Cardium Provides Update On Commercial Development Plans For Generx Angiogenic Therapy For Heart Disease At 2010 Cell Gene Therapy Forum
Cardium Therapeutics (NYSE Amex: CXM) reported that its Cardium Biologics division provided an update on plans for the continuing commercial development of Generx™ (alferminogene tadenovec, Ad5FGF-4), a DNA-based angiogenic therapy product candidate for patients with coronary artery disease. The update was presented by Gabor M. Rubanyi, M.D., Ph.D., Cardium's Chief Scientific Officer at the annual 2010 Cell & Gene Therapy Forum in Washington, D.C. on January 25, 2010. Cardium Biologics reported on the following findings and plans: (1) As previously announced, based on an agreement with the FDA, Generx would be re-formulated to increase its shelf life, and further formulation enhancements are expected to allow for storage using a standard freezer (rather than at -70 degrees C), and potentially a lyophilized version for refrigerated storage.
Am I Allergic to Peanuts?
Having an allergy to peanut is commonly seen during the first years of life. Although unlike other food allergies such as milk, most people will not outgrow peanut allergy. An allergic reaction to peanut, known as anaphylaxis, can manifest as minor or sever symptoms. It can show up as a minor irritation of the skin or it can develop into a more serious reaction such as constricting and blocking the airway for breathing. It is also possible that minor reactions in the past can lead to a more life-threatening reaction. Peanut allergy will show up almost immediately after exposure. Eating peanuts or foods containing peanuts can trigger a reaction.
Herbs Native to North America
It's easy to take common foods and herbs for granted. The row of multicolored chili peppers are a good example. Europe didn't know about many foods. Tomatoes, potatoes and chilis were unknown. In fact, tomatoes were considered poisonous when first introduced. I could imagine viewing peppers in that light... Black Cohosh : This herb was and is used to treat many female complaints. It's most often used now for menopause but traditional use suggests it during childbirth. I don't agree with that use, as it could be unsafe for the child. There are enough hormones involved without adding more to the mix. Blue Cohosh : I have a short list of herbs that I believe to be completely unsafe, yet still widely available.
Cognitive Function In Seniors Improved By Weight Training
Weight-bearing exercises may help minimize cognitive decline and impaired mobility in seniors, according to a new study conducted by the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility at Vancouver Coastal Health and the University of British Columbia. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, is one of the first randomized controlled trials of progressively intensive resistance training in senior women. Led by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, researcher at the Centre and assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine at UBC, the research team found that 12 months of once-weekly or twice-weekly resistance training improved executive cognitive function in senior women aged 65 to 75 years old.
What Are the Top Gout Causes?
Gout is a painful condition that is suffered by millions of people in the US alone. The condition is often blamed upon consumption of rich foods and imbibing too much alcohol. Once upon a time, this condition was known as the blight of kings, but nowadays it is suffered by people from all walks of life. Luckily once you know the gout causes you can get rid of it and avoid the pain. One of the key things to know about gout causes is that it is often a hereditary condition. If either of your parents suffered from it, then it is much more likely that you will also develop the condition. It can also be brought on by previous trauma to the joints, prior surgery and even chemotherapy.
Automobile Accidents and Whiplash
Getting involved in an automobile accident is a traumatic experience. The sudden jar can incite panic, which can be exacerbated by an intense adrenaline rush. Under these extreme conditions, many people do not realize the extent of their injuries and refuse medical assistance. Unfortunately, some injuries take a few days before victims begin experiencing symptoms. Whiplash During an auto accident, occupants are oftentimes forced in one direction because of a collision. This sudden jolt can cause excessive stress on an occupant's back and neck, resulting in whiplash; however, they may not feel symptoms until a few days later. Symptoms When involved in an automobile accident, it is important to be aware of the symptoms of whiplash.
Orthopaedic Researchers Investigating New Treatments For Injured Troops, Civilians
For each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. So after the surge in U.S. troops heading to Afghanistan, there will be an influx of injured veterans returning back home. But the U.S. Department of Defense has recruited its own "soldiers" in the battle against war casualties: a consortium of researchers who are improving care to wounded soldiers as well as the general public. Some of the orthopaedic researchers involved will lead a workshop about the program at the 56th annual meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), March 6 - 9, 2010, in New Orleans. They will also present an overview of the program during Extremity War Injuries V, a symposium that takes place Jan.
