By Euna Lhee, The Baltimore Sun

Jul. 31–Maryland researchers have identified a key receptor in the intestine that can trigger celiac disease, and they hope their findings can be applied to other autoimmune disorders, such as Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. People with the condition cannot process a protein called gluten — most commonly found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, but also found in medicines and vitamins.

Common in the general population, celiac disease affects an estimated 2 million Americans, or one out of 133 people, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

In this month’s issue of Gastroenterology, University of Maryland scientists wrote that gliadin, the toxic component of gluten for celiac patients, binds to an intestinal receptor called CXCR3. The receptor then releases the protein zonulin, which makes the intestine more permeable.

“We know a lot about celiac disease, but we never understood the question of how the protein gains access in the intestine,” said Dr. Alessio Fasano, a gastroenterologist who directs the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland and lead author of the study.

“Further study is needed, but this could allow us to intervene so that less zonulin is released, which may prevent the immune response altogether.”

In healthy people, the intestine is permeable only for short periods. But in celiac patients, the effect is longer-term, which may cause a variety of health complications. Eventually, the immune system responds by destroying villi — tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine that normally allow the organ to absorb nutrients into the bloodstream.

Because the body’s own immune system causes the damage, celiac disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder. Others include diabetes and multiple sclerosis, in which the body attacks the pancreas or the nervous system, respectively.

To treat celiac disease, all that most patients normally have to do is eliminate gluten from their diet. If they don’t, however, they can become malnourished, regardless of the quantity of food they eat. They can also suffer from osteoporosis, nerve damage, seizures, chronic diarrhea and anemia. Children may appear thinner than their peers and experience delayed growth.

When his son Matt complained of abdominal pain five years ago, Steve Davis, a WBAL radio sports show host, took the boy to a gastroenterologist, who diagnosed Matt with celiac disease.

Davis immediately put his son on a gluten-free diet, and Matt’s stomachaches quickly disappeared. Now 9, Matt eats more dairy products, fruits and vegetables than most of his peers, but he says his favorite food is steak.

“It’s kind of embarrassing because my other friends eat regular food, and I need to eat special food,” said Matt, who is entering the fourth grade. “The hardest part is going to the grocery store and seeing all this food that looks delicious, that I can’t eat.”

Matt still enjoys gluten-free chocolate-chip cookies, bagels and muffins, which his father orders by mail from Canada. That can get expensive, Davis says.

“It’s a challenge because you need to be cognizant of what your child is eating,” said Davis, 42, host of the evening talk show Sportsline with Steve Davis. “If you make a mistake, the ramification down the line is severe.”

Davis works actively to promote awareness of celiac disease and raises funds for research. He hopes for a drug that will help celiac patients digest gluten, similar to the Lactaid pill taken by lactose-intolerant people who want to eat dairy products.

Maryland’s Fasano is a co-founder of Alba Therapeutics Corp., which is conducting Phase 2 clinical trials of a celiac disease drug called larazotide acetate. It works through another mechanism in the same signaling pathway as CXCR3. The Baltimore biotech company, which provided lab support for the study, estimates the potential worldwide market for a celiac drug at $1 billion a year.

Fasano’s next step is to see if the receptor CXCR3 releases abnormal amounts of zonulin in patients with other autoimmune disorders, such as Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. The intestines may be a port of entry through which the instigators of these diseases may gain access to the body, he said.

Dr. Peter Green, spokesman for the American Gastroenterological Association and director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, called Fasano’s latest study extensive and well-designed. But he said it is still unclear how this research fits into scientists’ understanding of all the mechanisms of damage in celiac disease, because it involves various pathways.”They’ve shown this mechanism very well, but we’re still figuring out the whole picture,” Green said. “And working out the mechanisms will provide a greater potential for drug development.”

[email protected]

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Baltimore Sun

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

By Jeremy Olson, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.

Jul. 31–Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina is facing a federal age-discrimination complaint because it is firing 25 nurses — and 23 of them are older veteran nurses.

The firings eliminate the remaining licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, from the Edina hospital as it moves to a model using only registered nurses, or RNs. While many hospitals are going in this direction, the fired LPNs believe Fairview grew impatient because they weren’t retiring as quickly as anticipated.

“They want to get rid of these old LPNs, so they’re going to come up with any reason they can think of,” said Bob Crock, an LPN at Fairview Southdale for 16 years.

The LPNs received termination notices this week but have known for more than a month that their jobs were in jeopardy. A memo on 2008 nurse staffing said Fairview Southdale would switch to all registered nurses, who have more training than LPNs and more ability under state law to treat patients and administer medications.

In the past, hospitals liked hiring cheaper LPNs who could team with RNs and handle some of the routine elements of patient care.

But the Fairview memo suggests LPNs are becoming obsolete. For example, electronic medical records have reduced the need for LPNs to help in charting and care planning. The average hospital patient is sicker, as well, and demands an RN-level of care.

“It was a decision made to make sure patients get the skill level of an RN,” Fairview spokesman Ryan Davenport said.

In letters

to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the LPNs claimed Fairview Southdale was using “age-based stereotypes” to justify replacing them. Crock, 59, of Burnsville, said veteran LPNs are well-equipped to adapt to the changing needs of hospitals. Many new RNs come to him when they can’t figure out the quirks of the medical records system, he said.

With 40 years of experience in labor and delivery at Fairview Southdale, Doreen Daggett, 65, said many RNs came to rely on her advice. The 65-year-old LPN added that the hospital is losing 530 years of nursing experience and compassion.

“We have tended to our patients so much — hands on,” she said. “I just feel they are going to be losing a lot.”

The last day for the LPNs is Sept. 5. Fairview is helping them find other jobs in clinics or nursing homes, but Crock and Daggett said many openings pay less and offer part-time hours.

The LPNs are represented by SEIU Healthcare, which has used public complaints and lawsuits in the past to gain negotiating leverage. Amid contract talks in August 2006, SEIU filed a lawsuit claiming the state shouldn’t have allowed Fairview to build a hospital in Maple Grove.

The union is not in contract talks with Fairview now, a spokesman said, but has been seeking better compensation for the fired LPNs.

Jeremy Olson can be reached at 651-228-5583.

27%

Increase in Minnesota hospital registered nurses, 2000-06

3%

Decrease in Minnesota hospital licensed practical nurses, 2000-06

Source: Minnesota Hospital Association

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Copyright (c) 2008, Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.

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By Lundgren, Bernt

Abstract: A comprehensive Swedish public health policy was adopted by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, in April 2003. It pushes health up on the political agenda and affords equity in health high priority. The first phase of implementation of the policy, 2003-5, is described in the 2005 Public Health Policy Report published by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH). For the purpose of investigating the implementation, SNIPH has monitored the development of 42 determinants and used reports from 22 central agencies and eight county administrative boards together with interviews with all Sweden’s county councils (21) and a questionnaire sent out to all municipalities (290). The experiences from the implementation of the policy are that: the determinants approach – focusing on structural factors in society, people’s living conditions and health behaviours that affect health – is in general well understood and emphasises the role of other sectors in public health; the use of indicators to follow up exposures to determinants is of key importance; the support to actors outside the health service is needed to identify their public health role; a continuous steering from the government and other political bodies is of vital importance; public health promotion on the regional level needs a higher level of co-ordination; municipalities need more skills development; Sweden has a new government that was elected in September 2006; the new government has retracted the former government’s public health policy communication submitted to the Riksdag in the spring of 2006, but does not intend to change the public health policy. (Promot Educ 2008;15(2): 27-33)

Key words: policy, multisectoral, dialogue approach, indicators, implementation

KEY POINTS

* The article summarises and discusses the first phase (2003- 2005) of implementation of the Swedish public health policy.

* Through quantitative and qualitative data collection, the study shows that national, regional and local actors researched have increased awareness of their remit*s health dimension.

* Capacity building in the field and government and political bodies’ continuous steering needs to be strengthened in order for the policy to be effective.

Introduction

A comprehensive Swedish public health policy was adopted by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, in April 2003 (1). It pushes health up on the political agenda and affords equity in health high priority. The overall aim of the policy is to ‘create societal conditions for good health on equal terms for the whole population’. To help achieve this aim through multisectoral efforts, the government has established 11 ‘domains of objectives’ (areas of public health where efforts are to be concentrated):

1. Participation and influence in society.

2. Economic and social security.

3. Secure and favourable conditions during childhood and adolescence.

4. Healthier working life.

5. Healthy and safe environments and products.

6. A more health-promoting health service.

7. Effective protection against communicable diseases.

8. Safe sexuality and a good reproductive health.

9. Increased physical activity.

10. Good eating habits and safe food.

11. Reduced use of tobacco and alcohol, a society free from illicit drugs and doping and a reduction in harmful effects of excessive gambling.

The policy, presented in the government’s Public Health Objective Bill (2) is based on the work of the Swedish National Committee for Public Health, which existed between 1997 and 2000 and proposed national public health goals and strategies in the report ‘Health on equal terms – national goals for public health’ (3,4).

An important crossroads has been reached with the new public health policy (5). Where objectives had previously been based on diseases or health problems, health determinants were now chosen instead. The benefit of using determinants – structural factors in society, people’s living conditions and health behaviours – as a basis is that the objectives are more open to political decisions and can be influenced by certain types of societal measures.

Also important is that the new policy stresses the need for long- term, goal-oriented and multisectoral public health work, and better co-ordination, and it capitalises on our increasing knowledge of the evidence-based effects of interventions.

The institutional set-up

According to the government’s bill, many actors on all levels of society shall be responsible for the implementation of the new comprehensive public health policy. Central government agencies, whose tasks and activities have a direct impact on public health, are obliged to consider the effects and to monitor their own work. Municipalities (N = 290) and county councils (N = 21) have their own tax-levying powers and a significant degree of autonomy vis-a-vis the state. For them the domains of objectives, according to the central government, ‘show how their activities can be incorporated to help achieve the overall national public health aim’.

A national steering committee, under the leadership of the Minister of Public Health and directors-general of concerned agencies, has been established to improve co-ordination on the national, regional and local level. The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (SNIPH) co-ordinates the national monitoring and evaluation of the policy. A Public Health Policy Report was delivered to the government in 2005 and a new one is to be completed in 2009. The reports provide a basis for the government to communicate with the Riksdag regarding public health issues.

Aim of the article

The primary aim of this article is to give some insight into the processes of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the broad, determinants-based Swedish public health policy during the first phase of its implementation (2003-5). The focus is on the challenge of engaging the relevant agencies in other sectors of society and creating understanding among them for the health dimension of their remit.

Methods

SNIPH was commissioned by the government in 2002 to develop a monitoring system with indicators related to the new public health policy, and in 2003 and 2004 to support selected state agencies in the understanding of their roles as regards public health (6). To achieve this, SNIPH needed to formalise some normative starting points for the work. SNIPH developed a strategy (7) emphasising that actors outside the health service sector must:

* consider which determinants are important within their own spheres of activity and for which groups;

* establish indicators to follow up;

* build capacity for interventions, make Health Impact Assessments (HIA) and act on the determinants;

* monitor the effects of the interventions;

* suggest new steering mechanisms and interventions;

* report to stakeholders.

A monitoring system with indicators

The process was initiated because of the need to develop indicators to monitor progress (6). SNIPH was commissioned by the government in 2002 to propose indicators for the 11 domains of objectives. A proposal from SNIPH was submitted to the government in March 2003. This proposal was circulated by the Government Offices to 45 central state agencies for comments. Through this, a process of communication was started between SNIPH and more than 20 central state agencies, from agriculture to education. One result of this communication was 38 principal indicators adopted by SNIPH in November 2004; this was later reduced to 36 principal indicators when preparing the 2005 Public Health Policy Report (2005 PHPR). Besides the principal indicators, the report also contains 47 sub- indicators. The principal indicators and the sub-indicators are related to 42 determinants connected to the 11 ‘domains of objectives’.

A dialogue approach to support the state sector agencies

At the same time as the work with the indicators was being followed up, a dialogue approach to support the state sector agencies regarding their roles in public health (6) was adopted. The government commissioned 17 central state agencies in 2004, five central state agencies and eight county administrative boards (regional state agencies) in 2005 and 13 county administrative boards in 2006 (the latter ones were not included in the 2005 PHPR) to:

identify their roles in the field of public health and report on the measures they are taking and intend to take to reach Sweden’s overarching public health aim and the objectives specified in the eleven domains of the Swedish Public Health Policy.

Concurrently, SNIPH was commissioned to ‘stimulate and support’ the agencies. A prime challenge for SNIPH was to use the above- mentioned strategy, and engage and create understanding among the agencies for the health dimension of their remit.

The dialogue process started with meetings between SNIPH and agency directors-general and county governors about the normative starting points. This was followed by multi- and bilateral meetings with agency representatives about following up the determinants and reporting initiatives and achievements. To help central state agencies to report to SNIPHa a frame with questions was formalised and sent out (8). The frame was said to be a means of assistance, focusing on four principal questions (the task of the agency, activities that have significance for people’s health, the effects of the activities on health determinants and development needs and proposals for future actions). The same questions were put to the county administrative boards but in a qualitative form during meetings with each one of them. Reports with answers to the questions were sent to SNIPH from the 22 central state agencies and eight county administrative boards during 2004-5, and from the rest of the county administrative boards (13 agencies) during 2006. Support to municipalities and county councils/regions

In the government’s Public Health Objective Bill, the municipalities and county councils are regarded as the most important actors in public health. Support to them from SNIPH has primarily been given in the form of seminars, participation in strategic groups, knowledge reviews and reports (6). SNIPH has also compiled what are known as Basic Public Health Statistics (BPHS), for Local Authorities to help the municipalities plan and monitor their public health work. BPHS contain public healthrelated data on all municipalities and on the city districts of the three main Swedish cities. To obtain information for the 2005 PHPR, SNIPH conducted telephone interviews in 2004 with all 21 county councils/ regions, and also distributed an electronic questionnaire to all 290 municipalities and to the city districts in the three biggest cities. The questions to both county councils and municipalities focused on the organisation and governance of public health work, activities, planning and monitoring, resources and development needs in the field of public health (9). The response rate was 100% for county councils and 84% for the municipalities and the city districts.

Analysis of data

The focus of analysis in this article is not on the development of the chosen indicators, but on the implementation process in terms of different actors’ public health roles. Reports from central state agencies in 2004 were analysed by SNlPH in a ‘review report’ in December 2004 (10). This review report was used as a basis for the 2005 PHPR. The analysis of answers from the other questionnaires and interviews mentioned was made directly for the 2005 PHPR. Later – after the publication of the 2005 PHPR in October 2005 – a separate report was compiled in 2006 with an analysis of how public health work was organised in the municipalities (9) and also a report in 2007 about the public health role of the county administrative boards (11). To incorporate information about primary healthcare, SNIPH has also used reports from the National Board of Health and Welfare for the analysis.

The experiences of the implementation process, summarised below, are all described in the 2005 PHPR (6). The use of other sources of information is given special mention.

Results

Central state agencies

The remits of the central agencies’ contacted by SNIPH during the communication process cover a vast array of different policy areas, including the labour market, work environment, housing, integration, equality, education, social security, environmental protection, road traffic, sports, medical care, food and taxation.

The meetings with directors-general started the process and resulted in a consensus on the normative approach to public health and support to the idea of deepening the dialogue between SNlPH and each agency. There was a marked interest among the directorsgeneral in synergy effects, for example: environmental interventions that also had a positive effect on health; a decrease in alcohol consumption that also helps to meet transport policy targets to minimise traffic injuries; and city planning that supports physical activity. There was also a demand for a booklet of determinants and indicators related to each domain of objectives to make it easier for agencies ‘not in the health business’ to understand the determinants-based approach and their own relation to health (12).

Direct and indirect effects

The central agency reports to SNIPH showed that many agencies regarded their activities as having a direct impact on people’s health. According to the Swedish Chemicals Agency, for example, everything the agency does is aimed at preventing personal injury and environmental damage caused by the use of chemicals. Similar answers were given by the Swedish Work Environment Authority, the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Swedish Radiation Protection Authority and the Swedish Road Administration.

Others regarded the effects as more indirect in that their activities influenced local actors. One example is the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, which finds it is difficult to separate the effects of what it does in relation to the work of other actors. Several agencies, among them the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, pointed out that they work within domains of objectives other than those declared in the government’s Public Health Objective Bill (2).

Greater awareness of the health dimension

A summary of what happened shows that the process challenged the established domains of central agencies. Using a dialogue approach, however, increased awareness of the health dimension of their remit, and obstacles could be overcome. Most agencies involved in the process became actively engaged and contributed to the development and monitoring of indicators; statistics were sent over to SNIPH for monitoring or the agencies did the monitoring by themselves (in a few cases). They also reported initiatives, achievements and suggestions related to health determinants within their respective domains. Typical suggestions (here related to domains of objectives 1, 2 and 3) were for example: people overburdened with debt should have better support from society, bearing in mind the correlation between economic problems and illhealth; the labour market should be more flexible and inclusive for individuals that have less than full working capacity; more attention should be paid to public health aspects in the physical planning of municipalities; access to adequate transportation should be seen as an important part of people’s economic and social security; the situation of children should be afforded more attention from a public health perspective – for example: the size of preschool groups; the working climate in schools; staff skills; children’s influence at school; and the quality of anti-bullying campaigns. Related to the suggestions were proposals on more resources for analysis, co-operation and actions.

Regional state agencies

The most important task for the regional state agencies – the county administrative boards – is to promote regional development in accordance with goals decided by parliament and government. This task incorporates overall issues like equality, diversity and accessibility, promotion of sustainable environmental and social regional development, adaptation of the Swedish environmental quality objectives to the regional level, environmental supervision including environmental impact assessment and social supervision in the areas of social services for disabled persons and alcohol. It also includes animal and food protection, road traffic issues, etc.

Need for a clearer public health role

According to the 21 county administrative boards,’1 their work has both a direct and an indirect effect on all the domains of objectives, except domain 6 (the health service). Several of them also report that their co-ordination responsibility on the regional level, experiences from the area of environmental policy implementation and broad contact networks on the regional level provide good prerequisites for deepening and strengthening their role within the public health area. Therefore they want to be given a clear public health role by the government and to have resources for implementation.

County councils/regions

The main responsibility of Sweden’s county councils is to run the health service. They also have a long tradition and an important role as centres of excellence with regard to health and ill-health among the citizens. The Health and Medical Services Act (HSL sections 2 and 3) stipulates that the county councils shall work to prevent ill-health and even in other ways – promote good health throughout the entire population.

County councils/regions and the national public health policy

To obtain information, SNIPH conducted telephone interviews with all 21 county councils. These interviews show that the national public health policy has impacted on the work of the county councils/ regions. All county councils have adopted an overall action plan for public health work. In nine county councils, the plan has been adopted in partnership with other actors, primarily the municipalities. Most of the plans relate to objective domain 6 (a more healthpromoting health service), healthrelated lifestyles, the health situation among children and young people, as well as the health-promoting work done by colleagues in the health service.

Organisation and governance

Public health issues on which political decisions are to be taken by the county council are firstly prepared by some kind of healthcare committee prior to being adopted by the county council assembly or by the county council executive board. Six county councils have a special standing committee on public health. Seventeen have special public health/social medicine departments or units and, in 11 of them, public health strategy/the social medicine function falls directly within the remit of the county council executive or central office.

The 17 county councils with a department for public health/ social medicine support public health promotion within the county council and in the county, mostly for epidemiological monitoring, public health reporting and knowledge support. These play a supportive role. The Public Health Policy Bill makes reference to how these departments should work as a regional link in public health promotion between the national and local levels and provide support to the municipalities and information to SNIPH. There are currently three examples of how the scope of this support to the municipalities has been reduced – bringing objective domain 6 more and more into focus at the expense of the other objective domains – and how the support varies across the country. This raises questions about the ability of these departments to manage the role given to them by the legislator.

Co-operation

The outreach public health activities of the county councils are performed in different forms of co-operation. There is co-operation on the political level in various county boards, public health committees, etc. Common forms of cooperation include youth clinics, family health clinics, tobacco and alcohol prevention programmes. There is also cooperation among different counties as regards public health reporting and there is also formal co-operation, regulated by agreements between council councils and municipalities, to cofinance (e.g. public health planners).

Programmes within primary Healthcare centres

Sources other than SNIPH’s own questionnaires and interviews give insight in health-promoting and preventive measures implemented in primary healthcare.

Routines/programmes for prevention vary considerably among primary healthcare centres: successful preventive measures have been implemented within parts of the health service for a long time, for example in the maternity and child healthcare services, youth guidance centres, dental care, school healthcare and company healthcare. Infection control and vaccinations, along with other forms of screening, are also examples of well-developed preventive activities. Certain obstacles to health-promoting and preventive measures have been identified in previous government commissions: primarily a lack of time caused by a general shortage of resources and resultant increased workload (13).

According to the National Board of Health and Welfare, the focus has increasingly been on medical care/treatment within primary care throughout the 1990s while preventive activities have decreased. A new survey of primary healthcare centres by the National Board of Health and Welfare (14) shows that systematic health-promoting work in terms of routines/programmes to reduce smoking (64%) and overweight (45%) and to increase physical activity (48%) is being done, but that this is less usual when it comes to alcohol habits (30%) and stress-related problems (21%). A majority of primary healthcare centre directors (70%) said that they were co-operating with, for example, local public health advisory committees (64%) and helping to develop health-promoting programmes in local communities (47%). Only a small minority of them have specific programmes offering citizens medical examinations (17%).

