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• Health Care For Millions Of Californians Still At Risk

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00pm EDT

  A state court in Los Angeles failed to stop deep cuts in reimbursement rates to health care providers in the state Medi-Cal/Denti-Cal program which took effect on July 1.

• Thermo Fisher Scientific Improves Workflow In HLA Laboratories With 10-Second Analysis Of DNA Microsamples Using Nanodrop 1000

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00pm EDT

  Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, will exhibit a new spectrophotometer that offers unique benefits for human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing laboratories dealing with donor tissue matching. The Thermo Scientific NanoDrop™ 1000 represents the growing trend of successful genome research tools finding their way to the clinical research setting.

• Does Being Single Increase Risk Of Dementia? Alzheimer's Society

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 5:00pm EDT

  Alzheimer's Society comment: Living with a partner in midlife can reduce your risk of dementia, according to new research presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. 'Some evidence suggests remaining socially active may reduce your risk of dementia and living with someone is certainly a good way of increasing social interaction.

• WHO At The XVIIth International AIDS Conference, Mexico City, 3-8 August 2008

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

  WHAT Several top officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) attending the XVIIth International AIDS Conference in Mexico City will participate in a series of media briefings. WHO is the directing and coordinating authority on international health and takes the lead within the UN system on the global health-sector response to the AIDS epidemic.

• Schizophrenia Linked To Missing Or Duplicated Genetic Material

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  Two international teams of scientists working on independent studies have discovered that rare deletions and duplications in genetic material appear to occur in greater numbers in people who have schizophrenia. The studies are published in the July 30th online issue of the journal Nature.

• Organizations, ILO Launch Campaign That Aims To Raise HIV Awareness Among Migrant Workers In China

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  Chinese groups and the International Labour Organization on Monday launched a three-year campaign that aims to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention among the country's migrant worker population in the provinces of Anhui, Guangdong and Yunnan, as well as the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China Daily reports (Guan, China Daily, 7/29).

• Rep. Shea-Porter Introduces Legislation That Would Ensure In-State Health Services For Veterans

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-N.H.) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would require states to have access to at least one full-service veterans' medical center or receive comparable care from non-military health care providers, the AP/Boston Globe reports.

• Washington, D.C., Immigrant Health Clinic Makes Changes To Qualify For Federal Grants

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  The Washington Post on Tuesday examined the Washington, D.C.-based La Clinica del Pueblo, which has a mission to provide low-cost and culturally appropriate health care to the Hispanic community. The clinic offers mental health counseling, HIV/AIDS testing and outreach, family planning services, classes and other services.

• New HIV Infections, Deaths From AIDS-Related Causes Down; Epidemic Not Over, UNAIDS Report Says

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  The number of deaths worldwide from AIDS-related causes decreased by 10% in 2007 to two million, compared with 2.2 million in 2006, according to UNAIDS' 2008 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, which was released Tuesday ahead of the XVII International AIDS Conference, the Los Angeles Times reports (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 7/30).There were about 2.

• Legislation Would Require Greater Transparency In Physician Self-Referrals For Imaging Procedures

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recently introduced legislation (S 3343) that would require physicians to disclose their financial ties to imaging services ordered under Medicare when making self-referrals, CQ HealthBeat reports.

• U.S. Infant Mortality Rate Decline Stalls, Racial Disparities Remain, CDC Data Indicate

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  The nearly 10-year decline in U.S. infant mortality rates has stalled and disparities between black and white infant mortality persist, according to CDC data, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to the data, black infants are 2.4 times more likely to die before age one than white infants.In 2005, 13.

• Editorial, Opinion Piece Discuss Health Care Issues In Presidential Election

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  Summaries of a recent editorial and opinion piece that addressed health care issues in the presidential election appear below.San Francisco Chronicle: The estimated $482 billion federal budget deficit for fiscal year 2009 is a "numbing number" because neither presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) nor presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen.

• Grassley, Dingell Call For Overhaul Of FDA, Say Agency Should Be Able To Levy Fines, Order Recalls, Limit Drug Industry Advertising

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) have led an effort to restructure FDA by "giving it broad powers to levy fines, order drug recalls and restrict drug industry advertising," and a "series of crises during the past year ... have given ammunition to the lawmakers, both longtime critics" of the agency, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• Study Examines High-Deductible Health Plans, Use Of Medical Services; Web Exclusive Looks At Distribution Of Public Health Care Spending

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  "Does Enrollment in a CDHP Stimulate Cost-Effective Utilization?" Medical Care Research and Review: The study -- by Judith H. Hibbard, Jessica Greene and Martin Tusler of the University of Oregon -- finds that people who enroll in consumer-driven health plans generally reduce their use of medical services.

• Letters Respond To New York Times Opinion Piece On Catholic Church's Contraception Ban

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  The New York Times on Wednesday published several letters in response to a July 27 Times opinion piece written by National Catholic Reporter correspondent John Allen about the 40th anniversary of the late Pope Paul VI's encyclical "Humanae Vitae," which states the church's opposition to contraception (Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/28). Summaries appear below.

• Tanzania Aims To Triple Number Of People With Antiretroviral Access By 2010, Health Minister Says

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  Tanzania plans to triple the number of HIV-positive people with access to antiretroviral drugs in the country to 440,000 by 2010, Health Minister David Mwakyusa said on Monday, Reuters South Africa reports.

• Kansas' Preferred Health Systems To Stop Paying Hospitals For 'Never Events'

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  Preferred Health Systems, Kansas' largest health insurer, announced last week that it will stop reimbursing hospitals for costs related to avoidable medical complications, the Wichita Eagle reports. Beginning Oct.

