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Protozoan parasite may be the cause for dinosaur extinction

Infectious diseases can be transmitted by sneezing, touching, or - for Tasmanian devils - biting each other on the face, a habit that may have driven the dinosaurs to extinction through the transmission of a protozoan parasite.

15 Dec 2009

Majority of dialysis patients face readmission to acute care facilities, says study

A new study by University of Cincinnati (UC) nephrologists shows that most dialysis patients admitted to long-term care hospitals face readmission to acute care facilities, and those with acute kidney failure don't often recover full kidney function.

15 Dec 2009

The San Francisco Foundation awards $30,000 grant to Conard House

Conard House, a pioneering nonprofit organization developing resources to help people self-manage mental illness since 1960, today announced the award of a $30,000, one-year grant from The San Francisco Foundation to continue implementation of a five-year strategic mental health education initiative -- Community-Supported Self-Management (CSSM), a treatment methodology based on developing clients' confidence and motivation to use their own skills, information and professional services to take effective control over their life.

15 Dec 2009

Perry Baromedical announces the launch of Sigma Elite

Perry Baromedical, international leader in Hyperbaric Chamber manufacturing for 40 years, announces the launch of the Sigma Elite, with extended patient data capture capability.

15 Dec 2009

Poor access to safe and nutritious foods can pose serious health challenges for diabetes patients

Preparing a healthy meal loaded with fresh vegetables seems like an easy thing to do. But for some people living with diabetes, having access to nutritious food can be difficult --- and may have a detrimental effect on their health and well-being, according to a new study led by Ryerson University.

15 Dec 2009

Medicare actuary: Health costs would rise after overhaul

The Senate's health overhaul plan would cover 33 million more people but fail to curb rising health costs, could threaten some Medicare patients' access to care, and may sink profits for one-fifth of hospitals and nursing homes, according to news accounts of an HHS report released Friday afternoon.

15 Dec 2009

Researchers advance in developing a vaccine against AIDS disease

Led by Matthias J. Schnell, Ph.D., director of the Jefferson Vaccine Center, the researchers found that a rabies virus-based vaccine administered to monkeys protected against the simian equivalent of the HIV virus (SIV). The data were published in the journal Vaccine.

15 Dec 2009

SBi secures $30mm credit facility to fund business expansion

Small Bone Innovations, Inc. (SBi), a leading, privately held orthopedics company focused exclusively on technologies and treatments for the small bones & joints, has closed on a $30mm credit facility to fund accelerated business expansion and refinance existing indebtedness.

15 Dec 2009

Scientists create Pandemic Influenza Planning Tool to model the spread of pandemic influenza

As communities brace for rising wintertime influenza cases, scientists are developing a mathematical and visual analytic toolkit to help health officials quickly analyze pandemics and craft better response strategies.

15 Dec 2009

Hospital records show consistent rate of lacerations and accidental ingestion of ornament fragments by children

A new study from Children's Hospital Boston's Division of Emergency Medicine has found that holiday decorations, particularly glass ornaments, are one more safety hazard parents must consider during the season.

15 Dec 2009

Manchester Pharmaceuticals' Chenodal now available for patients suffering from gallstones

Manchester Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(TM) announced today the availability of Chenodal(TM) 250 mg (chenodiol tablets). On October 22, 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Chenodal, an important therapy for patients suffering from gallstones in whom surgery poses an unacceptable health risk due to disease or advanced age.

15 Dec 2009

Long-term care proposal raises cost, sustainability concerns

"Embedded in sweeping health legislation passed by the House and being debated on the Senate floor is a major new federal insurance program," called the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act, or Class Act, The New York Times reports.

15 Dec 2009

Demystifying Psychiatry: A resource for patients and families

Psychiatric disorders are underdiagnosed, poorly treated and highly stigmatized, according to psychiatrists Charles F. Zorumski, M.D., and Eugene H. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. So these Washington University physicians have written a book to address those problems.

15 Dec 2009

Being obese increases the risk for developing OSA in adolescents, study shows

A study in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that being overweight or obese increases the risk for developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adolescents but not in younger children.

15 Dec 2009

Bio-Quant becomes wholly-owned subsidiary of NexMed

NexMed, Inc., a developer of products based on the NexACT® technology, today announced the closing of its acquisition of Bio-Quant, Inc., a privately-held leading research organization for in vitro and in vivo contract drug discovery and pre-clinical development services, headquartered in San Diego, CA. Upon closing, Bio-Quant became a wholly-owned subsidiary of NexMed.

15 Dec 2009

Teen smoking continues to decline, but mild increase in smokeless tobacco

New data announced in today's Monitoring the Future study shows that while teen smoking rates are continuing their slow decline, an old threat has once again emerged - the use of smokeless tobacco.

15 Dec 2009

New reports highlight health care costs

Several new studies on health care costs reveal interesting findings.

15 Dec 2009

Women's health becomes political issue in health care debate

"The heated Capitol Hill debate over health care coverage for mammograms has exploded onto the political scene, shaping the 2010 electoral landscape and recalibrating the battle for a crucial constituency: the women's vote," Politico reports.

15 Dec 2009

Researchers to receive more than $4.5 million in grants to study Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) expect to receive more than $4.5 million in grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act.), including nearly $1 million from the highly competitive Challenge Grant program for a study that seeks to reduce the number of children who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, it was announced today.

15 Dec 2009

Regular exercise can reduce mortality rate for patients with colorectal cancer

Men who have been treated for colorectal cancer can reduce their risk of dying from the disease by engaging in regular exercise, according to a new study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The findings are published in the December 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

15 Dec 2009