Clinical News

Praise the good to improve behavior, says 'Switch' [BC-BOOK-PACHTER:MI]

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:05:00 +0000

"Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath; Broadway Business, 320 pages ($26)

___

Not a big fan of change, per se. Change my underwear, change the channel, change tables, change the scenery (once in a while, for a weekend or so) or hope that my favorite pitcher throws a change-up, but when it comes to big, hairy, fundamental changes, include me out. It's not that I'm averse to change; I'm not, truly. But I've pretty much got it down, so I'm not looking to change wives, kids, favorite sports teams, preferred breakfast (steel-cut oats, please) or any number of other elements in my life. And I'm not alone. But life is change and if we fail to alter our behavior when required to do so, dire fates often await.

The Heaths' previous book, 2007's "Made to Stick," looked at the reasons some ideas gained...

Hockey head injuries studied [The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind.]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 21:13:00 +0000

Mar. 17--According to a study presented to National Hockey League general managers last week, there have been 200 concussions in the league over the last 3 1/2 seasons.

Komets center Colin Chaulk knows the data is trustworthy because it was partially compiled by his brother-in-law, Mike Hutchison. Hutchison, 29, is a graduate assistant at the Toronto Rehab/University of Toronto Athlete Concussion Program, where he is working on a master's degree in exercise science. Besides being the brother of Chaulk's wife, Jillian, Hutchison is also a former player who suffered a pair of concussions.

"What he's trying to get done is give referees more discretion to make calls on blows to the head," Chaulk said. "I think he holds some weight being a hockey player. He's done a great job and put a lot of time and effort into it."

Hutchison's work included charting where on the ice hits took place, and body...

Loneliness linked to higher blood pressure

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:59:00 +0000

People age 50 and older who feel lonely and do not connect with others may have higher levels of blood pressure, U.S. researchers found.

Louise Hawkley of the University of Chicago and colleagues also looked at the possibility that depression and stress might account for the blood pressure increase but found that those factors did not fully explain the increase in blood pressure among lonely people age 50 and older.

"Loneliness behaved as though it is a unique health-risk factor in its own right," Hawkley wrote in an article published in the journal Psychology and Aging.

People who have many friends and a social network can feel lonely if they find their relationships unsatisfying, while people who live solitary lives may not be lonely if their few relationships are meaningful and rewarding, Hawkley said.

The study involved 229 people ages 50-68, who were randomly chosen among whites, African-Americans and Latinos who answered questions...

Hop-on and USAcig Comment on New Clinical Trial

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:25:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, March 17, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hop-on (Pink Sheets:HPNN) and USAcig, Inc. continue their efforts on trying to educate the smoking community of the potential health benefits of quitting smoking. Major study shows, after one year of quitting smoking, smokers' arteries showed signs of improvement, which can drastically reduce the risk of heart disease. Results were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

To view the study: http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/reprint/j.jacc.2010.03.002v1.pdf .

Jay Pignatello, President of Hop-on, states, "I think everybody knows that smoking is one of the main triggers for heart disease and although the risk of heart attacks can often prompt longtime smokers to give up, many remain concerned about minute effects such as weight gain."

Dr. James Stein, a University of Wisconsin-Madison cardiologist, states: "A lot of people are afraid to quit smoking because they're afraid to gain weight."

New research ensures that these people achieve huge health benefits...

Mayo researchers busy at work [Post-Bulletin, Rochester, Minn.]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:21:00 +0000

Mar. 17--Researchers at Mayo Clinic have been busy. Here are some recent highlights.

Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. say the level of a gene producing insulin-degrading enzyme in the brain might help determine a person's risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

"IDE is known to break apart amyloid beta, the protein that clumps together in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The Mayo researchers say their findings suggest that too little expression of IDE may promote development of the disease, while increased expression appears to protect against the disorder," says an announcement from Mayo.

Knee replacements

Mayo Clinic researchers in Rochester have reported that the age at which people are having knee replacements in the U.S. is getting younger. Also, minorities are having more total knee replacements.

