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Intestinal ecosystem more dynamic than previously thought

The intestinal ecosystem is even more dynamic than previously thought, according to two studies by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers published in the latest issue of Science.

20 Oct 2011

Gates Foundation provides funding for relief efforts in Horn of Africa

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation "on Tuesday announced a $2.5 million grant to Mercy Corps to fund relief and longer-term recovery efforts in drought-stricken Wajir County on Kenya's border with Somalia," representing "more than 40 percent of the $5.4 million in private funds that Mercy Corps has raised to date for Horn of Africa relief efforts," the Seattle Times reports.

20 Oct 2011

Estrogen regulates energy expenditure, appetite and body weight

A recent UT Southwestern Medical Center study found that estrogen regulates energy expenditure, appetite and body weight, while insufficient estrogen receptors in specific parts of the brain may lead to obesity.

20 Oct 2011

Emergency humanitarian response in Horn of Africa must shift to community development

Though emergency humanitarian assistance has helped keep people alive in the Horn of Africa, "this effort is not sustainable," David Morley, president and CEO of UNICEF Canada, writes in a Globe and Mail opinion piece.

20 Oct 2011

Viewpoints: Super committee's secrecy; alternatives to CLASS; solving the drug shortage

The Congressional "super committee" charged with finding $1.5 trillion in debt savings through 2021 is under growing attack from both the left and the right for carrying out most of its work in secret. … History reveals the importance of extensive private talks for members of a bipartisan group to get to know one another and pursue compromises.

20 Oct 2011

EMA, FDA endorse use of biomarkers in Alzheimer's drug trials

A news feature in Alzforum explains the impact of new guidelines for selecting volunteers in clinical trials of Alzheimer's drugs. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the European counterpart to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has endorsed the use of biomarkers—substances in the body or measurements that serve as indicators of disease—to select patients to be included in drug trials.

20 Oct 2011

Winter health and safety tips

Winter is a special time for celebration. It should also be a time for added caution if you or someone in your family is an older adult. It is the season for falls, slips on icy streets, and other dangers that can be especially harmful for older adults. "Something as simple as a fall can be devastating for older men and women," says Dr. Evelyn Granieri, director of the Division of Geriatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/The Allen Hospital. "Before the cold weather arrives, it is important to prepare."

20 Oct 2011

Comprehensive roadmap promises to improve cancer immunotherapy development

The Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium (CIC) of the Cancer Research Institute (CRI) and the Association for Cancer Immunotherapy (CIMT) have issued a joint white paper, published in the October 13 issue of Nature Biotechnology, outlining a comprehensive roadmap that promises to help improve and facilitate the path forward in the development of novel immunotherapies for cancer.

19 Oct 2011

Famy Care, Mylan resolve Femcon Fe Chewable Tablets litigation with Warner Chilcott

Mylan Inc. today announced that it, along with Famy Care Ltd., has entered into a settlement agreement with Warner Chilcott resolving litigation related to Femcon Fe Chewable Tablets, known generically as Norethindrone and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets USP (Chewable), 0.4 mg/0.035 mg and Ferrous Fumarate Tablets USP (Chewable), 75 mg (28-Day Regimen).

19 Oct 2011

Cholera claims nearly 200 lives in Somalia over 24-hour period

"During the past 24 hours, cholera has claimed the lives of nearly 200 women and children in famine-stricken Somalia," a Press TV correspondent in Mogadishu reported on Sunday. "More than 800 children suffering from the disease in refugee camps were reportedly transported to medical centers in south Mogadishu," the news service writes, adding, "As the number of sick is on the rise, doctors are facing a shortage of medicine."

19 Oct 2011

Climate change could be detrimental to global health, conference attendees say

Environmental health experts, scientists and government officials attending a conference in London sponsored by the British Medical Journal on Monday "issued a statement warning that climate change could not only bring a global health catastrophe but could threaten global stability and security as well, a journal release said," UPI.com reports.

19 Oct 2011

Jersey Shore completes first procedure with Abiomed's Impella 2.5 heart pump

Jersey Shore University Medical Center announces the completion of its first procedure with Abiomed's Impella 2.5 heart pump. Jersey Shore is the first and only regional hospital to include the World's Smallest Heart Pump in their portfolio of treatment options to assist critically ill heart patients.

19 Oct 2011

Forest Laboratories second quarter net sales increase 9.0% to $1,130.3 million

Forest Laboratories, Inc., an international pharmaceutical manufacturer and marketer, announced that reported earnings per share equaled $0.91 in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. Reported earnings per share in the second quarter of fiscal 2011 were $1.00.

18 Oct 2011

Threat of climate change to health and security must be tackled urgently

Climate change poses an immediate, grave and escalating threat to the health and security of people around the globe and must be tackled urgently, warned leading experts at a high-level meeting hosted by the BMJ (British Medical Journal) in London today.

18 Oct 2011

With clock ticking, super committee weighs suggestions, battles doubts

Last week the deficit-reduction panel received a slew of recommendations from across Capitol Hill on how to tame the nation's deficit problems. The input evidenced partisan differences and intra-party fissures. All the while, questions persist about the committee's ability to actually reach a deal.

18 Oct 2011

ONC launches social media campaign on Omega-3 fatty acids

Confused about Omega-3 fatty acids? Looking to learn more about why you should take Omega-3s and which ones are best? Ocean Nutrition Canada (ONC), the largest supplier of Omega-3 EPA/DHA ingredients in the world, says its recently launched social media campaign aims to help answer those questions.

18 Oct 2011

Johnson & Johnson third quarter sales increase 6.8% to $16.0 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $16.0 billion for the third quarter of 2011, an increase of 6.8% as compared to the third quarter of 2010. Operational results increased 2.6% and the positive impact of currency was 4.2%. Domestic sales declined 3.7%.

18 Oct 2011

Drunkorexia may affect long-term health of college students

It is well known that eating disorders are common among teens and college students. Heavy alcohol consumption is another well-known unhealthy habit of this age group. A new study from the University of Missouri shows that when college students combine these two unhealthy habits, their long-term health may be affected. "Drunkorexia" is a new term coined by the media to describe the combination of disordered eating and heavy alcohol consumption.

18 Oct 2011

Stochastic frontier estimation can identify problem of bias in self-reporting

Most people are rather vague when reporting on food and drink consumption, smoking and exercise habits. General practitioners, however, are skilled at interpreting phrases such as "I only have a few drinks rarely...each week" and "I get to the gym regularly" and can estimate based on symptoms and a person's physical appearance just how precise those claims are. However, it is crucial for healthcare research and epidemiology that relies on patient self-reporting that we find a more objective, rather than intuitive, way to identify bias in self-reporting.

18 Oct 2011

International conference on polyphenols and health to be held in Sitges

The 5th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health will bring together over 700 researchers from around the world to discuss the latest findings on the polyphenolic components of food and their role in disease prevention and health promotion.

18 Oct 2011