Healthcare News
A Weekly Compilation of Clinical Laboratory and Related Information
from The Division Of Laboratory Programs, Standards And Services
October 02, 2014
- CDC and Texas Health Department Confirm First Ebola Case Diagnosed in the U.S.
- US Ebola Labs, Parts for Clinic Arrive in Liberia
- New Cholesterol Guidelines Could Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Event Rates
- HPV Guideline Improves Diagnosis
- Report: Unneeded Tests Putting Patients at Risk
- New DNA Sequencing Method to Diagnose Tuberculosis
- Scientists Detect Early Sign of Pancreatic Cancer
- Malaria Severity Influenced by Five Human Genes, say Researchers
- Chagas Watchdogs
- Early, Frequent Antibiotic use Linked to Childhood Obesity
- House Bill Would Boost Telehealth for ACOs
- 25 Years of Health IT: A Complicated Journey
View Previous Issues - Healthcare News Archive
Leading News
CDC and Texas Health Department Confirm First Ebola Case Diagnosed in the U.S.
CDC and Texas Health Department Confirm First Ebola Case Diagnosed in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed, through laboratory tests, the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States in a person who had traveled to Dallas, Texas from Liberia. The patient did not have symptoms when leaving West Africa, but developed symptoms approximately four days after arriving in the U.S. on Sept. 20.
The person fell ill on Sept. 24 and sought medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas on Sept. 26. After developing symptoms consistent with Ebola, he was admitted to hospital on Sept. 28. Based on the person’s travel history and symptoms, CDC recommended testing for Ebola. The medical facility isolated the patient and sent specimens for testing at CDC and at a Texas lab participating in the CDC’s Laboratory Response Network. CDC and the Texas Health Department reported the laboratory test results to the medical center to inform the patient. A CDC team is being dispatched to Dallas to assist with the investigation.
“Ebola can be scary. But there’s all the difference in the world between the U.S. and parts of Africa where Ebola is spreading. The United States has a strong health care system and public health professionals who will make sure this case does not threaten our communities,” said CDC Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “While it is not impossible that there could be additional cases associated with this patient in the coming weeks, I have no doubt that we will contain this.”
CDC and Texas Health Department Confirm First Ebola Case Diagnosed in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed, through laboratory tests, the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States in a person who had traveled to Dallas, Texas from Liberia. The patient did not have symptoms when leaving West Africa, but developed symptoms approximately four days after arriving in the U.S. on Sept. 20.
The person fell ill on Sept. 24 and sought medical care at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas on Sept. 26. After developing symptoms consistent with Ebola, he was admitted to hospital on Sept. 28. Based on the person’s travel history and symptoms, CDC recommended testing for Ebola. The medical facility isolated the patient and sent specimens for testing at CDC and at a Texas lab participating in the CDC’s Laboratory Response Network. CDC and the Texas Health Department reported the laboratory test results to the medical center to inform the patient. A CDC team is being dispatched to Dallas to assist with the investigation.
“Ebola can be scary. But there’s all the difference in the world between the U.S. and parts of Africa where Ebola is spreading. The United States has a strong health care system and public health professionals who will make sure this case does not threaten our communities,” said CDC Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “While it is not impossible that there could be additional cases associated with this patient in the coming weeks, I have no doubt that we will contain this.”
Source: http://www.cdc.gov/
US Ebola Labs, Parts for Clinic Arrive in Liberia
U.S. mobile Ebola labs should be up and running in Liberia, this week, and American troops have broken ground for a field hospital, as the international community races to increase the ability to care for the spiraling number of people infected with the dreaded disease. Liberia is the hardest hit country in the largest ever Ebola outbreak, which has touched four other West African countries. More than 3,000 deaths have been linked to the disease across the region, according to the World Health Organization, in the largest outbreak ever. But even that toll is likely an underestimate, partially because there aren't enough labs to test people for Ebola. WHO has warned that numbers for Liberia, in particular, have lagged behind reality because it takes so long to get test results back.
U.S. mobile Ebola labs should be up and running in Liberia, this week, and American troops have broken ground for a field hospital, as the international community races to increase the ability to care for the spiraling number of people infected with the dreaded disease. Liberia is the hardest hit country in the largest ever Ebola outbreak, which has touched four other West African countries. More than 3,000 deaths have been linked to the disease across the region, according to the World Health Organization, in the largest outbreak ever. But even that toll is likely an underestimate, partially because there aren't enough labs to test people for Ebola. WHO has warned that numbers for Liberia, in particular, have lagged behind reality because it takes so long to get test results back.
Fauci Says 'Inadequate' World Response Won't Control Ebola
The nation's top expert on infectious diseases warns that without a bigger response the world risks seeing "close to the worst-case scenario" in the Ebola crisis in West Africa, amid projections that a million people could die. "The community of nations — European nations, other developed countries that have resources to do it, the UN, the African Union — if they get involved in a very aggressive way to do infection control, we can put an end to this, I'm confident," says Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. "But if we have a lot of motion but no action, a lot of signing of resolutions with no resources, it's not going to happen. We're not going to control it."
The nation's top expert on infectious diseases warns that without a bigger response the world risks seeing "close to the worst-case scenario" in the Ebola crisis in West Africa, amid projections that a million people could die. "The community of nations — European nations, other developed countries that have resources to do it, the UN, the African Union — if they get involved in a very aggressive way to do infection control, we can put an end to this, I'm confident," says Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health. "But if we have a lot of motion but no action, a lot of signing of resolutions with no resources, it's not going to happen. We're not going to control it."
