BioSpace.com Featured Stories

How Drug Advertising Restrictions Could Benefit the Industry

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

BNET -- The drug business spends $5 billion a year on advertising and yet studies continue to emerge suggesting that hundreds of millions of those dollars are wasted. Perhaps its time to consider whether more restrictions on drug ads might, counterintutively, benefit the industry.

New Gene Therapy Halts 2 Boys' Rare Brain Disease, Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

AP -- French scientists mixed gene therapy and bone marrow transplants in two boys to seemingly halt a brain disease that can kill by adolescence. The surprise ingredient: They disabled the HIV virus so it couldn't cause AIDS, and then used it to carry in the healthy new gene. The experiment marks the first time researchers have tried that long-contemplated step in people and the first effective...

Genes Linked to 'Pot' Belly, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

HealthDay News -- New research sheds light on the possible link between the genes you inherit and the size of your belly.

Stanford University Medical Center Study Shows Neural Stem Cells In Mice Affected By Gene Associated With Longevity

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A gene associated with longevity in roundworms and humans has been shown to affect the function of stem cells that generate new neurons in the adult brain, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The study in mice suggests that the gene may play an important role in maintaining cognitive function during aging.

Approved Lymphoma Drug Shows Promise In Early Tests Against Bone Cancer, University of Rochester Medical Center Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A drug already approved for the treatment of lymphoma may also slow the growth of the most deadly bone cancer in children and teens, according to an early-stage study published online today in the International Journal of Cancer. The study drug, Bortezomib, was found to be effective against bone cancer in human cancer cell studies and in mice. While key experiments were in animals, the...

Cause Of Common Chronic Diarrhea Revealed In New Research, Imperial College London, King's College London, and University of Edinburgh Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2009) A common type of chronic diarrhea may be caused by a hormone deficiency, according to new research published in the November issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The authors of the paper, from Imperial College London, with collaborators from King's College London and the University of Edinburgh, say their results could help more doctors recognise this type...

Finding May Help Some Tonsil Cancer Patients Avoid Chemotherapy, Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 6, 2009) Clinical researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) have confirmed that patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer ("tonsil cancer") harbour a common type of human papilloma virus (HPV16), but also that such cancers are very sensitive to radiation. For some patients, this may mean successful treatment with radiation alone and avoiding the side effects of chemotherapy...

Brainwave Sofa Is Exactly What You Were Thinking

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

medGadget -- Ever wondered what a piece of furniture formed from raw data extracted from your brain would look like? But of course you have, and so did Lucas Maassen and Dries Verbruggen, the designers of the Brainwave Sofa.

Outrage as Doctors' Group Allows Coca-Cola to Sponsor Health Advice

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Advice about soft drinks and health from one of the nation's largest doctors groups will soon be brought to you by Coke.The American Academy of Family Physicians has prompted outcry and lost members over its new six-figure alliance with the Coca-Cola Co. The deal will fund educational materials about soft drinks for the academy's consumer health and wellness Web site, www.FamilyDoctor.org.

Complete Horse Genome Sequence Revealed, University of California, Davis (UCD) Study

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

HealthDay News -- The genome of the domestic horse has been sequenced, an accomplishment that will improve the breeding of horses and may help studies of human health, according to an international team of researchers.

Sleep Apnea Therapy Improves Golf Game, Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Men Find New Motivation for Using CPAP

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Golfers who undergo treatment forsleep apnea may improve their golf game as well as their overall health, showsnew research. A new study presented at CHEST 2009, the 75th annualinternational scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians(ACCP), found that golfers with obstructive...

Oral Contraceptives May Benefit Women with Asthma, McMaster University Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- New research shows that during natural menstrual cycles, women with asthma who were not taking oral contraceptives (OC) had lower exhaled nitric oxide levels (eNO), a marker of airway inflammation associated with asthma, than women who were taking OC. Researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada, studied 17 women with asthma during their menstrual cycles. Results showed...

