Sexual Health
Transcept Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TSPT), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of proprietary products that address important therapeutic needs in the field of neuroscience, announced today the presentation of two posters at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Francisco, California.
This week, Swiss researchers presented positive data from an ongoing Phase II clinical study at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) International Conference that compared PARI Pharma"s inhaled IsoCrom, an isotonic 1% disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) solution, to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in 28 children with atopic asthma. Results showed decreases in mean asthma symptom scores without a change in lung function for both groups. These results were achieved with IsoCrom administered via a customized small droplet Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System designed to deliver drugs to the deep lungs. One of the benefits of DSCG is the long track record as an extremely safe drug.
Patients can expect significant savings and better outcomes from their prescription medications when health care professionals use comparative effectiveness research, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
ZymoGenetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZGEN) announced that Interleukin 21 (IL-21) demonstrated an impressive overall response rate in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. In interim Phase 2 results from 24 patients, 29 percent showed a partial response, with an additional 33 percent of patients showing stable disease in this difficult to treat disease.
WellApps, Inc. launched an iPhone application to help people with (IBD) Crohn"s and Ulcerative Colitis provide accurate symptom data to their doctors for optimal treatment. The application, called GI Monitor , was developed by an 18-year Crohn"s patient after a recent flare up of his condition.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccination with seasonal flu vaccines made for the 2005 to 2009
Current research suggests that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can evade the immune response. The related report by Rahman et al, "Compartmentalization of immune responses in human tuberculosis: few CD8+ effector T cells but elevated levels of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells in the granulomatous lesions," appears in the June 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.
PGxHealth, a division of Clinical Data, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDA), a biotechnology company developing targeted therapeutics and genetic and pharmacogenomic tests to detect diseases and predict drug safety, tolerability and efficacy, announced at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting that it will double the number of genes in its FAMILION Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) Test. By detecting genetic mutations in individuals and their families, the FAMILION LQTS Test can help guide treatment to prevent possible sudden cardiac death. This newly enhanced LQTS Test follows the 3-gene expansion of the FAMILION Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) Test released earlier this year and demonstrates the Company"s leadership in genetic testing for inherited cardiac disorders.
The Louisiana House on Tuesday voted 82-13 to approve legislation (HB 517) that would allow some health professionals to refuse to provide certain medical services that they object to on religious or moral grounds, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.The House-passed bill is an amended version of a measure, introduced by Rep. Bernard LeBas (D), that a House committee rejected earlier this month. The revised bill narrowed the list of procedures that can be denied, and it applies to health providers only in public facilities, not religious health facilities statewide as in the original bill. Under the bill, public health care employees would be allowed to decline to provide abortions or abortifacient drugs. They also would be allowed to refuse participation in embryonic stem cell research or cloning, euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Public employees would be immune from civil lawsuits and have job security under the measure.According to the Times-Picayune, Gov. Bobby Jindal"s (R) administration backed the original bill in committee, although state Health Secretary Alan Levine indicated that the bill"s original provisions were too broad. Under the original measure, health care providers would have been allowed to refuse services such as artificial insemination, sterilization, artificial reproductive technologies and "dispensation of drugs affecting the reproductive process." The original measure also would have covered both public and private health care providers (Barrow, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 5/20).Prior to passage, the House approved an amendment to narrow the scope of the bill offered by Rep. John Bel Edwards (D), who said that the original bill"s provisions were not specific enough and could pose problems for private businesses. He also said that the original bill would have posed barriers to patients seeking access to basic treatments and medications (AP/New Orleans Times-Picayune, 5/19). The measure now advances to the state Senate for debate (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 5/20).
James Maki, the second person in the US to receive a face transplant, has been telling his story in the hope that it will encourage more people to
Former President Clinton has joined efforts to raise money for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria from travelers purchasing electronic airline tickets, the New York Times reports. At a press conference in Paris with United Nations special advisor Philippe Douste-Blazy, Clinton said, "If you provide a user-friendly, efficient way of giving, the contributors will use this system."The U.N. is behind the effort, which will enable travelers to voluntarily add a $2 donation for projects to fight malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS when buying an airline ticket, the Times reports. Both Clinton and Douste-Blazy are working with a newly formed group - Leading Innovative Financing for Equity, or LIFE. LIFE is comprised of eight different groups working to raising money for health aid. According to Douste-Blazy, efforts targeting small donors will begin in January 2010. He added that "the idea is that the citizens of the world are connected by the Internet and credit cards and can show their solidarity."The groups also hope to reach people renting cars, booking hotels or buying train tickets, the Times reports (Carvajal, New York Times, 5/21). Clinton said U.S. air passengers will be able to voluntarily participate in the program, adding, "There is no question that huge numbers of people will participate in this. They understand that it doesn"t cost much and that 100% will go to save lives." (AFP/Google.com, 5/20).
A chemical found in green tea might be an effective tool against the sexual transmission of HIV, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Heidelberg in Germany and published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, AFP/Google.com reports. According to the study, green tea polyphenol -- called epigallocatechin-3-gallete, or EGCG -- neutralizes a protein in sperm that aids in the transmission of HIV during sex. The researchers noted that they "recently identified a peptide fraction in human semen that consistently enhanced HIV-1 infection." The study found that EGCG is able to neutralize the sperm protein, known as a semen-derived enhancer of virus infection, or SEVI. The researchers said that SEVI is "an important infectivity factor of HIV." According to the researchers, EGCG "appears to be a promising supplement to antiretroviral microbicides to reduce sexual transmission of HIV-1." The researchers said that because a majority of people living with HIV contract the disease through heterosexual transmission and that 96% of new cases are reported in developing and impoverished nations, the use of green tea in topical creams could be a "simple and affordable prevention method" (AFP/Google.com, 5/19).
