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NIAID awards Tulane University over $15M to develop Lassa fever vaccine and treatment

The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has awarded a five-year contract totaling $15,254,919 to Tulane University for its ongoing efforts to treat and prevent Lassa fever, an often deadly viral disease that threatens hundreds of thousands of people annually in West Africa and is classified as a potential bioterrorism threat.

10 Feb 2010

Drinking milk during pregnancy can protect baby against multiple sclerosis

Drinking milk during pregnancy may help reduce your baby's chances of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) as an adult, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10 to April 17, 2010.

10 Feb 2010

Excelsior Medical receives Canadian marketing license for new, pre-filled catheter lock syringe

Excelsior Medical Corporation, one of the leading manufacturers of pre-filled catheter flush syringes, today announced that it has received a Medical Device License from Health Canada for its new, pre-filled catheter lock syringe to be sold in the Canadian marketplace.

10 Feb 2010

Health officials encourage caution, despite H1N1 case decline

As the number of new H1N1 (swine flu) infections worldwide drops, U.S. health officials on Friday cautioned the virus continues to circulate and can still be deadly, Reuters reports. According to the WHO, H1N1 remains the dominant strain worldwide, but there are reports of the recent emergence of the seasonal flu in Africa and China, according to the news agency.

10 Feb 2010

Whooping cough vaccine may be losing its punch: study

Vaccination programs against whooping cough may not be fully effective because the bacteria that cause the disease have evolved new strains, a new study has found.

9 Feb 2010

U.S. PSA screening efficacy lower than in ERSPC-Rotterdam due to lower testing sensitivity

Fewer prostate cancers were detected by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in the U.S. than in a European randomized trial because of lower screening sensitivity, according to a new brief communication published online February 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

9 Feb 2010

Racial disparities continue in U.S. cancer screening practices

The incidence of advanced breast cancer diagnosis among black women remained 30 percent to 90 percent higher compared to white women between 1992 and 2004, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. In addition, the disparity in the incidence of advance colorectal cancer actually widened over this time period as rates fell among whites but increased slightly among blacks.

9 Feb 2010

Advanced paternal age increases autism risk only when the mother is younger

Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in California during the 1990s by UC Davis Health System researchers. Advanced paternal age is associated with elevated autism risk only when the father is older and the mother is under 30, the study found.

9 Feb 2010

NIH awards over $15M for Tulane University's collaborative effort to combat VHF

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, and Tulane University, today announced a major extension of the collaborative effort to combat viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), an effort that will generate an additional $800,000 in contract revenue for Corgenix over the life of the contract.

9 Feb 2010

High BP may predict dementia in older adults with cognitive impairment

High blood pressure appears to predict the progression to dementia in older adults with impaired executive functions (ability to organize thoughts and make decisions) but not in those with memory dysfunction, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

9 Feb 2010

Study indicates pain treatment may vary in Latino and white children post surgery

Differences might exist in the amount of pain medicine given to Latino and white children after surgery, found a new, small study in which Latino children received 30 percent less opioid analgesics (morphine or morphine-like drugs) than white children did.

9 Feb 2010

Smokers more likely to vaccinate their daughters against HPV

A parent's existing health habits or behaviors, like cigarette smoking, may influence the likelihood that they will have their daughters vaccinated against HPV.

8 Feb 2010

Women with low levels of income are susceptible to anxiety and depression after diagnosed with DCIS

A new analysis has found that women with medium or low levels of income are particularly susceptible to anxiety and depression after being diagnosed with the precancerous breast condition, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).

8 Feb 2010

Excessive TV viewing, lack of sleep and low frequency of family meals increases risk of childhood obesity

A new national study suggests that preschool-aged children are likely to have a lower risk for obesity if they regularly engage in one or more of three specific household routines: eating dinner as a family, getting adequate sleep and limiting their weekday television viewing time.

8 Feb 2010

Consuming two or more soft drinks per week may increase risk of developing pancreatic cancer

Consuming two or more soft drinks per week increased the risk of developing pancreatic cancer by nearly twofold compared to individuals who did not consume soft drinks, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

8 Feb 2010

Community Health Navigator Program for Houston's Burmese refugees may become a national model

The Physician Assistant Foundation (PAF), Baylor College of Medicine and other local partners today unveiled their unique approach to providing health care and social services to Burmese refugees in Houston, with hopes the program could become a model for meeting similar needs of refugees across the country.

8 Feb 2010

HHS Secretary releases statement on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

On Sunday, February 7, the country will commemorate the tenth annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It’s a day that reminds us that HIV/AIDS is still a public health crisis in the US. And it’s a day when communities and organizations across the country come together to recognize the impact this disease has had on the African American community.

8 Feb 2010

Investigational drug for osteoporosis inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut

An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats reports an international team led by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, in the Feb. 7 issue of Nature Medicine.

7 Feb 2010

EuroHOPE study: Performance evaluation of the European healthcare system

The performance of the European healthcare system will be evaluated in the EuroHOPE study (European Health Care Outcomes, Performance and Effectiveness) coordinated by the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and funded by the EU.

6 Feb 2010

AMIA members lead authorship of articles on global e-health

Five articles, whose lead or senior authors are nationally known informatics leaders and members of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA), appear in the Feb. 2010 issue of Health Affairs and provide a glimpse into the future of health care delivery in an increasingly information-driven era of health care in the developing world.

6 Feb 2010

Public Health News and Research

NIAID awards Tulane University over $15M to develop Lassa fever vaccine and treatment

Drinking milk during pregnancy can protect baby against multiple sclerosis

Excelsior Medical receives Canadian marketing license for new, pre-filled catheter lock syringe

Health officials encourage caution, despite H1N1 case decline

Whooping cough vaccine may be losing its punch: study

U.S. PSA screening efficacy lower than in ERSPC-Rotterdam due to lower testing sensitivity

Racial disparities continue in U.S. cancer screening practices

Advanced paternal age increases autism risk only when the mother is younger

NIH awards over $15M for Tulane University's collaborative effort to combat VHF

High BP may predict dementia in older adults with cognitive impairment

Study indicates pain treatment may vary in Latino and white children post surgery

Smokers more likely to vaccinate their daughters against HPV

Women with low levels of income are susceptible to anxiety and depression after diagnosed with DCIS

Excessive TV viewing, lack of sleep and low frequency of family meals increases risk of childhood obesity

Consuming two or more soft drinks per week may increase risk of developing pancreatic cancer

Community Health Navigator Program for Houston's Burmese refugees may become a national model

HHS Secretary releases statement on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Investigational drug for osteoporosis inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut

EuroHOPE study: Performance evaluation of the European healthcare system

AMIA members lead authorship of articles on global e-health

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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