Rasilez directly inhibits renin9, an enzyme that triggers a process leading to high blood pressure and organ damage. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan approved Rasilez for the treatment of high blood pressure alone or in combination with other high blood pressure medicines.
MEDai, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, FL, a leading provider of advanced solutions for healthcare that utilize award-winning predictive analytics, announced that its solutions are actively assisting Medicare Part D benefit sponsors with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandate, calling all Medicare Part D to offer members a medication therapy management (MTM) program.
Eisai Corporation of North America announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review the company"s supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for an alternative five-day dosing regimen for Dacogen(R) (decitabine for injection) to treat patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). MDS is a potentially life-threatening group of bone marrow diseases that limit the production of functional blood cells.
The White House announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan will host an all-day H1N1 Flu Preparedness Summit with states to further prepare this nation for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of H1N1 flu. The Summit will be held on July 9, 2009 at the Natcher Conference Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
Pope Benedict XVI, as part of a 144-page encyclical critiquing the international economic system, argues that the use of birth control is poor economic policy, the Washington Post reports. According to the document, birth control is not only immoral but also harmful to the economy because it narrows the "brain pool" of qualified labor. The document makes similar arguments about abortion.The document was released ahead of Wednesday"s Group of Eight industrialized nations summit, which will focus on the world economy. According to the Post, the timing of the document"s release indicates that Benedict "aims to insert his voice into that discussion by focusing on the moral underpinnings of the meltdown" (Salmon, Washington Post, 7/8).
Thirteen people charged with "disruption of Congress" for standing and shouting pro-single-payer system slogans during a health care reform committee hearing settled their cases, The Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune reports.
The American Lung Association and The CHEST Foundation are partnering to further clinical research to benefit the estimated 22.9 million of Americans living with asthma.
Celebrating its fifth year in the virtual world, the 2009 American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Second Life is set for July 18-19 as avatars representing cancer survivors, caregivers, their families and the millions of passionate supporters gather virtually to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and join the American Cancer Society in fighting for every birthday, threatened by every cancer in every community.
A new study suggests activities combining movement and force tax our brains to capacity, countering a long-held belief that difficulty with dexterous tasks results from the limits of the muscles themselves. The findings may help explain why minor damage to the neuromuscular system can at times profoundly affect one"s ability to complete everyday tasks.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that survival among women with ovarian cancer is influenced by age of menarche and total number of lifetime ovulatory cycles.
The relationship between migraine headaches in women and a significant reduction in breast cancer risk has been confirmed in a follow-on study to landmark research published last year and conducted by scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The new study found a 26 percent reduced risk of breast cancer among both premenopausal and postmenopausal women with a clinical diagnosis of migraines.
Technology is the way of the future, or at least the way of the American future, which is why dentists throughout the United States have increased their use of digital technology. And as making a better use of patients" two most useful res: time and money becomes increasingly important in the practice of dentistry, technology becomes the key to success. Dennis J. Fasbinder, DDS, MAGD, ABGD will help dentists decrease the amount of time that patients" spend in the office by leading a discussion and providing information about using computer-assisted design and computer-assisted machining (CAD/CAM) technology at the Academy of General Dentistry"s (AGD) 57th Annual Meeting, which is taking place in Baltimore, Md., July 8 - 12, 2009.
Black women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher probability of dying from the disease than white women, regardless of their estrogen receptor status, according to research from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Differences in breast cancer mortality may reflect racial differences in access and response to innovative breast cancer treatments, as well as other biological and non-biological factors, according to the report. In addition, the researchers found that differences in outcomes in the first few years post-diagnosis make up nearly all of the disparity. These results were published online July 7, 2009 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
A registered learning disabilities nurse, Dzikamai Mussett Mhakayakora, has been jailed for nine months for fraud after being investigated by NHS Counter Fraud and the UK Border Agency (UKBA), at Chelmsford Crown Court (18th May).
Bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in plastics and known to cause reproductive problems in the offspring of pregnant mice exposed to it, also has been found to retard the growth of follicles of adult mice and hinder their production of steroid hormones, researchers report.
Recently, the World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert to level 6, which officially declared the H1N1 flu outbreak a pandemic. New York Life Insurance Company, the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States, announced that the company is well prepared to meet its commitments to policyholders in a pandemic, even one as severe as the highly lethal 1918 flu pandemic.
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted PEGylated interferon beta-1a (BIIB017) Fast Track designation for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). Biogen Idec is currently enrolling patients in a global Phase III study evaluating the efficacy and safety of either bi-weekly or once-monthly injections of PEGylated interferon beta-1a in this patient population.