Reorganizational Healing (ROH), an emerging concept for wellness, healing, and personal growth, is explored in depth in a seminal groundbreaking article and accompanying commentaries in the latest issue of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The Reorganizational Healing articles are available free online at http://www.liebertpub.com/acm.
Satoris, Inc., a California-based molecular diagnostics company, announced today the launch of three research-use tests - two panels of plasma biomarkers shown to be significant in the neurodegenerative disease process, and a dementia discrimination panel. Specifically for use by Alzheimer"s researchers and by pharmaceutical companies developing new Alzheimer"s therapies, the panels are available now as a testing service.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. With every heart beat, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is the force of blood that is pushing up against the walls of the blood vessels. If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and this could lead to organ damage and several illnesses such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, aneurysm, or renal failure.
Interfacing neurons with micro- and nano-electronic devices has been a subject of intense studies over the last decade and is used both in basic research and medical applications. The electronic devices used in such neuroelectronic hybrids are mainly planar metal electrodes and planar transistors.
Scientists have determined how to produce replication-competent viruses
An experimental vaccine applied to the surface of the skin appears to protect against certain types of ear infections. Scientists from the Research Institute at Nationwide Children"s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, reported their findings at the 109th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Philadelphia.
A scientific study has found further evidence that high blood pressure in adulthood is pre-programmed in the womb.
An international scientific study involving researchers from the University of Glasgow has identified eight common genetic differences which may increase the risk of high blood pressure.
PolyMedix, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company developing acute care products for infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, has received a notice of no objection from Health Canada for the Company"s Clinical Trial Application ("CTA") for its defensin mimetic antibiotic compound, PMX-30063. This notice of no objection allows for the initiation of the second human clinical study in Canada. PMX-30063 is a defensin mimetic antibiotic compound, the first of an entirely new class of antibiotic drugs that is believed to work in such a way that makes bacterial resistance unlikely to develop.
Several newspapers recently published opinion pieces and editorials regarding President Obama"s commencement address at the University of Notre Dame on Sunday. Summaries appear below.~ Austin Hill, U.S. News and World Report: A "careful look" at the controversy surrounding Notre Dame"s invitation to Obama "suggests that ... the Catholic Church in America is neither communicating very clearly to the broader American society, nor is it communicating very clearly among its own members," columnist Hill writes. Hill asks, "[I]f Catholics need to criticize a political figure even when he is "right" on the abortion issue, can they, or should they, praise a political figure even when he is "wrong" on the abortion issue" but "right" on other moral issues? He adds, "The bishops need to answer this question, in no uncertain terms, and they need to do so with clarity" (Hill, U.S. News and World Report, 5/20).~ William Saletan, Slate: Abortion is "the classic multidimensional issue," and "Obama"s acknowledgment of the issue"s complexity is important for two reasons," author and Slate correspondent Saletan writes. The first reason is that Obama is "dropping the pretense of a conclusive answer," and the second is that "even strategic symbolic dialogue can bring unforeseen consequences," Saletan writes (Saletan, Slate, 5/20).~ Julia Duin, Washington Times: A number of things "did not seem right" about Obama"s speech,"[e]specially about "common ground" on an issue that has none" -- abortion rights, columnist Duin writes. Duin asks, "Does this "common ground" idea really work? On peripheral issues, yes. On life-and-death issues, no." According to Duin, "It seems that one side of the debate is always told it needs to move to the center on a given issue, while the other side is told it needs to stand firm." She adds that Obama"s speech highlighted "a huge disconnect," possibly "that some issues don"t have a common ground" (Duin, Washington Times, 5/21).~ Marybeth Hicks, Washington Times: In his speech, Obama "shared a world view that people of all strongly held beliefs must consider: While we will never agree on certain matters of principle, we should still find ways to lift up mankind through cooperation and service and love," columnist Hicks writes. Hicks says that she would like "Obama to send a copy of that speech to Harry Knox" -- director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign and a member of Obama"s White House Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships -- because Knox "must learn to respect the right of Catholics and of our church to hold principled beliefs of our own" (Hicks, Washington Times, 5/20).~ Dallas Morning News: Obama "[o]nce again ... displayed his gift for making his most strident opponents marginalize themselves" by "com[ing] across as the kind of politician who genuinely sees those who disagree with him as opponents, not enemies," a Morning News editorial says. "When a strong abortion-rights supporter like Obama is not only honored at the nation"s most important Catholic university (in terms of cultural symbolism), but enthusiastically embraced, times are changing," it adds (Dallas Morning News, 5/18).~ Kansas City Star: Most Americans "have more in common with the 12,000 graduates, families and friends who were inside the Notre Dame arena than with the demonstrators outside" and "are willing to listen to different views and ... seek a middle ground that would lessen the [abortion] issue"s grip on political discourse," a Star editorial states. It continues, "Instead of ostracizing those of different views, Americans would do better to follow the path suggested by Obama: Reduce unintended pregnancies, make adoption more available and provide "care and support for women who do carry their children to term"" (Kansas City Star, 5/18).~ Baltimore Sun: Obama "met the challenge head-on" of speaking at Notre Dame amid the protests through "his faith in the ability of reasonable people to disagree and still find common gro
Canada has received new support to recruit some of its best minds in pediatric leukemia research, thanks to the Cole Foundation. The family foundation has generously pledged $2.5 million to support up-and-coming, Montreal-based researchers at the Universitç© de Montrç©al, McGill University and the Universitç© du Quç©bec"s Institut national de la recherche scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier. The Cole Foundation investment will include:
Drinking on college campuses in the United States is a pervasive problem, leading to numerous problems. One study estimated that more than 500,000 college students suffered alcohol-related injuries in 2001. This study examined the "dose-response" effect of quantities and frequencies, finding that heavy drinkers with a sensation-seeking disposition had the greatest risk of alcohol-related injuries.
