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Americans continue to get fatter, CDC finds

The New York Times: "Americans are continuing to get fatter and fatter, with obesity rates reaching 30 percent or more in nine states last year, as opposed to only three states in 2007, health officials reported on Tuesday. The increases mean that 2.4 million more people became obese from 2007 to 2009, bringing the total to 72.5 million, or 26.7 percent of the population.

5 Aug 2010

Acceleron's ACE-031 protein therapeutic for DMD receives FDA Fast Track designation

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including muscle, bone, fat, red blood cells and the vasculature, today announced it received FDA Fast Track designation for ACE-031 for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a fatal neuromuscular disease in which patients suffer from the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. ACE-031 is an investigational protein therapeutic being developed to increase muscle mass and strength.

5 Aug 2010

ArQule second-quarter net loss decreases to $8,227,000

ArQule, Inc. today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2010.

5 Aug 2010

Hospital advertising spending remains strong in Dallas region

"The weak economy has siphoned money from advertising budgets in most major industries, but local hospital advertising has remained steady, thanks to one company. Texas Health Resources, the largest hospital system in North Texas, accounted for about half of not-for-profit advertising spending last year" and "tripled its advertising spending from 2008 to 2009 with the launch of its rebranding campaign, said Steve Hanson, senior vice president for growth and development at Texas Health.

5 Aug 2010

Roche inaugurates National Infusion Site Awareness Week to promote diabetis management

Roche Diabetes Care, makers of the ACCU-CHEK portfolio of diabetes management products and services, is pleased to announce the inaugural National Infusion Site Awareness Week, Aug. 30-Sept. 5. Roche made the announcement during the 37th annual American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) conference to highlight the important role that certified diabetes educators and other health care professionals play in promoting better site management for the 400,000 people in the United States with Type 1 diabetes who use an insulin pump.

5 Aug 2010

Study links sea sponge genome sequence with first animals and cancer

The sponge, which was not recognized as an animal until the 19th century, is now the simplest and most ancient group of animals to have their genome sequenced. In a paper appearing in the August 5 issue of the journal Nature, a team of researchers led by Daniel Rokhsar of the University of California, Berkeley, and the Department of Energy's Joint Genome Institute (JGI), report the draft genome sequence of the sea sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and several insights the genome gives into the origins of both the first animals and cancer.

5 Aug 2010

Scientists develop laser probe for early detection of oral cancer

UC Davis researchers have developed a laser probe for the early detection of oral cancer. A trial with human subjects shows that the device could also be used during surgery to locate the edges of a tumor.

5 Aug 2010

Pregnancy weight gain liked to childhood obesity: Study

Women who gain excessive weight during pregnancy have a greater chance their babies will be born too big. Scientists are trying to find whether this relationship of gaining too much weight by mother and baby is genetic and can predispose the child to be obese later in life.

4 Aug 2010

Parents of kids with autism spectrum disorders more likely to split: Study

A new study has found that couples who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have an 80% risk of getting divorce. The Adolescents and Adults With Autism study involved 391 families with autistic children and compared them with other families whose children were developing normally. The families were matched based on the age, sex and birth order of the child with an ASD, as well as the age, ethnicity and education of the mother.

4 Aug 2010

Detection of Alzheimer's before symptoms occur

Research is on to detect the dreaded Alzheimer's disease even before any symptoms occur. In a newly proposed diagnostic criteria developed by experts from the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association three stages of the disease viz. pre-clinical Alzheimer's, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia are described.

4 Aug 2010

Fractures are major concern for U.S. high school athletes: Study

The popularity of high school sports in the United States has continued to increase over the past decade, with more than 7.5 million athletes participating in school sports during the 2008-09 academic year. A new study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that 95 percent of fractures required costly diagnostic imaging, including X-rays, MRIs and CT scans, and 16 percent required surgical repair.

4 Aug 2010

Discovery Laboratories reports net loss of $6.3 million for second-quarter 2010

Discovery Laboratories, Inc., a biotechnology company developing its novel, synthetic, peptide-containing surfactant and related aerosolization technologies as first in class therapies for severe respiratory diseases, today provides an update on key pipeline and business initiatives and reports financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

4 Aug 2010

Conceptus’ Essure procedure effective for permanent birth control

According to the recently released 2006-08 National Survey of Family Growth by the Center for Disease Control, one in four women choose permanent birth control. Conceptus, Inc. wants women to know that its Essure permanent birth control procedure has been gaining in popularity, and is a safe and effective solution used by hundreds of thousands of women worldwide.

4 Aug 2010

Nuokang's product pipeline candidates advance through SFDA review process

China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc., a leading China-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development, manufacture, marketing and sales of hospital-based medical products, today announced that two of its product pipeline candidates recently advanced through the next respective stages of the State Food and Drug Administration review process.

4 Aug 2010

Hillenbrand third-quarter 2010 revenue increases 30% to $205.8 million

Hillenbrand reported third quarter 2010 revenue of $205.8 million, a $47.1 million (30 percent) increase over the prior year, due primarily to the inclusion of revenue generated by K-Tron International, which Hillenbrand acquired April 1, 2010. Business acquisition costs and the impact of purchase accounting were the primary drivers of a $12.1 million (48 percent) decrease in net income from the prior year and a $0.19 (46 percent) decrease in earnings per share, from $0.41 to $0.22.

4 Aug 2010

Flow-induced polymer translocation through narrow and patterned channels

An octopus-like polymer can "walk" along the wall of a narrow channel as it is pushed through by a solvent. Now research in The Journal of Chemical Physics, which is published by the American Institute of Physics, provides a theoretical model that compares the transport characteristics of straight- and branched-chain polymers in smooth channels as well as in channels whose walls interact with the polymer -- work that could aid in the development of carrier molecules for delivering drugs at a controlled rate in the body.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists identify 95 gene loci that influence lipoprotein metabolism in humans

In a large-scale international study in which Helmholtz Zentrum München participated, scientists have identified 95 gene loci which influence lipoprotein metabolism in humans. Viewed from a long-term perspective, these findings open up new lines of research in the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease. It is the first genome-wide association study of this kind to be published in the prestigious journal Nature.

4 Aug 2010

Triple-S Management second-quarter total consolidated operating revenues up 8.2%

Triple-S Management Corporation, the largest managed care company in Puerto Rico, today announced consolidated revenues of $522.7 million and operating income of $26.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2010. Net income of $15.1 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, includes an after tax net loss of $4.5 million, or $0.16 per share, related to net realized and unrealized losses on investments and derivatives.

4 Aug 2010

Review affirms hand therapy as one of most vital treatment steps in recovery from hand injury surgery

Hand therapy is one of the most vital treatment steps in recovery from hand injury surgery, according to a literature review published in the August 2010 issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In fact, many patients spend more time with the hand therapist than the orthopaedic surgeon in the effort to ensure the best results and long-term recovery.

4 Aug 2010