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Viewpoints: Walmart and Obamacare; negative views continue of health law; Ebola preparedness

Walmart announced today that as of the beginning of next year it will be dropping health insurance for 30,000 employees who work less than 30 hours per week. Many liberals will react to the news by saying that it's just a profit-hungry corporation once again screwing over its employees. Conservatives are likely to say that this just shows what a mess Obamacare has created and why it should be repealed (Paul Waldman, 10/8).

10 Oct 2014

Columbia University's imaging software gets FDA 510k clearance

Columbia University's imaging software that facilitates 3-D lung tumor segmentation, licensed to Varian Medical Systems, has been incorporated into the Smart Segmentation module of Varian's Eclipse treatment planning system and has received FDA 510k clearance.

10 Oct 2014

Vancomycin drug still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections

A University of Nebraska Medical Center research team has determined that a longtime antibiotic, vancomycin, is still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections and that physicians should continue to use the drug even though several newer antibiotics are now available in the marketplace.

10 Oct 2014

CUMC researchers use innovative algorithm to find driving force behind aggressive form of glioblastoma

Using an innovative algorithm that analyzes gene regulatory and signaling networks, Columbia University Medical Center researchers have found that loss of a gene called KLHL9 is the driving force behind the most aggressive form of glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer.

10 Oct 2014

First study of promising Ebola vaccine commenced in West Africa

Professor Myron M. Levine, MD, Director of the Center for Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and UM SOM Dean E. Albert Reece MD, PhD, MBA, announced today that the CVD, in conjunction with its sister institution, The Center for Vaccine Development of Mali and the Ministry of Health of Mali, have begun a clinical trial in health care workers (and other front-line workers) to evaluate a promising experimental Ebola vaccine.

10 Oct 2014

MSH mobilizes resources to strengthen Liberia’s health system, limit spread of Ebola

Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a Massachusetts-based global health nonprofit organization, today announced it is mobilizing its expertise and resources at the epicenter of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia to help the Ministry of Health develop community care centers for Ebola separate from the health facilities; restore essential health services for non-Ebola patients; and, improve the detection and containment of active Ebola cases in Liberian communities.

9 Oct 2014

RBX2660 drug candidate highly effective against recurrent Clostridium difficile infection

Rebiotix Inc. announced today that results of the Phase 2 PUNCH CD Study found that the overall efficacy of RBX2660 in the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection was 87.1%. The study also found that administration of RBX2660 was well-tolerated and demonstrated satisfactory safety in the 60-day interim analysis.

9 Oct 2014

VAL-083 drug compound shows promise against non-small cell lung cancer

DelMar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage oncology company, today announced the presentation of promising new data supporting the activity of its lead drug compound, VAL-083, in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the AACR's New Horizons in Cancer Research: Harnessing Breakthroughs – Targeting Cures. The conference takes place October 9th to 12th in Pudong, Shanghai.

9 Oct 2014

Conventional laparoscopy less complicated than robot-assisted surgery for benign gynecologic conditions

For benign gynecologic conditions, robot-assisted surgery involves more complications during surgery and may be significantly more expensive than conventional laparoscopic surgery, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center.

9 Oct 2014

Social status can impact health, happiness even among egalitarian forager-farmers

In western society, where keeping up with the Joneses — or, better yet, surpassing them — is expected and even encouraged, status matters. So important is it that for many people, physical and emotional wellbeing are directly connected to their place in the social hierarchy.

9 Oct 2014

Temple researchers to create awareness about healthy diet among low-income Asian Americans

Although low-income Asian Americans are at a high risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart attack and stroke, they are under a misconception that their diet is healthy and not a risk factor for these chronic diseases.

9 Oct 2014

Discovery could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases

Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have identified epigenetic protein changes caused by binge drinking, a discovery that could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases.

9 Oct 2014

Journal of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness launches special issue on Ebola

The Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health is committed to examining the details of individual disasters and public health crises. With the recent arrival of Ebola in the United States, the journal is launching a special issue on the virus. The journal will serve as an educated and authoritative voice on the virus, risk and threat level, potential of outbreak, preparation and response for the public and media.

9 Oct 2014

Hospital patients may be at significant risk of infection due to poor hand hygiene

Health technology company Infonaut, a MaRS client, has released a study showing that hospital patients may be at significant risk of infection due to their own poor hand hygiene.

9 Oct 2014

Increased risk of premature death associated with higher BMI similar for African Americans, whites

A study from American Cancer Society researchers finds the increased risk of premature death associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) is similar for African Americans and whites, in contrast to previous, smaller studies that indicated the association may be weaker for African Americans.

9 Oct 2014

Columbia Nursing researcher suggests ways to prevent nursing home infections

Nursing home infection rates are on the rise, a study from Columbia University School of Nursing found, suggesting that more must be done to protect residents of these facilities from preventable complications. The study, which examined infections in U.S. nursing homes over a five-year period, found increased infection rates for pneumonia, urinary tract infections (UTIs), viral hepatitis, septicemia, wound infections, and multiple drug-resistant organisms (MDROs).

8 Oct 2014

As U.S. bolsters defenses against Ebola, price tag grows

President Barack Obama vows national defense against the disease but reminds Americans that the human toll in Africa is also worthy of their support. Administration weighs tighter screening for international travelers.

8 Oct 2014

Weight-normative approach could be harmful to patients, shows study

A new review of the way health care professionals emphasise weight to define health and wellbeing suggests the approach could be harmful to patients.

8 Oct 2014

Contaminated duodenoscopes associated with E coli outbreak at Illinois hospital

Despite no lapses in the disinfection process recommended by the manufacturer being identified, specialized gastrointestinal endoscopes called duodenoscopes had bacterial contamination associated with an outbreak of a highly resistant strain of E coli at a hospital in Illinois, according to a study in the October 8 JAMA, a theme issue on infectious disease.

8 Oct 2014

Health Canada approves Lucentis (ranibizumab) for myopic CNV

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. announced today that Lucentis (ranibizumab), the treatment for several major causes of vision loss, has been approved by Health Canada for the treatment of visual impairment due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathologic myopia (myopic CNV).

8 Oct 2014

Public Health News and Research

Viewpoints: Walmart and Obamacare; negative views continue of health law; Ebola preparedness

Columbia University's imaging software gets FDA 510k clearance

Vancomycin drug still effective in treating Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infections

CUMC researchers use innovative algorithm to find driving force behind aggressive form of glioblastoma

First study of promising Ebola vaccine commenced in West Africa

MSH mobilizes resources to strengthen Liberia’s health system, limit spread of Ebola

RBX2660 drug candidate highly effective against recurrent Clostridium difficile infection

VAL-083 drug compound shows promise against non-small cell lung cancer

Conventional laparoscopy less complicated than robot-assisted surgery for benign gynecologic conditions

Social status can impact health, happiness even among egalitarian forager-farmers

Temple researchers to create awareness about healthy diet among low-income Asian Americans

Discovery could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases

Journal of Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness launches special issue on Ebola

Hospital patients may be at significant risk of infection due to poor hand hygiene

Increased risk of premature death associated with higher BMI similar for African Americans, whites

Columbia Nursing researcher suggests ways to prevent nursing home infections

As U.S. bolsters defenses against Ebola, price tag grows

Weight-normative approach could be harmful to patients, shows study

Contaminated duodenoscopes associated with E coli outbreak at Illinois hospital

Health Canada approves Lucentis (ranibizumab) for myopic CNV

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