Folic Acid Supplements Linked To Asthma, Study Suggests

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2009) A University of Adelaide study may have shed light on the rise in childhood asthma in developed countries like Australia in recent decades. Researchers from the University's Robinson Institute have identified a link between folic acid supplements taken in late pregnancy and allergic asthma in children aged between 3 and 5 years, suggesting that the timing of supplementation...

Experimental Vaccine Cures Pre-Cancer Vulvar Growths, Leiden University Medical Center Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Reuters - An experimental vaccine cured nearly half of women with pre-cancerous growths on their genitals, producing major improvement in nearly four out of five, researchers in the Netherlands reported on Wednesday.

Lung Tissue Generated From Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 5, 2009) Scientists in Belgium have successfully differentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESC) into major cell types of lung epithelial tissue using a convenient air-liquid interface. The technique, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research, could provide an alternative to lung transplants for patients with lung injury due to chronic pulmonary disease...

Gene Discovery Gives Clues to Crohn's Disease, Colitis, University College London Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

MedPage Today -- Genetic mutations in interleukin-10 receptors may be responsible for inflammatory bowel disease in patients who inherit the disorder, researchers said. In an analysis of two children who had early onset of the disease and their families, the researchers found mutations in genes encoding the IL10R proteins, which make up interleukin-10 receptors, according to Erik-Oliver Glocker, MD...

How Much Egg Sensitivity Makes a Flu Shot Dangerous for Your Child?

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Newswise My three year old had a skin breakout we think was due to eggs is it safe to do a flu shot? Its a question being asked to every doctor who takes care of kids during flu season. On the one hand we are concerned about the devastating effects of the new strain of flu, and on the other we arent sure if a history of eggs sensitivity is enough to hold the shot or spray, said Bobby Q. Lanier...

Pet Cat in U.S. Catches Swine Flu

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Reuters A cat in Iowa has tested positive for H1N1 swine flu, the first time a cat has been diagnosed with the new pandemic strain, the American Veterinary Medical Association said on Wednesday. The 13-year-old cat apparently caught the virus from one of the people living in the house, the group said in a statement. It has recovered and does not appear to have infected anyone or anything else....

Green Tea Shows Promise As Chemoprevention Agent For Oral Cancer, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Study Finds

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Green tea extract has shown promise as cancer prevention agent for oral cancer in patients with a pre-malignant condition known as oral leukoplakia, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The study, published online in Cancer Prevention Research, is the first to examine green tea as a chemopreventative agent in this high-risk patient population...

Acetaminophen May Be Linked To Asthma In Children And Adults, University of British Columbia Study

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- New research shows that the widely used pain reliever acetaminophen may be associated with an increased risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to the drug. Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, conducted a systematic review and metaanalysis of 19 clinical studies (total subjects425,140) that compared the risk of asthma or...

Two Genes Cooperate To Cause Aggressive Leukemia, University of Gothenburg Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Two genes, each one of which is known to cause cancer on its own, together can lead to aggressive leukaemia. This is the conclusion from new research carried out on gene-modified mice at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The discovery has surprised scientists, and may lead to new treatments.

Migraine With Aura Doubles Risk Of Stroke, British Medical Journal

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2009) Migraine with aura (temporary visual or sensory disturbances before or during a migraine headache) is associated with a twofold increased risk of stroke, finds a study published on the British Medical Journal website. Further risk factors for stroke among patients with migraine are being a woman, being young, being a smoker, and using estrogen containing contraceptives...

Pumpkin Skin May Scare Away Germs, American Chemical Society

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2009) The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections in adults and infants each year. That's the conclusion of a new study.

Statins May Worsen Symptoms In Some Cardiac Patients, Northeastern University and Massachusetts General Hospital Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Although statins are widely used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular disorders, new research shows that the class of drugs may actually have negative effects on some cardiac patients. A new study presented at CHEST 2009, the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), found that statins have beneficial effects...

New Activity Found For A Potential Anti-cancer Agent From Marine Sponges, Texas A&M University and Johns Hopkins University Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) Pateamine A (PatA), a natural product first isolated from marine sponges, has attracted considerable attention as a potential anti-cancer agent, and now a new activity has been found for it, which may reveal yet another anti-cancer mechanism. That's the assessment of Daniel Romo, a Texas A&M chemistry professor, and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University who are pioneers...

