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Radioactive resin microspheres delay
progression of colorectal cancer liver metastases
The time to progression of disease in patients with colorectal cancer
liver metastases who have exhausted all chemotherapy options can be more
than doubled through the use of radioactive resin microspheres. 29 June
2009
Nucletron strengthens position in cancer
radiation therapy market
Dutch radiation therapy systems company Nucletron BV has announced the
creation of an exclusive partnership and plan to merge with sector peer
Isodose Control BV. 29 June 2009
Mechanism for fine regulation of RNA
synthesis discovered
German and US researchers have discovered a new piece in the puzzle of
epigenetics — they have shown that the enzyme TFIIH kinase is involved
in epigenetic regulation. 29 June 2009
Cell reprogramming project gets go-ahead in Andalusia
A favourable report for the development of the first cell reprogramming
project ever in Andalusia has been made by The Spanish commission for
the monitoring and control of the donation and use of human cells and
tissues. 29 June 2009
New communication technologies help cardiac
patients improve their prognosis
The use of phone and internet between patients and healthcare providers
is an effective way to reduce risk factors for coronary heart disease
and the risk of further events after a heart attack, according to new
research. 29 June 2009
Poorer countries with no access to
antivirals in pandemic could use generic drugs to prevent deaths
Almost 90% of the world’s population will not have timely access to
affordable supplies of vaccines and antiviral agents in the current
influenza pandemic, but it is possible that inexpensive generic drugs
that are readily available, even in developing countries, could save
millions of lives. 29 June 2009
UK tops list of 213 countries at extreme
risk to spread of swine flu
A Warwick Business School professor and one of the founders of global
risks specialist, Maplecroft, has released three new maps and indices
revealing the countries most at risk from an influenza pandemic. 29 June
2009
Prostate cancer translational research in
Europe: the search for biomarkers continues
Collaboration in prostate cancer translational research in Europe is not
only vital to sustain the progress achieved in recent years but also to
streamline current efforts between researchers and clinicians and avoid
duplication or overlaps. 29 June 2009
Cancer screening fear is fuelled by lack of
information
Fear plays a major role in whether women decide to go for cancer
screening or not, but healthcare providers underestimate how much women
need to know and wrongly assume that they will ask for information if
they want it. 29 June 2009
Molecular automatons could detect and treat
disease in the body
Researchers from the Artificial Intelligence Group (LIA) at the
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid's School of Computing have designed a
biomolecular automaton and several genetic circuits with potential
future applications in the field of vanguard medicine. 29 June 2009
Drug against winter vomiting virus a step
closer
A new finding on how winter vomiting virus invades cells could be an
important step in the development of a drug against the regular
hospital-based epidemics caused by the virus. 29 June 2009
Availability of diagnostic tests drive
success in hospital short-stay units
The most important factors for a successful stay in hospital short-stay
units (SSUs) are the types of diagnostic tests performed and whether or
not specialty consultations are needed. 29 June 2009
sanofi-aventis donates 100m doses of
A(H1N1) flu vaccine to WHO
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines
division of sanofi-aventis
Group, will reserve 10 percent of its output for the WHO as a donation
to help address the influenza pandemic in developing countries. 18 June
2009
Atherosclerosis vaccine development
receives EU support
Vienna-based AFFiRiS AG's atherosclerosis vaccine development program
based on proprietary AFFITOME technology is receiving support from the
EU's EUROTRANS-BIO call. 18 June 2009
Enzyme replacement therapy gives
significant benefits for women with Fabry disease
Shire Human Genetic Therapies (HGT), has announced that results from an
observational study demonstrate that enzyme replacement therapy (ERT)
with REPLAGAL 0.2mg/kg is effective in treating some of the signs and
symptoms of Fabry disease in women. 18 June 2009
BRNI and Inverness Medical Innovations to
develop commercial skin test to detect early Alzheimer's disease
The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI) and Inverness
Medical Innovations, Inc. (Inverness, NYSE:IMA) have announced that they
will work together to further develop and commercialize a diagnostic
test for Alzheimer's disease first discovered by scientists at BRNI. 18
June 2009
Vivacta raises US$4.5 million to
commercialise piezofilm technology for point-of-care diagnostic tests
Kent-based diagnostic technology company Vivacta has announced that
following successful development of its thyroid function test, it has
closed a financing round that was fully subscribed by existing
investors. 18 June 2009
Edible silica tags could help prevent
counterfeiting of medicines
Cellular Bioengineering is developing a novel technology that can help
prevent counterfeit medicine and other consumables. The tags are made of
the highest purity silica, rendering them biologically inert and edible.