"Researchers found the average age of total knee replacement patients decreased by two years (from 70 years to 68 years) between the two time periods and...

Research and Markets: Alzheimers Disease: A Therapy that Prevents Cognitive Decline for a ...

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/74e455/target_product_pro ) has announced the addition of Decision Resources, Inc.'s new report "Target Product Profiles 2009: Physician Insights on Key Attributes: Alzheimer's Disease" to their offering.

Alzheimers Disease: A therapy that prevents cognitive decline for a longer duration than donepezil

Using Target Product Profiles in Your Market Strategy

Our Target Product Profiles qualitatively predict the market potential of a drug fulfilling a key unmet need. This information is...

Santa Clara Valley Medical begins study on traumatic brain injuries [San Jose Mercury News, Calif.]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:08:00 +0000

Mar. 17--Starting this month, patients rushed to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center with a traumatic brain injury may get a shot of a sex hormone.

The county hospital is joining Stanford, San Francisco General and about a dozen hospitals across the country to test whether progesterone, a hormone pregnant women produce in abundance, can stop the brain from wreaking self-destruction after an accident.

Neuroscientists say the trial is the most promising in decades to find a drug that can treat traumatic brain injury, or TBI, which afflicts 1 million to 2 million Americans each year. Researchers say the illness has been chronically underfunded and understudied but is now stepping into the limelight as the signature illness of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Currently, no approved drug exists to stop the brain from swelling a few hours after a blow to the head, commonly from a car crash, an accidental fall or,...

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Initiates Second Phase III Study for NicVAX as an Aid to Smoking ...

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 17, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:NABI) announced that it has initiated the second of two pivotal Phase III clinical trials for NicVAX^® (Nicotine Conjugate Vaccine), the company's innovative and proprietary vaccine to treat nicotine addiction and prevent smoking relapse. The FDA has agreed with Nabi on the study design, protocol and end points through a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA). The SPA forms a basic foundation to support approval of a New Drug Application. The Company also received scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) that confirms and supports the trial protocol.

"With the initiation of this study, we are now fully engaged in the pivotal clinical program that we believe will lead to the successful licensure of NicVAX," said Dr. Raafat Fahim, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nabi Biopharmaceuticals. "NicVAX has the potential to address one of the most significant unmet medical needs...

Epilepsy Therapy Project Highlights Most Promising Epilepsy Therapies and Need to Accelerate ...

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:45:00 +0000

2010 Presentations Webcast Available at www.epilepsy.com

MIDDLEBURG, Va., March 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP), a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating new therapies for people living with epilepsy, today released presentation highlights following its successful 2010 Epilepsy Pipeline Update Conference held in San Francisco. Sponsored by ETP, this conference brings together leading clinical investigators, emerging CNS companies and academic innovators with investors and business development partners to facilitate professional collaboration, funding and partnerships that will accelerate patient access to new treatments. The 2010 conference featured a stellar line up of leading drug and device developers, investigators and industry leaders who showcased the newest epilepsy therapies in development. The presentation webcasts have been posted online at http://www.epilepsy.com/etp/pipeline2010_webcasts .

"The current Epilepsy Therapy Pipeline demonstrates both progress and necessity for resources and collaboration to speed clinical development. Epilepsy affects as many people as breast cancer or Alzheimer's disease, and still one...

Alkermes Announces Initiation of Multidose Phase 1 Clinical Study of ALKS 37 for the Treatment ...

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:30:00 +0000

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Alkermes, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALKS ) today announced the initiation of a multidose phase 1 clinical study of ALKS 37, an orally active, peripherally-restricted opioid antagonist with potential to block the effects of opioid agonists on gastrointestinal motility, commonly referred to as opioid-induced constipation (OIC). The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, repeat-dose study will assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of daily oral administration of two dose levels of ALKS 37 for a seven day period in approximately 24 healthy volunteers.

“We are pleased to be advancing...

