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Researchers examine medical effects of bed bugs and control and eradication strategies

A review of previously published articles indicates there is little evidence supporting an effective treatment of bites from bed bugs, that these insects do not appear to transmit disease, and control and eradication of bed bugs is challenging, according to an article in the April 1 issue of JAMA .

1 Apr 2009

By shutting down inflammation, agent reverses damage from spinal cord injury in preclinical studies

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) have been able to speed recovery and substantially reduce damage resulting from spinal cord injury in preclinical studies.

1 Apr 2009

Bad mix of bacterial remnants and NOD2 gene lead to arthritis

Here's another reason to hate leftovers. A research study appearing in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology sheds light on one cause of arthritis: bacteria.

1 Apr 2009

Appeals court affirms that J&J stents infringe Boston Scientific patent

Boston Scientific Corporation has announced that the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a decision in the Company's stent litigation with Johnson and Johnson (J&J).

1 Apr 2009

Mother's criticism causes distinctive neural activity among formerly depressed

Formerly depressed women show patterns of brain activity when they are criticized by their mothers that are distinctly different from the patterns shown by never depressed controls, according to a new study from Harvard University.

1 Apr 2009

Minorities underrepresented in New York state physician workforce, study finds

Few minorities in New York state are entering the health care field despite an increase in the number of minorities moving there, according to a study recently published by the University at Albany's Center for Health Workforce Studies, the Albany Times Union reports.

31 Mar 2009

Insecticide spraying targeted at mosquito larvae can help control malaria in urban areas, study says

The use of insecticide to kill mosquitoes during the larval stage of development can control malaria effectively in urban areas when combined with existing malaria interventions, such as insecticide-treated nets, according to a study published Tuesday in PLoS One, ANI/Thaindian News reports.

31 Mar 2009

St. Petersburg Times examines decline in antipsychotic drug prescriptions for Florida children

St. Petersburg Times recently examined how since the Florida Medicaid program last year began requiring physicians to receive approval before prescribing antipsychotic drugs to children younger than age six, the number of prescriptions for children in that age group has dropped by nearly 75%, according to new data from the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.

31 Mar 2009

California stimulus funding not enough to stave off cuts to some health care services

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday signed five bills into law that allow California to receive more than $17.5 billion in federal economic stimulus aid, but the funding will not be enough for the state to avoid $3 billion in tax increases and cuts to services to balance its budget, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

31 Mar 2009

U.S. Supreme Court denies request for emergency injunction to block healthy San Francisco employer contribution mandates

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Golden Gate Restaurant Association's request for a temporary order barring San Francisco from requiring restaurant owners to contribute toward workers' health care costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 3/31).

31 Mar 2009

Pennsylvania health system decreasing complications, costs with 'warranty' system emphasizing best practices

The Washington Post on Tuesday examined how Pennsylvania's Geisinger Health System has successfully improved outcomes for elective heart surgery patients through its 90-day warranty program, which charges a flat fee covering the cost of the procedure and any needed follow-up care. Geisinger operates its own insurance plan and has 41 clinics, three hospitals and 650 staff physicians.

31 Mar 2009

House subcommittee to conduct hearing to discuss strategies to end agreements between brand-name, generic drugmakers, limit number of plans

A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Tuesday is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the issue of ending agreements under which brand-name pharmaceutical companies pay generic drugmakers to delay the launch of less costly versions of top-selling medications, the Wall Street Journal reports.

31 Mar 2009

CMS announces new rules for Medicare Advantage plans that aim to protect sick beneficiaries from high out-of-pocket costs

CMS on Monday announced that insurers looking to offer Medicare Advantage plans this year must cap out-of-pocket charges and that the agency will eliminate MA plans that have 10 or fewer beneficiaries, the Wall Street Journal reports.

31 Mar 2009

Couples retiring this year need $240,000 to cover medical expenses

65-year-old retired couple this year would need $240,000 on average to cover medical expenses, according to a recent study by Fidelity Investments, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports.

