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D.C. Court of Appeals upholds health law's individual mandate

One of the nation's most closely watched federal courts ruled Tuesday that the new health care law's requirement that most Americans get health insurance is constitutional, giving a surprise boost to President Obama's signature domestic achievement.

10 Nov 2011

New poverty figures show large increase in number of poor older Americans nationwide

New poverty figures released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau show a large increase in the number of poor Americans nationwide, specifically older adults.

10 Nov 2011

Experimental drug selectively destroys blood supply of fat tissue and decreases body fat

Obese rhesus monkeys lost on average 11 percent of their body weight after four weeks of treatment with an experimental drug that selectively destroys the blood supply of fat tissue, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in Science Translational Medicine.

10 Nov 2011

Positive results from Alkermes VIVITROL addiction study

Alkermes plc today presented positive results from a long-term study of VIVITROL (naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) at the 24th Annual U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress in Las Vegas, NV.

10 Nov 2011

Tailored anti-platelet therapy optimizes treatment for patients wtih common genetic variant

Tailored anti-platelet therapy, made possible through a novel point-of-care genetic test, optimizes treatment for patients who carry a common genetic variant, researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) have found.

10 Nov 2011

Younger anxious adults tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos

Younger adults who generally feel anxious tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos that describe how cigarettes can lead to death, disease and harm to others, before considering the message, according to a new University of Georgia study.

10 Nov 2011

New cellular targets for devastating neurological disorder

In a paper published in the November 9 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and University of Washington describe in deeper detail the pathology of a devastating neurological disorder, but also reveal new cellular targets for possibly slowing its development.

10 Nov 2011

HFHP now able to offer two stand-alone prescription drug plans statewide

It began in 1996 as a local, community-based alternative to out-of-state insurance mega-giants, but now it is venturing out beyond the Space Coast for the first time. In what has become a real Space Coast business success story, Health First Health Plans (HFHP), which prides itself on its reputation for being community oriented and 100% dedicated to serving the specific needs of Floridians, is now able to offer two stand-alone prescription drug (PDP) plans from the Panhandle to the Keys.

10 Nov 2011

State roundup: Alaska's dental problem; some Minn. health funding blocked

The need for dental care in rural Alaska is huge. According to a recent CDC report, the rate of cavities among rural Alaska Native children is four and a half times greater than the general population of U.S. children of the same age. ... But it's important to note the dental therapist program in Alaska is not without controversy.

10 Nov 2011

Clinical diagnoses of autism may vary widely across centers

To diagnose autism spectrum disorders, clinicians typically administer a variety of tests or scales and use information from observations and parent interviews to classify individuals into subcategories listed in standard psychiatric diagnostic manuals.

10 Nov 2011

WebMD Magazine names UCSD professor as 2011 Health Hero

Ellen Beck, MD, clinical professor of medicine in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, has been named a 2011 Health Hero by WebMD Magazine.

10 Nov 2011

Combination of azacitidine and entinostat shows promise against NSCLC

A new type of therapy aimed at reversing the gene-silencing that promotes cancer-cell growth has shown promising results in a small clinical trial conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

10 Nov 2011

LCA calls on VA to screen veterans at high risk for lung cancer

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) salutes the nation's 22 million Veterans for their service to our country and calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to institute CT screening for those at high risk for lung cancer.

10 Nov 2011

APS supports CDC's call for multifaceted approach to address prescription drug misuse

As reported by the U.S Centers for Disease Control, some 15,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2008 from overdoses of prescription pain medications, and demand for treatment of prescription opioid addiction increased almost six fold between 1999 and 2009.

10 Nov 2011

A range of studies highlight health care shortcomings

The New York Times reports that a $20 million government-supported study regarding an operation to prevent strokes was cut short when it found the surgery was not helping patients. Also, a Commonwealth Fund study concluded that the U.S. ranks near the bottom when compared to other countries on how it cares for the sickest patients. Lastly, the Health and Human Services inspector general finds a quarter of hospitalized Medicare patients received improper treatment.

10 Nov 2011

Study reveals role of circadian rhythms in regenerative capacity of skin stem cells

The investigation reveals the role of the daily biological clock (circadian rhythms) in the regenerative capacity of skin stem cells. Disruption of this rhythm results in premature tissue ageing and a greater predisposition to the development of skin tumours. The

10 Nov 2011

ESPINA software tool allows to study brain structure in greater depth

Researchers at the UPM and CSIC, within the Cajal Blue Brain project, develop ESPINA, a new freeware software tool that allows to study the brain structure in greater depth.

10 Nov 2011

Miss. voters reject abortion measure; Ohio restores pubic employees' rights

Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment to block implementation of the individual mandate, but that measure could easily become moot if the Supreme Court rules on the issue.

10 Nov 2011

Cigna to launch Go the Distance for Veterans program

Cigna today announced the company will honor the men and women who served and defended our nation with a Go the Distance for Veterans program launching Friday.

10 Nov 2011

World-renowned cardiologist receives 2011 TCT Career Achievement Award

Eric J. Topol, MD, a world-renowned cardiologist and physician-scientist, was presented the 2011 TCT Career Achievement Award in a ceremony held today during the 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

10 Nov 2011