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NCOA supports Obama for improving Medicare’s delivery system

NCOA applauds President Obama's call for universal health care. Older Americans with Medicare know first-hand the benefits of universal coverage -- and they should be in the forefront of efforts to secure the same rights for their children and grandchildren.

11 Sep 2009

New uninsured number: Up to 46.3 million in mid-2008

The Associated Press: "The Census Bureau reports that the number of people lacking health insurance rose to 46.3 million in 2008. That's up from 45.7 million in 2007, due to a continuing erosion of employer-provided insurance. Still, the level remained just below the peak of 47 million who were uninsured in 2006, because of the growth of government insurance programs such as Medicaid for the poor" (Yen, 9/10).

11 Sep 2009

New study reveals that actual sex ratios can sway from the ideal

In a perfect world, for every boy there would of course be a girl, but a new study shows that actual sex ratios can sometimes sway very far from that ideal. In fact, the male-to-female ratio of one tropical butterfly has shifted rapidly over time and space, driven by a parasite that specifically kills males of the species, reveals a report published online on September 10th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.

11 Sep 2009

Social identity has a positive impact on health and well-being

The quality of a person's social life could have an even greater impact than diet and exercise on their health and well-being. There is growing evidence that being a member of a social group can significantly reduce the risk of conditions like stroke, dementia and even the common cold.

11 Sep 2009

Phase II human clinical trial of Exsulin commences

Exsulin Corporation today announced the start of a phase II human clinical trial of Exsulin, a peptide drug product aimed at restoring insulin production in people with diabetes mellitus. The randomized, controlled 12-week trial in patients with established Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) will be co-led by Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada.

10 Sep 2009

Acceleron's Phase 1 trial of ACE-031 reveals its potential in treating neuromuscular diseases

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including red blood cells, bone, and muscle, today announced preliminary results from the ACE-031 Phase 1 single dose clinical trial demonstrating that ACE-031 increased lean body mass and muscle volume. The results from this randomized, placebo-controlled study were presented at the 14th International Congress of the World Muscle Society in Geneva, Switzerland.

10 Sep 2009

High cost of health care not justified

A policy paper that identifies and analyzes the key drivers of health care costs was released today by the American College of Physicians (ACP). Controlling Health Care Costs While Promoting the Best Possible Health Outcomes provides nearly four dozen recommendations to achieve better quality care to more people.

10 Sep 2009

New treatment for facial wrinkles combines high-intensity light and green tea extract lotion

Scientists in Germany are reporting a major improvement in their potential new treatment for facial wrinkles that could emerge as an alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery. The non-invasive technique combines high-intensity light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a lotion made of green tea extract. It works ten times faster than a similar anti-wrinkle treatment that uses LEDs alone, the researchers say.

10 Sep 2009

Machine-based lip-reading system performance compared with human lip-readers

A new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests computers are now better at lip-reading than humans.

10 Sep 2009

Lead exposure may result in cardiovascular mortality

Growing evidence shows that exposure to lead in the environment is associated with cardiovascular disease, including increased risk of hypertension. However, those studies have looked at lead concentrations in blood, not bone lead, a better indicator of cumulative lead exposure over time.

10 Sep 2009

Clinical trial reveals RENOVA topical treatment cream shows continuous improvement

In 2008, the global anti-aging skincare market approached $15 billion, with 32 percent of U.S. facial skincare product launches boasting anti-aging claims many over-the-counter products are claiming to achieve comparable benefits as prescription anti-aging treatments.

10 Sep 2009

SCAN Health Plan receives regulatory approval to expand in Northern California

SCAN Health Plan announced today that it has received regulatory approval to expand its Medicare Advantage Plan into San Francisco, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties, effective January 1, 2010. This is the first entry into Northern California for the not-for-profit plan, which currently serves more than 110,000 Medicare members in California and Arizona.

10 Sep 2009

ADDF's grant to Abiant for developing accurate imaging diagnostic approach

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announced today that it is providing a grant of $200,000 to Abiant, Inc. (Deerfield, IL), for the development of a highly accurate imaging diagnostic for Alzheimer's Disease.

9 Sep 2009

TURis plasma vaporization electrode for benign prostatic hyperplasia therapy

The TURis plasma vaporization electrode does not cut off tissue with a loop, but energetically vaporizes the tissue with a small button electrode. With the help of the latest plasma technology, cells can be removed by merely gliding the electrode over the prostate tissue.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 9 Sep 2009

ADHC allies with INVENT Pharmaceuticals

Ernest B. Remo, Chairman/CEO of American Diversified Holdings Corporation, announced today that ADHC has entered into a broad strategic alliance with INVENT Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

9 Sep 2009

Consortium awarded $3.75M to set up an AIDS research center in Chicago

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a consortium of Chicago-based institutions, led by Rush University Medical Center, a five-year, $3.75-million grant to establish a Developmental Center for AIDS Research, creating a comprehensive research infrastructure to spur basic science, clinical studies and translational research in the prevention, detection and treatment of HIV infection and AIDS.

9 Sep 2009

PBS special report on health care reform

With President Obama scheduled to give a major address on healthcare to a joint session of Congress this Wednesday, the hallmark PBS programs NOW ON PBS, TAVIS SMILEY and NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT are collaborating to provide a timely and much-needed in-depth look at health care reform in America and the latest government proposals to address the issue.

9 Sep 2009

Research reveals new protective properties of vitamin C

Researchers at the University of Leicester and Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology in Portugal studied new protective properties of vitamin C in cells from the human skin, which could lead to better skin regeneration.

9 Sep 2009

Researchers discover benefits of treating Alzheimer's disease with cancer drug

A drug now used to treat cancer may also be able to restore memory deficits in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study conducted by scientists at Columbia University Medical Center, which appeared in the September issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease: Volume 18:1.

8 Sep 2009

Prevalence of cortical gray matter atrophy may be overestimated in healthy aging brain

The belief that healthy older brains are substantially smaller than younger brains may stem from studies that did not screen out people whose undetected, slowly developing brain disease was killing off cells in key areas, according to new research. As a result, previous findings may have overestimated atrophy and underestimated normal size for the older brain.

8 Sep 2009