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Canadians consume more than double the recommended amount of sodium daily, study says

In advance of February's Heart Month, a new survey finds that 70 per cent of Canadians are concerned about the level of sodium in their diet. There is also vast confusion around sodium: over one-third of Canadians claim to know the upper sodium limit yet nearly nine out of 10 people get it wrong; and more than half of the population does not understand sodium information on nutrition labels. Canadians consume on average 3,092 milligrams of sodium daily, more than double the recommended amount of 1200 to 1500 milligrams.

18 Jan 2010

Study reveals link between serotonin receptor number and antidepressant treatment

An excess of one type of serotonin receptor in the center of the brain may explain why antidepressants fail to relieve symptoms of depression for 50 percent of patients, a new study from researchers at Columbia University Medical Center shows.

18 Jan 2010

Unveiling of soybean genome could help boost crop yields in future

"Scientists on Wednesday unveiled the genome of the soybean, saying it was an achievement that should deepen understanding of one of the world's most important crops, help to boost yields and defend the plant against pests," Agence France-Presse reports. The study, published in the journal Nature, details the findings of the "[e]ighteen organisations, most of them American, [who] teamed up in a 15-year endeavour that yielded a draft of 85 percent of the soybean's 1.1 billion base pairs, the 'rungs' in the double-helix ladder of DNA," the news service writes

18 Jan 2010

New genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease identified

An international team of doctors and human geneticists has identified a new genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease. The institutions involved in the study were the Institute of Human Genetics of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München, the Neurological Clinic of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU) and the Mitochondrial Research Group of Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

18 Jan 2010

High BMI among children and adolescents continues to be a public health concern in the U.S.

The prevalence of high weight for length or high body mass index (BMI) among children and teens in the U.S. (i.e., at or above the 95th percentile), ranges from approximately 10 percent for infants and toddlers, to approximately 18 percent for adolescents and teenagers, although these rates appear to have remained relatively stable over the past 10 years, except for an increase for 6- to 19-year-old boys who are at the very heaviest weight levels, according to a study appearing in the January 20 issue of JAMA. The study is being published early online because of its public health importance.

18 Jan 2010

Study indicates young Swedish men consume excess amount of salt

Young Swedish men are consuming at least double the recommended amount of salt according to a study carried out by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

18 Jan 2010

New neuroprotective drug trial for people with traumatic brain injuries

A clinical trial of a new neuroprotective drug for people with traumatic brain injuries will be offered to patients seen in UC Davis Medical Center's level-1 trauma center, through an $8 million grant funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program of the U.S. Department of Defense.

18 Jan 2010

Major tobacco company dampens impact of EU public health legislation

A major tobacco company played a key role in dampening the impact of EU public health legislation, academics at the Universities of Bath and Edinburgh have claimed.

18 Jan 2010

MAGIC investigators identify new genetic variants that influence insulin and glucose regulation

An international research consortium has found 13 new genetic variants that influence blood glucose regulation, insulin resistance, and the function of insulin-secreting beta cells in populations of European descent. Five of the newly discovered variants increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, the most common form of diabetes.

18 Jan 2010

Environmental health groups call for ban on BPA from all food applications

Environmental health advocates responded to today's announcement that Food and Drug Administration concurs with the National Toxicology Program's assessment that bisphenol A is a chemical of concern. FDA posted tips for parents to minimize children's exposure, and announced further research. BPA is a synthetic sex hormone linked to cancer, behavioral changes, reproductive harm, heart problems and other illnesses.

18 Jan 2010

Nine banks in Canada accept cash donations in support of Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti

The Canadian Red Cross is pleased to announce that nine banks in Canada are accepting cash donations in support of Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti. On January 12, 2010 a 7.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by two powerful aftershocks, struck off the western coast of Haiti.

18 Jan 2010

FDA extends Tarceva's sNDA review period

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the review period for the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Tarceva® (erlotinib) as a first-line maintenance therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by an additional 90 days.

18 Jan 2010

FDA: Data from Spiriva HandiHaler do not support increased risks for stroke, heart attack or death

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that data from a recent review of the Spiriva HandiHaler, a long-acting respiratory treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), do not support an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, or death in patients using the medicine.

18 Jan 2010

FDA approves TCA-CT's adult stem cell protocol for conducting Phase I clinical trials in ALS

TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC (TCA-CT) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its adult stem cell protocol to conduct Phase I clinical trials to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease).

18 Jan 2010

Safety concerns of acetaminophen

The pain reliever acetaminophen is one of the safest and most effective drugs on the market. It's often recommended instead of aspirin as a day-to-day pain reliever because it's much easier on the stomach than other over-the-counter options and is considered safe when taken properly.

18 Jan 2010

Dr. Michel Kahaleh uses pCLE technique to diagnose and treat cancer

The world's smallest flexible microscope is diagnosing some big diseases and allowing physicians to treat patients on the spot. Dr. Michel Kahaleh, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Virginia Health System, is the only physician in Virginia currently using probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE).

18 Jan 2010

Japan's MHLW approves InSightec's ExAblate MRgFUS system

InSightec Ltd. announced today that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has approved the company's ExAblate(R) MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) system for the treatment of women with uterine fibroids.

18 Jan 2010

Study reveals interaction of genetic and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

"Our study reveals the interaction of genetic and environmental factors such as dietary habits in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease," explained Dr. Matthias Elstner of the Neurological Clinic of LMU and Helmholtz Zentrum M-nchen, lead author of the study.

18 Jan 2010

JDRF and Animas partner to develop an automated system for better control of type 1 diabetes

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation today announced an innovative partnership with Animas Corporation to develop an automated system to help people with type 1 diabetes better control their disease -- the first step on the path to what would be among the most revolutionary advancements in treating type 1 diabetes: the development of an artificial pancreas, a fully automated system to dispense insulin to patients based on real-time changes in blood sugar levels.

18 Jan 2010

A guide for health professionals and food industry

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18 Jan 2010

Food News and Research

Canadians consume more than double the recommended amount of sodium daily, study says

Study reveals link between serotonin receptor number and antidepressant treatment

Unveiling of soybean genome could help boost crop yields in future

New genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease identified

High BMI among children and adolescents continues to be a public health concern in the U.S.

Study indicates young Swedish men consume excess amount of salt

New neuroprotective drug trial for people with traumatic brain injuries

Major tobacco company dampens impact of EU public health legislation

MAGIC investigators identify new genetic variants that influence insulin and glucose regulation

Environmental health groups call for ban on BPA from all food applications

Nine banks in Canada accept cash donations in support of Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti

FDA extends Tarceva's sNDA review period

FDA: Data from Spiriva HandiHaler do not support increased risks for stroke, heart attack or death

FDA approves TCA-CT's adult stem cell protocol for conducting Phase I clinical trials in ALS

Safety concerns of acetaminophen

Dr. Michel Kahaleh uses pCLE technique to diagnose and treat cancer

Japan's MHLW approves InSightec's ExAblate MRgFUS system

Study reveals interaction of genetic and environmental factors in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

JDRF and Animas partner to develop an automated system for better control of type 1 diabetes

A guide for health professionals and food industry

Enhancing confidence in chemical ionization spectrometry data eBook

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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