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ProCure Proton Therapy Center successfully treats first cancer patient

Bound Brook, N.J. resident Frank Mackinson became the first patient to complete treatment at the ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Somerset, N.J.— a milestone that was celebrated with family, friends and Mackinson's treatment team. The Somerset Center opened officially on March 20 (one month ahead of schedule), enabling Mackinson to begin treatment on March 28. Proton therapy is a precise form of radiation treatment for cancer without many of the short- and long-term side effects often experienced with standard X-ray radiation.

31 May 2012

Implications of eradicating polio, or failing to do so, go beyond public health

In this Atlantic opinion piece, Rachel Hills, a freelance writer based in London, examines the WHO's decision on May 25 to declare polio a public health emergency, "calling for the 194 member states to fully fund the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and fill the currently $945 million gap in its budget for 2012-13."

31 May 2012

TSRI receives $2 million donation from Esther B. O'Keeffe Charitable Foundation

The Esther B. O'Keeffe Charitable Foundation has made a $2 million donation to The Scripps Research Institute to fund biomedical research and education on the Florida campus. In recognition of the gift, the Founders Room and the adjoining board room at Scripps Florida have been named the Esther B. O'Keeffe Founders Suite.

31 May 2012

U.N. officials warn 18M people will be affected by hunger in African Sahel this year

"U.N. officials say they expect 18 million people in West Africa will go hungry this year, including three million young children whose lives or health will be at risk," the Associated Press reports.

31 May 2012

No evidence of chronic low-grade inflammation linked with diseases of aging

American parents may want to think again about how much they want to protect their children from everyday germs. A new Northwestern University study done in lowland Ecuador remarkably finds no evidence of chronic low-grade inflammation -- associated with diseases of aging like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia.

31 May 2012

New guidelines for management of childhood aggression

Mayo Clinic researchers, in collaboration with other research institutions and youth mental health experts, are publishing new guidelines for primary care providers and mental health specialists to manage the common but often complex problem of childhood aggression. The goals include improving diagnosis and care and avoiding inappropriate use of medication.

31 May 2012

Study looks at performance differences between male and female childhood athletes

An Indiana University study that looked at performance differences between male and female childhood athletes found little difference in certain age groups, even though boys and girls rarely compete against each other in the U.S.

31 May 2012

AssureRx closes $12.5M Series C financing

AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced the closing of a $12.5 million Series C financing. The personalized medicine company, which provides clinically-relevant information to help physicians select the right drug for individual neuropsychiatric patients, will use the funds to increase commercial activities for its two flagship pharmacogenomic products, GeneSightRx Psychotropic and GeneSightRx® ADHD, as well as next generation product development activities.

31 May 2012

Fever in pregnancy raises autism risk

Children whose mothers experience fever during pregnancy have an increased risk for developing autism compared with other children, show study findings.

30 May 2012

Exposure to PVC flooring may increase phthalate uptake in infants

Results from a Swedish study suggest that exposure to polyvinylchloride flooring can increase the uptake of phthalates in infants.

30 May 2012

Funding alone will not reduce maternal and child mortality rates

The statistics on maternal, newborn, and child mortality around the world are staggering: 265,000 maternal deaths, 880,000 stillbirths, 1.2 million neonatal deaths, and 3.2 million infant and child deaths annually, the vast majority occurring in low-income countries.

30 May 2012

DMARD not superior to oral therapy in long-term treatment of patients with JIA

A retrospective analysis of methotrexate (MTX) safety data found that injection of this disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) was not superior to oral therapy in long-term treatment of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Findings published in Arthritis Care & Research, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggest that with similar efficacy and tolerability the more comfortable oral approach may be more suitable to treat pediatric arthritis patients.

30 May 2012

Insurers make patients pay hundreds more for cancer, arthritis drugs

Thousands of patients taking costly drugs for ailments such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are being asked to shoulder a greater share of the expense. In other news, consumers are demanding access to their medical device data. Others are harnessing the internet to jumpstart medical research and share important experiences, including serious illnesses, with family and friends.

30 May 2012

Researchers uncover insights into rare genetic disorders

Researchers studying rare genetic disorders have uncovered insights into those diseases in biological structures that regulate chromosomes when cells divide. Focusing on the cohesin complex, a group of proteins forming a bracelet that encircles chromosome pairs, scientists have discovered mutations that disrupt cohesin, causing a recently recognized class of diseases called cohesinopathies.

30 May 2012

Childhood obesity risk linked to delivery method

Delivery by cesarean section may double the risk for childhood obesity compared with vaginal delivery, show US study findings.

30 May 2012

Doctors may predict girls at increased risk of eating disorders based on food choices

Doctors may be able to predict which girls are at risk of developing eating disorders based on the food choices they make when they are younger, according to a new study by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

30 May 2012

Studies outline dilemmas on new generic heart drugs, hormone replacement therapy

One heart drug's move to generic status has complicated treatment options for some patients and doctors, the Wall Street Journal reports. Also, another study raises concerns about hormone replacement therapy in women.

30 May 2012

One third of homeless are obese

Amid some signs that America's obesity rates may be flattening out, media outlets report that one in three homeless people is obese and that bariatric surgery, which reduces stomach size, is becoming more common for patients as young as 12 or 13.

30 May 2012

State roundup: The effects of proposed Calif. budget cuts; Fewer free vaccinations in Texas

Low-income children in rural California communities are in jeopardy of losing their doctors and health care plans under Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal, state lawmakers, doctors and health advocates say. The governor is proposing to transfer nearly 900,000 children enrolled in Healthy Families, the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, to Medi-Cal – a program aimed at serving the state's poorest families, seniors and disabled residents.

30 May 2012

CHOC Children's research project receives $5.5M CIRM grant

A CHOC Children's research project, under the direction of Philip H. Schwartz, Ph.D., senior scientist at the CHOC Children's Research Institute and managing director of the facility's National Human Neural Stem Cell Resource, has been awarded a $5.5 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

30 May 2012