I am very excited to announce the latest addition to the #SciAmBlogs network Molecules to Medicine, by Dr. Judy Stone.

Judy Stone, MD is an infectious disease specialist, experienced in conducting clinical research. She is the author of Conducting Clinical Research, the essential guide to the topic. As she says, she survived 25 years in solo practice in rural Cumberland, Maryland, and is now broadening her horizons. She particularly loves writing about ethical issues, and tilting at windmills in her advocacy for social justice. As part of her overall desire to save the world when she grows up, she has become especially interested in neglected tropical diseases. When not slaving over hot patients, she can be found playing with photography, friends dogs, or in her garden.

You can check out many years worth of archives on her old blog Politics, Science, and Other Assorted Musings, or follow her on Twitter @drjudystone.

If you are a regular reader of the Scientific American Guest Blog, you have probably read several of Dr.Stones previous posts:

Molecules to Medicine: Clinical Trials for Beginners Molecules to Medicine: From Test-Tube to Medicine Chest Lillys Shocker, or the Post-Marketing Blues Molecules to Medicine: Pharma Trumps HIPAA? Molecules to Medicine: Should pepper spray be put on (clinical) trial? Molecules to Medicine: FDA at a Crossroadsa Tough Place to Be Molecules to Medicine: Plan B: The Tradition of Politics at the FDA Molecules to Medicine: Conscience Clauses versus Refusal: An Historical Perspective Molecules to Medicine: When Religion Collides with Medical Care: Who Decides What Is Right for You? A Taste of #TEDMED 2012: Appetizers A Taste of #TEDMED 2012: Main Course Molecules to Medicine: Have You Thanked a Clinical Researcher Today? Molecules to Medicine: Public Health or Impaired Penises?

Now go and say Hi to Judy in the comments on her first post, then subscribe to or bookmark her blog so you dont miss the future posts.

Continue reading here:

Welcome Molecules to Medicine the newest blog at #SciAmBlogs

WALTHAM, Mass., May 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics, announced today that results from a sub-study of the Controlled Rosuvastatin Multinational Trial in Heart Failure (CORONA) trial were published online in the current issue of the European Heart Journal.1 Study results demonstrated that patients with blood levels of galectin-3 below 19.0 ng/mL at the start of the trial derived significant clinical benefit from rosuvastatin (statin) treatment. By contrast, no clinical benefit from rosuvastatin treatment was observed among participants with higher levels of galectin-3.

The galectin-3 CORONA study was designed to assess whether baseline galectin-3 levels could distinguish a group of patients with heart failure who would derive a clinical benefit from rosuvastatin treatment. Rosuvastatin, known under the brand name CRESTOR(R), is a statin medication indicated for the treatment of high cholesterol and related lipid disorders to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. The sub-study involved 1,462 trial participants (approximately one-third of all CORONA trial subjects). Results demonstrated that patients with plasma levels of galectin-3 less than 19.0 ng/mL derived a 35% reduction in primary adverse cardiovascular events while on rosuvastatin treatment compared to placebo, while no comparable benefit was observed in subjects with plasma levels of galectin-3 above 19.0 ng/mL (p=0.036). The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, non fatal myocardial infarction and non fatal stroke, which were analyzed as time to first event.

"Heart failure is a leading cause of death, and galectin-3 is increasingly recognized as a factor in promoting cardiac fibrosis and poor clinical outcomes in many heart failure patients," said Dr. Lars Gullestad, MD, PhD, Professor of Cardiology in the Department of Cardiology at Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway, who led the study.

"This important study reaffirms a key premise of our galectin-3 research, namely that galectin-3 identifies heart failure patients with a distinct form of the disease," said Pieter Muntendam, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of BG Medicine. "We expected that the benefit of certain drugs may be limited to patient groups defined by their level of galectin-3 and this is an excellent example of such differential benefit."

The original CORONA study was designed to evaluate the utility of rosuvastatin treatment for patients with advanced heart failure. Results from that trial, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007, demonstrated no rosuvastatin benefit on the primary coronary endpoint or on cardiovascular death.2

About BG Medicine, Inc.

BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News) is a life sciences company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and contain healthcare costs. The Company's first commercialized product, the BGM Galectin-3TM test for use in patients with heart failure, is available in the United States and Europe. BG Medicine has also developed CardioSCORE, a blood test designed to identify individuals at high risk for near-term major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit http://www.bg-medicine.com and http://www.galectin-3.com.

The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352

Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release address our expectations concerning the role that galectin-3 plays in heart failure and how therapeutic treatment decisions will be influenced by classification of heart failure patients according to galectin-3 levels, our expectations regarding the importance of the galectin-3 data published in the European Heart Journal, and the impact of the galectin-3 data on the sales and marketing of our galectin-3 diagnostic tests. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

Original post:

BG Medicine Announces Publication of First Study on Use of Galectin-3 in Selection of Drug Therapy in Heart Failure

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Just as athletes are training for the upcoming May 20, 2012 Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon so, too, are the physicians and health professionals who are responsible for providing medical care for the events walkers, runners and cyclists.

