Public Health
Taking ginger supplements with standard anti-vomiting drugs beforehand can reduce the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, today announced updated efficacy and safety data from its Phase 2 clinical trial of picoplatin in patients with metastatic castration-resistant (hormone-refractory) prostate cancer (CRPC). The data demonstrate that picoplatin in combination with docetaxel and prednisone is active as first-line therapy for metastatic CRPC. This was demonstrated by several endpoints, including reductions in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, disease control as measured by tumor response, and progression-free survival (PFS). Results also continue to show that picoplatin can be safely administered every three weeks for up to 10 cycles concurrently with full doses of docetaxel and prednisone, the standard treatment for CRPC. In addition, no neurotoxicity was observed in these patients.
Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (Euronext: AMT), a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced that the European Medicines Agency has granted Orphan Drug Designation to AMT"s gene therapy product AMT-021 for the treatment of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP).
Though the growing shift toward oral chemotherapy agents offers cancer patients greater freedom and independence during their treatment, physicians say use of the new medications also poses more chances for patients to skip doses, miss prescription refills, and take their drugs in a dangerous way. An increasing number of cancer patients who receive chemotherapy now do so at home, with the click of a pill bottle each day rather than the drip of an IV medicine that must be delivered in a doctor"s office or hospital.
Scientists in Portugal and France managed to follow the patterns of gene expression in food-poisoning bacteria Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) live during infection for the first time. The work about to be published in PLoS Pathogens shows how the bacterial genome shifts to better adapt to infection by activating genes involved in virulence and subversion of the host defences, as well as adaptation to the host conditions. This is the first time that the molecular interactions between L. monocytogenes and its host, as they occur during the different steps of infection, are followed in real time paving the way, not only to the development of new therapies against this potentially lethal bacterium, but also for the study of other pathogen/host interactions.
Several newspapers on Thursday published editorials responding to a Medicare trustees report issued Tuesday that said the trust fund Medicare uses to pay for beneficiaries" hospital care will be insolvent by 2017, two years earlier than predicted by trustees last year. Summaries of the editorials appear below.
In research that could open new avenues of treatment for seasonal allergies, a team of Yale University scientists has discovered how a poorly understood component of the human immune system triggers - and sometimes worsens - allergic reactions. The research appears in the May 24 Advance Online Publication of Nature Immunology.
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) have announced interim results from an ongoing, one-year longitudinal health-outcomes study in which patients reported significantly higher levels of treatment satisfaction after three infusions with TYSABRI® (natalizumab) when compared to multiple sclerosis (MS) therapies used previously. The findings from the study, which were reported by patients on therapy, further demonstrate the benefits of TYSABRI in treating MS and are helping to redefine successful treatment of the disease. The study, which was performed in conjunction with HealthCore Inc., a health-outcomes research company, is being presented in a poster today during the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers.
The average U.S. family and their employers paid an additional $1,017 in health care premiums in 2008 to pay for care of the uninsured, according to a study released on Thursday by Families USA, USA Today reports (Kim, USA Today, 5/28). According to the study, which examined federal data, the uninsured received $116 billion in health care from hospitals, physicians and other providers in 2008 and paid 37% of that amount. Government programs and charities covered an additional 26%, which left another 37%, or about $43 billion, unpaid. The study then estimated how those costs are when spread across the insured through higher premiums, the study found. According to the study, prepared by the actuarial firm Milliman, the average additional amount paid under private coverage for single individuals was about $370 per year (Werner, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/28). Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack said, "This is a hidden tax on all insurance premiums, whether it is paid by business for their work or by families when they purchase their own coverage" (USA Today, 5/28).The study is available online.
Many U.S. hospitals do not take sufficient disciplinary action against physicians for poor conduct or medical incompetence and fail to report such cases to the National Practitioner Data Bank, according to a report released Wednesday by Public Citizen, the Contra Costa Times reports. Congress established the databank in 1990 as a central repository for information about physicians whose hospital privileges had been withdrawn or limited for more than 30 days. The bank is closed to the public (Kleffman, Contra Costa Times, 5/27).For the report, Public Citizen"s Health Research Group analyzed studies by the HHS Office of Inspector General and the Citizen Advocacy Center, as well as medical journal articles and recommendations made during an October 1996 meeting on under-reporting by hospitals (Stark/Hallihan, ABCNews.com, 5/27). According to the report, nearly half of U.S. hospitals did not submit one physician"s name in 17 years to the databank. One purpose of the databank is to provide hospitals with background information about physicians they were considering hiring at their facilities. Under the initial expectations of the databank, federal officials estimated that at least 5,000 disciplinary cases would be reported annually. However, on average, about 650 reports have been made annually since the databank was created, the report found (Contra Costa Times, 5/27). The group on Wednesday sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that included recommendations to improve the efficacy of the databank. The letter said that the reporting numbers are "unreasonably low, compared with what would be expected if hospitals pursued disciplinary actions aggressively and reported all such actions." The letter urged Sebelius to ensure that hospitals are conducting necessary peer reviews and oversight of physicians, taking proper disciplinary actions and reporting them to the databank so that physicians" track records are available to all hospital administrators. Penalties also should be established for hospitals that fail to comply with the reporting requirements, the group said.Al Levine, the author of the report, said some hospitals had found ways to avoid their physician reporting responsibilities, such as by limiting restrictions on hospital privileges to fewer than 30 days or giving physicians a "leave of absence" in place of suspending their privileges. Levine said, "Even in states with high levels of reporting," it "seems to be concentrated in a few facilities" (Contra Costa Times, 5/27).In a statement responding to the report, the American Hospital Association said, "The premise that the number of reports received by the National Practitioner Data Bank correlates to jeopardized patient care is inaccurate," adding, "Hospitals are actively involved in a wide variety of efforts to continuously improve care and talk publicly about the care we provide" (ABCNews.com, 5/27).
