Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Yolo County, Calif., Approves Proposal To Cut Funding For Health Care Services To Undocumented Immigrants
Yolo County, Calif., Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a proposal to cut county funding for health care services for undocumented immigrants in an effort to save the county more than $1 million, the Sacramento Bee reports (Sangree, Sacramento Bee, 5/20).California counties have been taking such action amid the economic recession to reduce their budgets. In February, Sacramento County voted to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving care at county clinics to save an estimated $2.4 million. Contra Costa County last month cut services for undocumented adults, seeking to save an estimated $6 million. Yolo County is facing a $24 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2009-2010 (Kaiser Health Disparities Report, 5/7).Robin Affrime -- head of CommuniCare Health Centers, which provide treatment to low-income residents of Woodland, Davis and West Sacramento -- said the county spending cuts would shift costs to health care providers. Supervisor Jim Provenza said undocumented immigrants would delay care at clinics and eventually seek treatment in hospital emergency departments (Sacramento Bee, 5/20).
generic viagra online
Schering-Plough Announces Phase II And III Data For Corifollitropin Alfa
Schering-Plough Corp., (NYSE: SGP) announced results from the Phase III ENGAGE clinical trial demonstrating that a single injection of corifollitropin alfa, first in the class of sustained follicle stimulants, achieved similar efficacy to recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) given once daily for seven days. The ENGAGE data was presented along with data from the Phase III ENSURE trial and the Phase II REALIZE trial at the 25th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
News of the day
Sexual Crimes: Narrow Window For Detection Of Knock-Out Drugs
Drug-facilitated sexual crimes are increasing. The Bonn Institute for Forensic Medicine has recorded that the number of examinations on the use of intoxicants in sexual offences within their catchment area increased 10-fold between 1997 and 2006. In the current edition of Deutsches Arzteblatt International, Burkhard Madea and Frank Musshoff present the modes of action and the detection windows for the most frequent substances (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106 (20): 341-347).
Diagnostics

Yale Discovery May Open Door To Drug That Cuts Appetite And Boosts Energy

In a major advance in obesity and diabetes research, Yale School of Medicine scientists have found that reducing levels of a key enzyme in the brain decreased appetites and increased energy levels. Reductions in the levels of the enzyme prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) led to weight loss and a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes in mice, according to research published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation. The team found that PRCP is located in the hypothalamus and regulates levels of a peptide known for inhibiting food intake and stimulating energy expenditure- the alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). Researchers found that blocking the PRCP enzyme keeps the alpha-MSH peptides from being degraded, resulting in higher levels of alpha-MSH and decreased appetite. "Our research provides the first evidence that breaking down molecules in the brain that regulate metabolism is an important component of weight control," said senior author Sabrina Diano, associate professor in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and Neurobiology. "Our findings provide a possible new target for the development of drugs to control metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes." Diano and her team conducted the study in congenic mice that were naturally lean and later in mice that had PRCP removed. Animals without the PRCP enzyme were leaner and ate less food. They also had higher levels of alpha-MSH in the hypothalamus compared to control animals. The mice were put on a diet of 45 percent fat-the equivalent of eating fast food everyday-and even with this high fat diet, they did not gain as much weight as control animals on a regular diet. Diano said the next step is to study how PRCP is regulated. Other authors on the study include Nicholas Wallingford, Bertrand Perroud, Qian Gao, Anna Coppola, Erika Gyengesi, Zhong-Wu-Liu, Xiao-Bing Gao, Adam Diament, Kari A. Haus, Zia Shariat-Madar, Fakhri Mahdi, Sharon L. Wardlaw, Alvin H. Schmaier and Craig H. Warden. Citation: The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol. 119, No. 8 (August 2009) Link: Sabrina Diano Yale University


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009