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FDA approves CDC DENV-1-4 Real Time RT PCR Assay to treat dengue

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a new diagnostic test to detect the presence of dengue virus in people with symptoms of dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever. The test, called the CDC DENV-1-4 Real Time RT PCR Assay, has been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States and can be performed using equipment and supplies many public health laboratories already use to diagnose influenza.

21 Jun 2012

Study links two specific strains of bacteria with indoor mold from water damage

Bacterial contamination in water-damaged buildings has been identified as a potential cause of health problems, including infection and respiratory conditions like asthma. Which specific bacteria contribute to these problems, however, has been unknown-making it difficult for public health officials to develop tools to effectively address the underlying source of the problem.

21 Jun 2012

Evidence mounts for vitamin D multiple sclerosis role

Three studies published in Neurology add weight to the theory that vitamin D levels have an important effect on relapse rates and cerebral lesions in patients with multiple sclerosis.

20 Jun 2012

Sun exposure, vitamin D and pancreatic cancer risk

High levels of ultraviolet radiation at an individual's birth location, sun-sensitive skin type and a history of skin cancer each decreased risk for pancreatic cancer, according to study results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges conference, held here June 18-21.

20 Jun 2012

Thomson Reuters study tracks current status of research on NTDs

"The Intellectual Property & Science division of Thomson Reuters on Tuesday announced the publication of a new study tracking the current status of research on neglected tropical diseases [NTDs]," a Thomson Reuters Corporation press release reports.

20 Jun 2012

Lack of time, training among top barriers to counseling in primary care setting

Lack of time, knowledge and training in health promotion and lack of success with changing patient behavior were among the top barriers to including effective physical activity counseling in the primary care setting, according to research by The University of Texas School of Public Health, part of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

20 Jun 2012

Al Jazeera examines Cuba's national health care system; IPS looks at HIV/AIDS in the country

In a feature story, Al Jazeera examines Cuba's national health care system, which "works -- or is supposed to work -- by emphasizing primary and preventative health care." However, after subsidies from the former Soviet Union "ended and Cuba's economy went into a tailspin, nothing was the same again," according to the news agency, which notes the system experiences drug shortages, patients have long wait times, and some hospitals are dirty or malfunctioning.

20 Jun 2012

Bariatric procedure increases risk of alcohol use disorders two years after surgery

Adults who had a common bariatric surgery to lose weight had a significantly higher risk of alcohol use disorders (AUD) two years after surgery, according to a study by a National Institutes of Health research consortium.

20 Jun 2012

Teen mothers more likely to suffer abuse and postpartum depression than older moms

Teen mothers are far more likely to suffer abuse and postpartum depression than older moms, according to a study of Canadian women's maternity experiences by a University of Alberta researcher.

20 Jun 2012

Tai Chi increases brain volume and improves memory and thinking in Chinese seniors

Scientists from the University of South Florida and Fudan University in Shanghai found increases in brain volume and improvements on tests of memory and thinking in Chinese seniors who practiced Tai Chi three times a week, reports an article published today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.

20 Jun 2012

Emergence of drug resistance to ARVs has potential to 'curb, and even reverse' gains against HIV

Noting that the "roll-out of antiretroviral treatment for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has been accompanied by rising rates of drug resistance," Raph Hamers, a global health research fellow at the Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam, and colleagues "call for improved patient management and the integration of population-based drug resistance surveillance into national treatment programs" in this BMJ analysis.

20 Jun 2012

State roundup: Retiree health costs soaring; Calif.'s duplicate surgical payments; Georgia's AIDS drug waiting list shrinks

Recession-plagued states diverted scarce money away from pensions to pay for more immediate concerns, leaving a $757 billion hole in the retirement funds covering millions of public employees, according to a study released Monday. … States also faced a $627 billion shortfall in health care services for retirees. Essentially, for every $1 they'll eventually have to pay out in health care, states had set aside only 5 cents.

