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COPD-asthma overlap ‘needs greater recognition’

More attention should be given to patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and concomitant asthma, after a study showed that nearly one-fifth of patients with COPD fall into this subtype.

30 Apr 2013

Study examines link between serum vitamin D3, risk of contracting pneumonia

A University of Eastern Finland study showed that low serum vitamin D levels are a risk factor for pneumonia. The risk of contracting pneumonia was more than 2.5 times greater in subjects with the lowest vitamin D levels than in subjects with high vitamin D levels.

30 Apr 2013

First Edition: April 30, 2013

Today's headlines include reports that the Obama administration has simplified the application for health insurance benefits under the health law.

30 Apr 2013

Congress should maintain support of global health programs 'despite fiscal challenges'

"U.S. support for global health has had a major impact around the world, particularly our contributions to fighting malaria through the President's Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria," Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Steve Davis, CEO of PATH, write in a Washington Times opinion piece.

30 Apr 2013

Clinical study shows association between results of ChemoFx and RFS of cervical cancer patients

A clinical study reporting an association between the results of the ChemoFx chemoresponse assay and recurrence free survival of cervical cancer patients has been accepted for publication by Gynecologic Oncology.

30 Apr 2013

Somalia launches pentavalent vaccine with support from GAVI, UNICEF, WHO

"Coinciding with World Immunization Week, the Somali government announced on 24 April its intention to vaccinate all children under the age of one with a new five-in-one vaccine, known as a pentavalent vaccine, funded by the GAVI Alliance, with [UNICEF] and the [WHO] as implementing partners," IRIN reports.

30 Apr 2013

PBS blog features stories looking at mobile technology and health in Africa

PBS's "Rundown" blog features two stories as part of the "Cheers Report," a "series of reports on the impact of mobile technology and health in 10 African countries."

30 Apr 2013

Intermediate anti-tTG levels affects birth outcomes, new study reveals

Pregnant women with mid to high levels of antibodies common in patients with celiac disease are at risk for having babies with reduced fetal weight and birth weight, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

30 Apr 2013

IPS examines work of U.N. High-Level Task Force on population, development to eliminate stigma surrounding reproductive health

Inter Press Service examines efforts by the U.N. High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development to overcome stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health in global discussions about population growth and development.

30 Apr 2013

Lowering door-to-balloon times helps benefit STEMI patients, study finds

While all heart attacks have the potential to be deadly, one type is referred to as the "widow maker" because of its high risk of death. A ST segment elevation myocardial infarction is a severe type of heart attack that occurs when a blockage in a coronary artery causes heart muscle to die; without prompt treatment risk of fatality increases dramatically. Coronary angioplasty, or percutaneous coronary intervention, is the most common emergency treatment for STEMI.

30 Apr 2013

Health services for Syrian refugees overstretched, U.N. report warns

"The refugee crisis sparked by the conflict in Syria is increasingly straining health services in surrounding countries, while refugees are finding it harder to access the quality treatment they need, the United Nations refugee agency warns in report released [Friday]," the U.N. News Centre reports (4/26).

30 Apr 2013

H7N9 bird flu virus continues to spread throughout China

"China on Saturday reported its first case of H7N9 bird flu in the southern province of Hunan, the latest sign the virus that has killed 23 people in the country is continuing to spread," Reuters reports (Ruwitch, 4/29).

30 Apr 2013

Healthcare providers prefer robotic helpers rather than human assistants

Roboticists are currently developing machines that have the potential to help patients with caregiving tasks, such as housework, feeding and walking. But before they reach the care recipients, assistive robots will first have to be accepted by healthcare providers such as nurses and nursing assistants.

30 Apr 2013

Glide Pharma awarded contract from Pfenex Inc. to develop a solid formulation of recombinant anthrax vaccine

Glide Pharma® today announced the award of a sub-contract from Pfenex Inc. to develop a solid formulation containing the recombinant Protective Antigen (rPA) from Bacillus anthracis expressed in Pfēnex Expression Technology™ suitable for delivery with the Glide SDI® (solid dose injector). This approach will address two important logistical constraints of the currently available vaccine, namely, long term stability during storage and ease of administration.

30 Apr 2013

Continued work needed in vaccine development

Reflecting on World Immunization Week, April 21-28, Angeline Nanni, director of market access at Aeras, discusses the "remarkable results" of expanded immunization programs in a guest post on the Global Health Technologies Coalition's "Breakthroughs" blog.

30 Apr 2013

Molecular pathway that helps form new arteries after heart attacks uncovered

Scientific collaborators from Yale School of Medicine and University College London have uncovered the molecular pathway by which new arteries may form after heart attacks, strokes and other acute illnesses bypassing arteries that are blocked.

30 Apr 2013

Scientists discover novel drug molecule that reduces swelling, inflammation in arthritic joints

A gas associated with the smell of rotten eggs has proven to effectively reduce joint swelling, in research which could lead to advances in the treatment of arthritis.

30 Apr 2013

Concerns rise over food insecurity in Africa's Sahel region

"Despite early indications the Sahel would not suffer pangs of hunger this year, experts now worry that food insecurity could be worse than in 2012 -- the year of the West Africa food crisis," Thomson Reuters Foundation reports.

30 Apr 2013

UCLA study shows individuals with BDD have global bad wiring in their brains

Body dysmorphic disorder is a disabling but often misunderstood psychiatric condition in which people perceive themselves to be disfigured and ugly, even though they look normal to others. New research at UCLA shows that these individuals have abnormalities in the underlying connections in their brains.

30 Apr 2013

Analysis examines national expenditures on emergency care

Alternately praised in the aftermath of horrible tragedies as a heroic service and lamented in policy debates as an expensive safety net for people without primary care, emergency medicine is often a hot topic.

30 Apr 2013