Coffee And Nighttime Jobs Don't Mix, University Of Montreal Study Finds

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2009) Night-shift workers should avoid drinking coffee if they wish to improve their sleep, according to research published in the journal Sleep Medicine. A new study led by Julie Carrier, a Universit de Montral psychology professor and a researcher at the affiliated Hpital du Sacr-Cur Sleep Disorders Centre, has found the main byproduct of coffee, caffeine, interferes...

Estrogen And Stroke Risk: Long Period Of Estrogen Deprivation Can Lead To Loss Of Sensitivity And Protective Effects In The Brain, Medical College of Georgia, University of Texas Health Science Center, and Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2009) Eighteen years ago this month the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it would sponsor a landmark study to examine women and cardiovascular disease. Known as the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), the study enrolled more than 161,000 women. By 2004 however, the government had ended two arms of the study involving estrogen after researchers found it posed a...

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Researchers Reconstitute Enzyme That Synthesizes Cholesterol Drug Lovastatin

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have for the first time successfully reconstituted in the laboratory the enzyme responsible for producing the blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin.

Study Points To New Uses, Unexpected Side Effects Of Already-Existing Drugs, University of North Carolina and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

UNC -- Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of California, San Francisco have developed and experimentally tested a technique to predict new target diseases for existing drugs. The researchers developed a computational method that compares how similar the structures of all known drugs are to the naturally occurring binding partners -- known...

Low Cholesterol May Help Prevent Cancer, National Cancer Institute Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

HealthDay News -- Low blood cholesterol levels reduce the risk not only of heart disease but also of cancer, two new studies show. The findings should help ease longstanding fears that low cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of cancer, said Dr. Demetrius Albanes, a senior investigator at the U.S. National Cancer Institute, and an author of one of two reports in the November issue of Cancer...

Children Who Often Drink Full-fat Milk Weigh Less, University of Gothenburg Research Finds

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 4, 2009) Eight-year-old children who drink full-fat milk every day have a lower BMI than those who seldom drink milk. This is not the case for children who often drink medium-fat or low-fat milk. This is one conclusion of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy.

Heart Attack Myth: Women Do Have Same The Heart Attack Symptoms As Men, Canadian Institutes Of Health Research Study Shows

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) The gender difference between men and women is a lot smaller than we've been led to believe when it comes to heart attack symptoms, according to a new study presented to the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society.

Common Pain Relievers May Dilute Power Of Flu Shots, University of Rochester Medical Center Study

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With flu vaccination seasonin full swing, research from the University of Rochester Medical Centercautions that use of many common pain killers -- Advil, Tylenol, aspirin -- atthe time of injection may blunt the effect of the shot and have a negativeeffect on the immune system.

Richard P. Phipps, Ph.D., professor of Environmental...

Drug Company-sponsored Events For Health Professionals Fail To Disclose Financial Ties, Analysis Finds

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily -- ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) Australian reporting standards for disclosing the ties between pharmaceutical companies and health professionals are not comprehensive enough, according to an analysis in this week's PLoS Medicine.

New Genetic Cause Of A Fatal Immune Disorder, Research

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Familial hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (FHL) is an inherited, fatal, immune disorder characterized by uncontrolled activation of immune cells known as lymphocytes and macrophages. Disease-causing mutations have been identified in several genes that generate proteins involved in lymphocyte-mediated cell death, including syntaxin-11. Now, Genevive de Saint Basile and colleagues, at...

Certain Antibiotics May Up Birth Defect Risk, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) Penicillin and several other antibacterial medications commonly taken by pregnant women do not appear to be associated with many birth defects, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, other antibiotics, such as sulfonamides and nitrofurantoins, may be associated with several...

Nicotine Patch Plus Lozenge Best for Quitting Smoking, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funded Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

WebMD -- Smokers who want to kick the habit are more likely to succeed when they use a combination of long-acting and immediate-delivery nicotine-replacement products, a study shows. Study participants who used nicotine patches plus nicotine lozenges were more successful than participants who used either product alone. They also had better outcomes than those who used the smoking-cessation drug Zyban...

