Biotech Week articles from October 2008

Biotech Week archives from October 2008

Migraine linked to blood clots in veins.
October 1, 2008... People with migraines may also be more likely to develop blood clots in their veins, according to a study published in the September 16, 2008, issue of Neurology[R], the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (see also American...

New tool to speed cancer therapy approval available.
October 1, 2008... Although cancer remains a leading cause of death in America, it can take up to 12 years to bring a new anti-cancer agent before the FDA and the success rate for approval is only five to 10 percent. That means many research hours and dollars are...

Massage therapy may have immediate positive effect on pain and mood for advanced cancer patients.
October 1, 2008... A new study from the National Institutes of Health finds that massage therapy may have immediate benefits on pain and mood among patients with advanced cancer. The study appears in the September 16, 2008 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine...

AGA Institute statement: Data support CT colonography as viable colorectal cancer screening option.
October 1, 2008... Death from colorectal cancer is highly preventable with effective screening and early detection. Many screening options are available, each with advantages and disadvantages, but half of eligible patients still do not participate in colorectal...

Older problem gamblers may face greater suicide risk than younger counterparts, study finds.
October 1, 2008... Compared to their younger counterparts, older problem gamblers who ask casinos to bar them from returning are three to four times more likely to do so because they fear they will kill themselves if they don't stop betting, according to a new...

Directing a driver's gaze results in smoother steering.
October 1, 2008... Typically, drivers gaze along a curve as they negotiate it, but they also look at other parts of the road, the dashboard, traffic signs and oncoming vehicles. A new study finds that when drivers fix their gaze on specific targets placed...

Hopkins Children's study: Parents of dying newborns need clearer explanation of options.
October 1, 2008... Parent-doctor discussions about whether to maintain or withdraw life support from terminally ill or severely premature newborns are so plagued by miscommunication and misunderstanding that they might as well be in different languages, according...

Looking vs. seeing.
October 1, 2008... The superior colliculus has long been thought of as a rapid orienting center of the brain that allows the eyes and head to turn swiftly either toward or away from the sights and sounds in our environment. Now a team of scientists at the Salk...

UT Southwestern specialist leads effort to craft first professional guidelines for regarding earwax.
October 1, 2008... The age-old advice to routinely clean out earwax is discouraged under the first published guidelines from health care professionals about removing wax from the ear (see also UT Southwestern Medical Center). "Unfortunately, many people feel...

Social psychology can be used to understand nuclear restraint.
October 1, 2008... Social psychology is the study of how people and groups interact. A new study in the journal International Studies Review shows how social psychology can help us better understand the puzzle of nuclear restraint and uses the case of Japan to...

Copper Conferencing Selected as a PHONE+ Top 50 Channel Program.
October 1, 2008... PHONE+ magazine, a resource for the telecommunications indirect sales channel, announced that Copper Conferencing has been selected as a Top 50 Channel Program. The results of this contest will be published in the magazine's 2008 Channel...

Genomatica Breakthrough Replaces Petroleum With Sugar in Major Chemical Process.
October 1, 2008... San Diego-based Genomatica Inc., a sustainable chemical company, has proven a novel bio-manufacturing process capable of producing thousands of tons of a commodity chemical in a single facility. The foundational chemical, 1,4-butanediol (BDO),...

Hatteras and ANDA Lead Fast-Growing Carrier Ethernet Access Platform Market Segments in 2Q08, Heavy Reading Reports.
October 1, 2008... Worldwide sales of copper-based carrier Ethernet access platforms rose 74% year-over-year to $208 million in the four-quarter period ending in 2Q08, according to the new Carrier Ethernet Access Platform (CEAP) Quarterly Market Tracker service...

Neurofocus Appoints Stephen Kosslyn to Its Advisory Board.
October 1, 2008... NeuroFocus, Inc., the world's leading company in the field of neurological testing for marketing research, announced that professor Stephen Kosslyn, Ph.D. has joined the firm's Advisory Board (see also NeuroFocus, Inc.). He is the John...

A Piece of Mind: Vitamin B12 May Protect the Brain in Old Age.
October 1, 2008... Vitamin B12 may protect the brain in old age and reduce risk of dementia, according to a new study by University of Oxford researchers. Published in the new issue of Neurology, the study determined people with higher blood levels of vitamin B12...

Newsweek and Fedtech Win PRSA 2007 Excellence in Technology Journalism Awards.
October 1, 2008... Kindle, Amazon's entry into the e-book market, and bringing technology to the Navajo Nation are topics of two award-winning articles selected at this year's Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Awards for Excellence in Technology...