"Nearly 30 years after the discovery of HIV and AIDS, the epidemic is still ravaging black neighborhoods in Baltimore and across the nation," Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC"s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention -- writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. Fenton writes that "complacency about HIV and the continued stigma associated with the disease are hindering progress by preventing too many African-Americans from seeking either HIV testing and treatment or support from their friends and family," adding that "this is a challenge that can be overcome."According to Fenton, the Obama administration last month "took an important step in confronting the United States" HIV epidemic" when CDC and White House officials announced a five-year campaign called Act Against AIDS, which is "designed to refocus the nation"s attention on the HIV crisis here at home." Fenton notes that 14 black civic organizations -- including the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Council of Negro Women -- are "joining the CDC to increase knowledge, awareness and action within black communities across the country." He adds that the campaign "will harness the strength and reach of these organizations by enhancing their ability to make HIV prevention a core component of their daily activities." "By raising the visibility of HIV and AIDS, the new campaign also aims to confront and overcome the fear and stigma that help keep HIV alive in black communities," Fenton says. He adds that he has "been encouraged in recent years to see black leaders, including black faith leaders, speak out more openly across the nation about the need to confront HIV and the stigma that persists surrounding this disease." Fenton writes that "[e]nding this epidemic will require not only frank and difficult discussions about HIV but also a shared sense of responsibility and commitment," concluding, "All of us can and must be part of the solution" (Fenton, Baltimore Sun, 5/27).
Digital media are changing the environment for communicating health information. In a new book, "Health Communication and the New Media Landscape," University of Missouri journalism researchers examine how the digital media revolution is affecting health and health care in the United States. Effective health communication can significantly enhance health care and public health as well as reduce inequities in people"s access to health information and services, according to the authors.
The immunosuppressive drugs required by organ transplant recipients after surgery can have serious side effects with prolonged use, including infection, heart disease and cancer. In an effort to reduce, or potentially eliminate the need for anti-rejection medications, researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University"s Feinberg School of Medicine are investigating the efficacy of a stem cell transplant after organ transplant. The study, which is the first to test the protocol on non-related living donor kidney pairs, involves transplanting stem cells from the kidney donor into the recipient one day following the organ transplant surgery.
MIT and Boston University engineers have designed cells that can count and "remember" cellular events, using simple circuits in which a series of genes are activated in a specific order.
Two studies in the May 29th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, have taken advantage of new technological advances to search for and find previously unknown weaknesses in a hard to treat form of cancer. The discoveries lend new hope in the fight again tumors that are today considered "undruggable."
When faced with a terminal illness, African-American seniors were two times more likely than whites to say they would want life-prolonging treatments, according to a University of Pittsburgh study available online and published in the June issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
As the best drugs become increasingly resistant to superbugs, McMaster University researchers have discovered a completely different way of looking for a new antibiotic.
When someone becomes dependent on drugs or alcohol, the brain"s pleasure center gets hijacked, disrupting the normal functioning of its reward circuitry.
We all know that vitamin D and calcium are good for bones, but research teams in Europe and USA have shown that both taken daily reduces the rate of hip fracture in older people by 20%.
Surprisingly few pharmacies in the U.S. are able to translate prescription medication instructions into Spanish, making it difficult for patients who speak only Spanish to understand how to take their medications properly, according to a new study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Researchers based in Gabon and France report the discovery of a new
The journal Human Reproduction reports the results of a survey which shows that ART (Assisted Reproduction Technology) is now responsible for 250,000 babies being born worldwide every year. The IFFS (International Federation of Fertility Societies), which represents most of the world"s fertility societies, has issued the following quote, which can be used as background material for any article on the Human Reproduction survey. This quote is embargoed to coincide with the Human Reproduction survey.
President Barack Obama and Energy Secretary Steve Chu are consistent in their message that when it comes to transportation fuels, carbon-neutral biofuels as an alternative to gasoline are coming. While the focus of a shift from gasoline to biofuels has been on global warming, such a shift could also impact human health. A grant from the Energy Biosciences Institute (EBI) has produced a novel and comprehensive "Life Cycle Impact Assessment" to measure the benefits on human health that might result from a switch to biofuels. Although there are a number of uncertainties that must be addressed for a more accurate picture, these early results show that a biofuel eliminating even 10-percent of current gasoline pollutant emissions would have a substantial impact on human health in this country, especially in urban areas.
University at Buffalo researchers have demonstrated for the first time that injecting adult bone marrow stem cells into skeletal muscle can repair cardiac tissue, reversing heart failure.
In response to industry demand, VIBevents is proud to announce the launch of the industry"s first virtual clinical trials event, ClinicalTrialsArena.com, which will bring together the leading decision makers within the pharma and biotech industries.
Video images of advanced dementia can help patients choose the type of care they want in the future, finds a study published on bmj.com today. The images also led to more stable treatment preferences over time.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6 percent) for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis (non-viral), a contagious condition marked by irritation of the eyes and a discharge from the mucous membranes.
Sleep disturbances increase as we age. Some studies report more than half of seniors 65 years of age or older suffer from chronic sleep disturbances. Researchers have long believed that the sleep disturbances common among the elderly often result from a disruption of the body"s circadian rhythms - biological cycles that repeat approximately every 24 hours.