Processed Food Increases Depression Risk, University College London Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

UPI -- Eating a lot of processed food may increase a person's risk for depression, researchers in Britain found. Tasnime N. Akbaraly, Eric J. Brunner, Jane E. Ferrie, Michael G. Marmot and Mika Kivimak of the University College London analyzed data from 3,486 participants -- 26.2 percent women, mean age 55.6 years -- from the Whitehall II prospective study. Two dietary patterns were identified in the...

Developmental Drug May Help Bone Fractures Heal After Radiation Exposure, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) A drug currently under development by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine may help bone fractures heal more quickly after radiation exposure, according to a study by Pitt researchers.

Possible Origins Of Pancreatic Cancer Revealed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Biologists

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Study results: MIT cancer biologists have identified a subpopulation of cells that can give rise to pancreatic cancer. They also found that tumors can form in other, more mature pancreatic cell types, but only when they are injured or inflamed, suggesting that pancreatic cancer can arise from different types of cells depending on the circumstances.

That '4 Hour Erection': New Discovery May Help Prevent A Complication Of Priapism

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

"Bioidenticals" Not FDA-Approved, Contain Estrogen

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

AP -- Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is one in an occasional series examining their use and potential risks.

World's Largest Malaria Vaccine Trial Now Underway In 7 African Countries, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A pivotal efficacy trial of RTS,S, the world's most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, is now underway in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The trial, which is expected to involve up to 16,000 children, is on schedule, with more than 5,000 children already enrolled, researchers announced Tuesday at the 5th Multilateral...

Speed Limit To The Pace Of Evolution, University of Pennsylvania Biologists Say

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a theoretical model that informs the understanding of evolution and determines how quickly an organism will evolve using a catalogue of "evolutionary speed limits." The model provides quantitative predictions for the speed of evolution on various "fitness landscapes," the dynamic and varied conditions under which...

Pancreatic Cancer: Discovery Offers Potential New Treatment, Ohio State University Study

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2009) Tiny particles that can carry drugs and target cancer cells may offer treatment hope for those suffering with pancreatic cancer. New research to be presented in November at the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles reveals that tumor-penetrating microparticles (TPM) have been specifically designed to break through hard...

Iowa State University Researchers' Findings Bring Hope for Possible Parkinson's Disease Cure

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ISU -- Researchers at Iowa State University have found an essential key to possibly cure Parkinson's disease and are looking for others. Anumantha Kanthasamy, a distinguished professor of biomedical sciences and W. Eugene and Linda R. Lloyd Endowed Chair in Neurotoxicology at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine, has been working to understand the complex mechanisms of the disease for more than...

Vision of the Future: Custom Corneas

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Discovery -- NASA technology that allows the Hubble telescope to focus on distant stars now offers LASIK eye surgery patients customized options for fine-tuned night vision, superior image contrast and sight even beyond 20/20.

Anemia Drug May Raise Stroke Risk in Kidney Patients, Brigham and Women's Hospital Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

San Diego Union Tribune -- A new study raises fresh safety concerns about widely used anemia medicines, finding that the drug Aranesp nearly doubled the risk of stroke in people with diabetes and chronic kidney problems who are not yet sick enough to need dialysis.

First Draft of the Pig: Researchers Sequence Swine Genome, University of Illinois Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A global collaborative has produced a first draft of the genome of a domesticated pig, an achievement that will lead to insights in agriculture, medicine, conservation and evolution. A red-haired Duroc pig from a farm at the University of Illinois will now be among the growing list of domesticated animals that have had their genomes sequenced. Researchers will announce the achievement...

Next-generation Microcapsules Deliver 'Chemicals On Demand', University of California, Berkeley (CAL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Research

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 2, 2009) Scientists in California are reporting development of a new generation of the microcapsules used in carbon-free copy paper, in which capsules burst and release ink with pressure from a pen. The new microcapsules burst when exposed to light, releasing their contents in ways that could have wide-ranging commercial uses from home and personal care to medicine.

