Public Health
As the news of the twelfth confirmed American death from Swine flu breaks and fears mount, we need expert advice fast. Enter William Meller, MD, an expert on evolutionary medicine who brings a unique understanding of the flu virus" evolution and offers invaluable advice for protecting ourselves from it. Meller is the author of the new book Evolution Rx: A Practical Guide to Harnessing Our Innate Capacity for Health and Healing.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a total ankle replacement system for arthritic or deformed ankles that may preserve some range of motion in the joint.
Celladon Corporation presented today Phase 1 data from the Calcium Up-Regulation by Percutaneous Administration of Gene Therapy in Cardiac Disease (CUPID), a First-in-Human Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial, in a scientific symposium at the 12th Annual American Society of Gene Therapy Meeting.
Taking ginger supplements with standard anti-vomiting drugs beforehand can reduce the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment
Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPHM), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and serious virus infections, provided an update on progress in the company"s clinical program for Cotara(R), a targeted monoclonal antibody-based therapy being tested in a Phase II trial as a potential new treatment for recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a deadly form of brain cancer. The company also reported that patient enrollment in the final cohort of a second Cotara GBM trial, a dose confirmation and dosimetry study, is nearing completion and that interim data from this trial has been accepted for an oral presentation at the Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting to be held June 13-18, 2009.
HeartCare Cardiovascular Specialists in Libertyville, IL has expanded their CVIS capabilities with a new DigiNet Pro system. This system will provide the site with web access enabling users to have full CVIS capability from anywhere at anytime.
Several newspapers recently published editorials on President Obama"s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. Summaries appear below.~ Boston Globe: "Some liberal activists hoped that Obama would seek a firebrand to counter [Supreme Court Justice] Antonin Scalia, the darling of the right," but "Sotomayor has made her reputation not on hot-button social issues but on matters ranging from environmental regulation to the baseball business," a Globe editorial states. It adds that while Sotomayor "presumably shares Obama"s support for abortion rights, she upheld the Bush administration"s restrictions on family-planning activities" by international groups that received U.S. funding. Now, "conservative groups have seized upon an offhand remark in 2005" when she described the "federal appeals courts as the place "where policy is made" ... as evidence that Sotomayor would legislate from the bench," the editorial states, adding. "The attack is disingenuous." The editorial concludes, "Short of any unexpected revelations about her record or her philosophy, though, the Senate should confirm Sonia Sotomayor," adding that in addition to her "intriguing" personal background she "also has the experience to make an excellent Supreme Court Justice" (Boston Globe, 5/27).~ Chicago Tribune: Sotomayor "has to bring more than diversity to the court," a Tribune editorial states, adding that the "evidence so far suggests that she is up to the job." One "would expect a nominee chosen by Obama to be on the liberal side of the judicial spectrum," but some of her rulings "suggest otherwise," according to the editorial. While Sotomayor "has stressed that the "duty of a judge is to follow the law, not to question its plain terms,"" on the bench, "she ruled against an abortion-rights group challenging" the Bush administration"s "global gag rule," the editorial notes, among other rulings that "could be characterized as "conservative decisions"." However, "the point is not that she"s a closet conservative -- it"s that ideology didn"t seem to determine her decisions," according to the editorial. The "Senate has a responsibility to undertake a thorough examination of her record and her thinking," the editorial states, concluding, "But for now, it looks as though her critics have a tough task ahead of them" (Chicago Tribune, 5/27).~ Los Angeles Times: "Sotomayor doesn"t possess the political experience that would be brought to the court"s cloistered chambers by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) or Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano," but "she satisfies Obama"s other criteria: experience, erudition and, as he put it, "a common touch and a sense of compassion, an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live,"" a Times editorial states. Sotomayor"s "experiences as a Latina raised in a housing project who went on to excel at Princeton and Yale don"t in themselves qualify her for the court," but these facts do "complement her sterling credentials and equip her with perspectives that could illuminate legal issues that come before her," the editorial continues. Senate Republicans "should accord her the same respect [they] demanded for Bush"s nominees and end the tiresome tit-for-tat that has cheapened the confirmation of federal judges and deprived the bench of some of the nation"s most capable legal minds," the editorial concludes (Los Angeles Times, 5/27).~ Philadelphia Inquirer: "Sotomayor would bring to the court a diversity it has lacked for most of its history," an Inquirer editorial states. Although "[c]onservatives want to make an issue out of President Obama"s search for "empathy" in a nominee" and "criticize Sotomayor for a speech in 2001 in which she said that being a woman of color affects her decisions," neither comment "is sinister nor shocking," according to the editorial. It concludes, "The Senate has a duty to examine Sotomayor"s qualifications rigorously and fairly. But she appears to have the experience and the
Interson announces the launch of the SeeMore USB Ultrasound Imaging probe. Inexpensive and portable, SeeMore probes plug directly into the USB port of a laptop, netbook, or desktop computer. General purpose and specialty probes are available for a wide range of clinical applications including: abdominal, OB/GYN, bladder scanning, emergency, vascular access, small parts, musculo-skeletal, nerve blocks, endocavity (prostate, transvaginal) and more, and range in frequency from 3.5 MHz to 24 MHz.
Oculus Innovative Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: OCLS), a healthcare company that develops, manufactures and markets a family of products based upon the Microcyn® Technology platform, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its Microcyn® Skin and Wound Gel as both a prescription and over-the-counter formulation. The Rx product, under the supervision of a health care professional, is intended for management of exuding wounds such as leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, diabetic ulcers and for the management of mechanically or surgically debrided wounds. This is the first hydrogel product based upon the Microcyn Technology platform and is reimbursable by both Medicare and Medicaid.
