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Brain imaging studies can provide biomarkers for depression diagnosis: Study

Depression, known to be a condition with impaired psychosocial functioning that severely impacts the quality of life of patients and families, is actually defined with specific clinical symptoms such as sadness, difficulty to experience pleasure, sleep problems etc., present for at least two weeks. At least 40% of depressed patients actually benefit from an antidepressant treatment, whereas 20-30% of patients may suffer from chronic depression that negatively impacts their quality of life. In order to improve the efficiency of treatment and reduce the burden of depressive disorders, depression needs to be defined at the neurobiological level.

16 Jul 2010

Study compares denture stomatitis genes with whole transcriptome for salivary biomarker analysis

The goal of the study was to compare whole-transcriptome, mucosal gene expression in Candida albicans (a parasitic fungus that can infect the mouth) associated chronic denture stomatitis to that of healthy oral mucosa and perform proteomic analyses of potential salivary biomarkers. Denture stomatitis is a condition in which the mucosa underneath a denture becomes inflamed and sometimes painful.

16 Jul 2010

Restricted diet can extend lifespan: Study

New research being presented this week is giving scientists new insight into why a restricted diet can lead to a longer lifespan and reduced incidence of age-related diseases for a wide variety of animals. Scientists have known for some time that a restricted diet can extend the lifespan of certain animals but this work shows how it affects ageing mechanisms - and significantly has also shown that the effects occur even if the restricted diet is adopted later in life.

16 Jul 2010

New research reports evaluating nephrology market in Europe released

BioTrends Research Group, Inc. has released two new syndicated market research reports evaluating the nephrology market in Europe. The reports, TreatmentTrends: Renal Anemia and TreatmentTrends: Bone and Mineral Metabolism, are derived from the responses of over 200 European nephrologists polled in May and June, 2010 regarding their approach to managing renal anemia and bone and mineral disturbances in their dialysis and chronic kidney disease patients.

16 Jul 2010

Diamyd Medical receives US Federal Trade Commission's antitrust clearance

Diamyd Medical AB has received antitrust clearance that closes the transaction announced on June 22, 2010 with Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OMJPI), a Johnson & Johnson company.

16 Jul 2010

First-of-its-kind patient, healthcare provider support program for management of HE

Concentric Pharma Advertising, an independent healthcare advertising and marketing agency, announces the creation of Salix Pharmaceuticals' Hepatic Encephalopathy Living Program. H.E.L.P. launched May 24, 2010, and coincides with the launch of Xifaxan550 (rifaximin) for the management of patients 18 or older at risk for overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence.

16 Jul 2010

The Children's Hospital, UCH to jointly establish new center for advanced maternal fetal medicine

The Children's Hospital and the University of Colorado Hospital have finalized an agreement to jointly establish a center for advanced maternal fetal medicine offering state-of-the-art care for high-risk pregnant women and their babies. The two leading academic medical centers have individually provided such services for more than three decades, and by building on already existing adult and pediatric expertise, they together will be able to provide unparalleled care and treatment for the region's most at-risk moms and babies.

16 Jul 2010

Columbia scientists discover new way to alleviate chronic pain

Columbia scientists working to combat injury-related depression, substance abuse and suicide due to unremitting, persistent pain may have discovered a new way of treating that pain: a powerful analgesic dubbed N60 that leads to neither tolerance nor addiction.

16 Jul 2010

MPI reduces depressive symptoms: Study

This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led minimal psychological intervention (MPI) in chronically ill elderly persons with minor depression or mild-to-moderate major depression, and type II diabetes or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Nine months after the intervention, patients receiving the MPI showed a 50% reduction in depressive symptoms relative to baseline values and diabetic MPI patients had a better quality of life than diabetic controls.

16 Jul 2010

New initiative to improve children's nutrition education, help them make smarter food choices

A new initiative to improve children's nutrition education and increase the amount of healthy foods available in schools is a collaboration among Penn State researchers; Pennsylvania's Departments of Health, Education, and Agriculture; Pennsylvania food manufacturers and food distributors; and school districts across the state.

16 Jul 2010

High blood pressure, diabetes leads to CKD

People with diabetes and high blood pressure need to take care of their kidneys. According to the July issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing problem in the United States. The most common causes are diabetes and high blood pressure

16 Jul 2010

New findings on macrophage activation can facilitate development of early diagnosis tools

Immune system cells called macrophages spring into action to surround and destroy threats such as viruses or cancer cells. But sometimes the would-be protective response leads to persistent inflammation, which, in turn, can cause disease.Scientists don't know exactly how macrophages cross the line from being good cops to bad cops, but researchers at the University of Florida recently unearthed several clues about the mechanisms involved. Through the lens of two inflammation-related diseases, HIV and rheumatoid arthritis, they identified changes in specific proteins linked to the action of macrophages, white blood cells that are key to the body's natural defenses.