• Detroit News Examines Debate Over Certified Professional Midwives' Qualifications

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  The Detroit News on Tuesday examined the debate between the medical community and home birth advocates over where women should give birth and who is best qualified to perform deliveries. According to CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, about 1% of births annually are performed outside of hospitals.

• NPR's 'Tell Me More' Examines U.S. Hispanics, HIV/AIDS

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  NPR's "Tell Me More" on Monday featured a discussion about Hispanics and HIV/AIDS (Corley [1], "Tell Me More," NPR, 7/28). Hispanics account for about 14% of the U.S. population but represented 22% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2006, according to data reported last week by the Washington Post (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 7/23).

• Cigna, Express Scripts Agree To Pay $27M To Settle New York State Drug Switching Case

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Cigna and Express Scripts have agreed to a $27 million settlement in a 2004 lawsuit by New York State accusing Express Scripts of persuading physicians to switch prescriptions to drugs for which larger rebates could be obtained from manufacturers without informing patients of the change, the Hartford Courant reports.

• Judge Rules Kansas Abortion Statute Constitutional, Denies Request To Dismiss Case Against Tiller

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Sedgwick County, Kan., District Judge Clark Owens on Monday ruled that a state law requiring an independent, consulting physician to approve some abortions after 21 weeks' gestation does not violate the U.S. Constitution or the Kansas Constitution, the AP/Wichita Eagle reports. Subsequently, Owens also denied a motion to dismiss a criminal case against abortion provider George Tiller.

• CMS Extends Massachusetts Medicaid Waiver For State Health Insurance Law

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  CMS on Monday announced that it has granted Massachusetts a third extension on a Medicaid waiver that would allow the state to divert $385 million in federal funds for the program towards funding for the state's new health care law, the AP/Boston Globe reports. The current waiver would have expired on June 30, but the renewal extends it an additional two weeks to Aug. 11.

• Full Appeals Court To Review Decision Declaring Virginia Abortion Ban Unconstitutional

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  The full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday said it will review the constitutionality of a Virginia law prohibiting so-called "partial-birth" abortion, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell (R) asked the full court to rehear the case after a three-judge panel had declared the law unconstitutional (Green, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 7/29).

• Vote Now For The 2008 Beacons Of Hope Awards, Lymphoma Association, UK

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  The Lymphoma Association, the only specialist UK charity that provides medical information and support to lymphatic cancer patients, their families and friends, is calling for nominations for their annual Beacons of Hope Awards.

• Owners Unaware That Dog May Be Suffering From Serious Heart Disease

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Recently released global research shows that over 50% of dog owners are unaware that their dog may be at risk of heart failure.

• DIA/AAPS Co-Sponsored Conference To Examine The Immunogenicity Of Therapeutic Proteins

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  The Drug Information Association (DIA) and the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) will co-sponsor Immunogenicity of Therapeutic Proteins (September 10 -12; Bethesda, MD).

• AARP: Medicare Anniversary Highlights Need For National Health Care Reform Next Year

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  AARP issued a statement commemorating the 43rd anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid. The statement, from AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond, follows: "The passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 was an important event in America's history.

• Mothers From Affluent Neighbourhoods Living Within 200 Metres Of Highways Increase Odds Of Delivering Low Weight Babies By 81 Percent

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Living near city expressways is associated with adverse birth effects on expectant mothers and their newborns, according to a novel study with global implications.

• ActionAid To Release Book About HIV Prevention, Youth At AIDS Conference

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  ActionAid next week during the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City plans to release a book that examines how political concerns are hindering efforts to provide young people worldwide with HIV prevention education, VOA News reports (De Capua, VOA News, 7/28).

• Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Recent Medicare News

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Summaries of two recent developments related to efforts by congressional Republicans on Medicare issues appear below.Medicare fraud: Senate Republicans on Monday held a forum to highlight their efforts to reduce Medicare fraud, CQ HealthBeat reports. In June, Sens. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.

• Potential HHS Rule Would Override Minn. Law Requiring Hospitals To Provide EC, Advocates Say

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  On Tuesday, Minnesota legislators and women's health advocates warned that a proposed regulation being developed by the Bush administration -- a regulation that allegedly seeks to allow medical providers to refuse patients access to commonly used contraceptive methods -- would reduce access to birth

• Health, Legal Concerns Over Fake Sick Notes, Says Australian Medical Association

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  A website offering fake sick notes for a fee could endanger people's health and encourage fraud, AMA President Dr Rosanna Capolingua warned. The AMA understands that an overseas company has set up an Australian section on their website that charges $40 for fake sick leave certificates containing a local GP's name and practice.

• Changes To Mandatory Detention Overdue, Says Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed some changes outlined in the Australian Government's new risk-based immigration detention policy. "The most important reform announced by The Hon Senator Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, is the exclusion of children from detention.

• Increased Risk Of Heart Attack In Older Adults Due To Protein Made By Fat Cells

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Adiponectin, a protein produced by fat cells, may play a pivotal and counterintuitive role in cardiovascular health for older Americans according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). As people lose weight, the concentration level of adiponectin in the bloodstream increases.

• GenVec Receives Continued Funding From The U.S. Department Of Homeland Security For Foot-And-Mouth Vaccine Program

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq:GNVC) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has executed the second option period under a three-year agreement with GenVec to support the development of vaccines for the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). GenVec will receive up to $6.6 million to complete development activities under the option period.

• Inspire Provides Update On Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Program - Optimization Of TIGER-2 Trial Design

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISPH) announced modifications to the clinical protocol for TIGER-2, the Company's ongoing second Phase 3 trial with denufosol tetrasodium for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF). "The availability of the extensive data set from the positive TIGER-1 trial provides an excellent opportunity to optimize the TIGER-2 trial design," stated Christy L.

