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Female choice is not connected to "good genes": Study

The great diversity of male sexual traits, ranging from peacock's elaborate train to formidable genitalia of male seed beetles, is the result of female choice. But why do females choose among males? In a new study published today in Current Biology, researchers from Uppsala University found no support for the theory that the female choice is connected to "good genes".

23 Oct 2009

Lawmaker to introduce patient safety bill with error reporting requirement

Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, will introduce legislation creating a mechanism "to monitor medical errors and have a mandatory reporting requirement" for hospitals and doctors that make mistakes, Modern Healthcare reports.

23 Oct 2009

MedImmune announces interim data from its live attenuated influenza vaccine studies

MedImmune announced today that interim data from human studies of its nasal spray vaccine for the 2009 novel Influenza A (H1N1) virus demonstrate a similar clinical profile in children and adults 2 to 49 years of age as previously studied seasonal formulations of the vaccine.

23 Oct 2009

Physicians' negative attitudes toward obese patients can affect quality of care

Doctors have less respect for their obese patients than they do for patients of normal weight, a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests. The findings raise questions about whether negative physician attitudes about obesity could be affecting the long-term health of their heavier patients.

23 Oct 2009

Invatec receives approval to market Mo.Ma device

Invatec, a comprehensive innovator of interventional products, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Mo.Ma® Ultra Proximal Cerebral Protection Device for use during carotid artery stenting (CAS).

23 Oct 2009

New guidelines from American Academy of Dermatology for treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet light therapy

Based on an extensive review of the highest quality scientific literature on psoriasis and the opinion of recognized psoriasis experts, the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy) has released new guidelines of care for the management and treatment of psoriasis with ultraviolet (UV) light therapy, also known as phototherapy. Recommendations for the use of the most common forms of UV light therapy, as stand-alone treatments or in conjunction with other therapies, were outlined, including patient considerations.

23 Oct 2009

Pfizer-Wyeth merger analyzed

Drug companies are carefully navigating the current stretch of industry consolidation as giants merge and promising small firms seek interested buyers.

23 Oct 2009

New Category I CPT code for AspirinWorks Test Kit

Corgenix Medical Corporation, a worldwide developer and marketer of diagnostic test kits, announced today that a new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code has been published by the American Medical Association (AMA) for the AspirinWorks Test Kit.

23 Oct 2009

AEOL 10150 increases regeneration of GI stem cells: NIAID study results

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that recent experiments in preclinical models conducted by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Radiation/Nuclear Medical Countermeasure Development program have shown that AEOL 10150 can effectively increase regeneration of gastro-intestinal (GI) stem cells, reduce the severity and duration of diarrhea and improve survival when administered at 24 hours after doses of total-body irradiation that produce the lethal GI syndrome.

23 Oct 2009

Some Senate Democrats help republicans defeat $247 billion Medicare payment 'doctor fix'

"Democrats lost a big test vote on health care legislation on Wednesday as the Senate blocked action on a bill to increase Medicare payments to doctors at a cost of $247 billion over 10 years," the The New York Times reports. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, "needed 60 votes to proceed. He won only 47. And he could not blame Republicans.

23 Oct 2009

Some seniors could be cushioned from proposed cuts in Medicare Advantage funding

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports on how some seniors would be shielded from planned cuts to the Medicare Advantage program currently included in the Senate Finance Committee's health overhaul legislation.

23 Oct 2009

Combination treatement for IVF patients may eliminate vaginal bleeding

A prospective, multi-center study demonstrated that in IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycles supplemented with once-daily dosing of Crinone® vaginal progesterone gel and Estrace® oral estrogen, vaginal bleeding is rare in patients who become pregnant. Bleeding does occur in approximately one-quarter of patients who do not become pregnant. These data were presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) annual meeting in Atlanta.

23 Oct 2009

Seminar focuses on approaches to improve small molecule discovery programs

Caliper Life Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: CALP), a leading provider of tools and services for drug discovery and life sciences research, last week held the latest seminar in its "Innovation for Experimentation" series.

23 Oct 2009

In vitro activity results of Cem-101 against gram-positive organisms to be presented

Cempra Pharmaceuticals today announced its schedule of oral and poster presentations at the Infectious Disease Society of America, 47th Annual Meeting, in Philadelphia on Oct. 29 to Nov. 1, 2009.

23 Oct 2009

Obama administration disputes government report on reform's higher costs

Administration officials quickly rejected a new analysis that found "the nation's medical costs will keep spiraling upward even faster than they are now under Democratic legislation pending in the House," the Associated Press reports.

23 Oct 2009

Japanese Ministry approves marketing of AMS800 Artificial Urinary Sphincter in Japan

American Medical Systems®, a leading provider of world-class devices and therapies for both male and female pelvic health, today announced that it has received clearance from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) to market and distribute its AMS 800 Artificial Urinary Sphincter (AUS) in Japan, effective September 7, 2009.

23 Oct 2009

Play less video games to keep your focus

Parents have long lectured their children about the mind-numbing effects of playing video games all day. And a new Iowa State University study has found that high volume action video game players -- those who play around 40 hours per week -- actually had more difficulty keeping focused on tasks requiring longer, more proactive attention than those who played video games less than a couple of hours a week.

23 Oct 2009

Gen-Probe acquires Prodesse

Gen-Probe announced today that the Company has completed its acquisition of Prodesse, Inc., a leader in molecular testing for influenza and other infectious diseases, for approximately $60 million in cash.

23 Oct 2009

Study: Massachusetts health reform popular with doctors, doesn't hold costs down

"The first broad-based survey of how physicians feel about the Massachusetts experiment shows strong and deep support: 70 percent favor the law; three-quarters want to keep it," NPR reports.

23 Oct 2009

Some hospital revenues could decline if H1N1 becomes pandemic

"While it's common for hospitals to see a revenue boost at the onset of seasonal influenza season, the additional threat of cases from the H1N1 swine flu virus could complicate this fall's and winter's financial picture for such health facilities," The Chicago Tribune reports.

23 Oct 2009