A recent report released by Wolters Kluwer Health predicts that by the end of the year, nearly two-thirds of all drug prescriptions will be filled with generic drugs. This march to generics is fueled by several factors, which include the current economy, ever-increasing co-payment requirements for brand name drugs and pharmacies" desire to increase their profits by filling prescriptions with high margin generics versus lower margin brand name medicines.
Mice carrying a "humanized version" of a gene believed to influence speech and language may not actually talk, but they nonetheless do have a lot to say about our evolutionary past, according to a report in the May 29th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication.
In what could be a major pharmaceutical breakthrough, research published online in The FASEB Journal describes how scientists from St George"s, University of London have devised a one-two punch to stop HIV. First the report describes a new protein that can kill the virus when used as a microbicide. Then the report shows how it might be possible to manufacture this protein in quantities large enough to make it affordable for people in developing countries.
When faced with a terminal illness, African-American seniors were two times more likely than whites to say they would want life-prolonging treatments, according to a University of Pittsburgh study available online and published in the June issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Researchers from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have uncovered a remarkable property of the contractile ring, a structure required for cell division. Understanding how the contractile ring works to divide the cell may facilitate development of therapies to prevent uncontrolled cell division in cancer.
HRA Pharma, a privately-held,
We all know that vitamin D and calcium are good for bones, but research teams in Europe and USA have shown that both taken daily reduces the rate of hip fracture in older people by 20%.
In response to industry demand, VIBevents is proud to announce the launch of the industry"s first virtual clinical trials event, ClinicalTrialsArena.com, which will bring together the leading decision makers within the pharma and biotech industries.
Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that based on recent input from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Incyte"s request for a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for INCB18424 for patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (PPV-MF) and post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis (PET-MF), it is clear that the most appropriate single primary endpoint for Incyte"s U.S. Phase III trial is the proportion of treated patients achieving a 35% reduction in spleen volume as compared to patients receiving placebo.
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) welcomed today"s Budget which reaffirms the Government"s commitment to solving our long term health workforce problems.
Interactive video games - such those played on the Nintendo Wii - may raise heart rate and provide exercise intensity levels high enough to meet federal physical activity guidelines, according to a pair studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine"s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle.
Amid concerns about a pandemic of swine flu, researchers from Nebraska report for the first time that poultry carcasses infected with another threat - the "bird flu" virus - can remain infectious in municipal landfills for almost 2 years. Their report is scheduled for the June 15 issue of ACS" semi-monthly journal Environmental Science & Technology.
A person with dyspraxia has problems with movement and coordination. It is also known as "motor learning disability". Somebody with dyspraxia finds it hard to carry out smooth and coordinated movements. Dyspraxia often comes with language problems, and sometimes a degree of difficulty with perception and thought. Dyspraxia does not affect a person"s intelligence, but it can cause learning difficulties, especially for children.
The popular belief that healthy eating starts at home and that parents" dietary choices help children establish their nutritional beliefs and behaviors may need rethinking, according to a study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An examination of dietary intakes and patterns among U.S. families found that the resemblance between children"s and their parents" eating habits is weak. The results are published in the May 25, 2009, issue of Social Science and Medicine.
The SNM Clinical Trials Network, an initiative designed to address the need for streamlined drug discovery through the integration of imaging biomarkers into multi-center clinical trials, recently added Genentech, Inc. as a supporter.
Sleep disturbances increase as we age. Some studies report more than half of seniors 65 years of age or older suffer from chronic sleep disturbances. Researchers have long believed that the sleep disturbances common among the elderly often result from a disruption of the body"s circadian rhythms - biological cycles that repeat approximately every 24 hours.
Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced that several studies evaluating the use of Leukine(R) (sargramostim) will be presented at the 2009 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.
Perceptive Informatics, the industry"s leading eClinical solutions provider and a subsidiary of PAREXEL International Corporation (Nasdaq: PRXL), announced the launch of a website designed to help investigators apply the new 1.1 version of RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors) in medical imaging-based oncology trials.
CuraGen Corporation (Nasdaq: CRGN) announced plans for three data presentations from its ongoing clinical trials of CR011-vcMMAE, an antibody-drug conjugate that targets GPNMB, in patients with advanced breast cancer and melanoma at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Florida.
Results and updates from eight studies were presented during a late-breaking trials session at Heart Failure 2009. Reviewing them at a press conference, Professor John McMurray, President of the Heart Failure Association, described the trials" objectives and main implications.
Telemonitoring systems, by which the symptoms of heart failure can be remotely assessed, now provide a strategy for the improved personalised care of patients, according to Professor John Cleland from the University of Hull, UK.1 He told Heart Failure Congress 2009 that the management of heart failure is complex but most effective when tailored to the individual patients" needs and condition.2 "Unfortunately," he added, "the res required to offer this tailored treatment outside a hospital setting are generally not available. Current services provide, at best, only a crude attempt to deliver long-term, personalised healthcare, but telemonitoring provides a strategy which could radically change this situation."
A new, international study found that the combination of two drugs delays disease progression for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results from the Phase III "ATLAS" trial were presented today by Dr. Vincent Miller of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.
As the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States continues, researchers are examining whether early parent and child behaviors contribute to the problem. A study from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, published in the May/June 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reports that mothers who miss signs of satiety in their infants tend to overfeed them, leading to excess weight gains during the 6 month to 1 year period.
A new study is the first to show that there is a previously unrecognized role for environmental pollution in liver disease in the general U.S. adult population. This work builds upon the groups" previous research demonstrating liver disease in highly-exposed chemical workers. The study is being presented during Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®), the largest international gathering of physicians and researchers in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.