Many cases of age-related neurodegenerative disease fall into the gray zone between big, defined diseases - Alzheimer"s or Parkinson"s, for example. Their diagnostic accuracy is low, researchers agree. That"s a problem, because mixed disease is not only common, but also quite different in its course from pathologically "pure" disease. (Mixed disease is often worse.) But there"s also excitement and opportunity. The large overlap between established neurodegenerative diseases is ripe for scientific exploration, and recent advances at the genetic, clinico-pathologic, and molecular levels have turned it into a dynamic area of research. In particular, diseases such as Dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementias are drawing intense interest as biomarker development branches out beyond Amyloid beta and tau, holding out a future where molecular-based diagnoses can define the pathogenic proteins that together drive a given person"s individual disease.
The twin epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes will continue to fuel an explosion in heart failure, already the world"s most prevalent chronic cardiovascular disease, according to John McMurray, professor of cardiology at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, and President of the Heart Failure Association. He reported that around one-third of patients with heart failure have evidence of diabetes, and for them the outlook is very serious. For doctors, he added, effective treatment is "very difficult".
Telemonitoring systems, by which the symptoms of heart failure can be remotely assessed, now provide a strategy for the improved personalised care of patients, according to Professor John Cleland from the University of Hull, UK.1 He told Heart Failure Congress 2009 that the management of heart failure is complex but most effective when tailored to the individual patients" needs and condition.2 "Unfortunately," he added, "the res required to offer this tailored treatment outside a hospital setting are generally not available. Current services provide, at best, only a crude attempt to deliver long-term, personalised healthcare, but telemonitoring provides a strategy which could radically change this situation."
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).
Proteins are the executive agents that carry out all processes in a cell. Their activity is controlled and modified with the help of small chemical tags that can be dynamically added to and removed from the protein. 25 years after its first discovery, researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have now gained insight into the role of one of these tags, a small sugar residue, that is found on many different proteins across species. In the current online issue of Science they report that the addition of this sugar tag to proteins in the nucleus of a cell is vital for normal development in fruit flies.
A new study is the first to show that there is a previously unrecognized role for environmental pollution in liver disease in the general U.S. adult population. This work builds upon the groups" previous research demonstrating liver disease in highly-exposed chemical workers. The study is being presented during Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®), the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Thursday assured abortion-rights groups that Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor shares President Obama"s views on constitutional protection for a right to privacy and a woman"s right to abortion, the Washington Post reports. Although many abortion-rights groups have welcomed the nomination, some have voiced concern over Sotomayor"s limited judicial record on cases involving abortion rights, especially the right to privacy that forms the basis for Roe v. Wade. Gibbs said that although Obama did not specifically ask Sotomayor about abortion rights during preliminary interviews, the White House is certain she agrees with the president on the constitutionality of Roe. Obama and Sotomayor "talked about the theory of constitutional interpretation, generally, including her views on unenumerated rights in the Constitution and the theory of settled law," Gibbs said, adding that Obama felt "very comfortable with her interpretation of the Constitution being similar to that of his." In a 2007 campaign debate, Obama said he would not nominate "somebody who doesn"t believe in the right to privacy," which the Supreme Court ruled gave women the right to terminate a pregnancy. Obama administration officials also said that they held private conversations on Thursday with groups on both sides of the abortion debate.The Post reports that Sotomayor has not dealt with constitutional issues regarding abortion rights in the nearly two decades she has been a federal judge. Her most notable decision regarding abortion was in 2002 when she ruled that the Bush administration had the right to implement the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding for international family planning groups that offer abortion services and information. Although that decision "reveals nothing about abortion rights," it is based on precedents from the Supreme Court and the Second U.S. Circuit of Appeals, the Post reports. Sotomayor wrote in her decision that the Supreme Court "has made clear that the government is free to favor the antiabortion position over the pro-choice position, and can do so with public funds." She also ruled that a group of antiabortion-rights protesters could go forward with a lawsuit alleging police brutality; however, that case focused on issues of municipal liability, not the constitutional right to an abortion, according to the Post.Currently, the court is essentially split on the issue of the right to privacy and abortion. Retiring Justice David Souter was one of three authors in a 2002 decision that upheld the basic tenets Roe, and abortion-rights supporters believe that replacing Souter with someone who does not support Roe would threaten those rights, the Post reports. Senior Senate Democrats said that they expect the issue to be brought up during private meetings with Sotomayor next week. However, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), a strong supporter of abortion rights, said she will not specifically ask Sotomayor about Roe. She said that she "feel[s] as comfortable as I could possibly feel" about Sotomayor"s support for abortion rights (Barnes/Shear, Washington Post, 5/29). Advocates on both sides of the abortion-rights debate are urging members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to question Sotomayor about her views during her confirmation hearings. Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights said, "I think both sides can agree that the American people should know where its nominees to the Supreme Court stand on important constitutionally decided decisions like Roe v. Wade." Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, said, "We"ve really been focused on asking senators to really probe this question of her judicial philosophy, as to whether or not she"s going to approach a decision like [Roe] as a jurist or as a woman" (Totenberg, "All Things Considered," NPR, 5/28). Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, said his group thinks it is "critical that senators thoroughly explore whether [Sotomayor] b
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.Bloggers are tentatively reacting to a report and blog post released by the Congressional Budget Office that summarizes the agency"s approach to estimating the cost of any health overhaul bills. At issue is how CBO will count different stipulations of legislation -- like an individual mandate or a public plan -- and whether their conclusions will result in a heftier price tag. Douglas Elmendorf explained on the Director"s Blog: "In CBO"s view, the key consideration is whether a proposal would be making health insurance an essentially governmental program, tightly controlled by the federal government with little choice available to those who offer and buy health insurance -- or whether the system would provide significant flexibility in terms of the types, prices, and number of private-sector sellers of insurance available to people. The former -- a governmental program -- belongs in the federal budget (including all premiums paid by individuals and firms to private insurers), but the latter -- a largely private-sector system -- does not." Janet Adamy of the Wall Street Journal"s Washington Wire notes that the report doesn"t address the cost estimates of the scenarios. Alan Katz on his Health Care Reform Blog concludes, "the message is clear: the looser government"s hand grips the new health care system the smaller its budgetary impact." Liberal bloggers had a variety of reactions -- some found the report too vague, while others saw it as good news. The New Republic"s Jonathan Cohn says, "you may need a Talmudic scholar to figure out what those implications are." Cohn continues, "Other passages in the briefing are [similarly] vexing and, for what it"s worth, the reactions I"ve gotten from insiders familiar with the report have ranged from sighs of relief to statements not suitable for a family blog." Ezra Klein agrees the report lacks specificity, but says, "Even so, I"m cheered by the simple existence of this ruling. The fact that CBO is explaining its thinking before legislation arrives [is] yet more evidence that CBO appears, insofar as it can, to be trying to help out on health reform. ... That"s an important change from past years." Interesting Elsewhere:
The Palm Springs, Calif.-based Desert AIDS Project next week will hold a health and wellness retreat targeting Hispanics living with HIV/AIDS, the Desert Sun reports. The program, called Grupo Latino, will provide individual and group activities -- such as depression and anxiety workshops, yoga and meditation -- for HIV-positive people. The program aims to help HIV-positive Hispanics and their families combat stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. In addition, DAP provides health care and social services for HIV-positive people. An estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people in California contract HIV annually. The state has one of the highest HIV rates nationwide, with more than 100,000 people living with the virus, according to the California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS (Brambila, Desert Sun, 5/27).
