Cancer Clinical Trials – Video

Posted on by


Cancer Clinical Trials
Sometime in the future, people may look back on today as the golden age in cancer research. "In the old days, we used cytotoxic drugs that kind of worked across the board, just sort of wiped out rapidly growing cells. The newer advances in molecular biology and biochemistry is that they #39;re finding out what are the growth pathways that drive various cancers. And unfortunately it #39;s complex; many cancers have several different pathways so when you block one, you may be able to reverse the cancer for a period of time and then it finds its way to get around it," says Dr. William Harwin, oncologist on Lee Memorial Health System #39;s medical staff. As cancer treatment moves toward individual drug therapy, studies are honing in on these cancer pathways and trying to find ways to shut them down. That #39;s where drug trials come into play. "That #39;s what basically produces advances. And that is also a way in which we give the latest cutting edge therapies to patients," says Dr. Harwin. Clinical trials come in four phases. The first involves patients who have exhausted their options. It looks at the safety of a drug. The final phase generally comes after FDA approval. At any given time, people in Southwest Florida are taking part. Each drug has different qualifying characteristics that determine whether someone is eligible. It #39;s the nature of trials that not everyone gets the experimental drug. "It #39;s double-blinded, so there #39;s absolutely no chance for bias or that someone could interfere ...

By: LeeMemorialMarketing

Read the original:
Cancer Clinical Trials - Video

Superbug’s Weak Spot Could Be Its Protein Factory

Posted on by

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: MRSA / Drug Resistance Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;Biology / Biochemistry Article Date: 28 Feb 2013 - 0:00 PST

Current ratings for: Superbug's Weak Spot Could Be Its Protein Factory

Biologists Gloria Culver and Keith Connolly came to this conclusion while studying bacterial ribosomes at the University of Rochester in New York. (Connolly has since moved to Harvard Medical School in Boston). They write about their findings in the March print issue of Molecular Microbiology.

For their study, Culver and Connolly thought they might spot a weakness, an "Achilles heel", by examining the internal workings of a particularly nasty superbug, E. coli.

E. coli is normally found in the gut, where it lives quite harmlessly in the abudant garden of intestinal flora. But some strains, if they get into the bloodstream can cause food poisoning, and if they happen to be ones that are also difficult to treat, the infection becomes very serious and potentially life-threatening.

Culver says in a statement that they decided to study ribosomes because "cells and organisms can't live if they don't make proteins, and they can't make proteins if their ribosomes aren't functioning properly".

When they looked at ribosomes in E. coli, Culver and Connolly noticed that two proteins already present in the bacterium's cell, RbfA and KsgA, have to be in balance with each other, or the ribosome machinery won't function.

If there is an imbalance in the two proteins with respect to each other, the ribosomes don't mature properly, to the extent that they can't make proteins, and eventually the cells die.

Culver explains that a healthy ribosome has two compartments that must come together, but only when each one is mature.

Too much RbfA speeds this process up, and can result in an ineffective structure. KsgA binds with the smaller of the two compartments, holding back their union until both parts are ready.

Continue reading here:
Superbug's Weak Spot Could Be Its Protein Factory

Biochemistry Online Help with Educator.com

Posted on by

Educator.com announces new online Biochemistry course with Raffi Hovasapian. This course is in addition to 60+ subjects already available for high school, college, test prep, and professional subjects.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 28, 2013

Our Facebook fans, subscribers, and followers had a lot to say while they eagerly awaited the release of our comprehensive Biochemistry course, which contains over 40 hours of college-level instruction. The wait is finally over! Educator.com now has everything students need to pass, and more importantly, understand Biochemistry.

Biochemistry is the chemistry of the living world and sets the foundation for a variety of higher level subjects. Students planning to pursue a career in medicine, pharmacology, forensic science, or medical research will eventually need to take a Biochemistry class. Studying this complex science online with Educator.com allows students to supplement what they are learning in school with engaging video lectures, colorful diagrams, helpful QuickNotes, and downloadable slides. The one-to-one dual screen and sleek interface not only makes learning aesthetically pleasing, but also engaging as well. Additionally, our powerful search engine allows viewers to pinpoint exactly where in the lesson they want to review or skip ahead. Find topics such as Osmosis, Titrations, or Monosaccharides quickly and easily! Also be sure to check out the popular Organic Chemistry course.