Kaiser Permanente takes these events very seriously, says Thad Woodward, MD, a Family Practice and Sports Medicine physician at the Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center, who has supervised medical response for the Pasadena Marathon for the past four years. We try to bring the same level of care for our athletes in the field as we do for our patients in the emergency room.

About 40 to 60 Kaiser Permanente physicians, health professionals and other community volunteers are expected onsite to meet the basic medical needs of participants for the entire course. Leading their efforts will be James Hwang, MD, and Joel Ramirez, MD, sports medicine fellows at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.

To ensure their health care team is ready for nearly anything, the pair will bring Kaiser Permanente Southern Californias 25-bed disaster medical tent. Equipped with solid floors and air conditioning, the tent can double as a command post. Future plans call for installing wireless Internet and satellite phones.

Its like a MASH tent with cots, IVs, and medical supplies, says Dr. Hwang. Its very well stocked. You can do basic triage and stabilize patients before transferring them to the nearest hospital.

Use of the tent, which can expand to 1,700 square feet, ranges from medical center emergencies to area sporting events. Once the tent is fully equipped and operational, it can potentially be used for regional and out-of-state emergencies. During the Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon, the disaster medical tent will be set up near the finish line while smaller tents will be erected along the event route.

Sports medicine physicians say they are especially well-suited to responding to medical emergencies at sporting events such as the Kaiser Permanente Pasadena Marathon. We cover the whole gamut of health issues, from primary care to musculature skeletal issues, says Dr. Hwang. Its nice that the Pasadena Marathon showcases our skills set; it lets the community know what sports medicine is really about.

Dr. Ramirez, who routinely gives community talks on the importance of education, says the Pasadena Marathon is an excellent opportunity for high school and college students who are considering medicine as a career.

They can see injuries and they can help us with cleaning abrasions or lacerations, says Dr. Ramirez. Its a great opportunity to learn whether medicine is the right career for you.

View original post here:

Sports Medicine Skills Come Into Play at Pasadena Marathon

WALTHAM, Mass., May 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics, announced today that it has filed a 510(k) Premarket Notification with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for regulatory clearance of an expanded indication for its BGM Galectin-3 test. The blood test was cleared by the FDA in November 2010 and is currently indicated for use in patients with chronic heart failure who are at increased risk for hospitalizations or death based on elevated levels of galectin-3. Subject to FDA clearance, the new application would expand the indicated use to the general adult population to identify those with an elevated level of galectin-3, which is associated with an increased risk for new-onset heart failure.

The Company also announced that it has obtained CE Mark in the European Union (EU) for the expanded indication for the BGM Galectin-3 test, and is working with its partners to begin commercialization for the expanded indication in the EU.

The validation study that supports the expanded indication was conducted by the Framingham Heart Study. Led by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) is a leading, prospective, observational, family multi-generational study designed to track the development of cardiovascular disease and elucidate its common contributing factors. The study was initiated in 1948 and is a widely-used, generally-accepted, authoritative source that addresses risk factors associated with cardiovascular risks and disease. The study reported that approximately 15% of the general adult population was found to have elevated levels of galectin-3. Individuals with elevated levels of galectin-3 had a clinically important and statistically significant 47% increase in risk for the development of new-onset heart failure.

"Our initial indication pertains to progression in established heart failure," said Pieter Muntendam, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at BG Medicine. "This new indication addresses the importance of galectin-3 in heart failure development. The two indications combined span the galectin-3 mediated disease process from subclinical disease in those who seem otherwise healthy to those who suffer from advanced heart failure disease with high mortality."

"Heart failure today affects approximately 20 million people in the United States and Europe," said Eric Bouvier, President and Chief Executive Officer of BG Medicine. "Subject to clearance by the FDA, the expanded indication would address a potential market of approximately 200 million people in the United States and Europe. We believe that identifying at-risk individuals before the development of heart failure would allow physicians to offer enhanced risk reduction strategies to their patients, potentially resulting in improved patient outcomes."

About Galectin-3 and Heart Failure

Galectin-3 is a unique carbohydrate-binding lectin, or protein, that binds to carbohydrates called beta-galactosides. It has been implicated in a variety of biological processes important in heart failure, and is believed to be a primary mediator of progressive cardiac fibrosis (abnormal thickening and stiffening of the heart muscle) and adverse remodeling (changes in the structure of the heart). Higher levels of galectin-3 are associated with a more aggressive form of heart failure and 30% or more of mild to moderate heart failure patients have elevated levels of galectin-3. Heart failure affects an estimated 5.8 million Americans, with approximately 670,000 new cases occurring each year. The direct and indirect cost of heart failure in the United States for 2010 is estimated to be $39.2 billion.

About BG Medicine, Inc.

BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News) is a life sciences company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and contain healthcare costs. The Company's first commercialized product, the BGM Galectin-3TM test for use in patients with heart failure, is available in the United States and Europe. BG Medicine has also developed CardioSCORE, a blood test designed to identify individuals at high risk for near-term major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit http://www.bg-medicine.com and http://www.galectin-3.com.

