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CAP forges collaboration with CAP-ACP and RCPA for development of cancer protocols

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) recently signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the Canadian Association of Pathologists (CAP-ACP) and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia (RCPA), forging a collaboration in the development of cancer datasets, also called protocols. The CAP Cancer Protocols are designed as a guideline for definitive cancer reporting.

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

CRT agrees with AstraZeneca for AZD-3965 clinical trial

Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology the charity's development and commercialisation arm have reached an agreement with AstraZeneca to take compound AZD-3965 a first-of-its-kind experimental drug to potentially treat a range of cancers into clinical trial.

13 Sep 2010

Measuring PSA levels effective in detecting prostate cancer: Study

A new multinational study suggests that regular blood testing to measure levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) is more effective at detecting prostate cancer in men with a genetic predisposition to the disease.

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

AABB to honor blood-collection professionals worldwide

Blood collection professionals are the connection between blood donors and the life-saving blood therapies people rely on every day. Blood-collection professionals will be recognized in communities worldwide September 12-18, 2010, as part of the 6th Annual Blood Collectors Week, sponsored jointly by Fenwal Inc. and AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks).

13 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

High estrogen levels in female athletes associated with higher risk of injury

In female athletes with chronically higher estrogen levels, differences in the mechanical properties of tendons may lead to a higher risk of injury, according to a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins , a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

10 Sep 2010

Clinica of Virginia offers medical services to Medicare and Medicaid patients for $1.00

In an effort to promote wellness and help those who are struggling to make ends meet, Clinica of Virginia, LLC. is providing quality medical services to Medicare and Medicaid patients for only $1.00. The national economic downturn, combined with national bureaucracy, has created a shortage of physicians and clinics who accept Medicare and Medicaid. Chronic, multiple medical conditions plague those Americans who can financially afford it the least, and physicians' offices who accept Medicare or Medicaid are now far and few between. Clinica accepts both.

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

IASIS Healthcare signs agreement to acquire Brim Holdings

IASIS Healthcare today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire Brim Holdings, Inc., which operates Wadley Regional Medical Center in Texarkana, Texas, and Pikes Peak Regional Hospital in Woodland Park, Colorado, in a cash-for-stock transaction valued at approximately $95 million, subject to customary closing conditions and working capital adjustments. Combined revenue of the two facilities is approximately $120 million.

10 Sep 2010

New national assessment tool for nursing home residents

A fundamental shift will take place in skilled nursing homes beginning in October following the work of a California-based researcher and a team of investigators that has developed a new national assessment tool for nursing home residents.

10 Sep 2010

Small IVDs can be kept on for longer periods

Small intravenous devices (IVDs) commonly used in the hand or arm do not need to be moved routinely every 3 days. A randomized controlled trial comparing regular relocation with relocation on clinical indication, published in the open access journal BMC Medicine, found that rates of complications were the same for both regimens.

10 Sep 2010

Perception of danger during disaster can impact health long-term

Feeling like your life is in danger during an accident or disaster can have long-term negative effects on health—whether or not the threat to your life was real. This is one of the results of a new doctoral thesis from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet on the experiences and mental health of Stockholm residents who survived the 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean. A few simple questions to survivors early on could help health care personnel identify those in need of extra support and follow-up, according to Lars Wahlström, the researcher behind the thesis.

10 Sep 2010

InHealth continues support for Northwestern and Duke with follow-on grants of over $830,000

The Institute for Health Technology Studies (InHealth) has awarded two follow-on grants totaling more than $830,000 to research teams at Northwestern University and Duke University.

10 Sep 2010