The FDA is ignoring critical information in deciding whether to approve an over-the-counter, rapid HIV test for home use, according to a recent article in the journal Medical Decision Making (MDM) which is published by SAGE.
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~"Considering Common Ground and Our New Supreme Court Nominee," Cristina Page, Birth Control Watch: Page writes that the fact that appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Obama"s nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, has served on the board of Childbirth Connection is of great interest, since Sotomayor"s own views on women"s health could mirror those of the organization. Page explains that the organization "takes no policy position on abortion, but it is very much a proponent of women"s rights during childbirth." According to Page, Sotomayor"s work with Childbirth Connection "stands out" on her resume as "the only entry that does not have a purely legal focus." Page writes, "To me, it"s an important sign, and one from which pro-choice and women"s health advocates can derive some comfort," as the group is "dedicated to identifying and promoting best practices in women"s health based on rigorous scientific evidence." She adds, "If Sotomayor"s connection to the group is any indication of the value she places in science and her respect for the field of medicine, her nomination is good news for women"s health." Page also provides a link to audio of her appearance on a radio show to discuss "common ground" in the abortion-rights debate. She writes that David Gushee, an abortion-rights opponent who also appeared on the show, was genuinely "reasonable and looking for solutions." Page adds, "Listening to him gives me faith in this new and albeit small movement of pro-lifers who genuinely want to support policies that help reduce the need for abortion" (Page, Birth Control Watch, 5/27).~ "Unshackling Female Prisoners in Labor," Abigail Kramer, Salon"s "Broadsheet": Last week, the New York state Legislature passed a measure that would prevent the state"s prisons from using handcuffs or shackles on pregnant female inmates during labor. Similar laws exist in three other states. Kramer writes, "Handcuffs and shackles for women in labor pose problems beyond the obvious snafu of being brutal, inhumane and bat"s balls freaking crazy." She continues, "Having a baby is generally understood to be a wee bit uncomfortable," adding, "Not being able to move can increase the pain and slow down or complicate labor" and "restraints can cause a delay if a woman has to be rushed off for an emergency C-section -- which, as a doctor points out in Amnesty"s original report on institutional violence against women prisoners, can lead to brain damage for the baby." In addition, "women giving birth have not turned out to pose a tremendous flight risk to the nation"s criminal [justice] system: When Amnesty International asked prison administrators to provide examples of past in-labor escape attempts, they came up with exactly... well, zero," Kramer concludes (Kramer, "Broadsheet," Salon, 5/28).~ "Be Responsible: Give Your Partner Drugs!" Norah Hazelton, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association"s "Family PlanIt": "One thing I remember pretty clearly from sex ed in high school health class ... was that if one person in a couple is diagnosed with an [sexually transmitted infection] and gets treatment, it"s very important to get the other partner tested and treated because otherwise you can just end up passing it back and forth," Hazelton writes. She continues, "Trouble is, a lot of STIs don"t have symptoms and it can be difficult getting someone with no symptoms to take the time (and money) to go see a doctor." Hazelton writes, "Thankfully, expedited partner therapy (EPT), the practice of treating partners without a medical assessment, is becoming more and more popular." She adds, "With 19 million new cases of STIs each year in the U.S. (costing an estimated $15.9 billion annually), any options that could reduce those numbers need to be considered seriously." Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended and endorsed EPT, "there are still many legal barr
The Thai AIDS Treatment Action Group recently called on the country to launch a comprehensive harm reduction program for injection drug users in an effort to help curb the spread of HIV, Thailand"s The Nation reports. According to the group, many IDUs are unable to access drug treatment and substation therapy because of the stigma surrounding drug use in the country. Karyn Kaplan, director of development and policy for the group, said, "Health care workers have denied many injecting drug users access to an antiviral drug and the use of methadone." Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai recently announced that the country"s harm reduction programs have helped to curb the spread of HIV among IDUs, adding that local substitution programs have reduced the number of HIV-positive IDUs and that the country needs increased support from UNAIDS for such efforts. TTAG called for the government to provide prevention and treatment options, such as substitution therapy and needle-exchange programs. The Nation reports that methadone treatment is offered at hospitals across the country as part of the national health care scheme, but many health care workers refuse to administer treatment. In addition, government treatment is offered for 45 days. Kaplan said that the government should revise its policy regarding treatment access for IDUs, as a majority of IDUs are incarcerated and living with HIV or hepatitis-C without treatment access. She called on the government to "implement the international standards of medical treatment for [IDUs], without discrimination and human rights violations" (The Nation, 5/27).
Focusing HIV drug development on immune cells called macrophages instead of traditionally targeted T cells could bring us closer to eradicating the disease, according to new research from University of Florida and five other institutions.
If you are a clinical research novice or veteran with a study sponsor, research site, or CRO in a corporate, academic or other organization, you will find a comprehensive program that focuses on your current needs and broadens your knowledge. MAGI conferences feature balanced co-presentations from sponsors, sites and CROs, real-life examples, practical tips, and lots of interaction and networking. This year"s conference will feature:
A report released by the consumer health organization Families USA spotlights a growing crisis among insured families, as rising health care costs devour a growing portion of their pre-tax income.
On May 13, health care professionals and health care activists gathered on Capitol Hill to demonstrate their support for Senator John Conyer"s HR 676.