• National Federation Of The Blind To Testify Before House Subcommittee Regarding Paper Currency Identifiable To The Blind

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind, the nation's oldest and largest organization of blind people, will testify before the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology of the House Committee on Financial Services, regarding the issue of paper currency identifiable by the blind. On May 20, 2008, the U.S.

• Physicians Report MRSA Superbug Cases On The Rise, According To Study By GfK Market Measures

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), or the so-called "superbug," is on the rise in hospitals and routinely encountered in the emergency room.

• New Data On Nymox BPH Drug To Be Presented At American Urological Association Meeting In Monterey October 26-30

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: NYMX) today announced that new clinical trial data concerning the safety and efficacy of the Company's NX-1207 for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Western Section of the American Urological Association Meeting being held in Monterey, CA from October 26 to 30, 2008.

• FDA Approves Expanded 510k Classification For Titan Spine's Endoskeleton(R) TA Anterior Interbody Fusion Device

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded Titan Spine's ENDOSKELTON® TA Vertebral Body Replacement Device (VBR) 510k to include an Interbody Fusion Device indication.

• Metabasis' Results From Its Phase 2a Clinical Trial For MB07803 For Diabetes Type 2 To Be Presented At World Congress

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Metabasis Therapeutics (Nasdaq: MBRX) announced that an oral presentation summarizing the results from the Company's Phase 2a clinical trial for MB07803 will be given at the World Congress on Controversies to Consensus in Diabetes, Obesity and Hypertension (CODHy), to be held in Barcelona, Spain, October 30 to November 2, 2008.

• Ongoing Phase II Study Explores Potential For Detection Of Amyloid Plaque Prior To Onset Of Alzheimer's Disease

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Avid Radiopharmaceuticals presented clinical results on the development of a novel 18F-labeled PET amyloid imaging agent, 18F-AV-45, that may eventually provide a practical approach for routine brain imaging of people at risk for the development of Alzheimer's disease.

• Minimizing Traumatic Response To Bad Memories

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  UC Irvine researchers have identified the brain mechanism that switches off traumatic feelings associated with bad memories, a finding that could lead to the development of drugs to treat panic disorders.

• Encouraging Results From Phase 2 Clinical Trial Of Bapineuzumab At International Conference On Alzheimer's Disease

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) and Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) are presenting detailed results from the companies' 18-month Phase 2 study of bapineuzumab (AAB-001) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Association's International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.

• Mexican President Calderon Commits To Making Lower AIDS Drug Pricing A Priority For National Government

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  A diverse group of representatives from over 50 Mexican non-governmental agencies committed to improving the affordability of, and access to AIDS drugs in Mexico met with Mexican President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City earlier today to discuss the steep price and limited availability of lifesaving AIDS drug treatments in Mexico.

• Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. Submits New Drug Application To FDA For Rivaroxaban

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD) announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for rivaroxaban, an investigational, oral, once-daily anticoagulant for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery.

• Cochrane Review Evaluates Herbal Medicine From Schwabe Pharmaceuticals For Acute Respiratory Tract Infections

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  A recent report by the internationally renowned, independent Cochrane Collaboration adds further weight to the growing international popularity of standardized Pelargonium sidoides extract EPs® 7630 (Umckaloabo®) in the treatment of acute respiratory tract infections such as acute bronchitis and the common cold.

• Endoscope May Be Replaced By String Probe To Detect Devastating Childhood Digestive Disease

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  A swallowed string may someday replace the invasive, uncomfortable endoscope now used to diagnose a devastating childhood disease of the esophagus. Steven J. Ackerman of University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and Dr. Glenn T.

• Growth Of Drug-Device Combination Products Impacting The Way Drugs Are Developed

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  As the point-of-care for drug therapy shifts from the clinic to the home, drug developers are learning the importance of design integration, ergonomics, and concurrent engineering. Welcome to the age of combination products, an age where the drug is one part of a therapeutic product designed to meet the needs of a specific therapy or patient group.

• Results Of 9-Month Phase II Study Of GAMMAGARD Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV) In Patients With Alzheimer's Disease Announced

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center announced the nine-month interim results of an ongoing Phase II clinical trial of GAMMAGARD Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV) for Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Chicago.

• Pathologic T2 Stage Subgroups And Recurrence-Free Survival After Radical Prostatectomy

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  UroToday.com - In the online version of Urology, Dr. James McKiernan and a group of investigators at Columbia University reported that while clinical subgroups of stage cT2 prostate cancer (CaP) have prognostic significance, pathologic subgroups of stage pT2 do not.

• Memory Replay During Sleep Linked To Age - Or Is It?

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  US scientists studying sleep processes in rats found that aging tended to impair the brain's ability to "replay" memories during sleep, a consolidation process that is important for converting recent memories into long term ones. However, impaired memory replay was not found in all the older rats tested in the study.

• Mothers From Affluent Neighborhoods Near Highways Increase Odds Of Low Weight Babies By 81 Percent

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Living near city expressways is associated with adverse birth effects on expectant mothers and their newborns, according to a novel study with global implications.

• Alzheimer's - Positive New Data On Dimebon's Long-Term Efficacy And Novel Mechanism Of Action

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN) announced new data showing that its investigational drug Dimebon continues to produce broad, clinically meaningful benefits in Alzheimer's disease patients after long-term dosing, and appears to operate through a novel mechanism of action.

• Study Identifies Changes To DNA In Major Depression And Suicide

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Autopsies usually point to a cause of death but now a study of brain tissue collected during these procedures, may explain an underlying cause of major depression and suicide. The international research group, led by Dr. Michael O. Poulter of Robarts Research Institute at The University of Western Ontario and Dr.