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/
Nigeria’s Actions Seem to Contain Ebola Outbreak
With quick and coordinated action by some of its top doctors, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, appears to have contained its first Ebola outbreak, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. As the epidemic rages out of control in three nations only a few hundred miles away, Nigeria is the only country to have beaten back an outbreak with the potential to harm many victims in a city with vast, teeming slums.
With quick and coordinated action by some of its top doctors, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, appears to have contained its first Ebola outbreak, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. As the epidemic rages out of control in three nations only a few hundred miles away, Nigeria is the only country to have beaten back an outbreak with the potential to harm many victims in a city with vast, teeming slums.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/
Keeping Watch
The White House released a new policy guiding how dual-use research of concern — such as work reconstructing the 1918 flu virus or making an avian flu strain more easily transmitted — should be overseen. These new regulations aim to “preserve the benefits of life-science research while minimizing the risk of misuse," US National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins tells the New York Times. In particular, the policy focuses on experiments involving 15 specific agents and toxins, such as Bacillus anthracis, the Ebola virus, and Yersinia pestis that aim to make them more harmful, more contagious, or resistant to therapies, among others. Projects involving these pathogens are to be assessed by a board at the researchers' institution that will determine the risks and inform the federal funding agency, typically the NIH. The investigators and their institution would then develop a plan to mitigate those risks, while the funding agency will provide guidance and determine whether the project should be funded.
The White House released a new policy guiding how dual-use research of concern — such as work reconstructing the 1918 flu virus or making an avian flu strain more easily transmitted — should be overseen. These new regulations aim to “preserve the benefits of life-science research while minimizing the risk of misuse," US National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins tells the New York Times. In particular, the policy focuses on experiments involving 15 specific agents and toxins, such as Bacillus anthracis, the Ebola virus, and Yersinia pestis that aim to make them more harmful, more contagious, or resistant to therapies, among others. Projects involving these pathogens are to be assessed by a board at the researchers' institution that will determine the risks and inform the federal funding agency, typically the NIH. The investigators and their institution would then develop a plan to mitigate those risks, while the funding agency will provide guidance and determine whether the project should be funded.
Source: http://www.genomeweb.com/
Kaiser Permanente's Genetic Database Is Boon to Medical Research
Over the past decade, Kaiser Permanente has spent more than $4 billion building the world’s largest private-sector collection of electronic health-care records. The data have become the cornerstone of a new scientific resource: a biobank that links the health records of more than 210,000 Kaiser members with samples of their DNA. The Oakland (Calif.)-based health network has teamed up with the University of California at San Francisco so scientists can use the collection to search for the genetic roots of diseases including glaucoma and prostate cancer.
Over the past decade, Kaiser Permanente has spent more than $4 billion building the world’s largest private-sector collection of electronic health-care records. The data have become the cornerstone of a new scientific resource: a biobank that links the health records of more than 210,000 Kaiser members with samples of their DNA. The Oakland (Calif.)-based health network has teamed up with the University of California at San Francisco so scientists can use the collection to search for the genetic roots of diseases including glaucoma and prostate cancer.
Source: http://www.businessweek.com/
New Cholesterol Guidelines Could Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Event Rates
Dallas Heart Study analysis shows adopting new guidelines that increase statin eligibility would significantly reduce heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared the impact of controversial new cholesterol guidelines to treatment based on previous cholesterol guidelines. Their research, published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, found that applying the new guidelines significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes. In 2013, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association introduced new cholesterol guidelines that recommend statins for patients with existing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and very high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as for patients with a high 10-year risk for heart disease. The new guidelines replace previous guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program/Third Adult Treatment Panel that were based on a different formula that involved targeting specific cholesterol levels. The new guidelines were met with heated debate due to a sizeable increase in statin eligibility, estimated at 11% or about 12.8 million Americans.
Source: https://www.aacc.org/Dallas Heart Study analysis shows adopting new guidelines that increase statin eligibility would significantly reduce heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared the impact of controversial new cholesterol guidelines to treatment based on previous cholesterol guidelines. Their research, published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, found that applying the new guidelines significantly reduces heart attacks and strokes. In 2013, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association introduced new cholesterol guidelines that recommend statins for patients with existing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and very high levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, as well as for patients with a high 10-year risk for heart disease. The new guidelines replace previous guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program/Third Adult Treatment Panel that were based on a different formula that involved targeting specific cholesterol levels. The new guidelines were met with heated debate due to a sizeable increase in statin eligibility, estimated at 11% or about 12.8 million Americans.
Laboratory Testing / Diagnostics
HPV Guideline Improves Diagnosis
New human papillomavirus (HPV) guidelines recently adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) are helping physicians obtain more reproducible and consistent biopsy diagnoses of squamous lesions, delegates learned at the College of American Pathologists (CAP) 2014 meeting. The recommendations will help physicians more accurately evaluate a patient's risk for precancer, steering committee member and presenter Teresa Darragh, MD, from the University of California at San Francisco, told Medscape Medical News. This should result in more effective patient management and improved outcomes, she said. The guidelines, a joint effort of CAP and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, are part of the Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology Standardization (LAST) Project for HPV-Associated Lesions. Committee members acknowledge the inevitability of diagnostic variation, and attempted to minimize problems by limiting the number of histopathologic classification tiers. They also recommend the judicious use of biomarkers.
New human papillomavirus (HPV) guidelines recently adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) are helping physicians obtain more reproducible and consistent biopsy diagnoses of squamous lesions, delegates learned at the College of American Pathologists (CAP) 2014 meeting. The recommendations will help physicians more accurately evaluate a patient's risk for precancer, steering committee member and presenter Teresa Darragh, MD, from the University of California at San Francisco, told Medscape Medical News. This should result in more effective patient management and improved outcomes, she said. The guidelines, a joint effort of CAP and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, are part of the Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology Standardization (LAST) Project for HPV-Associated Lesions. Committee members acknowledge the inevitability of diagnostic variation, and attempted to minimize problems by limiting the number of histopathologic classification tiers. They also recommend the judicious use of biomarkers.
