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UCSB creates synthetic platelets for various biomedical applications

Synthetic platelets have been developed by UC Santa Barbara researchers, in collaboration with researchers at Scripps Research Institute and Sanford-Burnham Institute in La Jolla, Calif. Their findings are published in the journal Advanced Materials in a paper titled "Platelet Mimetic Particles for Targeting Thrombi in Flowing Blood."

31 May 2012

Diluent choice affects neuromuscular block times

Anesthesiologists can achieve successful axillary brachial plexus block faster by diluting ropivacaine in dextrose rather than saline, results of a randomized trial show.

30 May 2012

Insurers make patients pay hundreds more for cancer, arthritis drugs

Thousands of patients taking costly drugs for ailments such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are being asked to shoulder a greater share of the expense. In other news, consumers are demanding access to their medical device data. Others are harnessing the internet to jumpstart medical research and share important experiences, including serious illnesses, with family and friends.

30 May 2012

Hard work of GPs pays off: high levels of patient satisfaction reported

Commenting on the publication of the 'Patient Experience Survey of GP and Local NHS Services 2011/12' results, Dr Dean Marshall, Chair of BMA Scotland’s General Practice Committee said:

30 May 2012

Patients with history of skin infection more likely to develop surgical site infections

Johns Hopkins scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat, published in the May issue of Nature Chemical Biology, could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits.

30 May 2012

New imaging device can better diagnose chronic ear infections

Doctors can now get a peek behind the eardrum to better diagnose and treat chronic ear infections, thanks to a new medical imaging device invented by University of Illinois researchers. The device could usher in a new suite of non-invasive, 3-D diagnostic imaging tools for primary-care physicians.

30 May 2012

One third of homeless are obese

Amid some signs that America's obesity rates may be flattening out, media outlets report that one in three homeless people is obese and that bariatric surgery, which reduces stomach size, is becoming more common for patients as young as 12 or 13.

30 May 2012

Mass. Eye and Ear Cataract Master bridges gap between wet lab training and patient surgery

Phacoemulsification cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed eye surgeries in the United States, with 1.5 million procedures performed each year. It is also one of the most complex procedures to learn. A new, highly innovative, computer-based simulation tool, the Mass. Eye and Ear Cataract Master, bridges the learning gap that residents and ophthalmologists new to phaco must navigate prior to performing actual surgery.

30 May 2012

Link between women's health issues and gum disease

Women, keep those toothbrushes and dental floss handy. A comprehensive review of women's health studies by Charlene Krejci, associate clinical professor at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, has shown a link between women's health issues and gum disease.

30 May 2012

DFG to establish 20 CRCs by 1 July 2012

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is to establish 20 Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs) by 1 July 2012. This decision was taken by the Grants Committee at its spring session in Bonn. The new CRCs will receive funding totalling 176 million euros (including a 20 percent programme allowance for indirect project costs) for the initial 4-year funding period.

30 May 2012

ASCs promising source of cells for use in plastic surgery and regenerative medicine

Adipose stem cells (ASCs)—stem cells derived from fat—are a promising source of cells for use in plastic surgery and regenerative medicine, according to a special review in the June issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

30 May 2012

SafeStitch Medical officially changes name of AMID Stapler

SafeStitch Medical, Inc., is pleased to announce that it has officially changed the name of the AMID Stapler to AMID Hernia Fixation Device to better describe the functionalities of the device.

30 May 2012

Safety of breast implants

Following the recent scandal, described in May 2012 by the BBC as the “PIP breast implant scandal”, (1) many women may have been put off having breast implants. But how safe exactly is breast enlargement? And how do the different methods compare?

29 May 2012

AMS, Expanding Orthopedics partner to distribute XPED system in Italy

Expanding Orthopedics Inc. announced that it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with Advanced Medical Systems for the distribution of its unique XPED Expanding Pedicle Screw System in Italy.

29 May 2012

Positive results from Acacia Phase II APD421 study in prevention of post-operative nausea & vomiting

Acacia Pharma announces positive results from its Phase II study of APD421, in the prevention of post-operative nausea & vomiting (PONV).

28 May 2012

Preoperative opportunity to control blood glucoses

Patients with diabetes mellitus experience significantly higher rates of surgical and systemic complications, higher mortality and increased length of stay during hospitalization following 11 major elective procedures, according to research presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 21st Annual Meeting & Clinical Congress in Philadelphia.

28 May 2012

Tulane to initiate XM-ONE clinical trial in kidney transplantation

Tulane University Hospital, New Orleans, LA, USA will in May start a prospective trial in Kidney Transplantation investigating the potential of cross match XM-ONE as part of the risk assessment of their patients.

28 May 2012

Results from Medtronic’s Resolute DES clinical study on CAD

According to study results to be featured in Sunday's late-breaking clinical trials session at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 21st Annual Scientific and Clinical Congress in Philadelphia, the Resolute drug-eluting stent (DES) from Medtronic, Inc. yields strong performance in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients both with and without diabetes through two years of follow-up.

From Medtronic 28 May 2012

UCLA Face Transplantation Program seeks candidates for clinical trial

The UCLA Health System has launched the UCLA Face Transplantation Program, the first surgical program of its kind in the western United States and one of only a handful in the nation.

25 May 2012

Single-port laparoscopy bimanual robot abdominal surgery

Millions of Europeans undergo abdominal surgery each year to treat a range of different disorders, from cancer and heart disease to obesity. EU-funded researchers are developing innovative micro-robotics and micro-system technologies to make such surgeries less complicated, invasive and costly.

25 May 2012