Treating Depression By Stimulating The Pleasure Center
Even with the best of available treatments, over a third of patients with depression may not achieve a satisfactory antidepressant response. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a form of targeted electrical stimulation in the brain via implanted electrodes, is now undergoing careful testing to determine whether it could play a role in the treatment of patients who have not sufficiently improved during more traditional forms of treatment. A major challenge of this work is determining the best region of the brain to stimulate. Some researchers stimulate the subgenual prefrontal cortex, a brain region implicated in depressed mood states, while others stimulate a region called the "anterior limb of the internal capsule", a nerve pathway that passes through the basal ganglia, a lower brain region.
American Diabetes Association Announces Kansas City, Missouri Native Amy Johnson As 2010 National Youth Advocate
The American Diabetes Association announced that Amy Johnson, 17, of Kansas City, Missouri, will be the Association's 2010 National Youth Advocate. Johnson was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when she was 12 years old. As the Association's National Youth Advocate, Johnson will spend 2010 meeting with policy makers, promoting the Association's advocacy agenda and reaching out to young people and adults encouraging them to become involved in the fight against diabetes. "Amy's advocacy work on the local, state and federal levels exemplifies a true commitment to the fight to stop diabetes, " said Nash M. Childs, PE, Chair of the Board of the Association.
FDA Updates Statement On The Investigation Into The Salmonella Montevideo Outbreak
The Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, continues to work closely with the Rhode Island Department of Health and other states in the investigation of an outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections associated with certain Italian-style sausage products including salami/salame. The CDC reports that 207 people have been infected with a matching strain of Salmonella Montevideo in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia. Recently, the CDC and public health officials in multiple states conducted an epidemiologic study by comparing foods eaten by 41 ill and 41 well persons.
TruTouch Technologies Announces Successful Clinical Testing Of Next-Generation Finger-Touch Intoxication Detection System
TruTouch Technologies, a pioneer in non-invasive biometric intoxication detection systems, today announced that it has successfully carried out human clinical trials of its newest finger-touch detection system for alcohol intoxication, in collaboration with Lovelace Scientific Resources. The trial is intended to support continued product commercialization and new technology development for the device, called TruTouch 2000. TruTouch and Lovelace Scientific Resources carried out a comparison alcohol level detection study in 55 patients, comparing effectiveness and sensitivity of the newly developed TruTouch 2000 finger touch device with the TruTouch Guardian forearm device, breathalyzer and the current gold standard for intoxication detection, venous blood.
The Effectiveness Of MEND Program In Prevention And Treatment Of Pediatric Obesity
Ground-breaking results from a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the MEND Program (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it! ), a multi-component community-based childhood obesity intervention (http://www.mendcentral.org), are published in the US journal Obesity (http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v18/n1s/abs/oby2009433a.html). The results coincide with the launch of Michelle Obama's initiative to reduce childhood obesity announced in the State of the Union speech. The independent study conducted by a team at University College London Institute of Child Health (ICH) demonstrates the success of the weight management program MEND for overweight and obese children and their families.
New Blood Test For Coronary Artery Disease Now Available At Vanderbilt Heart And Vascular Institute
Just in time for American Heart Month, Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute is offering a new blood test that can predict if a patient is at high risk for heart disease. Vanderbilt is among the first institutions in the country, and the only one in Tennessee, to offer this test. "We now have a novel way to check for the presence of significant coronary artery disease by looking at genes that are associated with heart disease, " said John McPherson, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "This is the first of many future tests that will move in the direction of evaluating diseases by looking at a patient's genetics and the dynamic changes in expression of genes when disease is present.
AP Offers Advice On Choosing Medicare Advantage Plans
Consumers can switch from original Medicare plans to Medicare Advantage plans until March 31 and to help them understand the options, The Associated Press offers answers to frequent questions about Medicare Advantage plans. "The average Medicare beneficiary has about 33 Advantage plans to chose from this year. ... In addition to basic Medicare coverage, many provide extras such as vision, dental or hearing coverage. Insurers have developed more than 2, 000 Medicare Advantage plans serving more than 11 million people, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. All these options come with their own sets of variables like different deductibles, premiums and co-insurance.
An Online Pharmacy From a Customer's Perspective
Online pharmacies are the latest innovation of web technology. They offer persons with an alternative from the offline pharmacy drug stores within the region. More patients are opting for web pharmacies to obtain their medication stock. The convenience of web drug stores is the main advantage. Drugs can be bought with a little clicks and typing, compared to going towards the city to purchase a couple of pills. Aside from the ease, you can purchase more medications at a reduced price from these online pharmacies. You can also finance and allocate the medication refills you require at certain times. Instead of buying too many at a single go, you can order them before they're actually required.
Does My Child Have ADHD?