SunLink Health Systems, Inc. to Amend Current Report on Form 8-K.(Report)
October 1, 2008... SunLink Health Systems, Inc. announced that it expects the audited financial statements of its Carmichael's Cashway Pharmacy, Inc subsidiary to be restated to adjust the pre-acquisition periods previously reported in SunLink's Current Report on...

Studies from D.H. Lee et al in the area of abscess described.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility, safety, and success of percutaneous paracoccygeal catheter drainage of deep pelvic abscesses using a combination of sonography and fluoroscopic guidance. From April 2005 to December...

Researchers at Korea University have published new data on acid reflux disease.
October 1, 2008... " The morbidity and mortality of anastomotic complications after esophagectomy have gradually decreased in recent years. However, swallowing difficulties and reflux continue to burden patients jeopardizing their quality of life," scientists in...

Findings from Kyungpook National University, Medical Department advance knowledge in acne vulgaris.
October 1, 2008... "Acne is a complex, chronic and common skin disorder of pilosebaceous units. Although it is known that exacerbation of acne results from emotional stress, the nature of the association between stress and acne remains unclear," researchers in...

Research from C.L. Chen and co-researchers in the area of acne vulgaris described.(Survey)
October 1, 2008... In this recent report, researchers in the United States conducted a study "To examine preferences for acne-related outcomes in adolescents. Community-based, cross-sectional survey study." "Four public high schools in San Francisco,...

Research from R. Homberg et al has provided new information about actinomycosis.
October 1, 2008... "Actinomnycosis is a rare infection mainly of the head and neck region (cervicofacial actinomycosis). The cause of this infection is bacterial invasion of the host's mucosal barrier with consecutive infiltration of the surrounding tissues,"...

Reports summarize acute pancreatitis research from E. Sathiaraj and co-authors.
October 1, 2008... " In mild acute pancreatitis, traditional treatment has been initial fasting and oral refeeding with clear liquids to prevent adverse gastrointestinal events such as pain. The diet is gradually progressed to soft solids and hospital discharge...

Studies from Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University provide new data on acute pancreatitis.
October 1, 2008... "Leukocyte infiltration is an early and critical event in the development of acute pancreatitis. However, the mechanism of leukocyte transmigration into the pancreas and the function of leukocytes in initiating acute pancreatitis are still...

Scientists at Medical University of Silesia describe research in acute peritonitis.
October 1, 2008... "An early and reliable diagnostic procedure for acute peritonitis in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) without typical clinical symptoms remains an important challenge in modern nephrology. During the first days of peritonitis, establishing...

Findings from C. Jongen and co-authors provide new insights into addiction medicine.(Report)
October 1, 2008... " The dopamine D-2 receptor (D2R) is important in the mediation of addiction. [I-123]iodobenzamide (IBZM), a SPECT ligand for the D2R, has been used for in vivo studies of D2R availability in humans, monkeys, and rats," scientists writing in...

New addiction medicine research from J.J. Jalbert and colleagues discussed.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The risk of adverse events among alcohol-interactive medication users can occur with one standard alcoholic drink. Research on the extent to which this occurs is scant." "To examine the...

New addiction medicine research from Oregon Health & Science University described.
October 1, 2008... "A common expression of neuroadaptations induced by repeated exposure to addictive drugs is a persistent sensitized behavioral response to their stimulant properties. Neuroplasticity underlying drug-induced sensitization has been proposed to...

New adenoma data have been reported by scientists at University of London, Imperial College.(Clinical report)
October 1, 2008... " Colonoscopy has a known miss rate for polyps and adenomas. High definition (HD) colonoscopes may allow detection of subtle mucosal change, potentially aiding detection of adenomas and hyperplastic polyps," scientists in Harrow, the United...

Study results from University of Ulm broaden understanding of adenomatous polyp.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "This study was designed to prospectively examine functional outcome, quality of life, and patients' personal experiences and adjustment to functional changes during the first year after prophylactic surgery. Twenty-one consecutive patients...

Studies from N. Shehab and colleagues yield new information about adverse drug reactions.
October 1, 2008... "Drug-related adverse events are an underappreciated consequence of antibiotic use, and the national magnitude and scope of these events have not been studied. Our objective was to estimate and compare the numbers and rates of emergency...