It has been calculated by SNIPH in the 2005 PHPR that the majority of resources go to treatment and rehabilitation; only about 5% of total health service costs go towards disease-preventing measures – too low a share, according to SNIPH.

Municipalities

Municipalities are responsible for activities that affect a number of health determinants, e.g. social services, childcare, planning and building issues SNIPH distributed an electronic questionnaire to all 290 municipalities in 2004. The questionnaire contained 24 questions about the current situation as regards organisation, governance, activities, planning, monitoring, resources and development needs in the field of public health. Some comparisons were made with SNIPH surveys in 2003 and 1995.

The 2004 questionnaire was answered by 239 municipalities including the cities of Goteborg and Malmo (not Stockholm) and 41 of 49 city districts in Stockholm, Goteborg and Malmo. The response rate was 84% for both the municipalities and the city districts. The overall conclusion was that both the municipalities and the city districts were reasonably well organised in terms of their public health promotion and that the organisation of the municipalities had improved since the first survey in 1995.

Action plans

There were overarching action plans in 116 of the municipalities. This was 100% higher than in 1995. Public health was also mentioned in other overarching plans within 33 municipalities, for example in plans for sustainable development or democracy. Another 50 municipalities were also in the process of drawing up public health plans. Similar to earlier findings, sparsely populated municipalities had the least wellestablished organisation for public health promotion.

Conditions during childhood and adolescence, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol were in focus, compared to illicit drugs, allergy and environment/Agenda 21 in 1995.

Public health committees

As many as 76% of the municipalities – compared to 60% in 1995 – had some form of public health committee for organised co-operation with other actors such as county councils and NGOs. Most public health committees came directly under the municipal executive board, but it was also usual that they were linked to a local governmental committee. Both politicians and civil servants were on the public health committees. Co-operation was most common among industrial and rural municipalities and least common among other large municipalities.

Planning and monitoring

According to findings in the 2004 questionnaire, public health promotion was systematically monitored in half the municipalities. Municipalities usually monitored their activities using their own indicators/key ratios and using the Swedish Basic Public Health Statistics for Local Authorities. Both the large cities of Goteborg and Malmo said they systematically monitored their public health promotion efforts. More than half the municipalities said they used the SNIPH knowledge base when planning and implementing various public health promotion measures.

The percentage of municipalities with a public health coordinator remained unchanged (69%) compared to the 1995 and 2003 surveys and the majority of these offered a higher education public health science programme.

A growing interest

The municipalities are showing a growing interest in public health issues. At the same time, however, there is striking uncertainty as regards how the ambitions are to be met practically. Only a few municipalities can be said to have come far in the development of systematic public health work based on an analysis of epidemiological data, and of a systematic planning and monitoring process integrated into the planning and monitoring activities of the municipalities. Knowledge of key health determinants within different domains of objective and effective methods of intervention, and a clear division of roles and responsibilities between different parts of the administration are generally lacking. Both civil servants and politicians need deeper knowledge.

According to both county council and municipality representatives, the national public health policy has most definitely helped to reinforce the mandate for pursuing public health issues both locally and regionally.

Discussion

Proposals In the 2005 Public Health Policy Report

The experiences during the first phase of implementation (2003- 5) are described in the 2005 PHPR together with the presentation of time series data for 42 important health determinants. In the report, SNIPH also puts forward 29 priority proposals related to health threats in the areas of mental ill-health, working life, air pollution and accidents, communicable diseases, overweight and physical activity, tobacco, alcohol, violence against women and inequalities in health. There are also 13 proposals related to policy and capacity for public health work, such as the need for the involvement of more actors, better coordination of regional public health work, and more support to municipalities regarding competences in the field of public health (6).

Proposals suggested in the 2005 PHPR as regards capacity for public health work are based on the investigations referred to in this article. The quality of the investigations varies from on occasion rather vague answers by state agencies to more precise answers by county councils and municipalities. One reason for this could be that questions put to state agencies are more difficult to answer (the direct and indirect impact and effects on determinants of interventions, and development needs related to present interventions and effects) than questions put to county councils/ municipalities (the organisation and governance of public health activities, but no questions about interventions and effects). It is important, however, that the answers are sufficient to serve as a basis for proposals from SNIPH to the government.

It is also important that both the questions and the answers are part of and reflect the processes of implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this broad, determinants-based public health policy. To further improve future policy reporting, the questions need to be reviewed.

As regards capacity for public health work, SNIPH points out that agencies have generally shown considerable interest in public health and have identified their potential for having a positive impact on it. New central and regional agencies should therefore be involved in the process in a similar way. It should be clarified, however, that the responsibility of the agencies for contributing to a positive health development by making efforts in their own areas of responsibility also includes monitoring the development of health determinants and establishing relevant indicators in the area. Data used by the agencies when monitoring should be reported annually to SNIPH for input into the database that has been built up during the compilation of the 2005 PHPR. The regional level needs to be developed in order both to cement the standing of public health issues in regional development planning and to support the municipalities and other local actors. SNIPH proposes that the county administrative boards – provided no other regional body takes on the responsibility – should co-ordinate the efforts to develop regional public health objectives, increase awareness of the national public health policy in the county and monitor the regional objectives and public health promotion in the county. A second proposal regarding the county administrative boards is that they should report on an annual basis to SNIPH on how the public health policy and improvements in the county are progressing, since there is a lack of public health reporting from the local and regional level to the national level.

Another proposal regarding the regional level is that regional public health centres should be developed and be connected to SNIPH. The collaborative partners for these centres should primarily be municipalities, county councils, universities and university colleges, along with county administrative boards, the business sector and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Activities should aim to stimulate public health promotion and support local and regional actors, compile knowledge and act as public health R&D centres, develop practical methods and help to evaluate public health measures. It is furthermore important, according to SNIPH, for public health/social medicine departments at county councils/ regions to have the resources and skills needed to be able to provide support for the implementation and monitoring of public health efforts made within all 11 objective domains of the public health policy.

Municipalities want more skills development. Politicians would like to see more strategic and method support in order to be able to convert public health plans into concrete measures. They also express a need for health economics data that shed light on the financial profitability of public health measures and the need to bridge the gap to universities and university colleges in order to develop more ‘down-to-earth’ or realitybased forms of research. SNIPH proposes, among others, that skills development is offered to municipalities and county councils in the form of short, in-service training programmes; the proposed initiator of this measure is SNIPH in co-operation with SALAR, the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions.

The government communication to the Riksdag

The government submitted a communication ‘Public health policy for equality in health and sustainable development’ (15) to the Riksdag in the spring of 2006. This communication is the first follow-up of the Public Health Objective Bill (2) in terms of a government communication to the parliament. The 2005 PHPR and considerations by 100 relevant actors are used as the basis of the communication, along with the public health report by the National Board of Health and Welfare, and communications and bills submitted after the 2005 PHPR have been published.

The communication states that the public health policy shall remain in place, with one overarching national aim, domains of objectives, a four-year ‘evaluation cycle’, determinants, indicators, a spread responsibility and interventions that combat the most common health problems and inequality in health.

In the communication, the government emphasises that more work is needed to specify some of the indicators, that health impact assessments (HIA) should be used by more actors and that health economic analysis should be developed to provide good arguments for investing in health. The government is in favour of continued implementation, involving more state agencies. Increasing the number of ‘role assignments’ which were given to 22 national and 21 regional state agencies during 2004-6, and the number of ‘HlA tasks’, which have been given to 13 national and 21 regional agencies in 2005-7, is one of the aims. The government finds it difficult to reach a consensus about co-ordinated regional public health promotion among county councils and county administrative boards and feels more discussion on this subject is needed.

The communication also points out that support for more competence in public health matters among the municipalities is needed. Successful public health promotion presupposes the integration of public health aspects into the activities already being carried out by municipalities and county councils. Research and method development, the dissemination of experience, evaluation and support to networks of elected representatives and public sector officials, e.g. Forum folkhalsa (Public Health Forum), are, according to the Public Health Policy Bill, the most important issues when it comes to encouraging the ongoing process.'” In partnership with the relevant actors, SNIPH shall take a supporting role in this process.

The integration of public health issues into the efforts being made to achieve sustainable development not only requires intersectoral co-operation but also a broadened knowledge base. In addition to knowledge that helps them to make decisions regarding various programmes, for example parent support, municipal representatives also need knowledge about how these methods can be implemented in a systematic and high-quality fashion. Knowledge about quality assurance and implementation therefore needs to be further developed.

Signals from the new government elected in September 2006

A new centre-right coalition government came into power after the general election in September 2006.

The new government retracted the former government communication to the Riksdag, but has also decided that there shall be no amendments made to the public health policy. More focus shall be put on the domains of objectives related to children, the health service and health behaviours (domains 3, 6, 7-11). A new government bill shall be submitted in 2008. The bill will focus on the need for new investments in the area of preventive efforts regarding children and adolescents, support for parents and prevention of suicide and obesity. Increased taxation on cigarettes, oral smokeless tobacco and beer has been announced as another important area. More money is also likely to be made available for investments to decrease the use of alcohol and abuse of illicit drugs consumption, together with more money being raised to hinder pandemics, for HIV/aids prevention and other public health problems.

Conclusions

The determinants-based Swedish public health policy is very new; it was only adopted by the Riksdag in April 2003. We have not been able to build up extensive experience in such a short space of time. However, a brief examination of the first phase (2003-5) of the implementation process shows the following:

The determinants approach – focusing on structural factors in society, people’s living conditions and health behaviours that affect health – is in general well understood and emphasises the role of other sectors in public health.

The use of indicators to follow up exposures to determinants is of key importance. To be useful for municipalities and organisations on the local level, statistics should be locally based as much as possible.

Support to actors outside the health service is needed to identify their public health role. SNIPH has a core function in this respect, but other bodies, especially on the regional level, are also of great importance and should have more resources for this task. Two solutions, not competing with each other, could be relevant: 1. all public health/social medicine departments at county councils/regions should have the resources to provide support within all 11 objective domains of the public health policy; and 2. new regional public health centres could be developed for the purpose of stimulating public health promotion and supporting local and other regional actors. Those centres could come under SNIPH or be established as an arrangement between municipalities, county councils and universities as the driving partners.

Continuous steering from the government and other political bodies is of vital importance. Without distinct steering from the government vis^a-vis the state agencies on the central and regional levels, the processes will slow down. Continuous steering is also needed in relation to agencies that have been involved in 2003-6, and are still involved in 2007 and 2008, but new agencies should also be engaged in the process. It needs to be clarified that efforts should be made in their own spheres of responsibility, including monitoring the development of health determinants and establishing relevant indicators in the area. This is a key to transferring the Ownership’ of the public health issue to the agencies.

Public health promotion on the regional level needs a higher level of coordination. The county councils/regions and SALAR (Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions) are not in favour of the SNlPH proposal, according to which the county administrative boards act as coordinators of public health issues on the regional level and report to SNIPH every year on how the public health policy and public health work are being implemented.’v The former government has also said it is important to have more of discussion on this subject. In any case, it is important that this issue be resolved as soon as possible.

Municipalities need more skills development. Successful public health promotion presupposes the integration of public health aspects into the activities already being carried out by municipalities and county councils. Research and method development, the dissemination of experience, evaluation and support to networks of elected representatives and public sector officials, e.g. Forum folkhalsa (Public Health Forum), are, according to the Public Health Policy Bill, the most important issues when it comes to encouraging the ongoing process. In partnership with the relevant actors, SNIPH shall take a supporting role in this process. SNIPH proposes that skills development is offered to municipalities and county councils in the form of short, in-service training programmes; the proposed initiator of this measure is SNIPH in co-operation with SALAR. The new Swedish government, which came into power after the election in September 2006, has retracted the former government communication to the Riksdag, but does not intend to change the public health policy. The new government intends to focus more on the domains of objectives in the policy related to children and adolescents, the health service and health behaviours (domains 3, 6, 7-11). A new government bill shall be presented in 2008.

En avril 2003, une politique globale de sante publique a ete adoptee par le Riksdag, le Parlement suedois. Elle a permis de faire grimper la sante dans l’ordre du jour politique et d’accorder a l’equite en sante une haute priorite.

La premiere phase de la mise en oeuvre de cette politique, de 2003 a 2005, est decrite dans le Rapport sur la Politique de Sante publique publie en 2005 par l’Institut national suedois de Sante publique (SNIPH). Pour permettre effectivement cette investigation sur la mise en uvre, le SNIPH a suivi l’evolution de 42 determinants et utilise les rapports de 22 agences centrales et de 8 conseils d’administration de comte, de meme que des entretiens avec tous les conseils de comte de Suede (21) et les resultats d’un questionnaire envoye a toutes les municipalites (290).

Les enseignements tires de la mise en oeuvre de cette politique sont les suivants:

L’approche par les determinants – laquelle s’attache aux facteurs structurels dans la societe, aux conditions de vie de la population et aux comportements en matiere de sante comme autant d’elements ayant un impact sur la sante – est generalement bien comprise et valorise le role d’autres secteurs dans la sante publique.

L’utilisation d’indicateurs pour suivre l’exposition de la population aux determinants revet une importance primordiale.

Le soutien aux acteurs exterieurs aux services de sante est necessaire pour pouvoir determiner leur role par rapport a la sante publique.

Un pilotage continu de la part du gouvernement et d’autre corps politiques est d’une importance vitale.

La promotion de la sante publique au niveau regional requiert un niveau plus eleve de coordination.

Les municipalites ont besoin de plus de developpement de competences.

La Suede dispose d’un nouveau gouvernement, elu en septembre 2006. Celui-ci a desavoue la communication concernant la politique de sante publique soumise au Riksdag par le gouvernement precedent au printemps 2006, mais n’a pas l’intention de modifier la politique de sante publique elle-meme. (Promet Educ 2008;15(2): 27-33)

En Abril de 2003, el Parlamento Sueco (Riksdag) aprobo una politica integral de salud publica que coloca el tema de la salud en un puesto mas alto de la agenda politica y otorga una gran prioridad a la equidad en este ambito.

La primera fase de ejecucion de la politica, 2003-2005, queda descrita en el Informe de Salud Publica 2005 publicado por el Instituto Nacional Sueco de Salud Publica (SNIPH en sus siglas en ingles). Para investigar dicha ejecucion, el SNIPH ha seguido la evolucion de 42 determinantes y ha utilizado los informes de 22 agencias centrales y de 8 juntas administrativas provinciales asi como entrevistas con todas las delegaciones provinciales suecas (21) y ha enviado un cuestionario a todos los ayuntamientos (290). De la ejecucion de esta politica se desprende lo siguiente:

– Por lo general, se comprende bien el enfoque de los determinantes -centrado en los factores estructurales de la sociedad, en las condiciones de vida de la poblacion y en las conductas que afectan a la salud-, que subraya el papel que desempenan otros sectores en la salud publica.

– Es fundamental el uso de indicadores para hacer un seguimiento de la incidencia de los determinantes.

– Es necesario apoyar a los actores externos al servicio de salud para identificar su rol en el ambito de la salud publica.

– Es de vital importancia que el gobierno y otros organismos politicos asuman la direccion permanente de la politica en cuestion.

– La promocion de la salud publica a nivel regional necesita mayor coordinacion.

– Los ayuntamientos necesitan mas desarrollo de habilidades.

– Suecia tiene un gobierno nuevo, elegido en Septembre de 2006, que ha retirado la comunicacion sobre la politica de salud publica del gobierno anterior presentada al Parlamento en la primavera de 2006, pero no tiene intencion de modificar dicha politica. (Promot Educ 2008;15(2): 27-33)

i. State sector central agencies in the public health communication process: Swedish Labour Market Administration; Swedish Work Environment Authority; National Board of Housing, Building and Planning; Swedish Integration Authority; Swedish Consumer Agency; National Food Administration; Swedish National Agency for School Development; Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; Swedsh Rescue Services Agency; Swedish Police; Social Insurance Office in Sweden; Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control; National Board of Health and Welfare; Swedish Board of Agriculture; Swedish Arts Council; Swedish National Agency for Education; Swedish Radiation Protection Authority; Swedish National Board for Youth Affairs; Swedish Road Administration; Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention; Medical Products Agency – Sweden; Swedish Customs; Swedish Gaming Board; Swedish Chemicals Agency; also 21 county administrative boards.

ii. Reports from eight of the 21 county administrative boards were included in the 2005 Public Health Policy Report. The answers from all 21 county administrative boards do not change the picture given by the eight first ones, but enhance the description and provide more suggestions.

iii. Forum folkhalsa (Public Health Forum) is a national forum for local public health promotion, the aim of which is to ensure the exchange of experience and the dissemination of knowledge within the field of public health for municipalities and county councils/ regions as well as other NGOs on the national level who are actively involved in public health issues. Forum folkhalsa is jointly run by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) and SNIPH.

iv. This is shown in considerations by county councils and SALAR on the 2005 Public Health Policy Report (16).

References

1. Govt. Report 2002/03 :SoU 7, Riksdag Communication 2002/ 03:145 [in Swedish].

2. Swedish government’s Public Health Objective Bill 2002/03:35 [in Swedish]. Extended summary in English available from: http:// www.fhi.se/templates/Page__4835. aspx

3. The Swedish National Committee for Public Health. Health on equal terms – national goals for public health. English version of SOU 2000:91. Stockholm: Fritzes; 2000. Also in: The Swedish National Committee for Public Health. Health on equal terms – national goals for public health. Scand J Public Health. 2001 ;29Suppl 57:1-68.

4. Hogstedt C, Lundgren B, Moberg H, Pettersson B, Agren G, editors. The Swedish Public Health Policy and the National Institute of Public Health. Scand J Public Health. 2004;32 Suppl 64. Available from: http://www.fhi.se/ templates/Page__4835.aspx

5. Agren G. Sweden’s New Public Health Policy, National Public Health objectives for Sweden. Stockholm: Swedish National Institute of Public Health; 2003.

6. Swedish National Institute of Public Health. The 2005 Public Health Policy Report Stockholm: Swedish National Institute of Public Health; 2005. [in Swedish]. Summary in English available from: httpV/ www.fhi.se/templates/ Page 6725.aspx

7. Swedish National Institute of Public Health. Communication (20- 03-1108) to the Swedish government on 30 January 2004 entitled “A strategy for stimulating and supporting central agencies and other authorities that have a special responsibility in the field of public health” [in Swedish].

8. Lundgren B. Template for reporting activities/interventions. Swedish National Institute of Public Health (working material); 2004 Jun 3.

9. Moor B. How the municipalities are organised as regards public health issues (2004). Swedish National Institute of Public Health; 2005 [in Swedish). Summary in English available from: http:// www.fhi.se/templates/ Page__7949.aspx

10. Lundgren B, Moberg H, Branting Elgstrand M. SNIPH’s review of agency reports on indicators and statistics and on interventions that influence public health determinants: final report. Swedish National Institute of Public Health (working material); 2004 Dec 6 [in Swedish].

11. Swedish National Institute of Public Health. The role of the county administrative boards (CABs) in public health: a summary of the CABs’ reports about their role in the public health field. Swedish National Institute of Public Health; 2007 [in Swedish].

12. Lundgren B, Branting Elgstrand M, Schaerstrom A. Public health determinants and indicators: background material to the ongoing Public Health Policy Report. Swedish National Institute of Public Health (working material); 2005 Feb 10 [in Swedish].

13. National Board of Health and Welfare. Healthcare status report 2003. Stockholm: National Board of Health and Welfare; 2004 [in Swedish].

14. National Board of Health and Welfare. A healthpromoting health service? A survey of healthpromoting and disease-prevention interventions. Stockholm: National Board of Health and Welfare; 2005 [in Swedish].

15. Swedish government communication 2005/06:205. Public health policy for equality in health and sustainable development; 2005 [in Swedish).

16. Swedish Government Offices, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, consultation report 2006 31 May, S2005/7557/FH [in Swedish].

Bernt Lundgren1

1. Public health policy expert, Swedish National Institute of Public Health. Correspondence to: [email protected] (This manuscript was submitted on November 9, 2007. Following blind peer review, it was accepted for publication on January 9, 2008.)

Copyright International Union for Health Promotion and Education 2008

(c) 2008 Promotion & Education. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

To: NATIONAL EDITORS

Contact: Michael McCauley, +1-415-902-9537 (cell), [email protected], or Meg Bohne, +1-516-528-9293 (cell), both of Consumer Reports

Summer Tour Reaches Half Way Point of Coast-To-Coast JourneyHighlighting Challenges Americans Face With Health Coverage

YONKERS, N.Y., July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Cover America Tour has reached the half-way point of its summer-long road trip across the country to chronicle the stories of Americans who are having a tough time getting affordable, high quality health care. The coast-to-coast tour sponsored by Consumer Reports Healthaims to put a face on the challenges Americans are experiencing as momentum builds for health care reform.

As the tour crew travels by RV across the country, theyre posting videos of people talking about their experiences and blogging about what theyre hearing at http://www.CoverAmericaTour.org. So far, the tour has traveled over 9,000 miles through 30 states and produced 46 different short videos highlighting the stories of Americans who have struggled to get the health care they need.