If your child faces any problem in learning, you may doubt "does my child have ADHD"? However, you are not the only parent who is asking this question. Many parents ask this question, when their child act without thinking, inattentive or hyperactive. It is therefore worth to understand the symptoms of ADHD. Diagnosing the disorder in the early stage can help the child to lead a normal life. Symptoms of ADHD: The common symptoms of ADHD are inattentiveness, excessive talking, difficulty in remaining seated, forgetfulness in regular activities, avoiding tasks that require mental effort and difficulty in playing calmly. If you recognize any of the symptoms and want to confirm your question "does my child have ADHD", you can make use of the ADHD checklists available online.
Canada's Food Safety System Fails International Comparisons
Canada's food safety system is reactive, lags behind other countries, and investment is needed to ensure it can adequately protect Canadians, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Foodborne illness surveillance is needed to ensure safety from gastrointestinal infections caused by bacteria such as toxigenic E.coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Listeria. As there is no national foodborne illness surveillance program in Canada, the estimated 11 million cases of foodborne illness every year are based on surveys of self-reported gastrointestinal illness. More accurate data are needed to execute meaningful intervention.
Best Shoulder Braces For a Rotator Cuff Tear
What is the rotator cuff? It is a group of four tendons and muscles which form the shoulder joint. When this body part gets injured, it is the tendons that are actually injured. These are the tendons that connect the muscles of the cuff to the bone. When these tendons tear or become inflamed, they cannot function correctly. A cuff tear is a common cause of pain and disability among adults. Most tears occur in the supraspinatus muscle, but other parts of the cuff may be involved. What are the causes and symptoms of a torn rotator cuff? This cuff helps to stabilize your shoulder joint and allows you to lift and rotate your arm. It is made up of four muscles and their tendons.
In A High-Risk Region, Heart Patients Up Their Survival Odds
How do you change health habits among a population with some of the highest heart disease rates in the world? Tackling heart disease in Kentucky an epicenter of heart health problems the University of Kentucky Gill Heart Institute Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is helping high-risk patients make radical, lasting changes to improve their heart health. "People have a notion of heart disease as something they're born with, but for most people that isn't true. Genetics play a role, but lifestyle accounts for the majority of heart disease risk, " says Dr. Alison Bailey, Gill Heart Institute cardiologist and director of the cardiac rehab program.
Easy Way to Quit Smoking - You Can Stop Faster Than You Imagined Possible
Would you believe there exists an easy way to quit smoking which really is effective? Perhaps you have attempted to stop smoking many times, but always sooner or later given in to the cravings and finished up lighting up yet another cigarette? Me as well, I've already been through it so often. However I've now already been quit for seven years.... and you can do it as well.... Consider this single question - do you think that you genuinely wish to quit smoking... .? It may be a surprise to discover you most likely do not really want to stop smoking. Intellectually you realise that you ought to give up smoking for your own wellbeing and lots of other reasons.
Positive Lessons From HIV Home-Based Care
Intensive home-based nursing in HIV/AIDS patients significantly improves self-reported knowledge of HIV, awareness of medications, and self-reported adherence to medication programmes, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. One home-based care trial included in the review also significantly impacted on HIV stigma, worry, and physical functioning. It did not, however, help improve depressive symptoms, mood, general health, and overall functioning. These conclusions are interesting, but more research is needed to understand the impact of home-based care in developing countries and on important disease outcomes, say the researchers.
Study Finds Reduced Brain Gray Matter Concentration In Patients With Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea
A study in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found gray matter concentration deficits in multiple brain areas of people with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study suggests that the memory impairment, cardiovascular disturbances, executive dysfunctions, and dysregulation of autonomic and respiratory control frequently observed in OSA patients may be related to morphological changes in brain structure. Results indicate that in newly diagnosed men with severe OSA, gray matter concentrations were significantly decreased in multiple brain areas, including limbic structures, prefrontal cortices and the cerebellum. Optimized voxel-based morphometry, an automated processing technique for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was used to characterize structural differences in gray matter by examining the entire brain, rather than a particular region.
Obama's FY 2011 Budget Gives Global Health Funding Boost
President Barack Obama's FY 2011 budget request for global health totals $9.6 billion and includes funding for global health activities within the State Department, USAID and HHS, the Wall Street Journal reports. "That compares with $8.8 billion enacted for fiscal 2010, " according to the newspaper (McKay, 2/1). "While scientists concentrating on domestic problems had worried about deep [budget] cuts, global health appears to have been sheltered by Mr. Obama's promise to exempt international affairs and global security, " the New York Times writes. "In her own preliminary analysis, Jennifer Kates, a vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, which specializes in health policy, said the amount of money devoted to programs in the president's Global Health Initiative, which is split among several agencies, appeared to have risen about 8 percent, " according to the New York Times.