Can Charcoal Fight Heart Disease In Kidney Patients?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2009) Charcoal may provide a new approach to managing the high rate of heart disease in patients with advanced kidney disease, according to preliminary research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, CA.

Unexpected Consequences Of Proton Pump Inhibitor Use In Reflux Disease

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Medical News Today -- Despite being highly effective and beneficial for many patients, unexpected consequences are emerging in patients who are prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for reflux diseases. Physicians are warned to monitor these effects and prescribe these medications carefully, according to a new commentary published in the November 2009 issue of Otolaryngology -Head and Neck Surgery...

Genetic Links To Fungal Infection Risk Identified, University College London and Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Two genetic mutations that may put individuals at increased risk of fungal infections have been identified by scientists from UCL and Radboud University, increasing understanding about the genetic basis of these infections and potentially aiding the development of new treatments. The two separate studies, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, mark a significant step...

Alternatively Spliced Tissue Factor Identified As Promising New Biomarker For Aggressive Cancers, University of Cincinnati and Leiden University Medical Center Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 1, 2009) A recently discovered form of the protein that triggers blood clotting may play a key role in the molecular mechanisms leading to the growth of certain metastatic cancers, according to new research reported by an international team of scientists.

Switching Immunosuppressants Reduces Cancer Risk In Kidney, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2009) Switching to a newer type of immunosuppressant drug may reduce the high rate of skin cancer after kidney transplantation, according to research being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, CA.

Extending Treatment After Liver Transplant May Benefit Patients With Hepatitis C Recurrence, Henry Ford Hospital Study

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Henry Ford Health -- Extending hepatitis C treatment for liver transplant patients beyond current practice results in high rates of clearance of the hepatitis C virus from the blood, as well as a low rate of relapse, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study.

Duke University Develops Nano-scale Drug Delivery for Chemotherapy

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Going smaller could bring better results, especially when it comes to cancer-fighting drugs. Duke University bioengineers have developed a simple and inexpensive method for loading cancer drug payloads into nano-scale delivery vehicles and demonstrated in animal models that this new nanoformulation can eliminate tumors after a single treatment. After delivering the drug to the tumor...

Pharmaceutical Manufacture: Biochemical 'On-switch' Could Solve Protein Purification Challenge, National Institute of Standards and Technology Research

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Nov. 2, 2009) Drugs based on engineered proteins represent a new frontier for pharmaceutical makers. Even after they discover a protein that may form the basis of the next wonder drug, however, they have to confront a long-standing problem: how to produce large quantities of the protein in a highly pure state. Now, a multi-institutional research team including a biochemist at the National...

Unemployed Drug Reps: "Go East, Young Man (and Women)"

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Key To How 'Triggering Event' In Cancer Occurs: University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center Researchers Link Hormone To Creation Of Gene Fusion In Prostate Cancer

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Drug-radiation Combo Eradicates Lung Cancer In Mice, UT Southwestern Medical Center Study

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Trying For A Baby? Let Gravity Do The Work

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

South Korea Stem Cell Scientist Guilty of Fraud, Convicted

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

SEOUL (Reuters) - A South Korean court Monday found disgraced stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk guilty of fraud and handed down a suspended sentence in a case that sent shockwaves throughout the global scientific community.

National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Scientists Propose New Explanation For Flu Virus Antigenic Drift

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Alabama Scientists Discover Influenza's Achilles Heel: Antioxidants

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Smart Solution: St. Louis University Researchers Design Smartphone Games for Elderly Diabetics

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Th17 Cells Summon An Immune System Strike Against Cancer, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Study

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Protein Critical For Insulin Secretion May Be Contributor To Diabetes, University of Chicago Study

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

'Moonlighting' Molecules Discovered; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Researchers Uncover New Kink In Gene Control

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Is There a 'Bad Driver' Gene? Don't Tell Geico: You May Be a Natural Born Bad Driver, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Study

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Possible Link Between IBD Therapy And Skin Cancer, University of North Carolina Study Reveals

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Triple-combo Drug Shows Promise Against Antiviral-resistant H1N1, University of Alabama at Birmingham Study

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Expect FDA Social Media Draft Guidance Before End of 2010

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Pharma Marketing Blog -- Let me make a prediction: FDA's DDMAC will issue some version of draft guidance on the use of social medial for Rx drug/device promotion BEFORE the end of 2010.

