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Arsenic induces acute promyelocytic leukemia remission

Elderly patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia have a high rate of response to arsenic trioxide, say researchers who believe the drug should be a first-line treatment in this population.

5 Sep 2012

Etiologic work-up crucial after stroke

An elusive stroke etiology does not diminish the importance of a full work-up, say researchers.

5 Sep 2012

Delayed WM growth in siblings of childhood-onset schizophrenia patients

The unaffected adolescent siblings of patients with childhood-onset schizophrenia show reduced white matter growth rates compared with other adolescents, researchers report.

5 Sep 2012

BD I patients at high risk for sleep apnea

Around half of overweight patients with bipolar I disorder are at high risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea, US study results suggest.

5 Sep 2012

Biomarker predicts temsirolimus benefit in renal cancer

In patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, the biomarker serum lactate dehydrogenase is both prognostic for survival and predictive for the survival benefit conferred by the TORC1 inhibitor temsirolimus, research shows.

5 Sep 2012

Long-term cardiac impact of Japan quake revealed

The 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of north-eastern Japan led to a significantly increased weekly occurrence of cardiovascular disease in the months after the event, study findings show.

5 Sep 2012

More focus required on hospice care for heart failure patients

End-stage heart failure patients enter hospice care closer to the time of their death, are more often referred from acute care facilities, and are more likely to die in acute care settings compared with cancer patients, show study results.

5 Sep 2012

Stage of lactation affects cows’ potential for lameness

The length of time a dairy cow has been lactating affects their feeding habits and their potential for lameness, show study results, with decreased dry matter intake displayed by cows in early lactation.

5 Sep 2012

Complex spine minimally invasive retractor system launched by K2M

K2M, Inc., the largest privately held spinal device company in the world focused on developing innovative solutions for the treatment of complex spinal pathologies and minimally invasive procedures, today announced the launch of the SERENGETI® Complex Spine Minimally Invasive Retractor System at the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) 47th Annual Meeting in Chicago.

5 Sep 2012

Real-time prescription system reduces inappropriate prescribing of medications

A centralized prescription network providing real-time information to pharmacists in British Columbia, Canada, resulted in dramatic reductions in inappropriate prescriptions for opioid analgesics and benzodiazepines, widely used and potentially addictive drugs. The findings are reported in a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

5 Sep 2012

People with generalized anxiety disorder have weak brain connections

A new University of Wisconsin-Madison imaging study shows the brains of people with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have weaker connections between a brain structure that controls emotional response and the amygdala, which suggests the brain's "panic button" may stay on due to lack of regulation.

5 Sep 2012

Researchers discover two gene variants that raise risk of pediatric cancer neuroblastoma

Researchers have discovered two gene variants that raise the risk of the pediatric cancer neuroblastoma. Using automated technology to perform genome-wide association studies on DNA from thousands of subjects, the study broadens understanding of how gene changes may make a child susceptible to this early childhood cancer, as well as causing a tumor to progress.

5 Sep 2012

Study questions use of vitamin D supplements to improve cholesterol

Vitamin D has been touted for its beneficial effects on a range of human systems, from enhancing bone health to reducing the risk of developing certain cancers. But it does not improve cholesterol levels, according to a new study conducted at The Rockefeller University Hospital.

From Quest Diagnostics 5 Sep 2012

People need to protect themselves against West Nile virus

As this year's threat from the West Nile virus continues, one infectious diseases expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham says a vaccine is not in our near future, so people need to protect themselves.

5 Sep 2012

European regulators approve Surefire Infusion System for chemo- and radioembolization procedures

European regulators have approved Surefire Medical's Surefire Infusion System, a next generation device for chemo- and radioembolization procedures. The Colorado-based medical device company today announced that it is launching this product in the European market immediately.

5 Sep 2012

NeuroSigma's external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation system awarded CE Certification

NeuroSigma, Inc., a Los Angeles-based medical device company, announced today that it received CE Certification for its external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) system, called the Monarch, for the adjunctive treatment of epilepsy and major depressive disorder, for adults and children 9 years and older.

5 Sep 2012

BioReliance introduces Reconstructed Skin Micronucleus Assay to detect DNA damage

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation today announced that its recent acquisition, BioReliance, the biopharma and early development services business under SAFC, will introduce a new assay to detect DNA damage from products with dermal routes of exposure. The Reconstructed Skin Micronucleus (RSMN) Assay represents the first commercial offering of a Genetic Toxicology assay using three-dimensional tissue models.

5 Sep 2012

Enrollment complete in ACADIA's pimavanserin Phase III trial for Parkinson's disease psychosis

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative treatments that address unmet medical needs in neurological and related central nervous system disorders, today announced the completion of enrollment in its ongoing pivotal Phase III trial with pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis (PDP).

5 Sep 2012

Epizyme commences EPZ-5676 Phase 1 study for MLL-r leukemia

Epizyme, Inc., a company leading the creation of a new class of personalized therapeutics for patients with genetically defined cancers, announced today that it has initiated a Phase 1 Study of EPZ-5676. EPZ-5676 is a novel small molecule inhibitor of DOT1L, a histone methyltransferase (HMT) that is critical to the development of a specific type of acute leukemia defined by rearrangement of the MLL gene (MLL-r leukemia).

5 Sep 2012

Texas hospitals under scrutiny: Parkland's record penalty, how Houston treats heart attacks

Texas officials fined Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital a record $1 million for patient safety violations in the wake of intense federal oversight that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars if errors aren't corrected.

5 Sep 2012