17 June 2009
WHO calls for health sector to lead fight
against climate change
The health sector can play a leadership role in reducing the magnitude
and consequences of global warming by reducing its climate footprint,
says WHO and Health Care Without Harm in a discussion paper. 17 June
2009
Covidien launches alarm management system
for Nellcor pulse oximeter
Covidien has announced the global launch of its Alarm Management System
for the Nellcor OxiMax N-600x pulse oximeter. It alerts hospital staff
to periods of desaturation and potentially worrisome signal patterns. 17
June
Aircraft Medical acquires anaesthesia
monitoring technology from Morpheus Medical
Morpheus' lead product, the IoC-View, is designed to measure the level
of consciousness during general anaesthesia, helping to avoid the risk
of patients remaining conscious during surgery. 17 June
IBM to support Bulgarian nanotechnology
centre and research
The agreement will promote co-operation between industry and academia
and support the Bulgarian government's three-year program to develop
nanoproducts, micromachines and microsystems. 17 June 2009
Unexpected discovery of tuberculosis spores opens door for new treatment
This is a sensational finding because researchers have long been
convinced that these kinds of bacteria — mycobacteria — were incapable of forming spores.
17 June 2009
Genomic data shows swine flu infectivity
will increase but lethality will remain low
Boston-based biotech firm Replikins Ltd has analyzed the most recent
peptide genomic sequence data available and determined that the
infectivity of the H1N1 virus will increase markedly, while its
lethality will remain relatively low for the immediate future. 16 June
2009
Siemens develops RAPID2 system for fast
discovery of pathogen signatures
Siemens Corporate Research has developed the RAPID2 system to speed the
biomarker discovery process for the development of rapid diagnostic
tests. This system marries the power of information technology with
genomic sequencing to quickly identify genomic signatures unique to
tested organisms. 16 June 2009
IBM
opens new possibilities in nanoelectronics with measurement of single
atom charge
This represents a milestone in nanoscale science and opens up new
possibilities in the exploration of nanoscale structures and devices at
the ultimate atomic and molecular limits. 16 June 2009
Artificial liver using human liver cells
may extend lives
The first artificial organ for liver patients that uses immortalized
human liver cells, the Extracorporeal Liver Assist Device (ELAD), is
undergoing clinical trials in the US. ELAD is a bedside system that
treats blood plasma, metabolizing toxins and synthesizing proteins like
a real liver. 15 June 2009
Impaired vision costs billions in lost
productivity worldwide
Nearly 158 million people globally suffer with vision impairment
resulting from uncorrected refractive error, which can usually be
eliminated with a pair of eyeglasses and an eye examination. 15 June
2009
Roche NimbleGen introduces the MS 200
Microarray Scanner
The scanner acquires two-colour fluorescent array image data down to 2
micron pixel resolution and generates high-quality image files for data
analysis. 15 June 2009
CLC bio expands next-generation sequencing
solutions with ChIP-sequencing
CLC bio has released new versions of their premier solutions for
analyzing and visualizing next generation sequencing data, the desktop
application CLC Genomics Workbench, version 3.5 and the award-winning
enterprise platform CLC Genomics Server, version 1.5. 15 June 2009
Toshiba announces two releases of Voxar 3D Advanced Visualization
product line
Toshiba Medical Visualization Systems Europe has announced two major
releases in its Voxar 3D product line: Voxar 3D 6.3.2 Workstation and
Voxar 3D 6.3.2 ActiveX.