Research conducted at Ohio State University has updated our knowledge about aggression.
October 1, 2008... "Purpose of review The aim of this article is to review reports of aggressive challenging behaviour in individuals with intellectual disability from September 2006 to March 2008. Recent findings Studies continued to demonstrate the prevalence...

New aging research from M.E. Calhoun and co-researchers described.
October 1, 2008... "Age-related impairments in hippocampus-dependent learning and memory tasks are not associated with a loss of hippocampal neurons, but may be related to alterations in synaptic integrity. Here we used stereological techniques to estimate spine...

New aging research reported from A.M. Barrett and co-authors.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Healthy subjects demonstrate leftward bias on visual-spatial tasks. However, young controls may also be left-biased when drawing communicatively, depicting the subject of a sentence leftward on a...

Recent findings in aging described by researchers from University of Utrecht.
October 1, 2008... "Distortions in the rest-activity rhythm in aging are commonly observed. Neurodegenerative changes of the suprachiasmatic nucleus have been proposed to underlie this disrupted rhythm," scientists in Netherlands report (see also Aging). ...

Reports from University of Heidelberg add new data to research in aging.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Heidelberg, Germany, "Dendritic spines are major sites of excitatory synaptic transmission and changes in their densities have been linked to alterations in learning and memory. The neurotrophins brain-derived...

Research on aging published by J. Liu et al.
October 1, 2008... "Data collected from the sensory test score evaluation of bottled lager beer, together with the chemical components related to aging, including carbonyl compounds, higher alcohols, unsaturated fatty acid, organic acids, alpha-amino acids,...

Researchers from Tufts University, Department of Agriculture publish findings in aging.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "This Study examined the influence of lower extremity body composition and muscle strength on the severity of mobility-disability in community-dwelling older adults. Fifty-seven older males and females (age 74.2 +/- 7 yrs; BMI 28.9 +/- 6...

Scientists at Yale University publish new data on aging.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "The decline in motor performance that accompanies advanced age has unclear neurobiological substrates but may relate, in part, to degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopamine system. This research tested the hypothesis that striatal dopamine...

Studies from P. Giannakopoulos and colleagues provide new data on aging.
October 1, 2008... "Den Dunnen et al. [den Dunnen, W.F.A., Brouwer, W.H., Bijlard, E., Kamphuis, J., van Linschoten, K., Eggens-Meijer, E., Holstege, G., 2008," scientists writing in the journal Neurobiology of Aging report (see also Aging). "No disease in...

Study data from Yale University, Medical Department update understanding of aging.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "A quantitative framework to assess harms and benefits of candidate medications in the context of drugs that a patient is already taking is proposed. Probabilities of harms and benefits of a...

Research conducted at M.J. Zhu and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about alcoholism.
October 1, 2008... In this recently published study, investigators in Shanghai, People's Republic of China conducted a study "To investigate oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation in hepatic steatosis and the underlying implications in pathological mechanisms...

New allergies findings from St. Louis University, Medical Department published.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The practicing allergist has the unique opportunity to see an extraordinary variety of fascinating patients. Identifying the precise cause of the patient's complaints makes for a satisfying...

New allergies study findings have been reported by researchers at University of Manitoba.
October 1, 2008... "Recently, we have shown that allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) after the early (EAR) and late (LAR) asthmatic reaction in guinea pigs could be reversed acutely by inhalation of the Rho kinase inhibitor Y-27632. The present...

New allergies study findings have been reported from F.X. Ble et al.
October 1, 2008... In this recent article published in the journal Radiology, scientists in Basel, Switzerland conducted a study "To demonstrate the feasibility of using proton magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to noninvasively detect extravascular and luminal...

Research from Stallergenes SA provide new insights into allergies.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Antony, France, "In this study, we used HLA-DRB1*0101, DRB1*0401, and DRBI*1501 peptide tetramers combined with cytokine surface capture assays to characterize CD4(+) T cell responses against the immunodominant T cell...

Scientists at University of Calabria describe research in allergies.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Italy, "Ole e 1 (NCBI entry gi vertical bar 14424429) is the major allergen of Oleaceae family. Multiple isoforms and variants are present in varying degrees of distribution." "In this report, we present a...

Studies from A. Palacin and co-authors have provided new information about allergies.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, "Baker's asthma is a frequent IgE-mediated occupational disorder mainly provoked by inhalation of cereal flour. Allergy to kiwifruit has being...