• Journal Of The National Cancer Institute July 29

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Same Dose of Anthracycline Is Not Safe for Everyone Not all patients can tolerate the currently recommended cumulative dose of epirubicin. New models can help physicians calculate the epirubicin dose associated with a 5 percent risk of cardiotoxicity for individual patients. Oncologists frequently use anthracyclines, including epirubicin and doxorubicin, to treat breast cancer patients.

• American Public Health Association Commends House Passage Of Tobacco Legislation

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Statement from Georges C. Benjamin MD, FACP, FACEP (EP), Executive Director, American Public Health Association The American Public Health Association applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for today passing the Family Smoking and Tobacco Control Act with an overwhelming bipartisan majority.

• Long Acting Neuraminidase Inhibitor (LANI) Phase II Completed - Phase III Scheduled -Naturally Acquired Influenza A Or B

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Biota Holdings Limited (ASX:BTA)(PINK:BTAHY) announced that its second generation, influenza treatment, CS-8958, has successfully completed its initial Phase II clinical evaluation, showing favourable outcomes against all measured endpoints. The initial Phase III trial is scheduled to commence later this year.

• Breastfeeding Needs Support, Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  International evidence shows that breastfeeding is best for babies, boosting their resistance to infection and diseases, and their growth and development.

• Despite Hazards, 1/5 Of British Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer Are Smokers

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  One-fifth of British adult survivors of childhood cancers are current smokers, and nearly a third have been regular smokers at some point in their lives, according to a study in the July 29 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

• Smoking Predicts Increased Stroke Risk For Your Spouse

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Although Second Hand Smoke (SHS) is widely accepted as a risk factor for coronary heart disease, there have been few studies investigating the association of SHS and stroke risk. In a new study, published in the September 2008 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers report on evidence of increased risk of stroke for spouses of smokers.

• Salmonella Saintpaul Found On Mexican Farm Says FDA

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials said on Wednesday that a sample of serrano pepper and a sample of irrigation water taken from a farm in Mexico contained Salmonella saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint as the strain in the outbreak that started over 3 months ago and has sickened more than 1,300 people throughout the United States and parts of Canada.

• Gene May Put Women With Migraine At Increased Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Women who experience migraine with aura appear to be at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke if they have a certain gene, according to a study published in the July 30, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

• Performance Of Prostate Specific Antigen For Predicting Prostate Cancer Is Maintained After A Prior Negative Prostate Biopsy

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  UroToday.com - In the August 2008 issue of the Journal of Urology, Dr. Ian Thompson and colleagues explored the performance characteristics of PSA after a previous negative prostate biopsy. The population of men had all undergone prostate biopsy regardless of PSA or digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, thus minimizing the confounding effects of verification bias.

• Report: Heat-related Deaths In High School Football Players Dip, But All Are Preventable

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  You could say two is a small number. But that's still two too many for Frederick O. Mueller, Ph.D., professor of exercise and sports science in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The figure represents the number of reported cases of heat stroke deaths among high school level football players in 2007.

• Prostate Cancer Detection Rate In Patients With Repeated Extended 21-Sample Needle Biopsy

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  UroToday.com - In an article by a group of French investigators that appears in the online version of European Urology, they examine the issue of whether one negative extended prostate cancer (CaP) biopsy should reassure patients that they do not have CaP.

• Renal Involvement In Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux: Are Prenatal Detection And Surgical Approaches Preventive?

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  UroToday.com - A study out of Italy investigated the effects of prenatal detection and different treatment methods on the outcome of unilateral vesicoureteral reflux. There was a retrospective study that enrolled 119 children with a mean age of 2.8 years with primary vesicoureteral reflux. Kidney growth and renal function were measured with ultrasound and DMSA scan, respectively.

• Nephrologists Debate Uses Of Estimated Kidney Function

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  A routinely available laboratory result called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) provides a simple indicator of kidney function and may increase early diagnoses of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, widespread use of eGFR for this purpose may have inherent flaws and dangers including a risk that large numbers of elderly patients will be misclassified as having CKD.

• Note To People With Scarred And Stiffened Lungs: Monitor Your Sleep Before Severe Fatigue Sets In

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Mother's legacy shows impact of severe fatigue, $2 million in research funding to help study disease Family, friends and neighbors remember Lisa Sandler Spaeth as an active mother of two in Potomac, Md., with a lot on the go, juggling her son's baseball games and her daughter's horseback-riding lessons with numerous committee obligations, organizing women's activities at her local synagogue.

• Economic Evaluation Of Priority Setting In Israel

  Posted: July 31st, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Public Committee which decides the inclusion and ranking of new technologies in the Israeli List of Health Services which will face a given budget does not explicitly consider the results of economic evaluations of the technologies discussed. The paper, to be published in Value in Health, includes an economic examination of the Public Committee's 2006/7 decisions.

• New Satisfaction Instrument Highlights Benefits Of Oral Therapy Over Infused ICT

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00pm EDT

  Results from a study in the US and UK indicate that infused Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT) negatively impacts patient satisfaction which is a determinant of adherence to ICT regimens; findings point to a need to use more convenient and less burdensome oral therapy to increase adherence, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

• Compliance To Proton Pump Inhibitors Reduces Costs

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00pm EDT

  A new study reveals that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) who receive proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs require fewer health care services and incur lower costs if they conform to the recommended usage frequency.

• New Modeling Interface For Monte Carlo-Sensitivity Analyses, USA

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 5:00pm EDT

  In the decision-analytic community, Markov modeling incorporating discrete events has become increasingly popular but it remains difficult to perform these types of analyses using standard modeling packages.

