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RCSI researchers identify biomarker that can predict severity of breast cancer

Researchers from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland have identified a biomarker in patient blood which can predict the severity of breast cancer in patients and may enable clinicians to track patients throughout the course of their treatment.

26 May 2010

Researchers examine association between use of antibiotics and outcomes among patients with COPD

Among patients hospitalized for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, those who received antibiotics in the first 2 hospital days had improved outcomes, such as a lower likelihood of mechanical ventilation and fewer readmissions, compared to patients who received antibiotics later or not at all, according to a study in the May 26 issue of JAMA.

26 May 2010

Dangerous bacterium appears in Australia for the first time

Clostridium difficile is a bacterium that has killed thousands abroad. Now is has been detected in three Australians for the first time. The bacterium was detected in three patients at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital.

25 May 2010

St. Jude Medical initiates enrollment in FAME II trial for coronary artery disease

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, announced today at EuroPCR that the first patient was enrolled in the FAME II (Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR)-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Plus Optimal Medical Treatment vs. Optimal Medical Treatment Alone in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease) trial.

25 May 2010

REDUCE trial data published in the online version of European Urology

On 8 May an editorial about the Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events trial by Fritz H. Schröder and Monique J. Roobol was published in the online version of European Urology, the scientific journal of the European Association of Urology.

25 May 2010

With 7.7M child deaths expected this year, study finds global child deaths falling faster than expected

Researchers estimate that 7.7 million children under the age of 5 will die this year, an indication that global child deaths "seem to have fallen faster than officials thought," according to a study, published online Monday in the Lancet, the Associated Press reports (Cheng, 5/23).

25 May 2010

WHA endorses interim targets to eradicate measles as WHO warns disease on the rise

"Measles is making a rapid comeback in African, Asian and even some European countries despite being easily avoided through vaccination, the World Health Organization said Friday as countries pledged to sharply cut infections and deaths worldwide by 2015," the Associated Press reports (Jordans, 5/22). On the final day of the 63rd Annual World Health Assembly, the assembly endorsed a series of interim targets towards the global eradication of measles, VOA News reports.

25 May 2010

Pregnant women with H1N1 flu strain are at risk for obstetrical complications: Study

Pregnant women who contract the H1N1 flu strain are at risk for obstetrical complications including fetal distress, premature delivery, emergency cesarean delivery and fetal death, according to a report in the May 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

25 May 2010

BinaxNOW PBP2a test to detect PBP2a in MRSA

AdvanDx today announced that it will offer the BinaxNOW PBP2a test from Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (Waltham, MA) to customers in the United States. The test provides rapid detection of the penicillin-binding protein 2a present in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) directly from S. aureus positive blood cultures.

24 May 2010

Phase 1 clinical trial of OXY111A initiated

NormOxys Inc., a biotechnology company developing a novel class of small molecule drugs which enhance the body's ability to deliver oxygen to diseased tissues, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial of OXY111A, a novel allosteric modulator of affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin. NormOxys plans to initially develop this compound as a treatment for chronic heart failure and cancer indications.

24 May 2010

Delegates at the World Health Assembly adopt resolutions on variety of global health issues

The 63rd World Health Assembly, which brought together Health Ministers and senior health officials from the World Health Organization's Member States, concluded business and closed Friday evening.

24 May 2010

Opinions: Family planning; U.S. food aid

In his latest New York Times column, Nicholas Kristof writes about the "unavailability of birth control in many poor countries," noting some experiences from a recent trip to Africa.

24 May 2010

Underestimated cancer risks related to radon exposure

A report recently released by the President's Cancer Panel focuses on underestimated cancer risks related to environmental contaminants and other harmful exposures, including radon.

24 May 2010

Consumers roundup: More patients choose high-deductible plans; Many neglect doctors medication directions

"The number of Americans enrolled in high-deductible health plans has risen to more than 10 million but still represents a small portion of the insurance market, according to a report from insurance group America's Health Insurance Plans. Enrollments in these high-deductible health plans, which typically are paired with tax-free health savings accounts or health-reimbursement arrangements, are up about 25 percent from last year, the report said" (5/20).

21 May 2010

Smoking cessation treatments effective and safe for people with schizophrenia

In a study published today in the journal Addiction, researchers have determined that treatment for smoking dependence is as effective among people with severe mental illnesses as it is for the general population. Importantly, they also found that offering such treatments does not appear to cause deterioration in mental health.

21 May 2010

Sorrento Therapeutics receives STTR grant to develop antibody therapeutics to combat MRSA

Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that it has received an Advanced Technology Small Business Technology Transfer Research grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The peer-reviewed grant was awarded to support the Company's program to generate and develop novel antibody therapeutics and vaccines to combat Staphylococcus aureus infections, including methicillin-resistant S. aureus, by disrupting quorum sensing, a bacterial communication process essential to virulence.

21 May 2010

Routine cessation of clopidogrel in patients before colonoscopy polypectomy not necessary: Researchers

Researchers at the Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New York examined postpolypectomy bleeding in patients undergoing colonoscopy on uninterrupted clopidogrel and found that the postpolypectomy bleeding rate is significantly higher in patients undergoing polypectomy while taking clopidogrel and concomitant aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but that the risk is small and the outcome is favorable.

21 May 2010

Transplant centers should utilize DCD kidneys to minimize patients’ mortality rates

In the United States over 80,000 people are on the kidney transplant waiting list, and thousands die each year waiting for transplants. For most dialysis patients, kidney transplantation increases their chances of survival.

21 May 2010

AFSPP program reduces suicide rates

The U.S. Air Force Suicide Prevention Program (AFSPP) has reduced suicide rates significantly since it was launched in 1996, according to a new study that examined almost three decades of data.

21 May 2010

Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

As US policymakers consider scaling back on its historic initiative to fight AIDS around the world and downsizing goals to combat tuberculosis, next-generation treatment and prevention strategies to significantly reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis are now imminent. New science can dramatically change the trajectory of both deadly epidemics, according to a special new issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

21 May 2010

Mortality News and Research

RCSI researchers identify biomarker that can predict severity of breast cancer

Researchers examine association between use of antibiotics and outcomes among patients with COPD

Dangerous bacterium appears in Australia for the first time

St. Jude Medical initiates enrollment in FAME II trial for coronary artery disease

REDUCE trial data published in the online version of European Urology

With 7.7M child deaths expected this year, study finds global child deaths falling faster than expected

WHA endorses interim targets to eradicate measles as WHO warns disease on the rise

Pregnant women with H1N1 flu strain are at risk for obstetrical complications: Study

BinaxNOW PBP2a test to detect PBP2a in MRSA

Phase 1 clinical trial of OXY111A initiated

Delegates at the World Health Assembly adopt resolutions on variety of global health issues

Opinions: Family planning; U.S. food aid

Underestimated cancer risks related to radon exposure

Consumers roundup: More patients choose high-deductible plans; Many neglect doctors medication directions

Smoking cessation treatments effective and safe for people with schizophrenia

Sorrento Therapeutics receives STTR grant to develop antibody therapeutics to combat MRSA

Routine cessation of clopidogrel in patients before colonoscopy polypectomy not necessary: Researchers

Transplant centers should utilize DCD kidneys to minimize patients’ mortality rates

AFSPP program reduces suicide rates

Clinical Infectious Diseases journal examines new scientific advances to curb HIV, TB epidemics

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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