Wolfe Laboratories Inc. Release: Biopharma Capitalizes on Global Talent

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

WATERTOWN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Healthcare policy reform, the global economic crisis, and large pharmas imminent patent cliff have converged creating a demand for new talent, local and international, to expedite research and development initiatives. Requiring an ongoing investment in global scientific education, the biopharmaceutical industry must establish and facilitate a connection with fresh...

Goodbye to Grey... The Revolutionary New Treatment That Promises to Turn Fading Hair Back to Its Original Color

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Daily Mail -- For any woman who has sighed with exasperation over her grey hairs, it is a thought that really makes the mind boggle. What if you could ditch the dye and regain the hair color that you grew up with? Surely, you might think, this is the stuff of science fiction. But according to the experts at Centre Charles Zviak, L'Oreal's research and development HQ, it is science, but by no means...

'Cat-girl' Illness Baffles Doctors

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

SMH -- Doctors in China are reportedly baffled after thick grey hair started growing uncontrollably over the body of a six-year-old girl, who has been dubbed "cat girl".

Teriparatide Outperforms Alendronate In Treating Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis, University of Alabama at Birmingham Study

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A recent study determined glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (OP) is now treatable with Teriparatide, a synthetic form of the human parathyroid hormone. Researchers found patients with glucocorticoid-induced OP who were treated with teriparatide for 36 months had a greater increase in bone mineral density (BMD) and fewer new vertebral fractures than those treated with alendronate. The...

Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Treatment Does Not Increase Cancer Risk In RA Patients, Karolinska University Hospital Study

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- A recent study by Swedish researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients did not experience an elevated cancer risk in the first 6 years after starting anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy. The research team, led by Johan Askling, M.D., Ph.D., from Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden assessed the short-term and medium-term cancer risk for RA patients using...

Stanford University Medical Center Scientists Turn Stem Cells Into Precursors For Sperm, Eggs

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Human embryonic stem cells derived from excess IVF embryos may help scientists unlock the mysteries of infertility for other couples struggling to conceive, according to new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine. Researchers at the school have devised a way to efficiently coax the cells to become human germ cells the precursors of egg and sperm cells in the laboratory...

Genes That Drive You To Drink (But Don't Make You An Alcoholic), University of Colorado Study

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

enceDaily (Oct. 29, 2009) Your genetic make up may predispose you to drink more but may not increase your genetic risk for alcoholism (alcohol dependence). New research pinpoints genetic pathways and genes associated with levels of alcohol consumption but not with alcohol dependence in rats and humans.

Scientists Say Curry Compound Kills Cancer Cells, Study

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Reuters - A molecule found in a curry ingredient can kill esophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment, scientists said on Wednesday.

Cancer: New Explanation Of 'Asian Paradox'

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 28, 2009) Although Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) has been classified as a class I (or definite) carcinogen by World Health Organization (WHO), the controversy as to why only a minority of infected patients develop gastric cancer still remains. Moreover, in Asian countries such as Indonesia, Japan, China, and Thailand, where the H. pylori infection rates are similar, there is...

New Clinical Uses For Old Hypertension Drug Leads To Several Patents, University of South Florida Research

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

News-Medical -- University of South Florida neuroscientist R. Douglas Shytle's discovery of successful new clinical uses for mecamylamine, a drug once used to treat hypertension, has led to several issued patents on mecamylamine and related compounds. Earlier this month, Shytle, associate professor and research scientist at the USF Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair and the USF Silver...

Hormone Replacement Therapy Decreases Mortality In Younger Postmenopausal Woman, Study Shows

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2009) Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopausal estrogen deficiency has been in widespread use for over 60 years. Several observational studies over the years showed that HRT use by younger postmenopausal women was associated with a significant reduction in total mortality; available evidence supported the routine use of HRT to increase longevity in postmenopausal...