In big cities and small towns across the country, Americans are anxious about the cost of health care and worry about whether theyll be able to afford the care they need to stay healthy, said Meg Bohne, Campaign Organizer for Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports Health. Every story is different but all Americans want access to affordable, high quality care they can depend on when they need it most.

The stories chronicled by the Cover America Tour include Americans who cannot afford insurance, have coverage that is costly or doesnt meet their needs, and those who have received poor quality care. Some of the videotaped stories featured on the Cover America Tour web site include:

Dave – Ashboro, North Carolina. Dave lost his health coverage when he was laid off from his job at the age of 62. He tried to purchase health insurance for himself and his wife but every insurer he contacted excluded their pre-existing conditions. He finally found a job that offered health benefits, but hell have to work until he is 69 in order to provide health coverage for his wife until she qualifies for Medicare. Health insurance is controlling our lives, Dave said.

See Daves video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1646070816

Peter – Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Peter injured his hand while chopping wood and had to choose between getting the care he needed or going deep into debt. When he got to the hospital he found out that he would need to be airlifted to another facility in order to save his thumb. Because he was uninsured, he couldnt afford the expense and had his thumb amputated instead. The sacrifice of my thumb was far less than the risk of losing my house, said Peter.

See Peters video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1608823283

Charles – Alma, Georgia. When Charles found out he had prostate cancer, he was told by his insurance company that it wouldnt cover the services provided by the doctor who diagnosed him. While the doctors office on the first floor is part of his insurance companys network, the second floor where biopsies are done is not. It was only after his state legislator intervened on his behalf that Charles was able to get his insurer to cover his needed surgery at a local hospital. Its not the cancer that is going to kill me, its the insurance company, said Charles.

See Charles video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1674044182

Sister Mary Ellen – Detroit, Michigan. Sister Mary Ellen runs the Cabrini Clinic in Detroit, one of the oldest such clinics serving the uninsured, working poor in the U.S. The demand for the clinics services is great. Free clinics are supposed to be the safety net below the safety net for the few who fall through, said Sister Mary Ellen. The problem is too many are falling through right now.

See Mary Ellens video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1619484075

Bea – Charlotte, North Carolina. Bea has had a tough time affording an individual health insurance plan that covers the care she needs. After she was laid off from her county social worker job, Bea opened her own practice but she can only afford catastrophic coverage. Her policy does not cover pre-existing conditions, including her painful arthritis. I quickly realized that the American dream of owning your business is only for the young and healthy, said Bea.

See Beas video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1648122600

Helen – Columbia, South Carolina. Helen lost her son due to medical errors in the hospital. Helens 15-year-old son Lewis underwent surgery to correct a bone defect. His surgery went smoothly, but he was given improper pain medication and developed a perforated ulcer, a hospital acquired infection and began to bleed internally. He soon died. “This was an accident waiting to happen, said Helen, who has gone on to found Mothers Against Medical Errors.

See Helens video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/ bcpid1460683554/bctid1667900245

The Cover America Tour crew will be on the road until mid- September and will complete its cross-country journey in Washington, D.C. Please Note:The Cover America Tour can connect reporters with Americans willing to be interviewed by the media about their health care experiences.

SOURCE Consumer Reports

(c) 2008 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

NASHUA, N.H., July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — iCAD(R), Inc. , an industry-leading provider of Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) solutions, today announced that its SecondLook(R) Digital CAD technology customized for use with Sectra’s MicroDose Mammography(TM) system is now available throughout Europe.

“Adding the benefits of iCAD’s technology to Sectra’s digital mammography systems enhances the screening mammography experience exponentially for the radiologist,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Piguet from ImageRive, the official and exclusive institution of postgraduate studies for the Universite de Geneve. “Sectra’s Photon-Counting Technology provides a clearer, easier-to-read image due to high resolution, high DQE and low electronic noise. When coupled with iCAD’s SecondLook Digital CAD to identify areas of interest for closer consideration, the solution significantly improves workflow and increases the detection of cancer.”

iCAD has received CE mark approval to market and sell its customized solution with Sectra’s mammography systems and units have been placed at ImageRive Radiology Institute in Switzerland and Aarhus Hospital in Denmark.

“The availability of our CAD technology with Sectra solutions throughout Europe is a milestone in iCAD’s business strategy outside the US,” said Ken Ferry, president and CEO of iCAD. “Our solid partnership with Sectra, a leading provider of digital mammography systems in Europe, is a key element in our overall goal to increase the use of iCAD’s systems in this growing market.”

About iCAD, Inc.

iCAD, Inc. is an industry-leading provider of Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) solutions that enable healthcare professionals to better serve patients by identifying pathologies and pinpointing cancer earlier. iCAD offers a comprehensive range of high-performance, upgradeable CAD systems and workflow solutions for mammography (film-based, digital radiography (DR) and computed radiography (CR)), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Computed Tomography (CT). Currently available in more than 2,200 healthcare centers worldwide, iCAD’s solutions aid in the early detection of the most prevalent cancers including breast, colon, prostate and, in the future, lung cancer. For more information, call (877) iCADnow or visit http://www.icadmed.com/.

About Sectra’s Medical Operations

Sectra develops and sells IT-systems and products for radiology, mammography and orthopedic departments. More than 950 hospitals worldwide use the system daily, together performing over 45 million radiology examinations annually. This makes Sectra one of the world leading companies within systems for handling digital radiology images. In Scandinavia, Sectra is the market leader with more than 50% of all film-free installations. Sectra’s systems have been installed in North America, Scandinavia and most major countries in Europe and the Far East.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

Certain statements contained in this News Release constitute “forward- looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the risks of uncertainty of patent protection, the impact of supply and manufacturing constraints or difficulties, product market acceptance, possible technological obsolescence, increased competition, customer concentration and other risks detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The words “believe”, “demonstrate”, “intend”, “expect”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “likely”, and similar expressions identify forward- looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on those forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. The Company is under no obligation to provide any updates to any information contained in this release.

For iCAD, contact Darlene Deptula-Hicks at 603-882-5200 x7944, or via email at

                            [email protected]   For Investor Relations, contact Anne Marie Fields of Lippert/Heilshorn &       Associates at 212-838-3777 x6604 or via email at [email protected]   For Public Relations, contact Sara Morgan of Schwartz Communications at             781-684-0770 or via e-mail at [email protected]  

iCAD, Inc.

CONTACT: Darlene Deptula-Hicks of iCAD, Inc., +1-603-882-5200, ext.7944, [email protected]; or Investor Relations, Anne Marie Fields ofLippert-Heilshorn & Associates for iCAD, Inc., +1-212-838-3777, ext. 6604,[email protected]; or Public Relations, Sara Morgan of Schwartz Communications foriCAD, Inc., +1-781-684-0770, [email protected]

Web site: http://www.icadmed.com/

By Peggy Linton

Visit the Olive Branch Family YMCA at any time and you will see active young people working to improve their health in fun and motivational ways.

The YMCA has been successful in integrating physical activity and nutrition education programs into its daily activity schedule as well as summer camps and after-school programs.

Olive Branch Family YMCA’s mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

The DeSoto County Community Health Council recognized the quality programs offered to youths in the area of physical fitness and nutrition and for this reason has awarded the Olive Branch Family YMCA the June Health Champion Recognition.

Youths can take part in one or more activities relating to healthy lifestyles: Kids Fit Aerobic Classes; Youth Strength Training and Conditioning program; Alpha Center Teen work out area for 13- to 15-year-olds; Special Needs Athletic and Aquatic program; Nutrition Education Counseling; swim lessons (6 months to 17 years); and youth sports, such as soccer, basketball, cheerleading, Thai boxing, martial arts and swim team, competitive and recreational.

The Summer Enrichment Camp offers a variety of lessons on healthy lifestyle such as celebrating Nutrition Week, when the dietician led “Jeopardy”-like games on eating healthy; health presentations; tobacco prevention games and activities; physical education classes; body walk; and the Power Panther, part of the USDA’s Nutrition program. Healthy Kids Day is observed annually and offers an opportunity for parents to learn along side their children.

Getting kids on the right track at an early age is important to the YMCA. They offer Kids Corner, a preschool curriculum including nutrition and physical fitness. The after-school program incorporates both physical activity and nutrition components. Home- schooled classes are offered for swimming and physical education.

“The DeSoto County Community Health Council is proud to recognize the Olive Branch Family YMCA for their outstanding achievements in advocating healthy lifestyles for the entire community,” said Mellany Evans, chairwoman of the DeSoto County Community Health Council. “We are impressed that their list of services is all- encompassing by including programming for all ages from youth to seniors; a program which specifically focuses on those with special needs; and as their mission statement proclaims, they truly are building healthy spirit, mind and body for all.”

“I am proud that the YMCA has been recognized as a health champion in DeSoto County. The YMCA has been in existence since 1844 and since 1855 in the Mid-South area,” says Jim Robinson, executive director of Olive Branch Family YMCA. “A short time later, in 1869, the first health and wellness components were introduced at YMCAs across the country. The Olive Branch Family YMCA is proud to be serving individuals, children and families for the past three years. It is often said about the Y that . ‘there are programs for everyone of all ages at the Y.’ That is a very true statement. Being a YMCA located in Mississippi, we focus many of our programs to help combat the obesity issues facing our state. From our Kids Fit classes to senior water aerobics or Youth Strength Training classes to Senior Strength Training classes they all focus on developing healthier lifestyles.”

The Community Health Council is a component of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi’s GET A LIFE! initiative and seeks nominations from throughout the county to recognize a Monthly Health Champion. Do you know an individual, group, church, school, or business that you feel is an advocate for healthy lifestyles in DeSoto County? Send your nomination to Peggy Linton at [email protected] or fax to 662-449-5006. For more information and healthy tips visit kidsgetalife.org.

Peggy Linton is community development director Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi

Originally published by Peggy Linton Special to My Life .

(c) 2008 Commercial Appeal, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

SUNRISE, Fla., July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Bioheart, Inc., a company committed to delivering intelligent devices and biologics that help monitor, diagnose and treat heart failure and cardiovascular diseases, announced the adoption of the following resolutions during today’s Annual Shareholders Meeting:

— Shareholders approved the election of eight directors to serve until the annual meeting of shareholders in 2009 or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The elected directors are: Howard J. Leonhardt; Samuel S. Ahn, M.D., MBA; Bruce C. Carson; Peggy A. Farley; David J. Gury; William P. Murphy, Jr., M.D.; Richard T. Spencer III; and Mike Tomas.

— Shareholders approved and ratified the selection of Grant Thornton LLP as Bioheart’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008.

— Shareholders approved an amendment to the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of the common stock of the Company from 50 million shares to 75 million shares.

— Shareholders approved the establishment of the Bioheart Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan.

“The past year has been a period of enormous progress for Bioheart, both in our clinical program and our business development,” said Howard J. Leonhardt, chairman and chief executive officer of Bioheart, Inc. “We believe we represent a great hope for the more than 23 million patients suffering from heart failure worldwide.”

In his comments to shareholders, Leonhardt noted a number of previously announced business and clinical highlights. In addition, Leonhardt announced the signing of a non-binding letter of intent to acquire Medicalgorithmics and the worldwide rights to the CE mark-approved POCKET(R) ECG beat-to-beat arrhythmia and A-Fib analysis monitoring system. According to industry data, arrhythmia and A-Fib analysis is one of the fastest growing segments in cardiology.

Additional Highlights:

— MyoCell(R) Clinical Cell Therapy: Currently the subject of Bioheart’s MARVEL Trial, a Phase II/III randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which involves 35 U.S. clinical sites, up from the five U.S. sites that participated in Bioheart’s Phase I MYOHEART Trial. The trial is scheduled to enroll up to 330 patients and is the largest clinical trial of its kind ever undertaken.

— Positive Clinical Results: Final clinical results of the Phase I MYOHEART Trial and Phase II-a SEISMIC Trial were presented at multiple major medical and scientific meetings this past year. In these studies, it was reported that 83 percent of patients treated with MyoCell(R) Therapy improved, or did not worsen, in the six-minute walk scores, while only 17 percent worsened. Additionally, in the SEISMIC Trial, 94 percent of patients treated with MyoCell(R) Therapy experienced improved or unchanged NYHA classification, while only six percent worsened. By comparison, 42 percent of the control group patients in the SEISMIC Trial, who received drug therapy alone, experienced a worsened NYHA classification. Both the six-minutes walk exercise test and quality of life scores are primary end points of MARVEL Trial.

— MyoCell(R) SDF-1, intended to be an improvement of MyoCell(R) and being developed in collaboration with the University of Florida utilizing intellectual property licensed by the Cleveland Clinic, demonstrated positive functional improvement in two separate animal studies. Bioheart is preparing to enter into clinical registry studies in Switzerland and is working with the FDA on obtaining an IND for clinical trials in the U.S.

— Bioheart TGI-1200(TM) System, a bedside apparatus for preparing stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells from adipose tissue is advancing closer to commercial approval. Commercialization approval is being pursued through Bioheart’s corporate partner Tissue Genesis, Inc.

— Bioheart 3370 Heart Failure Monitor: Bioheart secured non-exclusive worldwide distribution rights for a home patient monitoring system utilizing Bioheart’s exclusive proprietary software program. These products are fully approved for commercial sale both in the U.S. and Europe.

“Our confidence in the future of Bioheart has never been stronger,” said Leonhardt.

About Bioheart, Inc.:

Bioheart, Inc. is committed to delivering intelligent devices and biologics that help monitor, diagnose and treat heart failure and cardiovascular diseases. Its goals are to improve a patient’s quality of life and reduce health care costs and hospitalizations. Specific to biotechnology, Bioheart is focused on the discovery, development and, subject to regulatory approval, commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage. Its lead product candidate, MyoCell(R), is an innovative clinical muscle-derived stem cell therapy designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patient’s heart with new living cells for the purpose of improving cardiac function in chronic heart failure patients. The Company’s pipeline includes multiple product candidates for the treatment of heart damage, including Bioheart Acute Cell Therapy, an autologous, adipose tissue-derived stem cell treatment for acute heart damage, and MyoCell(R) SDF-1, a therapy utilizing autologous cells that are genetically modified to express additional potentially therapeutic growth proteins. For more information on Bioheart, visit http://www.bioheartinc.com/.

   MyoCell, MyoCell SDF-1 and MyoCath are trademarks of Bioheart, Inc.    Forward-Looking Statements:  

Except for historical matters contained herein, statements made in this press release are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as “may”, “will”, “to”, “plan”, “expect”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “could”, “would”, “estimate”, or “continue” or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Investors and others are cautioned that a variety of factors, including certain risks, may affect our business and cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These risk factors include, without limitation, (i) our ability to secure additional financing; (ii) the timely success and completion of our clinical trials; (iii) the occurrence of any unacceptable side effects during or after preclinical and clinical testing of our product candidates; (iv) regulatory approval of our product candidates; (v) our dependence on the success of our lead product candidate; (vi) our inability to predict the extent of our future losses or if or when we will become profitable; (vii) our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; and (viii) intense competition. The Company is also subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section entitled “Risk Factors” in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, as amended by Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-K/A and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008.

    Contact:    William Kline                  Lytham Partners, LLC                Chief Financial Officer        Joe Diaz                Nicholas Burke                 Joe Dorame                VP - Financial Operations      Robert Blum                (954) 835-1500                 (602) 889-9700  

Bioheart, Inc.

CONTACT: William Kline, Chief Financial Officer, or Nicholas Burke, VP- Financial Operations, +1-954-835-1500, both of Bioheart, Inc.; or Joe Diaz,or Joe Dorame, or Robert Blum, +1-602-889-9700, all of Lytham Partners, LLC,for Bioheart, Inc.

Web site: http://www.bioheartinc.com/

By Phil Kabler

Prescription data mining is a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry that, among other uses, allows pharmaceutical companies to pitch pricey brand-name drugs directly to individual doctors based on their prescribing habits.

On Tuesday, industry and medical officials debated the pros and cons of data mining – and whether the Legislature should crack down on the practice in West Virginia.

“Prescription data mining is like a global positioning system for drug reps – providing crisp maps to those doctors most likely to respond to sales tactic A or to sales tactic B,” Dr. Jean Silver- Isenstadt told a Judiciary interim committee Tuesday.

Silver-Isenstadt heads the National Physicians Alliance, a group of 15,000 doctors that supports banning the sale of prescriber records for commercial purposes.

Armed with specific data about which doctors are prescribing low- cost generics instead of their company’s brand-name drugs, pharmaceutical sales reps can directly target their sales pitches – pitches that Silver-Isenstadt said frequently include free meals and office supplies, exorbitant payments for consulting fees and other gifts and incentives.

“In 2004, the pharmaceutical industry spent $27 billion on marketing, with over 85 percent of that budget directed at physicians,” she said.

She said those aggressive sales tactics have had disastrous public health consequences, as with the arthritis drug Vioxx, which enjoyed rapid sales growth through a massive advertising campaign, but had to be pulled off the market after thousands of Vioxx patients suffered heart attacks and strokes.

Meanwhile, Robert Hunkler, a director of Norwalk, Conn.-based IMS Health – the largest of the three major data mining companies in the country – said there are numerous other uses for the data that IMS collects and processes, including medical research and databases for state and federal public health agencies.

“It is just academic information that can be used by a variety of individuals for a variety of reasons,” he said.

Hunkler did concede, under questioning by Sen. Dan Foster, D- Kanawha, that IMS has $2.2 billion of annual revenue, with pharmaceutical companies making up the “vast majority” of sales.

Likewise, Dr. William Hazel, board of trustees secretary for the American Medical Association, told the committee the AMA makes about $45 million a year selling its database of all licensed physicians in the U.S. to the data miners. He said that accounts for about 16 percent of the AMA’s total annual income.

The data miners take the AMA’s Physician Masterfile and match it with prescription drug sales databases purchased from drugstore chains and other pharmaceutical providers to come up with specific prescribing information for each doctor.

Physicians who don’t want to be included in the AMA database can opt out, but Hazel said only about 2 percent of the roughly 800,000 doctors in the U.S. have used that option.

Perry Bryant, director of West Virginians for Affordable Health Care, said he doesn’t believe any system designed to increase sales of brand-name prescription drugs is in the public interest, but he warned legislators that any attempt to regulate prescription data mining will be hard-fought by the affected parties.

However, Sen. Evan Jenkins, D-Cabell and director of the West Virginia Medical Association, said that if pharmaceutical manufacturers could not use data mining, they would probably redouble other marketing efforts,” Jenkins said.

Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wv gazette.com or call 348-1220.

Originally published by Staff writer.

(c) 2008 Charleston Gazette, The. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

By Jack Katzanek, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.

Jul. 29–Nurses at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar will vote a second time on whether they want to decertify their union after a judge threw out the first election because of the hospital’s intimidating tactics.

The vote on whether to keep the California Nurses Association will be Aug. 27 and 28, said James Small, regional director for Region 21 of the National Labor Relations Board. If the nurses vote to decertify the union at the Wildomar hospital, it would end almost five years of legal disputes between the two sides.

Nurses voted to drop the union affiliation in November 2006 by a 129-101 vote. But the nurses union filed an objection, claiming hospital managers and the consultants they hired violated numerous federal labor laws.

After a six-day hearing, Administrative Law Judge Gerald A. Wachnov agreed.

Small said nurses will be officially reminded about the 2006 election when they vote next month.

“Notices will point out that this election is being conducted as a result of the employer’s unfair labor practices and objectionable conduct,” Small said. “It will be on the notice, and the employees will be able to draw their own conclusions.”

The hearing on the 2006 election was held late last year in Riverside and Murrieta, and Wachnov, in a decision released in March, upheld most of the union’s objections.

They claimed hospital managers and representatives of Yessin & Associates, a Tampa, Fla.-based consulting firm the hospital hired, coerced and intimidated nurses before the vote and, in some instances, conducted surveillance while at work.

Hospital managers also denied nurses the right to wear pro-union logos on their scrubs and unlawfully confiscated CNA literature from nurses, according to federal documents.

Small said the hospital had a right to file an objection to the judge’s opinion but did not. The hospital is owned by Universal Health Systems, based in King of Prussia, Pa.

The nurses union first made efforts to unionize the hospital in late 2003. The nurses voted to join CNA by a 129-84 vote in May 2004.

But more than two years later, with the two sides stalemated in efforts to reach a first contract, the nurses voted to decertify.

Neither representatives of the hospital or the union returned calls seeking contact Tuesday.

—–

To see more of The Press-Enterprise, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.PE.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

LEWISTON – St. Mary’s Health System is sponsoring two nine-week, career-oriented programs for junior volunteers between the ages of 12 and 17.

Twenty-six students were selected to participate in St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center’s program this summer. Additionally, two elementary school students and one middle school student are volunteering in the Eden Program at St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavilion.

All students begin their assignments by performing a variety of supportive tasks. Volunteers become familiar with the hospital campus and learn basic policies and routines.

They are trained to transport hospital patients via wheelchair and stretcher; retrieve pharmacy prescriptions for nursing staff; transport patient charts from health information services; and deliver lab specimens to and from physicians offices and nursing units.

Student volunteers assist staff in clinical and business offices throughout St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. They are also engaged with staff and adult volunteers in St. Mary’s d’Youville Pavilion; St. Mary’s Food Pantry; St. Mary’s Residences (formerly known as Maison Marcotte); St. Mary’s WorkMed; the B Street Health Center; the hospital-based American Cancer Society Cancer Resource Center; St. Mary’s Lots-to-Gardens; Campus Cuisine; and in various physician practices affiliated with Community Clinical Services.