31 Mar 2009

HHS report says health reform vital to U.S. economy as costs rise, quality of care worsens

Comprehensive health care reform is necessary this year because of rising costs and the declining quality of care, according to an HHS report released on Monday, Reuters/Boston Globe reports.

31 Mar 2009

President Obama meets with house Democrats, links passage of budget with ability to move on health reform

President Obama on Monday met with House Democrats in closed-door sessions to discuss his fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, during which he linked the passage of his budget to the ability to act on major issues including health care reform, Politico reports.

31 Mar 2009

'Compassion,' 'sense of justice' could 'motivate' Washington, D.C., to 'do more' for HIV-positive people, opinion piece says

"[C]ompassion and a sense of justice can motivate" the Washington, D.C., community "to do more" for people living with HIV/AIDS in the district, Patricia Wudel -- executive director of Joseph's House, which provides hospice services for HIV-positive people -- writes in a Washington Post opinion piece in response to an earlier opinion piece by columnist Courtland Milloy (Wudel, Washington Post, 3/29).

31 Mar 2009

Teacher-student relationships in Kenyan province places girls at increased risk for HIV, education official says

An increasing number of sexual relationships between teachers and students in Kenya's Nyanza province is placing girls at increased risk of HIV/AIDS, Geoffrey Cherongis, Nyanza's provincial director of education, said recently, IRIN/Plus News reports. Cherongis said that some HIV-positive teachers engage in sexual relations with female students and spread the virus to "young girls who hardly know the kind of thing they are getting into."

31 Mar 2009

Somali religious leaders increase efforts to reduce stigma, discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS

Islamic religious leaders in Somalia are increasing efforts to reduce stigma and discrimination against HIV-positive people in the country, IRIN/Plus News reports. Religious leaders in the predominantly Muslim country are encouraging people to treat HIV-positive people with respect and are becoming involved in HIV prevention efforts, according to IRIN/Plus News.

31 Mar 2009

Health officials in Canadian province develop communications strategy to address increase in HIV cases

Health experts are developing plans to increase HIV/AIDS awareness in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan in response to the virus' rising incidence in the province, Moira McKinnon, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, said recently, the Regina Leader-Post reports.

31 Mar 2009

Medical News

Researchers examine medical effects of bed bugs and control and eradication strategies

By shutting down inflammation, agent reverses damage from spinal cord injury in preclinical studies

Bad mix of bacterial remnants and NOD2 gene lead to arthritis

Appeals court affirms that J&J stents infringe Boston Scientific patent

Mother's criticism causes distinctive neural activity among formerly depressed

Minorities underrepresented in New York state physician workforce, study finds

Insecticide spraying targeted at mosquito larvae can help control malaria in urban areas, study says

St. Petersburg Times examines decline in antipsychotic drug prescriptions for Florida children

California stimulus funding not enough to stave off cuts to some health care services

U.S. Supreme Court denies request for emergency injunction to block healthy San Francisco employer contribution mandates

Pennsylvania health system decreasing complications, costs with 'warranty' system emphasizing best practices

House subcommittee to conduct hearing to discuss strategies to end agreements between brand-name, generic drugmakers, limit number of plans

CMS announces new rules for Medicare Advantage plans that aim to protect sick beneficiaries from high out-of-pocket costs

Couples retiring this year need $240,000 to cover medical expenses

HHS report says health reform vital to U.S. economy as costs rise, quality of care worsens

President Obama meets with house Democrats, links passage of budget with ability to move on health reform

'Compassion,' 'sense of justice' could 'motivate' Washington, D.C., to 'do more' for HIV-positive people, opinion piece says

Teacher-student relationships in Kenyan province places girls at increased risk for HIV, education official says

Somali religious leaders increase efforts to reduce stigma, discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS

Health officials in Canadian province develop communications strategy to address increase in HIV cases

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

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