Medical | Page 389 of 472 | SpiritIndia.com

Cancer :: Agencourt genomic services is key collaborator in new study on breast and colon cancer genes

Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, a Beckman Coulter company, has announced that its Genomic Services were integral in a breakthrough Johns Hopkins study on the genetic code for breast and colon cancers. A recent and widely publicized report on that study, published this month in Science Express, was co-authored by James Hartigan, an Agencourt project manager. The research identifies close to 200 mutated genes, now linked to these cancers, most of which were not previously recognized as associated with tumor initiation, growth, spread or control. The study provides an understanding into disease processes and is expected to drive cancer research for years to come.

Pregnancy :: Next-generation contraceptive patch by Agile Therapeutics

Agile Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical development company focused on innovative transdermal products, is developing the next generation of contraceptive patches, one that is designed to deliver low doses of birth control hormones over a seven-day period.

Malaria :: John mcneil named scientific director of path malaria vaccine initiative

The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative today announced the appointment of John G. McNeil, MD, MPH, as scientific director, effective immediately. Dr. McNeil will have principal responsibility for directing MVI’s early-stage vaccine development efforts and for shaping and managing MVI’s overall candidate vaccine portfolio.

Hypertension :: High blood pressure in children linked with sleep breathing problems

Children with high blood pressure may be at risk for sleep breathing disorders, according to a small study reported at the American Heart Association’s 60th Annual Fall Conference of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research.

Alzheimer’s Disease :: Mediterranean diet lowers alzheimer’s risk

If you follow a Mediterranean diet your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease could be 68% lower than people who don’t, say researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, New York. You can read about this study in the journal Archives of Neurology, October issue.

Prostate Cancer :: Obesity independently impacts prostate cancer screening

When interpreting prostate cancer screening test results, physicians should consider the impact of a patient’s body mass index, regardless of race, according to a new study. Published in the November 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study found that obese African-American and Caucasian men had lower levels of prostate surface antigen (PSA) and free PSA (fPSA) than men with normal body mass index (BMI), suggesting that an obese man with a slightly elevated PSA may be at higher risk for prostate cancer than a man with normal BMI.

Breast Reduction :: Insurance companies deny medically necessary breast reductions

What if you couldn’t perform daily activities, such as exercising or running with your children, because of overly large breasts that caused unending pain? Despite existing scientific studies that outline the medical necessity for breast reduction, many insurance companies are denying thousands of women the procedure each year because of rigid, unfounded conditions to secure coverage, according to a study presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2006 conference in San Francisco.

Asthma :: Mutual recognition procedure for Symbicort maintenance n reliever therapy Symbicort smart

AstraZeneca announced that it has successfully completed the European Union Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) for Symbicort? Maintenance And Reliever Therapy (Symbicort SMART?). This new asthma treatment approach allows patients to use just one inhaler for both maintenance and relief of asthma symptoms.

Breast Cancer :: Critical gaps in breast cancer patient education and communication

Results from a recent survey of European women with early breast cancer, presented for the first time at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress, show that the information needs of patients are not being met and that there is an unacceptably low level of patient involvement in potentially life-extending treatment decisions. The survey revealed that older women, those with a low level of education and those without Internet access are particularly uninformed.

Psychiatry :: Blackwell publishing launches ‘early intervention in psychiatry’

Blackwell Publishing is set to break into an exciting new area of clinical psychiatry with its new journal – Early Intervention in Psychiatry. The journal will be launched at the IEPA Conference in Birmingham in October 2006, and will publish its inaugural issue in February 2007.