In addition to this summer’s volunteer programs, St. Mary’s works throughout the academic year with area high school and college students who have career interests in medicine, public health, nursing, business and other fields.

The majority of St. Mary’s student volunteers are pre-med and science majors from nearby Bates College. However, St. Mary’s accepts students from many different schools representing all fields of study.

St. Mary’s volunteer philosophy is that any volunteer relationship can be maintained at a basic level or can develop into something more challenging and complex.

The most successful student volunteers are those who take the initiative in all aspects of service to develop positive working relationships with clinicians, other employees and those in their care.

Long-term student volunteers are provided opportunities for job- shadowing and career information interviews provided they have already demonstrated a serious commitment to one or more St. Mary’s program(s).

Students interested in establishing service learning experiences are referred to St. Mary’s Education Department. Service learning typically involves a direct link with specific academic programs and objectives.

For more information about student or adult volunteer opportunities, contact volunteer services coordinator Kathleen Kuritz at 777-8368 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Additional information can be found on the St. Mary’s Health System website at http://www.stmarysmaine.com.

(c) 2008 Sun-Journal Lewiston, Me.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

By Cynthia Needham

The Haights, of Warwick, who lost a son to cancer and found a mission, are guests at the White House to witness the signing of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act.

For Nancy Haight, stepping into the Oval Office yesterday to shake hands with the president of the United States was bittersweet.

Something was missing.

“Ben should have been there with us,” the Warwick mom said from Washington, D.C.

Nancy and Vince Haight’s old-est son, Benjamin, lost his battle with cancer in 2003. He was 9 years old.

His loss devastated the young family, particularly Nicholas, then 8, who not only lost his big brother but also his best friend.

No other family should have to experience that kind of pain, the Haights resolved.

It was not an idle thought. Within months, the couple threw themselves into the crusade to help expand childhood cancer research and increase services to patients and families affected by the disease.

“I’ve seen too many kids from too many walks of life die and it breaks my heart,” Nancy Haight said. “Somebody needs to bring attention to this.”

Hearing of the family’s work, Sen. Jack Reed authored a bill that did just that.

Earlier this month, Congress passed the Reed-sponsored Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, authorizing $30 million annually for the next five years for biomedical research programs at the National Cancer Institute. It will also establish a national childhood cancer registry to track pediatric cancers.

Yesterday, Nancy, Vince and Nick Haight accompanied Reed to the White House to watch as President Bush signed the bill into law.

On Monday, it will be five years since Ben’s death.

It seems like just weeks ago, Nancy recalled, that she took her energetic 4-year-old to the doctor to check on a nagging stomachache.

“When they told me it was a mass in his abdomen, I thought, it can’t be cancer, he’s 4,” she remembers.

What followed was a nearly five-year blur of hospital stays, chemotherapy treatments for neuroblastoma, a particularly aggressive form of cancer, bone marrow transplants, and on the days when Ben was well enough, summer baseball games.

Through it all, the Haights watched other families like them struggle to stay afloat financially and emotionally while caring for sick children. And they watched too many children from too many walks of life succumb to the disease.

Ben was one of them. On Aug. 4, 2003, the Little Leaguer from Warwick lost his battle with cancer, touching off the family’s next fight to raise awareness of the disease.

“We go back and say ‘why did this happen to Ben?’ but maybe this was Ben’s purpose, to save the lives of so many children,” Nancy said yesterday.

Each day, the equivalent of two classrooms worth of children are diagnosed with some form of cancer. Each year, 2,000 children die from it. But because these deaths don’t happen all at once, or in one place, the immediacy of the problem can be lost.

“There is an awareness in the sense that we know situations where children have passed away, but in terms of making that a reality in research and the trials they must do in developing therapies that are child-specific, that hasn’t taken place,” said Reed, a senior member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

The Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, he said, will deliver both hope and support to children and their families battling cancer and help better track incidences of the illness, as researchers work toward eradicating it.

The House unanimously passed the bill in June with the Senate following several weeks ago.

When the Haights stepped into the Oval Office yesterday, Nick, now 12, carried a picture of his older brother. In it, Ben poses in uniform on opening day of the 2002 Little League season a year before he died.

It’s more than just a photo.

At the time it was taken, Ben had been in the hospital for more than a week, but he was determined not to miss the season opener. Too weak to walk, Ben persuaded his mother to help him into his red and white uniform and wheel him out of Hasbro Children’s Hospital and onto the Warwick baseball diamond in a wheelchair.

When it came time to pose for his shot, Ben asked his father to help him stand.

A determined little boy raised his bat in the air and smiled into the camera.

President Bush is joined at his desk by First Lady Laura Bush, and Sen. Jack Reed, far left. Holding a photo of his deceased older brother Ben, at left, is Nicholas Haight. In back of him is his father, Vincent Haight; at his left is his mother, Nancy. AP / Ron Edmonds [email protected] / (401) 277-7045

Originally published by Cynthia Needham, Journal State House Bureau.

(c) 2008 Providence Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

By Catherine Idzerda, The Janesville Gazette, Wis.

Jul. 30–As July meanders into August, the grapes for the classic summer whine ripen to perfection: “It’s sooooo hot.”

About this time every year the heat wilts people until surly, and the added layer of humidity rots them into cranky irritability.

As a public service to sweaty and miserable children whose siblings are touching them–or pretending to touch them without actually touching them–and to parents everywhere, here are a few ways to beat the heat.

Get cool in the pool

Well, duh, everybody knows you go to the pool when it’s hot. But how about going to a different pool?

Janesville, Edgerton Whitewater, Monroe, Brodhead, Fort Atkinson and Evansville all have “aquatic centers”–pools with extras such as slides, zero-depth entry areas and places for tiny tots to play.

Edgerton, for example, has two pools. The lower, zero-depth entry pool has slides and play areas for tots. The upper pool has slides, a place to swim and another place to dive.

Evansville’s pool has a zero-depth area, tree-sprinklers, a diving board and two significant slides.

Fort Atkinson’s pool is a swimming nirvana, complete with a 175-foot waterslide, mini waterslides, a shallow area for tots and a six-lane pool.

Prices for nonresidents in city aquatic centers range from $3 to $5 for adults, and slightly less for children.

Visit a quiet, shady park

Rock County’s park system is full of undiscovered treasures.

“It’s hard to say which county park is best,” said Lori Williams, Rock County Parks Director. “They’re unknown gems.”

Friends groups have worked to clear trails, improve facilities and generally make the parks more welcoming.

“We couldn’t do it without them,” Williams said.

Magnolia Bluff County Park is one of the county’s treasures. When you’re in the park, it’s like stepping out of southern Wisconsin. It’s hard to imagine the bluffs and woods are part of a county that’s mostly corn and soybean fields.

Magnolia Bluff is south of Evansville on Croak Road, about 0.5 miles south of the intersection of Highway 59 and Croak Road.

Leading the way in the “fun for the whole family category” is Beckman Mill County Park and Welty Environmental Center.

The park, which is located at 11600 S. County H, about a mile south of Highway 81, features a large millpond, an innovative and beautiful fish ladder, a variety of wooded paths and a splendid display of wildflowers.

Tours of the mill are available for the historically inclined.

The Welty Environmental Center holds programs for children.

For more information, go to www.weltycenter.org or www.beckmanmill.org.

Gibbs Lake County Park, 9103 W. Gibbs Lake Road, contains almost all of the shoreline of Gibbs Lake and the northern half of the shoreline of Little Gibbs Lake.

Even though it’s home to decent fishing, horseback trails and other recreational opportunities, it’s a surprising quiet place.

Play inside

The trouble with the phrase, “family game night” is that it sounds too perky, too parental.

It’s the kind of idea designed to send self-respecting teens to their bedrooms, where they run up their cell phones bills texting everyone they know, telling them how stupid their parents are.

So don’t call it a family game night. And you might need to bribe them with pizza, or the promise of prizes.

That said, a family game night can be a good way to keep cool without having to resort to an evening in front of the television.

Lisa Wuennemann, director of marketing for Patch Products, Beloit, recommended keeping it simple.

Games with three pages of rules will lead to quarreling.

Her ideas included:

— Repeat Pete!” a version of the “remembering game” many of us played as children. Instead of having to remember what the last person said and then add something to it, players have to remember what the last person did, and than add another activity.

Examples include playing air guitar, spinning like a ballerina, crying like a baby.

Just imagine Dad doing all that stuff.

— “Spoons,” a version of the spoons card game many of us played as children, except with giant colorful spoons instead of the remnants of the silverware drawer.

It’s an irresistible game, and one in which children can best the adults–always very satisfying.

“Toss Up!” is a dice game that’s easy enough for a child to learn but addicting enough to keep a teen engaged.

Find cheap cool spots

Here’s a secret: The best way to keep cool is to get rid of the kids.

No, no, not permanently. Just until they’ve stopped whining about the heat.

If they refuse to spend anytime outside, take them to the library or the mall.

And if all else fails, banish them to the basement.

At least it will be cool down there.

THE MECHANICS OF STAYING COOL

Staying cool is serious business.

Physicians and athletes understand the connection between feeling cool and feeling good.

So do construction workers, public works employees and landscaping crews.

It’s all about body mechanics–and common sense.

Here are the top ways to beat the heat:

— Drink plenty of water.

Water helps regulate body temperature. Have plenty to drink before going out in the sun, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

Avoid drinks with alcohol and caffeine, as they actually deplete fluids from your body.

— Dress in lightweight, loose-fitting clothing. Watch out for fabrics that don’t “breathe.” Dark-colored clothing and hats will absorb the sun. Light-colored clothing will reflect it.

— Avoid the midday sun.

— Wear sunscreen. No, it won’t keep you cool, but it will keep you from getting sunburned. Once you’re sunburned, it’s more difficult for your body to regulate your temperature.

Source: The Mayo Clinic Web site,www.mayoclinic.com, and the American Red Cross

—–

To see more of The Janesville Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.gazetteextra.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Janesville Gazette, Wis.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

BRISTOL, England, July 30 /PRNewswire/ — A minnow has taken on the giants of the health and sex industries by using National Orgasm Day to promote the health and sex benefits of effective pelvic floor muscle exercises (pfme).

Initiated by SPM Ltd, the Orgasm Survey (http://www.orgasmsurvey.co.uk/) has become a global phenomenon with headlines like “Fit women have better sex!” But the real story behind the survey has nothing to do with sex.

SPM manufacture the PelvicToner, a registered medical device initially designed to treat stress incontinence – an embarrassing condition affecting a third of new mums and half of all women past the menopause.

However, as the firm has discovered, Continence Awareness Week doesn’t have quite the newsworthiness of National Orgasm Day.

Barry Fowler, MD of SPM, said: “The pelvic floor muscles naturally slacken or stretch because of childbirth, menopause or a lack of effective exercise. This causes stress incontinence, and also reduces intimate contact and sexual satisfaction for both partners.”

“The link between the strength of the pelvic floor muscles and the ability to achieve orgasm has been known since 1952 when Arnold Kegel demonstrated that women who thought they were sexually dysfunctional were taught a resistive exercise programme and achieved orgasm for the first time. The method and its benefits have since been consistently ignored by those teaching exercises.”

“Every effective exercise involves a resistive force such as the body’s weight or a barbell, so encouraging women to squeeze thin air is ineffective and demoralising.”

   Key Findings of the Orgasm Survey   - Nearly half of all women are not getting their share of orgasms!  

– Women who claim to have a good pelvic floor have twice as many orgasms as those who don’t

– Women who undertook regular PFME using a PelvicToner resistance device reported a much improved sex life within 4 weeks

The PelvicToner(TM) (GBP29.99) is a simple, progressive resistance vaginal exerciser designed to help women meet Kegel’s fundamental requirements to identify and isolate the vaginal (pubococcygeal) muscle and then to exercise it properly against a variable resistance with the appropriate bio-feedback.

   Contact details    Sex focus: http://www.iwabo.co.uk/   Health focus: http://www.mypelvicfitness.com/   Telephone sales and helpline: +44(0)117-968-7744   The Orgasm Survey is ongoing at http://www.orgasmsurvey.co.uk/    

A fact sheet and interview transcripts can be downloaded from http://www.orgasmsurvey.co.uk/

SPM Ltd

CONTACT: For more information and interviews contact: Barry Fowler+44(0)117-968-0171, +44(0)7768-233-670, [email protected]

To: NATIONAL EDITORS

Contact: Patricia A. Ellis of the Karmanos Cancer Institute, +1- 313-576-8629, +1-313-410-3417 (cell)

Increasing the Awareness and Capacity of Life-Saving Cord Blood

DETROIT, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute announced that it received a $250,000 multi-year grant from the J.P. McCarthy Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan to benefit its J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank. The grant, which will be given in $50,000 increments over five years, will help enhance the collection area and expand the capacity to help people in need of cord stem cell transplants – non-embryonic stem cells that are extracted from the umbilical cord and placenta following the birth of a child.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071106/ KARMANOSCANCERINSTITUTELOGO)

The J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank at the Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of two public cord blood banks in Michigan and the only center in the state with the National Marrow Donor program registry designation that requires compliance with the highest standards in cord blood banking.

When my husband was diagnosed with Myelodyoplastic Syndrome (MDS) in 1995, the disease that took his life, there was a very limited bone marrow donor base and limited resources to help MDS patients and their families, said Judy McCarthy.

The J.P. McCarthy Fund is committed to help educate the public and improve research to the cause and treatment of MDS, as well as expand the bone marrow and stem cell donor base. We commend the Karmanos Cancer Institute for its quality work in banking cord blood, added McCarthy.

According to the National Marrow Donor program, on any given day, there are more than 6,000 men, women and children in search of a life-saving donor match. Diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, sickle- cell and other life-threatening diseases can be treated by bone marrow or cord blood transplant. Although many try to find a match through their siblings, 70 percent of the time there isnt a match.

The need for ethnic and minority stem cells also continues to increase. The J. P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank at Karmanos currently has the highest percentage of African-American units banked within the National Marrow Donor Registry.

The cord blood and placenta, often discarded as medical waste, are rich in life-giving cells needed to fight diseases. Unlike donated marrow, the cord blood unit does not have to match the patients tissue type as closely as donated marrow does. Therefore, more patients are able to get stem cell transplants than ever before.

We are very grateful for the support of the J.P. McCarthy Fund which will help us build our inventory of quality cord blood units, said Karmanos Cancer Institute President and CEO John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D. Utilizing cord blood for stem cell transplants will ultimately help thousands of people fight life-threatening diseases. We hope more expecting parents will decide to donate cord blood and help save lives.

Hospitals that are partnering with Karmanos to collect the cord blood include Providence Hospital, St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, and the ProMedica Health System in Toledo. Once the parent(s) make the decision to donate the cord blood, they pre-register during the pregnancy, sign a consent form and do a simple blood test prior to the delivery of the child to make sure there are no infectious diseases. After the birth of the child, the collection of cord blood is taken from the umbilical cord and the placenta. The cord blood is tested and processed, and only that which meets the criteria is frozen and stored in the J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank at Karmanos. This does not interfere with the birthing process. All information is kept confidential. What was once discarded as medical waste has the potential to help save lives.

The J.P. McCarthy Fund was instrumental in developing the cord stem cell bank with a gift of $1 million, named in honor and in memory of Mr. McCarthy, the legendary former WJR radio personality. The center has been collecting and preserving umbilical cord blood units since 2001. To date, more than 1,200 units are banked in its inventory. The center is a network bank in the National Marrow Donor Program, making the banked cord blood available for any person in the world who is in need of a stem cell transplant.

For more information about the J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank, call 1-800-KARMANOS or visit http://www.karmanos.org/cordblood.

About The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations committed to the future of southeast Michigan. The Foundation works to improve the regions quality of life by connecting those who care with causes that matter. The Foundation supports a wide variety of activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development and civic affairs. The Foundation has assets of more than $670 million and, since its inception, has distributed more than $311 million through more than 30,000 grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, St. Clair and Livingston counties. For more information, please visithttp://www.cfsem.org.

About The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

Located in mid-town Detroit, MI, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute is one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Caring for more than 6,000 new patients annually on a budget of $216 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific investigation programs and clinical trials, the Karmanos Cancer Institute is among the nations best cancer centers. Through the commitment of 1,000 staff, including nearly 300 faculty members, and supported by thousands of volunteer and financial donors, the Institute strives to prevent, detect and eradicate all forms of cancer. John C. Ruckdeschel, M.D., is the Institutes president and chief executive officer. For more information call 1-800-KARMANOS or go tohttp:// www.karmanos.org.

SOURCE Karmanos Cancer Institute

(c) 2008 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

WASHINGTON, July 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — More than 750,000 Americans left the country last year for less expensive medical treatments, a number projected to grow to six million by 2010, potentially costing the U.S. health care system billions. The number of retail clinics in operation has also soared by 220 percent from just 250 clinics in 2006 to more than 800 serving patients by the end of 2007. Both trends suggest that these new innovations are challenging the status quo of the traditional U.S. health care system as consumers seek better care, and greater access at lower costs, according to the results of a series of research released today by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.

“The emergence of disruptive health care innovations, such as medical tourism, retail clinics, medical homes, alternative medicines and cyber visits, present an industry paradigm with new players, new delivery models, new ways of partnering and new value propositions,” said Paul Keckley, Ph.D., executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. “Our research suggests that while traditional roles in the health care delivery system are being threatened by these innovations — creating initial worries for physicians, hospitals and allied health professionals — they may also provide new and rewarding opportunities.”

The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions research series includes a body of reports centered on disruptive innovations that are creating a shift from conventional models of service delivery and payment to a consumer-centric system of care in which price, quality and service delivery are key.

The three latest reports from the series include:

— “Medical Tourism: Consumers in Search of Value,” forecasts explosive growth in medical tourism over the next five years in outbound patient traffic (http://www.deloitte.com/us/medicaltourism)

— “Retail Clinics: Facts, Trends and Implications,” projects a rise in the number of retail clinics opened and used by consumers (http://www.deloitte.com/us/retailclinics)

— “Disease Management and Retail Pharmacies, a Convergence Opportunity,” outlines the rapid growth of the disease management market and new opportunities for retail pharmacies to include these services to attract and retain consumers (http://www.deloitte.com/us/retailconvergence)

Among the key findings from the reports:

— Outbound medical tourism currently represents $2.1 billion spent by Americans overseas for care — $15.9 billion in lost revenue for U.S. health care providers. Americans primarily seek this sort of care for elective surgical procedures.

— The number of outbound medical tourists is projected to rise to 15.75 million in 2017, representing a potential $30.3 to $79.5 billion spent abroad by Americans. As a result, the potential lost revenue for U.S. health care providers could top $228.5 to $599.5 billion.

— Medical care in countries like India, Thailand and Singapore can cost as little as 10 percent of the cost of comparable U.S. care, often including airfare and a stay at a resort.

— In 2008, more than 400,000 non-U.S. residents will seek care in the United States, known as inbound medical tourism, and spend almost $5 billion for health services.

— Many leading U.S. academic medical centers and major health systems are already seizing the opportunity to capture the medical tourism market by leveraging their strong brands and collaborating with international providers.

— Consumers are flocking to retail clinics not only for convenience, but also for the relative low price differences associated with visiting their primary care physicians for the same treatments. The cost of services provided by retail clinics range from $50 to $75, with the majority priced at $59, compared to a physician’s office visit, which can cost from $55 to $250. Additionally, the cost for a retail clinic physical, at $25 to $49, can also result in savings compared to a physical at a physician’s office that can cost anywhere from $50 to $200.

— The U.S. market for disease management services is projected to reach $30 billion by 2013, providing convergence opportunities for retail pharmacies to add disease management services to attract consumers to their stores for cross-selling opportunities, providing one-stop shopping for health care services.

— Retail clinics and pharmacies positioned for market success may also include pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services that could also attract significant market share, particularly for disease management services to treat chronic conditions.

“Hospitals, physicians and health plans will need to quickly adapt to the competition from non-traditional players and develop long-term strategies, such as M&A, alliances and partnerships, to capture market success,” said Keckley. “Those that factor in the unique attitudes and preferences of consumers as they make strategic decisions about partnering and developing new business models and care delivery networks will have a huge opportunity to win the consumer market.”

Deloitte’s new analysis expands on its “2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers” (http://www.deloitte.com/us/consumerism), which initially exposed several disruptive trends, including consumers’ growing appetite for medical tourism, use of retail clinics, alternative therapies and tools and technology to self-navigate the health care system. Two in five respondents surveyed said they were interested in pursuing treatment abroad if quality was comparable and the savings were 50 percent or more. Additionally, 16 percent of consumers have already used a walk-in clinic in a pharmacy, shopping center, store or other retail setting, and 34 percent said they might do so in the future. Consumers also expressed interest in seeking care from alternative providers (38 percent) connecting with their doctors via e-mail (76 percent), accessing online medical records and test results (78 percent), as well as using self-monitoring devices at home (88 percent), if they were to develop a condition that required regular monitoring.

Additional reports from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions research series on “disruptive innovations” in health care previously released include:

— “The Medical Home: Disruptive Innovation for a New Primary Care Model,” profiled a new payment method for primary care practices that focuses on results for coordination of care. Available online at http://www.deloitte.com/us/medicalhome.