The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352

Read the rest here:

BG Medicine, Inc. Obtains CE Mark and Files 510(k) for Expanded BGM Galectin-3(TM) Indication

BADEN-BADEN, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The European Society for Integrative Medicine (ESIM), with support from Heel, announces a new international research prize in integrative medicine: the Excellence in Integrative Medicine Research Award. Applicants are asked to submit papers by May 30, 2012.

This international research prize recognizes innovative and outstanding scientific papers in the field of integrative medicine, thus fostering collaboration between conventional and complementary medicine, emphasizes Dr. Ghassan Andraos, Head of Global Medicine at Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH.

The ESIM research prize is awarded in two categories: one for clinical investigations, the other for basic research. Each of the two winners will be awarded the sum of 10, 000 euros. Submissions must be based on a scientific manuscript that has either already been published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2011 or 2012 or has been accepted for publication. The jury, which is made up of a selection of international experts in integrative medicine, will rate the papers according to three criteria: innovation, level of relevance and scientific excellence.

The winners of the Excellence in Integrative Medicine Research Awards will be announced at the 5th annual European Conference on Integrative Medicine (ECIM) to be held in Florence, Italy from September 21 to 22. For more information, visit: http://www.ecim-congress.org.

The mission of the European Society for Integrative Medicine is to promote science, research, education and further training, support for medical care and providing advice on policy in the realm of integrative medicine. For these purposes, the Society organizes scientific events and encourages dialog with health-care authorities and institutions.

Heel is a pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and distributes medicines based on natural substances. As the global leader in homeopathic combination preparations, the company is also a pioneer in the field of scientific research in natural healthcare. In cooperation with academic institutions, Heel actively fosters the concept of integrative medicine and is building the bridge between homeopathy and conventional medicine to improve patient care and health.

Biologische Heilmittel Heel GmbH, with corporate headquarters located in Baden-Baden/Germany and a staff of 1,300, achieved an annual turnover of 196 million euros in 2011 70 percent of it outside of Germany. Heel medicinesare available through subsidiaries and distribution partners in over 50 countries around the world. http://www.heel.com

See original here:

Heel Supports New International Research Prize in Integrative Medicine

WALTHAM, Mass., May 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News) today announced its consolidated results of operations for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 and provided a business update. The Company will host a conference call and webcast today, May 15, 2012, beginning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time (details follow below).

At March 31, 2012, the Company had consolidated cash and cash equivalents totaling approximately $28.5 million.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2012, the Company reported a consolidated net loss of $7.7 million compared to a consolidated net loss of $3.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2011.

Business Update

"Our accomplishments over the past several months have created strong momentum toward achieving our goals for the BGM Galectin-3 TM test, CardioSCORE, and the Company as a whole," said Eric Bouvier, president and CEO of BG Medicine. "First, in May 2012, we filed a 510(k) to extend the approved labeling indication for the BGM Galectin-3 test to include individuals in the general adult population who are at risk for developing heart failure based on elevated levels of galectin-3. Second, we obtained CE Mark in the European Union for the expanded indication for the BGM Galectin-3 test and we are working with our partners to begin commercialization. Third, results from a sub-study of the CORONA trial, demonstrating the ability to use galectin-3 levels to identify heart failure patients who might benefit from therapy with a common statin drug, Crestor(R) (rosuvastatin), were recently published online in the European Heart Journal. Finally, we recently announced that Mayo Medical Laboratories is now making galectin-3 testing available to their networks, further demonstration of the increasing interest and demand for the BGM Galectin-3 test.

"In February, we entered into a $15.0 million secured loan facility with General Electric and Comerica and drew down $10.0 million," continued Mr. Bouvier. "This financing provides us with additional capital to fund our commercialization activities for both Galectin-3 and CardioSCORE.

"In addition to these recent accomplishments, several upcoming milestones will impact the success of BG Medicine in 2012 and beyond," concluded Mr. Bouvier. "We are focused on the achievement of these milestones and on making both Galectin-3 and CardioSCORE medical and commercial successes."

Upcoming milestones include:

Financial Results

Product revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 increased to $416,000 from $12,000 in the quarter ended March 31, 2011, reflecting increasing demand for the BGM Galectin-3 test. On a sequential quarterly basis, product revenue increased 36% to $416,000 from $307,000 in the quarter ended December 31, 2011. Service revenue decreased to $64,000 in the quarter ended March 31, 2012 from $843,000 in the corresponding period in 2011. In the quarter ended March 31, 2011, service revenue consisted primarily of $700,000 related to an agreement under the HRP initiative. On a sequential quarterly basis, service revenue decreased to $64,000 from $72,000 in the quarter ended December 31, 2011.