For the affordable price of $35 dollars a month, students have complete access to a variety of high school, college, and advanced level science courses. With 60+ courses to choose from on Educator.com, students can learn just about anything, anywhere. Opt for the 6 month or 12 month bundle plan and save even more.

Educator.com is excited to provide todays future scientists with digital study material that meets both their academic and financial needs. New and exciting courses are frequently added. At this time Educators Biochemistry lessons are available for immediate viewing.

###

Educator.com pairs students with the best university professors and educators in the country. Educators goal is to provide high school, college, and professional students with a variety of academic subjects in an online video format that is affordable, accessible, effective, and comprehensive.

The most effective way to improve education is to have the best teachers teach. With the best instructor in a subject, learning anything is possible. Every student deserves an excellent education regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status and with Educator.coms affordable pricing everyone can access the sites complete content. For more information about the company please visit the About Us Page.

Eric Hung Educator, Inc (310)-804-8736 Email Information

Read more:
Biochemistry Online Help with Educator.com

Voting glitch affects USG Social and Behavioral Sciences senatorial race

Posted on by

Ohio States Undergraduate Student Government elections opened Wednesday at noon, but not without at least one hiccup.

Voting in the USG Social and Behavioral Sciences senatorial race created issues for some constituents, who reported they were not seeing SBS appearing as a choice for academic college to vote for their SBS representatives, said Tyler Byrum, chief justice of the USG Judicial Panel and a third-year in engineering physics.

This seemed to be a problem for people for about the first several hours of voting but, to my knowledge, it is not anymore, said Byrum in an email at about 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Judicial Panel is responsible for ensuring the validity of USG elections.

Byrum said he assumed the problem was fixed but that students can manually change the college selection option on the ballot, then can choose SBS and vote for the five Senate seat candidates in that category.

Byrum said the glitch will not influence the presidential election, where candidates Taylor Stepp, a third-year in public affairs, and Josh Ahart, a third-year in public affairs, are running unopposed on the ballot. Jacob Coate, a second-year in political science, and James Prather, a second-year in finance, are running as write-in candiates.

However, how the situation would be handled had yet to be determined Wednesday evening.

In order to try and make these elections as fair as possible, the SBS candidates are going to be asked if they would like to do a run-off election, Byrum said in the email.

A run-off election would take place over a span of a day or two, which Byrum said would likely be next week. This isnt the first time something like this has occurred, Byrum said a run-off election was held for Natural and Mathematical Sciences several years ago, but said he wasnt able to find a specific procedure for holding one.

The SBS candidates include Erik Leiden,a second-year in international business and political science, Jen Tripi, a student in psychology, Kristen Cowan,a student in neuroscience, Michael Flannagan, a student in political science, and Michael Periatt, a third-year in political science and journalism, who is on The Lanterns staff.

See the original post here:
Voting glitch affects USG Social and Behavioral Sciences senatorial race

Eat This And Live! – Video

Posted on by


Eat This And Live!
http://www.jeremiahfilms.com Guide that teaches readers what the Bible has to say about food. Dr. Colbert gives his recommendations on which foods to eat heartily, eat in moderation, or avoid all together. Full-color throughout. Improve your health and extend your days with simple food choices. Today we have an abundance of options when it comes to the food we eat. But all foods are not created equal. In fact, some food should not even be labeled food but rather "consumable product" or "edible, but void of nourishment." This book provides a road map to help you navigate this often treacherous territory. This practical guidebook to food includes "approved" foods and restaurant menu choices, along with helpful tips, charts and nutrition information that will make it easier for you to stay healthy and lose weight. Now is the time to build the rest of your life on this wonderful pillar of health -- Living Food! Meet the author Don Colbert, MD, is board-certified in family practice and anti-aging medicine. He has also received extensive training in nutritional and preventative medicine, and he has helped millions of people to discover the joy of living in divine health. In addition to speaking at conferences, he is the author of the New York Times best-selling book The Seven Pillars of Health, along with best sellers Toxic Relief, the Bible Cure series, Living in Divine Health, Deadly Emotions, and What Would Jesus Eat?

