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Gene mutation can trigger preterm births, says study

Mutation of a gene that helps protect the body from genetic instability leads to cellular and molecular changes in the pregnant uterus that trigger premature birth, according to a study appearing online Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

2 Feb 2010

Celgene reports total revenue of $758M for fourth-quarter of 2009

Celgene Corporation announced non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) net income of $290.3 million, or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.62 for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. Non-GAAP net income for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $200.9 million or non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.43. Based on U.S. GAAP, Celgene reported net income of $254.2 million, or diluted earnings per share of $0.54 for the quarter ended December 31, 2009. GAAP net loss for the fourth quarter of 2008 was $149.3 million, or diluted loss per share of $0.33.

28 Jan 2010

Antibiotics can reduce infections post-Caesarean section

Having a baby by Caesarean section is becoming increasingly common, despite the higher risks associated with the surgery compared to a vaginal birth. One important concern is the risk of infection, which is between five and 20 times greater for women who undergo scheduled or emergency Caesarean section.

20 Jan 2010

Interim results from Phase I clinical trials utilizing PLX-PAD for treatment of CLI reported

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. today announced interim results from their Phase I clinical trials utilizing their placenta derived cell therapy product, PLX-PAD, for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), the end-stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

12 Jan 2010

New research shows breast milk is not as important for mother or child's health

Feeling guilty that you didn't breastfeed your children enough - or at all? Relax. New research shows that breast milk is not as important for either the mother or the child's health.

6 Jan 2010

New chromosomal screening strategy shows promise in PGS

A new strategy that researchers believe provides a more comprehensive screening of the entire chromosomal makeup of an embryo shows tremendous promise in the field of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) according to a study published in the December issue of Fertility and Sterility.

31 Dec 2009

DSMB approves advancement of PLX-PAD to intermediate dose level in Phase I clinical trial for CLI treatment

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. today announced that the independent DSMB approved the advancement to the intermediate dose level of the company’s placenta derived cell therapy, PLX-PAD, in the Phase I clinical trial in Europe for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), the end stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

15 Dec 2009

Premature newborn boys have poorer prognosis compared to newborn girls, says study

Among premature births - children born before the 37th week of pregnancy - newborn boys have a poorer prognosis than newborn girls. In her dissertation at Lund University in Sweden, the physician Emma Elsmén Steen has explored why male gender constitutes a risk factor for greater morbidity in these infants.

14 Dec 2009

Breast Cancer Fund: It's time for the FDA to issue immediate ban on BPA in hard plastic food containers

It's been almost two weeks since the Food and Drug Administration missed its deadline to announce the results of a new safety assessment of the toxic plastics chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, and each day more newborn babies and pregnant women are left unprotected from this hormone-disrupting compound linked to breast cancer and birth defects.

14 Dec 2009

USC Fetal Therapy Program achieves improved survival rate in TTTS fetal surgery

A Southern California fetal surgery institute, one of only a handful in the United States, has posted enormously successful rates in treating a dangerous disorder that affects 10 percent of unborn identical twins.

10 Dec 2009

Anticoagulants used to prevent clots in placental blood vessels ineffective, reveals research

Blood clotting, or coagulation, is an important process that prevents excessive bleeding when a blood vessel is injured. Sometimes, however, clots form on the inside of vessels without an obvious injury or do not dissolve naturally, a potentially life-threatening situation requiring treatment.

7 Dec 2009

Breast Cancer Fund: Congress must enforce BPA ban in food and beverage containers

In the wake of the first evidence that American babies are born contaminated with a plastics chemical linked to birth defects and breast cancer, Congress must act immediately to protect infants and mothers.

3 Dec 2009

First computerized crash model to test how crash forces affect the human body

Although states are not required to report fetal deaths in accident data, between 300 and 1,000 unborn babies die in car accidents each year. This accident fatality rate is about four times the rate for victims between infancy and four years old, said Stefan Duma, head of the Virginia Tech --- Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Science (SBES).

3 Dec 2009

MRI can identify placenta accreta in pregnant women, reveals study

A study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) revealed that MRI is a highly accurate means of identifying placenta accreta, a potentially life-threatening and increasingly common condition that is the leading cause of death for women just before and after giving birth.

1 Dec 2009

Amniotic fluid stem cells have potential to become specialized cell types, say researchers

For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.

23 Nov 2009

Genetic sonogram improves accuracy of noninvasive prenatal screening and detection of Down syndrome

The addition of a "genetic sonogram" maximizes the accuracy of non-invasive testing for Down syndrome, said a Baylor College of Medicine researcher who was lead author of a landmark study in the current issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

21 Nov 2009

Global 'phase down' of dental mercury use finds support

Hailed as "a breakthrough" by Green Groups, an agreement in concept was reached yesterday by a World Health Organization (W.H.O.)-convened international expert group, supporting the "phase down" of dental mercury use worldwide. However, the groups note that there is still much work to be done in deciding how and when a global dental amalgam phase down will occur.

19 Nov 2009

Pluristem’s PLX-PAD holds promise for critical limb ischemia

Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. today announced that safety and potential efficacy parameters were demonstrated by the three month follow up data from the first patient ever to receive its placenta derived cell therapy product, PLX-PAD. The patient is participating in a Phase I dose-escalating clinical trial in Europe with PLX-PAD, the company’s leading product candidate for the treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), the end-stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

18 Nov 2009

New encapsulated system may enable doctors to deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to tumors

An encapsulation breakthrough by researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology may enable doctors to deliver anti-cancer drugs directly to tumors over extended periods of time, while preventing the systemic side effects of chemotherapy and other current cancer treatments.