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Insight into how mutations in LRRK2 gene may cause familial Parkinson's disease

Using new one-of-a-kind "mouse models" that promise to have a significant impact on future Parkinson's disease research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers are among the first to discover how mutations in a gene called LRRK2 may cause inherited (or "familial") Parkinson's disease, the most common form of the disease. The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, is the first in vivo evidence that LRRK2 regulates dopamine transmission and controls motor performance, and that the mutation of LRRK2 eliminates the normal function of LRRK2, leading to Parkinson's disease.

1 Apr 2010

New book from AGA helps patients self-manage their IBD and challenges

Inflammatory bowel disease strikes young people between the ages of 15 and 30 most often, but it can appear at any age. It is easy to for the 100,000 people diagnosed with IBD - Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis - each year to feel powerless against this condition, but now, a new book from the AGA helps patients self-manage their IBD and the challenges they face.

1 Apr 2010

Pfizer admits paying $35 million to doctors over last 6 months

Pfizer among other large pharmaceutical companies recently disclosed payments to doctors and other medical professionals for consulting and speaking on its behalf and also some sponsorship of clinical trials. On Wednesday in an announcement the company spokesperson revealed that they had paid a whopping $20 million to 4,500 doctors and other medical professionals in the last six months of 2009. Pfizer also accepted that they paid $15.3 million to 250 academic medical centers and other research groups for clinical trials in the same period. This disclosure is only about payments made within the US.

1 Apr 2010

Combating immune suppressive cells in liver may prevent the spread of cancer: Study

Scientists have uncovered what could be a very important clue in answering one of the most perplexing questions about cancer: why does it spread to the liver more than any other organ? In a new research report published in the April 2010 issue of Journal of Leukocyte Biology, scientists from New York University describe experimental results suggesting that the immune system may be the reason.

1 Apr 2010

Masimo PVI predicts hemodynamic effects of PEEP in mechanically ventilated patients

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry™ and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that a new clinical study published in the March 2010 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, shows Masimo PVI successfully predicts the hemodynamic effects of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in mechanically ventilated patients after cardiac surgery.

1 Apr 2010

Neurologist develops SAGE tool to diagnose memory disorders

A self-administered test to screen for early dementia could help speed the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of memory disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. It could also provide health care providers and caregivers an earlier indication of life-changing events that could lie ahead.

1 Apr 2010

Providing direct access to imaging test results may improve patient satisfaction, but increase anxiety as well

Providing patients with direct access to their imaging test results could improve patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes. However, physicians are concerned that it could lead to increased patient anxiety and unrealistic demands on physician time, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (www.jacr.org).

1 Apr 2010

New health care reform law includes patient safety provisions

While most of the attention surrounding the landmark health care reform measure just signed into law has focused on how it expands access to affordable insurance coverage, it also enacts important initiatives that will improve patient safety, according to Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.

1 Apr 2010

Refinements to CTC-chip may better monitor how CTC levels react to prostate cancer treatment

Technical improvements to a microchip-based device for detecting and analyzing tumor cells in the bloodstream are revealing cellular differences that may reflect a tumor's aggressiveness and long-term response to treatment.

1 Apr 2010

TCA may be an effective treatment option for patients who suffer from PVOD

Traditional Chinese acupuncture, where very thin needles are used to stimulate specific points in the body to elicit beneficial therapeutic responses, may be an effective treatment option for patients who suffer from persistent post- viral olfactory dysfunction, according to new research in the April 2010 issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.

1 Apr 2010

Repros Therapeutics announces response to FDA critique on proposed Phase II Androxal study

Repros Therapeutics Inc. today announced that the Company is sending a reply to the FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products following the Company's receipt of FDA's comments on the proposed Phase II study of Androxal® (enclomiphene) in the treatment of Type II diabetes under Repros' open IND. On February 2, 2010 the Company announced that Repros received confirmation from the Agency that the new IND is effective.

1 Apr 2010

FDA accepts for review Abbott's novel diagnostic test for rapid detection of NGAL

A novel diagnostic test to rapidly detect neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), an early biomarker that identifies patients at risk for acute kidney injury (AKI), has been accepted for review by the United States Food and Drug Administration. If approved, this would be the first test available for use in the United States for the detection of NGAL.

1 Apr 2010

Link between occupational exposures and postmenopausal breast cancer

Occupational exposure to certain chemicals and pollutants before a woman reaches her mid-30s could treble her risk of developing cancer after the menopause, suggests research published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine .

1 Apr 2010

Levator ani syndrome: Biofeedback more effective than EGS or digital massage

A new study conducted by Italian researchers, in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, finds that biofeedback is more effective than two other treatments for a type of chronic rectal pain called levator ani syndrome.

1 Apr 2010

Early use of CT and MRI scans may reduce duration of hospital stay and hospitalization costs

Advanced imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might shorten the length of a person's hospital stay and decrease the high costs associated with hospitalization if used early, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (www.jacr.org).

1 Apr 2010

International medical graduates earn medical residency placement

More than 80 international medical graduates (IMGs) who have just earned a coveted medical residency placement came together this evening to celebrate their achievement with The Hon. Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.

1 Apr 2010

Dutasteride reduces risk of prostate cancer

There is good news for those at high risk for prostate cancer. The drug dutasteride which is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline as the drug Avodart, has been found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by a quarter. The drug is at present being used to treat enlarged prostates.

1 Apr 2010

Hormone ghrelin may improve appetite in gastric cancer patients

In gastric cancer patients who have had part or all of their stomach removed, the hormone ghrelin may lessen post-operative weight loss and improve appetite, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute.

1 Apr 2010

Cardiac CT can help identify and predict at risk heart attack patients

One of the largest research studies into cardiac computed tomography (CT), conducted at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), shows that the high-speed advanced imaging technology can identify and predict patients at risk for heart attack and death.

1 Apr 2010

Leg length inequality linked to osteoarthritis: Study

A new study shows that arthritis in the knee is linked to the common trait of having one leg that is longer than the other. Whether or not leg length differential is a direct cause of osteoarthritis is not clear, but the findings may allow people to take preventive measures before the onset of the chronic and painful condition.

1 Apr 2010