• Brain Plays Key Role In Appetite By Regulating Free Radicals

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

  Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found the brain's appetite center uses fat for fuel by involving oxygen free radicals-molecules associated with aging and neurodegeneration. The findings, reported in the journal Nature, suggest that antioxidants could play a role in weight control.

• Editorial Calls For Congress, Tribal Leaders, Indian Health Service To Improve System For American Indians

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  "It's past time to rebuild" the health system for American Indians "into something that works better," a Farmington Daily Times editorial states.

• Wall Street Journal Editorial Criticizes Cost Of Massachusetts Health Insurance Law

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  "Gearing up for 2009, liberals are eager to claim Massachusetts as a Valhalla of health reform," and their "enthusiasm is apparently evidence-proof," a Wall Street Journal editorial states. Gov.

• House Staffers Discuss Revisions To Draft Legislation That Aims To Improve Drug Safety

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  Aides to Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee met on Monday to discuss revisions to draft legislation that aims to improve the safety of prescription drugs and medical devices, CongressDaily reports.

• New Fast Food Outlets Banned In South LA

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  On Tuesday, Los Angeles City Council unanimously agreed to ban the opening of new fast food outlets in South LA for one year, in the hope this will give time for healthier restaurants to gain more of a foothold in a part of the city that one recent survey said had 30 per cent childhood obesity.

• NPR's "Tell Me More" Examines Hispanics And HIV/AIDS

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  NPR's "Tell Me More" on Monday featured a discussion about Hispanics and HIV/AIDS (Corley [1], "Tell Me More," NPR, 7/28). Hispanics account for about 14% of the U.S. population but represented 22% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in 2006, according to data reported last week by the Washington Post (Kaiser Health Disparities Report, 7/23).

• Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

• Legislation Would Increase Minimum Lifetime Benefit Caps On Group Health Plans

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) recently introduced a bill (HR 6528) that would increase the lifetime insurance caps for people enrolled in group health plans, CQ HealthBeat reports. The legislation -- co-sponsored by Reps. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) and Jason Altmire (D-Pa.

• Report Examines Donor Funding For Health Issues In Low-, Middle-Income Countries

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  "Donor Funding for Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, 2001-2006," Kaiser Family Foundation: The report examines trends in official development assistance for health issues provided by donor governments, such as the U.S. and European countries, and the European Commission and multilateral institutions. According to the report, health funding increased from $7.2 billion in 2001 to $20.

• Rural Maryland Likely To Face Severe Physician Shortage By 2015, Report Finds

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  Rural areas in Maryland likely will experience severe shortages of physicians by 2015 as physicians begin to retire and younger physicians decide to practice elsewhere, according to a report by the Maryland Hospital Association and MedChi, the state's medical society, the AP/Baltimore Sun reports.

• Bush Administration Predicts Record $482B Deficit In FY 2009; Projection Could Affect Next President's Spending Plan, Including On Health Care

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  The "bleak outlook for the budget will crimp the ability of the next president to carry out ambitious" proposals for health care and other issues and will add to the "fiscal pressures that were already building because of the growth of Medicare and Social Security," the New York Times reports (Pear/Herszenhorn, New York Times, 7/29).

• Editorial, Letter To Editor Respond To HIV/AIDS Vaccine Research

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  Two newspapers recently published an editorial and a letter to the editor in response to the cancellation of an NIH vaccine trial. Summaries appear below.

• Louisiana Officials, HHS Secretary Leavitt Discuss Medicaid Changes, Other Issues

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt last week met with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) and other policymakers to discuss changes to the state's Medicaid program, among other issues, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. The meeting comes 18 months after the state rejected a Leavitt-backed plan to restructure safety net funding, according to the Times-Picayune.

• Chinese Province Passes One-Child Exemption For Parents Whose Children Were Killed, Disabled In Earthquake

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  The provincial People's Congress in Sichuan, China, on Friday passed exemptions to the country's one-child-per-family policy for families whose children were killed, severely injured or disabled in an earthquake on May 12, the AP/Google.com reports. Nearly 70,000 people died as a result of the 7.9-magnitude quake, including children from 18,000 families (AP/Google.com, 7/26).

• Six-Week Course Of Antiretroviral Nevirapine Did Not Clearly Reduce Risk Of HIV Among Breastfed Infants, Study Finds

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  A six-week extended course of the antiretroviral drug nevirapine did not clearly show a reduced risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission among breastfed infants, according to a study published Saturday in the journal Lancet, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, breastfeeding "presents a life-and-death dilemma" for HIV-positive mothers in developing countries.

• Insurers Using Radiology Benefit Managers To Cut Down On Unnecessary, Costly Imaging Procedures

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  Health insurers are increasingly denying coverage for medical imaging procedures recommended by physicians that are judged to be unnecessary, in an attempt to reduce health care spending by $30 billion annually, according to a report released on Monday by America's Health Insurance Plans, Bloomberg/Hartford Courant reports. Imaging procedures account for nearly $100 billion in U.S.

• USA Today Examines Success Rates For Cessation Smoking Among Pregnant Women

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  On Monday, USA Today examined the rate of smoking among pregnant women and the success rates of various programs to help such women quit. According to Tom Glynn of the American Cancer Society, about 45% of pregnant smokers are able to quit, compared with a rate of about 10% to 20% among all smokers who usually quit after going through a smoking cessation program.

• Asian Development Bank Manual Aims To Reduce Spread Of HIV In Workplace

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  The Asian Development Bank recently released a manual that aims to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS in infrastructure project workplaces by providing project developers with information and hands-on tools, the Thai News Service reports.

• Veterans' Groups File Notice To Overturn Dismissal Of PTSD Care Suit

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Two veterans groups on Monday filed a notice with the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to overturn the decision of a lower court judge that dismissed a class action suit seeking to force changes to the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care system, the Washington Times reports (Hudson, Washington Times, 7/29). U.S.

