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Researchers make major advance in efforts to regenerate damaged hearts

Researchers have made a major advance in efforts to regenerate damaged hearts. Grafts of human cardiac muscle cells, grown from embryonic stem cells, coupled electrically and contracted synchronously with host muscle following transplantation in guinea pig hearts.

6 Aug 2012

Novartis, Penn partner to study and commercialize novel cellular immunotherapies for cancer

In an alliance aimed at bringing a new, personalized immunotherapy approach to patients with a wide variety of cancers, the University of Pennsylvania and Novartis announced today an exclusive global research and licensing agreement to further study and commercialize novel cellular immunotherapies using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technologies.

6 Aug 2012

TAU research identifies protein group that may kick-start allergic reactions

Allergies, or hypersensitivities of the immune system, are more common than ever before. According to the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America, one in five Americans suffers from an allergy - from milder forms like hay fever to more severe instances, like peanut allergies which can lead to anaphylactic shock.

6 Aug 2012

First generic versions of Singulair receive FDA approval for treatment of asthma, allergies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic versions of Singulair (montelukast sodium) for use in adults and children to control asthma symptoms and to help relieve symptoms of indoor and outdoor allergies.

6 Aug 2012

Human HLA genes are evolving much more rapidly than previously thought

Human HLA genes - the genes that allow our immune system to tell the difference between our own cells and foreign invaders - are evolving much more rapidly than previously thought, according to an article online on August 3rd in Trends in Genetics. The resulting degree of variation improves our ability to fight off disease, but could also present challenges to current worldwide efforts aimed at identifying potential donors for patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.

6 Aug 2012

Mammalian cells divide when their growth rate hits a specific threshold

It's a longstanding question in biology: How do cells know when to progress through the cell cycle? In simple organisms such as yeast, cells divide once they reach a specific size. However, determining if this holds true for mammalian cells has been difficult, in part because there has been no good way to measure mammalian cell growth over time.

6 Aug 2012

Playfulness may serve an evolutionary role in human mating preferences

Why do adults continue to play throughout their lives while most other mature mammals cease such behavior? According to researchers at Penn State, playfulness may serve an evolutionary role in human mating preferences by signaling positive qualities to potential long-term mates.

6 Aug 2012

Sanofi-aventis receives FDA approval for Zaltrap to treat colorectal cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zaltrap (ziv-aflibercept) for use in combination with a FOLFIRI (folinic acid, fluorouracil and irinotecan) chemotherapy regimen to treat adults with colorectal cancer.

6 Aug 2012

Drug molecules designed for influenza may be adapted to treat other viruses

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital study shows how compounds blocking an enzyme universal to all influenza viruses may allow development of new antiviral drugs that also avoid the problem of drug resistance

3 Aug 2012

Similar molecular pathways involved in intellectual disability due to Fragile X and Down syndromes

Intellectual disability due to Fragile X and Down syndromes involves similar molecular pathways report researchers in The EMBO Journal. The two disorders share disturbances in the molecular events that regulate the way nerve cells develop dendritic spines, the small extensions found on the surface of nerve cells that are crucial for communication in the brain.

3 Aug 2012

USDA's Economic Research Service report examines global food security

In a post on the USDA Blog, economists Stacey Rosen and Shahla Shapouri of the Economic Research Service's (ERS) Food Security and Development Branch describe the latest ERS International Food Security Assessment, which covers 76 countries in Asia, Latin America, North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa.

3 Aug 2012

Risky prenatal use of steroid to prevent intersex, tomboys and lesbians

A new paper just published in the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry uses extensive Freedom of Information Act findings to detail an extremely troubling off-label medical intervention employed in the U.S. on pregnant women to intentionally engineer the development of their fetuses for sex normalization purposes.

3 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Romney's 'repeal and replace' pledge; 'Socialized medicine' in the U.S.; Pros and cons of expanding Medicaid

Greg Sargent already took a crack at Mitt Romney's new "Plan for a Stronger Middle Class," but one thing that he didn't get to shouldn't be ignored: Romney is apparently still campaigning on a "repeal and replace" plan on health care reform.

3 Aug 2012

'Fight' between bacteria in the intestines linked to chronic disease

Results from a study conducted at Georgia State University suggest that a "fight" between bacteria normally living in the intestines and the immune system, kicked off by another type of bacteria, may be linked to two types of chronic disease.

3 Aug 2012

Self-insurance for small businesses goes under the microscope

Politco Pro describes the growing focus on this part of the insurance marketplace as a "sleeper battle to watch." Meanwhile, Reuters reports that a growing number of people are signing up for supplemental insurance coverage.

3 Aug 2012

Science magazine recaps issues discussed at AIDS 2012

Science looks back at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012), which ended last week in Washington, D.C., writing, "The battle against HIV is having more success than ever. ... But several presentations made clear that a gulf separates aspirations from reality when it comes to 'ending AIDS,' which [Secretary of State Hillary] Clinton and many other prominent speakers at the conference emphasized was now possible."

3 Aug 2012

Helix BioMedix second quarter revenue decreases 32% to $471,000

Helix BioMedix, Inc., a developer of bioactive peptides, today announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012.

3 Aug 2012

Power outage points out how technology can undermine patient care

Dozens of hospitals across the country lost access to crucial electronic medical records for about five hours during a major computer outage last week, raising fresh concerns about whether poorly designed technology can compromise patient care.

3 Aug 2012

Two GAO reports focus on global health issues

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released two reports on issues related to global health.

3 Aug 2012

Panel discussion looks back on AIDS 2012, explores possible topics for AIDS 2014

Devex reports on a panel discussion held in Washington, D.C. Wednesday during which experts "looked back at the main surprises of the just-concluded [XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012)], and offered predictions on what the 2014 follow-up [in Melbourne, Australia] will focus on."

3 Aug 2012