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX), the world"s leading cancer diagnostics company, today launched the EGFR Pathway test (KRAS with reflex to NRAS, BRAF), the first laboratory-developed test from a national commercial reference laboratory for comprehensively identifying, in a single reflex test offering, genetic mutations in the KRAS, NRAS and BRAFL genes. The test is designed to aid the identification of the roughly half of all metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients who, because of certain mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, are believed to be unresponsive to anti-EGFR cancer therapies for mCRC. While some commercial laboratory tests for predicting anti-EGFR response analyze certain mutations of the KRAS and BRAF genes, such as codons 12 and 13 of KRAS, the Quest Diagnostics test detects mutations in codons 12, 13 and 61 of both the KRAS and NRAS genes and mutations in exons 11, 12, and 15 of the BRAF gene, in a sequential reflex manner.
Mersana Therapeutics presented preliminary results of a Phase 1 clinical trial for its lead development candidate, XMT-1001, in a poster session at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando. XMT-1001 is a broad-spectrum cytotoxic, based on camptothecin (CPT), conjugated to Mersana"s biodegradable polymer platform, Fleximer(R).
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRBN) announced the presentation of encouraging Phase 1 safety and efficacy results following administration of low doses of TRU-016 in heavily pre-treated patients with high-risk genomic factors and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). TRU-016 is the Company"s proprietary anti-CD37 Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical (SMIP(TM)) product candidate.
An article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet reports that women aged between 24 and 45 can be protected by the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, if they have not been already infected by the virus. The report is the work of Dr Nubia Mu÷±oz, from the National Institute of Cancer, Bogot÷ˇ, Colombia, and collaborators.
Most of our cells possess an internal clock, a group of genes displaying a cyclic expression pattern that reaches a peak once a day. A large number of circadian genes are expressed by organs such as the liver, whose activity needs to be precisely regulated over the course of the day. A team of researchers of the National Centre of Competence in Research Frontiers in Genetics, based at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, reveals that an important regulator of this molecular oscillator is a specific microRNA. The latter belongs to a class of small RNA molecules that regulate the production of proteins in our cells. Thus far, little was known about their function within the circadian clockwork. The study by Ueli Schibler"s team, published in the 1st June edition of Genes & Development, fills in this important gap.
Computer scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a new way of cloning facial expressions during live conversations to help us better understand what influences our behaviour when we communicate with others.
Physicians who treat patients with multiple health problems will fare well under pay-for-performance, which bases physician reimbursement on the quality of care provided, said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston in a report in the current issue of the journal Circulation.
The Pima County Health Department is releasing additional
You know the guy - he"s your Facebook friend. The one who knows everyone. Secure at the center of a dense web of relationships, he suggests causes and reconnects old friends like a skilled matchmaker. Scientists have known for some time that biological molecules interact with one another in a similarly complex pattern. Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have determined that hamstringing these molecular powerbrokers is a good way to derail processes such as cancer development.
Time is short for scientists to respond to the call for comments on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposed guidelines for the use of human embryonic stem (ES) cell lines and their eligibility for federal funds. On May 26, the window to provide feedback will close, and the drafted rules leave the possibility that funding for almost all existing cell lines will disappear.
Since the 2004 election, issues relating to the economic recession and health care have replaced "moral values" as the most important political topics in the U.S., columnist E.J. Dionne writes in a Washington Post opinion piece. He cites a survey released in May by the Pew Research Center that offered respondents the same list of issues that appeared on the 2004 exit poll and found that the importance of moral values had decreased by more than half. Dionne writes that concern over the economy and jobs had more than doubled on the survey, while issues such as health care and education also had "gained substantial ground." According to the survey, "The drop in concern over moral values was particularly sharp among older working-class voters who have been trending Republican for years," Dionne writes.According to Dionne, "Conservative moral values voters have become the heart of the Republican coalition, and if their ranks are shrinking, so is the GOP"s base." He writes that it "is no accident that President Obama takes every opportunity to shift the public debate to issues -- the economy, health care and education -- that the populist conservatives ... find appealing."According to Dionne, "[f]ew recent survey findings are more enlightening about what"s happening in American politics -- and what is likely to happen to the debate over the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor." He adds that it is "striking that while some antiabortion groups issued stinging press releases against Sotomayor, her views on abortion remain a mystery -- to the consternation of abortion-rights supporters." According to Dionne, "Both sides in the abortion debate want to have a confrontation that Sotomayor may not give them the opportunity to stage." He adds that the "vast majority of Americans are not clamoring for this particular battle" (Dionne, Washington Post, 6/1).
A team led by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) compared the genes of 730 men who had developed testicular cancer with the genes of healthy men. They found many of the men who had suffered cancer shared common DNA variants on chromosomes 5, 6 and 12 that the healthy men did not have.
Athletes could be putting their lives at risk by doping themselves with powerful prescription drugs, a leading academic has warned.
The 62nd World Health Assembly, governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO), endorsed the WHO Action Plan for the Prevention of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment.
Dr Alexis Willett, Head of Policy & Involvement at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says:
Spending hours taking a high-pressure aptitude test may make people feel mentally fatigued, but that fatigue doesn"t necessarily lead to lower test scores, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association. If anything, performance might actually improve on a longer test, the study found.
South Australia has the dubious distinction of receiving the AMA"s annual Dirty Ashtray Award for the Australian State or Territory that made the least progress on combating smoking during 2008.
More than 17 million U.S. children live more than an hour away by ground or air transportation from a life-saving pediatric trauma center, according to a new study by researchers at The Children"s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. The creation of a national inventory of pediatric trauma centers may help to identify the locations of gaps and greatly improve access to care for U.S. children, the authors said.
UPMC South Hills will host a free health fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, June 13, at 1300 Oxford Drive, just across from Village Square Mall in Bethel Park.
