Health and Medical News Headlines for October 15, 2008

UPDATE 2-St. Jude profit rises, ICD sales jump

* Forecasts fourth-quarter EPS between 59-61 cents (Adds forecast, analyst comment, stock)
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:17 pm

Ugandan community outlaws female circumcision (AFP)

AFP - A community in eastern Uganda that has practiced female genital mutilation "since time immemorial" has banned the ritual, a local official told AFP on Wednesday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:09 pm

UPDATE 1-Abbott Labs profit soars 51 pct, raises forecast

NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories Inc reported a 51 percent rise in third-quarter profit on Wednesday, citing double-digit sales increases for its prescription drugs, medical devices and...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:04 pm

RPT-FEATURE-Teleradiology paves way for remote medicine

BANGALORE, Oct 15 (Reuters) - On a computer monitor in his office in the high-tech hub of Bangalore, Indian radiologist Arjun Kalyanpur examines a scan of the skull of a six-year-old boy who fell off his...
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:04 pm

Japan chain pulls tainted Chinese beans off shelves

TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese supermarket chain pulled frozen beans produced in China from its shelves on Wednesday after they were found to be tainted with pesticide, the latest in a string
Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 11:19 am

Quigley's New Kids-EEZE(R) Chest Relief OTC Expectorant Provides Alternative to Multi-Symptom Children's Cold Products That Could Potentially Lead to Overmedication; Patented New Soft Chew Tastes Great...

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 11:00 am

Why Women Have Bad Teeth

Hormonal and dietary changes related to pregnancy increased cavity risks for women throughout history.
Source: Livescience.com - Health | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:59 am

BASF Podcast: Food Fortification - Using Vitamins to Counter Malnutrition

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:48 am

SwiftMD Physicians and Patients to Securely Share Medical Information through a Customized Electronic Medical Record

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:30 am

Uroplasty Announces Second Quarter Fiscal 2009 Earnings Release Date and Conference Call

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:30 am

iMedica and CySolutions to Accelerate Electronic Health Record Adoption Among Physicians Nationwide

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:30 am

Cellulite in 3D, Presentation at American Society of Plastic Surgeons Next Month

Source: Infocious RSS raw feed - channel BNewsHealth | 15 Oct 2008 | 10:30 am

Fpa Launches New Viral Video Campaign To Persuade MPs To Vote To Extend The 1967 Abortion Act To Northern Ireland

Today sees the launch of the first viral video campaign aimed at Westminster MPs to secure an equal right to abortion for the women of Northern Ireland. Women in Northern Ireland do not have the same right to abortion as British women and suffer discrimination every day.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

Safety Decisions Often Based On Incomplete Information

A new doctoral thesis from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet reveals that professionals may overlook important information when they search for research findings about injury prevention and safety. The typical search uses no more than one or two online databases, and often only familiar search terms are used thereby limiting the search even further.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

Healthcare And Education Premises Should Ban Sugary Drinks And Snacks, Says UK Charity

Britain's leading oral health charity has called for a UK-wide ban on sales of fizzy drinks and sugary snacks on healthcare and education premises. The British Dental Health Foundation applauds NHS Tayside's announcement this week that it will stop stocking unhealthy drinks in vending machines and canteens, and calls for similar schemes to be rolled out across Britain.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

New Cancer-Killing Compound Developed From Salad Plant

Researchers at the University of Washington have updated a traditional Chinese medicine to create a compound that is more than 1,200 times more specific in killing certain kinds of cancer cells than currently available drugs, heralding the possibility of a more effective chemotherapy drug with minimal side effects.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

David H. Perlmutter, MD, Named To One Of Nation's Most Influential Medical Organizations

David H. Perlmutter, MD, scientific director and physician-in-chief at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, has been elected to the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

Does Hypertriglyceridemia Aggravate Episodes Of Severe Acute Pancreatitis?

