Health News

Health Care Providers May Be At Greater Risk Of Flu Exposure

Date: Feb-04-2013
Some people with the flu emit more of the air-borne virus than others, suggesting that the current recommendations for infection control among health care providers may not be adequate, according to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The study is published in the Jan. 31 online edition of The Journal of Infectious Disease. "Our study provides new evidence that infectiousness may vary between influenza patients and questions the current medical understanding of how influenza spreads," said Werner Bischoff, M.D., Ph.D...

Policy, Enforcement May Stop Employees From Wasting Time Online At Work, Researcher Finds

Date: Feb-04-2013
Businesses must deal with weary-eyed office workers who are sitting behind computer screens and watching cat videos, shopping online and updating their Facebook statuses. A Kansas State University researcher studied cyberloafing -- wasting time at work on the Internet -- and the effects of Internet use policies and punishment on reducing cyberloafing...

Gum Disease Found To Worsen Infection In Animal Model Of AIDS

Date: Feb-04-2013
Texas Biomed scientists in San Antonio have found that moderate gum disease in an animal model exposed to an AIDS- like virus had more viral variants causing infection and greater inflammation. Both of these features have potential negative implications in long term disease progression, including other kinds of infections, the researchers say in a new report. The public health message from the study is that even mild inflammation in the mouth needs to be controlled because it can lead to more serious consequences, said Luis Giavedoni, Ph...

Second-Generation CT Scanner Substantially Reduces Radiation Exposure

Date: Feb-04-2013
Researchers using a newly approved advanced computed tomography (CT) system were able to significantly reduce radiation exposure in patients undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. "Radiation exposure during diagnostic imaging is a substantial public concern," said Marcus Y. Chen, M.D., lead author of the study from the advanced cardiovascular imaging laboratory at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md...

UNC Study May Lead To Treatments That Are Effective Against All MRSA Strains

Date: Feb-04-2013
In the last decade, a new strain of MRSA has emerged that can spread beyond hospital walls, putting everyone at risk of contracting the dangerous bacterial infection. This particular strain of MRSA - known as USA300 - contains a chunk of genes not shared by any other strains, though it is unclear how this unique genetic material enables the bacteria to survive and persist in the community...

Blood In Your Urine - Don't Just Ignore It

Date: Feb-04-2013
Many people are still not seeking medical advice soon enough when they see blood in their urine, even though almost 1 in 5 will have a urinary tract malignancy[1]. Action on Bladder Cancer (ABC), the only UK charity dedicated purely to bladder cancer, calls for urgent awareness - even one episode of visible blood in the urine is a warning sign that should not be ignored[1]. Blood in the urine is a sign that you need to be seen by a GP and a specialist. Many patients are either unaware or would feel embarrassed discussing this...

OncoEthix Doses First Patient In Its Phase I Trial Of OTX015, A BET Bromodomain Inhibitor For The Treatment Of Hematologic Malignancies

Date: Feb-04-2013
OncoEthix, the Swiss-based specialist in oncology drug development, announces progress in its Phase I study of OTX015, a novel BET bromodomain inhibitor, with the first dosing of a patient. OTX015 is a synthetic orally administered small molecule which targets BET bromodomain proteins 2/3/4, which are considered potential cancer targets because of their pivotal role in regulating the transcription of growth-promoting and cell cycle regulators, especially c-MYC. Phase I trials of OTX015 in healthy volunteers have already been completed...

Targovax AS Announces First Patient Included In Phase I/II Clinical Study With The Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine TG01 In Operable Pancreatic Cancer

Date: Feb-04-2013
Approval from the Norwegian Medicines Agency (NOMA) to start clinical phase I/II study in Norway was received in November, and first patient was recruited in January. 18-24 patients will be included in the clinical Phase I/II study. Results from the Phase I part are expected in first half of 2013. Principal investigator and oncologist Svein Dueland states: "It is exciting that we now recruit patients for this study, which originates from collaboration between Oslo University Hospital and Norsk Hydro...

Lifelong Guide To Strong Bones

Date: Feb-04-2013
In a bid to narrow the gap between policy talk and policy action, Osteoporosis Australia has released a strategic white paper outlining whole-of-life recommendations for preventing the debilitating bone-wasting disease. In a clinical focus article in the 4 February issue of the Medical Journal of Australia, Professor Peter Ebeling, an endocrinologist from the University of Melbourne, and colleagues outline the findings of the white paper, Building healthy bones throughout life: an evidence-informed strategy to prevent osteoporosis in Australia...

Monitoring Crucial To Real-Time Success

Date: Feb-04-2013
The Federal Government has committed $5 million to the establishment of a national real-time reporting (RTR) system for the prescription of Schedule 8 drugs, but experts advise that the scheme needs to be monitored for unintended consequences. Schedule 8 drugs are drugs of potential abuse and addiction such as opioids...