Doctor David Werring, from The Stroke Association"s Expert Advisory Panel said:
A study of smoking in the long running TV show The Simpsons has researchers concerned that the animated series may prompt children to consider smoking at an early age.
Sequel Systems says the Electronic Prescribe (E-Prescribe) program, in which paper-based health records would be converted to electronic health records (EHRs), would be beneficial to hospital-based and managed services organizations. This not only reduces medical errors made in the reading of written prescriptions - which results in increased liability - but also offers financial incentives by receiving increases in Medicare reimbursements to those organizations that adopt the program.
Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah studied the events leading to colon cancer and found that an unexpected protein serves as the "spark" that triggers formation of colon polyps, the precursors to cancerous tumors.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: VRX) reported final results for its Phase IIb dose-finding clinical trial for taribavirin, a prodrug of ribavirin which is in development for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in conjunction with a pegylated interferon. The study in treatment naive genotype 1 infected subjects was of standard design, consisting of 48 weeks of treatment with a 24-week follow-up period. It explored three weight-based doses of taribavirin: 20 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg vs. ribavirin 800-1400 mg/day. Throughout the 72-week trial, all doses of taribavirin demonstrated comparable efficacy (sustained virologic response (SVR)) to ribavirin with consistently lower levels of anemia. In addition, relapse rates in the 25 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg arms were comparable with the ribavirin arm; supporting the premise that higher dose weight-based taribavirin may be as effective as weight based ribavirin. Valeant plans to present the full final data at the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) later this year.
A vaccine for one of the most lethal cancers, advanced melanoma, has shown improved response rates and progression-free survival for patients when combined with the immunotherapy drug, Interleukin-2, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
UCLA scientists have linked for the first time intestinal inflammation with systemic chromosome damage in mice, a finding that may lead to the early identification and treatment of human inflammatory disorders, some of which increase risk for several types of cancer.
Unwed pregnant teens and twenty-somethings who attend or have graduated from private religious schools are more likely to obtain abortions than their peers from public schools, according to sociological research published in the June issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Catholic constitutional law professors Doug Kmiec of the Pepperdine University School of Law and Robert George of Princeton University on Thursday during a forum at the National Press Club debated the Obama administration"s abortion policies and whether opposing sides in the abortion-rights debate should work toward finding "common ground," the Washington Times reports. Kmiec -- a Republican who broke rank with many Catholics and supported President Obama"s run for the presidency -- stressed that the president is serious about reducing the need for abortion. However, George "challenged the administration to do something concrete," such as ban certain abortion procedures, according to the Times. He said that Obama "rejects what we and pro-lifers propose is common ground. ... He does not believe human beings acquire rights until after birth."Kmiec and George also debated the role of Catholics in politics, such as whether Catholics who support abortion rights should be denied Holy Communion or whether Catholic bishops should speak out against politicians who support abortion rights. In April 2008, a Los Angeles priest denied Kmiec Communion because of his support for Obama. Kmiec asked, "Are we as Catholics expected to sit on the sidelines aloof with the truth talking to ourselves or are we to engage our fellow citizens and offer that faith? The 2008 election was very much a test of that." He said that he does not believe that intimidation is the correct way to address abortion-rights issues, adding that the "denial of Communion is intimidation." Kmiec said that Catholic bishops" opposition to abortion-rights supporters who are Catholic "is not either an effective nor a Catholic approach. Nor is it a Catholic approach to endorse candidates. Yet certain bishops endorse candidates. Nor should churches allow materials in their vestibule saying it is a sin of the highest order to cast a vote for Barack Obama." He noted that 54% of Catholics voted for Obama.George opted to focus on Obama"s legislative record instead of the issue of Catholics in politics. He said, "Obama"s record as an activist, legislator and now as president is that an unborn baby possesses no rights. Throughout his career, he has denied every fundamental legislation that would discourage its practice or limit its liability" (Duin, Washington Times, 5/29).
The Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council on Thursday issued revised U.S. weight-gain guidelines for obese pregnant women, in response to rising levels of obesity in the country and growing evidence that weight gain can cause health problems for women and their infants, the New York Times reports. The revision, which is the first since 1990, recommends that obese women -- those with a body mass index of 30 or more -- limit their weight gain to 11 to 20 pounds over nine months. The 1990 pregnancy guidelines did not specifically address weight gain for obese women, telling them instead to follow the recommendations for overweight women. According to health officials, the changes to the recommendations for obese women were required to keep up with the changing weight patterns among women in the U.S. The New York Times reports that about 27% of women of childbearing age are considered obese, while 55% fall into the categories of overweight or obese.The recommendations for women with BMIs of less than 30 did not change. They call for overweight women -- those with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 -- to gain 15 to 25 pounds over nine months, while underweight women -- with BMIs of less than 18.5 -- should gain 28 to 40 pounds, and normal-weight women -- with BMIs of 18.6 to 24.9 -- should gain 25 to 35 pounds (Parker-Pope, New York Times, 5/29).Time reports that pregnant women who do not gain enough weight face a higher risk of stunted fetal growth and preterm delivery. However, it is more common for women to gain too much weight, placing them at higher risk for conditions like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. In addition, their infants are at increased risk of being born earlier, larger and by cesarean section. Time reports that excessive weight gain can increase a woman"s risk of postpartum obesity and elevate risks of heart disease and stroke because most women do not lose extra pounds gained during pregnancy. Many studies also have suggested that a woman"s gestational weight can predict potential weight problems in her offspring (Kingsbury, Time, 5/28).The committee that developed and issued the revision said that the existing guidelines were essentially on target but that women and their physicians need to work harder to help women reach a normal weight before pregnancy and avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy, according to the Los Angeles Times (Roan, Los Angeles Times, 5/29). The guidelines also recommend more nutrition and exercise counseling during pregnancy, advising physicians or midwives to consult dieticians to shape a woman"s care regardless of her initial weight, the AP/Yahoo! News reports (Neergaard, AP/Yahoo! News, 5/28). The Los Angeles Times reports that health care professionals are expected to recognize and implement some of the recommendations; however, it is not mandatory to do so.Several experts on maternal obesity and child health expressed disappointment with the guidelines, arguing that obese women should gain little to no weight during pregnancy, according to the Los Angeles Times. They also argue the new guidelines do not do enough to address obesity before pregnancy. Maxine Hayes, state health officer for the Washington State Department of Health, said, "If we wait for every woman to be advised about weight gain after they become pregnant, it"s too late. It puts women and their babies on a trajectory that is unhealthy" (Los Angeles Times, 5/29).
The June issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes new insights on why some corneal transplants fail, why some patients skip their glaucoma medications, and why preventing infections after LASIK is a growing concern.
Low birth weight babies are at greater risk of developing psychosis-like symptoms as they grow up, research suggests.
The world"s largest ear, nose, and throat professional medical association, the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), has released a manual detailing best practices for the creation of new clinical practice guidelines. The manual is published as a supplement to the June issue of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
A new study has confirmed that 1 per cent of children aged between 5- and 9-years-old have an existing diagnosis on the autistic spectrum. The research, published in the June issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, was carried out by the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University.
Patients with esophageal cancer who require surgery may benefit from having minimally invasive surgery instead of an open esophagectomy, or removal of the esophagus, according to a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) phase II study. The results will be presented May 31 at the 45th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Fla.
New research has revealed that old age could start as young as 27 when mental powers start to dwindle, after peaking at 22.
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
The latest advances in polyp detection, assessment of colorectal cancer risk, and patient sedation during colonoscopy will be presented today at Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®). Research regarding the size and type of polyps detected during colonoscopy and the risk associated with developing colon cancer offers new insight into the recommended frequency of follow-up preventive colonoscopy. New research also examines the risk of perforation during colonoscopy and new tools allowing physicians to more closely examine polyps during colonoscopy including optical biopsy and deep sedation of the patient will be presented. DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
The fastest-growing group of patients initiating dialysis is patients 75 years old and older; providing the best care for this group of patients presents significant challenges. The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) introduces the first-ever online curriculum to address aging and the kidney. The curriculum, based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)"s six core competences of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice, answers questions about the management of elderly patients.
Soccer players and exercise enthusiasts now have another reason to reach for lowfat chocolate milk after a hard workout, suggests a new study from James Madison University presented at the American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting. Post-exercise consumption of lowfat chocolate milk was found to provide equal or possibly superior muscle recovery compared to a high-carbohydrate recovery beverage with the same amount of calories.
The UK government would like to allow pharmaceutical companies to provide patients with more information about prescription drugs, according to an article published in Pulse. UK ministers view the European Commission"s proposals positively - these proposals would greatly extend the communication permitted between companies and patients. Currently, European Law limits such communication to patient safety leaflets.
The United Kingdom"s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published a Final Appraisal Determination (FAD) recommending the use of the drug Erbitux® (cetuximab) in combination with chemotherapy as a 1st-line treatment for patients with metastatic (advanced) colorectal cancer (mCRC) who have met specific additional criteria1 - presenting the possibility of potentially curative surgery.2 The treatment is recommended for patients in whom the cancer has spread only to the liver and who have normal or "wild-type" KRAS tumors.1 In the UK, a recommendation by NICE is a prerequisite for funding of a medical treatment by the National Health Service.
BioLineRx Ltd. (TASE:BLRX), a clinical stage drug development company, today announced positive preliminary results from the ongoing phase I/II clinical trial designed to assess the safety and feasibility of BL-1040, the first injectable device designed to address cardiac remodeling, in 20- 30 patients at several sites in Germany and Belgium. To date, 15 patients were successfully treated with BL-1040 with no complications. Moreover, six months follow up results from the first 5 patients show BL-1040"s efficacy in preventing cardiac remodeling and preserving cardiac function.
