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Carbon nanotubes can help regulate chloride levels in nerve cells that contribute to neural injuries

A nanomaterial engineered by researchers at Duke can help regulate chloride levels in nerve cells that contribute to chronic pain, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.

11 Dec 2012

MR-Ultrasound fusion biopsy can diagnose prostate cancer

Ground-breaking research by a UCLA team of physicians and engineers demonstrates that prostate cancer can be diagnosed using image-guided targeted biopsy.

11 Dec 2012

Text4baby initiative effective service for pregnant women

Following last week's mHealth Summit, the largest event of its kind where leaders focus on how wireless technology can improve health outcomes, text4baby announced results from the first randomized evaluation of its service. The largest mobile health initiative in the U.S., text4baby was found to be an effective service for pregnant women.

11 Dec 2012

Magnetic resonance ultrasound fusion biopsy may improve prostate cancer diagnosis

Diagnosis of prostate cancer remains imperfect. Current methods of prostate biopsy are limited by over detection of slow-growing tumors and under detection of clinically relevant cancers. Investigators at the University of California-Los Angeles Department of Urology have found that a new technique of targeted biopsy in a clinic setting, using local anesthesia, may improve diagnosis and aid in selecting which patients are suitable for active surveillance and which need focal therapy (noninvasive techniques for destroying small tumors within the prostate).

11 Dec 2012

Combination of imaging and biomarker tests helps predict Alzheimer's in patients with MCI

Employing a combination of imaging and biomarker tests improves the ability of doctors to predict Alzheimer's in patients with mild cognitive impairment, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

11 Dec 2012

FAC PET identifies liposarcoma tumors that are sensitive to chemotherapy

Liposarcoma, the most common type of sarcoma, is an often lethal form of cancer that develops in fat cells. It is particularly deadly, in part, because the tumors are not consistently visible with positron emission tomography (PET) scans that use a common probe called FDG and because they frequently do not respond to chemotherapy.

11 Dec 2012

Access4Kids benefits children with fine motor impairments

Imagine not being able to touch a touch-screen device. Tablets and smartphones-with all their educational, entertaining and social benefits-would be useless. Researchers at Georgia Tech are trying to open the world of tablets to children whose limited mobility makes it difficult for them to perform the common pinch and swipe gestures required to control the devices.

11 Dec 2012

Combination of diagnostic tests can predict conversion from MCI to Alzheimer's

A combination of diagnostic tests, including imaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers can improve prediction of conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.

11 Dec 2012

Study finds silent reading difficulties in glaucoma patients

Better strategies are needed to help glaucoma patients cope with difficulty reading. According to a new scientific study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, adults with glaucoma read slower when reading silently for long periods of time and are more likely to have their reading speed decrease over time, possibly a result of reading fatigue.

11 Dec 2012

Vodafone partners with GSK, GAVI to use, study mobile technology to improve vaccination rates

"British mobile phone group Vodafone and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline are joining forces on a novel project to increase childhood vaccination rates in Mozambique using text messaging," Reuters reports.

10 Dec 2012

Brain scans could help scientists uncover mechanisms underlying mental fatigue

We all perhaps know the feeling of mental exhaustion, but what does it mean physiologically to have mental fatigue? A new study carried out using brain scans could help scientists uncover the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mental fatigue.

10 Dec 2012

BioCision introduces cryopreservation products to support stem cell research programs

As part of its ongoing effort to support the scientific community, BioCision LLC, a leader in the advanced temperature management of biomedical samples, announced the availability of free "Cool Stem Kits" to academic stem cell research programs in the U.S. and Europe.

10 Dec 2012

Parents prefer hearing screenings for kids

Just yelling "turn it down" isn't enough when young people are blasting music directly into their ears via earbuds and headphones, parents say. A new poll from the University of Michigan shows parents are strongly in favor of required hearing screenings for kids all the way up to age 17.

10 Dec 2012

Many docs apply for 'meaningful use' of electronic health record payments, but few will pass muster

Two-thirds of office-based physicians plan to apply or have already applied for meaningful use incentives for using electronic health records (EHRs), a government survey found. However, only about a quarter have computer systems that support Stage 1 meaningful use objectives -- a prerequisite for receiving the incentives.

10 Dec 2012

FDA clearance for LENSAR Laser System

LENSAR Inc., developer of the next generation LENSAR Laser System™ for refractive cataract surgery, announced today that the company's laser system has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for executing corneal incisions during cataract surgery.

10 Dec 2012

Medical device tax repeal advocates feel momentum

Opponents of the health care law's tax on medical devices say they are making headway in their push to repeal the provision before it takes effect next year. But some also see delaying the implementation of the tax as a way to get around concerns about the cost of eliminating it if they're unable to fully repeal it before the end of the session.

10 Dec 2012

New assay test shows positive results for patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer

When breast cancer advances, the patient doesn't have the luxury of time. Finding the right type of chemotherapy as quickly as possible is a critical factor for the patient's success and, until now, predicting the patient's sensitivity to chemotherapy has often been a shot in the dark.

10 Dec 2012

Bicycle Therapeutics secures £3.75 million equity financing for drug discovery

Bicycle Therapeutics, a next generation biotherapeutics company co-founded by Sir Gregory Winter and Professor Christian Heinis, today announced that it had secured a tranched equity financing of £3.75 million to invest in selection of drug candidates using its bicyclic peptide technology platform.

10 Dec 2012

Belmora introduces mobile cough control application

Belmora LLC, makers of the FLANAX line of Over-The-Counter (OTC) health care products, announced the launch of a mobile cough control application.

10 Dec 2012

Commercial ultrasonic frequency devices are not effective in repelling insects

Alternative means of controlling urban insect pests by using ultrasonic frequencies are available and marketed to the public. However, few of these devices have been demonstrated as being effective in repelling insect pests such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, or ants. Despite the lack of evidence for the efficacy of such devices, they continue to be sold and new versions targeting bed bugs are readily available.

10 Dec 2012