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Professional painters face higher risk of developing bladder cancer

A new study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has provided further evidence that professional painters may face a higher risk of developing bladder cancer than the general population.

9 Sep 2010

New gene required for memory formation identified

A team led by a Scripps Research Institute scientist has for the first time identified a new gene that is required for memory formation in Drosophila, the common fruit fly. The gene may have similar functions in humans, shedding light on neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or human learning disabilities.

9 Sep 2010

BioMimetic completes 100 day PMA meeting with FDA for Augment Bone Graft

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. today announced it completed its 100 day Premarket Approval Application (PMA) meeting with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the review of Augment™ Bone Graft for the treatment of foot and ankle fusions in the U.S. The FDA generally meets with the PMA sponsor approximately 100 days after the filing of the PMA with the purpose of discussing the status of the application.

9 Sep 2010

BC gynecologists initiate campaign to reduce ovarian cancer mortality

Gynecologic oncologists with the Ovarian Cancer Research Program at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and the BC Cancer Agency have begun an important campaign that will reduce deaths from ovarian cancer.

9 Sep 2010

UCLA plans nanotechnology collaboration with Hamamatsu Photonics

The California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA has announced plans to collaborate with Hamamatsu Photonics Corp., a leading developer and manufacturer of photon detectors and camera systems, to apply nanoscience and nanotechnology to projects having global importance in health, medicine, energy and the environment.

9 Sep 2010

Scientists discover molecular gatekeeper for arthritis

Elimination of a molecular gatekeeper leads to the development of arthritis in mice, scientists report in a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. The newly discovered gatekeeper is a protein that determines the fate survival or death of damaging cells that mistakenly attack the body's own tissues and lead to autoimmune disorders such as arthritis.

9 Sep 2010

Low carbohydrate diet rich in plant-based fats and proteins associated with lower risk of mortality

Those who adhered to a diet low in carbohydrates but rich in animal-based fats and proteins increased their risk of death – especially by cancer, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, led by Simmons College nutrition professor Teresa Fung, Sc. D.

9 Sep 2010

C.A.R.E.S. Alliance launches online tools for addressing misuse and abuse of pain medications

The C.A.R.E.S. Alliance, a new patient safety organization, today launched a range of online tools designed to help solve the growing problem of misuse and abuse of opioids by identifying the risks associated with these powerful pain medications. The free resources offered through the C.A.R.E.S. (Collaborating & Acting Responsibly to Ensure Safety) Alliance promote safety in prescribing, dispensing, using, storing and disposing of these commonly abused pain medications.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers unveil protection mechanism of telomeres from DNA repair

In the latest issue of the journal Nature, Miguel Godinho Ferreira, Principal Investigator at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) in Portugal, lead a team of researchers to shed light on a paradox that has puzzled biologists since the discovery of telomeres, the protective tips of chromosomes: while broken chromosome ends generated by DNA damage (such as radiation or cigarette smoke) are quickly joined together, telomeres are never tied to each other, thus allowing for the correct segregation of the genetic material into all cells in our body.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers reveal surface protein alteration mechanism of mycoplasma bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid being killed by the immune systems of the humans and animals they invade. Among the most sophisticated is that practised by mycoplasmas, which regularly change their surface proteins to confuse the immune system. Recent work in the group of Renate Rosengarten and Rohini Chopra-Dewasthaly at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has revealed surprising new details of the way they do so and at the same time raised important evolutionary questions.

9 Sep 2010

Insulin may reduce life-threatening bacterial infections in intensive care patients

Treating intensive care patients who develop life-threatening bacterial infections, or septicemia, with insulin potentially could reduce their chances of succumbing to the infection, if results of a new preliminary study can be replicated in a larger study.

9 Sep 2010

Team of scientists issues HIV vaccine strategy

The Council of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise on Tuesday released a new strategy for HIV vaccine research, which marked "the culmination of an 18-month effort that included the input of 400 scientists worldwide," VOA News reports (DeCapua, 9/7).

9 Sep 2010

States continue to wrestle with federal funding issues, budget shortfalls

The Fiscal Times: "Nationally, the number of Medicaid beneficiaries has risen by 8 percent a year since 2008, and 44 states have reported that they will exceed their enrollment and spending growth projections this year, the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured reported. A dozen other states, including Arizona, Utah, Wisconsin and Maryland, have experienced double-digit annual enrollment increases."

9 Sep 2010

Researchers synthesize new compounds to reduce A-beta 42 peptide in Alzheimer's disease

A team of scientists, led by University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers, has synthesized hundreds of new compounds with the potential of reducing the production of the A-beta 42 peptide, a primary component of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

9 Sep 2010

Researchers report massage improves body’s immune response

Researchers in Cedars-Sinai's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences have reported people who undergo massage experience measureable changes in their body's immune and endocrine response.

9 Sep 2010

Ohio State University receives five-year grant to improve drug therapy using gene profiles

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has awarded a $9.1 million, five-year grant to The Ohio State University for a study titled "Expression Genetics in Drug Therapy." The goal of the research is to enhance drug response rates and reduce the number of adverse drug reactions among patients taking medication.

9 Sep 2010

ARID1A gene links ovarian cancer to endometriosis

Researchers with the Ovarian Cancer Research Program of BC (OvCaRe) reveal a major new cancer gene-ARID1A. Mutations are frequent in this gene and link two types of ovarian cancer to endometriosis.

9 Sep 2010

Neck manipulation may be risky without significant benefits: Study

According to new research manipulation for neck pain may carry a risk of serious injury, including stroke. For the study more than 120 patients with neck pain were included. They were randomly assigned to be treated with either manipulation or mobilization - which involves small, rhythmic movements applied to stiff or inflamed tissue. The outcome of both groups was almost identical, prompting researchers to conclude that manipulation may not be worth the risk.

8 Sep 2010

Columbus Regional Hospital joins Indiana Network for Patient Care

Columbus Regional Hospital is bringing the nation's largest health information exchange to the Columbus, Ind. area to better serve patients. Joining over 65 hospitals, long term care facilities and other healthcare providers, Columbus Regional Hospital is now part of a statewide network that allows physicians to securely access necessary information to make decisions critical to patient care.

8 Sep 2010

Late breaking clinical trials in interventional cardiovascular medicine to be presented at TCT 2010

Clinical trials in a variety of areas within interventional cardiovascular medicine that will be presented at TCT 2010 will directly affect the way that people with cardiovascular disease are treated. Breakthroughs in science and medical research, presented exclusively at TCT, will lead to new treatments that are minimally invasive and involve shorter recovery times. Among the topics being covered are stenting in the femoral artery, polymer-free drug-eluting stents, valves and drug-eluting balloons used in angioplasty.

8 Sep 2010