— “Connected Care: Technology-enabled Care at Home,” presented two applications of in-home technologies that reduce unnecessary visits and hospitalizations and improve care. Available online at http://www.deloitte.com/us/connectedcareathome.

Note to Editors: The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions will host a Webcast titled “The Rise of Retail Clinics: Facts, Trends, and Implications,” on July 30th at 2:00 p.m. EDT. To register for the Webcast, please visit: http://www.deloitte.com/us/retailclinics/dbrief.

About Deloitte

As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and Deloitte Services LP, a subsidiary of Deloitte LLP. Please see http://www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

About the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions

The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions is a part of Deloitte LLP. For more on the Center and its work, see http://www.deloitte.com/centerforhealthsolutions.

CONTACT: Marykate Reese, Public Relations of Deloitte, +1-203-257-0452, [email protected]

Deloitte

CONTACT: Marykate Reese, Public Relations of Deloitte, +1-203-257-0452,[email protected]

Web Site: http://www.deloitte.com/

By Mike James, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.

Jul. 30–RUSSELL — Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mark Gordon is leaving for a new position, the hospital announced Tuesday.

Gordon, who has been at the helm at OLBH for five years, has been promoted within the Bon Secours Health System and will begin his new job Aug. 25 as chief administrative officer for St. Francis Medical Center in Richmond, Va.

Vice president of planning and operations Kevin Halter has been named interim CEO.

Since Gordon came on the scene, OLBH has experienced a pattern of growth, including the diabetes and wound care center, OLBH imaging center, Bellefonte Heart Care, OLBH Woman’s Center, Bellefonte Women’s Care, Bellefonte Pediatrics, Human Motion OrthoCare, surgery expansion and primary care expansion.

Also in that time, recruitment efforts have brought 50 new physicians to OLBH, Halter said. “He’s done a fabulous job in five years.”

A search committee will convene in August to find a permanent replacement, said hospital spokesman Kevin Compton. No timetable has been set for hiring a new CEO.

Halter came to OLBH in 2004 from Bluefield, W.Va., where he was executive vice president of Bluefield Regional Medical Center.

The St. Francis center includes a 130-bed acute care hospital with ambulatory surgery, imaging and oncology centers. Gordon also will be a member of the Bon Secours senior management team in Richmond.

MIKE JAMES can be reached at [email protected] or (606) 326-2652.

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To see more of The Daily Independent or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dailyindependent.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Walgreens (NYSE: WAG)(NASDAQ: WAG), the nation’s largest drugstore chain, has launched its Quarterly Diabetes Newsletter aimed at helping people affected by diabetes lead healthier, fuller lives. The newsletter, distributed via email to subscribers, offers practical solutions and information to assist patients, their families or caregivers in confidently managing this life-altering condition. Anyone interested in receiving this free newsletter can sign up at http://www.walgreens.com/diabetesemail. An online version of the first issue, summer 2008, can be found at http://www.walgreens.com/diabetesnewsletter.

Walgreens Quarterly Diabetes Newsletter was designed to be easy to read and offers a wide range of useful tips from family-friendly recipes and food lists to help with selecting diabetes supplies. It also features quick links to other valuable online resources including Walgreens.com Health Library and Diabetes Center, video clips from Walgreens Health Corner(R) TV show, as well as answers to commonly asked questions from experts at Joslin Diabetes Center, the global leader in diabetes research and education.

“Walgreens has long been a trusted source for information about this disease that affects so many in the communities we serve,” said Walgreens director of diabetes services Jude Pierre-Louis, RPh. “Whether someone is newly diagnosed or simply in need of additional support, our goal is for this newsletter to encourage and empower people to take control of their health by making smart choices everyday.”

Walgreens diabetes newsletter is the drugstore’s latest of several efforts to inform people about the treatment, management and prevention of diabetes. In April 2006, Walgreens launched its online Diabetes Center, an interactive multimedia collection of articles and reports on the condition. Walgreens also distributes more than 1.5 million copies annually of its Diabetes & You(R) magazine featuring the latest news, tips and personal stories from celebrities and people from all walks of life living with the disease.

“We feel we could never offer too much information on diabetes,” said Pierre-Louis. “Avoiding complications requires the right knowledge, tools and support. We want people to know they can turn to Walgreens for help adjusting to their new lifestyle, and now we have another way of reaching them.”

In addition to serving as a resource for information on diabetes and other health conditions, Walgreens.com is a full-service online drugstore offering pharmacy services, a wide-range of photo services and convenient access to thousands of items found in Walgreens stores, as well as hundreds of web-exclusives. Other special features include the Caregiver Support center, WalgreensEspanol.com and information on careers at Walgreens.

Walgreens (www.Walgreens.com) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2007 sales of $53.8 billion. The company operates 6,297 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and cost-effective health care services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, which is comprised of: Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of 183 convenient care clinics at Walgreens drugstores, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services at 355 employer campuses.

By Daniel Brownstein, The Island Packet, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Jul. 30–Within hours of a drug-related shooting at a greater Bluffton apartment complex Monday that wounded two brothers, a second Bluffton man was shot in an unrelated daylight incident, officials announced Tuesday.

That brings the total number of Bluffton gunshot victims to five since Saturday, when two men were shot at a Hardeeville nightclub. Here is a rundown of the shootings by location:

Bluffton police are searching for three women and a man suspected of shooting 23-year-old Troy Jinks behind a home at 153 Simmonsville Road at 5:30 p.m., according to spokesman Lt. Bryan Norberg.

Latarsha Monique Johnson, 28, of Shadow Moss Lane, and Octavia Scott, 22, of Fuller Court, are both wanted on assault and battery with intent to kill charges after witnesses stepped forward with information.

A third black woman and a man seen with them in a burgundy four-door car have yet to be identified, Norberg said.

Jinks was taken to Hilton Head Hospital with a leg wound and was later released, authorities said. He has a criminal background, including prior drug trafficking and possession charges, according to the Beaufort County Detention Center.

Investigators initially thought the incident was connected to a shooting about four hours earlier at Plantation Point Apartments, 897 Fording Island Road.

“We went down that path,” Norberg said, “but as the investigation went on, we determined that they are separate incidents.”

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the shooting at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the doorway of Unit 613 at Plantation Point Apartments, an attack that wounded two brothers.

Devin Cannick, 24, and Deon Cannick, 18, remain hospitalized at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah. Calls to the hospital seeking the men’s condition weren’t returned Tuesday.

Based on information provided by witnesses, deputies are searching for two possible suspects.

The first is described as a light-skinned black man about 30 years old who stands six-feet-tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has a thin goatee and mustache and was last seen wearing a brown or maroon button-down shirt.

The second suspect is described as a dark-skinned black man between 30 and 35 years old and about the same height and weight as the first suspect. He wore a white T-shirt.

Authorities suspect the shooting was drug-related based on items found inside the apartment.

Those items included: 28 grams of powder cocaine, about a half-pound of marijuana, three or four marijuana plants, 31 miscellaneous pills, four handguns, a pair of brass knuckles, about $1,416 in cash and other drug paraphernalia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Two Bluffton men were shot during a Saturday night fight at the Far West Rodeo in Hardeeville, a Jasper County Sheriff’s Office official said Tuesday.

One of the men, Francisco Sanchez, 34, who was shot in the torso, was in critical condition at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah on Monday, said Chief Deputy Roy Hughes.

The other victim, Hector Martinez, 24, was shot in the shoulder and has been released from the hospital.

There were about a dozen people involved in the fight, which broke out around 10 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Far West Rodeo, a nightclub and corral near Whyte Hardee Boulevard, Hughes said.

Two people began firing handguns during the fight, police said.

Hughes said investigators don’t know how the fight started or if Sanchez or Martinez were targeted. Investigators are trying to identify the shooters. The victims have been cooperative, he said.

Three other people involved in the fight went to the hospital with injuries about two hours after the brawl, Hughes said. All three have been released.

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To see more of The Island Packet, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.islandpacket.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Island Packet, Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

By Tulsa World, Okla.

Jul. 30–Photos of the week: Check out photos from the Tulsa World’s photographers from July 22-27.

www.tulsaworld.com/photos

FROM THE BLOGS

Stop cutting my taxes, and can I get you some ice water: My wife and I were among the few, the proud, the primary voters this morning at First United Methodist Church.

Last night our state House member, Lucky Lamons, made his semiannual walk-and-knock visit to the front porches of our precinct. I don’t think any legislative candidate works any harder than Lucky, and it shows in the votes he piles up.

— Editorial Writer Wayne Greene

Read the rest of this entry and other blogs at tulsaworld.com/blogs.

WHAT YOU’RE SAYING

34 readers have commented on “Relief sought for spouses of war dead.”

Jon: “What a great gesture. I don’t care if the life insurance is 1 million, anything helps, especially during a time like that.”

RockBoston: “We need to do so much more for our veterans and those families that are left behind. Some of these women left behind

are caring for newborn babies that will never know their daddy is the greatest hero ever.”

TUESDAY’S TOP 5

The most popular stories read online in the last 24 hours:

1 Infant attacked, killed by dog: Police are unsure what caused the mauling.

2 One killed in crash near U.S. 169 and Interstate 244

3 Infant boy is killed by pet dog

4 Woman leaves infant in hot van outside store

5 Three more shows announced for BOK Center

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To see more of the Tulsa World, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.tulsaworld.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Tulsa World, Okla.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

DALLAS, July 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. today announced a $4 million contract to provide electronic patient records capture for the City of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (EMS) agency.

Under the terms of the five-year contract, ACS will equip all New Orleans’ ambulances with the state-of-the-art FIREHOUSE (FH) Mobile EMS software that allows local EMS personnel to record complete patient data in real-time, whether in the field at a patient’s side or in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

“We look forward to stepping into a new future with ACS through the adoption of electronic patient care records and electronic billing, which will allow us to provide our city with the highest level of pre-hospital emergency medicine to-date,” said Jullette Saussy, M.D., director of EMS for the City of New Orleans. “For 19 years, ACS has continued to work with us side-by-side to ensure that our needs as a revenue-generating EMS agency are met while also remaining patient-care focused throughout the process.”

Since 1989, ACS has supported the City of New Orleans EMS Department with a full range of professional services; computer operations and data center management; quality and production control; as well as auditing, accounting and customer service. In 2003, ACS provided handheld computers for use on the city’s ambulance units to help improve data collection procedures and ambulance response times.

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, ACS continued to serve as a full-service partner for the City of New Orleans despite the loss of key hardware which required ACS to temporarily return to a paper-based billing system until the company could ship new equipment into the city.

“This integration of FH Mobile EMS with ACS’ FIREHOUSE software will provide New Orleans paramedics with a state-of-the-art system that will give them the ability to reach the patient faster, and treat, transport and document the incident seamlessly and more efficiently than ever before,” said Louis Schiavone, ACS vice president of Public Safety and Justice Systems.

FH Mobile EMS is the first product that has been fully integrated into ACS’ award-winning FIREHOUSE software, the most widely used fire department records management system in the nation. FIREHOUSE software has been selected by more than 14,000 clients worldwide — 96 percent of whom say they would recommend the solution to others.

About ACS

ACS, a global FORTUNE 500 company with 63,000 people supporting client operations reaching more than 100 countries, provides business process outsourcing and information technology solutions to world-class commercial and government clients. The company’s Class A common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “ACS.” Learn more about ACS at http://www.acs-inc.com/.

Affiliated Computer Services, Inc.

CONTACT: investor relations, Jon Puckett, Vice President, InvestorRelations, +1-214-841-8281, [email protected], or media relations, LaceyHautzinger, Manager, Corporate Communications, +1-214-841-8004,[email protected], both of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc.

Web site: http://www.acs-inc.com/

PARIS, July 30 /PRNewswire/ — The French agency Agence de Medecine Preventive (AMP) has received a grant of 10 million dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support the development of National Vaccine Advisory Committees in Africa and Asia. These Committees will help the National Health Authorities of GAVI eligible[1] countries to implement vaccination policy and programs adapted to their needs and to introduce new vaccines. AMP will develop this project in partnership with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI, Seoul) and in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), and its regional and national offices.

Vaccine advisory committees exist predominantly in developed countries, where their role is to make recommendations to national governments on vaccine policy. In the absence of such expert committees, most poorer countries rely on advice from international agencies, and often do not establish their own national recommendations.

“National expertise is particularly needed today with the availability of new vaccines against meningitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, cervical cancer, and various forms of viral encephalitis, which could be introduced shortly,” said Philippe Stoeckel, Chairman of AMP. The situation may become more complex with the development of vaccines against malaria, HIV, and other diseases, which could become available in the coming years. While they can provide protection against some of the world’s leading killers, these vaccines may be expensive, may require new approaches for the organization of vaccination, and may compete for limited resources with other health-care priorities. Important efforts have been made by the GAVI Alliance and Fund (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) to strengthen immunization programs and introduce new vaccines in developing countries. For sustainable progress to be made, it is important for countries to design their own vaccination strategies according to their specific needs. For this, the expertise of National Vaccine Advisory Committees can be critical.

The seven-year grant allocated to AMP to “support the establishment of national processes to enhance evidence-based decision-making in immunization and health” will thus focus on the establishment of National Vaccine Advisory Committees.

The AMP will oversee the entire grant and have main responsibility for its implementation in Africa, while its partner, the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, Korea, will be responsible for the program in Asia.

Both AMP and IVI will provide technical assistance and guidance to the newly established committees; develop and refine tools to assist committees (such as standard decision-making protocols to be adapted by countries, on-site and distance training opportunities, and an interactive web site); promote sustainability; and share experience in developing and disseminating products and resources that will help other countries to develop their own national advisory committees.

Target countries will be selected among those meeting the requirements for GAVI Alliance funding. Selection criteria will include an assessment of existing capacity and strong local commitment.

About AMP – the Agence de Medecine Preventive is a not-for-profit organization, with headquarters at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, and offices in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire et Senegal. Its mission is to promote preventive medicine in the field of vaccinology and infectious disease. AMP develops expertise and applied research in vaccinology and offers training in epidemiology and in management of public health programmes. AMP also organizes scientific and technical meetings, as well as dissemination of information on health and vaccinology. For more information, please visit http://www.aamp.org/

About IVI

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is the world’s only international organization devoted exclusively to developing and introducing new and improved vaccines to protect the world’s poorest people, especially children in developing countries. An initiative of the United Nations Development Program and based in Seoul, IVI conducts research in Asia, Africa and Latin America on vaccines against diarrheal infections, bacterial meningitis, pneumonia, Japanese encephalitis and dengue fever. For more information, please visit http://www.ivi.int/.

For more information, please contact Agence de Medecine Preventive: [email protected]

———————————

[1] The GAVI Alliance is a public-private partnership created in 2000 to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunization in poor countries. It provides support to national governments through the GAVI Fund. Eligibility is determined by national income and only countries with a gross national income (GNI) per capita below US$1,000 in 2003 qualify (there are currently 72 eligible countries).

Agence de Medecine Preventive (AMP)

CONTACT: Philippe J. Stockel, Telephone number : +33(0)1-5386-8920,E-mail : [email protected], Mobile phone : +33(0)6-09-69-57-90

By Tammerlin Drummond, The Oakland Tribune, Calif.

Jul. 30–When Dr. Bob Scott and Lamont Nickens set out on their first trip to Zimbabwe in 1999, their plan was to shop for the beautiful Shona sculptures they had come to love.

They fell in love with the southern African nation. So much so that they made a return trip nine months later. In that short time, a number of the artists and other people they had met had died of AIDS-related illnesses. One night, Nickens and Scott saw a news program about the Mother of Peace Orphanage, which was caring for scores of children orphaned or abandoned as a result of AIDS sweeping through southern Africa.

They were moved by the humanitarian work of the two sisters running the orphanage and wanted to get involved. The idea came to them to sell Shona sculptures in the U.S. and use a portion of the proceeds to support the orphanage and Zimbabwean artists, many of whom were suffering from AIDS and couldn’t afford medical care.

At first, the two men sold the art from their Oakland home. In 2004, they bought a building on Second Street near Jack London Square and opened the Stoneridge Gallery, a showpiece for African, African-American and Caribbean art.

Stoneridge looks like an exquisitely appointed Harlem brownstone with its exposed brick walls and loft space. There are comfortable suede chairs, a piano, and a large flat-screen television. There is a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Shona sculptures share space with

other works by artists such as Renata Gray. Samuel Fredericks, a longtime African-American art gallery owner, provides the non-Shona works.

Nickens and Scott belong to Allen Temple Baptist Church in Oakland and are active in the church’s HIV/AIDS ministry. Allen Temple has helped build a guesthouse on the Mother of Peace grounds, purchased 25 dairy cows, 500 chickens and built a bakery.

“Our pastor says just as our Jewish friends don’t forget Israel, African-Americans shouldn’t forget Africa,” Scott says.

Scott, an HIV/AIDS specialist at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, returns to Zimbabwe every three months to treat patients at the orphanage and from the surrounding village. He now sees more than 700 patients.

Every time he returns, 75 to 100 new people are seeking treatment. Most of the children have lost their primary caregivers. Some had been dumped in fields or latrines. Others were delivered by relatives unable to care for them. One grandmother was trying to raise 18 grandchildren after her four children died of AIDS-related illnesses. She could not take in any more.

Usually in Africa when parents die, relatives or other community members step in to raise a child. But the widespread devastation caused by a runaway AIDS epidemic has destroyed entire communities, leaving them unable to care for their own.

Mother of Peace is one of a number of orphanages springing up in Africa in the 1990s. It was started by two Zimbabwean sisters trained as nurses in Great Britain. Jean, known as Mama Jean, and Stella Cornneck run the community with the help of worldwide donations that fund medical care and self-reliance programs.

The orphanage is 100 miles from Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital. The children range from a few days old to teenagers.

AIDS is all-to-often an automatic death sentence there because few people can afford the high cost of antiretroviral drugs.

Scott and Nickens — working with the Allen Temple AIDS ministry — purchase HIV-fighting drugs for Scott’s patients in Zimbabwe. Scott collects recycled drugs from HIV patients in the U.S. and also buys medications in India at dramatically reduced costs.

Just $150 pays for a three-drug cocktail that will last an AIDS patient an entire year. Scott is also helping to train medical students in Zimbabwe.

The political turmoil has only made the bad situation in Zimbabwe worse. Violence has erupted in the country since President Robert Mugabe’s contested re-election in June. Inflation is soaring. Stores are open but there is nothing to buy.

Yet, the Mother of Peace remains a beacon, with unwavering support from the Stoneridge Gallery.

Tammerlin Drummond is a columnist for the Bay Area News Group. Her column runs Wednesday in metro and Sunday in opinion. Reach her at [email protected].

—–

To see more of The Oakland Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Oakland Tribune, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Bioness Inc., an innovative provider of advanced neuromodulation products designed to accelerate recovery from central nervous system disorders, announced today that HealthSouth Corporation, the nation’s largest provider of inpatient rehabilitative healthcare services, will expand the availability of the NESS H200(R) Hand Rehabilitation System and the NESS L300(TM) Foot Drop System to 88 rehabilitation hospitals nationwide.

“HealthSouth is committed to using technology effectively for our patients, so we’ve developed a rigorous process for evaluating and selecting new therapeutic devices,” said Dr. Dexanne Clohan, HealthSouth Chief Medical Officer. “We look for innovations that would be well accepted by patients and therapists and offer opportunities for improved clinical outcomes.”

HealthSouth’s Bioness pilot program initially involved 27 hospitals. It will expand its NESS H200 program to 37 hospitals and its NESS L300 program to 54 hospitals. The roll-out into these additional facilities is scheduled for completion by September 2008.

“We are excited about HealthSouth’s decision to expand their Bioness programs and allow many more individuals access to our advanced technologies nationwide,” said Yitzhak Zilberman, President & CEO of Bioness Inc. “We are proud of this technology and are gratified by HealthSouth’s favorable assessment.”

Bioness’ devices are designed to help patients living with limitations caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and other central nervous system disorders. The NESS H200 Hand Rehabilitation System is designed for patients who have difficulties using their weak or paralyzed arm and hand to perform common tasks that require grasp and release, especially two-handed activities such as pushing a cart, fastening a belt, buttoning or sweeping. The H200 helps to restore lost arm and hand function through repetitive training with patients and may re-educate their muscles and reduce complications including muscle spasms. The NESS L300 Foot Drop System is designed to help patients suffering from foot drop walk more safely and easily. The award-winning L300 is a light-weight, wireless device that fits just below the knee, and may eliminate the need for patients to wear a rigid, heavy orthosis.

About HealthSouth

HealthSouth is the nation’s largest provider of inpatient rehabilitation services. Operating in 26 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, HealthSouth serves more than 250,000 patients annually through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, long-term acute care hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation satellites, and home health agencies. HealthSouth strives to be the health care company of choice for its patients, employees, physicians and shareholders and can be found on the Web at www.healthsouth.com.

About Bioness Inc.

Bioness develops, manufactures and markets innovative neuromodulation products that aid individuals in the recovery from central nervous system disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury and other central nervous system disorders.

The NESS L300(TM) Foot Drop System and the NESS H200(R) Hand Rehabilitation System, cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and granted the CE Mark in the European Union are designed to enable patients to achieve new levels of physical independence and productivity.

Additional information about Bioness can be found at www.bioness.com.