An evolutionary theory for conservatism [BC-HORRIGAN-COLUMN:SL]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:02:00 +0000

Now comes some staggering research: An evolutionary psychologist at the London School of Economics theorizes that liberals and atheists are further along the evolutionary scale than conservatives and religious believers.

It's not like they're Cro-Magnons. It's just that today's more intelligent people "are more likely to adopt social values and behaviors that are relatively new to human life _ liberalism, atheism, staying up late, and (for men) monogamy, for example."

Hey, don't blame me. This is not my theory. I'm just reporting it. As a religious believer myself, I'm a little upset about it.

Satoshi Kanazawa writes in the current edition of Social Psychology Quarterly that evolutionary theory "suggests that more intelligent individuals may be more likely to acquire and espouse evolutionarily novel values and preferences (such as liberalism and atheism and, for men, sexual exclusivity) than less intelligent individuals."

Lest I be accused of merely parroting the mainstream liberal press, let me...

Conference puts prayer in care [Tampa Tribune, Fla.]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:21:00 +0000

Mar. 17--LARGO -- Harold Koenig had high expectations for merging spirituality and health care when he published his first study in 1984.

But more than a quarter-century later, "the big divide between religion and science still exists," he said.

"Both sides are to blame," said Koenig, founder and director of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University. "They sometimes work against each other, when in reality, they complement each other beautifully."

On Friday, the two disciplines come together to meet on common ground at the sixth annual Bridging and Spirituality Conference in Largo. Koenig, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and an associate professor of medicine, will be the keynote speaker.

Though studies show that up to 93 percent of Americans believe in God, the idea of incorporating prayer into a patient's medical treatment is frowned upon by powerhouse organizations such as the National Institutes of Health.

"NIH...

Girls bridge math gap, but boys lag in reading [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:26:00 +0000

Mar. 17--Girls have bridged the gap with boys and now perform as well on state math tests, but boys consistently trail girls on state reading tests, sometimes by dramatic margins, according to a national report released Wednesday.

Jack Jennings, president and chief executive officer of the Washington, D.C.-based Center on Education Policy, which produced the report, raised concerns about what the findings mean about the education of American males, including in Wisconsin, where the results mirrored the national trend.

"In no state in the country are boys doing better than girls in reading at the elementary, middle or high school level," he said. "It is a clear and unmistakable trend."

The report examined math and reading tests given in all 50 states between 2002 and 2008. Only those states that had given comparable tests for three years in a row, including the 2007-'08 school year, were included in the report, which equaled...

Why family history ups Alzheimer's risk - especially from the maternal side

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Washington, March 16 (ANI): Previous studies have shown that the incidence of Alzheimer's is higher among those whose parents were diagnosed with the memory-robbing disease. Now, scientists have found the likely basis for this heightened familial risk-especially from the maternal side.

With the help of a new version of a brain scanning technique, an international collaboration led by NYU Langone Medical Center researchers discovered a far greater number of protein clumps linked to the disease among healthy adult children of parents with Alzheimer's compared to counterparts with no family history of dementia.

The average increase in these clumps, called amyloid-beta plaques, was particularly striking among study volunteers whose mothers had been diagnosed with the disease. The plaques appeared throughout most regions of the brain.

The study examined 42 healthy individuals, including 14 whose mothers had Alzheimer's, 14 whose fathers had Alzheimer's, and 14 counterparts with no family history of the disease.

On average,...

Smoking, not history of alcohol abuse, 'impairs mental function'

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Washington, Mar 16 (ANI): A new study suggests that men and women with a history of alcohol abuse may not see long-term negative effects on their memory, but female smokers do.

In a study, which involved 287 men and women aged 31 to 60, researchers found that those with past alcohol-use disorders performed similarly on standard tests of cognitive function as those with no past drinking problems.

However, the findings were not as positive when it came to tobacco.

In general, women who had ever been addicted to smoking had lower scores on certain cognitive tests than their nonsmoking counterparts. The same pattern was not true of men, however, the researchers report in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

The reasons for the disparate findings on alcohol and smoking are not fully clear. Nor do they necessarily mean that serious alcohol problems would not affect long-term memory...