16 Jul 2010

Amnesty International reveals the rotting health care system in North Korea

According to a human rights group, Amnesty International, North Korea is unable to meet up to even the most basic health needs of its population. The report was released this Thursday.

15 Jul 2010

DaVita to locate new headquarters building in a lot adjacent to Millennium Bridge

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, announced today it will locate its new headquarters building in a lot adjacent to the Millennium Bridge, at the west end of the 16th Street Mall, across from the new Union Station development. Construction will begin in early 2011 and DaVita expects to begin occupying the building in the second half of 2012.

15 Jul 2010

Scientists gather to discuss latest advances in Alzheimer's disease at AAICAD 2010

This week, nearly 4,000 scientists from around the world gathered to report and discuss the latest advances in research on treatments, risk factors, and diagnosis for the health epidemic of the 21st century – Alzheimer's disease – at the Alzheimer's Association's 2010 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Honolulu.

15 Jul 2010

Practice Fusion API Challenge kicked off

Practice Fusion, the free, web-based Electronic Health Record company, kicked off the Practice Fusion API Challenge today as part of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge, an initiative supported by the US Department of Health and Human Services. The challenge invites developers to connect patient health data from medical devices, mobile apps, social media systems and websites to doctors in real-time through Practice Fusion's new API.

15 Jul 2010

Smokers exposed to wood smoke are at increased risk of COPD: Research

Smokers who are exposed to wood smoke, either through home heating and cooking or through ambient neighborhood pollution, are not only at increased risk of COPD, but are also more likely to have epigenetic changes in the DNA that further increase their risk of COPD and related pulmonary problems.

15 Jul 2010

Fatness drives inactivity, not the other way around

According to a recent longitudinal study in children, inactivity does not lead to fatness! Moreover, the authors concluded that fatness is driving inactivity, and not the other way around. The authors noted that this "reverse causality" explains the observed association between inactivity and fatness. It also explains the repeated failures of the attempts to reduce childhood obesity by increasing physical activity. The study was published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood by Dr. Brad Metcalf and colleagues from Plymouth, UK.

15 Jul 2010

Study suggests chronic kidney disease affects persons of African, Hispanic heritage at higher rate

Chronic kidney disease affects millions in North America, with persons of African heritage being at a four-fold higher risk and those of Hispanic heritage having a two-fold higher risk compared to the rest of the population. An international study carried out by Dr. Karl Skorecki, from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, and his team points to the APOL1 gene as involved in the increased risk of kidney disease in this high-risk population. The results are to be published online in Springer's journal Human Genetics.

15 Jul 2010

IBM dedicates $100 million for global initiative to improve healthcare quality and costs

IBM today announced plans to enlist some of the company's leading scientists and technologists to help medical practitioners and insurance companies provide high-quality, evidence-based care to patients. As part of this initiative, IBM is collaborating with clinicians in medical institutions and hiring medical doctors to work alongside its researchers to develop new technologies, scientific advancements and business processes for healthcare and insurance providers.

15 Jul 2010

Chronic News and Research

Brain imaging studies can provide biomarkers for depression diagnosis: Study

Study compares denture stomatitis genes with whole transcriptome for salivary biomarker analysis

Restricted diet can extend lifespan: Study

New research reports evaluating nephrology market in Europe released

Diamyd Medical receives US Federal Trade Commission's antitrust clearance

First-of-its-kind patient, healthcare provider support program for management of HE

The Children's Hospital, UCH to jointly establish new center for advanced maternal fetal medicine

Columbia scientists discover new way to alleviate chronic pain

MPI reduces depressive symptoms: Study

New initiative to improve children's nutrition education, help them make smarter food choices

High blood pressure, diabetes leads to CKD

New findings on macrophage activation can facilitate development of early diagnosis tools

Amnesty International reveals the rotting health care system in North Korea

DaVita to locate new headquarters building in a lot adjacent to Millennium Bridge

Scientists gather to discuss latest advances in Alzheimer's disease at AAICAD 2010

Practice Fusion API Challenge kicked off

Smokers exposed to wood smoke are at increased risk of COPD: Research

Fatness drives inactivity, not the other way around

Study suggests chronic kidney disease affects persons of African, Hispanic heritage at higher rate

IBM dedicates $100 million for global initiative to improve healthcare quality and costs

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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