Someone who has a low level of response (LR) to alcohol, meaning relatively little reaction to alcohol, has a higher risk for developing alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). A study that examined the influence of LR in conjunction with other characteristics - like family history of AUDs and age of drinking onset - has found that LR is a unique risk factor for AUDs across adulthood and is not simply a reflection of a broader range of risk factors.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced results of a study showing that coadministration of the ADHD medication VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Prilosec OTC® 40 mg (20 mg X 2), did not alter the median time it took for maximum plasma concentration of d-amphetamine to be reached in the subjects evaluated. In the same study, coadministration of Prilosec OTC with ADDERALL XR resulted in a nearly 45 percent reduction in the median time to reach maximum plasma concentrations of amphetamine, the active medication. Other pharmacokinetic parameters (maximum plasma concentration and area under curve) of active medication were not altered for either VYVANSE or ADDERALL XR when coadministered with Prilosec OTC. This study, which is the first to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of VYVANSE and ADDERALL XR taken alone and with Prilosec OTC 40 mg, was recently presented at the International Congress on Clinical Pharmacy, co-sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), in Orlando, FL.
President Obama on Wednesday ordered federal agencies to rescind regulations enacted by former President George W. Bush"s administration that protect manufacturers of such products as medical devices from product-liability lawsuits in state court, the Wall Street Journal reports. The decision could affect a wide range of manufacturers and products because the Bush administration "aggressively" encouraged federal agencies to make rules that pre-empt and override state laws, which often meant protecting manufacturers of medical equipment from lawsuits, according to the Journal. Obama in a two-page memo wrote that federal agencies and departments could claim state law is pre-empted by federal law only when there is a well-defined legal basis. The memo stated that state laws are important because they supplement federal regulations. "State and local governments have frequently protected health, safety and environment more aggressively than has the national government," Obama wrote (Mundy/Kendall, Wall Street Journal, 5/21). Obama ordered agencies to review regulations from the past decade and look for possible occasions in which the government improperly declared federal pre-emption (Yost, AP/Kansas City Star, 5/20). According to the Journal, business groups oppose the decision (Wall Street Journal, 5/21).
Researchers of the Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have gained crucial insight into how mechanosensitivity arises. By measuring electrical impulses in the sensory neurons of mice, the neurobiologists and pain researchers Dr. Stefan G. Lechner and Professor Gary Lewin were able to directly elucidate, for the first time, the emergence of mechanosensitivity. At the same time they were able to show that neurons develop their sensitivity to touch and pain during different developmental phases but always coincidentally with the growth of the neuronal pathways. (EMBO Journal, 2009, doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.73).*
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are known to reduce the risk of colon cancer, act directly on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and reduce its activity. Population studies have found an association of inherited variations in the COX2 gene with colon cancer risk, but others were unable to replicate this finding. Similarly, variations in the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A6 (UGT1A6) gene, which is also known to be key in the metabolism of NSAIDs, have been shown to modify the effect of NSAIDs on developing colon polyps, a precursor of colon cancer, but these modifications of NSAID effects have not been observed in risk of colon cancer.
An emerging form of the pathogenic yeast Candida is able to complete a full sexual cycle in a test tube, even though it"s missing the genes for reproduction. And it may also do so while infecting us, according to Duke University Medical Center researchers.
Using a specially adapted tool called P[acman], a collaboration of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine has established a library of clones that cover most of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) and should speed the pace of genetic research.
Scientists announced in New York the discovery of a 47 million year
American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E®) (NASDAQ: ASEI), a leading worldwide supplier of innovative X-ray detection solutions, announced that it has received a $25 million follow-on order for a Middle East client for multiple Z Portal® cargo and vehicle screening systems and OmniView™ Gantry cargo inspection system to protect critical infrastructure in the region. AS&E"s Z Portal and OmniView systems will scan vehicles and trucks entering a high-risk facility in the Middle East for explosive threats and contraband.
University of Queensland (UQ) researchers will use a $5 million grant from the Queensland State Government to unlock the genetic causes of pancreatic and ovarian cancer.
A new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet and the University of Oxford finds that the severe mental disorder schizophrenia only marginally increases the risk of committing violent crime. Rather, the overrepresentation of individuals with schizophrenia in violent crime is almost entirely attributable to concurrent substance abuse.
Two leading HIV charities have today launched a guide for people living with HIV in England and Wales explaining criminal prosecutions for HIV transmission.