There is no evidence that children next-born after stillbirth are clinically at risk compared to children of non-bereaved mothers, according to a study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. However, the study did find evidence of less optimal mother-child interaction.
The Society of Interventional Radiology Foundation recently awarded 13 grants totaling more than $191,000 to encourage the development of interventional radiology research. Grant proposals were reviewed during SIR"s 34th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego.
For the past half-century or more, conservation goals
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is notifying consumers about a voluntary recall announced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The recalled Jaloma Pacifiers were sold in retail stores in New Jersey and New York from February 2008 through March 2009, for approximately $1.00. Although not sold in Connecticut stores, this recalled product may have been purchased while visiting the above noted states or may have been sent to Connecticut as a gift. The pacifiers were manufactured in Mexico and imported by Gromex Inc., of Passaic, New Jersey. Although no injuries and/or incidents have been reported, the potential for injury is high due to the pacifier mouth guard and the ventilation holes are too small and fail to meet federal safety standards, for this reason, the pacifier poses a choking hazard to young children.
Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) announced that Schering-Plough K.K., the company"s country operation in Japan, has received marketing approval for ASMANEX TWISTHALER (mometasone furoate dry powder inhaler) for the treatment of bronchial asthma in adults.(1)
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disease affecting approximately 10,000 people in the United States. HAE causes recurrent attacks of intense localized edema involving the skin, airway, and visceral organs. While chronic therapy with attenuated androgens or plasmin inhibitors has been the mainstay of HAE therapy, many new therapies for prophylaxis and acute treatment are on the horizon. It is important for physicians to understand the signs and symptoms of patients who present with HAE and to be familiar with the conventional and emerging therapies available to treat them.
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the national professional society of pharmacists, announces that nominations are now being accepted for the Association"s practitioner awards and honors. Presentation of these awards is scheduled for the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, March 12-15, 2010. Nominations must be received at APhA headquarters by September 15, 2009. APhA"s awards recognition program is American pharmacy"s most comprehensive recognition program.
President Obama on Wednesday nominated Francis Collins, a physician and genetics researcher, to be NIH director, the Washington Post reports (Brown, Washington Post, 7/9). Collins worked at the agency during the administrations of former Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush and served as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, where he helped lead the Human Genome Project to sequence all human DNA (Young, The Hill, 7/8). He is also known for a 2006 best-selling book presenting scientific evidence for a belief in God. Collins resigned as head of the institute last year but remained a consultant. Since then, he established the BioLogos Foundation to "contribute to the public voice that represents the harmony of science and faith" (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 7/9).Many researchers and health care experts praised Collins" nomination, though some others were not "entirely enthusiastic," according to the New York Times. The two major objections to his nomination involve his "very public embrace of religion" and his "important role in raising expectations [of gene research] impossibly high," according to the New York Times (Harris, New York Times, 7/9). Collins and his colleagues at the University of Michigan discovered the defective gene that causes cystic fibrosis in 1989. According to the Los Angeles Times, Collins is expected to be quickly confirmed (Los Angeles Times, 7/9).Broadcast Coverage NPR"s "Morning Edition" on Thursday included a discussion with NPR science correspondent Jon Hamilton about the nomination (Inskeep, "Morning Edition," NPR, 7/9).
A new Medicare analysis by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found a "double failure" at U.S. hospitals. Its release comes as the White House and Congress seek ways to reward quality over quantity of care in health care reform. USA Today reports that "Too many people die needlessly at U.S. hospitals, according to a sweeping new Medicare analysis showing wide variation in death rates between the best hospitals and the worst. The analysis examined death rates for heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia at more than 4,600 hospitals across the USA. At 5.9% of hospitals, patients with pneumonia died at rates significantly higher than the national average. With heart failure, 3.4% of hospitals had death rates higher than the average, and 1.2% of hospitals were higher when it came to heart attack. Researchers also found that the majority of U.S. hospitals operate the equivalent of revolving doors for their patients. One of every four heart failure patients and slightly less than one in five heart attack and pneumonia patients land back in the hospital within 30 days, data show."
G8 Addresses Developing Nation Economic Assistance, Reforming African Aid, Establishing Farming Investment, Food Security, Climate Change
The Obama Administration sent a strong message to the nation today that it is time to start planning and preparing for the fall flu season and the ongoing H1N1 flu outbreak and that the federal government is prepared to commit res, training, and new tools to help state and local governments and America"s families get ready.