• Interest Of Extended-Cycle Oral Contraceptive Increasing Among Women, Survey Finds

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  More than two-thirds of women in the U.S. said they are interested in suppressing monthly bleeding using extended-cycle oral contraceptives, according to a survey recently presented at a conference of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, HealthDay/Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin reports.

• Keeping Kenyan Girls In School, Providing HIV/AIDS, Sex Education Could Reduce Future HIV Cases, Experts Say

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  Reducing the school dropout rate for girls in Kenya and providing adequate HIV/AIDS and sex education could reduce HIV incidence in the country, experts said recently, IRIN News reports.

• Dental Care Shortages, Reimbursements Need To Be Addressed In Health Policy Debate, Experts Say

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  Access to dental care must be considered when evaluating health policy, as more than 100 million U.S. residents lack dental insurance -- more than 2.5 times the number of people who do not have medical coverage, according to speakers at a briefing sponsored by the Alliance for Health Reform and the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, CQ HealthBeat reports.

• Abortion Not Prominent In Presidential Race So Far But Issue Favors Obama In Battleground Areas, Analysis Says

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  Although the issue of abortion rights has not "played a large role" so far in the 2008 presidential election campaign, it "isn't going away," and the candidates soon will have to field more questions on the issue, according to an analysis by the Christian Science Monitor's "Patchwork Nation.

• AAPM Cancer Research Highlights

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  HALF OF ALL AMERICANS will be diagnosed at some point in their lives with cancer, the number two killer in the United States. One of the professions at the frontlines in the battle against cancer are medical physicists -- scientists who use the power and innovation of physics to study and solve the most pressing medical problems.

• American Institute Of Physics, Houston Meeting Highlights: Physics And The Future Of Medicine

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Thousands of scientists and health professionals are meeting at the 50th meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the largest association of medical physicists in the world.

• The Buzz Of The Chase

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Scientists from Queen Mary, University of London are helping to perfect a technique used to catch serial killers, by testing it on bumblebees. Geographic profiling (GP) is a technique used by police forces around the world to help them prioritise lists of suspects in investigations of serial crimes.

• America Neglecting Own Black AIDS Epidemic

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  America is one of the nations leading the fight against HIV/AIDS across the world, but is failing to address the epidemic among its own Black citizens, says a new report published on 29th July by the Black AIDS Institute.

• Does The Discrete Choice Experiment Provide Consistent Results?

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  New health care technologies are increasingly evaluated in order to see whether they provide sufficient value (i.e. improved quality of life) for money. The outcomes can be used to decide on whether such a technology should be funded. However, such decisions can only be made correctly, if we measure costs and health effects in a valid and appropriate way.

• Is Income Already Captured In Quality Of Life?

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  There is an ongoing debate on the allocation of resources in health care: Who should be asked - patients or the general public? Patients perceive their own health state differently than the general public asked about the same condition - with potential consequences on the assessment of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

• Latin American, Caribbean Health, Education Ministers To Attend Meeting Ahead Of AIDS Conference In Mexico

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Ahead of the XVII International AIDS Conference, health and education ministers from 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries will attend a meeting in Mexico on Aug. 1 to develop a common strategy to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region, Mexican Undersecretary for Prevention and Health Promotion Mauricio Hernandez said recently, Prensa Latina reports.

• Complaints About Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Declined By About 74% Between 2006, October 2007, GAO Report Finds

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  The monthly rate of complaints from Medicare beneficiaries about the prescription drug benefit decreased by 74% during the 18-month period that ended on Oct. 31, 2007, according to a report recently released by the Government Accountability Office, the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. For the report, GAO examined almost 630,000 complaints filed with CMS during the review period.

• Dems Unable To End Sen. Coburn's Hold On 34 Bills, Including Postpartum Depression Measure

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Senate Democrats on Monday failed to advance legislation (S 3297) that combined 34 bills that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has blocked, CQ Today reports. The package included disease specific research measures, environmental protection legislation and measures aimed at bolstering foreign economies.

• Cerebral Malaria May Be A Major Cause Of Brain Injury In African Children

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that cerebral malaria is related to long-term cognitive impairment in one of four child survivors. The research is published in the current issue of the journal Pediatrics. Malaria is a leading cause of death for children in sub-Saharan Africa.

• Greater Risk Of Perennial Allergic Rhinitis Linked To Alcohol

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  There is a link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of perennial allergic rhinitis, according to a recent Danish study of 5,870 young adult women. The study, published in the July issue of Clinical and Experimental Allergy, found that the risk increased 3% for every additional alcoholic drink per week.

• QALYs - The Missing Link Between Patients And The General Public

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  There is an ongoing debate on the allocation of resources in health care: Who should be asked - patients or the general public? Patients perceive their own health state differently than the general public asked about the same condition - with potential consequences on the assessment of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

• Simple Medical Intervention Best For Reducing CHD Mortality

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  With more than 6,000 cardiac deaths and a health expenditure exceeding 11 billion euros per annum, it is imperative that spending on health provides good value for money. Modern cardiac interventions (medical and surgical) are considered relatively expensive especially in the context of a public-funded health care system.

• Should African Health Systems Try To Be Efficient Or Also Fair?

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  With limited budgets but increasing demands for health care, African countries need to make though decisions on their choice of interventions to fund.

• Pulmonary Fibrosis And Fatigue

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Family, friends and neighbors remember Lisa Sandler Spaeth as an active mother of two in Potomac, Md., with a lot on the go, juggling her son's baseball games and her daughter's horseback-riding lessons with numerous committee obligations, organizing women's activities at her local synagogue.