Source: http://www.medscape.com/
Report: Unneeded Tests Putting Patients at Risk
Unnecessary care is expensive, time-consuming, wasteful and, in some cases, harmful, but it’s being doled out to patients all over Washington State. Using claims data for 3.3 million patients, the report was issued this week by the Washington Health Alliance in conjunction with the Washington State Choosing Wisely® Task Force, a group of more than 20 medical leaders from the state’s largest health-care organizations “More care is not always better care,” said Dr. Brian Seppi, newly elected president of the Washington State Medical Association, a co-sponsor of the task force with the Washington State Hospital Association. For example, 57 percent of female patients in Washington are getting too many Pap smear tests — often one a year, an outdated standard. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends tests every three years for most women. About 17 percent of women who had undergone a hysterectomy received Pap smear tests, even though they don’t have any of the body parts that this test targets.
Unnecessary care is expensive, time-consuming, wasteful and, in some cases, harmful, but it’s being doled out to patients all over Washington State. Using claims data for 3.3 million patients, the report was issued this week by the Washington Health Alliance in conjunction with the Washington State Choosing Wisely® Task Force, a group of more than 20 medical leaders from the state’s largest health-care organizations “More care is not always better care,” said Dr. Brian Seppi, newly elected president of the Washington State Medical Association, a co-sponsor of the task force with the Washington State Hospital Association. For example, 57 percent of female patients in Washington are getting too many Pap smear tests — often one a year, an outdated standard. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends tests every three years for most women. About 17 percent of women who had undergone a hysterectomy received Pap smear tests, even though they don’t have any of the body parts that this test targets.
Source: http://seattletimes.com/
Informed Women More Likely to Skip Routine Prenatal Testing, Study Finds
While most pregnant women get non-invasive genetic testing to screen for chromosomal abnormalities in their fetuses such as Down syndrome, some might choose to skip the testing if they were fully informed about the upsides and downsides. In a new study involving 710 pregnant women that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that those who were shown an interactive computer program educating them about prenatal testing were more likely to skip non-invasive screening blood tests and ultrasounds; they were also more like to skip invasive testing, such as amniocentesis, that involves using a needle to draw DNA-containing fluid from a woman’s womb and carries a small risk of miscarriage.
While most pregnant women get non-invasive genetic testing to screen for chromosomal abnormalities in their fetuses such as Down syndrome, some might choose to skip the testing if they were fully informed about the upsides and downsides. In a new study involving 710 pregnant women that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that those who were shown an interactive computer program educating them about prenatal testing were more likely to skip non-invasive screening blood tests and ultrasounds; they were also more like to skip invasive testing, such as amniocentesis, that involves using a needle to draw DNA-containing fluid from a woman’s womb and carries a small risk of miscarriage.
Source: http://www.bostonglobe.com/
New DNA Sequencing Method to Diagnose Tuberculosis
Researchers working in the UK and The Gambia, have developed a new approach to the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) that relies on direct sequencing of DNA extracted from sputum (a technique called metagenomics) to detect and characterize the bacteria that cause TB without the need for time-consuming culture of bacteria in the laboratory. The research, reported in the peer-reviewed journalPeerJ, was directed by Professor Mark Pallen, Professor of Microbial Genomics at Warwick Medical School and Dr Martin Antonio, head of the TB diagnostics laboratory at UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit in The Gambia.
Researchers working in the UK and The Gambia, have developed a new approach to the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) that relies on direct sequencing of DNA extracted from sputum (a technique called metagenomics) to detect and characterize the bacteria that cause TB without the need for time-consuming culture of bacteria in the laboratory. The research, reported in the peer-reviewed journalPeerJ, was directed by Professor Mark Pallen, Professor of Microbial Genomics at Warwick Medical School and Dr Martin Antonio, head of the TB diagnostics laboratory at UK Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit in The Gambia.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
Blood Test Might Predict Speed of Recovery From Surgery: Study
Measuring the activity of a type of white blood cell immediately after surgery might reveal which patients are likely to recover quickly and those who won't, a preliminary study suggests. The study found that a high level of activity in certain white blood cells predicted a poorer recovery for people who'd just had hip replacement surgery. The researchers plan to test these findings in other operations to see if they can be duplicated. If so, they hope to develop a simple, inexpensive blood test that could guide patients and doctors in predicting recovery and planning medical care after an operation, according to lead researcher Dr. Brice Gaudilliere, a clinical instructor at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Measuring the activity of a type of white blood cell immediately after surgery might reveal which patients are likely to recover quickly and those who won't, a preliminary study suggests. The study found that a high level of activity in certain white blood cells predicted a poorer recovery for people who'd just had hip replacement surgery. The researchers plan to test these findings in other operations to see if they can be duplicated. If so, they hope to develop a simple, inexpensive blood test that could guide patients and doctors in predicting recovery and planning medical care after an operation, according to lead researcher Dr. Brice Gaudilliere, a clinical instructor at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Source: http://consumer.healthday.com/
Simple Blood Test Could be Used as Tool for Early Cancer Diagnosis
High levels of calcium in blood, a condition known as hypercalcaemia, can be used by GPs as an early indication of certain types of cancer, according to a study by researchers from the universities of Bristol and Exeter. Hypercalcaemia is the most common metabolic disorder associated with cancer, occurring in 10 to 20 per cent of people with cancer. While its connection to cancer is well known, this study has, for the first time, shown that often it can predate the diagnosis of cancer in primary care. A simple blood test could identify those with hypercalcaemia, prompting doctors to investigate further. The research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analysed the electronic records of 54,000 patients who had elevated levels of calcium and looked at how many of them went on to receive a cancer diagnosis.
