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SFC Fluidics to develop handheld traumatic brain injury diagnostic device for the U.S. Army

SFC Fluidics, LLC recently announced it has received a contract for approximately $5 million from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for development of a handheld device for rapid diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). More than 1.5 million Americans suffer head injuries each year, and TBI has become a signature injury for American troops serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

30 Sep 2009

AeroScout to provide RFID Asset Tracking And Management Solutions for Premier’s ASCEND program

Following the recent announcement of an agreement between Premier Purchasing Partners, L.P., and AeroScout, the Premier healthcare alliance announced today that it has selected AeroScout as the sole source provider of RFID Asset Tracking and Management solutions for Premier’s ASCEND™ program.

30 Sep 2009

University scientists achieve breakthrough in brain research

Chaos brews in the brains of newborns: the nerve cells are still bound only loosely to each other. Under the leadership of Academy Research Fellow Sari Lauri, a team of researchers at the University of Helsinki has been studying for years how a neural network capable of processing information effectively is created out of chaos. The team has now found a new kind of mechanism that adjusts the functional development of nerve cell contacts.

30 Sep 2009

Sanofi-aventis announces study results comparing efficacy of Lantus to detemir

Sanofi-aventis announced today results of a head-to-head study providing further evidence on the efficacy of once-daily, 24-hour basal insulin Lantus(R) (insulin glargine (rDNA) injection) compared to twice-daily insulin detemir. The study was presented during the 45th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna.

30 Sep 2009

Researchers identify embryonic origin of Merkel cells

Publication in Journal of Cell Biology : researchers from ULB (IRIBHM) identify the embryonic origin of Merkel cells. Their research continue on an extremely aggressive cancer, the Merkel cell carcinoma

30 Sep 2009

Offer period for conversion of bonds extended by Pharming

Biotech company Pharming Group NV ("Pharming" or the "Company") has received commitment from bondholders, representing 70% of the nominal amount of the currently outstanding bonds, to accept the offer to convert the bonds as announced on September 21, 2009. Together, they exceed the threshold level of 60% which Pharming set as a minimum participation in order to execute the transaction.

30 Sep 2009

Virginia Tech's innovative robotic hand: A possible prosthetic

The Virginia Tech College of Engineering's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) has captured another top award for its updated innovative robotic hand that can automatically change its grasping force using compressed air.

30 Sep 2009

Defects in original version of Neuron 6F 070 delivery catheter: Penumbra initiates voluntary field removal

Penumbra is initiating a voluntary Field Removal of the original version of Neuron 6F 070 Delivery Catheter. For these catheters, Penumbra has received feedback from some users that the catheter could kink or ovalize in certain anatomical situations.

30 Sep 2009

Presentations on seasonal influenza and H1N1 viruses

Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar hosted a detailed talk about a virus that's causing concern around the world. The recent cause of an interruption in local school openings, H1N1 information was presented in timely fashion by Dr. Abdullatif Al-Khal, head of the communicable disease unit at Hamad Medical Corporation, and Dr. Ravinder Mamtani, Professor of Public Health at WCMC-Q.

30 Sep 2009

ACCC approves Pfizer's pending acquisition of Wyeth

Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) today announced that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved the company’s pending acquisition of Wyeth. The ACCC’s decision includes Pfizer’s commitment to divest certain animal health assets in Australia.

30 Sep 2009

FEMA grant for designing next generation firefighter gloves

What is one of the biggest complaints firefighters have about their job? It's their gloves. While the current gloves are designed to provide protection against extreme temperatures, they are often bulky and inflexible. Through a recent Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant, researchers at North Carolina State University will attempt to redesign the traditional firefighter glove to provide fire protection with less bulk and greater hand dexterity.

30 Sep 2009

Manic-depression not a lifelong disorder

Bipolar disorder, or manic-depression, causes severe and unusual shifts in mood and energy, affecting a person's ability to perform everyday tasks. With symptoms often starting in early adulthood, bipolar disorder has been thought of traditionally as a lifelong disorder. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found evidence that nearly half of those diagnosed between the ages of 18 and 25 may outgrow the disorder by the time they reach 30.

30 Sep 2009

SATAI invests $1.045 million in Azaya Therapeutics

SATAI (www.satai.us) and the South Texas Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (www.strcic.com) today announced an investment of $1.045 million in Azaya Therapeutics, Inc. through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) for the commercialization of Azaya’s proprietary Protein Stabilized Nanoparticle (PSN) technology platform to produce targeted, safer and more effective formulations of chemotherapy pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer.

30 Sep 2009

Genetic factors play an important role in the development of type 1 diabetes

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Anette Ziegler, scientists of the Diabetes Research Group at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München investigated the formation of antibodies to a zinc transporter in children with elevated risk for type 1 diabetes. The study provided indications of an early onset of the disease when specific antibodies in the blood and specific variants of the associated zinc transporter are present in the genome.

30 Sep 2009

Plexxikon commences patient dosage in PLX4032 trials for metastatic melanoma

Plexxikon Inc. announces that enrollment has been initiated and the first patient has been treated in the first of two pivotal trials of PLX4032 (RG7204) in patients with metastatic melanoma. PLX4032 is a novel, oral and highly selective drug that targets the BRAFV600E cancer-causing mutation occurring in about 50 percent of melanomas and about eight percent of all solid tumors.

30 Sep 2009

New book on written and visual communications for clinicians and laboratory researchers

Strong communication skills are essential for preparing scientific articles, grant proposals, posters, and slide presentations. However, these skills are not commonly taught in schools of public health, medicine, or allied health sciences.

30 Sep 2009

China’s Ministry of Commerce approves Pfizer's acquisition of Wyeth

Pfizer Inc today announced that China’s Ministry of Commerce has approved the company’s pending acquisition of Wyeth. The Ministry’s decision includes Pfizer’s commitment to divest certain animal health assets in China.

30 Sep 2009

GE Healthcare launches Venue 40, a portable miniaturized ultrasound system

GE is helping to transform the delivery of patient care with Venue™ 40, a miniaturized ultrasound system with advanced touch-screen technology, launched by GE Healthcare, a business unit of General Electric Company. Venue 40 is portable, allowing physicians to quickly perform rapid diagnostics and needle-guided procedures right at a patient’s bedside, providing real-time results.

30 Sep 2009

Hitachi High-Technologies reaches milestone: More than 1000 units of TM-1000 shipped

Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation (TOKYO:8036) today announced that cumulative shipments of the tabletop microscope TM-1000, launched in April 2005, have now surpassed 1,000 units.

30 Sep 2009

Coupling electrosurgery with mass spectrometry for real-time identification of tumor tissues

Instead of the classic scalpel, surgeons can also operate with an electroscalpel. A significant advantage to this technique is that while a cut is being made, blood vessels are closed off and hemorrhaging eliminated. Now another advantage may be added as well: a German-Hungarian research team has developed a mass-spectrometry-based technique by which tissues can be analyzed during a surgical procedure.

30 Sep 2009