Medical News

RSS

MIT study shows that SIRT1 gene plays key role in controlling circadian rhythms

Human sleeping and waking patterns are largely governed by an internal circadian clock that corresponds closely with the 24-hour cycle of light and darkness. This circadian clock also controls other body functions, such as metabolism and temperature regulation.

21 Jun 2013

Researcher receives NINDS grant to develop DTI for pediatric spinal cord injury diagnosis

Most of the 11,000 new cases of spinal cord injury that are diagnosed each year in the United States occur in people under age 30, and often the sufferer is a child. But smaller spinal cords in children and a lack of adequate imaging technology has created major problems in precisely locating the site of injury. New technological developments in imaging could help clinical specialists design more effective treatment and rehabilitation strategies for pediatric patients.

21 Jun 2013

Rigorous interventions result in fewer infections, deaths associated with hospital-onset C. difficile

Rhode Island Hospital has reduced the incidence of hospital-associated Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections by 70 percent and reduced annual associated mortality in patients with hospital-associated C. difficile by 64 percent through successive implementation of five rigorous interventions , as reported in the July 2013 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.

21 Jun 2013

New model developed to predict atrial fibrillation stroke risk factors

A more accurate and reliable stroke prediction model has been developed to help physicians decide whether to start blood-thinning treatment for patients with atrial fibrillation, as described in the current online issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association.

21 Jun 2013

A status check on small business health exchanges

News outlets examine key points about the health law, including a progress report on implementation issues by the Government Acountability Office.

21 Jun 2013

Researchers receive NIH grant to study key proteins linked to cancer and diabetes

Researchers from the Polytechnic Institute of New York University and NYU have received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to further a novel approach to understanding the genetic underpinnings of diseases including cancer and diabetes.

21 Jun 2013

Researchers discover key role of RAP1 gene in obesity

The discovery of an unexpected function for a gene that was associated to another process in the organism might be a solution in search of a problem, a clue to unsuspected connections. That is what has happened with RAP1, a gene that protects telomeres- the ends of chromosomes-after researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre surprisingly discovered its key role in obesity.

21 Jun 2013

Targeting particular signaling pathway can help prevent temporal lobe epilepsy, scientists report

Temporal lobe epilepsy, the most common form of epilepsy, is characterized by recurrent seizures throughout life and often behavioral abnormalities, with devastating impacts on patients and their families. Unfortunately, the condition is often not responsive to anticonvulsants. Now scientists report online June 20 in the Cell Press journal Neuron that targeting a particular signaling pathway in mice can prevent the development of temporal lobe epilepsy with just two weeks of treatment, offering hope that researchers will be able to develop effective drugs to mitigate recurrent seizures and the development of epilepsy.

21 Jun 2013

Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II assay receives FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a test that identifies the genotype of hepatitis C virus that a patient is carrying. The Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II, which can differentiate genotypes 1, 1a, 1b, 2, 3, 4, and 5,using a sample of an infected patient's blood plasma or serum, will aid health care professionals in determining the appropriate approach to treatment.

21 Jun 2013

Laughing gas is associated with increased risk for perioperative cardiac events

A clinical trial published in the July issue of Anesthesiology may shed some light on whether nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") causes an increased risk for cardiac events, including heart attacks after surgery, particularly among high-risk patients.

20 Jun 2013

More than half of pregnant women use insecticide that is harmful to offsprings

Pregnancy and infancy are the periods of greatest vulnerability to the use of household insecticides. This is one of the findings of the first study of its kind to be carried out in Spain, which concludes that more than half of expectant mothers routinely use these chemical compounds.

20 Jun 2013

Medicago produces Rotavirus VLP vaccine candidate using plant-based manufacturing platform

Medicago Inc. (TSX: MDG; OTCQX: MDCGF), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), today announced the successful production of a Rotavirus VLP vaccine candidate comprising all four structural antigens of rotavirus (VP2, VP4, VP6 and VP7) using Medicago's plant-based manufacturing platform.

20 Jun 2013

BerGenBio AS starts Phase 1 Clinical Trial for BGB324 oral AXL inhibitor

BerGenBio AS today announced the start of a Phase 1 Clinical Trial for BGB324, a first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of AXL tyrosine kinase. BGB324 is a highly selective, oral AXL inhibitor that blocks the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is a key driver of metastasis (cancer spread) and drug-resistance. The Phase 1 clinical trial of BGB324 is a single ascending dose study designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of BGB324.

20 Jun 2013

Microfluidic devices can trap and sort bacteria and viruses in food and water

A new process for making a three-dimensional microstructure that can be used in the analysis of cells could prove useful in counterterrorism measures and in water and food safety concerns.

20 Jun 2013

CBO finds immigration bill would save Gov't. money

The Congressional Budget Office estimated the measure would save $175 billion dollars, but lawmakers question how this would play out for entitlement programs such as Medicare.

20 Jun 2013

PTC Therapeutics announces pricing of its initial public offering

PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC) today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 8,372,000 shares of common stock at a public offering price of $15.00 per share, before underwriting discounts. All of the shares in the offering are being sold by PTC.

20 Jun 2013

EAA to present its 11th Annual Wine & Wisdom event

Entertainment AIDS Alliance (EAA) will present its 11th Annual Wine & Wisdom event, a fundraiser benefiting the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education as well as Common Ground, the only comprehensive HIV agency serving Los Angeles' Westside community.

20 Jun 2013

Banyan Biomarkers completes $6 million series A funding for further biomarker research

Banyan Biomarkers, Inc. today announced that it has completed a $6 million series A funding from private investors for further biomarker research and continued development of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnostic test. Currently, the company is enrolling subjects in a 2,000 patient pivotal clinical trial funded by a $26.3 million contract with the United States Department of Defense.

20 Jun 2013

CRS partners with Bayer HealthCare in clinical drug development

CRS has entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Bayer HealthCare in clinical drug development. Cooperation will include R&D services for early clinical trials (Phases I-IIa).

20 Jun 2013

Accovion voted as "Rising Star" and ranked in top 10 of CROs in recent survey

Accovion GmbH, a full-service provider of clinical development services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries and headquartered in Eschborn, Germany, has been voted a "Rising Star" and ranked the clinical research organisation in the top 10 of CROs in a recent survey.

20 Jun 2013