When status on the mind, people forgo luxury for green products

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:01:00 +0000

Washington, Mar 16 (ANI): People will choose a more environmentally friendly product over one with more comfortable features in order to improve their own reputations, claims a researcher.

"Green purchases are often motivated by status," says Vladas Griskevicius, assistant professor of marketing at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. "People want to be seen as being altruistic. Nothing communicates that better than by buying green products that often cost more and are of lower quality but benefit the environment for everyone."

In the recently published paper "Going Green to Be Seen: Status, Reputation, and Conspicuous Conservation," Griskevicius and co-authors find that people will forgo luxury and comfort for a green item.

"Many green purchases are rooted in the evolutionary idea of competitive altruism, the notion that people compete for status by trying to appear more altruistic," says Griskevicius.

His research finds that when people shop alone online, they choose products that...

Study: video games can hurt schoolwork

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:06:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Washington -- Parents who fear that buying a video game system will hurt their kids' schoolwork might be right.

Young boys who receive their first video game system don't progress as quickly in school as boys who don't own such devices, a new study found.

The average reading and writing scores of the young gamers don't go down, but they don't improve either, said Robert Weis of Denison University in Ohio, co-author of the study.

"For children without games, scores go up over time," Weis said. "For boys with games, scores remain relatively stable. You don't see the typical development in reading and writing."

The study found that the young gamers averaged about 40 minutes per day on the PlayStation II system, likely cutting into study time and social activities. Children without the system in their homes still averaged nine minutes per day of video gaming, usually at the homes of friends,...

Early Identification of Alzheimer's Disease With PET Scan

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:57:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Westside Medical Associates of Los Angeles and Westside Medical Imaging (WMI) of Beverly Hills announce the benefit of early positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to identify Alzheimer's in its early more treatable phase. According to Dr. Norman Lepor, Professor of Medicine at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Co-director of Imaging at WMI, "the research investigators at the New York University Langone Medical Center have confirmed our long held belief that we can use advanced imaging for early identification of Alzheimer's disease in patients that have not yet developed symptoms." According to Dr. Lisa Moscone of the NYU Langone Medical Center, "treating at this early stage would have the best chance of success." According to Dr. Hooman Madyoon, Co-director of Imaging at WMI, "nearly 5 million Americans suffer from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's with the number of Americans expected to...

Power of Suggestion: "A Versus F: The Effects of Implicit Letter Priming on Cognitive ...

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:49:00 +0000

Mar. 16--"A Versus F: The Effects of Implicit Letter Priming on Cognitive Performance"

Just seeing the letter F before an exam may make a student more likely to fail, while seeing the letter A can enhance a student's chance of success.

Writing this month in the British Journal of Educational Psychology, researchers Keith Ciani and Ken Sheldon of the University of Missouri, Columbia, based their conclusions on results from three small experiments involving a total of 131 college students. In the first experiment, 23 undergraduates all took the same word-analogies test. Half the tests, however, were labeled "Test Bank ID: F" in the top right corner, while the other half read "Test Bank ID: A" in the same place.

The A group performed significantly better than the F group, getting an average of 11.08 of 12 answers correct. The F group on average got 9.42 answers correct. The researchers found the same...

Why money doesn't motivate most workers: People in more qualified and creative jobs are not ...

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Mar. 16--By studying monkeys scientists can draw the conclusion that most workers -- including top-managers of multinational companies -- don't perform better if they are rewarded more money.

"It's always dangerous to extrapolate experiments on monkeys to CEOs. But there are definitely similarities", Daniel Pink, the American author of the bestselling "Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us" that is to be launched in Swedish next week, told The Swedish Wire in an interview.

Most of us believe that the best way to motivate staff and executives is with external rewards like money. That's a mistake, he thinks.

Although scientists for more than a half century have tried to make us rethink money as the main source of motivation -- and research shows there are no significant connections between company performance and executive pay -- company executives get paid more and more each year in salaries, bonuses and other compensation schemes.

In...