The products are widely-used advanced visualization solutions for PACS. 15 June 2009
American College of Radiology offers
learning library online
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has made its entire library of
ACR Learning File images and content available online as a Web-hosted
archive to ACR members and others in the field. 15 June 2009
Over 60% of US bankruptcies due to medical
problems
A survey of bankruptcy filers in the US shows that illnesses and medical
bills contribute to a large and increasing share of bankruptcies. 15
June 2009
Diabetes UK moves into social media
Leading health charity Diabetes UK has been branching out into all
the main social media websites in recent months and has seen a huge
uptake in their use among people with diabetes. 15 June
Leading NGOs call for international action
to combat global epidemic of non-communicable diseases
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF), International Union Against
Cancer (UICC) and World Heart Federation (WHF) have jointly called on
the international community to address urgently the epidemic of
non-communicable diseases (NCDs), responsible for 35 million deaths a
year. 10 June 2009
Deep brain stimulation improves symptoms of
patients with depression
According to the latest data in a clinical study supported by St Jude
Medical, Inc. deep brain stimulation therapy for depression may provide
sustainable improvement in depression symptoms among patients with major
depressive disorder. 10 June 2009
Varian introduces fast and precise
brachytherapy planning system
Varian Medical System's BrachyVision Acuros enables clinicians to
rapidly calculate patient doses for brachytherapy treatments (a form of
radiotherapy) with an extremely high level of accuracy. 10 June 2009
European experts launch think tank for chronic
fatigue syndrome
Ten leading scientists in Europe have formed a Think Tank for ME and
will hold their first meeting on the 13th of June. They want to initiate
an effective research effort to find the secret behind the mystery
disease that cripples an increasing number of lives. 10 June 2009
New peptide indicates Alzheimer's disease
before brain is damaged
Researchers at Osaka University in Japan have discovered a peptide in
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that can show whether a person is developing
Alzheimer's disease. Measuring the level of this peptide could show that
the disease process has started, long before any serious damage is done
to the brain and allow early treatment. 10 June 2009
New rapid cognitive screening test could
help diagnose early Alzheimer's
A new cognitive test for detecting Alzheimer's disease is quicker and
more accurate than many current tests, and could help diagnose early
dementia, according to researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital in
Cambridge. 10 June 2009
Siemens optical navigation system
facilitates minimally invasive surgery
Siemens Healthcare has introduced the Cappa C-Nav, an optical navigation
system that is especially suitable for spinal and trauma surgery. The
system enables surgeons to operate with greater safety and precision. 8
June 2009
iSOFT launches new PACS for diagnostic
imaging
Australian company iSOFT Group Limited (ASX: ISF) has launched its new
iSOFT PACS (picture archiving and communications system), enhancing its
global portfolio of IT products designed to create a seamless electronic
health record. 8 June 2009
Sigma-Aldrich wins award for biological
search tool
Sigma-Aldrich has received CIO magazine’s 2009 CIO 100 award for its
powerful web-based biological search tool, Your Favorite Gene
powered by Ingenuity. 8 June 2009
Jellyfish shed light on how human brain
works
Scientists at the University of Leicester are developing new ways of
studying how brain cells work by using fluorescent proteins from
jellyfish. 8 June 2009
Philips launches worlds smallest TEE
transducer for cardiac imaging of newborns
Philips' microTEE transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) transducer
provides pediatric cardiologists with a diagnostic tool for imaging the
hearts of newborn patients. 8 June 2009
Cost of medical technology only small part of national health costs
and rising slowly
A study by AdvaMed of the costs of medical technology in the US has
found
that it rose only slightly as a percentage of national health
expenditure from 5.4% in 1989
to 6.2% in 2006, despite huge technological advances. 8 June 2009
European medical technology sector
weathering storm but expecting tougher times
A recent survey by Eucomed of medical technology manufacturers across
Europe has found that the recession was having a significant negative
impact on only 20% of the companies. 8 June 2009
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Diabetes care not improved by pay
incentives for primary care doctors
The care of patients with diabetes in the UK has improved over the last
decade, but this does not seem to be a direct result of the Quality and
Outcomes Framework — the scheme that rewards UK general practices for
delivering quality care. 5 June 2009
Spanish project develops microfluidic chip
for regulating diabetes
Scientists of the Electronic Technology Group of the University of
Seville (US) have completed the first phase of Mireia, a research
project to develop a microfluidic chip to monitor and medicate diabetes.