By: JeremiahFilms

Read more here:
Eat This And Live! - Video

Inspector General to Audit NASA Agreement

Posted on by

NASAS Inspector General announced it is initiating an audit to evaluate NASAs management of its Space Act Agreements with private companies, including, apparently its agreement with a company associated with Googles principals to house private jets at NASA Ames Moffett Field.

United State Senator Charles Grassley called for an investigation into the agreement after NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit raised questions about the deal and the use of the private planes in May.

Grassleys office says it believes that NASAs inspector general will review the deal between NASA and H2-11, a company owned by the principals at Google.

Under the agreement that started in 2007, H2-11 pays NASA rent to house more than a half dozen different, privately owned airplanes in hangar N2-11 located at Moffett Field.

Under the agreement NASA can use the planes to fly scientific missions for research. But a review of flight logs and records by NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit showed that of 1039 flights of planes matching those owned by H2-11 in and out of Moffett Field, only 155 flew any kind of scientific mission.

In fact, NASA conceded to its inspector general that 155 flights by H2-11 planes have flown scientific any kind of scientific missions. Thats less than 15% of documented flights by H2-11 planes in and out of Moffett Field.

Now in a memo to both House members and Senators on Capitol Hill, NASAs Office of Inspector General says it will examine NASAs management of its Space Act Agreements.

According to the memo obtained by NBC Bay Areas Investigative Unit, the Inspector General will examine the following three issues:

The Inspector Generals probe into United States export control laws at NASA likely follows an investigation by the Justice Department and the FBI into whether national security information was shared by officials at NASA Ames with Chinese dignitaries visiting and working at Moffett Field.

No charges were filed in that case and Congressional sources on Capitol Hill say the probe was dropped by the US Justice Department. In a letter dated Feb. 26 to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden from U.S. Representative Frank Wolf, who as chairman of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee oversees NASAs budget, the Republican congressman said he was "struck by the broad scope of the ( NASA Space Act Agreements)as well as the unusual nature of some of these agreements.Click Here to Read Letter

The rest is here:

Inspector General to Audit NASA Agreement

Fourth Round Of CubeSat Space Mission Candidates Announced By NASA

Posted on by

February 27, 2013

Image Caption: Artist's concept of the Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) CubeSat project. The dual INSPIRE CubeSats, the world's first CubeSats to be launched beyond Earth orbit, will demonstrate functionality, communication, navigation and payload hosting in interplanetary space. INSPIRE is a NASA JPL partnership with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and the University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA

NASA has selected 24 small satellites to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The proposed CubeSats come from universities across the country, a Florida high school, several non-profit organizations and NASA field centers.

CubeSats belong to a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites measure about 4 inches on each side, have a volume of about 1 quart, and weigh less than 3 pounds.

The selections are from the fourth round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. After launch, the satellites will conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. The selected CubeSats will be eligible for flight after final negotiations and an opportunity for flight becomes available.

The following organizations submitted winning satellite proposals:

The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif. The Discovery Museum and Planetarium, Bridgeport, Conn. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz. Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky., in partnership with the University of California at Berkeley Montana State University, Bozeman (2 CubeSats) in partnership with The University of New Hampshire, Durham Merritt Island High School, Florida, in partnership with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo NASAs Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (3 CubeSats) NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., in partnership with the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (3 CubeSats) NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Florida Pennsylvania State University, in partnership with the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Calif., and the Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif. Saint Louis University, St. Louis Tyvak Nano-Satellites Systems, Irvine, Calif., in partnership with the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo University at Buffalo, The State University of New York University of Colorado, Boulder University of Florida, Gainesville, in partnership with Stanford University University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Texas, Austin Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., in partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, Silver Spring, Md.

In the three previous rounds of the CubeSat initiative, NASA has selected 63 missions for flight. The agencys Launch Services Program Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa) Program has launched 12 CubeSat missions. This year, 22 CubeSat missions are scheduled for flight.

For additional information on NASAs CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/nXOuPI

Here is the original post:

Fourth Round Of CubeSat Space Mission Candidates Announced By NASA

House Votes to Rename NASA Center for Neil Armstrong

Posted on by

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to rename a NASA flight research center after the late Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon.

