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InnerPulse selects Dassault Systemes' Abaqus FEA software

Dassault Systèmes, a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that InnerPulse, a medical device company pioneering a novel technology for those patients with cardiac rhythm disorders, has selected Abaqus finite element analysis (FEA) software from the SIMULIA to assist in development of their technology designed in SolidWorks CAD software.

16 Mar 2010

Minimally invasive surgical ablation for AFib: Unapproved, warns whistleblower

As reported in today's Wall Street Journal, the more than 2 million Americans with atrial fibrillation are now on notice that the over-zealous marketing tactics and incentives by manufacturers of expensive medical devices which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of atrial fibrillation are likely to be influencing doctors' and hospitals' decisions about treatment for their patients' heart conditions.

12 Mar 2010

FDA approves BOTOX for treatment of increased muscle stiffness in adults with upper limb spasticity

Allergan, Inc. today announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) for the treatment of increased muscle stiffness in the elbow, wrist and fingers in adults with upper limb spasticity.

9 Mar 2010

Hypertension: Regular nifedipine administration may lead to development of GERD

Nifedipine, a calcium-channel blocker, was shown to decrease lower esophageal sphincter pressure and increase esophageal acid exposure time, while atenolol, a b1 blocker, was shown to inhibit relaxation of the smooth muscle of the esophagus. However, the influence of these anti-hypertensive drugs on the segment of esophageal body contraction using high-resolution manometry was not fully investigated.

5 Mar 2010

Allergan celebrates 20th anniversary of BOTOX in Canada

Twenty years ago, the first approved use of BOTOX(R) (botulinum toxin type A), a neurotoxin widely used to treat several life altering medical conditions, was granted in Canada. As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations, healthcare professionals from coast to coast reflect upon the discovery, science and evolution of a therapy that has impacted the lives of millions of patients worldwide.

3 Mar 2010

AAN guideline evaluates drugs’ safety and efficacy for treatment of muscle cramps

A new guideline from the American Academy of Neurology recommends that the drug quinine, although effective, should be avoided for treatment of routine muscle cramps due to uncommon but serious side effects.

23 Feb 2010

New gene locus influencing risk for atrial fibrillation identified

Atrial fibrillation is a cardiac arrhythmia - a chronic irregularity of heartbeat - which affects an estimated 1 million people in Germany. Although the condition is not acutely life-threatening, it does increase the risk of developing more serious illnesses, such as cardiac insufficiency, stroke and dementia. In the third of a series of genomewide asssociation studies, an international team of researchers, led by LMU physician PD Dr. Stefan K--b, now reports the identification of a new gene locus that has a significant influence on risk for atrial fibrillation.

22 Feb 2010

Study: Several types of treatment can provide relief for pelvic floor disorders

Pelvic health concerns in women are common -- yet how the issues impact sexuality and childbearing is not often discussed, according to Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource.

18 Feb 2010

UCSF researchers: B1N1 protein is necessary for heart to contract

UCSF researchers have discovered that a protein called B1N1 is necessary for the heart to contract. The findings, published in the Feb. 16 issue of the open access journal PLoS Biology, shed light not only on what makes a heart beat but also on heart failure, a disease where cardiac cells are no longer able to contract and pump blood through the body.

16 Feb 2010

Article features pelvic health problems, risk factors and treatment options for women

Pelvic health concerns in women are common -- yet how the issues impact sexuality and childbearing is not often discussed, according to Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

12 Feb 2010

Pivotal Research to study investigational drug for menstrual cramps

A leading clinical research center in Peoria has joined an international research program to study an investigational drug designed as a possible treatment for painful menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, a condition that affects between 45 and 90 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States.

10 Feb 2010

Procter & Gamble reports increased net sales for October - December quarter

The Procter & Gamble Company delivered net sales growth of six percent for the October - December quarter to $21.0 billion. Organic sales grew five percent which was at the top of the Company's guidance range.

28 Jan 2010

Research suggests pomegranate seed extract could stimulate uterine contractions

The team identified beta-sitosterol - a steroid that can inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine - as the main constituent of pomegranate seed extract. The research suggests that pomegranate extract could be used as a natural stimulant to encourage the uterus to contract during labour.

28 Jan 2010

Study identifying new form of adult onset muscular dystrophy published

A study published in today's online edition the American Journal of Human Genetics, allowed the first identification of a new form of adult onset muscular dystrophy.

22 Jan 2010

Gently rocking embryos during IVF may improve success rates

Gently rocking embryos while they grow during in vitro fertilization (IVF) improves pregnancy rates in mice by 22 percent, new University of Michigan research shows. The procedure could one day lead to significantly higher IVF success rates in humans.

20 Jan 2010

New procedure could lead to higher IVF success rates in humans

19 Jan 2010

Salt Lake City research center joins international drug trial program for painful menstrual cramps

A leading clinical research center in Salt Lake City has joined an international trial program to test an experimental new drug designed to treat painful menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, a condition that affects between 45 and 90 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States. Although not life threatening, dysmenorrhea can be debilitating and psychologically taxing and is one of the leading causes of absenteeism from work and school.

12 Jan 2010

Researchers study VA111913 drug as a possible treatment for dysmenorrhea

A leading clinical research center in Austin has joined an international research program to study an investigational drug designed as a possible treatment for painful menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea, a condition that affects between 45 and 90 percent of women of childbearing age in the United States.

12 Jan 2010

Heart attacks peak during winter months, finds research

Research has found that heart attacks peak during the winter months, and the prevailing hypothesis has been that cold temperatures stress the heart. But in 2004, researchers analyzed 12 years of Los Angeles County death certificates and found that heart attack deaths also rise in the balmy Los Angeles winters.

14 Dec 2009

New nursing guideline to enhance improved care for MMT clients

A pregnant woman walks into a hospital in early labour. She feels nauseated and achy; her contractions are 20 minutes apart. There is more to her story than meets the eye. She is on methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) and wasn't able to pick up her daily dose at the pharmacy this morning. Although her story may be hard to believe she is one of the estimated 17,000 clients in Ontario currently receiving MMT.

2 Dec 2009