Read more from the original source:

BG Medicine Announces Fiscal 2012 First Quarter Results

NEW YORK, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global Alternative Medicine Industryhttp://www.reportlinker.com/p0151179/Global-Alternative-Medicine-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Alternati

The global outlook series on the Alternative Medicine Industry provides a collection of statistical anecdotes, market briefs, and concise summaries of research findings. Illustrated with 31 fact-rich market data tables, the report offers a rudimentary overview of the industry, and highlights latest trends and demand drivers. Regional markets briefly abstracted and covered include United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, UK, Denmark, India, Australia, and Taiwan among others. The report offers a compilation of recent mergers, acquisitions, and strategic corporate developments. Also included is an indexed, easy-to-refer, fact-finder directory listing the addresses, and contact details of 433 companies worldwide.

1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 1Outlook 1Current Scenario 1Key Global Statistics 3Table 1: World Recent Past, Current & Future Analysis forTraditional Medicine by Geographic Region - North America,Europe, Asia-Pacific (including Japan), and Rest of WorldMarkets Independently Analyzed with Annual Sales Figures inUS$ Million for Years 2010 through 2015 3

Table 2: World 5-Year Perspective for Traditional Medicine

Market by Geographic Region: Percentage Breakdown of Value

Sales for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (including

Japan) and Latin American Markets for Years 2011 & 2015 4

Table 3: Percentage of Population in the Developed CountriesUsing Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) (2011) 4Factors Driving the Market Growth 4Market Challenges 5Alternative Medicine - Down the Time Lane 5Table 4: World Alternative Medicine Market (2011): PercentageShare Breakdown by Type of Modality - Herbal Medicine,Traditional Chinese Medicine, Homeopathic Medicine, andAyurvedic Medicine 6Market Dynamics 6Rising Health Care Costs Drive Market Growth 6Table 5: Global Healthcare Market (2010): Breakdown of PerCapita (US$) Health Expenditure by Select Countries 7

Table 6: Global Healthcare Market (2010): Breakdown of

See original here:

Global Alternative Medicine Industry

Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, Bioethicist to be Keynote Speaker

Newswise New York, NY (May 10, 2012) New York University School of Medicine will hold its 170th annual graduation at 10am, Thursday, May 17, 2012, at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan. Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, Sidney D. Caplan Professor of Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine in Pennsylvania will deliver the keynote address entitled Physician Advocacy in a Changing Health Care Environment.

About Arthur L. Caplan, PhD Dr. Arthur L. Caplan is the incoming director of the new Division of Medical Ethics in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center, effective July 1, 2012. He is the Sidney D. Caplan Professor of Bioethics at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, and also professor of medicine, philosophy, and psychiatry and a senior fellow at its Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. Dr. Caplan completed his undergraduate work at Brandeis University, and received his PhD in the history and philosophy of science from Columbia University. He is the author or editor of thirty books and over 550 papers in peer reviewed journals. He holds seven honorary degrees and is a fellow of the Hastings Center, the NY Academy of Medicine, the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, the American College of Legal Medicine and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Caplan is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the McGovern Medal of the American Medical Writers Association; the Franklin Award from the City of Philadelphia and the Patricia Price Browne Prize in Biomedical Ethics for 2011. He was a Person of the Year-2001 from USA Today and has been described as one of the ten most influential people in science by Discover magazine in 2008. He was honored as one of the fifty most influential people in American health care by Modern Health Care magazine, one of the ten most influential people in America in biotechnology by the National Journal, and one of the ten most influential people in the ethics of biotechnology by the editors of Nature Biotechnology.

The Ceremony Following the procession, class president Feres Samra, MD, will deliver the Valediction. Robert I. Grossman, MD, Saul J. Farber Dean and Chief Executive Officer of NYU Langone Medical Center will then address the men and women of the class of 2012 as they embark on what Dr. Grossman has referred to as an ancient and eternally noble calling.

The conferring of diplomas will take place directly after Dr. Caplans talk and Dr. Grossman will administer the Hippocratic Oath. A champagne brunch reception for the graduates, their families and faculty follows.

Anthony J. Grieco, MD, associate dean for Alumni Relations and Academic Events, Martin Lipton, Esq., NYU Board of Trustees, Kenneth G. Langone, chair, NYU Langone Medical Center Board of Trustees and Robert Berne, PhD, executive vice president for health, New York University will also offer greetings to the graduates.

About the Class of 2012 The Class of 2012 is comprised of 173 students, 89 men and 84 women all receiving Doctor of Medicine Degrees. In addition, 6 students will receive a dual Doctor of Medicine/Master of Science Degree, 8 students will awarded the Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy Degrees through the Medical Scientist Training Program and 8 degrees will be conferred with honors. The class includes 29 members of Alpha Omega Alpha, the national honor medical society, established in 1902.

About NYU School of Medicine NYU School of Medicine is one of the nations preeminent academic institutions dedicated to achieving world class medical educational excellence. For 170 years, NYU School of Medicine has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history and enrich the lives of countless people. An integral part of NYU Langone Medical Center, the School of Medicine at its core is committed to improving the human condition through medical education, scientific research and direct patient care. The School also maintains academic affiliations with area hospitals, including Bellevue Hospital Center, one of the nations finest municipal hospitals where its students, residents and faculty provide the clinical and emergency care to New York Citys diverse population, which enhances the scope and quality of their medical education and training. Additional information about the NYU School of Medicine is available at http://school.med.nyu.edu/.