If having malodorous armpits (called osmidrosis) and goopy earwax isn"t bad enough, a discovery by Japanese scientists may add a more serious problem for women facing these cosmetic calamities. That"s because they"ve found that a gene responsible for breast cancer causes these physical symptoms. The report describing this finding is featured on the cover of The FASEB Journal"s June 2009 print issue, and should arm physicians with another clue for detecting breast cancer risk.
The June issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes new insights on why some corneal transplants fail, why some patients skip their glaucoma medications, and why preventing infections after LASIK is a growing concern.
The fastest-growing group of patients initiating dialysis is patients 75 years old and older; providing the best care for this group of patients presents significant challenges. The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) introduces the first-ever online curriculum to address aging and the kidney. The curriculum, based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)"s six core competences of patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice, answers questions about the management of elderly patients.
Exelixis, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXEL) today reported encouraging data from an ongoing Phase 1 dose-escalation trial of XL228 in patients with advanced malignancies. XL228 is a small molecule inhibitor of insulin-like growth factor type 1 receptor (IGF1R), SRC, Aurora kinases, and fibroblast growth factor receptor types 1, 2, and 3 (FGFR1-3), which are associated with cancer cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. The compound also inhibits BCR-ABL, including the T315I mutant form which is resistant to currently approved inhibitors. David Smith, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Michigan, an investigator on the Phase 1 trial, will present the data in an oral session (Abstract #3512) beginning at 4:15 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 30, 2009, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, which is being held May 29-June 2 in Orlando.
The UK government would like to allow pharmaceutical companies to provide patients with more information about prescription drugs, according to an article published in Pulse. UK ministers view the European Commission"s proposals positively - these proposals would greatly extend the communication permitted between companies and patients. Currently, European Law limits such communication to patient safety leaflets.
ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZIOP) announced today that it presented positive data from both a Phase Ib clinical trial and preclinical dosing studies of orally administered indibulin (ZybulinTM or ZIO-301), the Company"s novel tubulin binding agent, at the 45th Annual American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting held in Orlando, FL, May 29th to June 2nd.
The results of a new analysis have provided good evidence to suggest that Tai Chi is beneficial for arthritis. Specifically, it was shown to decrease pain with trends towards improving overall physical health, level of tension and satisfaction with health status.
BioLineRx Ltd. (TASE:BLRX), a clinical stage drug development company, today announced positive preliminary results from the ongoing phase I/II clinical trial designed to assess the safety and feasibility of BL-1040, the first injectable device designed to address cardiac remodeling, in 20- 30 patients at several sites in Germany and Belgium. To date, 15 patients were successfully treated with BL-1040 with no complications. Moreover, six months follow up results from the first 5 patients show BL-1040"s efficacy in preventing cardiac remodeling and preserving cardiac function.
Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, predicted in an interview with Kaiser Health News that a comprehensive health care reform bill would reach President Obama by Thanksgiving, and that she hasn"t given "a moment"s thought" to accepting a scaled-back package.
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have identified a gene that may play a key role in regulating tumor progression in neuroblastoma, a form of cancer usually found in young children. Scientists hope the finding could lead to an effective therapy to inhibit the expression of this gene.
Pfizer Inc announced the discontinuation of the SUN 1094 Phase 3 study that evaluated SUTENT® (sunitinib malate) plus paclitaxel versus bevacizumab plus paclitaxel for the first line treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer. The independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) found that treatment with sunitinib in combination with paclitaxel would be unable to meet the primary endpoint of superior progression-free survival (PFS) compared to the combination of bevacizumab and paclitaxel. No new safety issues were identified.
Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a change to the prescribing information for its once-daily Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treatment VYVANSE® (lisdexamfetamine dimesylate) CII, to include supplemental data that demonstrated significant ADHD symptom control in children aged 6 to 12 from the first time point measured (1.5 hours) through 13 hours postdose. VYVANSE is now the first and only oral ADHD stimulant treatment to have 13-hour postdose efficacy data for pediatric patients included in its product labeling.
The damage that our modern living and working environment could be doing to our health will be investigated by a new ÷Ł5M MRC-HPA Centre for Environment and Health at Imperial College London and King"s College London.
Argos Therapeutics announced the presentation of new information on its soluble CD83 (sCD83) protein program in a poster session at the 2009 American Transplant Congress, held May 30-June 3 in Boston. The poster presentation, to be made on June 2 at 5:30pm by Argos" collaborating scientists from the University of Western Ontario, demonstrates that combination therapy with sCD83 can prolong kidney allograft survival in an animal model of transplantation, and that sCD83 attenuates pathological changes in kidney allografts, induces generation of T regulatory cells and inhibits dendritic cell maturation, all of which may contribute to immunosuppression and allograft tolerance.
PhotoMedex, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHMD), a leader in the development of proprietary excimer laser and fiber optic systems as well as other products for dermatological applications, announced the availability of its groundbreaking XTRAC Velocity™ Excimer Laser, a device expected to redefine laser treatment options for patients suffering from psoriasis and vitiligo.
StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ:STEM) announced plans to present data from its Phase I clinical trial of its proprietary HuCNS-SC® product candidate (purified human neural stem cells) at the 12th International Congress on Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCL) being held June 3 - 6, 2009 in Hamburg, Germany. Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, vice president and head of the Company"s CNS program, is scheduled to present the data on Saturday, June 6.
Mike Tomlinson - husband of Jane Tomlinson CBE backs free and flexible carers programme.
