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New discovery may lead to effective targeted treatments for prostate cancer: UCLA

UCLA scientists have identified for the first time a cell-of-origin for human prostate cancer, a discovery that could result in better predictive and diagnostics tools and the development of new and more effective targeted treatments for the disease.

30 Jul 2010

Researchers discover tumor suppressor lincRNAs

The recent discovery of more than a thousand genes known as large intergenic non-coding RNAs (or "lincRNAs") opened up a new approach to understanding the function and organization of the genome. That surprising breakthrough is now made even more compelling with the finding that dozens of these lincRNAs are induced by p53 (the most commonly mutated gene in cancer), suggesting that this class of genes plays a critical role in cell development and regulation. Furthermore, the researchers identify one lincRNA in particular (lincRNA-p21), and demonstrate its critical role in suppressing the reading of many genes across the genome following p53 activation.

30 Jul 2010

Bio-Path commences dosing in Liposomal Grb-2 Phase I cancer study

Bio-Path Holdings, Inc.,, a biotechnology company with drug development operations in Houston, Texas, announced today that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I study of its cancer drug candidate, Liposomal Grb-2 (L-Grb-2 or BP-100-1.01), in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) or Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

30 Jul 2010

CryoLife second-quarter revenues increase 4% to record $29.3 million

CryoLife, Inc., an implantable biological medical device and cardiovascular tissue processing company, announced today its results for the second quarter of 2010. Revenues for the second quarter increased 4 percent to a second quarter record of $29.3 million compared to $28.2 million for the second quarter of 2009. Net income for the second quarter of 2010 was $2.9 million, or $0.10 per basic and fully diluted common share, compared to $2.5 million, or $0.09 per basic and fully diluted common share, for the second quarter of 2009.

30 Jul 2010

Study on link between SNP and concentrations of serum creatinine

Scientists at deCODE genetics and colleagues at Radboud University in the Netherlands today describe how the impact of a single letter variation in the sequence of the human genome conferring risk of kidney disease varies with age and with the onset of other diseases. The study provides independent confirmation of the association made in an earlier study between a version of the the SNP, located on chromosome 16p12, and risk of chronic kidney disease. It also confirmed the link between the SNP and concentrations of serum creatinine, a key indicator of kidney function.

30 Jul 2010

National Dentex completes Merger Agreement

National Dentex Corporation, one of the largest owner/operators of dental laboratories in North America, announced that earlier today its shareholders adopted and approved the Agreement and Plan of Merger among GDC Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Royal Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Parent and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of GeoDigm Corporation, a Minnesota corporation and National Dentex.

30 Jul 2010

Company health plans may increasingly demand proof of family

"Think your whole family is covered by your company health plan? Get ready to prove they're actually your kin." Under the new health overhaul law, starting next year "employers will have to provide coverage for dependents of employees [until] age 26. That will further inflate coverage costs for companies at a time when employers are already bracing for a 9% jump in their health care plan expenditures in 2011."

30 Jul 2010

Researchers discover three disease-causing genes in Salmonella

Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism in Salmonella that affects its virulence and its susceptibility to antibiotics by changing its production of proteins in a previously unheard of manner. This allows Salmonella to selectively change its levels of certain proteins to respond to inhospitable conditions.

30 Jul 2010

On Assignment second-quarter consolidated revenues increase 2.6%

On Assignment, Inc., a diversified professional staffing firm providing flexible and permanent staffing solutions in specialty skills including Laboratory/Scientific, Healthcare/Nursing, Physicians, Medical Financial, Information Technology and Engineering, today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.

30 Jul 2010

AdvanDx's 90 minutes protocol for Yeast Traffic Light PNA FISH test receives FDA 510(k) clearance

AdvanDx today announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for a fast, 90 minutes protocol for its Yeast Traffic Light® PNA FISH® test. The faster protocol reduces the PNA FISH turn-around time from the original 2.5 hours to 90 minutes by reducing PNA probe hybridization from 90 minutes to 30 minutes.

30 Jul 2010

Immunosuppressive properties of TNF blockers may increase risk of malignancy in children

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of malignancies in children using tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, raising concerns of an associated risk and prompting an investigation. Researchers from the FDA set out to identify all reports of malignancy in children using infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab and their report is published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

30 Jul 2010

AIDS 2010 follow-up coverage: Global HIV/AIDS funding; HIV/AIDS studies, releases

Media outlets continued to reflect on news from the International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010, which attracted over 19,000 participants from 197 countries to Vienna last week, according to the conference blog.

30 Jul 2010

Researchers find new pathway that leads to brain cell death in neurodegenerative disorders

Although their genetic underpinnings differ, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease are all characterized by the untimely death of brain cells. What triggers cell death in the brain? According to a new study published by researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in the July 30 issue of Molecular Cell, the answer in some cases is the untimely transfer of a gaseous molecule (known as nitric oxide, or NO) from one protein to another.

30 Jul 2010

Researchers identify genetic mutation for Uner Tan Syndrome

A team of researchers from leading universities in Turkey and the United States have reported that they have identified the genetic mutation responsible for the Uner Tan Syndrome (UTS) using advanced genetic capture and sequencing technologies from Roche. The combined genomic technologies enabled the team of scientists to identify the causative mutation of this debilitating disease after years of mystery.

30 Jul 2010

Health Care REIT declares second-quarter cash dividend

Health Care REIT, Inc. announced today that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 of $0.69 per share. The dividend will be the company's 157th consecutive quarterly payment, payable August 20, 2010, to stockholders of record on August 9, 2010. The dividend is a one cent increase from the dividend paid for the first quarter of 2010.

30 Jul 2010

Medtronic launches Defeat-HF clinical trial to evaluate SCS for heart failure

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the global launch of the Defeat-HF (Determining the Feasibility of Spinal Cord Neuromodulation for the Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure) clinical trial. It is the industry's first prospective, randomized study evaluating the clinical feasibility of spinal cord stimulation, or neurostimulation, to improve clinical signs and symptoms of heart failure.

30 Jul 2010

Curaxis completes reverse merger with Auto Search Cars

Curaxis Pharmaceutical Corp. is pleased to announce the completion of its reverse merger with Auto Search Cars, Inc.. The effective date of the Merger is July 29, 2010.

30 Jul 2010

Life Time Fitness plans to open LifePower Yoga studio in Minnesota

Life Time Fitness, Inc. today announced plans to open its first LifePower Yoga studio in Minnesota. With a planned August 2010 opening, the new location will mark Life Time's 25th center in Minnesota, and its first dedicated solely to yoga and pilates. The company already operates two LifePower studios: LifePower at Pima Crossing, in Scottsdale, Arizona, and LifePower Phoenix.

30 Jul 2010

New findings on snake venom toxin hold promise for developing heart disease, cancer therapies

Researchers seeking to learn more about stroke by studying how the body responds to toxins in snake venom are this week releasing new findings that they hope will aid in the development of therapies for heart disease and, surprisingly, cancer. The Japanese team is reporting in a Journal of Biological Chemistry "Paper of the Week" that they are optimistic that inhibiting a protein found on the surface of blood cells known as platelets may combat both irregular blood clotting and the spread of certain cancers throughout the body.

30 Jul 2010