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HIV-Positive Renters In New York City Leaving Homes Because Of Foreclosures, New York Times Reports At least 50 HIV-positive renters in New York City have notified city housing organizations in the past few months that they had to leave their homes or have been evicted because of foreclosures and that they are having difficulty finding new homes, the New York Times reports. Many Not-For-Profit Hospitals Have Credit Ratings Downgraded This Year, Report Finds Downgrades in the credit ratings of U.S. not-for-profit health care systems and hospitals exceeded upgrades by a 2-to-1 ratio this year for the first time since 2003, according to a report released on Monday by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. U.S. Census Bureau Releases New Figures On The Uninsured "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007," U.S. Census Bureau: The Census Bureau on Tuesday released findings from the Current Population Survey that show both the percentage and number of U.S. residents without health insurance decreased in 2007. The percentage of U.S residents without health insurance was 15.3% in 2007, down from 15. Stanford University To Limit Pharmaceutical Industry Financing Of Continuing Medical Education Stanford University officials on Tuesday plan to announce a new policy under which pharmaceutical and medical device companies no longer will have the ability to select continuing medical education courses that they seek to finance for physicians at the university's School of Medicine, the New York Times reports. Stamford, Conn., Officials Concerned About HIV/AIDS Among Hispanics HIV/AIDS advocates in Stamford, Conn., are expressing concern about HIV/AIDS cases among Hispanics and how to effectively target outreach efforts toward the community, the Stamford Advocate reports. As of June, 118 Hispanics in Stamford were living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Stamford Health Department. Hispanics make up 22.3% of all current HIV/AIDS cases in the city and 19. Opinion Piece Discusses Need For Stronger Privacy Measures For Health Records The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act notification form received by patients during doctor visits "offers no control over who sees your information and instead just tells you about some of the entities that can access your information, rather than asking for your permission," acco Democratic National Committee Approves Platform With Health Care Language; Obama Campaigns In Iowa The Democratic National Committee on Monday during the Democratic National Convention voted to adopt a non-binding party platform that includes language about health care, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. According to the AP/Newsday, the platform in large part follows recommendations from presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill. Breastfeeding Could Reduce Risk Of Aggressive Form Of Breast Cancer That Disproportionately Affects Black, Younger Women Breastfeeding for at least six months might lower the risk of developing so-called "triple negative" breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease that is more common in black and younger women, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Cancer, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports (Paulson, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 8/24). Health Care 'Great Unfinished Business Of 20th Century,' Sen. Kerry Writes In Opinion Piece "Today, quality health care for all stands alone as the great unfinished business of 20th century progressive social legislation," and "we must now realize that our failed health care system is not just a moral challenge -- it's a major economic liability, too," Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) writes in an opinion piece in The Hill. HHS Inspector General Report Finds Agency Significantly Underestimated Rate Of Improper Payments For Medicare Durable Medical Equipment HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson on Monday released a federal audit that found that Medicare officials underestimated the amount of incorrect payments for durable medical equipment in 2006 and that the miscalculation was caused by the agency's failure to have auditors follow CMS' policy for checking claims, the Wall Street Journal reports (Zhang, Wall Street Journal, 8/26). PSI HIV/AIDS Program Reaches Out To Prisoners In Mexico Population Services International has created HIV/AIDS awareness programs inside five Mexican prisons to address myths surrounding the disease and prevent its spread, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, scientific surveys of HIV/AIDS rates in Mexican prisons do not exist, and prison authorities are hesitant to admit that the disease is a problem. Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics. Blogs Comment On New HHS Regulation, Election Issues The following is a summary of selected women's health-related blog entries. No Link Found Between Diverticular Disease And Consumption Of Nuts, Seeds, And Corn A new study published in the August 27 issue of JAMA reports good news for men who enjoy nuts, corn, or popcorn. Researchers studying a large cohort of men have found that consumption of these foods does not increase the risk of diverticulosis or diverticular complications - a conclusion that is contrary to common beliefs. Ottawa Citizen Examines Campaign Aimed At Changing Behavior In Uganda To Fight HIV/AIDS The Ottawa Citizen on Sunday examined a campaign in Uganda aimed at stopping unsafe sexual behavior -- particularly among young women and older men -- that is contributing the spread of HIV in the country. Uganda "stands out as one of the world's success stories in battling and preventing" HIV/AIDS, the Citizen reports. Alabama Board Approves Plan To Charge State Employees For Obesity, Health Problems The Alabama State Employees' Insurance Board last week approved a plan that will require state employees who are obese or have health problems to make progress to address those issues or pay a monthly charge for health insurance, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Opinion Pieces Comment On Abortion, Presidential Election Several newspapers recently published opinion pieces about abortion and the presidential election. Summaries appear below.