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Child mortality at double emergency rate in South Sudan refugee camp, MSF reports

"Children in a refugee camp in South Sudan are dying at more than twice the rate internationally recognized as an emergency, according to new figures released by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)," the Guardian reports.

22 Aug 2012

Healthcare announces important changes to the U.S. product label for Optison

GE Healthcare today announced important changes to the U.S. product label for Optison (Perflutren Protein-Type A Microspheres Injectable Suspension, USP), a contrast agent that may improve the visualization of the left ventricular border - an area of the heart that is critical to see in order to diagnose certain heart diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

22 Aug 2012

Investigators discover biological explanation for why low levels of oxygen advance SMA symptoms

Investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital may have discovered a biological explanation for why low levels of oxygen advance spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) symptoms and why breathing treatments help SMA patients live longer. The findings appear in Human Molecular Genetics.

22 Aug 2012

Vitamin D may help fight childhood acute respiratory infections

Supplementation with vitamin D, particularly in winter, appears to reduce a child’s risk for contracting acute respiratory infections by almost 50%, show results from a Mongolian study.

21 Aug 2012

Highly sensitive troponin assay shortens heart attack diagnosis

An algorithm that incorporates high-sensitivity cardiac troponin could allow accurate rule-in and rule-out of patients with acute chest pain within 1 hour of presentation, a study shows.

21 Aug 2012

Childhood asthma link shows it is never too soon for mums to quit smoking

Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for asthma and wheezing in early childhood, even if children are not exposed to smoke after birth, a European study shows.

21 Aug 2012

Genetic key to severe malaria resistance uncovered

Researchers have identified two genetic variants linked with human resistance to severe malaria.

21 Aug 2012

Gene therapy applied to peripheral arterial disease

Hepatocyte growth factor gene therapy could be used to treat patients with severe peripheral arterial disease, suggest results of a phase I clinical trial.

21 Aug 2012

Daily vitamin D intake protects against respiratory infections in children

A study conducted in Mongolian schoolchildren supports the possibility that daily vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of respiratory infections in winter. In a report that will appear in the journal Pediatrics and has received early online release, an international research team found that vitamin D supplementation decreased the risk of respiratory infections among children who had low blood levels of vitamin D at the start of the study.

21 Aug 2012

BioDiem and French partner VIVALIS a step forward in developing vaccines for diseases and related cancers

Australian infectious disease therapy and vaccine development company BioDiem Ltd (ASX: BDM) announced today successful results from two programs of work carried out by French partner VIVALIS (NYSE Euronext: VLS), confirming the ability of BioDiem’s Live Attenuated Influenza Virus (LAIV) to grow in VIVALIS’ proprietary EB66® cell line.

20 Aug 2012

No return of body fat following liposuction

Body fat does not return in the treated or untreated areas of patients undergoing liposuction and/or abdominoplasty, research shows.

20 Aug 2012

Standardized sign-out improves neurology handoffs

The implementation of a structured sign-out process significantly improves satisfaction that handoffs between neurology staff have been completed fully and accurately, show study results published in Neurology.

20 Aug 2012

HPV genotype may alter chemoradiotherapy outcome

Human papillomavirus genotype predicts whether patients with cervical cancer will benefit from concurrent chemoradiation therapy, study findings suggest.

20 Aug 2012

Happtique introduces mRx solution for electronically prescribing medical apps

Happtique, a mobile health application store and total app management solution, today announced the commencement of its pilot program of mRx, Happtique's patent-pending solution that enables physicians and other health practitioners to electronically prescribe medical, health, and fitness apps to their patients.

20 Aug 2012

Secondhand smoke exposure decreases sensitivity to cough-eliciting respiratory irritants in children

New research from the Monell Center reveals that exposure to secondhand smoke decreases sensitivity to cough-eliciting respiratory irritants in otherwise healthy children and adolescents.

20 Aug 2012

Teva launches generic ACTOplus met to improve glucose control in adults with type 2 diabetes

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today the launch of an authorized generic of ACTOplus met (pioglitazone/metformin tablets)15 mg/500 mg, 15 mg/850 mg.

18 Aug 2012

Biopsy required for accurate renal diagnosis in diabetes

People with diabetes and symptoms of nephropathy should undergo renal biopsy before a diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy is assumed, report researchers.

17 Aug 2012

Arteriovenous malformations increase risk for pregnancy hemorrhage

Women with a diagnosis of arteriovenous malformation are at increased risk for severe bleeding during pregnancy, show study findings.

17 Aug 2012

Ion levels poor indicator for hip arthroplasty debris

Research shows that plasma metal ion analysis is only moderately effective at identifying patients with adverse reaction to metal debris following metal-on-metal hip arthroplasty.

17 Aug 2012

Tobacco use survey demonstrates urgent need for policy change in low and middle-income countries

An international survey of tobacco use in three billion individuals, published in the current issue of The Lancet, demonstrates an urgent need for policy change in low- and middle-income countries, according to the University at Buffalo professor who led the research.

17 Aug 2012