A new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that participants who drank for a week from polycarbonate bottles, the popular, hard-plastic drinking bottles and baby bottles, showed a two-thirds increase in their urine of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Exposure to BPA, used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and other plastics, has been shown to interfere with reproductive development in animals and has been linked with cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans. The study is the first to show that drinking from polycarbonate bottles increased the level of urinary BPA, and thus suggests that drinking containers made with BPA release the chemical into the liquid that people drink in sufficient amounts to increase the level of BPA excreted in human urine.
Today, Baxter is announcing that its investigation of reports from Beebe Medical Center has determined that the three patient events are unrelated to product quality involving the company"s heparin premix products.
Diagnostic companies looking for growth in a tough economy can still find a vibrant market for their products in China, says a leading healthcare market research publisher. IVD markets in China will grow to more than $1.5 billion in 2009, making it the world"s sixth largest IVD market. The last few years have seen market growth of 15-20%. With about 575 new hospitals opening each year and a government plan to open more than 20,000 health clinics, the lab market is booming, according to a new report, "Who is Who in Clinical Diagnostics in China (Manufacturers and Distributors Profiles, Market, Industry Overview)," from Kalorama Information, in partnership with IVD market research firm McEvoy & Farmer.
The primary objective of this workshop was to develop a comprehensive R&D roadmap that would fast-track the use of focused ultrasound technology to treat a variety of brain disorders including benign and malignant tumors, Parkinson"s disease and essential tremor, stroke, and epilepsy.
UroToday.com - In the online edition of the British Journal of Urology International, Dr. Vivek Wadhwa and colleagues report on the relationship between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and changes in bone mineral density (BMD). Skeletal-related fractures are more common due to osteoporosis rather than cancer in men with metastatic prostate cancer (CaP). The authors point out that measurement of BMD predicts fracture risk as accurately as blood pressure predicts stroke. Their goal was to study the long-term effects of LHRH agonist and antiandrogen therapy on BMD of selected groups of men with newly diagnosed advanced CaP, stratified by BMD at presentation and to predict alterations in fracture risk.
Funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) could lead to the development of new and better treatments for broken bones and other orthopaedic problems associated with ageing.
New light has been thrown on how humans choose their partners, a scientist told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics on May 25. Professor Maria da GraÃýa Bicalho, head of the Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Laboratory at the University of Parana, Brazil, says that her research had shown that people with diverse major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) were more likely to choose each other as mates than those whose MHCs were similar, and that this was likely to be an evolutionary strategy to ensure healthy reproduction.
On World No Tobacco Day, The Lung Association is celebrating those who have successfully quit smoking and sharing their success stories in the hopes of motivating others to quit.
UNICEF Somalia strongly condemns the looting and destruction of humanitarian supplies and its facilities in Jowhar by militiamen and is deeply distressed by the impact this will have on UNICEF"s programmes supporting the children and women of Somalia, said Christian Balslev- Olesen, UNICEF Representative to Somalia, in a statement today.
Parts of the brain involved in monitoring behaviors and emotions show different levels of activity in cocaine users relative to non-drug users, even when both groups perform equally well on a psychological test. These results - from a brain-imaging study conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy"s Brookhaven National Laboratory and published online the week of May 25, 2009, by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - suggest that such impairments may underlie addictive vulnerability, and that treatments aimed at improving these functions could help addicted individuals resist drugs.
Two hundred physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy marched on Capitol Hill Tuesday to educate lawmakers about the critical need for patients to have improved access to physical therapy services. The group-members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)-conducted approximately 350 visits with Representatives and Senators.
The relationship between the dental disease periodontitis and coronary heart disease (CHD) has been known for several years. Although a genetic link seemed likely, until now its existence was uncertain. Now, for the first time, scientists have discovered a genetic relationship between the two conditions, a researcher told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics.
U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) commended the Departments of Justice (DoJ) and Health and Human Services (HHS) for their decision to focus on detecting, preventing, and prosecuting Medicare fraud cases.
The UK Autism Foundation has backed the call for a substantial increase in the carer"s allowance.
ReachMD, which provides medical news and information to healthcare practitioners, is raising its profile with the Continuing Medical Education, or CME, application for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. This is the first CME application that lets users listen to all ReachMD Continuing Medical Education content, get regular updates on new Continuing Medical Education content and take Continuing Medical Education tests for credit, all from their iPhone or iPod touch.
Mister President, honourable ministers, excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,
Scientists at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology uncover how an important cancer gene, BRCA1, works by increasing the accuracy with which broken DNA is repaired. Women who inherit a faulty version of the BRCA1 gene are at a higher risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.
AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond
If we imagine our immune system to be a police force for our bodies, then previous work has suggested that the Lymph nodes would be the best candidate structures within the body to act as police stations - the regions in which the immune response is organised. However, a new paper - published in this week"s issue of PLoS Biology - suggests that lymph nodes are not essential in the mouse in marshalling T-cells (a main immune foot soldier) to respond to a breach of the skin barrier. This result is both surprising in itself, and suggests a novel function for the liver as an alternate site for T-cell activation.
Vimpat(R) (lacosamide) C-V, a new antiepileptic drug (AED), will be available in U.S. pharmacies by the first week of June 2009. Vimpat was approved by the U.S. FDA in the fall of 2008 for the use as an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in people 17 years and older with epilepsy.