HTG is a common clinical problem but rare cause of pancreatitis. It was reported that HTG is independently associated with the severity of AP and plays a role in the aggravation of acute necrotizing pancreatitis patients. A research article published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team led by Prof.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

New Approach To Genetic Testing Could Halve Deaths From Inherited Bowel Cancer

Changing the approach to genetic screening for cancers in Australia could effectively halve deaths caused by an inherited form of bowel cancer, says a University of Melbourne expert.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

UK Department Of Health Asking Travelers To Europe To Check Their European Health Insurance Card Expiry Dates

The Department of Health are urging all British tourists traveling in Europe this month to check the expiry date of their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as millions have already expired. Currently 28 million Britons have an EHIC, however three million expire between September 2008 and March 2009. By the end of October, nearly 1.5 million EHICs will have expired.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

British Association For Counselling & Psychotherapy Annual Conference 2008

The 2008 Annual Conference of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) is taking place at Telford International Centre from 17-18 October 2008.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

Eight Wiley Authors Win 2008 Nobel Prizes - Dr. Paul Krugman Awarded Prize In Economics

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (NYSE:JWa) (NYSE:JWb), announced today that eight Nobel laureates in Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Economics are Wiley authors. Dr. Paul Krugman, of the U.S., another Wiley author, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his analysis of trade patterns and location of economic activity. Dr.
Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 15 Oct 2008 | 9:00 am

Johnson & Johnson Posts Strong Results

The company posted higher third-quarter sales and earnings despite generic competition for certain medications and it raised its guidance for the year.

Source: NYT > Health | 15 Oct 2008 | 8:41 am

Faecal bacteria join the commute

More than one in four commuters has bacteria which come from faeces on their hands, a UK investigation finds.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 15 Oct 2008 | 8:39 am

Paul G. Rogers, ‘Mr. Health’ in Congress, Is Dead at 87

Mr. Rogers was called Mr. Health by his fellow congressmen for his leading role in passing dozens of measures promoting health care and the environment.

Source: NYT > Health | 15 Oct 2008 | 7:25 am

Millions mark UN hand-washing day

Millions of children around the world are to use soap and water to mark the UN's first Global Handwashing Day.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 15 Oct 2008 | 5:56 am

A Good Appetite: Fit to Be Stuffed

Lacking the cult status of ripe summer tomatoes or the esoteric cachet of watermelon radishes and purslane, peppers may be one of the season’s least celebrated vegetables.

Source: NYT > Health | 15 Oct 2008 | 4:40 am

Clinical Trials Update: Oct. 14, 2008 (HealthDay)

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 3:48 am

Caffeine Consumption Doesn't Raise Overall Breast Cancer Risk (HealthDay)

HealthDay - MONDAY, Oct. 13 (HealthDay News) -- Drinking coffee or consuming other caffeine-laden foods does not appear to boost breast cancer risk, new research indicates.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 3:48 am

Vitamin B No Help for Alzheimer's (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin B supplements don't slow cognitive decline in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, a new study finds.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 3:47 am

FDA will look into scientist's possible conflict (AP)

AP - Federal health officials said Tuesday they will look into a possible conflict of interest involving a prominent toxicologist who is heading up a review of a sensitive safety issue.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 2:09 am

Sweetened pill could help children beat malaria (Reuters)

Reuters - A new, cherry-flavored anti-malaria pill works as well as current treatments, is easy for children to swallow and could save lives, researchers reported on Wednesday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:05 am

Earliest confirmed TB case found

The 9,000-year-old remains of a mother and baby found off the coast of Israel provide the earliest evidence of human TB.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 15 Oct 2008 | 12:00 am

Sweet pill tackles child malaria

Tanzanian researchers say an easy-to-swallow pill could help halt malaria in children.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 14 Oct 2008 | 11:17 pm

Infants Breast-Fed by Mothers Who Smoke Have Altered Sleep/Wake Patterns

A study shows that acute smoking episodes by lactating mothers changes sleep/wake patterns in their infants.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