NESS L300(TM), NESS H200(R) and BIONESS(R) are trademarks of Bioness Inc., Valencia, California / Manufacturer: Bioness Inc. / European Authorized Manufacturing Site: Bioness Neuromodulation Ltd., Ra’anana, Israel / Rx Only

By Staci Elder Hensley

Diabetes is at epic proportions in the United States, and unfortunately Oklahoma is at the forefront of that epidemic. More than 200,000 adults and children in the state – nearly one in every 10 residents — have been diagnosed with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, and the state ranks ninth in the nation in diabetes- related deaths. One of the key reasons for this is that Oklahoma has large populations of Native Americans, Hispanics and African- Americans – all of whom have significantly higher rates of the disease.

“Just two decades ago, the adult form of diabetes (type 2) was almost unheard of in children. Today, because of the epidemic of obesity among our youth, type 2 diabetes is being seen commonly in adolescents and children,” said Kenneth Copeland, a pediatric endocrinologist with OU Children’s Physicians and director of the pediatric program at the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center.

Opened in 2007, the center provides state-of-the-art care for the state’s diabetics, as well as cutting-edge research into the disease. The facility joins only a handful of medical centers nationwide that specialize in diabetes treatment and research.

“The new (diabetes center) represents a strong statement on the part of our state legislators and civic-minded citizens that Oklahoma is determined to not only be reflective of the problem, but also to be a big part of the solution,” Copeland said.

“Unfortunately Oklahomans are carrying a disproportionate part of the diabetes burden because obesity is more prevalent in our children than those in almost all the rest of the country. In addition, both obesity and diabetes are far more common in ethnic minority populations, especially in Native Americans, so Oklahomans are affected even more disproportionately,” he said.

Even the state’s leaders aren’t immune. University of Oklahoma President and former U.S. Sen. David Boren is among those who face the daily challenges of living with diabetes. As well as adopting a new personal health regimen, he took public action, spearheading the creation of the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that allows the body to convert sugar, starches and other foods into energy. The exact cause isn’t yet known, but both genetics and lifestyle factors (like obesity and lack of exercise) play a key role. Diabetes is a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, amputations, blindness, coma, end-stage kidney failure and vascular disease. Only 50 percent of diabetics who have a heart attack ever reach the hospital alive. Children with diabetes often develop these disabling and life-threatening consequences as young adults.

In recent years, an epidemic of obesity in children and adults has led to a corresponding explosion of diabetes in people of all ages. Worse, about one-third of these individuals aren’t even aware they have the disease.

“Type 2 diabetes, having become more common among all age groups, now commonly affects young women and so has become a frequent complication of pregnancy. The children born of affected pregnancies are disadvantaged from birth, being at increased for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes later in life,” said Timothy Lyons, director of the diabetes center’s adult program.

The good news is that diabetes can be controlled through strict attention to diet and exercise, and the use of medicines like insulin.

“Since I have been diagnosed, I have been inspired by so many other people who suffer from the disease, especially young people who face a far more serious situation than I do,” Boren said. “I’ve learned from them that diabetes should not keep anyone from living a full life, but it requires greater personal discipline, particularly in terms of diet and exercise.”

Helping Oklahomans achieve that level of personal discipline is a key goal of the diabetes center. For example, one ongoing research study includes not only medical treatment, but intensive one-on-one education about diabetes management and motivation. Part of a nationwide study, the one-on-one approach is particularly helpful for children, who often have a more difficult time managing their disease than adults.

“On rare occasions a state is handed a great opportunity to become a national leader in an important field that will both serve the needs of its people and help develop its economy,” Boren said. “Oklahoma has been given that opportunity. The building of a national diabetes center has been the ideal area for the state government and our Native American tribes to work together financially and operationally as partners in a constructive way that benefits all.”

Originally published by Staci Elder Hensley.

(c) 2008 Journal Record – Oklahoma City. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

Chromosomal rearrangements leading to genomic disorders are often mediated by low-copy repeat regions of the genome (e.g. segmental duplications). Roche NimbleGen CGH arrays offer expanded probe coverage in these regions. Using this technique, the authors of a recently published paper(1) identified a recurrent reciprocal genomic rearrangement of chromosomal region 17q12 in fetal samples with congenital anomalies that is also associated with pediatric renal disease and epilepsy. The results emphasize the importance of evaluating de novo structural variation events in pediatric diseases other than mental retardation and the importance of duplication architecture as a predisposing factor for disease.

Genomic disorders result from nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR) between low-copy repeat regions of the genome and occur in approximately 1 in 1,000 live births. The phenotypes of many of these known genomic disorders include developmental delay and mental retardation. Therefore, screening for novel genomic disorders has largely focused on patients with cognitive disability and/or peripheral nervous system defects.

Previous studies reported on the development and use of a BAC-based microarray targeting 130 “rearrangement hotspots,” defined as regions of the genome with an architecture suggestive of a susceptibility to recurrent microdeletion and/or duplication.

Employing this array, novel genomic disorders associated with mental retardation and developmental delay (MR/DD) were discovered. Surprisingly, many of the predicted 130 hotspot regions have never been associated with copy number variants in either apparently normal individuals or patients with MR/DD.

To address the hypothesis that genomic rearrangements mediated by many of these regions affect gene pathways other than those involved in MR/DD, and to broaden the spectrum of diseases caused by genomic disorders, Mefford and co-workers analysed DNA samples from prenatal autopsy specimens from 155 fetuses with one or more congenital anomalies, no known cytogenetic anomalies, and detailed pathology data were analyzed by BAC array CGH.(1)

According to the data, nine individuals (6 %) showed evidence of microdeletion or microduplication and eight of them were identified with potentially pathogenic deletions or duplications. Fine-mapping using a custom oligonucleotide array (NimbleGen, 385K, average probe spacing 53 bp) revealed that three of the individuals harbor microdeletions with breakpoints mapping to flanking segmental duplications. One fetus with bilateral multicystic dysplastic kidneys contained a deletion region of 1.8 Mb at 17q12 that involves 19 known genes. Mutations in one of these genes, TCF2, has been shown to cause maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 5 (MODY5) and both pediatric and prenatally detectable cystic renal disease. In one study, one third of MODY5-affected individuals exhibited deletion of the entire TCF2 gene and surrounding sequence.

Five patients with pediatric renal disease without diabetes and three patients with MODY5 previously shown to have deletions encompassing the TCF2 gene were analyzed using a custom oligonucleotide array (NimbleGen, 385K, average probe spacing 53 bp). Four of five pediatric and all three of the MODY5 patients showed microdeletions nearly identical to the fetal case. In addition, Roche NimbleGen custom fine-tiling array CGH was used to identify the reciprocal microduplication in patients with mild-to-moderate mental retardation, epilepsy, and focal cortical dysplasia.

In summary, the analysis revealed novel microdeletions and duplications in a series of fetal samples with congenital anomalies other than mental retardation. The 17q12 deletion is the first genomic disorder identified that results in diabetes and the identification of this recurrent microdeletion will have a significant impact on diagnosis, prognosis, and management of renal disease and early-onset type II diabetes in children. Therefore, the evaluation of this microdeletion should be considered early in the diagnostic workup for children with renal pathology. In addition, the authors advocate generalized screening of genomic hotspot regions of both parents and offspring for other pediatric diseases for which the genetic etiology is not well understood, including schizophrenia, asthma, and cardiovascular disease.

Literature

(1) Mefford HC et al.: Recurrent reciprocal genomic rearrangements of 17q12 are associated with renal disease, diabetes, and epilepsy Am J Hum Genet 2007; 81: 1057-1069

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world’s leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world’s biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, the Group contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people’s health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, a market leader in virology and active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammation, metabolism and central nervous system. In 2006 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totaled 33.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.7 billion Swiss francs. Roche employs roughly 75,000 worldwide and has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai. Roche’s Diagnostics Division offers a uniquely broad product portfolio and supplies a wide array of innovative testing products and services to researchers, physicians, patients, hospitals and laboratories world-wide. For further information, please visit our website at www.roche.com.

By Lynn Bonner, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

Jul. 30–The new state mental hospital in Butner, open for about a week, already has more male patients than it can handle in its admissions wards.

Central Regional Hospital, the replacement hospital for Dorothea Dix in Raleigh and John Umstead in Butner, has more than enough space for patients but not enough staff to treat everyone eligible for admission.

The staff shortage happened because the merger of Umstead and Dix in the new hospital is incomplete, state administrators said. Patients and staff from Umstead moved into Central Regional, but the Dix staff and patients are still in Raleigh.

“All we’ve really done is relocate Umstead,” said Dr. Michael Lancaster, the hospital’s interim director. “There’s a whole lot of capacity we’re not using yet.”

Central Regional was built to hold 432 patients, but room in its admissions unit now is capped at 110 beds.

Hospital staffers have had to look for space for male patients at Dix, at Cherry, the state psychiatric hospital in Goldsboro, or at community hospitals. The hospital is open to female patients.

The need to divert patients from the new hospital is part of the challenge of managing a complicated move, said Vicki Smith, head of the advocacy group Disability Rights North Carolina. The group monitored the transfer of patients from Umstead to Central Regional last week.

“There is this funny period between the merger of all the resources in one location,” she said.

The state has not announced when Dix patients and staff will move to Butner.

Jim Osberg, head of state institutions for the Department of Health and Human Services, said he was not surprised by the diversions from Central Regional. Hospital admissions increased dramatically while the hospital was being built, he said, so Central Regional has to work within the same limits as Umstead did.

[email protected] or (919) 829-4821

—–

To see more of The News & Observer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.newsobserver.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

By Paul Swiech

BLOOMINGTON – The two Bloomington-Normal hospitals no longer will be the only locations in the Twin Cities for patients to have certain surgeries that require overnight stays.

BroMenn Comfort & Care Suites is scheduled to open next March in The Center for Outpatient Medicine (T-COM) building, 2502 E. Empire St., Bloomington, said Sarah Gardner, T-COM business director.

BroMenn Comfort & Care Suites will be a post-surgical, recovery care center for up to 72 hours, Gardner said Monday.

The center – which will cost about $1.2 million to build and equip – will include three private patient rooms that will be built in renovated space at the northeast side of the T-COM building, Gardner said. The space had been used for a physician’s office suite.

The 2,900-square-foot center will be for pre-screened, low-risk patients who have surgery at T-COM but who need an overnight stay for further observation and pain control, Gardner said. Surgeries will include hysterectomy, complex fractures and gallbladder, Gardner said.

Currently, these patients are cared for at hospitals, such as BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington.

The center will be the seventh facility of its type in Illinois and received the approval of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board, said Sonja Reece, BroMenn Healthcare director of government affairs and property management. BroMenn is a partial owner of T- COM and has leased the space for the recovery care center, Reece said.

The service is viewed by the state as an alternative health care delivery plan and requires a state permit, Reece said.

Peoria and Champaign-Urbana are among communities with a recovery care center, she said.

St. Joseph spokeswoman Katy O’Grady-Pyne said, “OSF St. Joseph Medical Center does not have information on this project so we are unable to comment at this time.”

Reece said recovery care centers are a trend and conceded that some business will move from the hospitals to BroMenn Comfort & Care Suites.

“BroMenn thought it would be better to be part of the planning – to be on the cutting edge as far as our community is concerned – for this new mode of treatment,” Reece said.

“We think the patients will be pleased with this new option,” Reece said.

The center will allow patients to recover in a more private setting and has less of an “institutional feel” than a hospital, Gardner said. The center will have its own entrance and staffing, beginning with two nurses, a medical assistant and a nurses’ aide.

(c) 2008 Pantagraph. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

THE pitter patter of two sets of little feet can be heard at the home of Kieran and Joanna Harris.

The proud new parents celebrated the arrival of twin girls, Poppy Jo and Rosie Dawn, on June 3, at Wansbeck General Hospital.

The twins are the couple’s first children and they were overjoyed to welcome young Poppy into the world at 3.03pm, swiftly followed by her slightly younger sister at 3.04pm.

The eight-week-old pair are now fighting fit, although it was a quite different story for them for the first few weeks of their lives.

After being born prematurely the girls were both very small and required intensive care. Rosie weighed just 4lb 4oz and Poppy just 4lb 9oz.

“They spent their first 16 days in intensive care,” said full- time mum Joanna.

“They had difficulty breathing and had to be fed with a tube through the nose. However, they came home on June 19 and they are both fine.”

Joanna, an IT projects officer, and Kieran, a self-employed consultant, both 23, of Alnwick, would like to thank the staff at Wansbeck General Hospital for their hard work and care.

(c) 2008 Evening Chronicle – Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

By Allison Flynn, The Shelby Star, N.C.

Jul. 29–More than 200 girls and young women have taken over the Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center this week as part of the Drum Majorettes of America Nationals.

Baton twirling teams and soloists have been competing for titles, savings bonds and scholarships. The national competition has been held at Gardner-Webb for the past 20 years.

“This is a great, small town and we don’t have to worry about anything,” said Doris Faber, executive director of DMA.

Competitors come from across the United States to take part in the national event.

“We have a girl from Colorado Springs, Colo., which is probably the most someone’s traveled to come,” said Diane Sorvillo, DMA Southeast Regional director.

Participants range in age from 3 to 23, Sorvillo said. To take part in the national competition, twirlers must have qualified at a state or regional event.

A walk around the LYCC provided the sight of girls curling their hair, applying makeup and relaxing to music from iPods. Not everyone, though, was nervously awaiting their turn in front of the judges.

Senior Majorette Queen Jennafaye Holliday and Majorette Queen of America Tristalyn Bixler-Kint are spending the week providing support to other contestants who are competing. The two girls met through DMA and have become best friends, although they live in Florida and Pennsylvania respectively.

Holliday began twirling at the YMCA in Sarasota and has been competing with DMA for nine years. Holliday describes the experience as like being with family.

“Everybody’s always very nice. Trista and I compete against each other a lot, but we’ve been best friends since we were 9,” she said.

DMA is family in more ways than one, Kint explained.

“Some of the judges are former DMA queens. There are many generations of families still here,” she said.

Both girls are teaching younger girls baton twirling and said DMA has prepared them for their futures.

“I’ve always wanted to work in show at SeaWorld as a dolphin trainer. This has given me confidence to perform in front of other people,” Holliday said.

For more information on Drum Majorettes of America, visit www.dmatwirl.org.

—–

To see more of The Shelby Star or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.shelbystar.com/.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Shelby Star, N.C.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

MELROSE PARK, Ill., July 29 /PRNewswire/ — Jewel-Osco this week launched Prescription Plus, a new pharmacy loyalty program which will reward frequent pharmacy customers with special discounts on future grocery purchases.

Under the new program, customers will receive a 10 percent discount coupon after every five prescriptions filled at the pharmacy when using their Jewel-Osco Preferred Card. New, transferred, and refilled medication orders count toward earning the valuable discount which can be redeemed at the grocery checkout. Some restrictions apply.

“The Prescription Plus program is Jewel-Osco Pharmacy’s way of responding to the tough economic challenges many of our customers face today,” said Tom Rousonelos, vice president of Osco pharmacy operations. “Jewel-Osco aims to offer the most value-added pharmacy experience available.”

Because Prescription Plus discounts apply to the customer’s future grocery purchases, the program stands to deliver more savings to consumers than competing discount drug programs.

The program is an extension of Jewel-Osco’s commitment to providing pharmacy and food solutions that help customers stay healthy and manage any health conditions they may have. Additionally, it builds upon Jewel-Osco Pharmacy’s proven record of providing outstanding patient care services. In addition to traditional prescription orders, immunizations, diabetes care service appointments and wellness screenings in most cases can also count toward Prescription Plus discounts.

All 184 Jewel-Osco locations in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa will participate in the Prescription Plus program. Locations without in-store pharmacies will also honor the 10 percent discount.

About Jewel-Osco Pharmacy

Jewel-Osco, a SUPERVALU company, operates 170 in-store pharmacies in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. In addition to full-service prescription services, the pharmacy at Jewel-Osco provides immunizations, diabetes care services and health screenings, which are administered by specially trained Jewel-Osco pharmacists. For more information about Jewel-Osco Pharmacy, visit: http://www.oscopharmacy.com/.

Jewel-Osco

CONTACT: Cassie Richardson, Communications Manager of Jewel-Osco,+1-847-916-4339

Web site: http://www.oscopharmacy.com/

MINNEAPOLIS, July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — VASAMED, INC. (Pink Sheets: VSMD) announced today that Craig M. Walker, M.D., has been elected to the Company’s board of directors increasing the number of directors from four to five. Dr. Walker brings over 25 years of medical experience as a practicing cardiologist, clinical investigator and thought leader.

“Dr. Walker will be a great addition to our board. As one of the world’s leading experts in the care of patients with peripheral vascular disease as well as the advances in the technology in support of this mission, Dr. Walker will bring tremendous insight and perspective to our organization,” said Paulita LaPlante, VASAMED, president and chief executive officer.

Dr. Walker is the Founder, President, and Medical Director of the Cardiovascular Institute of the South; Medical Director of the CIS Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine Tulane University School of Medicine; and Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Terrebonne General Medical Center.

Dr. Walker has been Principal Investigator in many cardiovascular medical device clinical trials, and has made numerous presentations before the FDA, medical conferences and symposia. He has published over 100 articles, abstracts and books. He is a graduate of the Louisiana State University School of Medicine and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Board of Internal Medicine — Subspecialty of Cardiovascular Disease, American College of Cardiology, American College of Angiology, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery and Diplomat in Interventional Cardiology. Dr. Walker completed his cardiology training at Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he was a research fellow and clinical instructor in cardiology and medicine.

Dr. Walker is intimately involved in advancing innovative technology to improve patients’ lives. He is a Board of Director member for Cardiva, CV Therapeutics, IDev and Spectranetics. He is a consultant to Boston Scientific, Cardiva, CV Therapeutics, ev3, FlowMedica, IDev, Possis and Spectranetics, serves on the speaker’s bureau for Abbott, AstraZeneca, Boston Scientific, Cardiva, Cordis, CV Therapeutics, FlowMedica, Possis, Spectranetics and Toshiba; and is on the medical/scientific advisory board for Cardiva, Edwards Lifesciences, FlowMedica, Philips, Spectranetics and The Medicine Company.

Commenting on his board appointment, Dr. Walker said, “VASAMED, is committed to bringing the best noninvasive diagnostic hemodynamic products to the medical community. In practice I have found the SensiLase(R) System’s skin perfusion pressure technology to be a valuable tool to effectively identify patients with peripheral vascular disease, confirm clinical outcomes and assist with patient care decisions.”

About VASAMED, INC.

VASAMED designs, licenses, manufactures and distributes products that are used by physicians in their clinic or procedure lab to determine a patient’s hemodynamic and lower extremity arterial health. VASAMED products and technology are focused on measuring critical cardiovascular and peripheral information and include SensiLase(R) Skin Perfusion Pressure and Pulse Volume Recording System to measure capillary perfusion, AcQtrac(TM) System to monitor heart function, and Tissue Carbon Dioxide Technologies, featuring the MicroStat(TM) System, to monitor tissue wellness.

VASAMED, INC.

CONTACT: Roberta Dircks, CFO of VASAMED, INC., +1-952-944-5857,[email protected]

Web site: http://www.vasamed.com/

EATONTOWN, N.J., July 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Osteotech, Inc. , a leader in the emerging field of biologic solutions for regenerative healing, announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has cleared its 510(k) submission for Plexur M(TM) Biocomposite for use in spinal applications. In spinal applications, Plexur M(TM) may be used in conjunction with autograft as a bone void filler. In March 2008, Osteotech received FDA clearance for Plexur M(TM) to be used in filling bony voids or gaps in the pelvis and extremities.

Sam Owusu-Akyaw, Osteotech’s President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “We are very pleased to receive FDA clearance for use of Plexur M(TM) in the spine. Plexur M(TM) is the second, of what we hope to be many more, bone-polymer biocomposites developed under our proprietary Plexur(R) Technology.”

Mr. Owusu-Akyaw continued, “We are in the process of completing all of our internal activities for a limited launch of Plexur M(TM). By the end of the third quarter, we plan to introduce Plexur M(TM) to a small, select group of key surgeons who will utilize the product in a wide variety of orthopedic procedures, including spine, trauma and joints. We will utilize the knowledge gained from these surgeons to finalize our product uses, complete our technique guides and marketing materials and train our sales team.”

The Plexur(R) Technology is designed to utilize bone tissue for procedure-specific surgical applications in combination with a wide variety of polymers. On a worldwide basis, Osteotech currently controls 33 patents and over 65 pending patent applications covering the Plexur(R) Technology for human and xenograft bone tissue.

Osteotech, Inc., headquartered in Eatontown, New Jersey, is a global leader in providing OsteoBiologic solutions for regenerative medicine to support surgeons and their patients in the repair of the musculoskeletal system through the development of innovative therapy-driven products that alleviate pain, promote biologic healing and restore function. For further information regarding Osteotech, this press release or the conference call, please go to Osteotech’s website at http://www.osteotech.com/.

Certain statements made throughout this press release that are not historical facts contain forward-looking statements (as such are defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) regarding the Company’s future plans, objectives and expected performance. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, but are subject to a wide range of risks and uncertainties and, therefore, there can be no assurance that actual results may not differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the Company’s ability to develop and introduce new products, differences in anticipated and actual product and service introduction dates, the ultimate success of those products in the marketplace, the continued acceptance and growth of current products and services, the impact of competitive products and services, the availability of sufficient quantities of suitable donated tissue and the success of cost control and margin improvement efforts. Certain of these factors are detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of July 29, 2008 and the Company does not intend to update this information.

