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New microchip implant enables people with paraplegia to exercise paralysed leg muscles

Engineers have developed a new type of microchip muscle stimulator implant that will enable people with paraplegia to exercise their paralysed leg muscles.

23 Nov 2010

Medtronic enters merger agreement to acquire Ardian

Medtronic, Inc. and privately-held Ardian, Inc. announced today that they have entered into a merger agreement whereby Medtronic will acquire Ardian.

22 Nov 2010

Mimetogen initiates MIM-D3 Phase II clinical trial for dry eye disease

Mimetogen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel small molecule compounds that mimic the effects of neurotrophins, today announced that it has initiated the first human clinical trial evaluating MIM-D3, a mimetic of nerve growth factor (NGF), in a Phase II clinical trial in patients with moderate to severe dry eye disease. MIM-D3 is a small cyclic peptidomimetic of NGF, a naturally occurring protein in the eye that is responsible for the maintenance of corneal nerves and epithelium, mucin and tear production.

22 Nov 2010

Assessment by nurse practitioner satisfies patients with back problems: Study

Ninety-six per cent of patients with back problems were satisfied with the assessment carried out by a specially trained nurse practitioner, according to a study in the December issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

20 Nov 2010

New editorial dispel doubts about Lou Gehrig's ALS diagnosis

A recent study suggesting that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be attributed to repetitive head trauma experienced in collision sports lacks scientific epidemiological evidence to support this claim.

20 Nov 2010

BizVotes.com identifies Dr. Ryan Groelz as Best Chiropractor in Broomfield, Colorado

Dr. Ryan Groelz of Rock Creek Spine and Rehabilitation Center has been voted the 'Best Chiropractor in Broomfield, Colorado' by BizVotes.com. A popular consumer website, BizVotes.com helps communities identify the best local businesses through an online voting system. Rock Creek Spine and Rehabilitation Center is currently listed in the top choice for chiropractic care in Broomfield.

20 Nov 2010

Palmetto GBA to cover PTNS therapy for patients with overactive bladder

Uroplasty, Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative proprietary products to treat voiding dysfunctions, today announced that Palmetto GBA for California, Nevada and Hawaii, a regional Medicare carrier, now covers posterior tibial nerve stimulation using the Urgent PC Neuromodulation System for the treatment of the symptoms of overactive bladder.

20 Nov 2010

Researchers document novel form of splicing in nerve cell cytoplasm

Cells have their own version of the cut-and-paste editing function called splicing. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have documented a novel form of splicing in the cytoplasm of a nerve cell, which dictates a special form of a potassium channel protein in the outer membrane.

19 Nov 2010

Robot-assisted endoscope removes salivary stone, repairs duct

Dr. Rohan Walvekar, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Director of Clinical Research and the Salivary Endoscopy Service at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has reported the first use of a surgical robot guided by a miniature salivary endoscope to remove a 20mm salivary stone and repair the salivary duct of a 31-year-old patient.

19 Nov 2010

FDA clears Multi-Lead Trialing Cable for SCS therapy

Medtronic Inc., the leader in spinal cord stimulation for more than 25 years, today announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance and the global launch of the Multi-Lead Trialing Cable for use in the patient screening test for Medtronic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy.

19 Nov 2010

Scientists discover bone matrix plays a vital role in tissue hardening

Scientists are reporting the first direct evidence that a subtle change in the physical properties of a tissue can affect its function. The finding has immediate implications for understanding several rare hearing disorders, they said, and ultimately could offer insight into such conditions as osteoporosis, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

19 Nov 2010

New findings show promising treatment for MS

Successfully treating and reversing the effects of multiple sclerosis, or MS, may one day be possible using a drug originally developed to treat chronic pain, according to Distinguished Professor Linda Watkins of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

19 Nov 2010

Scientific breakthrough for high blood pressure

Melbourne researchers have successfully used a new machine that reduces increased blood pressure with the help of radio waves. High blood pressure plagues nearly one fourth to a third of the Australian population and can lead to heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. Almost half of sufferers do not even show any significant improvement by using the drugs available in the market for high blood pressure.

18 Nov 2010

Back pain sufferers get quicker diagnosis and treatment when examined by Nurse Practitioner

Results of a Toronto Western Hospital study show that patients suffering back pain get quicker diagnosis and treatment when a Nurse Practitioner conducts the first examination. Traditionally, patients face long and anxiety-ridden wait times - up to 52 weeks - before an initial examination by a spine surgeon. Results from the year long TWH study showed wait times for patients examined by a Nurse Practitioner were significantly shorter, ranging from 10 to 21 weeks.

18 Nov 2010

Multiple sclerosis drug shows promise to counteract effects of botulinum neurotoxin

Scientists are reporting that variants of a drug already approved for treating multiple sclerosis show promise as a long sought treatment for victims of bioterrorist attack with botulinum neurotoxin which is 10,000 times deadlier than cyanide and the most poisonous substance known to man.

18 Nov 2010

State-of-the-art imaging system helps locate and count myriad connections between brain nerve cells

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, applying a state-of-the-art imaging system to brain-tissue samples from mice, have been able to quickly and accurately locate and count the myriad connections between nerve cells in unprecedented detail, as well as to capture and catalog those connections' surprising variety.

18 Nov 2010

Beams of light advance prosthetic limbs

Using beams of light to allow amputees not only to control but also to feel the movement of prosthetic limbs is the ambitious goal of a new $5.6 million Department of Defense initiative.

18 Nov 2010

Cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust and french fries increase risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

There is growing evidence that exposure to a group of chemicals known as type-2 alkenes -- which are found in the smoke inhaled from cigarettes, the exhaust of automobiles and even in French fries - can increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers discover NG2+ cells may impact ALS disease progression

By tracking the fate of a group of immature cells that persist in the adult brain and spinal cord, Johns Hopkins researchers discovered in mice that these cells undergo dramatic changes in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

18 Nov 2010

Sangamo presents Phase 2 clinical data in ALS at Society for Neuroscience Meeting

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today the presentation of Phase 2 clinical data from its ZFP Therapeutic program to develop SB-509, a zinc finger protein transcriptional activator (ZFP-TF) of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A gene as a treatment for ALS.

17 Nov 2010