~ Christine Flowers, Philadelphia Daily News: Although Sen. Bob Casey (D-Penn. Society Course Provides Intensive Introduction To Tabletting, UK Graduates and technical staff looking for an intensive introduction to tabletting and the associated processes are encouraged to register for the course Tabletting Technology for the Pharmaceutical Industry, organised by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in partnership with the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Ministers Encourage HIV Testing In New Orleans Black Churches Seven ministers in New Orleans on Sunday took HIV tests in front of their congregations totaling more than 2,000 people in an effort to confront the stigma associated with the virus in the black community, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. HIV tests were offered immediately after the services at nearby locations or in the churches themselves. State, Personal Errors Lead To Wrongful Coverage Termination For Some Commonwealth Care Beneficiaries Since January, Commonwealth Care coverage for tens of thousands of Massachusetts residents was wrongfully terminated either because of their own mistakes or errors made by the state, according to enrollment data, the Boston Globe reports. The enrollment data do not show how many people later re-enrolled in the program or how many of the cancellations were erroneous. Mexico's Supreme Court Considers Challenge To Mexico City Law Permitting Abortion Mexico's Supreme Court on Monday began public deliberations on a legal challenge filed last year by the conservative federal government seeking to overturn a 2007 law passed by Mexico City's government that made abortions legal, the New York Times reports. LFA Launches Center For Clinical Trials Education The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) has announced the launch of the Center for Clinical Trials Education (CCTE), a resource for people interested in learning about and joining lupus clinical trials. The initial programs of the CCTE include a Website (www.lupus. New York Health Department To Decide Soon Whether Medicaid Beneficiaries With HIV/AIDS Should Be Moved Into Managed Care Plans The New York State Department of Health in the next few weeks is expected to issue a final decision on whether to switch Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS from fee-for-service plans to managed care plans, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/24). Changes To California Health Insurance Programs Might Result In Loss Of Coverage For Thousands Of Children Efforts by California to expand health insurance to all children have "stalled," and "thousands of kids are in danger of losing insurance" as a result of recent changes to state programs, the Los Angeles Times reports. Some Experts Concerned That Women Still Are Undergoing Clandestine Abortions, ABC News Reports Despite Roe v. Wade and FDA's approval of the medication abortion drug mifepristone in 2000, some physicians recently have seen cases that have caused them to worry that the "phenomenon of underground abortions is still a reality," ABC News reports. Animals Adapt Their Vocal Signals To Social Situations A special August issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, presents a host of studies that investigate the way that animals adapt their calls, chirps, barks and whistles to their social situation. City Funding Reaches Needle-Exchange Programs In Washington, D.C. Funding for needle-exchange programs in Washington, D.C., is beginning to reach groups that run the programs eight months after Congress lifted a ban of city funding for needle-exchange programs, but it is unclear how effective the increased funding will be at reducing the spread of HIV in the district, the AP/Washington Times reports (Westley, AP/Washington Times, 8/24). Washington Post Profiles Physicians Who Have Adopted 'Micro-Practice' Model The Washington Post on Tuesday examined how "in the midst of the national dialogue about quality and systemic reform, ... countless doctors, generalists and specialists alike are ... reinventing their clinical practices and finding more effective and more fulfilling ways of practicing medicine" that focus on patient-centered care, chronic disease management, self-care and medical homes. Democrats Adopt New Platform At National Convention That Reaffirms Abortion Rights The Democratic Party on Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Denver adopted a new platform that reaffirms the party's support for abortion rights, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports.The platform states that the Democratic Party "strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. FDA Approves First Bone Marrow Stimulator To Treat Immune-Related Low Platelet Counts The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Nplate (romiplostim), the first product that directly stimulates the bone marrow to produce needed platelets in patients with a rare blood disorder that can lead to serious bleeding. Singer Sandi Thom Ages 30 Years To Warn Young People About Sunbeds Singer/songwriter