One Embryo as Good as Two in Second IVF Attempt, University of Gothenburg Study

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Reuters - Women who initially receive just one embryo during in vitro fertilization are as likely to produce a child as women implanted with two, Swedish researchers reported on Wednesday.

Antipsychotics Cause Rapid Weight Gain in Youth, and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research Study

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Common Weed Could Provide Clues On Aging And Cancer, Texas A&M University and University of Cincinnati Study

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Anti-Epilepsy Drugs Could Treat Alzheimer's And Parkinson's Diseases, Washington University in St. Louis Study

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Link Between Male Diabetics With Allergies And Kidney Disease -- Nothing To Sneeze At,

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Location Of Body Fat Affects Risk Of Blood Clots In Men, Women, Aarhus University Hospital Study

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Old, New Pap Methods Equally Good, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre Study Finds

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

BioPharm Executive: No Sleep, But Plenty of REMS

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Combination Antiretroviral Therapy Effective At Reducing HIV Resistance In Mothers And Babies Following Mother-to-child Transmission, Study Funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

University of Rochester Scientists Discover Gene That 'Cancer-proofs' Naked Mole Rat's Cells

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) Despite a 30-year lifespan that gives ample time for cells to grow cancerous, a small rodent species called a naked mole rat has never been found with tumors of any kind -- and now biologists at the University of Rochester think they know why.

Rare Mutation Dramatically Increases Schizophrenia Risk, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) An international team of researchers led by geneticist Jonathan Sebat, Ph.D., of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), has identified a mutation on human chromosome 16 that substantially increases risk for schizophrenia.

Junk DNA Mechanism That Prevents Two Species From Reproducing Discovered, Cornell University Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) Cornell researchers have discovered a genetic mechanism in fruit flies that prevents two closely related species from reproducing, a finding that offers clues to how species evolve.

Why Antidepressants Don't Work For So Many, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) More than half the people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. Why? Because the cause of depression has been oversimplified and drugs designed to treat it aim at the wrong target, according to new research from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Fat Hormone Linked To Death From Potentially Deadly Blood Infection, and University of Toronto Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) A new Canadian study has found that lower-than-normal levels of a naturally-occurring fat hormone may increase the risk of death from sepsis -- an overwhelming infection of the blood which claims thousands of lives each year.

Adding Ezetimibe To Atorvastatin Improves Lipid Control, University Of Montreal Study Finds

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) Adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin significantly boosted the attainment of lipid targets as specified by both Canadian and European guidelines in elderly patients aged 65 and older and the combination produced superior results than simply increasing the dose of atorvastatin alone, Dr. Christian Constance told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009, co-hosted by the Heart...

Link Between Alcohol And Cancer Explained: Alcohol Activates Cellular Changes That Make Tumor Cells Spread, Rush University Medical Center Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2009) Alcohol consumption has long been linked to cancer and its spread, but the underlying mechanism has never been clear. Now, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have identified a cellular pathway that may explain the link.

Amputees Defy Anatomy, Learn to Move Phantom Limbs, University of Oxford and Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Amputees can "learn" to move their missing arm in an anatomically impossible way, in some cases making normal movement of that "phantom limb" more difficult, new research shows.

Drug Used For Neuropathic Pain Relieves Discomfort From Abdominal Adhesions, Henry Ford Hospital Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily Pregabalin, FDA-approved for neuropathic pain (pain caused by shingles and peripheral neuropathy), effectively reduced abdominal pain and improved sleep in women with adhesions, according to a Henry Ford study.

Bowel Disease Treatment May Raise Skin Cancer Risk, University of North Carolina Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

EurekAlert -- Findings from a new retrospective cohort study presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego indicate that patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), especially those receiving the thiopurine class of medications to treat IBD, may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

Lost in Transmission - FDA Drug Information That Never Reaches Clinicians

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

NEJM -- The 2009 federal stimulus package included $1.1 billion to support comparative-effectiveness research about medical treatments. No money has been allocated and relatively little would be needed to disseminate existing but practically inaccessible information about the benefits and harms of prescription drugs. Much critical information that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has at the...

