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Octapharma sponsors symposium on inhibitors in Haemophilia A

In a showing of its continued commitment to eradicating today's major complication in the treatment of haemophilia with FVIII concentrates − i.e. anti-FVIII neutralising antibodies − Octapharma AG recently sponsored a symposium, "Inhibitors in Haemophilia A: Prevention, Current Management and Personalised Therapy Perspectives", on July 13, 2010 at the World Federation of Haemophilia's (WFH's) yearly congress.

13 Sep 2010

Fusion surgery for spondylolisthesis in lumbar spine has long-term benefits: Study

A group of children who underwent fusion surgery for spondylolisthesis in the lumbar spine 30 years ago showed a clear reduction in back pain when followed up seven years later. A new study of these patients as adults has found that the benefits have lasted, reveals research from the Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital presented this week at the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT) annual international conference in Gothenburg.

13 Sep 2010

Scientists discover gene associated with myopia

Myopia (nearsightedness) is the most common eye disorder in the world and becoming more common, yet little is known about its genetic underpinnings.Scientists at Duke University Medical Center, in conjunction with several other groups, have uncovered a gene associated with myopia in Caucasian people from several different regions, including Dutch, British and Australian subjects.

13 Sep 2010

Current economic crisis threatens to affect cancer incidence: Report

Although overall mortality from cancer is decreasing in the European Union, its incidence increased by almost 20%, from 2.1 million new cases in 2002 to 2.5 million in 2008, says a special issue of the European Journal of Cancer on cancer prevention, published today.

13 Sep 2010

Researchers find amyloid precursor protein function in Alzheimer's disease

In people with Alzheimer's, the brain becomes riddled with clumps of protein, forming what are known as amyloid plaques. Now, a report appearing in the September 17th print issue of Cell appears to have found a function for the amyloid precursor protein that yields the prime ingredient in those plaques.

13 Sep 2010

Improving palliative care may reduce healthcare costs, improve outcomes

There may be no simple one-size-fits-all approach to improving end-of-life care in ICU settings, according to a recent study from some of the world's leading researchers in palliative care.

13 Sep 2010

FDA approves CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure

CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc., a medical device company developing and delivering unique extracellular matrix (ECM) biomaterial devices that harness the body's innate ability to repair damaged cardiovascular tissue, announced today that FDA has granted conditional approval for the start of a multi-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the CorMatrix ECM for Pericardial Closure to reduce the incidence of new onset postoperative atrial fibrillation.

13 Sep 2010

Study shows attaching prostheses to titanium implant improves quality of life

Today sees the presentation of a study that, for the first time, shows the results of treatment using prostheses attached to titanium implants in the bones of patients with above-the-knee amputations. It reveals that the treatment improves function and quality of life in nine out of ten patients, and is the result of research carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy and Sahlgrenska University Hospital that is being presented this week at the International Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology (SICOT) annual international conference in Gothenburg.

13 Sep 2010

Researchers elucidate Qua1 spatial structure region of Sam68 protein

Using NMR spectroscopy, Professor Michael Sattler and his team elucidated the spatial structure of the Qua1 region of Sam68, which is responsible for the dimerization of the protein. In collaboration with the research group of Professor Ruth Brack-Werner of the Institute of Virology, the authors showed that this region is essential for the biological function of Sam68.

13 Sep 2010

Ill. prepares high risk pool; Calif. residents struggle with rising health care costs

"At first glance, the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan sounds like welcome relief for jobless Illinoisans who have serious medical issues and are struggling with the loss of employer financed health care. The federally financed $5 billion plan $196 million of which is earmarked for Illinois provides an affordable health insurance option to people who previously were limited to the far more expensive, state run Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan.

13 Sep 2010

Hospitals lobby for broader health IT rewards; Mobile devices infiltrate health care

The American Hospital Association stepped up its advocacy efforts to get lawmakers to revisit a program that will reward hospitals for adopting electronic medical records by expanding its opportunities for hospital systems with multiple facilities, The Hill reports.

13 Sep 2010

C-section rates on the rise

According to a California Watch analysis, profit making hospitals across the state are performing Cesarean sections at higher rates than non-profit hospitals. The analysis compiled a database of state birthing records and showed that women were at least 17 percent more likely to have a Cesarean section at a for-profit hospital than at a non-profit or public hospital from 2005 to 2007.

12 Sep 2010

MRSA infection hVISA linked to mortality

A MRSA infection with a reduced susceptibility to the potent antibiotic drug vancomycin is linked to high mortality, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

12 Sep 2010

Physician shortage could grow under new health law

HealthDay/Bloomberg BusinessWeek: With tens of millions of patients newly insured under the law, "[s]ome experts worry that there could be longer wait times to see a doctor, particularly in rural areas and underserved markets where primary-care physicians are in short supply. … [P]rimary-care physicians make up only 35 percent of America's physician workforce, and the pipeline of fresh talent is tapering off.

10 Sep 2010

Research Roundup: Shifting ER visits to urgent care centers; Evaluating doctors; Medicare Advantage quality ratings

Health Affairs: Many Emergency Department Visits Could Be Managed At Urgent Care Centers And Retail Clinics - Researchers analyzed samples of patient records and found "13.7 percent of all emergency department visits could take place at a retail clinic" - 7.9 percent when hours are restricted - and "an additional 13.4 percent of emergency department visits could take place at a urgent care center—8.9 percent when hours are restricted.

10 Sep 2010

Johns Hopkins added as second clinical trial site in Tengion Neo-Urinary Conduit Phase I clinical trial

Tengion, Inc., a leader in regenerative medicine, announced today it has added The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland as a second clinical trial site for its Phase I clinical trial of the Company's lead product candidate, the Tengion Neo-Urinary Conduit™, in bladder cancer patients requiring bladder removal.

10 Sep 2010

McGill researchers pioneer anesthetics via videoconferencing

Videoconferences may be known for putting people to sleep, but never like this. Dr. Thomas Hemmerling and his team of McGill's Department of Anesthesia achieved a world first on August 30, 2010, when they treated patients undergoing thyroid gland surgery in Italy remotely from Montreal. The approach is part of new technological advancements, known as 'Teleanesthesia', and it involves a team of engineers, researchers and anesthesiologists who will ultimately apply the drugs intravenously which are then controlled remotely through an automated system.

10 Sep 2010

BPA detectable in saliva of children for up to three hours after completion of dental work

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that bisphenol A (BPA) released from some plastic resins used in pediatric dentistry is detectable in the saliva after placement in children's mouths. BPA is a widely used synthetic chemical that has been associated with changes in behavior, prostate and urinary tract development, and early onset of puberty. The findings are published in the current issue of Pediatrics.

10 Sep 2010

SurgiCount Medical to implement Safety-Sponge System at Kalispell Regional Medical Center

SurgiCount Medical, the wholly-owned operating subsidiary of Patient Safety Technologies, Inc., today announced that it has signed a contract with Kalispell Regional Medical Center to implement the SurgiCount Safety-Sponge® System, a proven solution to prevent one of the most common surgical errors, retained surgical sponges.

10 Sep 2010

Doctor works to measure outcomes of provider care

Forbes profiles "the most powerful doctor you never heard of," a Yale cardiologist who does "outcomes research" in which he measures "how well doctors are doing in the real world, outside of controlled trials--what they are doing right, what they are doing wrong and what they are forgetting to do entirely."

10 Sep 2010