It is estimated that up to 30 percent of all people who have surgery experience gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea and vomiting. The use of opioid pain medicines during and after surgery is a leading risk factor for experiencing these side effects. Nausea and vomiting are uncomfortable and bothersome and can have an impact on a patient"s recovery.
Cancer patients treated with the widely used drug bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with chemotherapy are at greater risk of life-thereatening gastrointestinal (GI) perforations. This is the conclusion of Shenhong Wu, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator, and colleagues at Stony Brook University Medical Center, in a study published online and in the June print issue of The Lancet Oncology.
Young children learn how to speak and understand language from the words parents speak at home and teachers speak in preschool. A new longitudinal study has found that their preschool classmates also play a part.
An innovative hand dryer aimed at cutting the risk of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) has been launched for NHS trusts and healthcare organisations by NHS Supply Chain.
Eastman Kodak Company announced that St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has installed an electronic document management system (EDMS), using C-Cube software from OITUK and Kodak i660 and i780 scanners, to radically change the way health records are distributed around its various outpatient facilities in Merseyside.
President Obama this morning announced Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals as his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, the New York Times" "The Caucus" reports. Sotomayor, if confirmed, would be the first Hispanic to serve on the court and, with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, bring the number of female justices currently on the court to two. White House officials said the president made his decision over the Memorial Day weekend after narrowing his list of candidates to four. s close to the selection process said the other candidates included Federal Appeals Judge Diane Wood, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Solicitor General Elena Kagan (Zeleny, "The Caucus," New York Times, 5/26). According to the Washington Post, Obama has set a deadline of having Sotomayor confirmed before the Senate"s five-week recess that begins Aug. 7 (Shear et al., Washington Post, 5/26). Sotomayor, a graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, joined the federal district court in 1992 after being nominated by former President George H.W. Bush. Former President Clinton nominated her to the appeals court in 1997, and she was confirmed in 1998 (Baker/Zeleny, New York Times, 5/26). The Post reports that many analysts considered Sotomayor a likely pick to replace Souter, who announced his retirement earlier this month (Washington Post, 5/26). According to the Times, Sotomayor"s past statements that her ethnicity and gender are important factors in serving as a judge "could generate debate" during the nomination process. In a 2002 lecture, Sotomayor said, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn"t lived that life" (New York Times, 5/26). Both liberal and conservative advocates were quick to release statements on the selection after the announcement this morning. Doug Kendall, president of the liberal Constitution Accountability Center, said, "We already know that she is a brilliant lawyer who is committed to ruling based on the Constitution and the law, not on her own personal political views." Wendy Long, counsel to the conservative Judicial Confirmation Network, said in an e-mail to reporters that Sotomayor "is a liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important than the law as written. She thinks that judges should dictate policy, and that one"s sex, race and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the bench" (Washington Post, 5/26). According to Politico, of the nominees Obama was considering, Sotomayor was the one that Republicans indicated "they would complain most loudly about." However, the Democratic control of the Senate makes it unlikely that Republicans could block her confirmation, Politico reports (Allen/Martin, Politico, 5/26). Over the weekend, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that senators from both parties "reserve the right to not only oppose a nomination, but also prevent the vote on a nomination" (Wilson, The Hill, 5/25). Kyl also said that although the GOP likely does not have enough votes for a filibuster, he would attempt to delay the nomination if Obama chose someone outside what he considers the mainstream. He said, "We will distinguish between a liberal judge on one side and one who doesn"t decide cases on the merits but, rather, on the basis of his or her preconceived ideas" (Washington Times, 5/25). Obama Discusses Nomination in C-SPAN InterviewIn an interview on Friday with C-SPAN, Obama said he would like to choose a Supreme Court justice who has "a little bit of a common touch" and a "practical sense of how the world works," the Post reports. Obama added that he "continue[s] to believe" that "empathy" is an important quality in a justice, despite Republican criticism that his emphasis on the quality means that he seeks a judge with an "activist" agenda, the Post reports
During a C-SPAN interview on Saturday, President Obama said he remains "absolutely committed" to overhauling the U.S. health care system despite obstacles that might surface during reform efforts, the Los Angeles Times reports (Dorning, Los Angeles Times, 5/24). He said he would work to keep "this process moving, ... focusing on how we reduce costs, how do we make sure families have some confidence that they can get health care when they need it and they won"t go bankrupt because their child gets sick" (Adams Otis, New York Post, 5/24).Obama said that his health care plan would provide "basic coverage" to all U.S. residents and retain patient choice of physicians and coverage. In addition, he said his plan would "invest more in prevention and wellness programs," as well as increase the use of electronic health records (Rushing, The Hill, 5/23).Obama also said that refusing to address the rising costs of Medicaid and Medicare now means the U.S. will face a bigger financial crisis in the future. He said overhauling health care would reduce costs and free up additional funding over the long term. This would make it easier to pay down the $11 trillion national debt and manage other financial issues, Obama said (New York Post, 5/24).Because such rising costs have shifted the political climate, Obama said that he believes "the stars may be aligned" for reform and that he can succeed where former President Clinton failed. Obama said, "The biggest change politically ... is that businesses now recognize that if we don"t get a handle on this stuff that they are going to continue to be operating at a competitive disadvantage with other countries." He added, "And so they anxiously seek serious reform" (Los Angeles Times, 5/24).
