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NIH awards $8 million to The Medical College of Wisconsin for heart research

The Medical College of Wisconsin has been awarded a five-year, $8 million, multi-investigator Program Project Grant (PPG) from the National Institutes of Health to understand how human pluripotent stem cells, defined as cells which if left to their own designs can develop into any of the more than 200 cell types in the human body, can be channeled to exclusively become heart muscle cells.

22 Oct 2009

Findings suggest a new approach to the rehabilitation of stroke patients

What's new: Researchers at MIT and San Camillo Hospital in Venice, Italy, have shown that motor impairments in stroke patients can be understood as impairments in specific combinations of muscle activity, known as synergies.

21 Oct 2009

St. Jude Medical's quadripolar pacing system receives European CE Mark approval

St. Jude Medical, Inc. today announced it has received European CE Mark approval for the industry’s first quadripolar pacing system for cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-Ds). The quadripolar system offers physicians the ability to more effectively and efficiently manage the ever-changing pacing needs of patients with heart failure.

21 Oct 2009

Research shows exon-skipping drug may prove effective for treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy

An exon skipping PPMO has demonstrated dramatic effects in the prevention and treatment of severely affected, dystrophin and utrophin-deficient mice, preventing severe deterioration of the treated animals and extending their lifespan.

21 Oct 2009

New cutting edge nerve procedure relieves migraine permanently

The Plastic Surgery Center today announced that a 57-year-old Plainfield man reports he is free of constant headache pain after undergoing a new cutting edge nerve procedure to permanently eliminate pain caused by migraines. The procedure was performed by plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Matthew Kaufman, of the Plastic Surgery Center in New Jersey on August 4, 2009.

21 Oct 2009

Small mechanical force induces strong biological responses in embryonic stem cells

Applying a small mechanical force to embryonic stem cells could be a new way of coaxing them into a specific direction of differentiation, researchers at the University of Illinois report. Applications for force-directed cell differentiation include therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.

20 Oct 2009

Tel Aviv University develops scaffold to regenerate damaged bones and tissues

Mother Nature has provided the lizard with a unique ability to regrow body tissue that is damaged or torn ― if its tail is pulled off, it grows right back. She has not been quite so generous with human beings. But we might be able to come close, thanks to new research from Tel Aviv University.

20 Oct 2009

Progressive group launches ad urging Sen. Reid to include public option in reform legislation

"The Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) launched an ad urging Sen. Harry Reid to muscle through a public option as part of healthcare reform," The Hill's Blog Briefing Room reports (Zimmerman, 10/19).

20 Oct 2009

Amylin Pharmaceuticals to present new data from its obesity program at Obesity 2009

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that new data from its obesity program will be presented at Obesity 2009, the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, to be held in Washington, D.C. October 24-28. Phase 2 data from the pramlintide/metreleptin combination treatment clinical program will be the subject of a late-breaking oral presentation.

20 Oct 2009

FDA approves GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals' Cervarix for prevention of cervical cancer

The FDA today approved Cervarix, a new vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and precancerous lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18. The vaccine is approved for use in girls and women ages 10 years through 25 years.

19 Oct 2009

Metabolic master switch sets the biological clock in body tissues

Our body's activity levels fall and rise to the beat of our internal drums-the 24-hour cycles that govern fundamental physiological functions, from sleeping and feeding patterns to the energy available to our cells. Whereas the master clock in the brain is set by light, the pacemakers in peripheral organs are set by food availability. The underlying molecular mechanism was unknown.

19 Oct 2009

Campaign to educate men and women about fibromyalgia

Women and men have opposing views on many topics, and it turns out that they also have different takes on chronic pain.

19 Oct 2009

New mathematical model for rapid and accurate diagnoses of AHF

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have developed the first mathematical model in cardiology and emergency medicine to more quickly and reliably diagnose acute heart failure (AHF) in emergency room patients

19 Oct 2009

Pelosi raises banner of public plan in response to insurers' attacks

The health insurance industry's recent attacks on health-overhaul legislation only strengthens the case for the federal government to offer a competing health plan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Thursday, the Associated Press reports.

19 Oct 2009

Research study on cowpox virus

In the annals of medicine, Edward Jenner's 1796 vaccination of a young boy against smallpox, using fluid from cowpox blisters, remains a landmark case. In a new study, Kathryn Sykes, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute and her colleagues have taken a fresh look at cowpox.

19 Oct 2009

DFG Research Centre to be funded for a further four-year period

The DFG Research Centre for Renewable Therapies at the Technical University of Dresden ("Renewable Therapies: From Cells to Tissues to Therapies - Engineering the Cellular Basis of Regeneration ", CRTD), following a very successful first funding period, is being extended and will be funded for a further four years.

19 Oct 2009

Bedside coaching and exercising for ICU patients on ventilators

Few people have thought about providing an exercise workout in the intensive care unit, especially for patients on ventilators - even those who are comatose - but a researcher from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University will be doing some bedside coaching and exercising to get patients stretching and flexing their muscles.

19 Oct 2009

Fate Therapeutics announces human iPSC generation using a combination of small molecules

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today the generation of human induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a combination of small molecules that significantly improves the speed and efficiency of reprogramming.

19 Oct 2009

CVS Caremark's seasonal flu shot clinics to run through October 22

CVS/pharmacy announced today that its seasonal flu shot clinics will run through October 22, in light of manufacturer delays in delivery of seasonal flu vaccine affecting all health care providers. However, MinuteClinic will continue to administer seasonal flu vaccines at its 500 locations in 25 states throughout the flu season with the supply of vaccine replenished as frequently as possible.

19 Oct 2009

GlaxoSmithKline receives FDA approval for cervical cancer vaccine

GlaxoSmithKline announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CERVARIX® [Human papillomavirus bivalent (types 16 and 18) vaccine, recombinant] for the prevention of cervical pre-cancers and cervical cancer associated with oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 for use in girls and young women (aged 10-25).

19 Oct 2009