Nation's Pioneering Eating Disorder Treatment Facility Expands Services Internationally
The Renfrew Center, the country's leading authority on eating disorder treatment and research, recently announced the expansion of its services into Central America through a partnership with the Guatemala-based AKASA treatment center. The first center in Central America exclusively dedicated to the treatment of women with eating disorders, AKASA now operates as an independent affiliate of The Renfrew Center. For many years, The Renfrew Center has been training eating disorders professionals from around the world, but this partnership takes the organization's expertise in eating disorders treatment into another country for the first time.
PROLOR Biotech Reports Positive Top-Line Results From Phase I Study Of Its Longer-Acting Version Of Human Growth Hormone
PROLOR Biotech, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: PBTH) reported positive top-line results from a Phase I study of its longer-acting version of human growth hormone (hGH). The study was designed to measure the potential durability (half-life), overall drug exposure (AUC) and biological efficacy, as well as the safety and tolerability of PROLOR's longer-acting CTP-modified human growth hormone (hGH-CTP). The Phase I study enrolled 24 healthy adults who were randomized to receive one of three doses of hGH-CTP (4mg, 7mg, or 21mg) or placebo. The study results showed that safety and tolerability endpoints were met at all doses in all participants.
Feasible And Safe Treatment For Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Elderly Patients
Conventional hepatectomy is an effective way to treat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is invasive and stressful. Laparoscopic surgery, a kind of minimally invasive surgery, has recently gained considerable advances. The use of laparoscopy in hepatectomy, while technically demanding, reduces surgical invasiveness and stressfulness but still achieves complete resection with adequate margins. A research team, led by Professor Tan To Cheung from The University of Hong Kong reported a laparoscopic hepatectomy treating HCC and its recurrence in an aged cirrhotic patient and describes the surgical techniques therein. Their study was published on January 28, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Current Health Reform Efforts Echo Past Struggles As Chances Are Weighed
The chances for President Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress to enact health reform is being weighed by a number of analysts, who are handicapping the outcome based on past and present experiences. The Washington Post columnist Abigail Trafford writes that Obama's struggles mirror that of the Clinton administration's experience in the mid-1990s. "The Obama and Clinton initiatives had very different strategies. Hillary Clinton and her team of wonks labored in secrecy to design a perfect bill; early on, they dissed members of Congress. ... This time, the Obama administration did the reverse. The White House turned to Congress to design the bill.
Going To The Gym Shouldn't Be A Workout For Your Eardrums
Listening to an iPod while working out feels like second nature to many people, but University of Alberta researcher Bill Hodgetts says we need to consider the volume levels in our earphones while working up a sweat. Hodgetts, assistant professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says his research has found that exercising in a gym often prompts people to turn up the volume to potentially unsafe levels for the ear. The researcher found that the study participants, who were in a gym-like setting, listened at potentially dangerous levels while working out, likely due to the presence of background noise.
5.6 Million Contract For Heart Assist Device For Infants And Toddlers
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and their collaborators have been awarded a $5.6 million federal contract to pursue the continued development of an implanted ventricular assist heart pump for infants and small children with congenital or acquired heart disease. The project aims to provide much-needed access to the sophisticated technologies that have saved the lives of older heart failure patients. Harvey Borovetz, Ph.D., distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering and a deputy director of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, is the principal investigator of one of four projects that comprise the Pumps for Kids, Infants and Neonates (PumpKIN) Preclinical Program, a $23.
Aneeve To Develop Sensors To Monitor Hormone Levels For Menopause, Fertility
Aneeve Nanotechnologies LLC has been selected to work in the UCLA on-campus Technology Incubator Program at the California NanoSystems Institute. The startup company will conduct early-stage research for the development of a novel hormone sensor/meter for biomedical applications in the areas of infertility and menopause. Aneeve has licensed related carbon nanotube technology from UCLA developed by Kang Wang, a UCLA professor of electrical engineering. The technology increases hormonal detection sensitivity significantly, allowing detection beyond traditional sensors. The company is using this technology to develop biomedical applications that are low in power consumption and small in size and that involve ultra-sensitive nanoelectronic technologies.
