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New advances in Alzheimer's disease research

Advancing age is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and is associated with build- up of the peptide amyloid β in the brain. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Fluids and Barriers of the CNS shows that removal of amyloid β from the brain depends on vitamin D and also on an age-related alteration in the production of transporter proteins which move amyloid β in and out of the brain.

8 Jul 2011

New NIH program to identify nutritional status measures

The NIH in a press release said it will begin work on a "new program to discover, develop and distribute measures of nutritional status."

8 Jul 2011

Study suggests racial disparity in elder care options in the U.S. nursing homes

In the last decade, minorities have poured into nursing homes at a time when whites have left in even greater numbers, according to a new Brown University study that suggests a racial disparity in elder care options in the United States.

8 Jul 2011

Children with hearing impairment can benefit from UNHS screening program

Hearing has a key role in the acquisition of speech, but 2 of every 1000 children are born with a hearing impairment. Early diagnosis and treatment can help these children learn to speak. In the latest issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Martin Ptok of Hannover Medical School explores whether screening of newborns reliably detects hearing defects, the benefits of early diagnosis, and the potential risks of newborn hearing screening.

8 Jul 2011

AHAF awards 22 new grants to scientists worldwide for innovative vision research

The American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF), a nonprofit organization with a history of funding cutting-edge research on age-related diseases, announced today that it has awarded 22 new grants totaling nearly $2.2 million to scientists worldwide who are studying glaucoma and macular degeneration. The two conditions are the leading causes of irreversible vision loss and blindness in the U.S.

8 Jul 2011

Health law provisions draw compliments, complaints

Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is urging young voters to support the measure during the upcoming presidential campaign and former President Bill Clinton said Democrats should have done better defending it in the mid-term election season.

8 Jul 2011

InVivo files biopolymer scaffold IDE with FDA to initiate spinal cord injury clinical trial

InVivo Therapeutics today announced that the Company has submitted an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a proprietary biopolymer scaffolding device to protect and support spinal tissue and prevent secondary injury, including inflammation and glial scarring, following traumatic spinal cord injury.

8 Jul 2011

Cortisol hormone controls bile acid recycling process

Nature sees to it that we do not have "too much choler" in our body. A delicately equilibrated regulation system ensures that there is always exactly the right amount of bile in the gallbladder. When we are hungry, our body releases a hormone called cortisol, which is a glucocorticoid. Hepatic cells receive this hormone signal through their cortisol receptors and respond by filling the gallbladder with bile in preparation of the imminent food intake.

8 Jul 2011

New NCCN Clinical Practice Guideline on Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), with the support of the NCCN Foundation, announces the latest addition to the library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients, the NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

8 Jul 2011

States continue to wrestle with public employee health benefits

Reports from Connecticut and Oregon detail ongoing negotiations between the state and unionized state employees. Proposed changes to health benefits play major roles in both situations.

8 Jul 2011

High BMI and vigorous physical activity increase risk of arthroplasty in men

Surprising results from a new study revealed that men who smoke had less risk of undergoing total joint replacement surgery than those who never smoked.

8 Jul 2011

Overhaul opponents find traction in Ohio

They say enough signatures have been gathered to bring a ballot question before the state's voters this fall to decide whether the state constitution should be amended so that Ohio residents are not required to buy insurance.

8 Jul 2011

Exenatide tQT clinical trial meets pre-specified primary endpoint

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company and Alkermes, Inc. today announced results from a thorough QT (tQT) study that assessed the potential of exenatide to increase the QT interval across a wide range of plasma concentrations.

8 Jul 2011

PDF announces $1M for 11 novel Parkinson's research projects

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF) is pleased to announce awards totaling more than $1 million for 11 novel investigator-initiated research projects designed to understand the causes of and find a cure for Parkinson's disease.

8 Jul 2011

Longer looks: Shortage of HIV doctors; Oregon program builds on British model

Of the 3,155 U.S.-based members of the HIV Medicine Assn., 45% are older than 50, according to a March 17 Institute of Medicine report on HIV screening and access to care.

8 Jul 2011

International biologists discover seven new species of mice

After living incognito for millions of years in a remote area of a forested mountain range in the Philippines, seven newfound species of mice owe their recent discovery to DNA evidence and the Florida State University biologist who deciphered it.

8 Jul 2011

GE Healthcare's Magnetic Resonance Imaging receives 2011 IDEA awards

GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, today announced it received several Silver Awards from the 2011 International Design Excellence Awards for Magnetic Resonance Imaging by the Industrial Designers Society of America.

8 Jul 2011

Roche, CPRIT partner to advance cancer research projects in Texas

The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) today announced a strategic partnership agreement with the Swiss-based healthcare company Roche to accelerate the development of promising oncology-related cancer research projects in Texas.

8 Jul 2011

U.S. District Court rules in favor of Watson over Mucinex patent suit

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida's February 2011 decision that Watson's generic versions of Mucinex(R), Mucinex(R) D, and Mucinex(R) DM Extended-Release products do not infringe U.S. Patent No. 6,372,252.

8 Jul 2011

Viewpoints: Debt talks 'opportunity'; NY Times on cancer drugs; Calif. insurance rate regs

For months, we have known that no plan will succeed if it just slashes programs such as Medicare or imposes big hikes in tax rates. We've known that we need a plan that eliminates at least $4 trillion in debt over the next decade, slows the growth in entitlement programs and raises new revenue through tax reform.

8 Jul 2011