High levels of calcium in blood, a condition known as hypercalcaemia, can be used by GPs as an early indication of certain types of cancer, according to a study by researchers from the universities of Bristol and Exeter. Hypercalcaemia is the most common metabolic disorder associated with cancer, occurring in 10 to 20 per cent of people with cancer. While its connection to cancer is well known, this study has, for the first time, shown that often it can predate the diagnosis of cancer in primary care. A simple blood test could identify those with hypercalcaemia, prompting doctors to investigate further. The research, published in the British Journal of Cancer, analysed the electronic records of 54,000 patients who had elevated levels of calcium and looked at how many of them went on to receive a cancer diagnosis.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
Gut Microbiome Analysis Could Provide Additional Colon Cancer Screening
Combining analysis of the gut microbiome with known clinical risk factors improved prediction of invasive cancer by five times.
Combining analysis of the gut microbiome with known clinical risk factors improved prediction of invasive cancer by five times.
Analysis of the gut microbiome may provide some indication of patients who are most at risk of developing or who already have colorectal cancer, according to new research published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research. If confirmed by larger studies, the research could lead to an improved, noninvasive way to screen for colorectal cancer. Researchers collected stool samples from three clinical groups composed of 30 healthy individuals, 30 patients with precancerous intestinal polyps, and 30 patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Each group had a different gut microbiome composition. When combining bacterial patterns from the gut microbiome with known clinical risk factors for colorectal cancer, the researchers were able to significantly improve the ability to differentiate between healthy individuals and those with precancerous polyps and invasive colorectal cancer.
Source: http://www.aacc.org/
Match Cancer Genome to Treatment
Genomic testing of cancer tissues obtained from a biopsy can give clinicians and patients a window into the genetic changes that have occurred in the tumor and, possibly, highlight potential treatments, writes Elaine Schattner at Forbes. However, she notes, such analysis isn't routine and can be difficult to come by. Testing of cancer cells has been showing, Schattner adds, that there are many molecular subtypes of disease, and despite what organ a tumor cropped up in, if it has, for instance, an ALK mutation, it may be vulnerable to drugs that target that change.
Genomic testing of cancer tissues obtained from a biopsy can give clinicians and patients a window into the genetic changes that have occurred in the tumor and, possibly, highlight potential treatments, writes Elaine Schattner at Forbes. However, she notes, such analysis isn't routine and can be difficult to come by. Testing of cancer cells has been showing, Schattner adds, that there are many molecular subtypes of disease, and despite what organ a tumor cropped up in, if it has, for instance, an ALK mutation, it may be vulnerable to drugs that target that change.
Source: http://www.genomeweb.com/
How Are You Establishing Long-Term Measurement Assurance in Fluorescence Microscopy?
- Would your laboratory or company benefit from having an easy method to track fluorescence microscopy performance?
- Can you compare your imaging results to those from last week?
- Are your fluorescence imaging results quantitative?
Unambiguous detection of changes in biological cells with fluorescence microscopy requires strategies to assure that analytical performance of the microscope is stable over time, and few off-the-shelf methods are available for establishing these performance metrics. Click on this link to discover more about a protocol that uses an automated procedure and a stable fluorescence reference material for benchmarking the analytical performance of a microscope.
Source: http://www.nist.gov/ that uses an automated procedure and a stable fluorescence reference material for benchmarking the analytical performance of a microscope.Research and Development
Scientists Detect Early Sign of Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers say they've identified a sign of early development of pancreatic cancer, a leading cause of cancer death. And, they add, their discovery might lead one day to a new test to detect the disease in its initial and more treatable stages. The early sign is an increase in levels of certain amino acids, and this occurs before patients develop symptoms and the disease is typically diagnosed. The finding came from analyses of blood samples from 1,500 people taking part in large health-tracking studies. "We found that higher levels of branched chain amino acids were present in people who went on to develop pancreatic cancer, compared to those who did not develop the disease," study co-senior author Dr. Brian Wolpin, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said in an institute news release.
Researchers say they've identified a sign of early development of pancreatic cancer, a leading cause of cancer death. And, they add, their discovery might lead one day to a new test to detect the disease in its initial and more treatable stages. The early sign is an increase in levels of certain amino acids, and this occurs before patients develop symptoms and the disease is typically diagnosed. The finding came from analyses of blood samples from 1,500 people taking part in large health-tracking studies. "We found that higher levels of branched chain amino acids were present in people who went on to develop pancreatic cancer, compared to those who did not develop the disease," study co-senior author Dr. Brian Wolpin, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said in an institute news release.
Source: http://consumer.healthday.com/
Malaria Severity Influenced by Five Human Genes, say Researchers
Large, international multi-center study - the largest of its kind to investigate the human genetics of malaria - has uncovered some new clues about susceptibility to severe malaria. Writing in the journal Nature Genetics, the team, including Dr. Sarah Dunstan of The Nossal Institute of Global Health at the University of Melbourne in Australia, reports how it found five genes that have a complex role in either protecting or making people more susceptible to severe malaria. Even with good hospital treatment, around 20% of patients who develop severe malaria die. The researchers hope their findings will lead to new drugs and vaccines to target the disease.
