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Illiteracy linked to schizophrenia risk

The risk for schizophrenia is significantly higher among illiterate than literate individuals in China, particularly among younger age groups, results from a population-based study show.

26 Jul 2012

Congenital long QT syndrome guidelines ‘too restrictive’

Athletes who choose to continue competing after being diagnosed with long QT syndrome have a low rate of LQTS-triggered cardiac events, US researchers report.

26 Jul 2012

Myotonia less important to patients with myotonic dystrophy than other symptoms

Complex, multi-system diseases like myotonic dystrophy - the most common adult form of muscular dystrophy - require physicians and patients to identify which symptoms impact quality of life and, consequently, what treatments should take priority. However, a new study out this month in the journal Neurology reveals that there is often a disconnect between the two groups over which symptoms are more important, a phenomenon that not only impacts care but also the direction of research into new therapies.

26 Jul 2012

Insomnia: an interview with Dr Darryle Schoepp

Insomnia is a very common disorder. In medical terms it can affect a third of people. It affects elderly as well as non-elderly people, and is more common in women.

26 Jul 2012

Rapamycin improves function and extends survival in mice with DCM and rare muscular dystrophies

Rapamycin, an immunosuppressant drug used in a variety of disease indications and under study in aging research labs around the world, improved function and extended survival in mice suffering from a genetic mutation which leads to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and rare muscular dystrophies in humans.

26 Jul 2012

AAQ chemical temporarily restores vision in blind mice

A team of University of California, Berkeley, scientists in collaboration with researchers at the University of Munich and University of Washington in Seattle has discovered a chemical that temporarily restores some vision to blind mice, and is working on an improved compound that may someday allow people with degenerative blindness to see again.

26 Jul 2012

Researchers discover new cause of congenital myopathy

University of Michigan researchers have discovered a new cause of congenital myopathy: a mutation in a previously uncharacterized gene, according to research published this month in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

26 Jul 2012

Low blood anticoagulant levels increase risk for VTE

Low plasma levels of antithrombin, protein C, and protein S significantly increase the risk for venous thromboembolism, Italian research shows.

25 Jul 2012

ANCA-associated vasculitis not a single clinical entity

Study findings show distinct subtypes of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, distinguished by the target of autoantigen reactivity.

25 Jul 2012

bluebird bio completes $60 million Series D financing

bluebird bio, a leader in the development of innovative gene therapies for severe genetic disorders, today announced the successful completion of a $60 million Series D financing. In this round, new investors Deerfield Partners, RA Capital, Ramius Capital Group, and two undisclosed blue chip public investment funds joined existing investors ARCH Venture Partners, Third Rock Ventures, TVM Capital, and Forbion Capital Partners. In addition, Shire plc joined the round as a strategic investor.

25 Jul 2012

Alexion second quarter net product sales increase to $274.7 million

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012.

25 Jul 2012

Rutgers cell biologist to receive Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Fewer than 100 researchers nationwide are chosen each year to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and this year Dr. Nihal Altan-Bonnet is one of the 96 to receive this honor.

25 Jul 2012

Researchers discover bats as reservoir of infections

Measles, mumps, pneumonia, influenza and encephalitis in man, Carré's disease in dogs, Ovine Rinderpest (PPR)… all of these diseases are caused by viruses from the same family: Paramyxoviridae. A vast international study, carried out in collaboration with IRD researchers and published in Nature communications has led to the discovery of more than 60 new species of these dangerous infectious agents, almost double the number previously recorded. This family of highly diverse pathogens affects all animals, from canines to fowl, cattle and humans.

25 Jul 2012

Giving patients a new immune system can cure Crohn's disease

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have opened a clinical trial to test the theory that giving a patient a new immune system can cure severe cases of Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

25 Jul 2012

Neogen fourth quarter revenues increase 11.4% to $48,545,000

Neogen Corporation announced today that its revenues for the fourth quarter of its FY 2012, which ended May 31, increased 11.4% from the previous year's comparable quarter to $48,545,000. Net income for the fiscal year's final quarter was $0.25 per share, the same as the prior year's fourth quarter of $0.25 per share.

24 Jul 2012

Topline results from first of four Phase 3 studies of Pfizer's bapineuzumab for Alzheimer's

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the co-primary clinical endpoints, change in cognitive and functional performance compared to placebo, were not met in the Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy R&D LLC (Janssen AI)-led Phase 3 trial of intravenous (IV) bapineuzumab in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease who carry the ApoE4 (apolipoprotein E epsilon 4) genotype.

24 Jul 2012

New FDA guidelines on HIV And TB drug doses may not apply to African and Asian patients

In January, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidelines on dosing of an HIV medication used to treat people infected with both HIV and tuberculosis (TB) because of a potential interaction between two of the main drugs used to treat each disease.

24 Jul 2012

Study represents new use of bone marrow transplantation

24 Jul 2012

Study reveals 50% increased risk of urothelial and colorectal cancers in adulthood

Parents are increasingly conscious of the dangers of childhood obesity. There is a growing recognition of health problems associated with extra pounds, including the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and joint and muscle pain.

24 Jul 2012

Illumina sues IBS and Qiagen for infringement of three patents

Illumina, Inc. today announced that the company has sought leave to file counterclaims against Intelligent Bio-Systems, Inc. and Qiagen NV, which recently acquired IBS, in response to the patent lawsuit brought by Columbia University and IBS on March 26, 2012 in U.S. District Court in Wilmington, Delaware.

From Illumina, Inc. 23 Jul 2012