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International agriculture conference highlights need to connect health, agriculture

Participants at the recent three-day International Conference on Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition and Health in New Delhi, India, highlighted the broken links between health and agriculture, IRIN reports (2/14).

15 Feb 2011

FDA requests $4.3 billion to protect and promote health of Americans as part of FY 2012 budget

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting a budget of $4.3 billion to protect and promote the public health as part of the President's fiscal year 2012 budget — a 33 percent increase over the FDA enacted budget for FY 2010. The FY 2012 request covers the period of Oct. 1, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2012.

15 Feb 2011

Green on satellite images warns of hantavirus outbreaks

The risk of deadly hantavirus outbreaks in people can be predicted months ahead of time by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations, a University of Utah study says. The method also might forecast outbreaks of other rodent-borne illnesses worldwide.

15 Feb 2011

Study confirms anti-inflammatory properties of Oligonol in humans

A recently published study in Nutrition Research and Practice has verified the anti-inflammatory effects in humans of Oligonol® lychee fruit polyphenol. The study examined Oligonol intake on cortisol and related cytokines in healthy young men. Both cortisol and cytokine concentrations are inflammatory markers known to increase when stress such as exercise is caused on the body.

15 Feb 2011

Scientists improve methods for flavanol antioxidant determination in cocoa, chocolate

Two scientific publications report on improved methods for determining the amounts of flavanol antioxidants in cocoa and chocolate. The research, sponsored by The Hershey Center for Health and Nutrition, was a collaboration between scientists at The Hershey Company and other scientific laboratories.

15 Feb 2011

Heavy alcohol intake can lead to increased risk of AF

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Its name comes from the fibrillating of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. The result is an irregular heartbeat, which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. Atrial fibrillation alone is not in itself generally life-threatening, but it may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.

14 Feb 2011

Fiber in diet protects from more than just heart disease and diabetes: Study

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers have identified a link between high-fiber diets and lower risks of death not only from heart disease, but from infectious and respiratory illnesses as well. This government commissioned study also ties fiber with a lower risk of cancer deaths in men, but not women, possibly because men are more likely to die from cancers related to diet, like cancers of the esophagus. And it finds the overall benefit to be strongest for diets high in fiber from grains.

14 Feb 2011

Rapid approvals for medical devices by FDA leads to increased recalls: Study

According to a latest study many medical devices recalled in recent years by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because they posed a high risk to patients were not rigorously studied before being approved for patient use. The study, appearing on the web site of The Archives of Internal Medicine, said that most medical devices that were the subject of high-risk recalls from 2005 to 2009 had been cleared through a regulatory pathway with little testing. This included external heart defibrillators, hospital infusion pumps and mechanical ventilators.

14 Feb 2011

FDA waives NDA filing fee for Antares' Anturol NDA

Antares Pharma, Inc. today announced the receipt from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a waiver, on February 8, 2011, for the $1,500,000 New Drug Application (NDA) filing fee for Anturol® Gel for overactive bladder (OAB).

14 Feb 2011

U-Systems completes pivotal study for automated breast ultrasound cancer screening

U-Systems, the leader in automated breast ultrasound today announced the completion of a pivotal ROC Reader Study for automated breast ultrasound cancer screening. Conducted by University of Chicago, an acclaimed pioneer in women's heath research, the multi-reader, multi-case (MRMC) ROC Reader Study was carried-out to evaluate the sensitivity of somo•v™ Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS) together with a screening mammogram in detecting breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue.

14 Feb 2011

Contaminated alcohol prep pad may have caused sudden death of two year old

A lawsuit filed in Federal court claims that a contaminated alcohol prep pad manufactured by Triad Group, Inc. caused the sudden death of a two year old boy. The lawsuit claims Bacillus cereus bacteria from a contaminated alcohol prep pad caused a deadly meningitis infection.

