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Early symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be revealed in dream sleep

During a large-scale study of the socioeconomic costs of this neurodegenerative disease, Danish researchers, some from the University of Copenhagen, discovered that very early symptoms of Parkinson's disease may be revealed in dream or REM sleep.

28 Mar 2011

New USARAD.com Peer Review Program for radiologists

USARAD.com LLC, a Joint Commission-accredited provider of outsourced radiology reading services, today announced the first-ever national quality assurance (QA) service to assist imaging facilities in achieving and maintaining American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation. The new USARAD.com Peer Review Program is open to individual radiologists, hospital radiology departments, imaging centers, IDTFs, mobile imaging providers and multi-specialty physician groups.

28 Mar 2011

As new threat of Govt. shutdown looms, parties still at odds on spending cuts

Although some reports of progress have emerged from closed-door negotiations, Democrats and Republicans appear to still be at odds regarding whether the current year funding bill should move beyond a "narrow slice of discretionary programs" to include some health programs — including Medicare.

28 Mar 2011

Angioplasty procedures have minimal risk

Understanding that angioplasty—a medical treatment used by interventional radiologists to widen the veins in the neck and chest to improve blood flow—is safe may encourage additional studies for its use as a treatment option for individuals with multiple sclerosis, say researchers at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 36th Annual Scientific Meeting in Chicago, Ill.

28 Mar 2011

Rising Medicare premiums threaten to wipe out Social Security COLA

Millions of retired and disabled people in the United States had better brace for another year with no increase in Social Security payments.

28 Mar 2011

Challenges of high-risk surgery

A small group of "high-risk" patients account for a disproportionately high number of surgery-related deaths, complications, and costs. The April issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS), commences a special series on high-risk surgery—focusing on new and emerging strategies for identifying and managing patients at high risk.

28 Mar 2011

Poll finds proposal to cut Planned Parenthood funding deepens gender gap

Meanwhile, in a second story, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says the funding fight is far from over.

28 Mar 2011

IMRIS sells IMRISNV to University of Utah Hospital

IMRIS Inc. today announced the sale of IMRISNV to University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah.

28 Mar 2011

Positron to move PosiRx system to commercial deployment

Positron Corporation is pleased to announce that its PosiRx system has met critical test standards and guidelines necessary to move on to the commercial deployment stage of its development.

28 Mar 2011

Alternative anti-inflammatory approach to epilepsy management

If common anticonvulsant drugs fail to manage epileptic seizures, then perhaps the anti-inflammatory route is the way to go. That's according to Mattia Maroso and colleagues from the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research in Milan, Italy, who found that giving mice repeated doses of a specific enzyme inhibitor significantly reduced both chronic epileptic activity and acute seizures.

28 Mar 2011

Nurse staffing levels, safety net status both factors in patient outcomes

A new study finds that higher nurse staffing levels can lead to better patient outcomes. However, the study also found this to not always be the case at safety net hospitals. Meanwhile, the Connecticut Mirror reports on hospitals' efforts to reduce readmissions. And, in other news, new research has found that patients are less likely to fill prescriptions when doctors specify brand names instead of allowing generic substitutions.

28 Mar 2011

ADDF awards Yuma $249,810 grant for Alzheimer's research

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation announced today that it has awarded a grant of $249,810 to Yuma Therapeutics Corporation to develop small molecules to treat Alzheimer's disease.

28 Mar 2011

House Subcommittee to investigate AARP 'financial conflicts'

House GOP lawmakers are scrutinizing how the AARP's interests may have played into the positions the organization took during the health debate.

28 Mar 2011

ActiveSite's ASP-440 plasma kallikrein inhibitor effective in reducing diabetes-induced blood-retinal barrier breakdown

ActiveSite Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today the online publication of a study in the journal Diabetes that describes the effectiveness of its novel plasma kallikrein inhibitor ASP-440 in reducing blood-retinal barrier breakdown in a rodent model of diabetes.

28 Mar 2011

Differing reports on how businesses, health law are interacting

Reuters reports that Health and Human Services data show the business community is a big winner as a result of the measure's early retiree program. But The Fiscal Times notes that some "corporate giants" are at odds with the overhaul.

28 Mar 2011

Ascension launches TITAN Modular Shoulder Fracture Prosthesis

Ascension Orthopedics, Inc., a world leader in PyroCarbon orthopedic devices, announces the market release of the TITAN Modular Shoulder Fracture Prosthesis. The TITAN Modular Total Shoulder System now provides a unique way to address difficult fracture procedures. The system's modularity allows the surgeon to fit patient anatomy by independently adjusting the height of the modular body and stem without need for jigs or use of cement.

28 Mar 2011

Review questions diagnostic value of MRI scans to detect rupture of silicone breast implants

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration currently recommends regular follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for women with silicone breast implants. But a new review shows significant flaws in the evidence supporting this recommendation, reports the March issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

28 Mar 2011

CRANE ChemPharma to launch Saunders PV Life Science Diaphragm and S360 Actuator at INTERPHEX 2011

CRANE ChemPharma Flow Solutions is pleased to introduce two new products from its Saunders brand during INTERPHEX 2011.

28 Mar 2011

GTCR completes Sterigenics acquisition

GTCR, a leading private equity firm, today announced it has successfully completed the acquisition of Sterigenics International, Inc., the leading global provider of contract sterilization and ionization services for medical devices, food products, and advanced applications, from Silverfleet Capital and PPM America Capital Partners.

28 Mar 2011

Bionovo initiates enrollment in Menerba Phase 1 clinical trial for menopausal hot flushes

Bionovo, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of safe and effective treatments for women's health and cancer, today announced that enrollment has started for the Phase 1 clinical trial testing the safety of two doses of Menerba in postmenopausal women for the treatment of menopausal hot flushes (study # MF101-008), also known as "menopausal hot flashes."

28 Mar 2011