The resolution, which late Monday (Feb. 25) was approved unanimously in the House, calls for NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in southern California to be renamed the Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center. The bill (H.R. 667) also renames the surrounding Western Aeronautical Test Range after Hugh L. Dryden to continue honoring the aeronautical engineer.

"Not many people know the relationship between these two men," said Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. "Dryden was the visionary behind NASA's X-15 rocket plane and the Apollo program. Neil Armstrong was the one who flew the spacecraft Dryden envisioned."

This is at least the third time since 2007 that the House of Representatives has tried to rename the NASA center after Armstrong. The famed Apollo 11 commander died last year. With the bill now passed in the House, it will be referred on to the Senate for consideration.

"With this bill, we re-affirm America is filled with dreamers like Hugh Dryden, and doers like Neil Armstrong, who working together can 'shoot for the moon,'" Smith said Monday (Feb. 25) from the House floor. [Neil Armstrong: American Icon (Photos)]

"Dryden recommended to President John F. Kennedy that the goal of putting a man on the moon within 10 years was achievable and something the American people could rally behind," Smith said. "The rest is history. President Kennedy grabbed Hugh Dryden's idea and addressed a joint session of Congress the very next month. The Apollo program was the brainchild of Hugh Dryden."

Neil Armstrong, flying with his Apollo 11 crewmates Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, accomplished Kennedy's goal of landing on the moon. On July 20, 1969, Armstrong and Aldrin touched down at Tranquility Base, where Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the lunar surface.

Armstrong died Aug. 25 at age 82 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

"Neil Armstrong turned [the] dream into reality by making that 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind' on another world almost 240,000 miles away," Smith said.

"Dryden was not able to see his dream become reality, as he died in 1965," Smith continued. "And unfortunately, Neil Armstrong passed away last August. It is important for us to honor both men's legacies by naming the Flight Research Center after Neil Armstrong and the surrounding Test Range after Hugh Dryden."

Read more:

House Votes to Rename NASA Center for Neil Armstrong

NASA's Sequester Plan Targets Private Space Taxi Funds and Tech

Posted on by

WASHINGTON To deal with the nearly $900 million budget hit NASA will absorb if automatic spending cuts known as sequestration are allowed to take effect March 1, the U.S. space agency would slow development work on commercially operated astronaut taxis, delay or cancel space technology programs and postpone the launch of some small science missions.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden outlined the space agencys sequestration plans in a Feb. 5 letter to Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who released it following a Feb. 14 hearing.

NASAs overall budget would drop to $16.9 billion, down from the $17.8 billion Congress approved last year.

Spending on the commercial crew program NASA is using to subsidize development by Boeing, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Sierra Nevada of competing human spaceflight systems would be reduced to $388 million $18 million less than it is currently spending and $441.6 million less than the agency had been planning to spend in 2013. [What NASA's 2013 Budget Pays For (Video)]

NASA, like all federal agencies, has had its funding frozen at 2012 levels under a stopgap spending measure known as a continuing resolution that expires March 28. NASAs sequestration plan assumes that the continuing resolution will be extended through Sept. 30, the end of the U.S. governments 2013 fiscal year.

Bolden said NASAs commercial crew partners would feel a funding pinch as soon as July.

Among the commercial crew activities planned for later this year that NASA would not be able to fund after sequestration are:

"Overall availability of commercial crew transportation services would be significantly delayed, thereby extending our reliance on foreign providers for crew transportation to the International Space Station," Bolden wrote.

Meanwhile, a sequester would also put the screws to NASAs Space Technology Program, a White House priority under U.S. President Barack Obama. Instead of getting the $699 million sought for the program, NASA would cut its budget back to $550 million, or about $24 million less than it has now.

To absorb the cut, NASA would consider canceling programs now in the development stage, including a highly publicized demonstration of a deep-space atomic clock, which was set to fly as a hosted payload on an Iridium Next satellite scheduled for launch in 2015. Four other space technology programs could also wind up on the chopping block, Bolden warned, and nine others might be delayed.

Read the original:

NASA's Sequester Plan Targets Private Space Taxi Funds and Tech

NASA announces new CubeSat space mission candidates

Posted on by

Feb. 27, 2013 NASA has selected 24 small satellites, including three from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The proposed CubeSats come from universities across the country, a Florida high school, several non-profit organizations and NASA field centers.