About half of terminally ill patients do not have discussions with their physicians regarding end-of-life choices, according to a Harvard Medical School study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the Boston Globe reports.The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, examined files on 1,517 patients in California, Iowa and Alabama with metastasized lung cancer. According to the Globe, a majority of patients diagnosed with metastasized lung cancer do not survive two years. Researchers asked the patients whether a physician or other health care provider had recommended hospice care or discussed end-of-life care preferences with them. According to the study, about 49% of blacks and 43% of Hispanics had discussed end-of-life care preferences with a physician or health care provider within four to seven months of their diagnosis, compared with 53% of whites and 57% of Asians. Lead study author Haiden Huskamp, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, said, "Patients who had unrealistic expectations about how long they had to live were much less likely to talk about hospice with their doctor." Huskamp theorized that patients who said they did not discuss end-of-life options with providers might not have completely understood their prognosis or chose to believe in a better outcome. Huskamp also said physicians typically are not well-trained to handle some delicate conversations (Lazar, Boston Globe, 5/26).
Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) on Friday in a letter to President Obama said that the U.S. could lose its triple-A bond rating if Congress does not act quickly to overhaul U.S. entitlement programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, and reduce federal debt, the AP/Detroit News reports.Several lawmakers in Congress over the past two years have introduced bills to create a bipartisan task force to address the growing costs and potential insolvency of entitlement programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid. Wolf is a co-author of one such bill (HR 1557). A federal report issued earlier this month found that the trust fund Medicare uses to pay for beneficiaries" hospital care will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than previously predicted.According to the legislation, the task force would be responsible for developing a "grand bargain" package of recommendations to Congress on tax increases and benefits related to the entitlement programs. However, the task force has been opposed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), several top congressional committee leaders and White House aides who said that other priorities, such as a health care system overhaul, need to be addressed first.Wolf said, "The fact that the leadership has been opposed to it has been a problem," adding, "There"s an economic tsunami off the coast and it"s ready to wipe us out." David Walker, president of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, said that currently the potential for the task force is not good but that it should improve as the economy recovers and Congress can offer more attention to the plan (Raum, AP/Detroit News, 5/24). Opinion Pieces
The following summarizes news about BlueCross BlueShield Association plans increasing rates in Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Summaries of editorials and opinion pieces regarding health care reform appear below.
Research from the National Osteoporosis Society has revealed that almost half (49%)* of young people do not know that there are steps they can take to keep their bones healthy. This knowledge gap puts them at risk of osteoporosis and fractures in later life.
The United Kingdom government has selected the city of Sheffield to participate in a three-month pilot program aimed at increasing HIV detection rates by offering home-based test kits, the Sheffield Star reports. The initiative, which will target men who have sex with men, will allow people to obtain the test kits through Web sites or community outreach centers. To take the HIV test, individuals must take a mouth swab and send it to a laboratory for testing. The lab then confidentially notifies the individual of the test results with a call or text message, Steve Slack, director of Sheffield"s Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, said. The city aims to launch the program in June. According to the Star, Sheffield is the only city in the northern part of the country to be included in the pilot program.Nearly one-third of HIV-positive U.K. residents are unaware of their status and therefore not accessing early treatment, the Star reports. Slack said the pilot program will be "an unrivalled way to engage with hard-to-reach communities to encourage more people to come forward for testing." He added that the "great thing" about home-based testing is its "ease" and that it is "completely confidential." Christine Bowman, consultant physician at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said, "HIV testing is not something people should be afraid to come forward for." She added, "Thousands of people in the U.K. are tested each year, but we would like to test more" (Lahive, Sheffield Star, 5/21).
The mood-enhancing effects of exercise are well documented, but a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine"s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle suggests the benefits may last much longer than previously thought.
Zetiq, a subsidiary of Bio-Light Ltd. (TASE:BOLT), reports the successful completion of a clinical trial to validate feasibility of early identification of cervical cancer.
Researchers at Iowa State University have found that increased expression of a form of cytochrome P-450 (CYP4B1) is a key marker of inhibition of colitis in mice by caffeic acid, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant compound widely distributed in foods. The results, which appear in the June 2009 issue of Experimental Biology and Medicine, implicate CYP4B1, a form of cytochrome P450 previously found to be associated with resolution of allergic inflammation in another model. The normalization of CYP4B1 by caffeic acid treatment was associated with significant lessening of colitic damage, assessed by examining colon histopathology. In comparison with rutin, an anti-inflammatory flavonoid and hypoxoside extract, a botanical known as African potato previously shown to protect against colitis, all three compounds had anti-inflammatory effects, suppressing myeloperoxidase, IL-17 and iNOS and increasing IL-4, known factors associated with inflammation responses. But only caffeic acid protected against the dextran sulfate sodium induced colitis. Its novel mechanism related to CYP4B1 is being studied further. The research team, Zhong Ye, a graduate student in Toxicology, along with Microbiology graduate students Zhiping Liu and Abigail Henderson, Visiting Scientist Kwangwon Lee, Korea University, Dr. Michael Wannemuehler, Veterinary Microbiology, Dr. Jesse Hostetter, a veterinary pathologist, and Dr. Suzanne Hendrich, Toxicologist and Nutritionist, performed studies in 8 week old mice fed the various dietary components and then exposed to dextran sulfate sodium in a mildly irritating dose to induce colitis. Dr. Hendrich noted that "this study of caffeic acid will help us to advance studies of botanicals and plant foods with respect to their ability and mechanisms of inhibiting colitis, and perhaps colon cancer, because colitis increases risk for this disease".
