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Olive oil produces greater weight loss in breast cancer survivors: Researchers

Researchers from The Miriam Hospital have found that olive oil may offer another potential health benefit - it produces greater weight loss in breast cancer survivors compared to a more traditional low-fat diet.

3 Jun 2010

New 'dipstick' test determines blood types instantly

Scientists are reporting development of the first "dipstick" test for instantly determining a person's blood type at a cost of just a few pennies. Their study on the test, which involves placing a drop of blood on a specially treated paper strip, appears in ACS' semi-monthly journal Analytical Chemistry, where the authors say it could be a boon to health care in developing countries.

3 Jun 2010

Omega Protein closes $10M term loan with U.S. Department of Commercial Fisheries Finance Program

Omega Protein Corporation, the nation's leading producer of Omega-3 fish oil and specialty fish meal products, today announced that it had closed a $10 million term loan with the U.S. Department of Commercial Fisheries Finance Program. Proceeds from the loan will be used to reimburse the Company for prior expenditures for fishing vessel refurbishments and a state-of-the-art dryer system that should result in reduced emissions and improved product quality.

3 Jun 2010

Insulin pills to manage diabetes are finally moving ahead in clinical trials

After years of research and anticipation, insulin pills that could make it easier for millions of patients worldwide to manage diabetes are finally moving ahead in clinical trials and a step-closer to the medicine cabinet. That's among the topics highlighted in a two-part cover story on drug manufacturing in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

3 Jun 2010

New concept: Hotel 'medical-concierge' program

The Ritz-Carlton's medical-concierge program, now expanded after a trial run to include hospitals and medical facilities throughout the Philadelphia area, aims to provide a pampering bridge between the hospital room and the patient's home. The concierge does not perform medical procedures or administer drugs.

3 Jun 2010

Medicare: Both doctors and patients are looking for private options

Although people may believe that their insurance worries are over once they qualify for Medicare, both doctors and patients are looking for a private option—especially with Medicare's looming bankruptcy, and ObamaCare's promise to cut half a trillion dollars from it to help fund universal coverage.

3 Jun 2010

Discovery provides new therapeutic target to prevent brain function loss

Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that certain types of specializations on nerve cells called "spines" are depleted as a person ages, causing cognitive decline in the part of the brain that mediates the highest levels of learning. These spines receive an important class of synapses that are involved with the process of learning.

3 Jun 2010

Amedica secures US patent for novel hip implant

Amedica Corporation, a spinal and orthopaedic implant and instrument manufacturer focused on unique silicon nitride (SiN) ceramic technologies, announced today that it has been granted United States Patent No. 7,695,521 covering its novel hip implant featuring a monoblock ceramic acetabular cup for use in articulating joints for total joint replacement.

3 Jun 2010

Three in five Americans may develop noise-induced hearing loss

Use of ear bud headphones by youngsters may save your ears from being assaulted by the noise of your teenagers' music or electronic game but are they damaging your child's hearing?

3 Jun 2010

Life Technologies makes equity investment in SGI

Life Technologies Corporation, a provider of innovative life science solutions, announced today that it has made an equity investment in Synthetic Genomics, Inc., a privately held company founded to commercialize synthetic genomic advances. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

3 Jun 2010

Light therapy may be alternative treatment for prostate cancer

Cliff Berkman is working on a better way—one that specifically targets prostate cancer cells and causes a type of natural death that spares surrounding tissues from damage.

3 Jun 2010

Judge denies extension for federal response to health lawsuit

"A federal judge in Florida is not granting the federal government an extension of time to respond to a challenge to health care reform made by 20 states. U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson said there is no need for a delay, considering the federal government has already responded to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's challenge in a Virginia federal court. Seven states joined in an amended complaint filed May 14. The federal government has 33 days after that date to file a motion to dismiss the complaint, which it has done in Virginia" (O'Brien, 6/1).

3 Jun 2010

New book proposes engineering approach to US health care reform

The current problems of access, affordability and quality in the US healthcare system won't be solved by providing health insurance to all. The editors of the new book Engineering the System of Healthcare Delivery (ISBN: 978-1-60750-532-7) propose an engineering approach to healthcare. In this publication by IOS Press, editors William B. Rouse and Denis A. Cortese and a team of highly regarded thought leaders in the field explain their vision.

3 Jun 2010

Universal testing for HIV can do more harm than good

The idea of early detection and cure is appealing. But if the test is unreliable, and the treatment itself harmful, universal testing can do more harm than good.

3 Jun 2010

California examines 'never events' at hospitals; La. seeks funding for primary care clinics; Texas trims children's health program

San Francisco Chronicle: "Drill bits, screws, sponges, clamps, needles, catheters, electrodes. These are some of the things accidentally left inside patients after surgery at California hospitals.

3 Jun 2010

Academic detailing technique may help doctors follow treatment guidelines

Researchers often get frustrated when doctors fail to adopt treatment guidelines backed by the best evidence-based research.

3 Jun 2010

Today's opinions: Virginia suit leads opposition to health law; Help for 9/11 responders; Blue Dogs' support for doctors

There are about a half-dozen constitutional lawsuits underway already against parts of President Obama's health care law. Most eyes are on the multistate case filed in Florida, joined by 20 states across America. But a parallel suit is progressing in the Old Dominion, in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... [T]his will be the first legal battle in Obamacare, and one that will move forward much more quickly than the constitutional fight. The first battle in what will be a long war (Ken Klukowski, 6/1).

3 Jun 2010

IDC to provide new software package for Orthopaedic DR Customers

IDC, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Merge Healthcare Inc. to provide their ProPlanner software package to IDC's growing number of Orthopaedic digital radiography (DR) customers.

3 Jun 2010

FDA accepts Eisai's NDA for rabeprazole sodium extended-release 50 mg

Eisai Inc. (Headquarters: Woodcliff Lake, NJ; Chairman and CEO: Hajime Shimizu), a U.S. subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; President and CEO: Haruo Naito) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted Eisai's New Drug Application for rabeprazole sodium extended-release 50 mg for the healing and maintenance of healing of erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease, and for the treatment of symptomatic GERD.

3 Jun 2010

Experts call on EU Parliament to ensure widespread benefits of nanomedicine

Experts from key EU projects united in Brussels at Nanomedicine in Europe today to deliver a strong message to the European Parliament that concerted and coordinated action is needed to ensure the widespread benefits offered by advances in nanomedicine are not squandered.

3 Jun 2010