If your child needs to use a wheelchair, whether temporarily following illness or surgery or for longer-term disability, it is important they feel confident to move about safely. At this year"s national Mobility Roadshow that takes place at Kemble Airfield near Cirencester on 4, 5 and 6 June the Association of Wheelchair Children will be holding wheelchair skills workshops for children. In half hour sessions they will teach practical skills - ascending and descending kerbs, slopes, negotiating roads, moving backwards and forwards - empowering them with the ability to assess risk and to move safely and confidently about their homes and neighbourhoods. These sessions are equally useful for parents and carers.
A protein abundant in embryonic stem cells is now shown to be important in cancer, and offers a possible new target for drug development, report researchers from the Stem Cell Program at Children"s Hospital Boston.
The Association of British Clinical Diabetologists cautioned against indiscriminate use of new classes of medication for Britain"s increasing number of people with diabetes.
Infants" sleep patterns and their parents" influence on it are the focus of the SIESTA II project, supported by a five-year, $2.67 million grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to Douglas M. Teti, professor of human development and psychology, Penn State.
The damage that our modern living and working environment could be doing to our health will be investigated by a new ÷£5M MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College London and King"s College London.
PhotoMedex, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHMD), a leader in the development of proprietary excimer laser and fiber optic systems as well as other products for dermatological applications, announced the availability of its groundbreaking XTRAC Velocity™ Excimer Laser, a device expected to redefine laser treatment options for patients suffering from psoriasis and vitiligo.
Can-Fite BioPharma (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, has achieved yet another goal by completion of patients" enrollment in its phase II Psoriasis trial. Approximately 70 patients were enrolled to this study, randomized into 4 groups treated with 1, 2 and 4 mg of CF101 and placebo. Patients are taking the drug for 12 weeks plus 2 weeks of follow-up. The trial is being conducted in 10 sites in Israel and Europe. The company estimates to release study data on Q3 2009.
StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ:STEM) announced plans to present data from its Phase I clinical trial of its proprietary HuCNS-SC® product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) at the 12th International Congress on Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) being held June 3 - 6, 2009 in Hamburg, Germany. Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, vice president and head of the Company"s CNS program, is scheduled to present the data on Saturday, June 6.
Health officials on Sunday said that a diarrhea outbreak has spread across Bangladesh"s southwest due to the effects of Cyclone Aila, which hit parts of Bangladesh and India on May 25, AFP/Google.com reports. Diarrhea broke out at an "alarming rate" because inundation and water logging have destroyed large amounts of land and supplies of drinking water near Sundarbans, the world"s largest mangrove forest, according to health workers.
This month"s Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery features positive Phase Ib clinical trial results for PARI Pharma"s L-CsA, inhaled liposomal cyclosporine A. In May, PARI Pharma received Orphan Drug Designation from the Food and Drug Administration for L-CsA, delivered via an Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System, for the prevention and treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans, a devastating, incurable disease of the small airways affecting approximately 60,000 patients worldwide.
Two studies from AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) show that symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients treated with NEXIUM(R) (esomeprazole magnesium) 20 mg daily experienced greater relief from nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances compared with patients taking placebo over four weeks(1). NEXIUM 20 mg is indicated for the treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with GERD. NEXIUM, in a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), demonstrated efficacy in relieving moderate-to-severe nighttime heartburn and GERD-related sleep disturbances in two randomized, placebo-controlled trials(2). These findings were presented in three separate abstracts at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago.
Innovia LLC, a privately held biomaterials-based medical device company, announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market the InnoPort(TM) to facilitate single port access laparoscopy.
Local news coverage details concerns about Medicare and Medicaid spending reductions that could affect senior and nursing care.
CQ HealthBeat reports on reactions to Cindy Mann"s appointment as Director of the Center for Medicaid and State Operations, noting that liberals are hailing her appointment and "saying she"ll counter steps taken by the Bush administration to tighten eligibility and alter benefits."
The End Of Medical Miracles? - Wall Street Journal
Thermo-chromic window films which regulate room temperature; a heart and breathing rate monitor which could revolutionise the monitoring of babies during childbirth; and improved tests for food sensitivities and allergies are among innovations developed at The University of Nottingham highlighted by the Design Council"s Innovate for Universities initiative.
Early results from a Mayo Clinic research study demonstrate the effectiveness of a new approach to blocking an important part of the immune system that causes severe damage to some kidney transplants. Historically, these patients have been very difficult to treat successfully because their immune systems are already primed with antibodies to destroy the donor organ. These findings were presented at the American Transplant Congress.
Violence, sexual abuse, harassment, appalling living conditions, and a serious lack of access to essential healthcare define the desperate lives of thousands of Zimbabweans in South Africa today, warned the international medical humanitarian aid organization, Doctors Without Borders/Mç©decins Sans Frontiç¨res (MSF).
An infectious disease striking a large city may seem like a disastrous scenario -- millions of people sharing apartment buildings, crammed on buses and trains and brushing past one another on crowded sidewalks.
As policymakers consider ways to cut health costs as a part of health reform, a new national survey of physician practices finds that physicians on average are spending the equivalent of three work weeks annually on administrative tasks required by health plans. According to the study by Lawrence P. Casalino, M.D., Ph.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College and colleagues, physician practices report that overall the costs of interacting with insurance plans is $31 billion annually and 6.9 percent of all U.S. expenditures for physician and clinical services. The study, published in the online issue of Health Affairs, was co-funded by The Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation"s Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) Initiative.
Fast and affordable genome sequencing has moved a step closer with a new solid-state nanopore sensor being developed by researchers at the University of Illinois.
