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OX40 molecule responsible for airway inflammation in the lungs

A research team led by Xian Chang Li, MD, PhD, Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Transplantation Research Center, has shed light on how a population of lymphocytes, called CD4+ T cells, mature into various subsets of adult T helper cells.

30 Jul 2012

For business organization, the fight against the health law is not over

The Los Angeles Times takes a look at how social and religious issues -- including abortion and contraception -- are fitting in to the current campaign season. Also in the news, how the health law is playing in the North Dakota Senate race and how much money one health care lobbying organization has on hand for campaign contributions.

30 Jul 2012

High in-utero magnetic field levels may increase risk of obese or overweight in childhood

In-utero exposure to relatively high magnetic field levels was associated with a 69 percent increased risk of being obese or overweight during childhood compared to lower in-utero magnetic field levels, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears in the current online version of Nature's Scientific Reports.

30 Jul 2012

Researchers discover gene mutations in patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood

Alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) is a very rare disorder that causes paralysis that freezes one side of the body and then the other in devastating bouts that arise at unpredictable intervals. Seizures, learning disabilities and difficulty walking are common among patients with this diagnosis.

30 Jul 2012

Lack of sleep can influence the way you perform certain tasks

Anyone that has ever had trouble sleeping can attest to the difficulties at work the following day. Experts recommend eight hours of sleep per night for ideal health and productivity, but what if five to six hours of sleep is your norm? Is your work still negatively affected? A team of researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have discovered that regardless of how tired you perceive yourself to be, that lack of sleep can influence the way you perform certain tasks.

30 Jul 2012

Results from HIV incidence study in Swaziland

The results from a nationally representative HIV incidence study in Swaziland indicate that the national rate of new HIV infections is 2.38% among adults ages 18-49. This figure, comparable to the 2009 UNAIDS estimate of 2.66% for Swaziland adults ages 15-49, suggests that the HIV epidemic in Swaziland may have begun to stabilize in the past few years.

30 Jul 2012

Scalia renews criticism of Roberts' health law ruling but denies infighting

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is dismissing reports of infighting among court conservatives regarding the health care decision. Appearing today on Fox News Sunday, Scalia also said he did not know if Chief Justice John Roberts changed his mind about the heath care law and decided to provide the key vote to uphold it. "You'll have to ask him," Scalia said.

30 Jul 2012

Researchers isolate elusive human gene that causes NMNAT1-related Leber congenital amaurosis

Researchers from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division and their collaborators have isolated an elusive human gene that causes a common form of Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a relatively rare but devastating form of early-onset blindness. The new LCA gene is called NMNAT1.

30 Jul 2012

Cedars-Sinai to develop stem cell treatments for patients with ALS

Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute today was awarded a $17.8 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to develop stem cell treatments for patients with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, a progressive, fatal and currently incurable neurodegenerative disease.

30 Jul 2012

Paper highlights clinical and immunological activity of immatics’ IMA901 in renal cell carcinoma

immatics biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapeutic vaccines that are active against cancer, today announced that key data covering the scientific and clinical development of its lead cancer vaccine, IMA901, have been published in Nature Medicine.

30 Jul 2012

Ephrin-A5 blocks formation of new connections between neurons after stroke

Researchers at UCLA have identified a novel molecule in the brain that, after stroke, blocks the formation of new connections between neurons. As a result, it limits the brain's recovery. In a mouse model, the researchers showed that blocking this molecule-called ephrin-A5--induces axonal sprouting, that is, the growth of new connections between the brain's neurons, or cells, and as a result promotes functional recovery.

29 Jul 2012

Childhood physical and sexual abuse may increase risk of early or late onset menarche

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found an association between childhood physical and sexual abuse and age at menarche.

28 Jul 2012

Federal government, insurers partner in fight against health fraud

HHS and private insurance companies will share raw data and investigations to try to stop billions of dollars in fraud.

28 Jul 2012

Brief treatments with accelerated resolution therapy reduce symptoms associated with PTSD

Researchers at the University of South Florida (USF) College of Nursing have shown that brief treatments with Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) substantially reduce symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) including, depression, anxiety, sleep dysfunction and other physical and psychological symptoms.

28 Jul 2012

Blumenthal named to head the Commonwealth Fund

The former Obama administration adviser will take the organization's helm on Jan. 1, 2013, replacing Karen Davis.

28 Jul 2012

New device makes it possible to draw and write using just eye movements

A novel device that makes it possible to draw and write using just eye movements has been developed by a CNRS researcher at the Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière (CNRS/UPMC/Inserm).

28 Jul 2012

PEPFAR, private partner launch 5-year 'Labs for Life' initiative

At the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) on Thursday, PEPFAR and Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), "announced Labs for Life, a new collaboration to help strengthen health care and laboratory systems in the developing world along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," a State Department fact sheet states.

28 Jul 2012

Genentech's BREVACTA study of ACTEMRA on rheumatoid arthritis meets primary endpoint

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that the BREVACTA study of ACTEMRA (tocilizumab) given as a subcutaneous (SC) injection to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) met its primary endpoint.

28 Jul 2012

Recent release: AIDS response should be 'instrument for social justice'

"It is outrageous that, in 2012, when we have everything we need to beat AIDS, we are still fighting prejudice, stigma, and exclusion," UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe writes on the Human Rights and HIV/AIDS "Now More Than Ever" blog, adding, "It is my daily reminder that the AIDS response is not just about an epidemic; the AIDS response is, has been, and must be, an instrument to fight for social justice."

28 Jul 2012

Takeda resubmits alogliptin and fixed-dose combination therapy NDAs with FDA

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc. has resubmitted New Drug Applications (NDAs) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for alogliptin and fixed-dose combination therapy alogliptin and pioglitazone for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in adults.

28 Jul 2012