Large, international multi-center study - the largest of its kind to investigate the human genetics of malaria - has uncovered some new clues about susceptibility to severe malaria. Writing in the journal Nature Genetics, the team, including Dr. Sarah Dunstan of The Nossal Institute of Global Health at the University of Melbourne in Australia, reports how it found five genes that have a complex role in either protecting or making people more susceptible to severe malaria. Even with good hospital treatment, around 20% of patients who develop severe malaria die. The researchers hope their findings will lead to new drugs and vaccines to target the disease.
Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/
NIH Exceptional Responders to Cancer Therapy Study Launched
The Exceptional Responders Initiative, a study to investigate the molecular factors of tumors associated with exceptional treatment responses of cancer patients to drug therapies, was launched by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Scientists will attempt to identify the molecular features of tumors that predict whether or not a particular drug or class of drugs will be beneficial. Investigators will examine tumor specimens from patients in clinical trials who achieved an exceptional response relative to other trial participants, or other patients who achieved an exceptional and unexpected response to a non-investigational therapy.
The Exceptional Responders Initiative, a study to investigate the molecular factors of tumors associated with exceptional treatment responses of cancer patients to drug therapies, was launched by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Scientists will attempt to identify the molecular features of tumors that predict whether or not a particular drug or class of drugs will be beneficial. Investigators will examine tumor specimens from patients in clinical trials who achieved an exceptional response relative to other trial participants, or other patients who achieved an exceptional and unexpected response to a non-investigational therapy.
Source: http://www.nih.gov/
Recruiting Anthrax to Oncology
In the latest development in trying to use Bacillus anthracis to kill cancer, researchers send “antibody mimics” inside tumor cells.
The exceptional ability for the anthrax bacterium (Bacillus anthracis) to inject its toxin into host cells has made it an appealing Trojan horse for cancer therapies. In the latest advance, Bradley Pentelute of MIT and his colleagues piggybacked two so-called antibody mimics that target cancer-causing proteins onto the anthrax toxin to sneak them into cancer cells. “This work represents a prominent advance in the drug-delivery field,” Jennifer Cochran, an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, told MIT News. Pentelute’s study, published in ChemBioChem (September 22), is not the first to look to anthrax for cancer treatment potential.
In the latest development in trying to use Bacillus anthracis to kill cancer, researchers send “antibody mimics” inside tumor cells.
The exceptional ability for the anthrax bacterium (Bacillus anthracis) to inject its toxin into host cells has made it an appealing Trojan horse for cancer therapies. In the latest advance, Bradley Pentelute of MIT and his colleagues piggybacked two so-called antibody mimics that target cancer-causing proteins onto the anthrax toxin to sneak them into cancer cells. “This work represents a prominent advance in the drug-delivery field,” Jennifer Cochran, an associate professor of bioengineering at Stanford University, told MIT News. Pentelute’s study, published in ChemBioChem
(September 22), is not the first to look to anthrax for cancer treatment potential.Source: http://www.the-scientist.com/
Tonsil Stem Cells may Help Repair Liver Damage Without Surgery
Scientists have found a new, non-surgical way to repair a damaged liver by using stem cells from tonsils, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, involved tonsil-derived stem cells compressed into a heat-sensitive liquid that turned to biodegradable, 3-D gel at body temperature. The scientists also added substances that encouraged the stem cells to become liver cells, according to a news release.
Scientists have found a new, non-surgical way to repair a damaged liver by using stem cells from tonsils, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, involved tonsil-derived stem cells compressed into a heat-sensitive liquid that turned to biodegradable, 3-D gel at body temperature. The scientists also added substances that encouraged the stem cells to become liver cells, according to a news release.
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/
New Ways to Treat Anemia Could Evolve From Acetate Supplement Research
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers seeking novel treatments for anemia found that giving acetate, the major component of household vinegar, to anemic mice stimulated the formation of new red blood cells. Currently, the hormone erythropoietin is administered to treat anemia, but this treatment carries with it side effects such as hypertension and thrombosis (blood clotting). The new research, which was performed in mice, suggests that acetate supplements could eventually be a suitable supplement or possibly even an alternative to administration of erythropoietin.
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers seeking novel treatments for anemia found that giving acetate, the major component of household vinegar, to anemic mice stimulated the formation of new red blood cells. Currently, the hormone erythropoietin is administered to treat anemia, but this treatment carries with it side effects such as hypertension and thrombosis (blood clotting). The new research, which was performed in mice, suggests that acetate supplements could eventually be a suitable supplement or possibly even an alternative to administration of erythropoietin.
Source: http://medicalxpress.com/
Brain Repair 'may be Boosted by Curry Spice'
A spice commonly found in curries may boost the brain's ability to heal itself, according to a report in the journal Stem Cell Research and Therapy. The German study suggests a compound found in turmeric could encourage the growth of nerve cells thought to be part of the brain's repair kit. Scientists say this work, based in rats, may pave the way for future drugs for strokes and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in Julich, Germany, studied the effects of aromatic-turmerone - a compound found naturally in turmeric. But they say more trials are needed to see whether this applies to humans.
A spice commonly found in curries may boost the brain's ability to heal itself, according to a report in the journal Stem Cell Research and Therapy. The German study suggests a compound found in turmeric could encourage the growth of nerve cells thought to be part of the brain's repair kit. Scientists say this work, based in rats, may pave the way for future drugs for strokes and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine in Julich, Germany, studied the effects of aromatic-turmerone - a compound found naturally in turmeric. But they say more trials are needed to see whether this applies to humans.
Source: http://www.bbc.com/
Emory Wins $8M Grant for Sequencing Study of FMR1 Gene, Fragile X Variations
Emory University researchers have received a roughly $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a study that will use whole-genome sequencing to investigate modifier genes that predispose people with FMR1 gene mutations to specific clinical outcomes. NIH said the project at the Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Human Genetics is one of three new projects funded with up to $35 million through the Centers for Collaborative Research on Fragile X program. Through three projects, the Emory team will perform whole-genome sequencing on 600 patients to identify the modifier genes that predispose people with FMR1 mutations to specific outcomes.