Athletic injuries can derail any player"s ability to compete, but for a baseball pitcher his shoulder strength and control is critical. A new study to be presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine"s (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Keystone, Colorado, suggests that testing a pitcher"s shoulder strength through a series of exercises during the preseason may help create a focused strength training program to prevent serious injury during the season.
BioAlliance Pharma SA (Paris:BIO), the specialty pharmaceutical company focused on therapy and supportive care in cancer and AIDS, announced Europe-wide approval for embossing its Loramyc® mucoadhesive buccal tablet, developed for the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis.
Sciele Pharma, Inc., a Shionogi Company, announced the availability of Ulesfia (Benzyl Alcohol Lotion 5%), the first and only prescription medication that kills head lice by asphyxiation without potential neurotoxic side effects. Approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Ulesfia is indicated for the topical treatment of head lice infestation in patients 6 months of age and older. Ulesfia is available now by prescription nationwide in time for peak head lice season.
OptumHealth Inc. announced that it is partnering with Prevent Blindness America, the nation"s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, to donate 50,000 eyeglass frames worth more than $2 million to residents in Ohio who participate in the Prevent Blindness Ohio Vision Care Outreach program. The program provides access to eye exams and eyeglasses for children and adults without medical coverage.
Scientists studying a strain of Ebola virus found in domestic pigs in the Philippines last year suggest that although the particular strain is not one
In a May 15 letter to Sens. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), 31 Republican Indiana state senators asked the lawmakers to oppose the confirmation of Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen, President Obama"s nominee to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department, due to her support for abortion rights, the AP/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The state senators wrote that Johnsen"s support for abortion rights "is more than simply pro-choice" and that "she is pro-choice in an extremely radical way," citing Johnsen"s statements and writings. The letter, which was signed by all but two of the state"s Republican senators, asked Bayh and Lugar to consider what Johnsen"s nomination "could mean for the future of the country." Indiana Senate President Pro Tem David Long (R) said, "It"s a statement from a very strong pro-life caucus," adding, "It is not based on the fact she is pro-choice, it is based on the fact that she is radically so." According to Long, the letter originated with a request from Indiana Right to Life to urge Bayh and Lugar to oppose Johnsen"s confirmation.Johnsen in an e-mail said that as a nominee she would not make public comments to the media. White House spokesperson Amy Brundage said that Johnsen "will bring unquestioned integrity and a commitment to non-partisan interpretation of the law to the Office of Legal Counsel, and we"re pleased that both of Indiana"s senators have expressed support for her nomination." Lugar spokesperson Andy Fisher on Monday in an e-mail said that although the senator has said he would not oppose Johnsen"s confirmation, Senate Democrats currently do not have enough support to move forward with the confirmation process. Bayh supports Johnsen"s confirmation, according to Bayh spokesperson Eric Kleiman (Smith, AP/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/18).Senate Confirms Hamburg as FDA CommissionerThe Senate on Monday by voice vote confirmed the nomination of Margaret Hamburg to be FDA commissioner, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 5/18). According to the AP/Washington Post, Hamburg"s priorities include leading the development of a swine flu vaccine and overhauling the U.S. food safety system. During her confirmation hearing, Hamburg, a bioterrorism expert, said that she wants to increase consumer confidence in the agency by increasing transparency and accountability. Previously, Hamburg served as an assistant health secretary under President Clinton (AP/Washington Post, 5/19).
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) (OTCBB: AMAR) announced that it has reached full enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical study of the company"s oral interferon product at the University of Western Australia located in Perth. A total of 200 healthy volunteers meeting all eligibility criteria have been enrolled to 16 weeks of treatment with oral interferon or matching placebo.
The seventh and final member of a multi-million pound international counterfeit gang was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court earlier this week, 6 July 2009.
Uganda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to register a drop in adult national prevalence in HIV. The epidemic, however, remains serious as approximately one million Ugandans are HIV positive. Experts in the field have begun promoting a low cost and powerful weapon against new HIV infections: voluntary medical male circumcision.
Students from Michigan Technological University have designed and developed a breakthrough in medical care that could save lives in a heartbeat.
Starr County, Texas, sits on the Texas-Mexico border along the banks of the Rio Grande River. Populated largely by Mexican Americans, it is a rural county where some of the residents live in colonias, unincorporated areas with no city services. The county seat, Rio Grande City, is home to approximately 15,000 people. Scratch the surface and Starr County has one surprising distinguishing feature: one of the highest prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes in the entire country, and the highest diabetes death rate in Texas.