Adding Drug Doesn't Help Control Blood Pressure,

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

The Heart -- Adding an ACE inhibitor to standard medical therapy improves outcomes in patients with ischemic heart disease and preserved left ventricular function, a new review concludes. But the evidence that adding angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) to treatment in such patients is of any benefit is much weaker, the study finds. Nor is there any support for using a combination of ACE inhibitor...

Nervous System Drug-by-design: Formulation May Slow Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Tel Aviv University Study

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily Working like an architect, Prof. Hagit Eldar-Finkelman of Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine is "building" a new drug, L803-MTS, to treat a number of central nervous system (CNS) diseases like Alzheimer's. In pre-clinical studies, it also shows promise against Parkinson's, Huntington's and diabetes.

Cocaine Exposure During Pregnancy Leads To Impulsivity In Male, Not Female, Monkeys, Wake Forest University School of Medicine Study

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily Adult male monkeys exposed to cocaine while in the womb have poor impulse control and may be more vulnerable to drug abuse than female monkeys, even a decade or more after the exposure, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The findings could lead to a better understanding of human drug abuse.

Smart Choices Food Labels Halted on US FDA Warning; Food Label Program to Suspend Operations

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

NYT -- Under pressure from state and federal authorities who feared consumers would be misled, the food industry on Friday [Oct. 23] started backing away from a major labeling campaign meant to highlight the nutritional benefits of hundreds of products.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Reversed In Mouse Models, University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Study

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

ScienceDaily Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, have identified a key protein that promotes the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension in humans and mice. This groundbreaking discovery has implications for future drug therapies that may extend the life of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and prevent the need for lung transplantation, currently the only cure...

FDA Fails to Follow Up On Unproven Drugs

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

AP -- The Food and Drug Administration has allowed drugs for cancer and other diseases to stay on the market even when follow-up studies showed they didn't extend patients' lives, say congressional investigators.

Coffee Could Stall Liver Disease Progression

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

MedPage Today -- Drinking three or more cups of coffee daily lowers the risk of liver disease progression for patients with chronic hepatitis C, researchers say.

New Jersey Continues to Attract Pharma Industry, LEO Pharma, Allos Therapeutics, Inc., Dendreon Corporation and More

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Gene Therapy Experiment Restores Sight in a Few

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

MedPage Today -- Gene therapy to counteract retinal degeneration from a rare inherited sight disorder improved vision in all patients, including one child who recovered near normal light sensitivity.

Scientists Discover Gene Key to Human Speech, University of New South Wales Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Science News -- HONOLULU Humans may owe the gift of gab to a newly discovered gene that helps keeps vocal pipes limber.

Novel Diabetes Drug Helps Nondiabetics Shed Pounds, University of Copenhagen Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

No Increase in Infections with Anti-TNF Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Reprogramming A Patient's Eye Cells May Herald New Treatments Against Degenerative Disease, University of Nebraska Medical Center Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

New Way To 'Stop' Premature Birth, University of Newcastle Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Landmark Study in The New England Journal of Medicine Shows Substantial Improvement In Survival And Renal Recovery For Acute Kidney Injury Patients Treated With CRRT

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Immune System Quirk Could Lead to Effective Tularemia Vaccine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Manipulating Brain Inflammation May Help Clear Brain of Amyloid Plaques, Mayo Clinic Researchers Say

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Mayo Clinic -- JACKSONVILLE, Fla. In a surprising reversal of long-standing scientific belief, researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have discovered that inflammation in the brain is not the trigger that leads to buildup of amyloid deposits and development of Alzheimer's disease.

Tocilizumab Protects Joints Better than Methotrexate Alone, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Study

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

How Drug-Industry Lobbyists Won on Health-Care

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Getting The FDA To Share What It Knows About Drugs, FDA Researchers Report Information Lost Between Review and Drug Label

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT

Duke University Study Surprise Yields New Target for Assessing Genes Linked to Autism

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:00 AM GMT