5 June 2009
Bruker's new solariX mass spectrometer
gives ten-fold increase in sensitivity
The solariX is the culmination of a number of key technology
developments that deliver unique capabilities and unparalleled
ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry performance and versatility. 5
June 2009
Satoris launches blood tests for
Alzheimer’s research and drug development
Satoris has launched of three research-use tests — two panels of plasma
biomarkers shown to be significant in the neurodegenerative disease
process, and a dementia discrimination panel. 5 June 2009
MEMSCAP and OrthoMEMS team up to develop
biomedical sensor
MEMSCAP and OrthoMEMS have entered a multi-year strategic partnership
and development agreement to manufacture a MEMS sensor for the
assessment and treatment of mechanical low back pain. 5 June 2009
Signostics
receives FDA clearance for world’s smallest ultrasound scanner
Signostics’ device makes it affordable for individual healthcare
professionals to use ultrasound in their clinical practice. This
breakthrough product is the first ultrasound platform technology that
clinicians can place in their pocket or wear around their neck like a
stethoscope. 5 June 2009
Medtronic and Lilly partner to improve
delivery of diabetes education
Medtronic and Eli Lilly have entered a strategic marketing collaboration
to support each other's commitment to help people with diabetes manage
their blood sugar using insulin therapy. 5 June 2009
Lantheus Medical Imaging mitigates impact
of global Molybdenum-99 supply crisis
Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc. has signed an agreement with NTP
Radioisotopes (Pty) Ltd., a subsidiary of the South African Nuclear
Energy Corporation (NECSA), to manufacture and supply Lantheus with an
ongoing volume of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), a key isotope used in medical
imaging procedures. 5 June 2009
Dual energy CT shows promise as new
diagnostic method for gout
A study at the Vancouver General Hospital in Canada shows that
dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has potential for identifying
deposits of uric acid to diagnose gout. 4 June 2009
Oxford Biosensors placed in administration
following funding withdrawal
Biotech Company, Oxford Biosensors has been put up for sale following
the appointment of administrators. The company has developed unique
technology for point-of-care electrochemical testing for lipids and
other analytes, for use in the cholesterol, diabetes and renal function
diagnostic testing markets. 4 June 2009
Breakthrough in radiotherapy promises
targeted cancer treatment
A research group from the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the
Netherlands has successfully proven that simultaneous radiation
treatment and diagnostic-quality MRI is feasible. 3 June 2009
Rapid prostate cancer test based on citrate
levels in prostate samples
Researchers from the Universities of Durham and Maryland have developed
a test that uses light to measure citrate levels in samples from the
prostate gland. The technique could provide the basis of a rapid means
of detecting prostate cancer. 3 June 2009
University of Hertfordshire to host
international symposium on the future of medical technology
The International MedTech Symposium hosted by the University’s Medical
Technology Innovation Centre (MTIC) will bring together opinion leaders
from industry, government, academia and finance to examine the future of
the MedTech industry. 3 June 2009
University College London awarded £5
million for nanomedicine research
UCL has won grants for four nanotechnology projects that will develop
targeting agents to treat cancer, multi-marker HIV smart chips, novel
therapies for Alzheimer's disease, and non-invasive imaging to detect
colon cancer biomarkers. 3 June 2009
One-day course on innovative medical
devices and medical technology
The Institute of Nanotechnology is running a one-day interactive
Workshop on 8 July in collaboration with the University of Sheffield.
The course provides a showcase of innovative medical technologies
developed both at the University and by a number of locally-based
companies. 3 June 2009
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