Heart Disease News and Research

Latest Heart Disease News and Research

Scientists discover Deep Brain Stimulation as potential treatment for early Alzheimer's

In a world first, Dr. Andres M. Lozano and his team at Toronto Western Hospital has shown using Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) on patients with early signs of Alzheimer's disease is safe and may help improve memory. The phase one safety trial of six Ontario patients took place from 2005 to 2008. All patients left hospital within 2 to 3 days of surgery, and continue to participate in regular follow-up cognitive assessments.

5 Aug 2010

Cardiogenesis second-quarter 2010 revenue increases 9% to $2.43 million

Cardiogenesis Corporation, a leading developer of surgical products used to treat cardiac patients suffering from severe angina, today reported financial results for its second quarter and first half ended June 30, 2010.

5 Aug 2010

FDA designates XOMA 052 orphan drug for Behcet's disease

XOMA Ltd., a leader in the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has designated XOMA 052, an antibody to interleukin-1 beta, an orphan drug for the treatment of Behcet's disease. As previously announced, the Committee for Orphan Medical Products of the European Medicines Agency has recommended the granting of orphan medicinal product designation for XOMA 052 for the same indication in the European Union.

5 Aug 2010

Study links sea sponge genome sequence with first animals and cancer

The sponge, which was not recognized as an animal until the 19th century, is now the simplest and most ancient group of animals to have their genome sequenced. In a paper appearing in the August 5 issue of the journal Nature, a team of researchers led by Daniel Rokhsar of the University of California, Berkeley, and the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI), report the draft genome sequence of the sea sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and several insights the genome gives into the origins of both the first animals and cancer.

5 Aug 2010

Detection of Alzheimer's before symptoms occur

Research is on to detect the dreaded Alzheimer's disease even before any symptoms occur. In a newly proposed diagnostic criteria developed by experts from the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association three stages of the disease viz. pre-clinical Alzheimer's, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia are described.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists identify 95 gene loci that influence lipoprotein metabolism in humans

In a large-scale international study in which Helmholtz Zentrum München participated, scientists have identified 95 gene loci which influence lipoprotein metabolism in humans. Viewed from a long-term perspective, these findings open up new lines of research in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease. It is the first genome-wide association study of this kind to be published in the prestigious journal Nature.

4 Aug 2010

BioClinica second-quarter service revenues increase to $15.7 million

BioClinica, Inc., a global provider of clinical trial management services, today announced its financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2010.

From Clario 4 Aug 2010

Blood coagulation, antimicrobial defence processes are functionally coupled: Research

The adaptive immune system can recognize and respond specifically to particular infectious agents. But the first line of defence against pathogens is the so-called innate immune system. This system reacts to invaders by initiating unspecific inflammatory responses which attract various types of specialized cells such as neutrophils to the site of the incursion.

4 Aug 2010

GE and Intel create new health IT venture focused on home-based care

General Electric Co. and Intel Corp. announced Monday they will create a company to provide new medical technologies for the elderly and chronically ill.

4 Aug 2010

Foreign doctors provide care as good as that of Americans, study finds

Physicians trained in other countries provide care just as good as -- and perhaps better than some U.S. doctors, a report published in the journal Health Affairs found.

4 Aug 2010

Research findings show normal rise and fall in triglycerides

When the circadian rhythm gets thrown off, it could come with an unexpected side effect: high triglycerides. The discovery, based on studies in mice with a "broken clock," helps to explain the normal rise and fall in triglycerides, which happens at about the same time each day, according to researchers who report their findings in the August issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication.

4 Aug 2010

Celera decreases second-quarter net loss to $6.1 million

Celera Corporation today reported net revenues of $32.6 million for the second quarter of 2010 that ended June 26, 2010, compared to $41.4 million for the prior year quarter. For the second quarter of 2010, Celera reported a net loss of $6.1 million, or $0.07 per share, compared to a net loss of $31.7 million, or $0.39 per share, for the prior year quarter.

4 Aug 2010

Boston Scientific initiates enrollment in EVOLVE clinical trial of SYNERGY Coronary Stent

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced the start of patient enrollment in the EVOLVE clinical trial, which is designed to assess the safety and performance of its fourth-generation SYNERGY™ Coronary Stent. The first patient was enrolled by Ian Meredith, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., Professor and Director of MonashHeart, at Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

4 Aug 2010

BCM collaborates with Roche NimbleGen for high throughput exome capture technology

The Baylor College of Medicine Human Genome Sequencing Center has standardized its target enrichment human disease research studies on Roche NimbleGen Sequence Capture Exome technology. The Baylor HGSC will sequence over 5,000 exomes in the next two years to identify genetic variants underlying multiple human diseases and will employ NimbleGen SeqCap EZ Exome and customized NimbleGen exome designs as the exome capture technology of choice. More than 15 different diseases will be investigated by Baylor HGSC, including brain, liver, pancreatic, colon, ovarian and bladder cancers, heart disease, diabetes, autism, and other inherited diseases with the goal of better understanding causative mutations and their impact on these diseases.

4 Aug 2010

Arena reports lower net loss of $28.80M for second-quarter 2010

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010, and recent developments, including the successful Pre-Approval Inspection, or PAI, of the company's Swiss drug product manufacturing facility by the US Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.

4 Aug 2010

CSI launches Diamondback Predator 360 catheter system for treatment of peripheral arterial disease

Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. has launched its second-generation product, the Diamondback Predator 360° PAD System, for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The new device uses the same mechanism of action as the clinically proven Diamondback 360 PAD System with improvements in the crowns and shaft for enhanced clinical performance and shorter procedure times.

4 Aug 2010

POZEN reports $16.2M net income for second-quarter 2010

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

AGA Medical second-quarter 2010 net sales increase 7.6% to $53.8 million

AGA Medical Holdings, Inc., a leading developer of interventional medical devices for the minimally invasive treatment of structural heart defects and vascular abnormalities, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

Kopin second-quarter total sales increase 7.0% to $30.2 million

Kopin Corporation today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 26, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

Investigators explore legal, ethical permissibility of carrying out request specific to VAD

Patients have the right to refuse or request the withdrawal of any unwanted treatment. In an article published in the online issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, investigators explore the legal and ethical permissibility of carrying out such a request specific to a ventricular assist device.

3 Aug 2010