Data on Alzheimer disease reported by researchers at Cleveland Clinic.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Genetic studies have demonstrated very high heritability for Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk in humans; however, these genetic contributions have proven extremely challenging to map in large studies...

New findings from Duke University in the area of Alzheimer disease published.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "There is concern that life is curtailed when patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are institutionalized. To determine whether placement in a nursing home reduces their remaining years of life, we examined the experience of White patients...

Research from University of Texas broadens understanding of Alzheimer disease.
October 1, 2008... In this recently published article, scientists in the United States conducted a study "To ascertain the clinical utility of language examination by psychiatrists in evaluating Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Data collected between 1986 and...

Researchers from Karolinska University describe findings in Alzheimer disease.(Clinical report)
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Huddinge, Sweden, "The effect of galantamine treatment on cortical acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and nicotinic receptor binding was investigated by positron emission tomography (PET) in 18 patients with...

Studies from University College update current data on Alzheimer disease.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Dublin, Ireland, "Macroautophagy, a major pathway for organelle and protein turnover, has been implicated in the neurodegeneration of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The basis for the profuse accumulation of autophagic...

Research data from B.A. Strange and colleagues update understanding of amnesia.
October 1, 2008... "A polymorphism in the human serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is implicated in susceptibility to anxiety and depression and in enhanced emotion-induced activation in the amygdala," researchers in London, the United Kingdom report (see also...

Research on amnesia published by W.J. Liu et al.
October 1, 2008... "The adenylate cyclase/cAMP signaling pathway and adult mushroom bodies (MBs) have been shown to play an important role in sleep regulation in Drosophila. The amnesiac (amn) gene, encodes a neuropeptide that is homologous with vertebrate...

Study data from M. Verfaellie et al provide new insights into amnesia.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "While it is well known that repetition can enhance memory in amnesia, little is known about Which forms of repetition are most beneficial. This study compared the effect on recognition memory of...

Scientists at University of Toronto publish research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, "There is increasing evidence of a clinical, neuropathological and genetic overlap between frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We...

Data on anatomy discussed by researchers at Ankara University, Medical Department.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "Satisfactory analgesia cannot be achieved in every obturator nerve block. To attempt to improve the success rate of obturator nerve block, this study describes the detailed anatomy of the obturator region and canal," scientists in Ankara,...

New anatomy study findings have been reported by scientists at University of Vienna.
October 1, 2008... "Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the palate of Cuora amboinensis has a flat surface with keratinized and non-keratinized regions. Keratinization is reflected in disc-shaped keratinized dead cells with rough microplicae on the...

Research conducted at Aristotle University, Medical Department has provided new information about anatomy.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Thessaloniki, Greece, " The superior hypogastric plexus (SHP) that is formed anterior to the aorta and the sacral promontory and is located anterior to the L5-S1 vertebrae, normally continues as the inferior...

Data from H.W. Steenland and colleagues advance knowledge in anesthesia.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Neuroscience, "The transmission of rhythmic drive to respiratory motoneurons in vitro is critically dependent on glutamate acting primarily on non-NMDA receptors. We determined whether...

Recent findings from S. Yagi and co-authors highlight research in anesthesia.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Tokyo, Japan, "Swallowing is a reflex that receives sensory information from the peripheral nerves and from the cerebral cortex. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the sensory input from...

Research from J. Fabregatlopez and co-researchers yields new findings on anesthesia.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Murcia, Spain, "The ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) has been used routinely for anaesthesia and for difficult airway management including airway rescue in non-fasted patients. Compared with the classic...

Research from University of Freiburg provide new insights into anesthesia.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Freiburg, Germany, "Although rare, infectious complications from regional anesthesia and analgesia can be devastating. The literature on this topic consists primarily of surveys, case reports, case series, and...

New aneurysm data have been reported by researchers at University of Nottingham.
October 1, 2008... In this recently published article, scientists in Nottingham, the United Kingdom conducted a study "To evaluate whether multidetector computed tomographic angiography (CTA) scanners can detect a clinically significant intracranial aneurysm in...

New findings from University of Michigan in the area of aneurysm described.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "Objectives In various surgical procedures, evidence for racial/ethnic disparities has continued to grow in recent years. Our purpose was to review the current literature regarding racial/ethnic disparities in the United States in the surgical...

New research on aneurysm from K. Minatoya and co-authors summarized.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Osaka, Japan, "Surgical replacement is our standard treatment for descending aortic aneurysm, despite the advent of thoracic endoprostheses. We retrospectively analyzed Outcomes of descending aortic replacement...

