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$IOF: Vitamin D can prevent falls and fractures in older adults$

IOF: Vitamin D can prevent falls and fractures in older adults

The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has released a new position statement on Vitamin D for older adults which makes important recommendations for vitamin D nutrition from an evidence-based perspective.

11 May 2010

Experts try to fix problem of millions who don't adhere to prescriptions

The Boston Globe: "It is a common conundrum in doctor's offices, clinics, and hospitals across the nation: patients who do not take their medication as directed. It's true for people with high cholesterol, low calcium, diabetes, and asthma. It's even true for patients with the AIDS virus and those who have received life-saving replacement organs."

11 May 2010

Lawmakers continue to feel the pinch of health reform politics while SEIU has a new president

Politico: New Mexico Democrat Rep. Harry Teague dropped his employer-based health coverage for his employees at Cavaloz Energy as the debate over health care reform surged in Congress.

11 May 2010

Researchers develop new type of drug to kill non-Hodgkin lymphoma tumor cells

Three researchers who are recipients of a collaborative grant from the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation have developed a new type of drug designed to kill non-Hodgkin lymphoma tumor cells. The breakthrough could lead to potential non-toxic therapies for cancer patients. The Foundation-funded investigators include Ari Melnick, M.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College, Alexander MacKerell, Ph.D., of the University of Maryland and Gilbert Priv-, Ph.D., of the University of Toronto.

11 May 2010

Nurse fatigue and patient safety

A disturbing report highlighting the extent to which nurses across the country are experiencing fatigue on the job points to the need for changes in the workplace to ensure patient safety isn't compromised.

11 May 2010

Can familiar voices heal traumatic brain injuries?

In January 2009, Ryan, a 21-year-old college student from Huntley, Ill., was in a coma after he had been flung from his snowmobile into a tree during an ice storm. He had a traumatic brain injury; the fibers of his brain had been twisted and stretched from the impact.

11 May 2010

UNC-CH awarded $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant for study of ultrasound as a contraceptive

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant will support an innovative global health research project conducted by James Tsuruta, PhD, and Paul Dayton, PhD, titled "Ultrasound as a long-term, reversible contraceptive."

11 May 2010

Folic acid supplement may improve blood flow in young amenorrheic runners

A study led by sports medicine researcher Anne Hoch, D.O. at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee has found that oral folic acid may provide a safe and inexpensive treatment to improve vascular function in young female runners who are amenorrheic (not menstruating).

11 May 2010

New findings could help develop vaccines against respiratory infections

Inducing cellular immunity as a means to protect against influenza virus is the focus of several laboratories at the Trudeau Institute. Researchers here have recently identified two important signaling components required by the immune system that might allow us to pre-position our own virus-fighting T cells to the lungs, the site of initial infection.

11 May 2010

Orexigen Therapeutics first-quarter net loss decreases to $14.1 million

Orexigen® Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of obesity, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2010. For the quarter ended March 31, 2010, Orexigen reported a net loss of $14.1 million, or $0.30 per share attributable to common stockholders, as compared to a net loss of $19.3 million, or $0.56 per share attributable to common stockholders, for the first quarter of 2009.

11 May 2010

Dyslexic children may have structural differences in brain region, says study

Children with dyslexia often struggle with reading, writing, and spelling, despite getting an appropriate education and demonstrating intellectual ability in other areas.

11 May 2010

Americans who travel abroad could use extra health coverage

A report by The Associated Press describes the importance of travelers' insurance for those planning trips outside of the country. "Thousands of American travelers each year are flown home with medical assistance because of health emergencies. Car accidents and heart attacks are among the most common reasons.

11 May 2010

Vigorous physical activity in childhood strengthens hip bones

Researchers from Southhampton and Cambridge Universities in the UK have presented evidence that vigorous physical activity in young children results in stronger hip bones. The results were presented at the World Congress on Osteoporosis (IOF WCO-ECCEO10) in Florence, Italy.

11 May 2010

'Striking improvements' toward MDG targets, progress is unequal, WHO report says

The WHO's annual health statistics report, released Monday, found that global efforts aimed at achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets have led to "striking improvements" among goals related to child health, maternal mortality, malaria and HIV/AIDS, Reuters reports.

11 May 2010

People with family history of diabetes gain more weight

In the first study of its type, Australian researchers have shown that healthy people with a genetic predisposition to Type 2 diabetes gain more weight overeating over the short term than their non-genetically-prone counterparts.

11 May 2010

Jazz Pharmaceuticals announces common stock public offering

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it is offering to sell 7 million shares of its common stock pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement in an underwritten public offering.

11 May 2010

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals reports increased revenue in first-quarter 2010

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company utilizing innovative technology to fuel drug discovery and clinical development of novel treatments for central nervous system disorders, today reported its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

11 May 2010

Overhaul will bring changes, improve quality for Medicare Advantage plans

The Wall Street Journal: "Over the next 10 years, the new health-care law will divert some $132 billion from Medicare Advantage, according to a recent report by George Washington University's Department of Health Policy. This has sparked concern that these plans may reduce benefits, raise premiums, or both. But the impact is likely to vary from plan to plan.

11 May 2010

Alphatec Spine reports 25.6% increase in first-quarter 2010 revenue

Alphatec Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Alphatec Spine, Inc., a medical device company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets products for the surgical treatment of spine disorders, with a focus on treating conditions related to the aging spine, announced today financial results for the first quarter March 31, 2010.

11 May 2010

BIOTRONIK launches TactiCath irrigated RF contact force ablation catheter for treating AF

BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG, a leading manufacturer of implantable cardiac devices and pioneer of remote monitoring technologies today announced the market release of the TactiCath catheter. The TactiCath catheter, an Endosense company product, is an irrigated RF contact force ablation catheter with features that offer a major advance in ablation therapy for patients with cardiac arrhythmias and particularly Atrial Fibrillation (AF).

11 May 2010