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First case of treating cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease with infliximab

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening autosomal recessive disease in Caucasian children; it has an incidence of 1 case in every 2500 children born alive. CF involves an anomalous function of the exocrine glands, caused by a mutation of a gene (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR) located on chromosome 7, which codes for a protein involved in ion transport through the cell membrane.

20 Apr 2010

UAB researchers discover four miRNAs to assess survival rate of colorectal cancer patients

Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pathology have discovered a set of four biomarkers that will help predict which patients are more likely to develop aggressive colorectal cancer and which are not. The findings also shed light on the genetics that result in worse colorectal cancer-treatment outcomes for African-Americans, compared with Caucasians, the researchers said.

20 Apr 2010

Merge Healthcare prices $200M 11.75% senior secured notes due 2015

Merge Healthcare Incorporated today announced the pricing of its $200 million aggregate principal amount of 11.75% senior secured notes due 2015. The issue price is 97.266% of the principal amount of the notes. The notes were offered in a private placement pursuant to Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The sale of the notes is expected to close on or about April 28, 2010.

20 Apr 2010

State Roundup: Calif. hospitals billing questioned; N.Y. hospitals among the weakest financially in the nation

The Sacramento Bee: An analysis of financial data from 300 California hospitals "shows they collected $25 billion from insurance companies between September 2008 and October 2009 - an increase of more than a third since 2005. Hospitals are charging insurance companies, and by extension their customers, billions of dollars for expenses not directly related to care.

20 Apr 2010

Prognosis for IPMN depends on presence of extra-pancreatic cancer: Research

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas shows a wide spectrum of histological presentations, ranging from adenoma with mild atypia to adenocarcinoma. In general, branch duct IPMN develops slowly and has a comparatively good prognosis. However, in several studies, it became evident that IPMN is a disease that very frequently coexists with cancer.

20 Apr 2010

Positive data from NewLink Genetics Phase1/2 study of HyperAcute-Lung cancer immunotherapy

NewLink Genetics Corporation announced today data from a Phase 1/2 study showing that patients with progressive advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with its HyperAcute®-Lung cancer immunotherapy experienced favorable median survival. The data were presented at the 101st American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting.

20 Apr 2010

Study to assess and cut down on radiation exposure in cancer patients

Researchers are trying to assess and reduce the amount of radiation that Australian cancer patients are currently exposed to.

20 Apr 2010

Opinions: PEPFAR; Private-civil society partnerships in Africa; Global maternal mortality; SA HIV testing campaign

"The Obama administration's new Global Health Initiative, designed to broaden and better integrate health programming overseas, deserves wide support. But stalling on global AIDS threatens to undermine the worthy goals of the initiative," Chris Collins, vice president and director of public polity for the Foundation for AIDS Research, writes in a Boston Globe letter to the editor calling for sustained support for PEPFAR.

20 Apr 2010

More dramas with Queensland Health payroll

Health worker salaries for the Queensland Health payroll have been going into bank accounts but have also been leaving a number of people unpaid. The Australian Services Union which represents the Queensland Health payroll staff is not too optimistic about the pay blunders being sorted out this pay cycle.

20 Apr 2010

IGF-IR plays role in proliferation and motility of pancreatic cancer cell lines: Research

Insulin-like growth factor-I is upregulated in human pancreatic cancer tissues but is not expressed in surrounding non-cancerous tissues. Serum level of IGF-I is elevated in pancreatic cancer patients. Histological analysis has shown that IGF-I receptor is positive in the membrane of pancreatic cancer tissues.

20 Apr 2010

Millipore begins global shipments of Scepter Handheld Automated Cell Counter

Millipore Corporation, a leading provider of technologies, tools and services for the global life science industry, today announced it has begun full commercial shipments of its Scepter™ Handheld Automated Cell Counter to customers worldwide.

20 Apr 2010

Homeopathy – Is it a safer and effective alternative?

Studies have shown that nearly 45% Britons rely on Homeopathy, a branch of medicine that has been doubted by many and loved by an equal number.

20 Apr 2010

Momenta Pharmaceuticals presents preclinical data of M402 at AACR 2010

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex mixture drugs, today announced presentation of results from a preclinical study of its novel oncology drug candidate, M402, in a murine pancreatic cancer model.

20 Apr 2010

Exact Sciences completes 4.2M share common stock public offering

Exact Sciences Corp. announced today that it has completed its previously announced underwritten public offering of 4.2 million shares of common stock at a price of $4.50 per share to the public.

20 Apr 2010

CombiMatrix announces operational restructuring plan

CombiMatrix Corporation announced today that it is implementing a restructuring plan to significantly reduce operating costs, increase the focus on the Company's diagnostic services business and transition senior management. After the restructuring, CombiMatrix will be focused on its diagnostics services business, including increasing utilization of its existing tests, expanding the test menu, increasing the number of customers and partners, and improving reimbursement for its testing services.

20 Apr 2010

Increased health care costs concerns 99.4% of employers

Results of the 2010 UBA Employer Opinion Survey indicate that nearly all (99.4 percent) top decision makers are concerned with the impact of health care costs are having or are going to have on their overall corporate costs, according to newly released data.

20 Apr 2010

ITI granted AOAC approval for additional Salmonella matrices

Idaho Technology, Inc. (ITI) has received AOAC Performance Tested Method approval for two additional Salmonella matrices—stainless steel environmental samples and dry pet food. These matrices join the list of already approved matrices in the Salmonella LT Food Security System including chocolate, cooked ham, fresh raw chicken, lettuce, raw ground beef, and liquid whole eggs. This assay uses real-time PCR technology to identify the presence of Salmonella in less than one hour after a pre-enrichment period.

20 Apr 2010

FDA-approved metformin can prevent tobacco-carcinogen induced lung tumors: Study

Metformin, a mainstay of treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes, may soon play a role in lung cancer prevention if early laboratory research presented here at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 is confirmed in clinical trials.

20 Apr 2010

Rudd offers more funding for health overhaul

With the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in talks with the state and territory leaders in Canberra at Parliament House the country waits to see the result of the discussions on the health reforms. The Premiers of Western Australia, Colin Barnett and Victoria, John Brumby, have both been fighting against the federal government’s desire to take away their GST money. At the same time the New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally has been asking for a sustainable health system plan that does not affect the tax payers.

20 Apr 2010