Toxins News and Research

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Inquiry into the hospital acquired killer bug starts

A Second World War veteran John Boyle died of Clostridium difficile infection after being admitted to hospital for the first time at the age of 90. He was diagnosed with the infection on January 25 this year and succumbed to it two weeks later. He was one of 18 patients to die at a Scottish hospital when the outbreak of this hospital-acquired infection was reported.

8 Jun 2010

Today's opinions: Virginia suit leads opposition to health law; Help for 9/11 responders; Blue Dogs' support for doctors

There are about a half-dozen constitutional lawsuits underway already against parts of President Obama's health care law. Most eyes are on the multistate case filed in Florida, joined by 20 states across America. But a parallel suit is progressing in the Old Dominion, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... [T]his will be the first legal battle in Obamacare, and one that will move forward much more quickly than the constitutional fight. The first battle in what will be a long war (Ken Klukowski, 6/1).

3 Jun 2010

Algal blooms in India threaten access to food, livelihood

The problem of toxic algae is not just confined to the Nordic countries - in India algal blooms are threatening poor people's access to food and their livelihoods, a problem that has been exacerbated by global warming. With funding from the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, researchers from the University of Gothenburg are to attempt to reduce the effects of algal blooms.

31 May 2010

Progenics presents preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by C. difficile

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of preclinical data on novel monoclonal antibodies against toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). The monoclonal antibodies effectively neutralized the cell-killing activities of the toxins in vitro and significantly improved survival in a stringent animal model of C. difficile infection. C. difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in the United States and represents a growing global public health challenge.

28 May 2010

PCA-Rx represents next generation of chelation technology for ASD patients

According to the Center for Disease Control, autism has risen to an epidemic rate of 1 in 100 in the U.S., up from 1 in 150 in 2007. While controversy looms regarding its cause, many parents of autistic children believe a correlation exists with toxin accumulation. To give autism spectrum disorder sufferers a natural alternative to chelation therapy, Maxam Nutraceutics has introduced PCA-Rx.

28 May 2010

Study measures effects of BPA on male reproductive system

Increasing Bisphenol-A levels in urine are associated with worsening male sexual function, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing online in the Journal of Andrology.

28 May 2010

MFSI awarded series of new patents for identifying air-borne pathogens

Microfluidic Systems, a privately-held company, announced today it has been awarded a series of new patents covering both the components and integrated systems that perform fully automated sample collection through identification of air-borne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and toxins. Patent number 7,705,739 entitled "Integrated Airborne Substance Collection and Detection System" covers a combined instrument in which a detect-to-warn component is integrated with a detect-to-treat system.

25 May 2010

Leaving food out in the sun can put you at risk for food-borne illness

Leaving food out in the sun too long can put a damper on your summer picnic.

14 May 2010

Merck hosts R&D and Business Briefing

Merck & Co., Inc. today hosted its first R&D and Business Briefing since the completion of the Merck and Schering-Plough merger. The event included a comprehensive review of the company's late-stage pipeline, as well as the company's commercial strategy and progress made in the integration of Merck's worldwide operations.

12 May 2010

AllerAir supports global awareness campaign on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome

This May, AllerAir is supporting Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Chemical Injury Associations worldwide in their effort to spread Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome awareness

10 May 2010

54% of liver cirrhosis patients experience neurocognitive impairments

More than half of patients who have cirrhosis of the liver also display neurocognitive impairments such as short term memory loss, a study led by a Loyola University Health System researcher has found.

7 May 2010

New breakthrough: Seaweed for treatment of swine flu

In a groundbreaking new discovery a Tasmanian company has used seaweed as treatment for swine flu. The lab trials have been going on for the past nine months using the undaria seaweed (better know as wakame seaweed) harvested from waters at Triabunna, of Tasmania's East Coast.

5 May 2010

New PCA-Rx therapy provides natural toxin removal treatment to Alzheimer's patients

According to the Alzheimer's Association, over 5 million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. While its cause is controversial, many people believe a correlation exists with toxin accumulation. Until recently, chelation, an invasive, drug-based toxin removal therapy, has been patients' primary option.

30 Apr 2010

CBC, Scarab Genomics form agreement to increase manufacturing yield of Solinex rhu-pGSN

Critical Biologics Corporation (CBC) and Scarab Genomics announced today a strategic agreement to substantially increase the manufacturing yield of CBC's lead therapeutic protein candidate, Solinex™, an intravenous formulation of recombinant human plasma gelsolin (rhu-pGSN).

30 Apr 2010

Study promises a new treatment for cancer

Cancer cells producing toxins that destroy tumours - could this be a future treatment for cancer? Researchers at Lund University have achieved good results in tests on both cells and animals.

30 Apr 2010

NIDCR awards Selenium $912,943 grant for development of antimicrobial dental devices and water lines

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has issued a two-year $912,943 grant to biopharmaceutical company Selenium, Ltd. to support the development of antimicrobial dental devices and water lines. In the two-part grant the NIH has approved $492,972 for year one and $419,971 for year two dependent on achieving year one objectives.

29 Apr 2010

Medication-free home ventilation system designed to remove allergens

According to a recent report by USA Today, due to 2010's unusually cold winter temperatures, allergy sufferers are now poised to experience the worst pollen season in years, with pollen counts skyrocketing and sufferers hiding indoors to avoid exposure. Yet as allergens creep indoors, sufferers continue to cough, sneeze and seek relief. With the introduction of EZ Breathe, a new innovative home ventilation system designed to remove allergens and reduce indoor concentrations of pollen, allergy sufferers now have a medication-free solution.

27 Apr 2010

Jefferson Medical College surgeon uses artificial liver assist device as bridge to transplantation

Cataldo Doria, M.D., Ph.D., Nicoletti Family Professor of Transplant Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and director of the Division of Transplantation at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital is the first transplant surgeon in the United States to use a new totally artificial liver assist device as a bridge to transplantation.

27 Apr 2010

SQI Diagnostics signs development agreement with Silliker

SQI Diagnostics Inc., a medical systems automation company focused on evolving laboratory-based biomarker testing, today announced that it has entered into a development agreement with Silliker, Inc., a leading internationally accredited company dedicated to improving nutrition, food safety and quality, for the commercialization of a botulism toxin panel that will run on SQI's SQiDman analytical system.

26 Apr 2010

New research shows mercury levels are higher in some tuna species

New research showing that that mercury levels are higher in some species of tuna could help consumers minimize their consumption of the silvery metal in their sushi and provide a powerful new tool for regulatory organizations.

21 Apr 2010