Plexxikon Inc. today announced preliminary data from a Phase 1 clinical study investigating PLX4032 (R7204). PLX4032 is a novel, oral and highly selective drug that targets the BRAFV600E cancer-causing mutation that occurs in most melanomas and about eight percent of all solid tumors. In patients whose cancer harbors this mutation and who were treated with therapeutic doses of PLX4032, tumor shrinkage and extended progression-free survival have been observed. Currently, two extension studies are being conducted in mutation-positive melanoma and colorectal cancer patients. Following the initial positive findings announced today, larger clinical trials to support a registration program for product approval are targeted to start later in 2009. Plexxikon and Roche are co-developing PLX4032 under their 2006 license and collaboration agreement.
GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTXI) announced the presentation of data demonstrating that toremifene 80 mg treatment compared to placebo increased bone mineral density (BMD) in multiple clinically relevant subpopulations of men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The data, an analysis of results of the recent Phase III clinical trial evaluating toremifene 80 mg for the prevention of bone fractures and treatment of other estrogen deficiency side effects of androgen deprivation therapy in men with prostate cancer, were presented yesterday at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The Los Angeles Times on Sunday examined how the recession is impacting people living with HIV in California. Brad Hare, medical director of University of California-San Francisco"s Positive Health Program at San Francisco General Hospital, said that people living with HIV who have lost their jobs and private health insurance are turning to public and nonprofit clinics for the first time and are responsible for a 12% increase this year in the clinic"s overall patient visits. He added that many of the patients he sees have gone months without receiving medical care. In addition, at the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, which also provides HIV treatment, the number of new patients has doubled over the last year, Thomas Soule, a spokesperson for the center, said. The Times also profiled a client of the center (Lin, Los Angeles Times, 5/31).
Hyperion Therapeutics, Inc. announced top-line results from a phase I study of HPN-100 in patients with liver cirrhosis. The data were presented as part of the 2009 Digestive Disease Week meeting. The abstract is titled "Pharmacokinetic (PK) and Safety Analyses of a Novel Ammonia-Reducing Agent in Healthy Adults and Patients with Cirrhosis."
B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun), a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, said today it anticipates U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for 2g Cefazolin for Injection USP and Dextrose Injection USP in B. Braun"s DUPLEX(R) Drug Delivery System.
A blood-pressure medicine has been shown to reverse the effects of early-stage liver failure in some patients.
Data from the ToGA study presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida showed that adding trastuzumab to standard chemotherapy (capecitabine [Xeloda®] or intravenous 5-FU and cisplatin) prolongs the lives of patients with this aggressive cancer on average by nearly 2.7 months to 13.8 months, a 26% increase in survival. Advanced gastric (stomach) cancer is associated with a poor prognosis; the median survival time after diagnosis is approximately 10 months with currently available therapies.[i]
Targeting the issue of low birth rates, the Taiwanese government implemented the Mega Warmth Social Welfare Program (MWSWP) in 2006 after its fertility rates dipped lower than most industrial nations.
Could the salamander"s natural ability to grow back severed appendages lead to a scientific breakthrough for humans who have lost limbs?
Researchers are making great strides in the development of new treatments for hepatitis and in confirming the effectiveness of current treatments, according to several studies presented at Digestive Disease Week® 2009 (DDW®).
Men are planning for their financial security in retirement but not for their happiness, according to a survey revealing that more women than men plan for their health and leisure interests before they stop working.
Novartis has received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) supporting European Union (EU) approval of everolimus for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC)3, the most common type of kidney cancer4.
Call it advanced warfare on the most elemental of levels.
Smoke Alarm, a new not for profit Community Interest Company, is launching a series of nationwide seminars to help Smoking Cessation Therapists understand more about the addictive interdependency of cannabis and tobacco.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today (Monday) launched a consultation on guidance outlining what health and adult social care services will need to do to meet new legally enforceable registration standards.
New research published by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme has found that while ibuprofen and paracetamol is more effective when used together when treating fever in pre-school children, ibuprofen should be used first as this will reduce the temperature quicker.
The Trudeau Institute and Health Research Incorporated (HRI) have established a unique partnership aimed at advancing the commercialization of medical and scientific discoveries made at the institute to maximize their benefit to public health worldwide.
A national Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study led by a Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center physician at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee has found that a course of radiation therapy to the brain after treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer reduced the risk of metastases to the brain within the first year after treatment. The study was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Orlando, June 1.
Researchers from the Brigham and Women"s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston have released a 22-year study that reports Hispanic patients have poorer outcomes following infrainguinal bypass grafting for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Results showed that of all the study participants, Hispanics had a higher rate of bypass graft failure and amputation after revascularization compared to Caucasians. In an analysis that accounted for a myriad of important variables affecting limb salvage after bypass, Hispanic ethnicity was found to be independently predictive of eventual amputation. Details of the study appear in the Society for Vascular Surgery"s(R) June 2009 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery(R).
Today, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced the results of a Phase III study demonstrating that pazopanib reduced the risk of tumour progression or death by 54% compared to placebo.1
Lee Scott MP for Ilford North who has been campaigning in the House of Commons for parents, carers, children and adults with Asperger"s Syndrome is calling on Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Government to increase the carer"s allowance for possibly over a million carers who are looking after children and adults with autism and Asperger"s Syndrome in the United Kingdom.
Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on Tuesday met individually with 10 senators in an initial round of closed-door meetings in preparation for her confirmation hearing, which is yet to be scheduled, the New York Times reports. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said that during his meeting with Sotomayor she expressed her belief that ""ultimately and completely" a judge has to follow the law no matter what their upbringing has been" (Herszenhorn/Hulse, New York Times, 6/3). Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who also met with Sotomayor, said that she believes that Sotomayor would not vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. Feinstein added that Sotomayor "is a woman who is well-steeped in law and well-steeped in precedent. I believe that she has a real respect for precedent and that she was not just saying that" (Isenstadt, Politico, 6/2). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said of Sotomayor, "We have the whole package here," adding, "We could not have anyone more qualified" (New York Times, 6/3).However, Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who also met with Sotomayor, said that he is concerned about whether Sotomayor would be an "activist" judge who believes her role is to create policy rather than to judge matters in accordance with it. Sessions said that "the question is, what is the law? How does a judge find the law, and what approach to statutory construction do they utilize?" (Hirschfield Davis, AP/Washington Times, 6/2). According to the Times, because Republicans likely do not have the votes to use a filibuster to block Sotomayor"s confirmation, their strategy "seems to be to play for time," in the hope that "something unexpected" will surface as a threat to her confirmation. Democrats currently have 59 of the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster, and seven Republicans voted to confirm Sotomayor to the appeals court (New York Times, 6/3). The Judicial Confirmation Network, a conservative judicial group, on Tuesday sent a letter to every senator criticizing Sotomayor"s judicial record and saying that she "challenges the belief that the law needs to be knowable and predictable." JCN Director Gary Marx said that the organization does not agree with other conservative groups that have called for a filibuster but that it supports "a long and vigorous and thorough, healthy debate" (Palmer, Roll Call, 6/2). Leahy, Sessions To Discuss Hearing Schedule Leahy said that he and Sessions will meet Wednesday to discuss a schedule for Sotomayor"s confirmation hearing, specifically with regard to whether it will come before or after the August congressional recess. Leahy said that he favors holding the hearing in July. However, Sessions and other Republicans are asking that the hearing be conducted after the break, citing the need to read through the approximately 3,000 opinions Sotomayor wrote as an appellate court judge (Friedman, CongressDaily, 6/2). Meanwhile, Sotomayor on Wednesday will meet with 10 more senators, including seven Democrats and three Republicans (Koffler, Roll Call, 6/2). Poll Shows Public SupportFifty-four percent of U.S. residents would like to see Sotomayor confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday. The poll shows that 28% of those surveyed opposed the confirmation and 19% had no opinion. The poll was conducted between Friday and Sunday, questioning 1,015 adults (Silva, Los Angeles Times, 6/2).Broadcast CoverageNPR"s "All Things Considered" on Tuesday reported on Sotomayor"s meetings with senators. The segment includes comments from Leahy (Seabrook, "All Things Considered," NPR, 6/3).
Several newspapers on Wednesday published editorials and opinion pieces responding to the shooting death of Kansas abortion provider George Tiller, who was one of the few physicians in the country providing care for women in need of the procedure later in pregnancy. Summaries appear below.Editorials~ Boston Globe: Although officials are calling Tiller"s murder ""the act of an isolated individual," ... the generalized culture of violence and hate in the antiabortion movement that feeds the fanaticism of disturbed individuals with guns is not so easily explained away," a Globe editorial states. The editorial notes, "Many responsible abortion opponents, including Americans United for Life, condemn the killing," but "other so-called pro-life leaders insist on finding a moral equivalence between Tiller"s murder and abortion." The editorial continues, "Also victimized by Tiller"s murder are the anguished women who have sought late-term abortions because their pregnancies have gone horribly wrong." According to the editorial, the "sad irony" is that these procedures "are not a matter of "choice,"" as the "overwhelming majority of these women desperately wanted their children to be born." It adds, "Tiller"s brave and compassionate care saved the lives of these women and their futures as mothers." In his speech last month at the University of Notre Dame"s commencement ceremony, President Obama "called for people of good will on both sides of the abortion issue to bridge the divide," the editorial states, concluding, "An end to the hateful rhetoric over issues of faith that lead unhinged individuals to murder would be a good place to start" (Boston Globe, 6/2).~ USA Today: Tiller"s "insistence" on continuing to practice, despite protests and threats of violence, "was remarkably courageous," but, "[r]egrettably, threats by antiabortion activists have worked all too well," a USA Today editorial states. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the number of abortion providers has decreased by 40% since a peak in 1982, and 87% of U.S. counties have no provider, forcing many women to travel long distances to obtain care, the editorial says. "Mainstream pro-life groups should not be blamed for the actions of a suspected killer who appears to have lurked in the violent and twisted fringe of the movement," the editorial continues. However, the "braying of cable TV hosts," such as Fox News" Bill O"Reilly, "and activists such as Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry contributes to a climate of intolerance that can encourage deranged individuals," the editorial says. According to USA Today, "Thwarted in legislatures and courts, some antiabortion activists are achieving with intimidation and harassment what they can"t through the political process," but "[r]egardless of personal beliefs about abortion, authorities have an obligation to protect those providing and receiving abortion services, and to prosecute those who harass or threaten them." The editorial concludes that "Tiller"s death will only be compounded if it frightens away more doctors and makes a legal procedure even harder to come by" (USA Today, 6/3).~ Washington Post: Tiller"s death "is a tragedy for his family, his patients and his profession," and "[i]t should serve as a wake-up call that more must be done to ensure that women have access to this legal procedure," a Post editorial states. "It is unclear how this violence has affected decisions by health care providers," according to the editorial. However, it is clear that "the number of places where women can go for abortions has been declining since 1982," and "[v]ery few are performed in hospitals -- a sign that mainline medicine is not living up to its responsibility," the editorial says. The editorial notes that Attorney General Eric Holder "is offering U.S. Marshals Service protection for abortion clinics and the doctors who staff them," concluding, "It"s the right call, but one that underscores the urgency of coming up with better solutions for the delive
High profile outbreaks associated with the viruses have kept EMSL Analytical scientists busy.
