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Gene's role in immune system may suggest new treatments for childhood asthma

Pediatric researchers have identified a novel gene involved in childhood asthma, in one of the largest gene studies to date of the common respiratory disease. Because the gene, called DENND1B, affects cells and signaling molecules thought to be instrumental in the immune system overreaction that occurs in asthma, the discovery may have singled out an important target for new treatments.

23 Dec 2009

CBO questions democratic claims on Medicare savings

Roll Call: "Senate Republicans refused Wednesday to throw in the towel in their rhetorical war with Democrats over health care reform, accusing the majority of using accounting gimmicks to hide their use of Medicare Trust Fund money to pay for new programs in the overhaul,"

23 Dec 2009

Also in global health news: Sexual violence in DRC; anti-gay legislation; counterfeit drugs in Kenya

The U.S. will finance a $7 million program to aid women in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo who have been the targets of sexual violence, the U.S. embassy said on Tuesday, Agence France-Presse reports.

23 Dec 2009

An FDA 'ambiguity' means patients get unapproved devices

A Chicago surgeon invented a silicone and metal ring to repair heart valves, and implanted them in 150 patients before his new device received FDA approval, The Wall Street Journal reports.

23 Dec 2009

Scientists use DNA sequence to characterize genome rearrangement in breast cancer samples

The first detailed search of breast cancer genomes to uncover genomic rearrangements is published today. The team characterised the ways in which the human genome is broken and put back together in 24 cases of breast cancer.

23 Dec 2009

Positive results from Alimera Sciences' Iluvien FAME trial for DME

Alimera Sciences, Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today reported top-line results from the month 24 readout of the FAME Study.

23 Dec 2009

Rigel Pharmaceuticals announces milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has received a milestone payment from Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. as part of their collaboration to research and develop cancer treatments aimed at selectively inhibiting ligases, which are intrinsic to cancer cell growth and proliferation. The compound, as yet unnamed, targets cell division.

23 Dec 2009

AAAP celebrates 10-year anniversary of its California Eldercare Initiative

The Association of African American Professionals, Inc. (AAAP) hosted a holiday party with area senior citizens to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its California Eldercare Initiative. This Initiative helps seniors learn how to be their own eldercare advocates and understand public policy.

23 Dec 2009

Food Safety News releases 2009 “Naughty” list, “Nice” list to follow

Food Safety News, the web-based newspaper that covers all things food safety, has published the first half of its 2009 Food Safety Naughty and Nice list. The website, which has had more than 75,000 unique visitors since its September, 2009 launch, compiled the list from stories it covered as well as input from the food safety community. The release of the finger-wagging “Naughty” list will be followed by a kudos-to “Nice” list, just in time for Santa’s sleigh.

23 Dec 2009

BIO-key International's biometric identity solutions now support Windows Terminal Services and Citrix Clients

BIO-key International, Inc., a leader in finger-based biometric identification solutions, today announced the expansion of its biometric identity solutions to include support for Windows Terminal Services Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), Citrix ICA Client platforms and for Wyse CE terminals.

23 Dec 2009

Compugen, Pfizer enter into multi-target collaboration

Compugen Ltd. announced today that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Pfizer for the predictive discovery by Compugen of therapeutic peptide product candidates for three drug targets of interest to Pfizer. The discovery process, which will be based on various Compugen discovery platforms and funded by Pfizer, is expected to take a few months, following which the predicted molecules will be synthesized and delivered to Pfizer.

23 Dec 2009

Tripep’s rights offering oversubscribed

The preliminary result from Tripep’s rights offering shows that it has been oversubscribed with significant marginal (approximately 150%). Through the offering Tripep will receive approximately 17.8 MSEK before emission costs. The final outcome of the emission will be presented around the 30th of December 2009.

23 Dec 2009

VTT Innovation Program on food, nutrition and eating pattern

The objective of this roadmap was to feature the drivers, needs and future potential for various actors involved in the food production and distribution chain, but also for actors developing services offering communication and motivation tools for consumers who wish to improve their nutrition.

23 Dec 2009

Zecotek Photonics clarifies news release on TGFL provided to the National Institute of Health

Zecotek Photonics Inc., a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, today announced an update and clarification to the news release of December 15, 2009 titled "National Cancer Institute Selects Zecotek's Tunable Green Fiber Laser for Applications in Flow Cytometry."

23 Dec 2009

Special issue on climate justice highlights effects of global warming on human health

Global warming, pollution, and the environmental consequences of energy production impose a greater burden on low-income, disadvantaged communities, and strategies to prevent these inequities are urgently needed.

23 Dec 2009

New findings show ether discovery might have occurred earlier

The successful use of ether to anesthetize patients was the first great milestone in the history of surgical anesthesia. But the discovery might have occurred earlier—and medical history written differently—but for a scientific error by another physician, according to an article in the January issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

23 Dec 2009

Volcano lauds revised guidelines for treating severe coronary artery disease patients

Volcano Corporation, a leader in the development, manufacturing and sales of products for the diagnosis and treatment of coronary and peripheral artery disease, reacted positively to the new guidelines for treating coronary disease and heart attacks using percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a procedure that treats narrowed blood vessels.

23 Dec 2009

BioLife Solutions receives ISO 13485:2003 certification

BioLife Solutions, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of biopreservation tools for cells, tissues, and organs, today announced that it has successfully completed audits of its quality systems and GMP production facility in Bothell, Washington by BSI Group and has been issued a certification to ISO 13485:2003, an international standard for quality systems supporting the design, development, and manufacture of medical devices.

23 Dec 2009

Omniflight Helicopters check airman recognized with HAI prominent award

Omniflight Helicopters, Inc., a leading national provider of air medical services, announced today that John Thomas Read, check airman and flight instructor for the company, is the recipient of the W. A. (Dub) Blessing Certified Flight Instructor of the Year Award from The Helicopter Association International (HAI).

23 Dec 2009