More:

Nyu School of Medicine 170th Graduation Ceremony May 17th

PHILADELPHIA One hundred and thirty-nine Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania students will take the Hippocratic Oath for the first time as new doctors this Sunday, May 13, 2012. Among the graduating seniors, several mothers will we also be celebrating Mother's Day, and the amazing amount of commitment they have put into obtaining their medical degrees while raising a family. In addition to these multitasking medical student moms, 14 students have earned duel MD/PhD degrees, with 23 students completing additional masters' degrees.

9:00 AM Processional

9:05 AM Opening remarks given by J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD

9:15 AM Commencement address given by Nobel Laureate Peter Agre, MD

9:45 AM Presentation of diplomas and hoods

10:45 AM Recitation of the Hippocratic Oath

11:00 AM Recessional

Nobel Laureate Peter Agre, MD, Professor and Director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health

NOTE: Reporters and photographers must sign in with Jessica Mikulski and pick up a ticket to gain admittance in the lobby of the Kimmel Center.

###

Link:

Graduation and Mother's Day Combined: Perelman School of Medicine Students and Mothers Celebrate Major Milestones ...

by Jenne Lajiun. Posted on May 12, 2012, Saturday

KOTA KINABALU: Forensic pathology or forensic medicine is becoming a popular career option for many doctors.

There is a good number of doctors interested to take up the field of forensic pathology or forensic medicine as their future career, said Hospital Kuala Lumpur forensic pathologist, Dr Siew Sheue Feng when sharing his experiences in managing of sexual assault cases in One Stop Crisis Centre (OSCC) during the State-level Violence Prevention Awareness Seminar here yesterday.

To gain entry into forensic pathology or forensic medicine, a doctor must have the basic Bachelor in Medicine (MBBS), have completed his or her housemanship training and undergone the compulsory medical officer service before he or she is entitled to apply to undergo the four-year Masters Degree in Pathology programme, locally, he explained.

He added that there are overseas programmes available. These include the Member/Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (MRCPath (Forensic)) and the Diploma in Medical Jurisprudence (Pathology), both of which are recognised.

The length of training duration for the two overseas programmes is between two years and seven years. The average years spent by one intending to become a specialist is between 121/2 years and 13 years from the day of entering medical school, he said.

And after that, there are sub-specialty courses that one could take to improve on ones knowledge on the newest technologies and so on, he said.

During his talk, he mentioned the importance of properly managing forensic specimens as these will be used to convict person(s) of their crime(s) while in court.

The evidence is, of course, very important in any medical legal case, as you all know, he said.

He urged those in the field of collecting forensic specimens to practise care when handling them, as these aspects will be scrutinized when the case is brought to court.

Here is the original post:

Forensic medicine increasingly popular career option

Several business owners in Westlake and East Hollywood have been charged with practicing medicine without a license after two victims became sick and had to be hospitalized.

The Los Angeles city attorneys office began an undercover investigation of Excellent Nutrition, J&R Beauty Supply earlier this year soon after a woman and her son visited the business complaining of flu-like symptoms.

The woman was prescribed an injection made up of a mix of penicillin and eucalyptus extract by a man identified as Miguel Juarez. The mother immediately suffered an allergic reaction; she was trembling and had trouble breathing.

Rather than call an ambulance, a woman at the business identified as Rosaura Juarez rushed her to the hospital. A week later, the son was admitted after vomiting and suffering chronic stomach pain.

Nine people have been charged with illegally selling dangerous drugs and praticing medicine without a license. Each violation carries a maxium sentence of one year in jail and a fine of $5,000 to $10,000.

"The unlicensed practice of medicine and dispensing of medicines and illicit drugs poses a serious threat to our most vulnerable residents, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said in a statement. Especially the elderly and young children.

ALSO:

Kendrec McDades full autopsy report due next week

Disappearance of Fox executive not a homicide case, sheriff says

Gay-marriage stand wins Obama cheers inside, outside Clooney event

More here:

L.A. businesses accused of practicing medicine without a license

Can integrative medicine add value to standard western practices? Some would say absolutely not; others point to new scientific evidence that demonstrates the value of specific modalities in specific situations.

Health care is complex, expensive and often depersonalizing. It shouldnt be. At the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine, the staff focuses on evaluating and involving complementary medicine into traditional western or scientific medicine. Founded in 1991 by Brian Berman, M.D., a family medicine trained physician, he had learned the certain alternative approaches could complement the usual diagnostic and therapeutic methods that he had been taught in his medical school education and training. He found that his patients experiences were enriched by treating the whole person rather than depending on a technology-focused practice. A grateful and forward looking patient offered him a grant to begin the Center with the proviso that it embrace and study evidence-based science along with education and collaborative patient care to create a comprehensive humanistic approach to patient care.

Since its founding 20 years ago the Center has been awarded over $30 million in NIH grants and has been named as a center of excellence for research. From this work have come over 340 high quality peer-reviewed scientific articles published in the best medical journals. These have been in areas such as acupuncture, herbal remedies and mind-body therapies focusing on arthritis, pain depression, cancer, trauma and inflammation. The center employs a staff for clinical care that includes family medicine and other physician specialists along with licensed acupuncturists, massage therapists, nutritionists and many other disciplines.