Sandi Thom, aged 27, has teamed up with Cancer Research UK to warn youngsters about the dangers of using sunbeds. The charity has today published shocking images of how Sandi could look in thirty years time through overexposure to UV rays, which in some sunbeds can be 10-15 times higher than those of the midday sun. Government Takes Further Action On Substances As Part Of World-Leading Chemicals Management Plan The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health, and the Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment, released preliminary findings for 19 chemical substances identified as high priorities for action under Batch 3 of the Chemicals Management Plan. Society Of Interventional Radiology Issues Call For Abstracts For 2009 Annual Scientific Meeting Scientific abstracts, covering all areas of vascular and nonvascular interventional radiology, are being accepted for the 2009 Society of Interventional Radiology's Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, Calif. Online abstract submission began in July for original scientific material for oral or poster presentations. The deadline for abstract submission deadline is Oct. 7. Journal Of Vascular And Interventional Radiology's Impact Remains Consistently High Over Past Five Years The quality and influence of the Society of Interventional Radiology's Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology has remained consistent over the past five years, placing the society's flagship publication in the top third of 87 radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging journals, a Moving With The Beat: Heart Rate And Visceral Temperature Of Free-Swimming And Feeding Bluefin Tuna Nothing is known of the cardiovascular function of free-swimming bluefin tuna. We used a surgically-implanted data logger to measure heart rate and visceral temperature of free-swimming and feeding southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii; 10-21 kg) within sea pens in Australia. Viagra Shows New Potential To Prevent Clots The cellular response to Viagra may be harnessed to help create new anticoagulant therapies, according to an article released on August 26, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS.) The enzyme PDE5 is known to modulate platelet activity. Normally, platelets exist in the blood and have an integral role in blood clotting. Medication Slows Nearsightedness In Children Daily treatment with pirenzepine can slow the rate of progressive myopia in children, according to an article published on August 26, 2008 in the Journal of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS). When someone is myopic, or nearsighted, he is able to focus on objects that are close to the eye but objects that are more distant appear blurry. New Target For Fight Against Common Type Of Breast Cancer: Brk A new promising enzyme target for a specific type of breast cancer, Brk, has been identified in research published on August 21, 2008 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS. Robotic Kidney Removal Performed In Michigan A diseased kidney has been surgically extracted using a minimally invasive technique that utilizes 3D robotics, at the Henry Ford Hospital, the first surgery of its kind in Michigan. About 55,000 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer every year. Treatment options, most commonly, involve open surgery with an incision approximately one foot (300 mm) long. Alcohol Consumption Can Cause Cell Death Leading To Abnormalities New insight has been obtained regarding how alcohol during pregnancy might affect fetal development, according to research performed at the Medical College of Georgia Schools of Medicine and Graduate Studies, funded by the March of Dimes. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, affects 1 in 1,000 babies. New Cell Removal Technique Could Make Drugs Cheaper A new method to remove dead cells from the cell cultures that are routinely used to manufacture protein-based drugs has been developed by researchers at the University of Edinburgh. Protein-based drugs are ever more being prescribed to treat various diseases. World Rabies Day Reminder -- Vaccinate Pets World Rabies Day (WRD) is just a year old-the inaugural event was held last September-but in just a year it has touched the lives of people in over 180 countries. Its message is simple; prevent rabies in humans. This year WRD is Sept. 28. Rabies is still a major threat worldwide. It kills over 55,000 people every year around the world and in the United States one to two people die annually. AVMA Issues Statement On California Proposition 2 The largest and most respected veterinary association in the United States is cautioning that the California ballot initiative, Proposition 2, while admirable in its attempt to address the behavioral needs of animals, contains livestock confinement standards that may hurt the animals they are intended to help. Statement Regarding A Potential Disruption In Global Isotope Supply Due To Shutdown Of Dutch Reactor On Friday, August 22, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited informed Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn that a reactor in the Netherlands that makes isotopes has temporarily shut down due to technical difficulties. Drug Designed To Lower Uric Acid Levels May Be Useful For Hypertension According to a report published in the August 27 issue of JAMA, a drug that lowers uric acid levels, allopurinol, also seems to lower blood pressure in adolescents with newly diagnosed hypertension (high blood pressure). Vitamin And Mineral Supplements - Friend Or Foe? Registered dietitians know that vitamin and mineral supplements can be both harmful and helpful. Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide recommends that, in addition to healthy food choices, women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a multivitamin supplement containing folic acid every day. Men and women over 50 need a daily vitamin D supplement of 400 IU. Medical Defence Union Helps Doctors Meet Professional Expectations, UK The Medical Defence Union, the UK's leading medical defence organisation, has announced a new addition to its educational programme, the MDU Professionalism in Medicine & Healthcare Workshop. Targeting hospital doctors and those in general practice, the workshop focuses on the nature of professionalism and how it applies to daily clinical practice. Dr. Pramipexole Clinical Trial Programme In Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Reveals New Significant Results Results from a large pramipexole trial programme in Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) conducted by Boehringer Ingelheim were presented at the 12th European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) Annual Congress held in Madrid, Spain, from 23 to 26 August. Should Tight Glucose Control For The Critically Ill Be Reconsidered? New findings published in the August 27 issue of JAMA call into question the tight glucose control that many professional societies recommend for critically ill adults. Cancer Patients Are Kept In The Dark Surrounding Treatments Awaiting NICE Approval, UK One in four doctors choose not to discuss life extending cancer treatments that are awaiting NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) approval with their patients. Olive Leaf Extract Can Help Tackle High Blood Pressure And Cholesterol Taking 1000mg of a specific olive leaf extract (EFLA®943) can lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension (high blood pressure). These findings came from a 'Twins' trial, in which different treatments were given to identical twins. Vacci-Test Demonstrates The First Same-Shift Test For E.coli O157:H7 With food safety top of mind for consumers and the food industry, Vacci-Test Corporation ("Vacci-Test") is pleased to announce that its first food safety test, FoodChek(TM)-E.coli, has successfully completed a field trial at a major meat packaging facility and has shown that it can accurately test for E.coli O157:H7 in less than 6 hours, including enrichment. FoodChek(TM)-E. Novavax Announces Favourable Results From Phase I/Iia PANDEMIC Influenza Vaccine Program Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVAX) announced favorable results from the second stage of the Phase I/IIa human clinical trial of its pandemic influenza virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine candidate. The vaccine, which does not contain an adjuvant, induced robust neutralizing antibody responses. Novavax's VLP candidate is directed against the H5N1 A/Indonesia/05/2005 avian influenza strain. 'Perfect Pitch' In Humans Far More Prevalent Than Expected Researchers at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences have developed a unique test for perfect pitch, and have found surprising results. Their research shows that perfect pitch - the ability to recognize and remember a tone without a reference - is apparently much more common in non-musicians than scientists had expected. Regulation Proposed To Help Protect Health Care Providers From Discrimination A new proposed regulation would increase awareness of, and compliance with, three separate laws protecting federally funded health care providers' right of conscience. This proposed rule was placed on public display at the Federal Register today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). CDC Releases 1918 Pandemic Flu Storybook The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an online storybook containing narratives from survivors, families, and friends about one of the largest scourges ever on human kind - the 1918 influenza pandemic that killed millions of people around the world. Nearly 40,000 Children In Need Of Urgent Assistance In Georgia UNICEF voiced its concern over the situation of nearly 40,000 children affected by the conflict in Georgia. The UN agency warned that living conditions, psycho-social issues and nutrition had become threats to the well-being of displaced children. Children Most Affected By The Conflict In Belet Weyne The recent conflict in the town of Belet Weyne (Hiran Region, Central Somalia) calls for immediate humanitarian response, UNICEF said recently. Over the past several weeks, fighting intensified in Belet Weyne between the Ethiopian forces and anti-government elements, causing massive displacement, civilian casualties and destruction of property. NARSAD Introduces "Healthy Minds Across America," An International Event Recognizing The Toll Of Mental Illness In Our Communities, Sept. 14 People concerned about the toll that mental health disorders are taking on their families and communities will have a unique opportunity to hear from world-class experts on what is known to-date about the causes, symptoms and progression of such illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia and autism, and learn about current and potential treatments. The Earliest Stages Of Ecosystem Succession In High-Elevation (5000 Meters Above Sea Level), Recently Deglaciated Soils Global climate change has accelerated the pace of glacial retreat in high latitude and high elevation environments, exposing lands that remain devoid of vegetation for many years. The exposure of "new" soil is particularly apparent at high elevations (5000 m above sea level) in the Peruvian Andes, where extreme environmental conditions hinder plant colonization.

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