A new study shows that - in the words of Jon Gabel, its lead author - "American families with employer-based [health] coverage were worse off in 2007 than they were in 2004," the Wall Street Journal reports. The study, published in Health Affairs, found that out-of-pocket costs, such as co-pays and deductibles, increased 34 percent between those years. "The main reason for rising out-of-pocket costs was the growth in overall health spending," the Journal reports (Gerencher, 6/3).
Statement attributable to: Nancy H. Nielsen, M.D.
The Food and Drug Administration is taking steps towards greater openness. The Associated Press reports that FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg "announced Tuesday she has created a task force to make recommendations on how the agency can release more information in such areas as drug evaluation and enforcement matters. She wants a report in six months." Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein will head the task force, which will represent all of the FDA"s major divisions as well as its law enforcement branch. It will hold two public meetings with the first on June 24. "The FDA has long operated under strict confidentiality rules," the AP reports, and in opening up information, one sensitive issue will be what to do with unpublished clinical trial data from drug manufacturers. Despite such concerns, "Hamburg said she believes the need for secrecy may have been taken too far, and is harming the FDA"s credibility within the medical community and among consumers" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/2).
"Advocates for the elderly in California say recent budget cuts are dramatically affecting the ability of social service programs to keep up with demand" at a time when "the state"s elderly population - and the incidents of elder abuse - are exploding," NPR reports. One example is Contra Costa County, where the Aging and Adult Services Program laid off two-thirds of the staff who "investigate abuse complaints of elderly and dependent adults." The county is now "turning over virtually all of its self-neglect cases to some other agency - often, the police." The Contra Costa situation is "so severe that the county grand jury recently concluded that Adult Protective Services no longer has the res to carry out its legal mandate to investigate physical and financial abuse complaints." This comes at a time when complaints of elder abuse are on the rise. According to "national studies," only "1 in 5 elder abuse cases is reported" (Siler, 6/3).
Vietnam recently published a report tracking its progress towards the U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets, which outlines the health ministry"s work with other government and international agencies, Vietnam News reports.
It"s a curious paradox. Black adults are more likely to smoke than white adults and most smokers start as teenagers. But statistics show that fewer black youths than whites begin smoking as adolescents.
An overwhelming number of Americans believe young adults and children should not have access to tanning salons without parental oversight because of the danger of skin cancer, suggests an online poll by http://www.dermanetwork.org.
Metal-on-metal hip replacement and resurfacing have become the most commonly used type of procedure in the United Kingdom for patients who are Read the full text article.
This study examined the 20-year follow-up of the cemented Anatomical Graduated Component total knee replacement carried out between 1983 and 2004. The results showed that the overall survival rate at 20 years was 97.8% with revision of the tibial or femoral component as the endpoint. The survival rate at 20 years of the tibial component was 98.3% and the femoral component was 99.4%. None of the 36 implants at the 20 year follow-up had been revised for polyethylene wear or osteolysis, which may be a reflection of the use of a non-modular, compression-moulded polyethylene implant, since other studies have found polyethylene wear to be a leading cause of failure leading to revision.
MDCT angiography leads to accurate recommendations for successful treatment of patients with critical limb ischemia, sometimes allowing the patients to avoid more complicated surgery, according to a study performed at the Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Many hospitalized patients overestimate their chance of surviving an in-hospital cardiac arrest and do not know what CPR really involves, a University of Iowa study has shown.
Cancer develops when cells known as cancer stem cells begin to divide in
On Wednesday the BMA called on the Scottish Parliament Health Committee to support Government plans to remove the ability for commercial companies to provide NHS general practice services to patients.
Although it is a relatively widespread phenomenon, the experts have still not been able to come up with an all-encompassing and precise definition of workplace abuse or bullying. Basing their work on previous literature, David González, of the High Court of Justice of Madrid and JosĂ© LuĂs Graña, of the Faculty of Psychology at the Complutense University, have defined it in their study as a "process of systematic and repeated aggression by a person or group towards a workmate, subordinate or superior". Their research has been published in the latest issue of Psicothema.
Cellulitis and cellulite are two completely different things. Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the dermis - the deep layer of skin - as well as the subcutaneous tissues (fat and soft tissue layer) that are under the skin. While cellulite is caused by fatty deposits under the skin that give it an orange peel or cottage cheese look. This article is about the bacterial infection - cellulitis.
The discovery that adult skin cells can be "reprogrammed" to behave like stem cells has been a major scientific boon, providing a way to tap the potential of embryonic stem cells without the associated ethical quandaries. Now, in a study appearing online in JBC, researchers have created a line of such reprogrammed stem cells from adult pigs. As pigs are large animals with a physiology very similar to humans, this work provides a valuable model to study the therapeutic potential of this new "induced pluripotent stem cell" (iPS) technology.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has released a new online learning activity designed to support general practitioners and other members of the general practice team in developing high quality care plans for people with intellectual disability, and in understanding eligibility requirements for Medicare-funded care plans.
A rare, deadly developmental disorder of the lungs called alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACD/MPV) that usually kills the infants born with it within the first month of life results from deletions or mutations in the FOXF1 transcription factor gene, said a consortium of researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) in a report that appears in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in US women of childbearing age, and is common in pregnant women. BV occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Because having BV puts a woman at increased risk for a variety of complications, such as preterm delivery, there is great interest in understanding how it can be prevented. Vitamin D may play a role in BV because it exerts influence over a number of aspects of the immune system. This hypothesis is circumstantially supported by the fact that BV is far more common in black than white women, and vitamin D status is substantially lower in black than white women. This relation, however, has not been rigorously studied. To assess whether poor vitamin D status may play a role in predisposing a woman to BV, Bodnar and coworkers at the University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute studied 469 pregnant women. The results of their investigation are published in the June 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.