As just one research example, acupuncture was studied in a double blind fashion to determine if the addition of acupuncture to best standard treatment improved the lot of those with knee osteoarthritis. Those who got acupuncture, when compared to those that got sham acupuncture, has less pain, used fewer pain medications and had greater range of motion.

At the Health and Wellness Conference a few weeks ago to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the founding of Center, Delia Chiaramonte, MD described what an integrative approach to a medical dilemma might look like. She described a medical student who had suffered from severe headaches for many years that were limiting his quality of life and his effectiveness as a student. His physician had identified them as cluster headaches and had tried various standard medications without success. A frustrating situation.

He was then evaluated differently using an integrative approach. It involved a lot of probing about his headaches, his lifestyle including diet and activity, his stresses and his school work. Like almost all medical students, he studied hard. He said he stayed up until about 3:00am, but in part this was because he couldnt fall asleep any earlier. His diet included a lot of doughnuts and a lot of other high carbohydrate items plus about 12 cups of caffeinated coffee each day. He had no time for exercise. He sat hunched over in front of his computer for many hours each day, and his posture showed it.

His headaches fit the description of cluster headaches, often with a sense of an ice pick sticking into his right eye near unbearable pain. The standard medical texts suggest use of ergotamine tartrate for cluster headaches and also note its potential side effects. There is no mention of other modalities or adjustments to lifestyle issues. But cluster headaches can be amplified by stress, worsened by sleep deprivation and the stabbing could well have been posture related.

So instead of recommending medications, his integrative medicine prescription included the following: he was to see a nutritionist to devise a more healthy diet. He was to work with a personal trainer to establish an exercise program one that could be done anywhere without impacting on his studies. He was to visit a chiropractor to release his sternocleidomastoid muscles and other neck muscles back to their normal length. In addition he was to have no caffeine after noon and he was to get to bed by 11:00pm each night.

Given the pain and debility of his headaches, he was more than willing to give this prescription a try. It worked. The headaches disappeared, he felt generally better, he was no longer drowsy in class and he began to truly enjoy medical school. And he was off all medications.

This is the power of integrative medicine. It used a holistic approach and brought to bear many different disciplines including nutritional medicine, exercise physiology, stress management, chiropractic and family medicine. I wrote about this extensively in The Future of Medicine Megatrends in Healthcare .

See more here:

Integrative Medicine – Part I

NEW YORK, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

European Markets for Orthopedic Soft Tissue & Sports Medicine 2012

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0256022/European-Markets-for-Orthopedic-Soft-Tissue--Sports-Medicine-2012.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Orthopedic

The European market for orthopedic soft tissue repair exceeded euro900 million in 2011.

The orthopedic soft tissue repair market consists of:

shoulder repair (rotator cuff and shoulder labrum repair),

Go here to see the original:

European Markets for Orthopedic Soft Tissue & Sports Medicine 2012

9 May 2012 Last updated at 11:14 ET By Shane Harrison BBC News

Do we need to laugh more during a recession?

It seems the people in the Republic do, with reports claiming satire there is making a comeback both in comedy clubs and on radio.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

It's fairly common now for people in the Republic meeting on a Saturday afternoon to ask each other whether they had heard the latest episode of Green Tea or its replacement on RTE Radio One, The Second Republic.

Jokes are remembered and sketches laughed at; nothing is sacred.

Green Tea in recent times has parodied the Ulster rugby fans' recent visit to the city with both a reporter and the fans - Billy, Ivan and Jeffrey - embarrassed that there was a Padraig in their midst.

Times are changing and not just in Ulster rugby; humour and satire have returned to the Irish air waves.

In the pilot show for The Second Republic the host, Neil Delamere, jokes about reporters annoying Martin McGuinness during his visit to the ploughing championships saying: "Personally, I wouldn't have annoyed any Sinn Feiner when he had that much access to fertiliser."

While comedy and satire are thriving now many have wondered why there was so little of either during the Celtic Tiger bubble years.

Go here to read the rest:

Laughter best medicine for recession

By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

Dr. Scott Schissel/Courtesy photo

Dr. Scott Schissel, chief of pulmonary medicine at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, has been named chief of medicine at Faulkner Hospital. Schissel starts in the new role June 15, replacing longtime chief Dr. Stephen Wright, who retired last year. Schissel will oversee the department of medicine and the educational mission there, advising residents and other trainees.

Schissel, also an instructor at Harvard Medical School, studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and trained at Brigham and Womens Hospital. He will continue to see pulmonary patients there and at Faulkner Hospital.

More:

Dr. Scott Schissel named chief of medicine at Faulkner Hospital

PHILADELPHIA The American Heart Association (AHA) announced today that they have made their first investment through the Science & Technology Accelerator Program into CytoVas, LLC. The company was founded by Jonni S. Moore, PhD, and Wade Rogers, PhD, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Emile R. Mohler III, MD, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, faculty members of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and will further develop research into a screen for a patient's vascular health profile. This new investment program was inaugurated by the AHA to bridge the gap from research to commercialization and bring potentially life-saving diagnostics and treatments to patients more rapidly.