For years researchers have been searching for a way to treat diabetics by reactivating their insulin-producing beta cells, to no avail. Now, they may be one step closer. A protein, whose role in pancreatic development has long been recognized, has been discovered to play an additional and previously unknown regulatory role in the development of cells in the immature endocrine system. These cells ultimately give rise to pancreatic islet cells, which include beta cells.
African countries, with the support of WHO and other development partners, are continuously strengthening their general capacity to deal with cases of Influenza A/H1N1 virus if an outbreak occurs in the region.
Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) held a press conference on Thursday to rally support for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, whose confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee begins Monday, Roll Call reports. Boxer said that there is no need for abortion-rights groups and other women"s advocacy groups to publicly express their support for Sotomayor because the confirmation process has been progressing well. She said, "Things are going well. There"s no need to get involved." However, Boxer added that "foul play" by Republicans to delay the confirmation would prompt women"s organizations to more publicly advocate for Sotomayor (Brady, Roll Call, 7/9).Hearing Witness List Released The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday released witness lists for Sotomayor"s confirmation hearings, the New York Times reports. The Republicans" list includes Charmaine Yoest, president of the antiabortion-rights group Americans United for Life. Among Democrats" list is JoAnne Epps, dean of the Beasley School of Law at Temple University, on behalf of the National Association of Women Lawyers (Phillips, New York Times, 7/10).
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit on Wednesday ruled that a 2007 Massachusetts law requiring antiabortion-rights protesters to stay at least 35 feet away from clinic entrances does not infringe on their free speech rights, the Boston Globe reports. The law updated a 2000 statute that established a floating buffer zone, which police and clinics said was difficult to enforce. The 2007 law set a fixed 35-foot buffer zone around any reproductive health care facility and barred anyone from entering or remaining in the zone unless they work at the clinic; are entering or leaving the facility; are public safety or other municipal officials; or are walking by. Five abortion-rights opponents filed the lawsuit in January 2008. U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro rejected their claims in August 2008, ruling that the law did not regulate speech -- only the location where the speech could occur -- and that it was drafted in response to safety and law enforcement concerns. The protesters appealed the ruling.The appeals court said that the 2007 law responded to "repeated incidents involving violence and other unduly aggressive behaviors in the vicinity of reproductive health care facilities" and "represents a permissible response by the Massachusetts Legislature to what it reasonably perceived as a significant threat to public safety." The court also said that the law was "content-neutral," as it applies to all protesters regardless of their viewpoints. According to the court, the plaintiffs argued in their appeal that the law had a "content-neutral patina" masking a "more sinister reality" that the Legislature"s true motive was to curb abortion-rights opponents" speech.Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley (D) in a statement said that she was "pleased that the 1st Circuit has upheld this important law, which enhances public safety and access to medical facilities, while preserving the right to engage in expressive activity on public ways and sidewalks near clinics." Tim Chandler, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which helped represent the plaintiffs, said abortion-rights opponents "shouldn"t be penalized for expressing their beliefs." He added that the fund and its supporters were evaluating the "next legal step" (Finucane, Boston Globe, 7/10).
President Obama during his speech at Notre Dame, "fought back" antiabortion-rights protesters "not with harsh words but with the most devastating weapons in his political arsenal: a call for "open hearts," "open minds," "fair-minded words" and a search for "common ground,"" Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne writes. Dionne continues that as "Obama"s opponents seek to reignite the culture wars," the president has "refused to join" and instead "opted for humility." Dionne writes that Obama "did all this without skirting the abortion question and without flinching from the "controversy surrounding my visit here."" In what might have been Obama"s "most radical and the most conservative speech of his presidency," he "[a]cknowledg[ed] the Roman Catholic Church"s role in supporting his early community organizing work," while drawing "on the res of Catholic social thought" that "combines opposition to abortion with a sharp critique of economic injustice and thus doesn"t squeeze into the round holes of contemporary ideology," according to Dionne.In his speech, Obama "tried to undo mistakes made early in his administration, making clearer, for example, that his revisions of an earlier Bush executive order on the rights of health professionals would continue to "honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion,"" Dionne continues. In addition, Obama "paid more respect to opponents of stem cell research -- he spoke of their "admirable conviction about the sacredness of life" -- than he had in his original announcement altering Bush"s policies," Dionne writes. He adds that on the issue of abortion rights, "Obama endorsed a broad agenda: "Let"s reduce unintended pregnancies. Let"s make adoption more available. Let"s provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term.""However, it "was hard to square that message with the rage directed toward Obama" and Notre Dame"s president, the Rev. John Jenkins, by their opponents, Dionne says. "By facing their arguments head-on and by demonstrating his attentiveness to Catholic concerns, Obama strengthened moderate and liberal forces inside the church itself," according to Dionne. He concludes, "He also struck a forceful blow against those who would keep the nation mired in culture-war politics without end. Obama"s opponents on the Catholic right placed a large bet on his Notre Dame visit. And they lost" (Dionne, Washington Post, 5/18).