• Red Cross Opens Safe And Well Website For California Earthquake

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Residents in California affected by today's earthquake are urged to register themselves and their loved ones on the Safe and Well website, to let family and friends around the country know of their status. Safe and Well is an easy way to assist people seeking to locate those who've registered their status during this emergency.

• Red Cross Is Hounding The Public On Pet Safety During The Dog Days Of Summer

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The American Red Cross is launching a new campaign for canines that will help pet owners keep their furry friends safe during the hottest days of summer. The Dog Days of Summer campaign promotes Red Cross pet safety trainings and programs, which are especially important as we enter the peak summer months.

• Discovery Of Cell's 'Quality Control' Mechanism May Lead To New Treatments For Cystic Fibrosis, Other Inherited Diseases

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Researchers in Japan and Canada have discovered a key component of the quality control mechanism that operates inside human cells - sometimes too well. The breakthrough has significant implications for the development of new treatments for cystic fibrosis (CF) and some other hereditary diseases, the researchers say. Their results were published July 25 in the journal Science. Dr.

• Improving Problems In Sleep, Attention By Studying Bladder-Brain Link

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Bladder problems may leave a mark on the brain, by changing patterns of brain activity, possibly contributing to disrupted sleep and problems with attention. For one in six Americans who have overactive bladder, the involuntary bladder contractions that often trigger more frequent urges to urinate, such mind-body connections may be of more than academic interest.

• Improving Toxicity Detection

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Detecting deadly fumes in subways, toxic gases in chemical spills, and hidden explosives in baggage is becoming easier and more efficient with a measurement technique called surface-enhanced Raman scattering. To further improve the technique's sensitivity, scientists must design better scattering surfaces, and more effective ways of evaluating them.

• Scientists Race To Stay One Step Ahead Of The Drug-Taking And Genetic Manipulation That Threatens Sport

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The race to ensure that scientists stop drug-taking athletes from damaging sport by using performance enhancing drugs or undergoing genetic manipulation is a constant challenge, according to a major four-decade review by three of the World's leading experts on doping in sport.

• Most Generalists Reluctant To Provide Primary Care For Young Adults With Chronic Illness

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The majority of general internists and pediatricians in the United States are not comfortable serving as primary care providers for young adults with complex chronic illnesses that originate during childhood, according to findings from a new national survey.

• Identification Of Possible Sleep Gene

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  While scientists and physicians know what happens if you don't get six to eight hours of shut-eye a night, investigators have long been puzzled about what controls the actual need for sleep. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine might have an answer, at least in fruit flies. In a recent study of fruit flies, they identified a gene that controls sleep.

• Infant Deaths Increasing Due To Preterm Birth

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Babies born too soon and too small accounted for a growing proportion of infant deaths, according to new statistics released from the National Center for Health Statistics, (NCHS). Babies who died of preterm-related causes accounted for 36.5 percent of infant deaths in 2005, up from 34.

• NICE Backs Pradaxa(R) (Dabigatran Etexilate) - The First Oral Anticoagulant In Over Fifty Years

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Boehringer Ingelheim welcomed the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)'s Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) which gives a draft recommendation that Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate), within its marketing authorisation, is recommended as an option for the primary prevention

• Mucous Breakthrough In Mice Holds Promise For Cystic Fibrosis

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  A London, Canada scientist studying cystic fibrosis (CF) has successfully corrected the defect which causes the overproduction of intestinal mucous in mice. This discovery by Dr. Richard Rozmahel, a scientist with the Lawson Health Research Institute, affiliated with The University of Western Ontario, has clear implications to understanding and treating this facet of the disease in humans.

• Patients With Colon Cancer Who Have A Family History Of Colorectal Cancer Have Lower Risk Of Recurrence And Death

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Patients with stage III colon cancer who have a family history of colorectal cancer in a first-degree relative have a lower risk of recurrence and death than those without, according to a major study looking at the link between inherited colorectal cancer and survival.

• Amendment For ELACYT Clinical Program Following Evaluation Of All Clinical Data Available For ELACYT(TM), Both In Haematology And Solid Tumours

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  "We are now focusing our clinical trials with ELACYT primarily on haematological cancers reflecting our recently gained in-depth knowledge of certain important cellular uptake mechanisms, whilst we continue to evaluate the clinical activity of an intense dosing regimen in ovarian cancer ", says Geir Christian Melen, CEO of Clavis Pharma.

• NPA 'Service Era' Workshops At BPC 2008, UK

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The NPA is to hold workshops on different aspects of 'thriving in the service era', at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester. The workshops will run from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on Sunday 7 September and are open to all NPA members.

• Plasma-Sprayed CaTiSiO5 Ceramic Coating On Ti-6Al-4V With Excellent Bonding Strength, Stability And Cellular Bioactivity

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The aim of this study is to prepare sphene coating on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) for orthopaedic applications using the plasma spray method. The results indicated that sphene coating was obtained with a uniform and dense microstructure.

• Spatially Selective Sampling Of Single Cells Using Optically Trapped Fusogenic Emulsion Droplets: A New Single Cell Proteomic Tool

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  We present a platform for the spatially selective sampling of the plasma membrane of single cells. Optically trapped lipid-coated oil droplets (smart droplet microtools, SDMs), typically 0.

• What Is A Year Of Human Life Worth? Updating The Renal Dialysis Cost-Effectiveness Standard

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  A quality-adjusted year of human life is worth $129,090, according to a study to appear in Value in Health.