The vascular health profile, currently being developed by CytoVas, measures major indicators of blood vessel health: the number of blood-vessel stem cells and the amount of microparticles, created through the natural cycle of cell death and renewal. More stem cells indicate that blood vessels have an enhanced ability to respond to changes in the body and regenerate in response to injury. High levels of microparticles appear toxic and are thought to contribute to hardening of the arteries and heart attack and stroke. Therefore, the balance of those two components is potentially of significant clinical use as an index of blood vessel health. Since nearly half of the people who have cardiovascular health problems aren't considered at high risk by most commonly used heart-health profiles, there's an urgent need to provide a comprehensive snapshot of blood-vessel damage and the reparative capacity of the body.

The AHA funds will be used by CytoVas for the next phase of development, a clinical study, which will determine whether the test can be used to monitor the effects of statin treatment.

If successful, this technology would first be used by pharmaceutical and biotech companies for drug development and clinical trials to identify cardiovascular side effects of new drugs and to identify patients who may respond particularly well to a new treatment. Ultimately, the test will be used to assess people without heart-disease symptoms who are being considered for cardiovascular preventive treatment, or for routine monitoring of the effectiveness of treatments for people who have cardiovascular disease.

The technology builds on methods developed by the flow cytometry and computational biology group of the Path BioResource center within the Penn Medicine Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, who pioneered the new cell-based assay and a new analysis method termed cytometric fingerprinting. This method automates the task of analyzing large, complex datasets from flow cytometry of blood vessel cells, while at the same time eliminating unintended analyst bias.

With the support of the UPstart Program within the Center for Technology Transfer at the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn researchers co-founded CytoVas, as an early-stage, in-vitro diagnostics company. The team then brought aboard Pascal Yvon, PharmD, MBA, as the CEO and leader of the commercialization strategy. The UPstart Program works closely with Penn faculty and staff to commercialize intellectual property developed at Penn through the formation and development of entrepreneurial companies.

For more information, please read the American Heart Association news release.

The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania -- recognized as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals by U.S. News & World Report; Penn Presbyterian Medical Center; and Pennsylvania Hospital the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Penn Medicine also includes additional patient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2011, Penn Medicine provided $854 million to benefit our community.

Read more:

Penn Medicine-Led Cardiovascular Health Screening Technology Receives Innovative Development Funding from American ...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4zkdn4/skeletal_biology_a) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Skeletal Biology and Medicine I: Mechanisms Regulating Bone Mass" to their offering.

The volume features current basic, clinical, and translational research on aspects of skeletal morphogenesis and remodeling in health and disease. Papers survey vital new insights into the mechanisms of bone development and restructuring, including cellular and mechanical triggers, receptors and signaling pathways. Also covered are the effects of other physiological systems and disease states, such as immune system inflammation, diabetes, infection, and cancer on musculoskeletal health. Recent findings are shaping therapeutic directions that focus on both anti-resorptive and anabolic therapies.

Basic scientists, clinical investigators, and clinicians with interests spanning endocrinology, physiology, cell biology, pathology, genetics, molecular biology, rheumatology, oncology, and other areas that relate to bone development and homeostasis will find this a valuable resource for the most recent developments in skeletal biology and medicine.

This volume presents manuscripts stemming from the 4th New York Skeletal Biology and Medicine Conference, held at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City on April 27-30, 2011. The papers included in this volume include two of the topic areas presented at the conference; the other topic areas are included in Skeletal Biology and Medicine II.

Author

Mone Zaidi

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4zkdn4/skeletal_biology_a

Source: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

See more here:

Research and Markets: Skeletal Biology and Medicine I: Mechanisms Regulating Bone Mass

By Chelsea Conaboy, Globe Staff

In 1819, French physician Ren Laennec published a description of the cacophony of sick lungs, deciphered with his new invention: the stethoscope. Some 18 months later, doctors in New England read about his discoveries, delivered across the sea and by horseback to their offices in one of the early editions of what would become the venerable New England Journal of Medicine.

Laennecs discoveries altered the practice of medicine in a way so fundamental that we see the effects each time our doctor listens to the sounds in our chest. Its among the first of many enduring changes in medicine that were documented by the journal and are being celebrated this year as the publication reaches its 200th anniversary.

Illustration from Cases of Organic Diseases of the Heart and Lungs, by John C. Warren, April 1, 1812, issue of the journal. (Photo courtesy New England Journal of Medicine.)

The journal, now operated by the Massachusetts Medical Society, is marking the occasion with a special website, a series of articles, and a symposium in June meant to highlight how far the field of medicine has come in two centuries.

This is an opportunity to take a look and see how much better off we are now than our forbearers, said Dr. Jeffrey Drazen, editor in chief.

The commemorative website includes an interactive timeline of the milestones in medicine that have appeared on the journals pages. For a selection, see this story by the Associated Press.