CubeSats belong to a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites measure about 4 inches (10 centimeters) on each side, have a volume of about 1 quart (1 liter), and weigh less than 3 pounds (1.1 kilograms).

The selections are from the fourth round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. After launch, the satellites will conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. The selected CubeSats will be eligible for flight after final negotiations and an opportunity for flight becomes available.

The following organizations submitted winning satellite proposals:

The three CubeSats from JPL, which is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, are:

In the three previous rounds of the CubeSat initiative, NASA has selected 63 missions for flight. The agency's Launch Services Program Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa) Program has launched 12 CubeSat missions. This year, 22 CubeSat missions are scheduled for flight.

For additional information on NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/nXOuPI .

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Go here to read the rest:

NASA announces new CubeSat space mission candidates

BG Medicine publishes 2 studies supporting repeat Galectin-3 testing

Posted on by

BG Medicine announced the publication of two studies demonstrating the clinical utility of repeated galectin-3 testing as a tool in the assessment of patients with heart failure. The studies, which together involved more than 3,300 subjects, demonstrate that periodic evaluation of galectin-3 levels can help clinicians identify those at greater risk of unplanned hospital admission and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The first study, published online ahead of print in the current issue of Circulation Heart Failure, demonstrated that patients who experienced increases in their galectin-3 levels in excess of 15% over a period of three to six months had nearly double the risk of subsequent unplanned hospital admissions and mortality relative to patients who did not experience changes in their galectin-3 levels over the same time period. This increased risk was found to be independent of other important risk factors in heart failure, including cardiac function, renal function, age, and levels of NT-proBNP. The second study, published online ahead of print in the European Journal of Heart Failure, demonstrated that patients who experienced increases in galectin-3 levels over a period of four months were at significantly increased risk of subsequent unplanned hospital admissions for heart failure, first morbid event, and mortality. The increased risk associated with elevations in galectin-3 was found to be independent of all other baseline heart failure risk factors considered. Importantly, this increased risk associated with galectin-3 elevation was also demonstrated to be independent of, and additive to, concomitant changes in other important heart failure risk factors, including cardiac structure, renal function, blood pressure, heart rate, NT-proBNP levels, and other clinical patient parameters.

Originally posted here:

BG Medicine publishes 2 studies supporting repeat Galectin-3 testing

BG Medicine, Inc. Announces Publication of Two Studies Supporting Repeat Galectin-3 Testing in Heart Failure Patients

Posted on by

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 27, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD), a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests, announced today the publication of two studies demonstrating the clinical utility of repeated galectin-3 testing as a tool in the assessment of patients with heart failure. The studies, which together involved more than 3,300 subjects, demonstrate that periodic evaluation of galectin-3 levels can help clinicians identify those at greater risk of unplanned hospital admission and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

The first study, published online ahead of print in the current issue of Circulation Heart Failure [1], demonstrated that patients who experienced increases in their galectin-3 levels in excess of 15% over a period of three to six months had nearly double the risk of subsequent unplanned hospital admissions and mortality relative to patients who did not experience changes in their galectin-3 levels over the same time period. This increased risk was found to be independent of other important risk factors in heart failure, including cardiac function, renal function, age, and levels of NT-proBNP.

The second study, published online ahead of print in the European Journal of Heart Failure [2], demonstrated that patients who experienced increases in galectin-3 levels over a period of four months were at significantly increased risk of subsequent unplanned hospital admissions for heart failure, first morbid event, and mortality. The increased risk associated with elevations in galectin-3 was found to be independent of all other baseline heart failure risk factors considered. Importantly, this increased risk associated with galectin-3 elevation was also demonstrated to be independent of, and additive to, concomitant changes in other important heart failure risk factors, including cardiac structure, renal function, blood pressure, heart rate, NT-proBNP levels, and other clinical patient parameters.

"We are very encouraged by these published results, which add to the growing body of evidence supporting the repeated use of galectin-3 testing as an ongoing monitoring tool in the management of patients with heart failure," said Eric Bouvier, President and CEO of BG Medicine. "We believe these findings validate our commercial focus on the use of galectin-3 testing to combat unplanned hospital readmissions, and will help us drive further clinical adoption of galectin-3 testing as a routine part of heart failure management."