• Perspectives On Grief, Cruse Bereavement Care National Conference 2008

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  18th to 20th September 2008 Key speakers: Resilient children: Promoting continuing bonds and curious conversations, Julie Stokes, OBE, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Vice Chair of The Childhood Bereavement Network, founder of Winston's Wish and resident psychologist throughout Channel 4's T

• Heart Research UK Says 'Obesity Gene' Is An Excuse For Piling On The Pounds

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  National charity, Heart Research UK, has commented that the recent headline claiming an 'obesity gene' causes people to put on weight by keeping them hungry, is only a small factor into why people are overweight and shouldn't be used as an excuse for them to accept their size.

• ClinPhone Announces TrialWorks User Group Meeting To Be Held In Princeton, New Jersey

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  ClinPhone, the world's largest Clinical Technology Organization (CTO), announces its inaugural TrialWorks User Group Meeting to be held on 16 and 17 October 2008 in Princeton, New Jersey at The Nassau Inn.

• Risk Of Heart Attacks May Be Increased By Fat Around The Heart

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  When it comes to risk for a heart attack, having excess fat around the heart may be worse than having a high body mass index or a thick waist, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues reporting in the August issue of the journal Obesity.

• New Future For Kiwifruit- Fruit Scientists Uncover DNA Behind Colour, Flavour, Shape, Nutrition And Ripening

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Kiwifruit lovers can look forward to new, novel forms of their favourite fruit thanks to the release this week of crucial genetic data which fruit breeders say will help them naturally breed new varieties with increased health properties and exciting colours and flavours.

• Student Researchers Find Higher Rates Of Serious Illness Among Patients At L.A. County Clinics, USA

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Preliminary findings from a scientific study released reported significantly higher rates of serious illness among patients at three Los Angeles County Department of Health Services outpatient health clinics than the rate of those diseases in the general population.

• European Forum For Industrial Biotechnology, Brussels, Belgium, 15-17 September

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology 2008 (EFIB2008) will take place from 15 to 17 September in Brussels, Belgium.

• Improved Estrogen Reception May Sharpen Fuzzy Memory

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in women with certain medical conditions, but University of Florida researchers suggest that recharging a naturally occurring estrogen receptor in the brain may also clear cognitive cobwebs.

• New Alzheimer's Predictors Advance Earlier Detection

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  NYU Langone presents 15-plus studies at ICAD based on poster and oral presentations at the Alzheimer's Association 2008 International Conference being held in Chicago from July 26 to July 31. Brain Atrophy and Biomarkers May Help Identify People at Risk for Alzheimer's Susan de Santi, Ph.D.

• Seegene's New Rapid Sepsis Test Analyzes 68 Indicators For Deadly In-Hospital Disease

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  AACC Annual Meeting - Seegene's Seeplex(R) Sepsis multi-pathogen screening test introduced today at the 2008 Annual Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) brings a novel and fast-acting diagnostic technique for hospitals to simultaneously verify a c

• APHA Urges House To Protect Health Of Americans By Passing Tobacco Legislation

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Statement from Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, FACEP (E), Executive Director, American Public Health Association The American Public Health Association strongly urges U.S. House members to vote in support of pending legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products.

• National MS Society, Michigan Chapter & Organic Digital Announce Launch Of New Da Vinci Awards(R) Web Site

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Annually for the last seven years, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter has hosted the da Vinci Awards® in recognition of outstanding achievements in technologies, designs, and disciplines that enhance personal mobility. This week the Society is pleased to announce the unveiling of a completely redesigned Web site dedicated to the da Vinci Awards - http://www.

• Potential New Drug Target To Fight Tuberculosis Identified

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  With antibiotic resistance on the rise, tuberculosis is emerging as a bigger global health threat than ever before. But now, innovative research at Weill Cornell Medical College suggests that Mycobacterium tuberculosis has an as yet unsuspected weakness -- one that could be a prime target for drug development.

• Collaboration Is First Step Towards Collecting - And Analyzing - Data Designed To Provide Better, More Personalized Cancer Treatment

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The field of personalized cancer research and treatment grows with each day. And a new collaboration with Washington's largest biomedical research organization and an international research and biobanking company is contributing to that growth.

• N.Y. Research Team Discovers How Antidepressants And Cocaine Interact With Brain Cell Targets

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  In a first, scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University Medical Center have described the specifics of how brain cells process antidepressant drugs, cocaine and amphetamines. These novel findings could prove useful in the development of more targeted medication therapies for a host of psychiatric diseases, most notably in the area of addiction.

• Alzheimer's Curbed By Promising New Drug

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  A new drug that has completed phase 2 trials in the UK and Singapore is being hailed as a major breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer's, as it appeared to slow the progress of the disease by as much as 81 per cent over a year, compared to placebo.

• Michael J. Fox Foundation Funds $1.1 Million For Cutting-Edge Approaches To Parkinson's Disease Under Rapid Response Innovation Awards 2008

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Gene silencing techniques and induced pluripotent stem cell technology are among the cutting-edge approaches to Parkinson's drug development funded through The Michael J. Fox Foundation's Rapid Response Innovation Awards 2008. As part of its mission to drive transformative treatments and a cure for PD, the Foundation has awarded $1.

• New Frontiers In Single Cell Analysis

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Since the advent of proteomics in the 1970-1980s and genomics in the 1990s, these disciplines have developed in ways that emphasize the rate and volume of data acquisition and analysis.

• Walk-Run Classification Of Symmetrical Gaits In The Horse: A Multidimensional Approach

  Posted: July 30th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The 'tolt', 'amble' or 'running walk' is a strange gait used by elephants, some primates, and some horse breeds. Should it be considered a 'walk' or a 'run'? Here, we use inertial sensor and GPS data measured on Icelandic horses to train a computer to distinguish between 'walking' and 'running' (trotting or pacing).

• Personalizing Cardiac Medicine

  Posted: July 30th,