Canadian Study Links Parenting To Children's Relationships To Hobbies
Parents take heed: children and young adults are more likely to pursue sports, music or other pastimes when given an opportunity to nurture their own passion. According to a three-part study led by Genevieve Mageau, a psychology professor at the Universite de Montreal, parental control can predict whether a child develops a harmonious or obsessive passion for a hobby. Published in the latest Journal of Personality, the study was a collaboration with scientists from the Universite de Montreal, the Universite du Quebec a Montreal and McGill University. "We found that controlling adults can foster obsessive passion in their children by teaching them that social approval can only be obtained through excellence, " says Dr.
New Era Of Cancer Research Called For
Health systems will require the promotion of innovative funding and a rethink in regulation, according to a new peer-reviewed study published Wednesday 3rd February in the open access journal ecancermedicalscience. "The Role of Funding and Policies on Innovation in Cancer Drug Development, " identifies avenues to address the disease challenge including an expanded role of research for governments through direct and indirect incentives, as well as re-thinking regulation, pricing and reimbursement systems. Europe is facing the challenge of an expected dramatic increase in the prevalence of cancer that could reach 15 million Europeans by 2020.
Identification Of Brain Protein For Synapse Development
A new study from UC Davis Health System identifies for the first time a brain protein called SynDIG1 that plays a critical role in creating and sustaining synapses, the complex chemical signaling system responsible for communication between neurons. The research, published in the Jan.14 issue of the journal Neuron, fills a major gap in understanding the molecular foundations of higher cognitive abilities as well as some brain disorders. "We know that synapses are essential for learning, memory and perception and suspect that imbalances in synapse formation impact disorders of the brain such as autism and schizophrenia, " said Elva Diaz, assistant professor of pharmacology and senior author of the study.
New Study Of Abstinence-Only Program Has Limitations, Experts Say
A recent study that found for the first time that an abstinence-only sex education program was effective at delaying sexual activity among teens is "already beginning to shake up" the debate over the best strategies to prevent teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted infections, the New York Times reports. Advocates and experts are urging policymakers to use caution and consider the study's limitations when moving forward with sex education policy. The study's release comes as the Obama administration replaces federal money for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs with a teen pregnancy prevention initiative that would fund programs proven effective through scientific studies, the Times reports.
Athletic Injuries More Frequent In Females
Female athletes experience dramatically higher rates of specific musculoskeletal injuries and medical conditions compared to male athletes, according to exercise physiologist Vicki Harber in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta. According to her paper, depending on the sport, there can be a two- to sixfold difference in these types of injuries between male and female athletes. That's because many training programs developed for female athletes are built on research using young adult males and don't take the intrinsic biological differences between the sexes into account. Harber has authored a comprehensive guide for coaches, parents and administrators, entitled The Female Athlete Perspective, and published by Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L), which addresses these and other medical issues known to influence women's participation in sport.
West Nile Virus Thwarted By Therapeutic From Tobacco Plant
A new therapeutic made from tobacco plants has been shown to arrest West Nile virus infection, according to a new study by Arizona State University scientist Qiang Chen and his colleagues. Chen, a researcher at Arizona State University's Biodesign Institute and professor in the PolyTechnic Campus' College of Technology and Innovation, is the first to demonstrate a plant-derived treatment to successfully combat West Nile virus after exposure and infection. The research appears in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (advanced online edition). There are currently no available vaccines against West Nile, nor effective therapeutics for human use, so the current findings are a considerable advancement and may offer the best hope thus far that the West Nile virus infection can be stopped, even several days after viral infection.
EMEA Gives Official Scientific Advice On Clinical Phase IIb Efficacy Study Of Inecalcitol In Hormone-refractory Prostate Cancer
Hybrigenics, a bio-pharmaceutical company with a focus on research and development of new cancer treatments and specialized in protein interactions, announced that it has received the official scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) on Hybrigenics' clinical development plan for inecalcitol in hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients. EMEA's recommendations back the protocol proposed by Hybrigenics and will facilitate authorizations by national health agencies in each European country where the Phase IIb clinical trial of high doses of oral inecalcitol in addition to intravenous cycles of Taxotere(R) will be implemented.
Helping To Improve The Profession's Soft Skills - British Veterinary Association
Continuing efforts to improve working conditions and management practices in the profession the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is offering new management seminars on - Getting the most out of your veterinary practice team - 22 April - Getting the most out of your job - 23 April Both courses include a mental wellbeing element and both offer advice on contracts of employment and employment law. The practice team seminar also looks at management and communication techniques to help prevent stress, distress, anger and conflict. This course teaches managers skills which can help improve the mental health of the whole practice team. The second seminar and workshop is aimed at giving junior vets a solid background in their legal rights.