The BGM Galectin-3(R) Test is cleared by the FDA as an aid in assessing the prognosis of patients with chronic heart failure, to be used in conjunction with clinical evaluation.

About Galectin-3 and Heart Failure

Galectin-3 is a unique carbohydrate-binding lectin, or protein, that binds to carbohydrates called beta-galactosides. Galectin-3 has been implicated in a variety of biological processes important in the development and progression of 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 will have elevated levels of galectin-3. Heart failure affects an estimated 5.7 million Americans, with approximately 670,000 new cases occurring each year. The direct and indirect cost of heart failure in the United States for 2011 is estimated to be $34.4 billion [3,4].

About BG Medicine, Inc.

BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD) is a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The Company has two products: the BGM Galectin-3(R) test for use in patients with chronic heart failure is available in the United States and Europe; and the CardioSCORE(TM) test for the risk prediction of major cardiovascular events will be launched in Europe in the first half of 2013. 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 the following link: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352.

Excerpt from:

BG Medicine, Inc. Announces Publication of Two Studies Supporting Repeat Galectin-3 Testing in Heart Failure Patients

BG Medicine, Inc. to Present at Cowen and Company 33rd Annual Health Care Conference

Posted on by

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 27, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD) ), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics, announced today that Eric Bouvier, BG Medicine's President and CEO, will be presenting at the Cowen and Company 33rd Annual Health Care Conference on March 4, 2013, at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, beginning at 2:10 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Audio and slides of BG Medicine's presentation will be webcast at: http://wsw.com/webcast/cowen10/bgmd/.

The webcast will be archived for 30 days following the live presentation on BG Medicine's Investor Relations website at ir.BG-medicine.com.

About BG Medicine

BG Medicine, Inc. (BGMD) is a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular tests to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The Company has two products: the BGM Galectin-3(R) test for use in patients with chronic heart failure is available in the United States and Europe; and the CardioSCORE(TM) test for the risk prediction of major cardiovascular events will be launched in Europe in the first half of 2013. 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.

More here:

BG Medicine, Inc. to Present at Cowen and Company 33rd Annual Health Care Conference

Harvard Medical School derives richer health research through patient app

Posted on by

In a mobile, texting, socially engaged society, one would expect medical researchers to move beyond clipboards and phone surveys to make the most of technology. Harvard Medical School and Boston Childrens Hospital are starting to do that with a series of studies theyve done querying people with diabetes, a growing population with multiple, severe health needs. Elissa Weitzman, an assistant professor at HMS and Childrens Hospital, discusses a recent study that she and her team published, using a social network called TuDiabetes, the open source patient data repository Indivo (developed at HMS), and an app they developed called TuAnalyze.

The team succeeded in gathering a huge amount of information at a depth that researchers could not traditionally capture through standard research methods such as phone surveys and the examination of emergency room visits. What has been missing from organized research efforts in diabetes is the many small incidents that take place, where hypoglycemia hampers or disables the victim but does is not bad enough to send him to the doctor. Understanding these incidents is important to protect patients and improve their quality of life.

The TuAnalyze app collected reports of these adverse effects. It captured incidents of both severe and moderate hypoglycemia that had not been previously reported. Furthermore, patients volunteered in huge numbers for follow-up research.

Weitzmans research suggests the value of creating a two-way street between research participants and researchers, who usually have obtained their data by sucking it away from patients. Toward the end of our interview, Weitzman explores the importance of signing up large numbers of research subjects, which requires researchers to respect their concerns about being exploited and having commercial interests use their data in ways that make them unsafe or uncomfortable.

Major topics of the interview follow.

View the entire conversation in the following video:

Go here to read the rest:

Harvard Medical School derives richer health research through patient app

Mini Medical School lecture series starts March 13

Posted on by

SOUTH BEND -- Do cancer screenings hurt us or help us?

On March 13, an overview of the pros and cons of cancer screenings will begin the 17th annual Mini Medical School Lecture Series at Indiana University School of Medicine-South Bend, 1234 N. Notre Dame Ave.