Osteotech, Inc.

CONTACT: Mark H. Burroughs of Osteotech, Inc., +1-732-542-2800

Web site: http://www.osteotech.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/668050.html

Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) today announced its second quarter 2008 financial results and reported continued progress in several lead clinical programs.

Paul Friedman, M.D., President and CEO of Incyte, stated, “During the second quarter, we presented clinical findings at several scientific conferences from our ongoing phase II trials demonstrating that our lead JAK inhibitor compound, INCB18424, was well tolerated and provided rapid and profound effects in patients with myelofibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, we continue to see encouraging efficacy results in psoriasis patients using the topical formulation of INCB18424.

We also presented clinical results from a 28-day Phase IIa trial with INCB13739 demonstrating that oral treatment with this 11beta-HSD1 inhibitor significantly improved insulin sensitivity and decreased plasma cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. These results suggest that INCB13739 may be more effective in addressing a broad range of metabolic risk factors than existing diabetes therapies.

We expect to make substantial clinical progress this year and next, which will include results from ongoing Phase II trials with INCB18424 in myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, the ongoing Phase IIb trial for our HSD1-inhibitor and a Phase IIa trial with our HM74a agonist.”

Below is a summary of recent clinical activities during the second quarter:

  Janus Associated Kinase (JAK) Inhibitor Program  INCB18424: Myelofibrosis, a life-threatening myeloproliferative disease  -- Results from the ongoing Phase II trial were the subject of oral presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting and the European Hematology Association meeting, June 2 and 14, 2008, respectively. These results demonstrated that INCB18424 provided:  -- unprecedented reductions in splenomegaly which affects the majority of myelofibrosis patients;  -- improvements in quality of life measures, including clinically meaningful reductions in fatigue, night sweats and pruritus; and  -- marked increases in appetite and weight gain which improves the cachexia seen in these patients  -- Reversible thrombocytopenia seen in this trial has been effectively managed by dose reduction and/or interruption of therapy.  -- Continued enrollment of patients in the Phase II trial to confirm an optimal dosing regimen and to select, in addition to spleen reduction, a co-primary endpoint to use in the myelofibrosis registration trials. Currently, over 100 myelofibrosis patients have been enrolled in the trial.  INCB18424: Additional Myeloproliferative diseases: Polycythemia Vera (PV) and Essential Thrombocythemia (ET)  -- Initiated an open-label multiple-dose Phase II trial to assess the safety and efficacy of INCB18424 in patients with advanced PV and ET. This multi-center trial will include clinical sites in the U.S. and Europe and is expected to enroll over 100 patients.  INCB18424: Other Oncology Indications  -- Continued patient enrollment in two dose-ranging Phase IIa trials involving patients with multiple myeloma and hormone-refractory prostate cancer, with top-line results expected later this year.  INCB18424: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)  -- Results from the first of four treatment groups from the ongoing Phase IIa trial were presented at the European League Against Rheumatism meeting on June 12, 2008. Results from the first cohort in this trial, involving 12 treated and 4 placebo patients, demonstrated that the 15 mg twice-daily dose of INCB18424 was well tolerated and provided ACR20/50/70/90 response rates of 75%/50%/25%/17%, respectively, with responses seen in as early as one week.  -- Three additional treatment groups involving 32 RA patients have been completed. Preliminary results from this Phase IIa trial have been accepted for oral presentation at the American Rheumatology Meeting, October 24-29, 2008.  INCB18424: Psoriasis (topical formulation)  -- Completed the third cohort of the 28-day sub-total inunction safety study in psoriasis patients in which the compound continued to show encouraging efficacy and was well tolerated. Results from our completed 28-day Phase IIa trial have been accepted for poster presentation at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology meeting, September 17-21, 2008.  -- Based on the safety and efficacy of the first three cohorts of this study, a three-month Phase IIb trial in mild to moderate psoriatic patients is expected to initiate in the fourth quarter.  INCB28050: Follow-on compound for inflammation  -- Completed the single-dose escalation Phase I trial in healthy volunteers. INCB28050 was well tolerated and demonstrated appropriate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties to begin a multiple dose escalation study.  11beta-HSD1 Inhibitor Program  INCB13739: Type 2 Diabetes  -- Results from the completed Phase IIa trial were the subject of an oral presentation at the American Diabetes Association meeting on June 9, 2008, and demonstrated that 28 days of treatment with INCB13739 significantly improved hepatic insulin sensitivity and decreased plasma LDL- and total-cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.  -- INCB13739 is currently being studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging Phase IIb clinical trial in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is a multi-national trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of multiple once- daily dose regimens of INCB13739 when added to failing metformin monotherapy. The primary endpoint of the trial is the change from baseline to week 12 in hemoglobin A1c.  INCB20817: Follow-on compound  -- Completed the single- and multiple-dose Phase I trial for INCB20817 a structurally distinct 11beta-HSD1 inhibitor. INCB20817 was well tolerated and demonstrated appropriate drug-like properties to support its role as a potential back-up molecule to INCB13739.  HM74a Agonist Program  INCB19602: Type 2 Diabetes  -- Initiated a 28-day dose-ranging Phase IIa trial involving 120 type 2 diabetes patients which is expected to provide top-line proof- of-concept data early next year.  Sheddase Inhibitor Program  INCB7839: Breast Cancer  -- Continued to enroll patients in a Phase II trial in combination with Herceptin(R) with top-line results expected late this year. 

Second Quarter Financial Results

Cash Position

As of June 30, 2008, cash, short-term and long-term marketable securities totaled $188.0 million, compared to $257.3 million as of December 31, 2007.

During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we used $69.3 million in cash and marketable securities. Cash use guidance of $132 to $142 million for 2008 remains unchanged.

Revenues

Total revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $0.6 million as compared to $10.6 million for the same period in 2007. Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2008 were $1.9 million, as compared to $18.0 million for the same period in 2007. The decrease was primarily the result of revenues recognized in 2007 under our collaborative research and license agreement with Pfizer.

Net Loss

The net loss for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 was $45.6 million, or $0.54 per share, as compared to $18.4 million, or $0.22 per share, for the same period in 2007.

The net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $85.7 million or $1.01 per share, as compared to $40.6 million or $0.48 per share, for the same period in 2007.

Included in the net loss for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $3.9 million and $7.3 million, respectively, of non-cash expense related to the impact of expensing share-based payments, including employee stock options, as compared to $2.6 million and $4.8 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007.

Operating Expenses

Research and development expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $38.1 million as compared to $23.3 million for the same period last year. Research and development expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2008 were $71.1 million, as compared to $47.2 million for the same period last year. The increase in research and development expenses resulted from the growth and advancement of our clinical pipeline. We expect our research and development expenses to vary from quarter to quarter, primarily due to the timing of our clinical development activities.

Included in the research and development expenses for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $2.9 million and $5.3 million, respectively, of non-cash expense related to the impact of expensing share-based payments, including employee stock options, as compared to $1.8 million and $3.3 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 were $4.1 million and $8.5 million, respectively, as compared to $3.5 million and $7.2 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007.

Included in the selling, general and administrative expenses for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $1.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively, of non-cash expense related to the impact of expensing share-based payments, including employee stock options, as compared to $0.8 million and $1.5 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007.

Interest Income (Expense)

Interest income for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $1.4 million and $3.5 million, respectively, as compared to $3.7 million and $7.8 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007.

Interest expense for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $6.2 million and $12.4 million, respectively, as compared to $6.0 million and $11.9 million, respectively, for the same periods in 2007. Included in interest expense for the quarter and the six months ended June 30, 2008, was $2.2 million and $4.3 million, respectively, of non-cash charges to amortize the original issue discount of our 3 1/2% Convertible Senior Notes.

Conference Call Information

Incyte will hold its second quarter 2008 financial results conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET tomorrow, Wednesday, July 30, 2008. To access the conference call, please dial 877-407-8037 for domestic callers or 201-689-8037 for international callers. When prompted, provide the passcode, which is 291287.

If you are unable to participate, a replay of the conference call, when made available, will be available for thirty days. The replay dial-in number for the U.S. is 877-660-6853 and dial-in number for international callers is 201-612-7415. To access the replay you will need the conference account number 278 and the ID number 291287.

The conference call will also be webcast live on CCBN and can be accessed at www.incyte.com under Investor Relations, Events and Webcasts. When available, the conference call replay can also be accessed at www.incyte.com under Investor Relations, Events and Webcasts.

About Incyte

Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Delaware-based drug discovery and development company focused on developing proprietary small molecule drugs to treat serious unmet medical needs. Incyte’s pipeline includes multiple compounds in Phase I and Phase II development for oncology, inflammation and diabetes. For additional information on Incyte, visit the Company’s web site at www.incyte.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements with respect to INCB13739’s potential effectiveness in addressing a broad range of metabolic risk factors, expectations regarding making substantial clinical progress this year and next, which will include results from ongoing Phase II trials with INCB18424 in myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, the ongoing Phase IIb trial for our HSD1-inhibitor and a Phase IIa trial with our HM74a agonist, the continued enrollment of patients in a Phase II trial to confirm an optimal dosing regimen and to select the co-primary endpoints to use for the INCB18424 registration trials in myelofibrosis, expectations regarding trial size of the Phase II trial for INCB18424 in PV and ET, expectations of top-line results later this year for INCB18424 in multiple myeloma and prostate cancer, plans to initiate a three month Phase IIb trial in mild to moderate psoriatic patients in the fourth quarter using once-daily dosing, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of INCB28050 and plans to initiate a multiple dose escalation study with INCB28050, the drug-like properties of INCB20817 supporting its role as a potential back-up molecule to INCB13739, expectations that a Phase IIa trial in type 2 diabetes for our HM74a agonist INCB19602 will provide top-line proof-of-concept data early next year, expectations that top line results for the Phase II trial of INCB7839 will be provided late this year, and financial guidance about expected cash use and research and development expenses, are all forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the high degree of risk associated with drug development and clinical trials, the uncertainty of the FDA approval process, results of further research and development, the impact of competition and of technological advances and the ability of Incyte to compete against parties with greater financial or other resources, Incyte’s ability to enroll a sufficient number of patients for its clinical trials, and other risks detailed from time to time in Incyte’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2008. Incyte disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

  INCYTE CORPORATION Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share amounts)  Three Months Ended   Six Months Ended June 30,            June 30, ------------------- ------------------- 2008      2007      2008      2007 --------- --------- --------- --------- Revenues: Contract revenues           $     57  $  8,933  $    644  $ 15,007 License and royalty revenues                        557     1,643     1,276     2,991 --------- --------- --------- ---------  Total revenues         614    10,576     1,920    17,998 --------- --------- --------- ---------  Costs and expenses: Research and development      38,132    23,301    71,087    47,207 Selling, general and administrative                4,103     3,535     8,456     7,227 Other expenses                  (918)      (73)     (795)       34 --------- --------- --------- ---------  Total costs and expenses           41,317    26,763    78,748    54,468 --------- --------- --------- ---------  Loss from operations            (40,703)  (16,187)  (76,828)  (36,470) Interest and other income, net    1,353     3,713     3,493     7,780 Interest expense                 (6,213)   (5,965)  (12,386)  (11,896) --------- --------- --------- --------- Net loss                       $(45,563) $(18,439) $(85,721) $(40,586) ========= ========= --------- ---------  Basic and diluted net loss per share                         $  (0.54) $  (0.22) $  (1.01) $  (0.48)  Shares used in computing basic and diluted net loss per share                           84,871    84,136    84,736    84,060 

  INCYTE CORPORATION Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Data (in thousands)  June 30,   December 31, 2008         2007 ------------ ------------  Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term and long-term marketable securities             $   188,032  $   257,327 Total assets                                     204,735      275,695 Convertible senior notes                         126,498      122,180 Convertible subordinated notes                   264,781      264,376 Total stockholders' deficit                     (237,195)    (159,517) 

By Jason Cato, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Jul. 29–Age: 45

Residence: Wexford

Family: Husband, Paul; daughters, Casey and Erin, son, P.J., all 12-year-old triplets

Occupation: Vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer of UPMC St. Margaret

Education: Nursing diploma, Shadyside Hospital; bachelor’s degree in nursing, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health, Boston; master’s degree in nursing, La Roche College.

Background: Began her career as a critical care nurse at Shadyside Hospital, then worked in the same field at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston; returned to Pittsburgh as director of the open heart unit at Shadyside Hospital, then became clinical director for critical care services at UPMC Presbyterian before returning to Shadyside as director of nursing; has been at St. Margaret for nearly seven years.

Noteworthy: Selected a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellow. The three-year fellowship focuses on understanding and identifying solutions to make timely changes to national health care issues. Hoolahan hopes to focus on workplace issues related to nurses, a field which is experiencing both a labor shortage and an aging labor pool.

Quote: “It’s really a unique opportunity to build a network of colleagues from around the country that come from different backgrounds,” Hoolahan said of the fellowship. “That is so valuable.”

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Stanford Hospital & Clinics (SHC) and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) announced today that they have been forced to withdraw recognition of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 715.

“We did not make this decision lightly,” said Lori Curry, vice president of human resources for SHC, “but believe we were legally compelled to take this step because Local 715 has failed in its duty to represent our employees.”

In 2006, the Hospitals negotiated a new contract with Local 715, the sole legal representative of the employees represented under the collective bargaining agreement. Since then, however, the International Union has directed the leadership of Local 715, which has also merged into a new union, Local 521, to transfer representation to yet another union, United Healthcare Workers (UHW), all without the employees’ consent.

“The Hospitals cannot recognize UHW as our employees’ representative because that union was not elected directly by our employees,” said Greg Souza, vice president of human resources for LPCH. “Fairness and the law require a National Labor Relations Board election in order to change employee representation.”

SEIU Local 715 had been representing approximately 1450 housekeepers, food service workers, nursing assistants, phlebotomists, unit secretaries, transporters and employees in non-technical and non-professional titles at the hospitals. These employees will continue their employment but without representation by the now-dissolved SEIU Local 715. “We remain committed to providing competitive wages and benefits to all of our employees, whether they are represented by a union or not,” said Curry.

About Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

Ranked as one of the nation’s top pediatric hospitals in the nation by U.S.News & World Report, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford is a 272-bed hospital devoted to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric and obstetric medical and surgical services and associated with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Packard Children’s offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health care programs and services, from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. For more information, visit http://www.lpch.org.

About Stanford Hospital & Clinics

Stanford Hospital & Clinics is known worldwide for advanced treatment of complex disorders in areas such as cardiac care, cancer treatment, neurosciences, surgery, and organ transplants. Ranked #16 on the U.S. News & World Report annual list of “America’s Best Hospitals,” Stanford Hospital & Clinics is internationally recognized for translating medical breakthroughs into the care of patients. The Hospital is part of the Stanford University Medical Center, along with the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. For more information, visit www.stanfordhospital.com.

RESEDA, Calif., July 29 /PRNewswire/ — The Los Angeles Jewish Home’s prestigious new Annenberg School of Nursing is now accepting applications as it enters its second session as one of the only U.S. multi-level senior-living facilities with its own school of nursing.

The Annenberg School of Nursing offers a full-time program that aims to prepare students to pass the state-required exam for licensure. The intensive vocational nursing program engages students 40 hours per week in the classroom or at clinical sites, plus daily reading assignments. All students received 500 hours of classroom instruction and 980 hours of clinical training at local hospitals.

Classes for the next term will begin September 2008. During the 12-month program, students work with patients of all ages ranging from infants and prenatal to geriatric.

One attractive feature of the program is financial incentives for its students. The total cost to educate each student in the program is $19,000. Through generous gifts received from the Annenberg Foundation, UniHealth Foundation, and private donors, students receive a $10,000 tuition scholarship, which is forgiven if they take a nursing job at the Home upon graduation and stay for at least two years. Also available is no-interest loan assistance through the L.A. Jewish Free Loan Program, sponsored in part by Jewish Home donors Saul and Joyce Brandman.

The nation’s nursing shortage is particularly acute in California. According to the California Economic Development Department, the state is expected to be short more than 100,000 registered nurses and 25,000 licensed vocational nurses by 2010.

“This is a very special opportunity for those in the community that seek a special form of employment that guarantees they will have a wonderful career,” said Molly Forrest, CEO/president of the Home. “Virtually all of our students can step up after they graduate and start work. And not just work, but a rewarding and enriching role awaits them.”

Healthcare providers throughout the country are faced with the challenge of making sure well-trained nurses are on hand for an increasingly aging population. Heading the school is Marie Fagan, former director of nursing at American Career College and Casa Loma College. “There’s an acute nursing shortage out there,” she said. “There are also few job categories that so desperately need qualified applicants. This is an amazing program for those looking to establish a bright future for themselves while helping others.”

Further information is available by contacting Cindy Thomas at 818-757-4431 or [email protected].

Established in 1989 by Walter H. Annenberg, the Annenberg Foundation provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally through its headquarters in Radnor, Pennsylvania, and offices in Los Angeles, California. Its major program areas are education and youth development; arts, culture and humanities; civic, community and the environment; and health and human services. In addition, the Foundation operates a number of initiatives, which expand and complement these program areas. The Annenberg Foundation exists to advance the public well-being through improved communication. As the principal means of achieving this goal, the Foundation encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge.

The Jewish Home’s Annenberg School of Nursing is also supported by a grant from the UniHealth Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropic organization whose mission is to support and facilitate activities that significantly improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities within its service area.

Founded in 1912, the world-renowned Los Angeles Jewish Home is one of the foremost multi-level senior-living communities in the United States and the largest single-source provider of senior housing in Los Angeles. In total, the Home annually serves more than 2,000 seniors through its extraordinary continuum of services. Each year, more than 1,500 women and men are cared for in-residence on two village campuses, with services including independent- living “Neighborhood Home” accommodations, residential care, skilled nursing care, acute psychiatric care, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care, and end- of-life care. Another 500 seniors are served through the Home’s community- based programs, which includes Skirball Hospice and community clinics. The Home is a nonprofit organization that relies upon donations from individuals, corporations and foundations to continue its remarkable work. Further information regarding the Home can be found online at http://www.jha.org/ or by calling 818-757-4407.

Los Angeles Jewish Home

CONTACT: Jim Yeager, +1-818-597-8453, x-6, [email protected], for LosAngeles Jewish Home

Web site: http://www.jha.org/

By Cornelia De Bruin, The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.

Jul. 29–FARMINGTON — Deborah Gerber, San Juan Regional Medical Center’s chief nursing officer, is retiring after nearly a quarter-century career at the facility.

The regional hospital’s clinical director of nursing, Suzanne Smith, succeeds her Aug. 15.

“I’ve been under Deb’s tutelage the entire time, and it’s prepared me to assume the role,” Smith said. “I’m excited, but I’m nervous to step into her shoes and do a service to the community.”

The position Gerber vacates oversees the nursing services to patients at San Juan Regional. The chief nursing officer also offers mentorship to the hospital’s nursing staff and acts as a liaison among the physicians, nurses and with the hospital’s board of directors.

“It’s a leader for the services with a focus on quality, consistency and compliance,” Smith said.

Gerber considers the change to be her retirement, but like many career workers, she will keep her hands in her profession.

“I’ll be working for Herman Miller as a consultant,” she said.

The national firm provides health care products. Gerber said she will remain in Farmington.

“It’s been a hard decision because I have spent a large part of my life here and I have a lot of friends in the organization,” she said.

Her working career spans four decades, beginning in Wichita, Kan., and tailing off as citizen ambassador to China, a position awarded her by the American Organization of Nurse Executives last year.

Gerber watched the hospital grow from a two- to a four-floor facility with a tower during her years at San Juan Regional. The nursing administration offices occupy the hospital’s original Labor/Delivery area.

Women’s medical needs led the way for changes in how health care services are delivered.

“The national demand by families led the movement to health care delivery,” Smith said, referring to the more family friendly options available to parents when a new baby joins them. “It’s evolution.”

Speaking to the liaison duties of the chief nursing officer, both women said another aspect of changes in the medical care delivery systems the hospital offers is the cooperative, collegial relationship between nurses and physicians, and the open lines of communication between the two groups.

“The hospital’s medical staff has been very insightful in putting together guidelines that keep all of us to a higher standard,” Gerber said.

Gerber’s and Smith’s nursing training taught them it is a privilege and an honor to care for patients. That training will go with Smith into her new position.

“Things change and evolve; I still get to do nursing and stay abreast of what’s going on,” she said. “Nursing administration is real nursing.”

Reminiscing over her years at San Juan Regional, Gerber praised the hospital as a great organization that is progressing and filled with state-of-the-art equipment.

“I give a lot of credit to the hospital,” she said.

San Juan Regional is San Juan County’s largest employer, with more than 1,400 employees. Many of them — 475 total — are nurses.

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Copyright (c) 2008, The Daily Times, Farmington, N.M.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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By Karrey Britt, Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan.

Jul. 29–Using a high-pitched voice, a nursing home worker might say something like this to a resident: “OK honey, it’s time for our bath.”

That would be considered elderspeak or baby talk, and it’s a no-no.