The Los Angeles Times and the New York Times recently published opinion pieces examining issues related to international women"s health. Summaries appear below.~ Michelle Goldberg, Los Angeles Times: The solution to addressing issues of over-population and under-population in various parts of the world is "giving women more control over their fertility and their lives," Goldberg, author of "The Means of Reproduction: Sex, Power and the Future of the World," writes in a Times opinion piece. Goldberg says that both problems are "symptoms of countries" failures to meet women"s needs." Citing United Nations data, Goldberg writes that the world"s population is growing at an "unsustainable" rate of 78 million people annually, and it will probably continue to increase by 70 million or 75 million annually through 2020. Almost all of that growth will occur in developing countries, she says. "The ethical and effective way to counter rapid population growth is to bolster women"s rights and improve their access to family planning," as well as access to education, Goldberg writes, adding that "study after study has found that girls who go to school marry later and have fewer, healthier children." Meanwhile, some developed countries -- including Japan, Russia, Italy and Spain -- are seeing a decline in birth rates, a fact that some social conservatives are using "to argue for restrictions on women"s rights." According to Goldberg, "Fertility is reaching dangerously low levels in countries where social attitudes and institutions haven"t caught up with women"s desire to combine work and family. When faced with men who are unwilling to share domestic burdens, inflexible workplaces and day-care shortages, many women respond by having fewer children." However, "when societies make it possible for women to combine having children with pursuing their other ambitions, fertility rates are fine," Goldberg says. She adds, "Give women freedom and support, and they will find reproductive equilibrium, so that when societies do shrink or grow, they do so in a manageable way" (Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 5/17).~ Nicholas Kristof, New York Times: About 500,000 women "die annually from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth without attracting much interest because the victims are typically among the most voiceless people in the world: impoverished, rural, uneducated and female," Kristof writes in a Times opinion piece. He adds, "It"s no mystery how to save the lives of pregnant women; what"s lacking is the will and res." Kristof writes that Sierra Leone, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, "is now making progress with the help of the United Nations Population Fund." Former President George W. Bush cut off U.S. funding for UNFPA, but President Obama has restored the funding. Kristof adds that a bill (H.R. 1410) that would "establish American leadership in this area ... has attracted pathetically little attention." He continues that if the lives of women in West Africa "were a priority, there would be many simple ways to keep them alive," such as providing them with bed nets to help protect against malaria or iron tablets to fight anemia at a cost of "just a few dollars" (Kristof, New York Times, 5/17).
Promoting new discoveries in brain research and mental disorders
The Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research® (NOSCAR®), a joint effort of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), has announced Olympus" continuing commitment to funding research in an emerging minimally invasive transdisciplinary therapy known as Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery®, with a $250,000 grant to the existing Olympus Research Fund supporting NOTES® research. This grant increases Olympus" total funding to $1.25 million.
They are a group of drugs which millions of people rely on to keep pain at bay but they can have unwanted side-effects which are sometimes more serious than the original health problem. Now scientists at The University of Nottingham are taking part in the largest-ever study on the safety of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) that has ever been performed.
Partnering with local physicians, working with local clinics, and conducting educational seminars and health fairs were found to be the most effective tools in recruiting people for Alzheimer"s clinical studies, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer"s Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer"s Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna.
Knee injuries are a common problem in collegiate and professional football, often hindering an individual"s career length and future. A study presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine"s Annual Meeting in Keystone, Colorado suggests that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction versus a simple meniscus repair may predict a longer professional career in those that have suffered knee injuries.
Infections of wounds, pneumonia, etc. in hospitals in particular are often caused by bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once they reach a certain density, colonies of Pseudomonas aeruginosa produce virulence factors and can enter into a slimy state, a biofilm, which prevents antibiotics from penetrating. The process of quorum sensing, which cells use to "sense" cell density, is triggered when the concentration of certain signaling compounds generated by the bacteria reaches a threshold level. A team working with Rustem F. Ismagilov at the University of Chicago has now demonstrated that the absolute number of cells is irrelevant; only the number of bacteria in a given volume plays a role. As the researchers report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, they were even able to trigger quorum-sensing processes in single cells when these were confined in extremely small volumes.