The lecture series, which is free and open to all, is designed to educate members of the general public about medical trends and enhance their ability to ask better questions of their doctors.

Five physicians will join a panel discussion at 7 p.m. March 13 in the auditorium at IU School of Medicine-South Bend. Free parking is just south of the building. A question-and-answer session will follow this and every lecture in the series.

Panelists for the March 13 event: urologist Can Talug, M.D., of the South Bend Clinic; gynecologist Etta Nevel, M.D., of Michiana Obstetrics & Gynecology; gastroenterologist Patrick O'Dea, M.D., of Michiana Gastroenterology; radiologist Samir Patel, M.D., of Radiology Inc.; and Rudolph M. Navari, M.D., associate dean and director of IU School of Medicine-South Bend and an oncologist with the South Bend Clinic.

Each Mini Medical School lecture will begin at 7 p.m. at the medical school. Here is the complete schedule:

-- March 20: "Surgical Oncology and Advanced Cancer Treatments." John Abad, M.D., of IU Health Goshen Hospital's Center for Cancer Care will review an array of treatments and novel advances such as those that change initially inoperable tumors to operable tumors for a number of cancers. He'll also highlight advances in oncology, including targeted therapies, immunotherapy, gene therapy and nano-oncology.

-- March 27: "Heart Disease: Avoiding or Overcoming the Symptoms." Cardiologist Donald Westerhausen, M.D., of North Central Cardiovascular Specialists, will review advances in treating heart diseases and steps one can take to manage the symptoms of heart disease.

-- April 3: "Mental Health Challenges and the Elderly." Psychiatrist Suhayl Nasr, medical director of psychiatry at Memorial Epworth Center, will review challenges associated with aging, steps family and caretakers can take to improve or manage age-related issues such as depression and dementia, plus health-promoting strategies.

-- April 10: "Childhood Obesity: A Critical Challenge to Child Wellness." Pediatrician Sandra Morgan, M.D., of Bristol Street Pediatric Associates, will discuss the epidemic-level growth of childhood obesity and steps parents and caretakers can take to address it.

Read more here:

Mini Medical School lecture series starts March 13

TBC Bank, Liberty Bank Deny Stake Sale to Russian Banks

Posted on by

TBC Bank and Liberty Bank, which are among Georgias top four largest lenders by assets, have denied that they have been bought by Russian banks.

Speaking at a news conference late on February 26, President Saakashvili said that Liberty Bank was bought by Russian state-controlled Sberbank and Russia's largest privately-owned lender Alfa Bank was buying TBC Bank.

Several days ago an agreement has actually been finalized and Liberty Bank has been bought by Russian state-owned Sberbank, Saakashvili said.

Now Alfa Bank, which has close links with the Kremlin, is buying TBC Bank. Cartu Bank [which was founded by PM Bidzina Ivanishvili] is in itself the Russian bank. Gazprombank is also entering [into Georgia], which wants to buy several Georgian banks, Saakashvili said and added that he had never been against of Russian businesses, but if they seize all the assets in Georgia without then doing anything it would lead to putting Georgian economy in bondage.

Thats not something made-up by me; its happening right now as we speak, the President said.

Saakashvilis press conference was still ongoing when Liberty Banks CEO Lado Gurgenidze, who was the Prime Minister in 2007-2008, released a statement denying that his bank was sold.

Dear friends, just wanted to state that the rumour that Liberty Bank is in discussions with Sberbank, as it was stated tonight on one of the Georgian TV channels, has no basis and no such discussions have [taken] or are taking place, Gurgenidze wrote in an English-language statement posted on Liberty Banks Facebook page.

Together with Romanian tycoon Dinu Patriciu, Gurgenidze is a beneficial shareholder of the Liberty Bank, which is the fourth largest bank in Georgia by total assets.

When asked before the end of the press conference about Liberty Banks refutation, Saakashvili responded: Ill be only glad if its not true and I hope that will not be the case in the future too.

Saakashvili said that he had this information about sale of the Liberty Bank from the National Bank of Georgia. He also added: I know for sure that there are talks ongoing [to sell] TBC Bank.

Continued here:

TBC Bank, Liberty Bank Deny Stake Sale to Russian Banks