New research led by the University of Leicester and published this week in the British Journal of Psychiatry reveals that people with mental health problems are receiving inferior care for their medical needs.
A closer look at regulatory and clinical concerns with generic immunosuppression medications in thoracic transplantation is required, according to an educational advisory by the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation, published by Elsevier.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a change to the prescribing information for its once-daily Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatment VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII, to include supplemental data that demonstrated significant ADHD symptom control in children aged 6 to 12 from the first time point measured (1.5 hours) through 13 hours postdose. VYVANSE is now the first and only oral ADHD stimulant treatment to have 13-hour postdose efficacy data for pediatric patients included in its product labeling.
Call it advanced warfare on the most elemental of levels.
A study of targeted educational initiatives between the clinical staff at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the hospitals within their Partners program suggest that educational interventions by academic cancer centers can improve quality of care for cancer patients at community hospitals. The study, to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, looked specifically at the number of lymph nodes that were surgically removed in colorectal cancer patients at Fox Chase"s partner hospitals and the impact that educational initiatives by clinical staff had on improving the number of nodes removed.
In a move intended to significantly accelerate the pace of MS research, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada announced the establishment of five research and training centres involving over 100 established scientists and 250 trainees.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today (Monday) launched a consultation on guidance outlining what health and adult social care services will need to do to meet new legally enforceable registration standards.
Diabetes UK launches its national Measure Up Roadshow today to tackle the diabetes epidemic, as it reveals that more than 1.7 million people in the UK could have avoided developing Type 2 diabetes.
The Trudeau Institute and Health Research Incorporated (HRI) have established a unique partnership aimed at advancing the commercialization of medical and scientific discoveries made at the institute to maximize their benefit to public health worldwide.
A national Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study led by a Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center physician at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee has found that a course of radiation therapy to the brain after treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer reduced the risk of metastases to the brain within the first year after treatment. The study was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, June 1.
Results from a number of clinical trials were presented during the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) in Chicago this week, revealing new outcomes data related to endoscopic radiofrequency ablation using the HALO ablation system for eradicating a pre-cancerous esophageal condition known as Barrett"s esophagus. Among them, reports included durability outcomes from a randomized sham-controlled trial, safety and efficacy outcomes from a large U.S. registry of 429 patients, a randomized trial comparing ablation to endoscopic resection, and the largest European series to date in patients with high-grade dysplasia and early cancer.
Abortion providers are expressing concern about future violence and access to abortion services later in pregnancy after the shooting death on Sunday of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller, the AP/San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Tiller was one of a handful of abortion providers in the U.S. who performed abortions in the third trimester of pregnancy. Tiller"s family members said they are unsure if they will reopen the clinic, which was closed after the murder (AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/3). Dan Monnat, the attorney representing Tiller"s family, said that the family"s "hope is that the valuable work of Dr. Tiller will be able to continue," and that their "focus ... is to determine what is in the best interests of the employees and the patients" (Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 6/3).Physician LeRoy Carhart said that he would like to continue to provide women with third-trimester abortion services at Tiller"s clinic, where he regularly traveled for a few days every three weeks to see patients. Carhart said that Tiller"s clinic was the only location where he performed abortions in the third trimester, and it is unclear whether he will be able to continue to offer the procedure because of the clinic"s closing. Carhart added that the continued availability of third-trimester abortion is uncertain, as many physicians in the younger generation of abortion providers are hesitant to take up the cause. Few schools and universities offer programs to train physicians to perform the procedure, and those who might be interested are concerned about violence, Carhart said (AP/San Diego Union-Tribune, 6/3). According to NPR"s "All Things Considered," U.S. marshals have been sent to protect abortion clinics and providers throughout the country in the wake of Tiller"s murder.Some abortion-rights supporters called on officials to do more to draw attention to the effects of violence on access to abortion services. Abortion provider Warren Hern, a friend of Tiller"s who also performs the procedure during the third trimester, said that President Obama needs to do more than condemn Tiller"s murder and violence against abortion providers. He said that Obama "needs to go on a national television broadcast and say to the American public, "Safe abortion is a fundamental component of women"s health care. Antiabortion terrorism and violence will not be tolerated. We will stop you."" Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "We need to hear from our officeholders, from doctors, from religious leaders, from the community." She added, "(W)e can"t stop the voices of those who will continue to vilify and demonize, but what we can do is we need to have more voices standing up for these doctors" (Lohr, "All Things Considered," NPR, 6/2).Suspect Charged Kansas prosecutors on Tuesday formally charged Scott Roeder with murder for allegedly killing Tiller, the Chicago Tribune reports. The charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison because the crime does not fit the state"s legal requirements for the death penalty, Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston said. The charges against Roeder also include two counts of aggravated assault for wielding his firearm at two individuals who tried to stop him (Chicago Tribune, 6/3).
