Health News

BUSM Study Shows Potential Of Differentiated IPS Cells In Cell Therapy Without Immune Rejection

Date: Jan-29-2013
A new study from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that tissues derived from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in an experimental model were not rejected when transplanted back into genetically identical recipients. The study, published online in Cell Stem Cell, demonstrates the potential of utilizing iPS cells to develop cell types that could offer treatment for a wide range of conditions, including diabetes, liver and lung diseases, without the barrier of immune rejection...

Meningitis Vaccine Bexsero® Receives EU Approval

Date: Jan-29-2013
Bexsero is indicated to help protect all age groups against meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) disease, including infants who are the most vulnerablei. MenB disease is associated with a high human toll for families and communities, as it can be fatal or may cause serious, life-long disabilities in survivorsii,iii Novartis announced on January 22 that the European Commission has approved Bexsero® (Meningococcal Group B Vaccine [rDNA, component, adsorbed]) for use in individuals from 2 months of age and older. Novartis is committed to making Bexsero available as soon as possible...

Science Needs A Second Opinion: Researchers Find Flaws�in Study Of Patients In "Vegetative State"

Date: Jan-29-2013
Reanalysis Finds Errors in Statistical Findings and Methods of Previously Published Study in Lancet Testing Patient's Awareness at Bedside with Portable EEG Technology A team of researchers led by Weill Cornell Medical College is calling into question the published statistics, methods and findings of a highly publicized research study that claimed bedside electroencephalography (EEG) identified evidence of awareness in three patients diagnosed to be in a vegetative state. The new reanalysis study led by Weill Cornell neurologists Drs...

Vitesse™ Brachytherapy Treatment Planning Software Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance

Date: Jan-29-2013
Tool enables clinicians to plan and perform high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy treatments for prostate cancer using real-time ultrasound guidance Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has received an FDA 510(k) clearance for the latest version of its Vitesse™ real time planning for HDR brachytherapy which is used to plan and perform high-dose-rate (HDR), ultrasound-guided brachytherapy treatments for prostate cancer.Â� "This version of Vitesse reduces the number and complexity of steps involved in planning and completing a treatment...

Merck Serono Initiates TH-302 Phase III MAESTRO Study In Patients With Locally Advanced Or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Date: Jan-29-2013
Pivotal Phase III study with investigational hypoxia-targeted drug aims to enroll 660 patients Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, have announced the initiation of the global Phase III MAESTRO study, assessing the efficacy and safety of investigational hypoxia-targeted drug TH-302 in combination with gemcitabine in patients with previously untreated, locally advanced unresectable or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The study is being carried out pursuant to a global licensing and co-development agreement for TH-302 between Merck and Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc...

Singapore Scientists Led By A*STAR's Genome Institute Of Singapore Identify Four Distinct Mechanisms That Contribute To Gastric Cancers

Date: Jan-29-2013
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) headed a study which culminated in the discovery of four processes by which gastric cancer is formed. With gastric cancer being the second most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide (almost 750,000 deaths annually) and also an Asian disease, this poses as an extremely important find. Using what is known as next-generation sequencing technologies, GIS scientists were able to provide a comprehensive view of the gastric cancer genome, characterizing micro- and macro-scale mutations...

Researcher Pinpoints Prescription For Successful Primary Care Networks

Date: Jan-29-2013
A newly-released study on early adoptees of the Primary Care Network initiative proposes that their success lies with three key elements: strong leadership, a redefined, inclusive workspace and allowance for creative discord...

A Child's IQ Can Be Boosted By Diet, Parental Behavior, And Preschool

Date: Jan-29-2013
Supplementing children's diets with fish oil, enrolling them in quality preschool, and engaging them in interactive reading all turn out to be effective ways to raise a young child's intelligence, according to a new report published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science...

Quantum Dots And Gold Nanoparticles Work Together To Make DNA Rectangles For Nanoscale Sensors

Date: Jan-29-2013
A team of researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has shown that by bringing gold nanoparticles close to the dots and using a DNA template to control the distances, the intensity of a quantum dot's fluorescence can be predictably increased or decreased.* This breakthrough opens a potential path to using quantum dots as a component in better photodetectors, chemical sensors and nanoscale lasers. Anyone who has tried to tune a radio knows that moving their hands toward or away from the antenna can improve or ruin the reception...

'Empty Nest Syndrome' Less Likely To Affect The Current Generation Of Middle-Aged Adults

Date: Jan-29-2013
The "empty nest" of past generations, in which the kids are grown up and middle-aged adults have more time to themselves, has been replaced in the United States by a nest that's full - kids who can't leave, can't find a job and aging parents who need more help than ever before. According to a new study by researchers at Oregon State University, what was once a life stage of new freedoms, options and opportunities has largely disappeared. An economic recession and tough job market has made it hard on young adults to start their careers and families...