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Genetic link to ovarian cancer found

Scientists have located a region of DNA which - when altered - can increase the risk of ovarian cancer according to research published in Nature Genetics today.

3 Aug 2009

After-school programs are an important contributor to children's physical activity

Children's after-school activities often consist of sedentary behavior such as watching television, but after-school programs that offer physical activity and healthy snacks could be the best place for children's health.

3 Aug 2009

Long-term brain damage after bypass surgery - more evidence puts blame on heart disease

Brain scientists and cardiac surgeons at Johns Hopkins have evidence from 227 heart bypass surgery patients that long-term memory losses and cognitive problems they experience are due to the underlying coronary artery disease itself and not ill after-effects from having used a heart-lung machine.

3 Aug 2009

Ten exceptional health professionals have unique opportunity to influence health reform

Ten exceptional health professionals have been selected as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellows for 2009-2010. The ten fellows will utilize their wide range of academic, public health, clinical and community-based experience to provide health policy leadership on Capitol Hill to improve health and health care.

3 Aug 2009

Digital mammography increases cancer detection rates

The use of digital mammography equipment alone is responsible for an increased number of breast cancers detected at a community-based mammography facility, according to a study performed at San Luis Diagnostic Center in San Luis Obispo, CA.

3 Aug 2009

Senate Democrats in the 'hot seat' on health overhaul

In the final week of debate before the Senate recess, the Finance Committee continues talks on bipartisan legislation, but both Republicans and Democrats are ramping up their health care rhetoric and considering more drastic options.

3 Aug 2009

New blood tests may detect pancreatic cancer more effectively

A new diagnostic tool developed by Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists has shown promising results when used with patients of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer due to the difficulty of diagnosing it in its early stages. The method, which studies carbohydrate structures in the bloodstream, could lead to the development of blood tests that can detect cancer more effectively.

3 Aug 2009

Doctor shortage and disparities after reform examined, nurses prepare for changing role

A former Clinton administration official said last week that there aren't enough doctors in America to handle the increase in patients if health reform covers more uninsured, NPR reports.

3 Aug 2009

Comp. effectiveness promises better, cheaper health care but cricits link it to rationing

"Federal health agencies, seeking to hand out stimulus funds to research the effectiveness of various medical treatments, said they will include projects that look in part at the cost of drugs and other treatments.

3 Aug 2009

Lawmakers, officials distort the facts to support or oppose health overhaul

"Confusing claims and outright distortions have animated the national debate over changes in the health care system," the Associated Press reports.

3 Aug 2009

House recesses, Democrats reflect on accomplishments and what's ahead

House Democrats celebrated late last week the passage of a health reform bill out of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, but they still face a lot of work when they return in September, Roll Call reports.

3 Aug 2009

Temptation more powerful than people think

Whether it's highlighted in major news headlines about Argentinean affairs and Ponzi schemes, or in personal battles with obesity and drug addiction, individuals regularly succumb to greed, lust and self-destructive behaviors. New research from the Kellogg School of Management examines why this is the case, and demonstrates that individuals believe they have more restraint than they actually possess - ultimately leading to poor decision-making.

3 Aug 2009

House panel passes protection for drug makers

The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed an amendment to their broad health reform bill giving drug makers 12 years of exclusive rights to market new biologic drugs, "a setback" to the administration and consumer advocates who hoped to make generic drugs more widely available, the Wall Street Journal reports.

3 Aug 2009

For struggling single mothers, 3-generation households better than 2

Living in a three-generation household can significantly enhance the economic well-being of children, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

3 Aug 2009

Exercise offers many benefits during pregnancy

Physicians should recommend low to moderate levels of exercise to their pregnant patients, even if they have not exercised prior to pregnancy, states a report published in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS).

3 Aug 2009

Discovery of mechanism that protects somatic cells against the behaviour of germ cells

An IRB Barcelona research team discovers the mechanism that favors the correct separation of germ cells -- future ovules and sperm -- from the rest of the cells during embryonic development

3 Aug 2009

Discovery of unique 'DNA signature' in human sperm - unlocks egg's fertility

Drs David Miller and David Iles from the University of Leeds, in collaboration with Dr Martin Brinkworth at the University of Bradford, have found that sperm writes a DNA signature that can only be recognised by an egg from the same species. This enables fertilisation and may even explain how a species develops its own unique genetic identity.

3 Aug 2009

Radiation exposure during interventional procedures a concern for some developing countries

Many facilities in these countries lack the concept of patient dose estimation and dose management, putting patients at a higher risk of developing complications due to overexposure from radiation during interventional procedures, according to a study performed by the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria.

3 Aug 2009

AFP examines debate over H1N1 spending, resource allocation

There is concern that as developed countries store away antivirals, face masks and vaccines to protect against the H1N1 (swine) flu virus, poor countries are being left empty handed. "Some critics say the spending is so imbalanced that it amounts to health apartheid, protecting rich countries against H1N1 but leaving poor nations to fend for themselves," the news service writes, adding, "Others argue gargantuan sums are being spent on a disease that is no more lethal than seasonal flu, which is grotesquely disproportionate when thousands die each day of less media-friendly diseases."

3 Aug 2009

New microchip technology may accelerate drug discovery for cancer, other diseases

Flasks, beakers and hot plates may soon be a thing of the past in chemistry labs. Instead of handling a few experiments on a bench top, scientists may simply pop a microchip into a computer and instantly run thousands of chemical reactions, with results - literally shrinking the lab down to the size of a thumbnail.

From Siemens Healthineers 3 Aug 2009

Medical News

Genetic link to ovarian cancer found

After-school programs are an important contributor to children's physical activity

Long-term brain damage after bypass surgery - more evidence puts blame on heart disease

Ten exceptional health professionals have unique opportunity to influence health reform

Digital mammography increases cancer detection rates

Senate Democrats in the 'hot seat' on health overhaul

New blood tests may detect pancreatic cancer more effectively

Doctor shortage and disparities after reform examined, nurses prepare for changing role

Comp. effectiveness promises better, cheaper health care but cricits link it to rationing

Lawmakers, officials distort the facts to support or oppose health overhaul

House recesses, Democrats reflect on accomplishments and what's ahead

Temptation more powerful than people think

House panel passes protection for drug makers

For struggling single mothers, 3-generation households better than 2

Exercise offers many benefits during pregnancy

Discovery of mechanism that protects somatic cells against the behaviour of germ cells

Discovery of unique 'DNA signature' in human sperm - unlocks egg's fertility

Radiation exposure during interventional procedures a concern for some developing countries

AFP examines debate over H1N1 spending, resource allocation

New microchip technology may accelerate drug discovery for cancer, other diseases

How does norepinephrine influence anxiety-related behaviours?

Transforming Lab Workflows with Cell Culture Automation

Building Bridges to Scalable Allogeneic Cell Therapy

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