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Pathfinder initiates Explorer clinical study for open liver procedures

Pathfinder Therapeutics, Inc. has initiated a clinical study to assess the value of Explorer, its image-guided surgical platform, in minimally invasive liver resections and ablations.

16 Nov 2010

Study discovers health care gap in treating young patients with thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is the third most common malignancy in children, and the incidence is rising approximately one percent per year. Now a new analysis published in the October issue of Annals of Surgical Oncology indicates that although the proportion of young patients undergoing total thyroidectomy increased by 34 percent between 1985 and 2007, a variety of hospital and patient factors—including disparities in access to surgeons and state-of-the-art care—affect whether a child actually receives this procedure or another less extensive operation.

16 Nov 2010

New inhalable dry powder treatment for lung cancer shows significant increase in survival rates: Research

A new inhalable dry powder treatment for lung cancer shows a significant increase in survival rates and is far less invasive than current treatment options, which frequently include radiation and surgery. This research is being presented at the 2010 International Pharmaceutical Federation Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress in association with the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans, La., Nov. 14-18.

16 Nov 2010

BioTime third quarter total revenues increase 82% to $815,284

BioTime, Inc. today reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2010 and provided an update on recent corporate developments.

15 Nov 2010

Science and precedent do not support biosimilar approach for plasma protein therapies

The current science and experience does not support the safety and efficaciousness of a biosimilar pathway for plasma protein therapies. At a public hearing last week, the Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) urged the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make patient safety its top priority by adopting a global approach in its evaluation of plasma protein therapies for the biosimilars process.

15 Nov 2010

Thomson Reuters releases results of annual study identifying top U.S. hospitals for inpatient cardiovascular services

Thomson Reuters today released its annual study identifying the top U.S. hospitals for inpatient cardiovascular services. The study, now in its twelfth year, for the first time singled out 50 hospitals rather than the traditional practice of naming 100 winners.

15 Nov 2010

Bariatric surgery improves disease symptoms in obese heart failure patients

A small Mayo Clinic study has found that morbidly obese heart failure patients who undergo bariatric surgery gain long-lasting and meaningful improvements in disease symptoms and quality of life. The results were presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010 in Chicago.

15 Nov 2010

Study shows patient-specific factors delay skin cancer treatment

If detected early, nonmelanoma skin cancers (primarily basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the two most common forms of skin cancer) can be easily treated. But when left untreated, these skin cancers can grow and even spread, causing considerably more harm than if they were treated upon initial detection. Now, a new study finds that denial is the top reason why patients delay seeking treatment for skin cancer and shows that this delay results in larger, more serious, skin cancers.

15 Nov 2010

Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute implants VAD device to help individuals with advanced heart failure

The Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute of Northwestern Memorial Hospital recently implanted a patient with two of the smallest experimental ventricular assist devices (VADs) currently available for study in humans. VADs are designed to assist either the right (RVAD) or left (LVAD) ventricle, or both (BiVAD) at once.

15 Nov 2010

Young father receives life-saving intervention prior heart transplant surgery

James "Jimmy" Armstrong hadn't missed a "Mac" in 28 years. At 44, he's one of the youngest "goats" in the Chicago Yacht Club. Sailors receive the designation of "goat" once they've completed 20 or more "Macs", the 333-mile boat race from Chicago to Mackinac, Mich. Armstrong has sailed the race every year since he was 16. But, he wasn't among the sailors this past July. Instead, he was in intensive care awaiting heart transplant following a harrowing experience spurred by severe case of myocarditis-a little-known condition causing inflammation of the heart muscle.

15 Nov 2010

Obese children with congenital heart disease face risk of heart disease as adults

Children with congenital heart disease are more overweight than similar children a generation ago, raising their risk of heart attack and heart disease as adults, according to a new study.

15 Nov 2010

Journal of Alzheimer's Disease highlights latest scientific studies of AD

A supplement to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on "Anesthetics and Alzheimer's Disease" provides the platform to bring the latest scientific studies to the AD research and clinical communities.

15 Nov 2010

Exiqon publishes clinical study data on colon cancer

Exiqon A/S today published data from a clinical study that stratifies colon cancer patients into groups of high, medium and low chances of survival which may prove useful for optimizing the treatment of each individual cancer patient.

14 Nov 2010

Job strain can increase risk of cardiovascular disease in women

Women who report having high job strain have a 40 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and the need for procedures to open blocked arteries, compared to those with low job strain, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2010.

14 Nov 2010

30 seconds to predict possibility of Alzheimer’s disease

It could take a mere 30 seconds to spot signs of Alzheimer’s disease in 40 year-olds in the near future say scientists who are developing a new diagnostic test. Usually Alzheimer’s disease is detected much later in life after the symptoms begin to appear.

14 Nov 2010

Research roundup: Doctors' industry ties; Patient safety and residents' hours; Designing a medical home

Archives of Internal Medicine: Physician Professionalism And Changes in Physician-Industry Relationships From 2004 to 2009 -"During the last 6 years a number of efforts have aimed to reduce, and in some cases eliminate, certain types of physician-industry relationships (PIRs)," including policies "that forbid physicians from accepting samples and receiving food and beverages in offices, limiting company representatives' access to physicians' offices and clinical areas, and banning faculty participation in speaker bureaus and other forms of promotional activity," write the authors.

12 Nov 2010

SANUWAVE third quarter revenues increase to $278,000

SANUWAVE Health, Inc., an emerging medical technology company focused on regenerative medicine, today reported financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2010 and provided a business update.

12 Nov 2010

Denial is top reason for patients to delay treatment for skin cancer

12 Nov 2010

Medical Facilities third quarter revenue increases 4.2% to $51.0 million

Medical Facilities Corporation, today reported its financial results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010. All amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless indicated otherwise.

12 Nov 2010

New non-surgical procedure for sagging skin

Dr. Mehmet Oz featured a breakthrough skin lifting and tightening procedure on his show today, which he said can help you defy gravity without going under the knife. The treatment, known as Ultherapy, was demonstrated live on an audience member on The Dr. Oz Show segment How to Look 10 Years Younger in Less Than 30 Minutes!

12 Nov 2010