14 Feb 2011

FDA grants BrainStorm's NurOwn orphan drug designation for treatment of ALS

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to the Company's NurOwn™ autologous adult stem cell product candidate for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

14 Feb 2011

Tarsa completes oral calcitonin Phase III trial for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Tarsa Therapeutics, Inc. today announced completion of its global Phase III ORACAL trial testing the company's once-daily oral recombinant calcitonin for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Results from the ORACAL trial are expected in early spring. In addition, Tarsa announced initiation of a new Phase II study of its oral calcitonin for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

14 Feb 2011

FDA accepts King's ACUROX NDA for filing with Priority review classification

Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has been informed by King Pharmaceuticals Research and Development Inc. (King) that King's New Drug Application (NDA) for ACUROX® (oxycodone HCl) Tablets was accepted for filing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a Priority review classification and a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of June 17, 2011.

14 Feb 2011

New checklists to help providers use lowest dose necessary to perform fluoroscopic procedures on children

The Image Gently campaign has developed easily accessible online teaching materials and checklists to help providers use the lowest dose necessary to perform fluoroscopic procedures on children. Physicians, medical physicists, and radiologic technologists are encouraged to visit the Image Gently Web site (www.imagegently.org) to review these important materials and factor the information into their clinical decision making.

14 Feb 2011

SynthRx to become wholly-owned subsidiary of ADVENTRX

ADVENTRX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire SynthRx, Inc., a private biotechnology company developing a purified form of a rheologic and antithrombotic agent, poloxamer 188.

14 Feb 2011

Rising number of livestock diseases threatens public health, food security in developing countries, report says

"A growing number of livestock, such as cows and pigs, are fuelling new animal epidemics worldwide and posing more severe problems in developing countries as it threatens their food security, according to a report [.pdf] released on Friday" during an international conference in New Delhi, India, on Leveraging Agriculture for Improving Nutrition & Health, Reuters reports (Lyn, 2/11).

14 Feb 2011

Phase III RISE study of Lucentis for DME meets primary endpoint

Genentech, Inc., a member of the Roche Group, announced today that one of two Phase III studies evaluating monthly Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME), met its primary endpoint. DME is a serious complication of diabetes that affects up to 10 percent of people with the disease and can lead to blurred vision, severe vision loss and blindness.

14 Feb 2011

Some fat is essential for body function

It's common knowledge that too much cholesterol and other fats can lead to disease, and that a healthy diet involves watching how much fatty food we eat. However, our bodies need a certain amount of fat to function—and we can't make it from scratch.

14 Feb 2011

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

University Hospitals Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center recently reported that it has increased the use of tPA or "clot busting therapy" for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times throughout UH system hospitals since implementing the System Stroke Program. Launched in 2008, SSP sought to increase access to the lifesaving treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients in the 15 counties surrounding Cleveland.

14 Feb 2011

Food News and Research

International agriculture conference highlights need to connect health, agriculture

FDA requests $4.3 billion to protect and promote health of Americans as part of FY 2012 budget

Green on satellite images warns of hantavirus outbreaks

Study confirms anti-inflammatory properties of Oligonol in humans

Scientists improve methods for flavanol antioxidant determination in cocoa, chocolate

Heavy alcohol intake can lead to increased risk of AF

Fiber in diet protects from more than just heart disease and diabetes: Study

Rapid approvals for medical devices by FDA leads to increased recalls: Study

FDA waives NDA filing fee for Antares' Anturol NDA

U-Systems completes pivotal study for automated breast ultrasound cancer screening

Contaminated alcohol prep pad may have caused sudden death of two year old

FDA grants BrainStorm's NurOwn orphan drug designation for treatment of ALS

Tarsa completes oral calcitonin Phase III trial for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

FDA accepts King's ACUROX NDA for filing with Priority review classification

New checklists to help providers use lowest dose necessary to perform fluoroscopic procedures on children

SynthRx to become wholly-owned subsidiary of ADVENTRX

Rising number of livestock diseases threatens public health, food security in developing countries, report says

Phase III RISE study of Lucentis for DME meets primary endpoint

Some fat is essential for body function

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

The future is bioengineered: Synthetic biology and global sustainability eBook

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

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