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NIH awards Brain Plasticity $3.65M to improve cognitive function in people with schizophrenia

Brain Plasticity Inc., a new technology incubator dedicated to the discovery and development of novel technologies that harness the basic principles of brain plasticity to improve the lives of people with neurological and psychiatric disorders, was recently awarded $3.65 million dollars in two separate grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

18 Aug 2010

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

The Associated Press: "Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer' as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week. Cancer costs more in productivity and lost life than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other diseases that spread person-to-person, the report concludes.

18 Aug 2010

Employers can play key role in promoting better health: Report

As the U.S. continues to struggle with both cost and quality issues in an evolving health care system, employers can play a key role in promoting better health and more efficient use of resources, The Health Project reported this week.

17 Aug 2010

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Emdeon Inc., a leading provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced a strategic relationship with Noridian Mutual Insurance Company (NMIC), doing business as Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota, and Noridian Administrative Services, LLC (NAS). NMIC provides quality health care coverage and additional supplemental coverage for those seeking medical, life, disability, long-term care and related insurance coverage.

17 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

One of the most promising aspects of the new health-care reform is the creation of an independent board to recommend changes in federal health programs and a fast-track provision that would allow these changes to take effect automatically unless Congress comes up with alternatives that would save a similar amount (8/16).

16 Aug 2010

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Childhood immunizations keep our children safe from a number of serious diseases. This is a good time of year to make sure your child is up-to-date on all of his/her immunizations. Continue reading to find out which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend for children 6 and under.

16 Aug 2010

Recent research on schizophrenia published in journal Current Directions in Psychological Science

It has been nearly a century since the term "schizophrenia" was first used to describe what was then considered a hopeless and incurable disorder of thought and emotion. Schizophrenia is still baffling to both scientists and the general public, but it is no longer considered hopeless. Significant advances have been made on several fronts in fathoming and combating this debilitating mental illness-from genetics to neuroscience to the psychosocial aspects of the disorder.

16 Aug 2010

International community must approach cancer as a global health priority

Once thought to be a problem primarily in the developed world, cancer is now a leading cause of death and disability in poorer countries. Almost two-thirds of the 7.6 million cancer deaths in the world occur in low- and middle-income countries.

16 Aug 2010

Exercise can ease arthritis pain

People with arthritis who exercise have less pain, more energy, improved sleep, and better day-to-day function, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

16 Aug 2010

Survey: Majority of U.S. pharmaceutical companies develop drugs for mental illness

Pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in New Jersey, California, New York and North Carolina are responsible for 192 of the 313 medicines in development today to treat mental illnesses, a new survey shows.

16 Aug 2010

Medicare disability recipient dies of brain tumor after having coverage interrupted

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: "Paula Oertel, whose brain tumor disappeared for nine years while she was on an expensive drug and returned after she temporarily lost her insurance coverage, has died as a result of the tumor spreading through her brain. The interruption of her Medicare coverage of the drug directly contributed to her death, contends her doctor, Mark Malkin, chief of neuro-oncology at Froedtert Hospital.

16 Aug 2010

Childhood brain tumor survivors may be vulnerable to physical declines associated with aging: Study

A large study focused on documenting the strength and fitness of childhood brain tumor survivors has found that many face health challenges as they age. The study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators showed that although most participants were young adults in their 20s, many functioned like people in their 60s, making them less likely to live independently or attend college.

16 Aug 2010

Insurers defend less generous policies, medical loss ratio definitions; Obama to talk with insurance commissioners

Kaiser Health News, in collaboration with USA Today, reports on insurers who are defending less generous "limited-benefit" health policies as implementation of the health law proceeds. That law forbids annual dollar limits in such plans. "Starting this fall, most health care policies — except existing policies purchased by individuals on their own — will have to cover at least $750,000 in medical care per person.

13 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 13, 2010

Today's headlines explore a variety of health policy issues, ranging from consumer protections regarding benefit rights to the cost of electronic medical records.

13 Aug 2010

Sinai Hospital announces driver evaluation and rehabilitation training program for elderly drivers

Remember that feeling of finally getting your drivers' license? That feeling of freedom and independence is also connected to reaching many of our day-to-day activities. Yet a disability, illness or aging can affect our ability to be a safe driver by impairing our decision-making skills and our ability to control a vehicle. Being a child of an elderly parent also may mean it's time to talk about driving.

13 Aug 2010

New criteria by ACR for early diagnosis, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

New criteria for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, could prevent thousands of people from developing disabling late stage disease, by redefining how RA should be classified.Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune inflammatory disease, primarily of the joints. If untreated, it leads to damage of bone and cartilage, joint deformities and disability. Around 350,000 people in the UK are living with RA, which affects around three times as many women as men.

13 Aug 2010

Chronic pain affects higher proportion of women than men: Research

Women experience chronic pain longer, more intensely and more often than men, according to a psychologist who works with both men and women dealing with diseases and conditions that leave them suffering.

13 Aug 2010

Researchers develop robotic powered wheelchair system for children with disabilities

A robotic wheelchair is being developed that will help children learn to 'drive'. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation describe the testing of ROLY -RObot-assisted Learning for Young drivers - in a group of children without disabilities and one child with cerebral palsy.

13 Aug 2010

Centric Health second-quarter net income increases 154% to $1.3 million

Centric Health Corporation, a diversified healthcare company with a vision to become Canada's premier healthcare company providing innovative solutions centered around patients and healthcare professionals, today announced strong financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

12 Aug 2010

$Study demonstrates efficacy of vertebroplasty in treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures$

Study demonstrates efficacy of vertebroplasty in treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures

Orthovita, Inc., an orthobiologics and biosurgery company, notes that the August 10, 2010 online edition of The Lancet includes the largest peer-reviewed study to date demonstrating the efficacy of vertebroplasty in the treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures compared to conservative treatment.

12 Aug 2010

Disability News and Research

NIH awards Brain Plasticity $3.65M to improve cognitive function in people with schizophrenia

Cancer is the world's top 'economic killer,' report finds

Employers can play key role in promoting better health: Report

Emdeon and Noridian Mutual Insurance enter strategic relationship

Today's Opinions: Challenges for independent Medicare board; Lack of independent analysis of Medicare finances; Medical schools shouldn't fear restrictions on ties to industry

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Recent research on schizophrenia published in journal Current Directions in Psychological Science

International community must approach cancer as a global health priority

Exercise can ease arthritis pain

Survey: Majority of U.S. pharmaceutical companies develop drugs for mental illness

Medicare disability recipient dies of brain tumor after having coverage interrupted

Childhood brain tumor survivors may be vulnerable to physical declines associated with aging: Study

Insurers defend less generous policies, medical loss ratio definitions; Obama to talk with insurance commissioners

First Edition: August 13, 2010

Sinai Hospital announces driver evaluation and rehabilitation training program for elderly drivers

New criteria by ACR for early diagnosis, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Chronic pain affects higher proportion of women than men: Research

Researchers develop robotic powered wheelchair system for children with disabilities

Centric Health second-quarter net income increases 154% to $1.3 million

Study demonstrates efficacy of vertebroplasty in treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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