Probiotics May Not Be Effective for Eczema in Children

A review shows that probiotics may not be an effective treatment of eczema in children and may slightly increase the risk for adverse effects.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

Vitamin E May Protect Against Venous Thromboembolism in Women

A study shows women randomized to receive vitamin E supplementation have a significant 21% reduction in incidence of venous thromboembolism.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

New Rofecoxib Data Will Help Inform Treatment Decisions With Other Coxibs, NSAIDs

New results from the extended follow-up of a rofecoxib trial provide a more complete assessment of the cardiovascular toxicity of the cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor than previously reported.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

Low-Carb/High-Fat or High-Carb/Low-Fat Diet Improves Weight Loss, Mood

Both diets significantly reduced body weight and were associated with improvements in mood, but improvement in speed of cognitive functioning with the former diet was smaller.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

Pediatric Guidelines Updated for Influenza Vaccination in 2008-2009 Season

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued updated guidelines for routine use of influenza vaccine in children and adolescents in the 2008-2009 influenza season.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Guidelines for Vitamin D Intake

Updated guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend 400 IU per day of vitamin D intake for all infants, children, and adolescents to prevent rickets and vitamin D deficiency.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 9:00 pm

The Food Issue: Farmer in Chief

What the next president can and should do to remake the way we grow and eat our food.

Source: NYT > Health | 14 Oct 2008 | 7:10 pm

China orders more milk testing, HK boy sick (AP)

AP - China's store shelves are being cleared of all milk and milk powder more than a month old, a huge recall that marks the latest government effort to restore consumer confidence after four babies died from drinking milk tainted with an industrial chemical.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 14 Oct 2008 | 6:51 pm

The New Old Age: Who Cares for the Caregivers?

Advocacy organizations propose one way to ease the burden for caregiving families.

Source: NYT > Health | 14 Oct 2008 | 6:43 pm

Scientist at Work | James W. Pennebaker: He Counts Your Words (Even Those Pronouns)

James W. Pennebaker looks at every single word people use — even the tiny ones — and is leading a resurgent interest in text analysis.

Source: NYT > Health | 14 Oct 2008 | 6:27 pm

US Supreme Court rejects obese death row inmate's appeal (AFP)

AFP - A convicted rapist and murderer was put to death in Ohio Tuesday after failing to convince courts he would suffer unduly during lethal injection because he was overweight.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 14 Oct 2008 | 5:55 pm

Study: Google does a brain good

Can Google make you smarter? Is the more you Yahoo, the better? A new study suggests that searching online could be beneficial for the brain.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 14 Oct 2008 | 5:27 pm

Scientists bleak about AIDS vaccine prospects (AP)

AP - The global economic turmoil is likely to take its toll on AIDS research funding and add to the problems plaguing the search for a vaccine against the virus, scientists warned Tuesday.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 14 Oct 2008 | 5:24 pm

As economy worsens, so does mental strain

Read full story for latest details.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 14 Oct 2008 | 4:24 pm

Low 30-Day and Six-Month Mortality for Transfemoral Valve Implantation in PARTNERS EU and SCORE

High survival following transcatheter valve placement via the transfemoral approach reflects increased operator skill and lower-risk patients than the transapical arms of the study, experts say.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 4:22 pm

Stem Cells For AMI: New Review Finds Same Old Story

A familiar message has emerged from a new review of stem-cell therapy for acute MI--a moderate improvement was seen, but much more research is needed.
Heartwire
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 14 Oct 2008 | 4:08 pm

How to be sodium savvy

"Enough salt already," sighed Theo Hodge on a recent evening as I added more salt to a plat de resistance I was preparing for us. Considering that he was my doctor, the scolding came as no surprise. But as a chef and food writer, I know sodium chloride salt is an important ingredient in many recipes. Both professional and home cooks equate salt with flavor. But there are other ways to enhance foods.