Source: http://www.genomeweb.com/Emory University researchers have received a roughly $8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a study that will use whole-genome sequencing to investigate modifier genes that predispose people with FMR1 gene mutations to specific clinical outcomes. NIH said the project at the Emory University School of Medicine's Department of Human Genetics is one of three new projects funded with up to $35 million through the Centers for Collaborative Research on Fragile X program. Through three projects, the Emory team will perform whole-genome sequencing on 600 patients to identify the modifier genes that predispose people with FMR1 mutations to specific outcomes.
Public Health and Patient Safety
Chagas Watchdogs
Can screening dogs for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies inform public health officials about the risk of Chagas disease to people?
Dogs infected with Trypanosoma cruzi—the parasite that causes Chagas disease—may not show symptoms for years until, one day, their hearts fail. T. cruzi can infect animals that ingest or are bitten by assassin or “kissing” bugs, a variety of insect species in subfamily Triatominae that are widespread in the Americas. Left undetected and untreated, Chagas can become chronic and fatal in canines. Some humans infected with Chagas face a similar fate. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 8 million people worldwide have Chagas disease—and most of them don’t know it. The disease and its vectors are endemic to South and Central America, but both are spreading north, and confirmed cases of canine Chagas are on the rise across Texas, especially in southern portions of the state. Last year, the Texas Department of State Health Services made animal Chagas a notifiable condition, meaning veterinarians must report cases of the infectious disease to health officials within a week of confirming them. Susan Montgomery, who leads an epidemiology team in the parasitic diseases branch of the CDC’s Center for Global Health, has investigated Chagas disease within the United States since 2007.
Can screening dogs for Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies inform public health officials about the risk of Chagas disease to people?
Dogs infected with Trypanosoma cruzi—the parasite that causes Chagas disease—may not show symptoms for years until, one day, their hearts fail. T. cruzi can infect animals that ingest or are bitten by assassin or “kissing” bugs, a variety of insect species in subfamily Triatominae that are widespread in the Americas. Left undetected and untreated, Chagas can become chronic and fatal in canines. Some humans infected with Chagas face a similar fate. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 8 million people worldwide have Chagas disease—and most of them don’t know it. The disease and its vectors are endemic to South and Central America, but both are spreading north, and confirmed cases of canine Chagas are on the rise across Texas, especially in southern portions of the state. Last year, the Texas Department of State Health Services made animal Chagas a notifiable condition, meaning veterinarians must report cases of the infectious disease to health officials within a week of confirming them. Susan Montgomery, who leads an epidemiology team in the parasitic diseases branch of the CDC’s Center for Global Health, has investigated Chagas disease within the United States since 2007.
Source: http://www.the-scientist.com/
One day, Doctors Might Prescribe Viruses Instead of Antibiotics
Viruses that kill bacteria -- otherwise known as bacteriphages -- are being investigated as an alternative to traditional antibiotics, The Scientist magazine reports. It may sound like swallowing a fly and then sending a spider in after it, but so-called phage therapy could actually save us from our growing dependence on increasingly useless antibiotics. Antibiotics work by killing off the microbes that make us sick, but the organisms left behind after a course of treatment can breed further generations of increasingly resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance already causes at least 23,000 deaths a year in the United States alone.
Viruses that kill bacteria -- otherwise known as bacteriphages -- are being investigated as an alternative to traditional antibiotics, The Scientist magazine reports. It may sound like swallowing a fly and then sending a spider in after it, but so-called phage therapy could actually save us from our growing dependence on increasingly useless antibiotics. Antibiotics work by killing off the microbes that make us sick, but the organisms left behind after a course of treatment can breed further generations of increasingly resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance already causes at least 23,000 deaths a year in the United States alone.
Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Early, Frequent Antibiotic use Linked to Childhood Obesity
Parents and pediatricians will often reach for antibiotics to treat middle ear infections, strep throat, fevers and other common ailments of childhood. But new research suggests that doing so, and prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics in particular, increases those children's risk of obesity, at least in early childhood. A new study finds that babies who got broad-spectrum antibiotics in their first two years of life, or who were prescribed four or more courses of antibiotics in that period, were more likely to be obese at some point between their second and fifth birthdays than were those who had taken no antibiotics, or who were treated with medications designed to target a narrow spectrum of disease-causing bacteria.
Source: http://www.latimes.com/Parents and pediatricians will often reach for antibiotics to treat middle ear infections, strep throat, fevers and other common ailments of childhood. But new research suggests that doing so, and prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics in particular, increases those children's risk of obesity, at least in early childhood. A new study finds that babies who got broad-spectrum antibiotics in their first two years of life, or who were prescribed four or more courses of antibiotics in that period, were more likely to be obese at some point between their second and fifth birthdays than were those who had taken no antibiotics, or who were treated with medications designed to target a narrow spectrum of disease-causing bacteria.
Health IT
House Bill Would Boost Telehealth for ACOs
A new bill introduced in the U.S. House would boost Accountable Care Organizations' flexibility to use telehealth and remote patient monitoring and would provide reimbursement for those services "in a manner that is financially equivalent to the furnishing of a home health visit." The ACO Improvement Act (H.R. 5558), sponsored by Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), would allow telehealth services including store-and-forward technology, home-based remote monitoring and videoconferencing services.