Reports from University of New Mexico describe recent advances in aneurysm.(Clinical report)
October 1, 2008... "Background and Purpose Cerebral vasospasm (CV) with infarction causes a significant degree of morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We sought to determine if reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) on Xenon CT...

Studies from Cleveland Clinic update current data on aneurysm.
October 1, 2008... "Endovascular repair of thoracic aneurysm has demonstrated low risks of mortality and spinal cord ischemia (SCI), but few large series have been published on endovascular thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair, and reports suffer from a lack of...

Studies from O.A. Castillo and co-researchers update current data on aneurysm.
October 1, 2008... "Renal artery aneurysm is a rare occurrence. We report Our experience in the management of 2 symptomatic renal artery aneurysms with laparoscopic approach," scientists writing in the journal Surgical Laparoscopy Endoscopy & Percutaneous...

Studies from Q. Liu and co-researchers yield new data on aneurysm.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, "Visceral artery aneurysms are uncommon, but they are clinically important because of the high incidence of rupture and life-threatening hemorrhage." ...

Investigators at Kobe University release new data on angiology.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Thoracic Surgery, "Blunt trauma-induced aortic injury traditionally has been treated with early open surgical repair. However, recently endovascular stent-graft technology is...

New data from P.B. Rahmanian et al illuminate research in angiology.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Annals of Thoracic Surgery, "Simplifications of the Cox-Maze procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AF) include epicardial pulmonary vein (PV) isolation using various sources to create...

Report summarizes angiology study findings from Ege University, Medical Department.
October 1, 2008... "Knowledge of carotid bifurcation (CB), common carotid artery (CCA) and its branches and their recognition during diagnostic imaging are also important for vascular surgical procedures in the region, Such as carotid endarterectomy or radical...

Research from Mayo Clinic in the area of angiology published.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "The rapid evolution of endovascular approaches to arch reconstruction such as brachiocephalic debranching and endovascular stent grafting renders an accurate understanding of contemporary...

Research from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in angiology provides new insights.(Report)
October 1, 2008... "Venous air embolism (VAE) or fat embolism (FE) may occur in similar clinical settings such as after multiple injuries or total hip replacement. We designed this study to observe the differences between VAE and FE in routine intraoperative...

Research on angiology detailed by F. Vuillier and co-authors.
October 1, 2008... According to a study from Besancon, France, "The purpose of our study was to determine the main anatomical features of the M1 segment of middle cerebral artery (MRA) using a 3D TOF-MRA at 3 T. Reconstructed and post-processed MRA images were...

Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, College of Medicine describe findings in angiology.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Objective of this study was to develop a novel in vitro artery culture system to study vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation of porcine carotid arteries in response to injury,...

Researchers from Indiana University describe findings in angiology.
October 1, 2008... "Although all cells are variously affected by oxygen, a few have the responsibility of monitoring oxygen tensions and initiating key homeostatic responses when P-O2 falls to critical levels. These. oxygen- sensing' cells include the...

New angiotensins study findings recently were reported by researchers at University of Arkansas.
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Angiotensin II via type 1 receptor activation upregulates the expression of lectin- like oxidized low- density lipoprotein receptor- 1 (LOX- 1), and LOX- 1 activation, in turn, upregulates...

Research from Federal University of Minas Gerais in angiotensins provides new insights.
October 1, 2008... "Recently there has been growing evidence suggesting that beneficial effects of angiotensin-(1-7) [ Ang-(1-7)] in the heart are mediated by its receptor Mas. However, the signaling pathways involved in these effects in cardiomyocytes are...

Research results from University of Heidelberg update understanding of angiotensins.(Report)
October 1, 2008... According to recent research from Heidelberg, Germany, "Angiotensin II accelerates and renin-angiotensin system blockade halts progression; blockade with high doses even reverses established glomerulosclerosis. Aldosterone also accelerates...

Researchers at Ohio State University target angiotensins.
October 1, 2008... "Vascular ATP-sensitive K+ ( KATP) channels are critical regulators of arterial tone and, thus, blood flow in response to local metabolic needs. They are important targets for clinically used drugs to treat hypertensive emergency and angina,"...

New aniridia study findings recently were published by researchers at University of Dusseldorf.
October 1, 2008... "Globe injuries frequently are the cause of permanent loss of visual function. Especially ruptures of the globe have a 50 times lower chance of achieving a final visual acuity better than 20/200 as compared to contusions of the globe,"...