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Molecular imaging procedure may detect beta-amyloid in brain, increase accuracy of AD diagnosis

Preliminary research suggests that use of a type of molecular imaging procedure may have the ability to detect the presence of beta-amyloid in the brains of individuals during life, a biomarker that is identified during autopsy to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, according to a study in the January 19 issue of JAMA.

19 Jan 2011

Positive results from PLX4032 Phase 3 Trial in patients with metastatic melanoma

Plexxikon today announced positive data from an interim analysis of the BRIM3 trial, a large multi-center Phase 3 clinical study of PLX4032 in patients with previously untreated metastatic melanoma with the BRAF mutation. Patients treated with PLX4032 had an improved overall survival compared to patients treated with dacarbazine, the current standard of care.

19 Jan 2011

Study highlights lack of treatment for adolescents with severe mental disorders

A recent study by Merikangas and colleagues published in the January 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry shows that only half of adolescents that are affected with severely impairing mental disorders ever receive treatment for their disorders.

19 Jan 2011

Study highlights utility of CDS for diagnosing major depression

In the last 2010 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a new scale for measuring depression in cardiac patients is presented. The Cardiac Depression Scale was initially developed specifically for cardiac patients. Its purpose is to allow measurement over the continuum between low-level depressive symptomatology and major depression.

19 Jan 2011

PAM50 test is now available to classify breast cancer subtypes

ARUP Laboratories, a leading national clinical and anatomic pathology reference laboratory and a leader in innovative laboratory research and development, today announced the availability of a new laboratory developed test designed to classify breast cancer into clinically significant molecular subtypes that are important for the management of the disease.

18 Jan 2011

Vasomedical second quarter total revenues increase 353% to $3.801 million

Vasomedical, Inc., a global provider of medical devices, today announced financial results of the three months ended November 30, 2010. Vasomedical is a world leader in the noninvasive treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

18 Jan 2011

Cardiac surgery market to reach over $4.4 billion by 2017

According to a new report by iData Research, the leading global authority in medical device and pharmaceutical market research, percutaneous aortic valve replacement (PAVR) and percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) devices are expected to enter the U.S. market in 2011 and grow to almost $1.3 billion by 2017.

18 Jan 2011

HAP to provide medical billing services to Lenox Hill Radiology

Healthcare Administrative Partners (HAP), an industry-leading medical billing company, announced today that it has signed a contract to provide medical billing services to Lenox Hill Radiology. Lenox Hill Radiology is a radiologist-owned and operated imaging center located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Radiology billing is one of HAP's primary healthcare specialties; the company serves a broad range of hospital-based practices and imaging centers.

18 Jan 2011

Heart failure patients admitted to general wards twice as likely to die

Heart failure patients admitted to general wards are twice as likely to die as those admitted to cardiology wards, shows a national audit of the treatment of the condition, published online in the journal Heart.

18 Jan 2011

Follow-up program for high-risk patients appears to detect melanomas at early stages

A follow-up program for patients at high risk of developing skin cancer appears to be associated with the detection of melanomas at early stages and with good prognosis, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

18 Jan 2011

Research: Adults with ADHD are more likely to develop degenerative dementia

Adults who suffer from attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more than three times as likely to develop a common form of degenerative dementia than those without, according to research in the January issue of the European Journal of Neurology.

18 Jan 2011

USPSTF recommends women of ages 65 and above to routinely screen for osteoporosis

In an update to its 2002 recommendation, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that all women ages 65 and older be routinely screened for osteoporosis.

18 Jan 2011

Australian rural healthcare ailing with lack of funds: Report

The latest data shows that Medicare paid out at least $670 million less in rural Australia in 2006-07 for GP and other primary health services than it has done for the cities. A total of at least $2.1 billion every year is short in the public health expenditure for rural regions compared to cities. Also there is a $500 million underspend in rural areas on the PBS, and at least a $1 billion shortfall on dental and allied health.

17 Jan 2011

Unintended direct conflict between pharmaceutical marketing and public health

Drugs that pharmaceutical companies market most aggressively to physicians and patients tend to offer less benefit and more harm to most patients - a phenomenon described as the "inverse benefit law" in a paper from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

14 Jan 2011

Puritan Medical launches patent-pending swab products

Puritan Medical Products Company, the leading manufacturer of specialty tip medical/diagnostic swabs and applicators in North America, has announced the introduction of a new line of high performance flocked products. The new HydraFlock and UltraFlock swabs both offer superior absorption capabilities coupled with extremely rapid release performance.

14 Jan 2011

Vanderbilt, Scripps Research form partnership to open new institute

The Scripps Research Institute and Vanderbilt University have formed a partnership to advance science at the interface of chemistry and medicine, the institutions announced today.

14 Jan 2011

News outlets examine reaction to WHO plan to contain drug-resistant malaria

In follow-up coverage of the WHO's announcement Wednesday of a plan to contain the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria, news outlets examined the scope of the problem, reactions to the plan and speculations of how the anticipated $175 million annual cost would be funded.

14 Jan 2011

Research study to develop rapid, inexpensive blood screening test for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

A clinical research study to develop a rapid and inexpensive blood screening test for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer has been launched by Henry Ford Health System and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.

14 Jan 2011

American Heart Association proposes new metrics to monitor quality of stroke care

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association has proposed metrics that healthcare professionals can use to monitor the diagnosis and treatment of patients at stroke centers to help improve the quality of care stroke patients receive.

14 Jan 2011

Metabolic profiling of tissue samples may transform the way surgeons make decisions

Metabolic profiling of tissue samples could transform the way surgeons make decisions in the operating theatre, say researchers at a new laboratory being launched today. Scientists at Imperial College London, in partnership with clinicians at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, have installed a high resolution solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer in St Mary's Hospital.

13 Jan 2011