A new bill introduced in the U.S. House would boost Accountable Care Organizations' flexibility to use telehealth and remote patient monitoring and would provide reimbursement for those services "in a manner that is financially equivalent to the furnishing of a home health visit." The ACO Improvement Act (H.R. 5558), sponsored by Reps. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), would allow telehealth services including store-and-forward technology, home-based remote monitoring and videoconferencing services.
Source: http://www.fiercehealthit.com/
25 Years of Health IT: A Complicated Journey
During the past quarter-century, healthcare's adoption of information technology has gone from a virtual standstill to a fast-paced marathon, started by government mandates and fueled by a potent mix of financial incentives, consumer demand, shifting payment models, and strapped margins. Over the past 25 years, we've gone from healthcare delivery centered on the patient-doctor relationship with very little technology in the primary care office, some in the hospital, and more in surgery. A couple of decades ago, the industry focused on payment technologies to cut costs and simplify processes, said Doug Fielding, VP of product strategy and founding member of ZirMed. It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when everything was done on paper. Then there was a time, the late 80s and early 90s, when we first began to explore electronic claims ... but we did everything via point-to-point modems and even electronic cartridge tapes. The highlight in this case was how the industry as a whole championed the model established by early innovators. When it came time to scale the new process, the administrative simplification of HIPAA effectively standardized EDI [electronic data exchange] across healthcare with the X12 transaction. That helped push all providers to adopt EDI
During the past quarter-century, healthcare's adoption of information technology has gone from a virtual standstill to a fast-paced marathon, started by government mandates and fueled by a potent mix of financial incentives, consumer demand, shifting payment models, and strapped margins. Over the past 25 years, we've gone from healthcare delivery centered on the patient-doctor relationship with very little technology in the primary care office, some in the hospital, and more in surgery. A couple of decades ago, the industry focused on payment technologies to cut costs and simplify processes, said Doug Fielding, VP of product strategy and founding member of ZirMed. It's hard to imagine now, but there was a time when everything was done on paper. Then there was a time, the late 80s and early 90s, when we first began to explore electronic claims ... but we did everything via point-to-point modems and even electronic cartridge tapes. The highlight in this case was how the industry as a whole championed the model established by early innovators. When it came time to scale the new process, the administrative simplification of HIPAA effectively standardized EDI [electronic data exchange] across healthcare with the X12 transaction. That helped push all providers to adopt EDI
Source: http://www.informationweek.com/?
?Health IT's Future: 9 Issues to Watch
Expect the pace of innovation to pick up as healthcare providers increasingly leverage IT to improve patient care, make competitive gains, and save costs. Let's take a look at some areas where health IT will undergo dramatic advances in the coming years.
Expect the pace of innovation to pick up as healthcare providers increasingly leverage IT to improve patient care, make competitive gains, and save costs. Let's take a look at some areas where health IT will undergo dramatic advances in the coming years.
Source: http://www.informationweek.com/?
?FDA Seeks Public Input on Medtech Hacking | MassDevice.com On Call
The FDA announced that it will hold a public meeting in October to discuss cybersecurity in medical devices. Co-hosted with the Dept. of Homeland Security, the 2-day summit will bring together a variety of healthcare stakeholders to discuss areas of vulnerability and best approaches to shoring up the digital defenses of medical systems. The upcoming meeting, accessible in-person or via webcast, will take place October 21-22 at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in Arlington, Va.
The FDA announced that it will hold a public meeting in October to discuss cybersecurity in medical devices. Co-hosted with the Dept. of Homeland Security, the 2-day summit will bring together a variety of healthcare stakeholders to discuss areas of vulnerability and best approaches to shoring up the digital defenses of medical systems. The upcoming meeting, accessible in-person or via webcast, will take place October 21-22 at the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in Arlington, Va.
Source: http://www.massdevice.com/
Electronic Surveillance Helps Hospitals Slash Death Rates
The use of an electronic physiological surveillance system (EPSS) on patients correlated with two United Kingdom hospitals slashing mortality rates by more than 15 percent over the course of a year, according to research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety. For the study, the researchers retrospectively examined the use of EPSS software--which streamlined the process of recording patient vital signs such as blood pressure and pulse--at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth and University Hospital, Coventry; according to The Mirror, nurses deployed the software on mobile devices, including iPads, iPods and smartphones. The former hospital experienced 397 fewer deaths over the course of a year, while the latter recorded 372 fewer patient deaths.
The use of an electronic physiological surveillance system (EPSS) on patients correlated with two United Kingdom hospitals slashing mortality rates by more than 15 percent over the course of a year, according to research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety. For the study, the researchers retrospectively examined the use of EPSS software--which streamlined the process of recording patient vital signs such as blood pressure and pulse--at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth and University Hospital, Coventry; according to The Mirror, nurses deployed the software on mobile devices, including iPads, iPods and smartphones. The former hospital experienced 397 fewer deaths over the course of a year, while the latter recorded 372 fewer patient deaths.
CMS: 44,000 Providers Applied for Meaningful Use Hardship Exemptions
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services received approximately 44,000 hardship exemption requests from providers who indicated that they would have problems attesting to Meaningful Use in 2015, the agency revealed this week. A CMS spokeswoman confirmed the exemption numbers to FierceHealthIT via email. "This is the first time we're announcing this number as we have been working through the applications and notifying each individual provider of their status," the spokeswoman said. She added that the "vast majority" are "first timers in 2014 experiencing issues with their CEHRT," but could not elaborate on how many providers fell into that category or how long it will take CMS to sift through all of the applications and issue responses.