20 Jun 2012

Inserm researchers examine effect of night work on women’s health

Breast cancer is the number one cause of female mortality. It affects 100 out of 100,000 women per year in developed countries. Each year, more than 1.3 million new cases are diagnosed, 53,000 of these in France. The risk factors of breast cancer are varied. They include genetic mutations, late first pregnancy, low parity or hormone therapy, but other causes of breast cancer such as way of life, environmental or professional causes have not yet been completely identified.

20 Jun 2012

NCOA spearheads new initiative to help protect older adults from influenza

The National Council on Aging announced today it is spearheading a new initiative to help protect older adults from influenza this upcoming flu season. The educational program, Flu + You, in collaboration with Sanofi Pasteur, aims to educate older adults and their caregivers about the seriousness of influenza, the importance of annual influenza immunization, and available vaccine options.

20 Jun 2012

AUA Foundation introduces It's Time to Talk About OAB campaign

On the heels of the fourth annual World Continence Week, the American Urological Association (AUA) Foundation has launched "It's Time to Talk About OAB," a nationwide education campaign designed to elevate awareness of Overactive Bladder (OAB), a common, yet often untreated condition, as a public health issue.

20 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 19, 2012

Today's headlines include more speculation about the political implications of the Supreme Court's much-anticipated health law decision.

19 Jun 2012

White House hosts roundtable discussion on global health security

U.S. Homeland Security Adviser John Brennan on Thursday "hosted a roundtable discussion with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan and senior officials from across the U.S. Government," during which "[p]articipants discussed the steps needed to advance key elements of a U.S. Government-WHO memorandum of understanding on global health security, signed last year on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly," the White House Blog reports.

19 Jun 2012

National conference examines Affordable Care Act

Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) will host a national conference on June 19, 2012 examining the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as it relates to translational science and its impact on health.

19 Jun 2012

AOAC certifies InstantLabs Salmonella Species Food Safety Kit

InstantLabs Medical Diagnostics Corporation, developer of the portable Hunter Accelerated Real-Time PCR system, today announced that its Salmonella Species Food Safety Kit has been certified as AOAC Performance-Tested (AOAC PTM Cert. No. 031202) by the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI) across four key food matrices.

19 Jun 2012

iBio expands iBioModulator portfolio with allowance of patent for anthrax vaccines

iBio, Inc. today announced that the US Patent Office has allowed patent application 11/706,576 entitled "Bacillus anthracis Antigens, Vaccine Compositions, and Related Methods."

19 Jun 2012

Public Health News and Research

FDA approves CDC DENV-1-4 Real Time RT PCR Assay to treat dengue

Study links two specific strains of bacteria with indoor mold from water damage

Evidence mounts for vitamin D multiple sclerosis role

Sun exposure, vitamin D and pancreatic cancer risk

Thomson Reuters study tracks current status of research on NTDs

Lack of time, training among top barriers to counseling in primary care setting

Al Jazeera examines Cuba's national health care system; IPS looks at HIV/AIDS in the country

Bariatric procedure increases risk of alcohol use disorders two years after surgery

Teen mothers more likely to suffer abuse and postpartum depression than older moms

Tai Chi increases brain volume and improves memory and thinking in Chinese seniors

Emergence of drug resistance to ARVs has potential to 'curb, and even reverse' gains against HIV

State roundup: Retiree health costs soaring; Calif.'s duplicate surgical payments; Georgia's AIDS drug waiting list shrinks

Inserm researchers examine effect of night work on women’s health

NCOA spearheads new initiative to help protect older adults from influenza

AUA Foundation introduces It's Time to Talk About OAB campaign

First Edition: June 19, 2012

White House hosts roundtable discussion on global health security

National conference examines Affordable Care Act

AOAC certifies InstantLabs Salmonella Species Food Safety Kit

iBio expands iBioModulator portfolio with allowance of patent for anthrax vaccines

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