Even microbes are governed by the principle of supply and demand - at least at the genetic level. Not all of their gene products, the blueprints for proteins, are required at all times. That means most of their genes only become active when they are needed, as is the case in higher organisms. In the simplest case, a transcription factor will activate the gene in question at the right time. Genes that are regulated in a somewhat more complex manner, on the other hand, are kept inactive by a repressor that is removed only when the gene is needed. Which of these two regulation mechanisms will develop is a question of demand, along the lines of a "use-it-or-lose-it" principle: if genes are frequently active, then, as a rule, they will be directly induced. Genes that encode more rarely used proteins, on the other hand, tend to be kept inactive by repressors. LMU physicist Ulrich Gerland and Professor Terence Hwa of the University of California have now demonstrated using computer simulations and theoretical analyses that another - indeed opposing - principle also comes into play: "wear-and-tear". According to this principle, direct activation can lead to harmful changes. "Which of the two principles prevails depends on evolutionary criteria such as the population size and the periods over which environmental changes take place," says Gerland. "Our study may serve as a useful basis for more detailed studies of the evolution of regulatory systems." (PNAS Early Edition, 22 Mai 2009)
Immigration officials held a cancer patient for four hours before they allowed him to enter the USA because one of his cancer drugs caused his fingerprints to disappear. His oncologist is now advising all cancer patients who are being treated with the commonly used drug, capecitabine, to carry a doctor"s letter with them if they want to travel to the USA.
Research from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has found that a less toxic, solvent-free chemotherapy drug more effectively prevents the progression of metastatic breast cancer and has fewer side effects than a commonly used solvent-based drug.
"Most of the push-back" from antiabortion-rights advocates to a recent e-mail message from author Judy Blume on behalf of Planned Parenthood -- which asked mailing list subscribers for donations -- was generated by an article in the antiabortion-rights publication LifeNews, columnist Meghan Daum writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece. The article put a "heavy, misrepresentative spin" on Blume"s message, which urged donors to "do all [they] can to support" the increasing number of women turning to Planned Parenthood centers for health care during the economic downturn.The LifeNews article said, "Blume notes how more women are seeking abortions from Planned Parenthood because of the difficult economy, and she urges readers of the e-mail to use that as a reason to support the abortion business." According to Daum, "this is just the kind of thing that makes abortion-rights advocates apoplectic," noting that abortion-rights advocates "fired-back" in the "blogosphere ... imparting the statistic about abortion making up only 3% of Planned Parenthood"s services and pointing out that many of the women being yelled at by picketers in clinic parking lots aren"t even pregnant but, rather, trying to avoid getting pregnant." Daum continues that the organization, much like Blume, "occupies a clear position on the post-Roe cultural map," adding, "Generally speaking, if you"re on board with abortion rights, you"re on board with Planned Parenthood." In addition, if you are against abortion rights, the "organization is the headquarters of Godlessness," she adds. Daum writes that it is not difficult to see why Planned Parenthood enlisted Blume -- an "icon of 1970s-era feminism and its efforts on behalf of sex education and women"s health" -- because she conjures "nostalgia for the early days of the fight that makes pro-choicers want to keep fighting today."Daum writes that as she watched this "saga unfold in [her] inbox," she was "struck by a troubling question. Even though Blume may not be associated with abortion in and of itself … is there something about her persona that signals a lack of dispassion about its ramifications? Is she reminding people of a time when, in the relief of Roe being decided, there was a cultural perception that abortion was a simple procedure that needn"t come with attendant emotional baggage?"Daum adds that there is "no denying that the language and overall tone around abortion has changed. Despite what many pro-life groups seem to think, most abortion-rights advocates prefer "safe, legal and rare" to "no big deal."" According to Daum, President Obama, "pro-choice though he is, is hardly strident -- and even a little evasive -- on the issue." She adds that Obama favors language about reducing the need for abortions and "finding common ground with the other side." Daum notes that the pop cultural arena "has become downright allergic to the issue" of abortion, with a recent movie coining the term "shmashmortion" because the characters "can"t even get the word out." Daum adds that although Blume "was undoubtedly effective" at bringing in funding for Planned Parenthood, perhaps what might have been "even more radical is if the pro-choice community could find a way of talking about reproductive freedom that neither reverts to the perceived casualness of the 1970s nor panders to the "shmashmortion" dialect of today. "Safe, legal and rare" comes close. But "safe, legal, rare and a big deal" might be even better" (Daum, Los Angeles Times, 5/14).
Statins, a commonly prescribed class of drugs used by millions worldwide to effectively lower blood cholesterol levels, may actually have a negative impact in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients treated with high daily dosages.
Arlington Medical Res (AMR) and Decision Res find that surveyed physicians will increase prescribing of Wyeth"s Tygacil, Merck"s Invanz and Johnson & Johnson"s Doribax in the next five years for the treatment of intra-abdominal infections because of their potent broad-spectrum activity and efficacy against gram-negative and anaerobic organisms.
Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) announced the results of a national Harris Interactive, Inc. survey indicating that the vast majority of oncologists and infectious disease (ID) specialists are highly concerned about the negative impact infection may have on treatment outcomes in chemotherapy patients, as well as emerging antibiotic resistance. Nearly all oncologists surveyed (92 percent) believe it is important for cancer patients to prevent infections to achieve successful treatment outcomes. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern among the majority of physicians surveyed, with 96 percent of ID specialists and 79 percent of oncologists reporting an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections in cancer patients over the past five years. Both groups of physicians report methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections as the most commonly observed in chemotherapy patients.