Source: http://www.fierceemr.com/The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services received approximately 44,000 hardship exemption requests from providers who indicated that they would have problems attesting to Meaningful Use in 2015, the agency revealed this week. A CMS spokeswoman confirmed the exemption numbers to FierceHealthIT via email. "This is the first time we're announcing this number as we have been working through the applications and notifying each individual provider of their status," the spokeswoman said. She added that the "vast majority" are "first timers in 2014 experiencing issues with their CEHRT," but could not elaborate on how many providers fell into that category or how long it will take CMS to sift through all of the applications and issue responses.
Other News
Medicare Payment Scheme for MDxHealth's Prostate Cancer Test Provides Model for Conditional Coverage
In receiving a final local coverage determination (LCD) for its ConfirmMDx prostate cancer test, MDxHealth is the first company to be reimbursed by Medicare contractor Palmetto GBA under a new "coverage with data development" protocol. The conditional payment scheme provides a model for other molecular diagnostic shops hoping to garner payment while they gather clinical utility data on their tests. "Coverage with data development," or CDD, provides "an opportunity for tests with demonstrated analytical and clinical validity to be covered while they are accruing real world clinical utility," Rina Wolf, VP of commercialization strategies, consulting, and industry affairs at financial services management firm Xifin, told PGx Reporter. CDD is similar to CMS's "coverage with evidence development," or CED, and "typically involves an approved registry protocol," but Wolf pointed out that local contractors can't initiate a CED; only CMS can on a national level.
In receiving a final local coverage determination (LCD) for its ConfirmMDx prostate cancer test, MDxHealth is the first company to be reimbursed by Medicare contractor Palmetto GBA under a new "coverage with data development" protocol. The conditional payment scheme provides a model for other molecular diagnostic shops hoping to garner payment while they gather clinical utility data on their tests. "Coverage with data development," or CDD, provides "an opportunity for tests with demonstrated analytical and clinical validity to be covered while they are accruing real world clinical utility," Rina Wolf, VP of commercialization strategies, consulting, and industry affairs at financial services management firm Xifin, told PGx Reporter. CDD is similar to CMS's "coverage with evidence development," or CED, and "typically involves an approved registry protocol," but Wolf pointed out that local contractors can't initiate a CED; only CMS can on a national level.
Source: http://www.genomeweb.com/
Neither Snow nor Rain: Contingency Planning by a Clinical Reference Laboratory Courier Service for Weather Related Emergencies
To optimize transportation processes, we present herein a contingency plan that coordinates interim measures used to ensure continued and timely services when climate based events might cause an interruption of the usual specimen transportation processes. As an example, we outline the implementation and effectiveness of a contingency plan for network laboratory courier automobile transportation during times of mountain pass highway closure.
To optimize transportation processes, we present herein a contingency plan that coordinates interim measures used to ensure continued and timely services when climate based events might cause an interruption of the usual specimen transportation processes. As an example, we outline the implementation and effectiveness of a contingency plan for network laboratory courier automobile transportation during times of mountain pass highway closure.
Source: http://labmed.ascpjournals.org/
LabCorp Announces $85 Million Deal With Testing Company
LabCorp has acquired Liposcience in an $85 million merger that will expand the Burlington-based company’s ability to offer personalized medical testing. The agreement is a merger between two North Carolina based companies. Liposcience, of Raleigh, is a provider of specialized cardiovascular diagnostic laboratory tests based on what the company described as proprietary nuclear magnetic resonance technology.
LabCorp has acquired Liposcience in an $85 million merger that will expand the Burlington-based company’s ability to offer personalized medical testing. The agreement is a merger between two North Carolina based companies. Liposcience, of Raleigh, is a provider of specialized cardiovascular diagnostic laboratory tests based on what the company described as proprietary nuclear magnetic resonance technology.
Source: http://www.thetimesnews.com/
FBI Plans Rapid DNA Dragnets
The FBI is preparing to accelerate the collection of DNA profiles for the government's massive new biometric identification database. The Next Generation Identification system, or NGI, the successor to the FBI's criminal fingerprint database, is designed to quickly ID crooks through facial recognition, iris matching, tattoo cross-checks and vocal recordings, among other unique traits.
The Supreme Court ruled last year that analyzing DNA from saliva, for example, is a legal part of booking a suspect, just like fingerprinting. But Congress would have to intervene for rapid DNA results to be entered into the FBI’s databases. Current law states DNA in CODIS must be processed at an accredited laboratory. A legislative tweak is needed to allow DNA processed by a portable machine to be entered into the FBI's systems, bureau officials acknowledge. But some privacy advocates warn it's not a huge leap to go from using rapid DNA at the police station to using it out in the field on anyone's discarded DNA. Civil liberties groups were not invited to the November briefing, but the initiative has been discussed at various public conferences.
Source: http://www.nextgov.com/The FBI is preparing to accelerate the collection of DNA profiles for the government's massive new biometric identification database. The Next Generation Identification system, or NGI, the successor to the FBI's criminal fingerprint database, is designed to quickly ID crooks through facial recognition, iris matching, tattoo cross-checks and vocal recordings, among other unique traits.
The Supreme Court ruled last year that analyzing DNA from saliva, for example, is a legal part of booking a suspect, just like fingerprinting. But Congress would have to intervene for rapid DNA results to be entered into the FBI’s databases. Current law states DNA in CODIS must be processed at an accredited laboratory. A legislative tweak is needed to allow DNA processed by a portable machine to be entered into the FBI's systems, bureau officials acknowledge. But some privacy advocates warn it's not a huge leap to go from using rapid DNA at the police station to using it out in the field on anyone's discarded DNA. Civil liberties groups were not invited to the November briefing, but the initiative has been discussed at various public conferences.
Disclaimer- The information provided in this news digest is intended only to be general summary information. It does not represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is not intended to take the place of applicable laws or regulations.
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