The manner in which the journal has reported on such advancements is a story in itself.

When Robert Koch gave a famous lecture in Berlin in 1882 identifying the bacteria that caused tuberculosis, the news was dispatched to the journal via telegraph and printed a week later, Drazen said.

Nearly a century later, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out its weekly bulletin reporting on four previously healthy homosexual men who had contracted an unknown infection -- what would become known as HIV -- the news reached editor Arnold Bud Relman by phone and the first articles on the disease appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine soon after, Drazen said.

See original here:

Happy birthday, New England Journal of Medicine!

WALTHAM, Mass., May 9, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News) today announced that its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2012 will be released before market open on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, followed the same day by a conference call and live webcast scheduled for 8:00am ET.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing (877) 845-1016 from the U.S. and Canada, or (708) 290-1155 from international locations. The conference call will also be available via the Internet at http://www.bg-medicine.com.

A replay of the call will be available approximately one hour following the end of the call through June 15, 2012. The replay may be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 within the U.S. and Canada or (404) 537-3406 from international locations, passcode 72912543. The call will be archived and accessible on the Web site for approximately 30 days.

Listeners are encouraged to login at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled presentation to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

About BG Medicine.

BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD - News) is a life sciences company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, biomarker-based cardiovascular diagnostics to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and contain healthcare costs. The Company's first commercialized product, the BGM Galectin-3TM test for use in patients with heart failure, is available in the United States and Europe. BG Medicine has also developed CardioSCORE, a blood test designed to identify individuals at high risk for near-term major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit http://www.bg-medicine.com and http://www.galectin-3.com.

The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352

Read this article:

BG Medicine Announces First Quarter 2012 Financial Results Release Date and Conference Call Information

MASON, Ohio, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --AssureRx Health, Inc. today announced it has launched a personalized medicine test for the growing number of children and adults diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The new pharmacogenomic test can assist clinicians with important medication decisions that result from genomic differences in how individual patients tolerate ADHD medications.

GeneSightRx ADHD analyzes variations in three genes that influence how a patient might metabolize certain medications used to treat ADHD in children and adults. Understanding a patient's unique genomic profile may help a clinician individualize a patient's medication selection and avoid side effects that often occur with these medications. The test provides objective, evidence-based information for clinicians to personalize medication selection for each patient.

The GeneSightRx ADHD analysis is based on pharmacogenomics, FDA-approved manufacturer's drug labels, published peer reviewed research, and proven pharmacology. The new ADHD test adds to the company's treatment decision support products that include GeneSightRx Psychotropic, a psychiatric pharmacogenomic product that tests important genomic variants affecting metabolism to psychiatric medications for individual patients.

ADHD diagnoses increased 66 percent from 6.2 million in 2000 to 10.4 million in 2010, according to a study published in the March/April 2012 issue of Academic Pediatrics. ADHD is the most common childhood disorder and can continue into adulthood. Symptoms of ADHD include an inability to stay focused or pay attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity.

"ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder affecting millions of children and adults. With the introduction of GeneSightRx ADHD, clinicians now have an objective, evidence-based tool for individualizing ADHD medications," said James S. Burns, president and CEO of AssureRx Health."Our goal is to build a portfolio of innovative pharmacogenomic and other treatment decision support products to help physicians individualize the treatment of patients with neuropsychiatric and other disorders."

When a clinician orders the test, a DNA sample is taken from the patient with a simple, non-invasive cheek swab. The specimen is sent overnight to AssureRx Health's CLIA-certified and CAP-accredited laboratory. The ordering clinician receives the patient report via a secure online portal that presents the patient's genomic information in an easy-to-read and clinically actionable format.

About GeneSightRx

GeneSightRx is a laboratory developed genomic test that uses cutting edge technology to measure and analyze clinically important genomic variants in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. The results of the GeneSightRx report can help a clinician understand the way a patient's unique genomic makeup may affect certain psychiatric drugs. The analysis is based on pharmacogenomics, the study of genomic factors that influence an individual's response to drug treatments, FDA approved manufacturer's drug labels, peer-reviewed scientific and clinical publications, and proven drug pharmacology. Quick turnaround time, combined with a customized report of the patient's genomic makeup, clinical experience, and other factors can help a physician make personalized drug treatment choices for each individual patient. To learn more about pharmacogenomics and GeneSightRx, please click here. Be sure to watch the educational video on our YouTube channel.

About AssureRx Health

AssureRx Health, Inc. is a personalized medicine company that specializes in pharmacogenomics dedicated to helping clinicians determine the right drug for individual patients suffering from neuropsychiatric and other disorders. The GeneSightRx analysis is based on pharmacogenomics the study of the genomic factors that influence an individual's response to drug treatments, using FDA approved manufacturers' drug labels, scientific and clinical peer-reviewed publications, and proven pharmacology. The company was founded to commercialize industry-leading personalized medicine technology. To learn more about pharmacogenomics and GeneSightRx, visit http://www.assurerxhealth.com.

Originally posted here:

AssureRx Health Launches Personalized Medicine Test for ADHD