Although Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor"s confirmation hearings are more than a month away, "it"s easy to predict how they will go," New York Times columnist Ross Douthat writes. Douthat predicts that Senate Judiciary Committee members "will attempt to divine Sotomayor"s position on a variety of controversial topics," such as abortion rights, and in "a series of polite, evasive answers, the nominee will feign a studious neutrality on almost every issue that could come before her during what"s likely to be decades as one of the most powerful women in the world." According to Douthat, the "deeper stakes" that likely will be ignored are that "Sotomayor will be joining a high court that"s gradually become a kind of extra legislative body." He cites research from Harvard Law School professor Jed Shugerman showing that the court over roughly the past 50 years has invalidated both state and federal statutes at an unprecedented rate. Douthat also points to data from Evan Caminker of the University of Michigan showing that in one eight-year period, the court invalidated 16 federal laws in 5-4 votes, something that occurred only 25 times in the previous two centuries. Douthat writes that "settling so many vexing controversies with 5-to-4 votes -- effectively making Anthony Kennedy the nation"s philosopher king -- is an awfully poor way to run a republic."Douthat continues that the "modern court"s most enduringly controversial power grabs -- with Roe v. Wade leading the way -- were usually the work of liberal justices" but that "in practice, the main divide between liberal and conservative judges tends to be over the responsibilities of the federal government, not judicial activism per se." He writes, "There are bipartisan ways that the Court could be reined in, and the legislative branch reinvigorated," including the idea of a supermajority rule that would require a 6-3 vote to overturn federal legislation. This idea "might spur the court toward greater consensus, and perhaps greater modesty as well," according to Douthat. Another possibility would be to implement 12-year term limits, he says. Douthat concludes that these suggestions would not "reduce the Supreme Court"s power directly, but it would help us see the court for what it has become -- a deeply political institution, as fallible as any other, and answerable, when all is said and done, to us" (Douthat, New York Times, 6/2).
On the same day President Obama expressed the urgent need for health care reform, he also met with two dozen Senate Democrats and suggested that he is open to considering taxing employer-provided health benefits to pay for health care reform, The Washington Post reports.
June 1, 2009: Citalopram (Celexa), a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors, according to a multi-site clinical trial guided by lead author Bryan H. King, MD, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Seattle Children"s Hospital and professor and vice chair of psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Because citalopram is also prescribed for patients with obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), these study results may challenge the widely held premise that repetitive behaviors in children with ASD are similar to repetitive behaviors often found in cases of OCD. The study "Lack of Efficacy of Citalopram in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and High Levels of Repetitive Behavior" was published in the June 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
Researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) are recruiting participants for a national clinical study of medication that could slow the progression of Parkinson"s disease. The study, referred to as "QE3," will examine the effectiveness of the research medication Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ). During the study, investigators will administer high doses of CoQ to participants 30 years of age or older with early stage Parkinson"s disease to reduce the speed of their physical decline. The research is sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and will be conducted by the Parkinson Study Group, an international council of physicians and researchers experienced in caring for Parkinson"s patients and studying the disease.
Why The Health Care Rush? - The Wall Street Journal
The new H1N1 swine flu virus claimed the life of a 20-year old Chicago woman on Saturday, one day after giving birth to a baby via Cesarean
Data was announced today that demonstrated Salix Pharmaceuticals" (NASDAQ:SLXP) APRISO™ (mesalamine) 0.375g extended-release capsules had a favorable safety profile in patients in remission from ulcerative colitis (UC) for up to 24 months. APRISO is approved for use up to six months. The majority of treatment-emergent adverse events were mild or moderate in intensity, and were similar to what was seen during the 6-month phase 3 trials. The study, which is the first to examine the long-term safety profile of APRISO, was presented at the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
A study by neuroscientist Heather Rupp and her team found that a woman"s partner status influenced her interest in the opposite sex. In the studyÂð, published in the March issue of Human Nature, women both with and without sexual partners showed little difference in their subjective ratings of photos of men when considering such measures as masculinity and attractiveness. However, the women who did not have sexual partners spent more time evaluating photos of men, demonstrating a greater interest in the photos. No such difference was found between men who had sexual partners and those who did not.
Sleeping tablets have been associated with a four-fold increase in suicide risk in the elderly. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Geriatrics have shown that, even after adjusting for the presence of psychiatric conditions, sedatives and hypnotics were both associated with an increased risk of suicide.
Over the past 20 years, the health care system has made tremendous progress in reducing the use of physical restraints among hospitalized elderly patients, a positive change that has had numerous numerous ripple effects, improving outcomes, maintaining mobility and preserving dignity and independence for these individuals.
In an ambitious effort to further Yale University"s engagement in global health, President Richard C. Levin announced today the launch of the Yale Global Health Initiative. This is the first endeavor of the University"s new Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, which was announced in April. The purpose of the new initiative is to unite the many global health efforts across campus, foster innovative educational programs to address the growing student interest in global health, and stimulate and support faculty research to enhance healthcare around the world.
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) is hosting an all day event for carers on Wednesday 10th June 2009. The event - You care We care - is taking place at the Towngate Theatre in Basildon and doors will open at 09:30.
Informing men that a new vaccine to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) would also help protect their female partners against developing cervical cancer from the sexually transmitted infection did not increase their interest in getting the vaccine, according to a new Florida State University study.
Although it is a relatively widespread phenomenon, the experts have still not been able to come up with an all-encompassing and precise definition of workplace abuse or bullying. Basing their work on previous literature, David González, of the High Court of Justice of Madrid and José LuÃs Graña, of the Faculty of Psychology at the Complutense University, have defined it in their study as a "process of systematic and repeated aggression by a person or group towards a workmate, subordinate or superior". Their research has been published in the latest issue of Psicothema.
Cellulitis and cellulite are two completely different things. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the dermis - the deep layer of skin - as well as the subcutaneous tissues (fat and soft tissue layer) that are under the skin. While cellulite is caused by fatty deposits under the skin that give it an orange peel or cottage cheese look. This article is about the bacterial infection - cellulitis.
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION: A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?
ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC Bulletin Board: ACCP), announced that new Thiarabine preclinical efficacy data will shortly be published demonstrating that thiarabine combined with clofarabine provides much greater antitumor activity than achieved by either agent alone. In one colorectal cancer model, 66% of mice were cured of their tumors. The publication which will appear in the journal "Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology," was based on work conducted by Access" collaborators at the Southern Research Institute. The paper is entitled "Enhancement of the in vivo antitumor activity of clofarabine by 1-beta-D-[4-thio-arabinofuranosyl]-cytosine" (thiarabine).