A multicenter research team has announced encouraging results for an experimental therapy using elements of the body"s immune system to improve cure rates for children with neuroblastoma, a challenging cancer of the nervous system.
Researchers have discovered a novel molecular path that predisposes patients to develop primary biliary cirrhosis, a disease that mainly affects women and slowly destroys their livers. Primary biliary cirrhosis has no known cause.
- 0 confirmed cases in Wales.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, announced results of a study showing that coadministration of the ADHD medication VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII with the proton pump inhibitor (PPI) Prilosec OTC® 40 mg (20 mg X 2), did not alter the median time it took for maximum plasma concentration of d-amphetamine to be reached in the subjects evaluated. In the same study, coadministration of Prilosec OTC with ADDERALL XR resulted in a nearly 45 percent reduction in the median time to reach maximum plasma concentrations of amphetamine, the active medication. Other pharmacokinetic parameters (maximum plasma concentration and area under curve) of active medication were not altered for either VYVANSE or ADDERALL XR when coadministered with Prilosec OTC. This study, which is the first to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of VYVANSE and ADDERALL XR taken alone and with Prilosec OTC 40 mg, was recently presented at the International Congress on Clinical Pharmacy, co-sponsored by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), in Orlando, FL.
The National Marrow Donor Program, a not-for-profit group that manages a national registry for potential bone marrow donors, is using social networking sites to attract donors from minority communities, the Wall Street Journal reports. The process of finding a genetic match for a bone marrow transplant is often more difficult for minorities or people who identify themselves as multiracial because patients and donors must be genetically compatible. According to the Journal, a white patient has an 88% chance of finding a match, while the odds of most minorities finding a match can be as low as 60%. The odds of some minorities actually receiving a transplant can be as low as 20% because of other factors such as access to care in their communities, the Journal reports. About seven million U.S. residents already have signed up for the national registry -- recently renamed Be the Match -- and the program also has increased outreach to younger potential donors through social networking Web sites, such as Facebook and MySpace (Landro, Wall Street Journal, 5/27).
Sedentary behavior is becoming an important component of the exercise and health equation. There is new evidence that prolonged, unbroken sitting time is related to people"s risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, according to a lecture presented today at the 56th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in Seattle. Examples of sedentary behaviors include watching television, playing video games, using the computer, reading, and doing homework.
A Dream Team of leading cancer researchers will accelerate development of drugs to attack a mutated molecular pathway that fuels endometrial, breast and ovarian cancers, funded by a three-year $15 million grant awarded today by Stand Up To Cancer.
In the second call for proposals, projects focus on either the development of new technologies or on the interface between biomedical research and genomics. The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) approved six RTD-projects today. They will engage a total of 47 research groups from both Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH Zurich und EPF Lausanne), as well as from the Universities of Basel, Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich. The Friedrich-Miescher Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation is also represented as the only privately financed institution. Eight groups belong simultaneously to one of the above-mentioned universities and to the Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics.
People with type 1 diabetes who have already been successful in achieving recommended blood sugar goals can further benefit from using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, according to results of a major multi-center clinical trial by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Findings of the study were published online by the journal Diabetes Care, available here.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has designated the University of South Alabama
Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infected caused by HSV (herpes simplex virus). This virus affects the genitals, the cervix, as well as the skin in other parts of the body. There are two types of herpes simplex viruses: a) HSVp1, or Herpes Type 1, and b) HSV-2, or Herpes Type 2.
The most reliable method of diagnosing gout is to aspirate the joint in order to obtain fluid to verify the presence of monosodium urate crystals (uric acid). Up to now, computed tomography (CT) has played a limited role in the evaluation of gout, since conventional CT systems cannot reliably verify deposits of uric acid. However, a current study at the Vancouver General Hospital in Canada gives rise to speculation that dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) could radically change the diagnosis of this disease. DECT enables fast, noninvasive examinations and, based on initial evaluations, has the potential to surpass the invasive gold standard and clinical examination in terms of reliability. Investigations have confirmed the high sensitivity of the DECT method in detecting uric acid deposits. The Canadian scientists used the SOMATOM Definition computed tomography (CT scanner) from Siemens for their investigation. This system is the only CT scanner worldwide that features two X-ray tubes capable of simultaneously producing different energies.
A procedure that uses heat generated by radio waves to treat Barrett"s esophagus, a condition caused by acid reflux (severe heartburn), can eliminate signs of the potentially cancer-causing disorder and reduce the risk that the disease will progress.
A recent study finds that the antidepressant effects of drugs like Prozac involve both neurogenesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms, a finding that may lead to development of better treatments for depression and anxiety. The research, published by Cell Press in the May 28th issue of the journal Neuron, utilizes a new experimental mouse model of depression/anxiety that is the first to permit simultaneous examination of multiple effects of antidepressant treatment in the same animal.
As the credit crunch keeps on crunching and finances are squeezed ever tighter it is tempting to put off that visit to the optometrist and to carry on with your old specs for another few months. If your vision is good then it is even less likely that you will make an appointment for a sight test - after all you can "see" that nothing is wrong!