People who have no problems with their cognitive skills would perceive that as being talked down to or demeaning.

Now, Kansas University research has found that residents with Alzheimer’s disease feel the same way. They are twice as likely to be uncooperative when spoken to in such a manner compared with having a normal adult-to-adult conversation.

“People should be aware that communication is really important to all of us, but especially older adults. Elderspeak is common not only in health care settings but throughout the community,” said Lawrence resident Kristine Williams, an associate professor in the School of Nursing and part of the research team.

Researchers defined elderspeak as overly caring, controlling and infantilizing communication. Common features include simplified vocabulary, substitution of collective pronouns and overly intimate endearments.

She said a more appropriate way to have addressed bath time would have been: “Good morning, Ms. Jones, I am here to help you get ready for your bath.” This removes the inappropriate name and pronoun.

“They (nursing home workers) really believe that it is showing that they care. They just aren’t aware how negative it can be,” Williams said.

She will give a presentation about her findings today at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Chicago. The research will be published this fall in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias.

There are 50,000 Kansans and 5 million Americans with Alzheimer’s.

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Copyright (c) 2008, Journal-World, Lawrence, Kan.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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Having completed clinical trials of its ThromboGuide(R) (T-Guide(R)) Platelet aggregation system, ThromboVision, Inc., a Houston-based biomedical diagnostics company, has filed a 510(k) application with the Food and Drug Administration for clearance to market the T-Guide.

Clinical trial data were gathered through independent studies at four research facilities: The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston; University of Arizona, Tucson; Intermountain Medical Center, Salt Lake City; and Houston Institute for Clinical Research. The principal investigators at the sites were Drs. Neal Kleiman, Marvin Slepian, Jeffrey Anderson, and Dale Halter, respectively.

“With nearly 50 million patients on medications like aspirin and clopidogrel (Plavix(R)) to modify the aggregability of their platelets, we are anxious to be able to offer our technology to doctors who treat patients for heart attacks, strokes, and stents occlusion prevention,” said ThromboVision President & CEO Edward R. Teitel, MD, JD.

“Our 510(k) application is the culmination of research that began at the Utah Artificial Heart Institute, Brigham Young University, The University of Utah, and Thrombodyne, Inc. in 1998 and was supported by multiple NIH grants. After obtaining the worldwide, exclusive rights to the technology, ThromboVision did a great deal of design and engineering work to advance it to this point,” Teitel continued. “We are hopeful that when the FDA reviews our data and other materials, they will respond positively.”

A successful 510(k) application results in FDA clearance to market the device.

The T-Guide(R) consists of a disposable test kit and a point-of-care base unit. The system will help physicians improve their cardiac patients’ lives by providing additional information as they assess an individual patient’s anti-platelet therapy used to prevent heart attacks, strokes and stent occlusions.

ABOUT THROMBOVISION

ThromboVision, Inc. is a biomedical company committed to enabling people to lead longer and healthier lives. ThromboVision provides easy-to-use, rapid-response, cost-effective, and versatile point-of-care clinical diagnostic discoveries that advance medical diagnosis. The company’s products will improve medical care by assisting physicians in diagnosing and managing critical cardiovascular risk factors, especially those related to platelet function and antiplatelet drug therapy. www.thrombovision.com

SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT

This release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this release regarding ThromboVision’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements,” which involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such statements.

By Christine Byers, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Jul. 29–Posters greeted him: “To a Real Hero.””Welcome Home Uncle Adam.” Balloons floated in his garage. Gift baskets lined the living room shelves.

“It’s a very important day to me,” Fite, 28, told the Post-Dispatch on Monday as he relaxed in his living room recliner. “It’s like I am becoming me again.”

A week earlier, his shift began with a call to a car fire. He grabbed his favorite soft drink, Sierra Mist, and headed out.

Firefighters were arriving when he pulled his cruiser onto Zephyr Place to block traffic.

He was about to say hello when he heard an explosion and the firefighter carrying a hose fell to his knees.

“At first, I thought there might be something in the fire, or the firefighter’s air tank may have popped,” Fite said. “I was in a daze for a second. I started running to him, and a paramedic ran in the opposite direction to get medical supplies. I had no idea it was a shooter.”

Fite heard another explosion. This time, it felt like someone punched him in the chest. He ran about 15 steps, dropped to the ground and tried to call for help.

The dispatcher couldn’t understand, and he hit the alert button on his radio. He grabbed his neck and choked on his own blood.

“It felt like someone with giant hands was squeezing my upper body,” he said.

He could hear voices. He stared at the sky. He heard another explosion. Sgt. Mike Martin yelled that he had been shot.

Fellow Officers Megan Keith and Eric Forst, and paramedic Andy Neff rushed to Fite’s side. Keith put his head in her lap.

“I was thinking, ‘Even though this really sucks, they say when it comes to serious injuries, if it hurts, it’s a good sign,'” Fite said.

Fite heard Neff scream into his radio for an ambulance.

“We were still in the line of fire at that point,” Fite said.

Neff, Keith, Forst and Brentwood police Lt. Paul Furber picked him up and ran.

“It felt like they were running in an Olympic race and they threw me in,” Fite said. “I think the ambulance took off before the doors were even shut.”

It did. Fite’s cell phone fell and hit the bumper. Forst caught it, and it rang. It was Fite’s wife, Julie.

“I knew it was bad when Eric answered the phone,” she said.

At the hospital, doctors told Julie her husband was alive. “He’s going to stay that way right?” she asked.

When she saw him, a white blanket covered his body. Underneath, entrance and exit wounds from a bullet fired from a 6.5 mm bolt-action rifle throbbed. The bullet pierced the right side of his chest, just beyond the protection of his vest, and shattered his sternum. It collapsed a lung, then exited, blowing out the lower portion of his badge.

Unable to speak, he motioned for a pen.

“Sierra Mist?” Julie asked as she read his note.

He nodded.

“Beer,” he wrote next.

“Are you serious?” his wife said, knowing her husband was joking.

She asked whether he knew what had happened. He nodded.

He wrote, “Sgt. Martin,” then held up three fingers, one for each of three victims.

She told him firefighter Ryan Hummert had died.

“Apprehension?” he wrote.

“No, he either shot himself or burned up in a fire,” Julie said of the suspect, Mark Knobbe. She saw anger in her husband’s eyes.

The next day, Martin visited Fite.

“I just wanted to know the ending,” Fite said. “We now have this bond because we had the same thing happen to us.”

By Thursday, Fite took his first steps. That’s when fear set in. He was short of breath. And freezing because of blood thinners. He worried about long-term effects.

The next day, things were better. He walked again. And his wife bathed him. “I finally feel like I’m going to be OK,” he told her.

It was the answer to one of her prayers. Others went out to the Martin and Hummert families, she said.

The weekend went well. His chest tube came out. He walked more. But he missed his 1-year-old son, Victor.

The toddler stayed with Julie’s parents, Joe and Judy Bilello, in south St. Louis County. Julie spent her nights there, too.

“I just couldn’t sleep at home without him,” she said.

By Monday, Fite was ready to come home. He shaved for the first time. Took his first shower. And traded his hospital gown for a polo shirt and shorts. As he bent over, blood from the exit wound dripped onto his shorts. Time for another change of clothes.

“So are you looking forward to getting back to work?” asked nurse Terica Meeks, as she wheeled Fite to his car.

“To be honest, I’m a little scared,” he said.

Julie took his wedding ring off her finger and handed it to him.

When the couple pulled up to their Arnold home, Julie’s father was mowing the lawn.

“You want to finish this for me?” he joked.

Julie’s mother tearfully embraced Fite. He cut off his hospital bracelets.

He said being shot has caused him to re-evaluate police work.

“On every call, I’ll think of it a little bit differently,” he said.

Julie hopes her husband eventually will return to work to prove a point.

“I will support him no matter what, but I believe if he doesn’t go back, Mark Knobbe will have won …”â°,” she said.

Victor soon awoke from a nap. As the toddler rounded the corner, tears filled Fite’s eyes.

“There’s Dada,” Julie said. “It’s like it was just a dream and Dada was here the whole time.”

[email protected] — 636-500-4106

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To see more of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.stltoday.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NeuroMetrix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NURO) today announced that it has completed the CE technical file for its ADVANCE System (“ADVANCE”). With this regulatory step, NeuroMetrix intends to begin marketing ADVANCE to neurologists, clinical neurophysiologists, hand surgeons, and other specialists in the EU.

ADVANCE is a comprehensive platform for the performance of traditional nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography procedures. The technical specifications include a precision electrical stimulator and dual recording channels for acquiring nerve conduction responses. A third channel is available for recording needle electromyography signals. ADVANCE introduces several important technological improvements. These include a small enclosure and power from a high capacity lithium-ion battery making use of the device convenient in many environments. The amplification and digitization hardware is embedded in the cable connector thereby providing digital signal transmission from the recording electrodes to the device. This technology reduces susceptibility to electrical interference and makes the device suitable for all settings, even challenging applications such as nerve function assessment in intensive care units. The device is designed around a high-resolution color touch screen that facilitates real-time review and editing of nerve conduction waveforms. Integrated Bluetooth(R) provides convenient wireless communication with data management and report generation servers. This wireless link also enables expansion of system capabilities with the introduction of modules in the future. Finally, several enhancements have been made to the proprietary NeuroMetrix neurophysiological analysis software, which is resident on ADVANCE devices. This software provides physicians with accurate, reliable, and clinically useful nerve conduction parameters.

“Now that we have the CE mark for ADVANCE, we look forward to marketing this innovative product into the United Kingdom in the third quarter, and more broadly by the end of the year through additional European distribution partners. Although our success in marketing ADVANCE in the EU will depend on many different factors, we believe that it is well suited to international markets and look forward to increasing our presence outside the US,” said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., NeuroMetrix’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

NeuroMetrix has ISO 13485:2003 registration and is CE certified by TUV SUD.

About NeuroMetrix

NeuroMetrix is a science-based medical device company advancing patient care through the development and marketing of innovative medical device products that aid physicians in the assessment and treatment of diseases and injuries of peripheral nerves, and that provide regional anesthesia and pain control. To date, our focus has been primarily on the assessment of neuropathies. Neuropathies affect the peripheral nerves and parts of the spine and are frequently caused by or associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, and sciatica, as well as other clinical disorders. The ADVANCE System is a comprehensive platform for the performance of traditional nerve conduction studies and needle electromyography procedures.

Our product pipeline includes a system designed to precisely deliver pharmacologic agents such as anesthetics and corticosteroids in close proximity to nerves (“perineurally”) for regional anesthesia, pain control and the treatment of focal neuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome. We are also developing products for intra-operative peripheral nerve assessment and monitoring and a neurostimulation based product that promotes nerve fiber regeneration for the treatment of acute nerve injuries such as those resulting from lacerations or other forms of trauma.

Diabetic retinopathy is a common neurovascular complication of diabetes and the leading cause of blindness among working age adults. NeuroMetrix also markets the DigiScope(TM), which is a retinal imaging system designed for use at the point-of-care in physician offices and vision clinics.

The statements contained in this press release include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s or its management’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. The words “believe,””may,””will,””estimate,””continue,””anticipate,””intend,””expect,””plan,””hope” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the Company’s current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on it. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that the Company has anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Company’s control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with: the Company’s ability to successfully market ADVANCE in the EU; reimbursement by third party payers to the Company’s customers for procedures performed using ADVANCE; the Company’s reliance on third-party distributors; compliance with international regulatory standards; effectiveness of the Company’s products compared to other medical device products; protection of the Company’s intellectual property and other proprietary rights; conflicts with the intellectual property of third parties; competition; dependence upon computer and communication infrastructure utilized by the Company’s products; potential future publication of articles or announcement of positions by physician associations or other organizations that are unfavorable to the Company’s products; other international business risks, including risks related to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, instability in political or economic conditions, potential problems related to international shipping and distribution, the potential impact of any trade protection measures and difficulties associated with foreign legal and regulatory systems; and the risks described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAG), a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its proprietary nanoparticle technology for the development and commercialization of therapeutic iron compounds to treat anemia and novel imaging agents to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular disease, today reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008.

“We are pleased with our progress toward becoming a commercial biopharmaceutical company as we prepare for the planned U.S. launch of ferumoxytol in the first quarter of 2009 and maximize the opportunity for ferumoxytol beyond chronic kidney disease and outside the United States,” commented Brian J.G. Pereira, President and Chief Executive Officer of AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “In the last quarter, we presented additional positive results of ferumoxytol in kidney transplant recipients, entered into a strategic partnership to develop and commercialize ferumoxytol in China, and added a new member to our senior management team. Also, at our Analyst and Investor Day in June, we shared details of our commercial strategy for ferumoxytol’s launch and discussed our planned clinical development programs for abnormal uterine bleeding, iron deficiency anemia from multiple causes and vascular imaging,” concluded Dr. Pereira.

As of June 30, 2008, the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $264.3 million. Revenues for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $0.5 million as compared to revenues of $0.7 million for the same period in 2007. Revenues for the six month period ended June 30, 2008 were $1.1 million as compared to $1.7 million for the same period in 2007.

Total operating costs and expenses for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $19.7 million as compared to $10.3 million for the same period in 2007, an increase of $9.4 million. Total operating costs and expenses for the six month period ended June 30, 2008, were $33.0 million as compared to $19.4 million for the same period in 2007. The increase in operating costs and expenses for both the quarter and the six month period ended June 30, 2008 was primarily due to increased selling, general and administrative expenses, as the Company prepares for the expected U.S. launch of ferumoxytol in the first quarter of 2009.

The Company reported a net loss of $17.0 million, or $1.00 per basic and diluted share, for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, as compared to a net loss of $6.9 million, or $0.46 per basic and diluted share, for the same period in 2007. Net loss for the six months ended June 30, 2008 was $26.3 million, or $1.55 per basic and diluted share, as compared to a net loss of $17.1 million, or $1.17 per basic and diluted share for the same period in 2007.

Corporate Highlights

Recent activities and achievements include:

— At its Analyst and Investor meeting in June, the Company provided its updated plan to initiate two Phase III clinical development programs for ferumoxytol as an intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent. One program will include patients with iron deficiency anemia and abnormal uterine bleeding and the second will include patients with iron deficiency anemia from multiple causes. The Company also announced plans to commence a Phase II study for ferumoxytol in vascular-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Final study designs are subject to FDA review and are expected to begin in the second half of 2008.

— The Company announced a strategic partnership with 3SBio, Inc. a leading Chinese biotechnology company, to develop and commercialize ferumoxytol in China for chronic kidney disease (CKD), with an option to expand into additional indications.

— The Company presented positive results from pooled data from two open-label, multicenter, randomized Phase III studies of ferumoxytol as an intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent as a poster at the 8th American Transplant Congress in May. The poster, “Ferumoxytol as an Intravenous Iron Replacement Therapy: Efficacy and Safety in Subjects with Functioning Kidney Transplants” presented results from 31 patients with CKD stages 1-5 with functioning kidney transplants.

— In May, the Company announced the appointment of Robert M. Brenner, M.D. to the position of Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs. Dr. Brenner brings nearly a decade of clinical development and medical affairs experience to the Company, having served most recently as Executive Director and Global Renal Anemia Program Area Leader at Amgen Inc. Dr. Brenner will be responsible for the Company’s medical affairs and nephrology clinical development activities.

Conference Call and Webcast Access

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will host a webcast and conference call today at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the Company’s financial results, business highlights and its development programs.

To access the conference call via telephone, please dial (877) 412-6083 from the United States or (706) 902-1303 for international access. A telephone replay will be available from approximately 10:00 a.m. ET on July 29, 2008 through midnight July 31, 2008. To access a replay of the conference call, dial (800) 642-1687 from the United States or (706) 645-9291 for international access. The passcode for the live call and the replay is 56344417.

An audio webcast of the call will be available through the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.amagpharma.com. The webcast replay will be available from approximately 10:00 a.m. ET on July 29, 2008, through midnight August 12, 2008.

About AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that utilizes its proprietary nanoparticle technology for the development and commercialization of therapeutic iron compounds to treat anemia and novel imaging agents to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Ferumoxytol, the Company’s key product candidate, is being developed for use as an intravenous iron replacement therapeutic agent for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia and as a diagnostic agent for vascular-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging to assess peripheral arterial disease. The Company submitted a New Drug Application for marketing approval of ferumoxytol as an intravenous iron replacement therapy in chronic kidney disease patients with the FDA in December 2007, which was accepted for filing by the FDA in February 2008.

Forward Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts, including but not limited to statements regarding the expected U.S. launch of ferumoxytol in the first quarter of 2009 and our expectation to initiate additional Phase II and Phase III clinical programs for ferumoxytol later this year, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the following: (1) the possibility that we may not be able to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals in order to market and sell ferumoxytol, or we may not obtain such approvals in a timely manner due to deficiencies in the design or oversight by us of these trials, the failure of our trials to demonstrate that ferumoxytol is safe and efficacious, or any other factor causing an increase in expenses, a delay and/or a negative effect on the results of the clinical studies or the prospects of regulatory approval for ferumoxytol; (2) the fact that we have limited sales and marketing expertise; (3) uncertainties regarding our ability to successfully compete in the intravenous iron replacement therapy and imaging markets; (4) uncertainties regarding our ability to obtain favorable coverage, pricing and reimbursement for ferumoxytol, if approved; (5) uncertainties regarding our ability to manufacture sufficient quantities of ferumoxytol to meet demand, if approved; (6) uncertainties relating to our patents and proprietary rights; and (7) other risks identified in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date they are made. We disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in expectations or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

 AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (unaudited, amounts in thousands, except for per share data)   Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations -------------------------  Three Months Ended June   Six Months Ended 30,                 June 30, ------------------------ ------------------- 2008         2007       2008      2007 =========== ============ ========= =========  Revenues:                 $      486  $       745  $  1,098  $  1,658  Costs and expenses (1): Cost of product sales                   31          101        75       258 Research and development          7,061        5,115    11,884    11,256 Selling, general and administrative      12,611        5,083    20,996     7,874 ----------- ------------ --------- --------- Total costs and expenses      19,703       10,299    32,955    19,388 ----------- ------------ --------- ---------  Operating Loss               (19,217)      (9,554)  (31,857)  (17,730)  Interest income                2,210        2,619     5,549     4,592 Litigation settlement              -            -         -    (4,000) ----------- ------------ --------- ---------  Net loss                  $  (17,007) $    (6,935) $(26,308) $(17,138) =========== ============ ========= =========   Loss per share - basic and diluted:            $    (1.00) $     (0.46) $  (1.55) $  (1.17)  Weighted average shares outstanding used to compute loss per share: Basic and diluted             16,994       15,150    16,982    14,658   (1) Stock-based compensation expenses included in costs and expenses amounted to approximately: Research and development     $      883  $       392  $  1,592  $    799 Selling, general and administrative       2,311        1,861     4,296     2,988      Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets -------------------------  6/30/2008   12/31/2007  Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments              $  202,220  $   286,807 Long-term investments     $   62,106  $         - Working capital           $  195,135  $   282,196 Total assets              $  275,232  $   294,851 Total stockholders' equity                   $  262,028  $   285,954 

WASHINGTON, July 29 /PRNewswire/ — C-Change, a national cancer coalition of key leaders from the government, business and non-profit sectors, is launching an initiative called “Making the Business Case for Cancer Prevention & Early Detection.”

The program provides a compelling argument for why companies should assure their employee health insurance policies include coverage for proven cancer prevention and screening services as well as a strategy to educate employees about the importance of these services. Coupled together, these strategies could yield significant cost savings to the employers and save lives. The campaign has been developed in partnership with the Ad Council and Edelman Public Relations, and is targeted to business, non-profit and public sector CEOs, benefits managers and human resource directors though the publications they read and conferences they attend.

The “Making the Business Case” initiative is predicated on the growing evidence that it is far more costly to pay for cancer treatments than it is to provide early detection and prevention measures. Direct medical expenses (health insurance premiums) and indirect costs (lost productivity) related to treating employees with cancer cost employers thousands of dollars every year. Thus, as the population ages, it makes financial sense for employers to play a significant role in the fight against the disease by supporting early detection and prevention in the workplace.

For instance, an actuarial study featured as part of the campaign indicates that it would take an investment of only $2.95 per member per month for the typical employer to reach near full compliance among their employees to cover breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening, and that this would eventually yield savings of up to $3.75 per member per month in medical care costs.

A campaign white paper kicks-off the program by outlining the benefits of preventive care related to four types of cancer — breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and cancers associated with tobacco use. The white paper provides data on cancer prevention and early detection, including potential cost savings to employers in the future by investing in these services today.

“Cancer is a significant burden on society — the American Cancer Society predicts that in 2008 about 1.5 million new cases will be diagnosed. The data compiled by C-Change shows that in real numbers, it is far more costly to treat cancer than it is to prevent it,” said Tom Kean, Executive Director of C-Change. “We are proud to be able to provide strong evidence to employers that investing in cancer prevention and early detection services will promote the health of their employees and at the same time be a cost saver.”

Today, the annual healthcare expenditure in the U.S. is $1.9 trillion — and more than $200 billion of that goes to treating cancer. Data show that 75 percent of all healthcare costs stem from chronic health conditions that can be prevented, yet only a small proportion of that amount is allocated to promoting health and preventing illness. In an era in which health expenditures may soon surpass profits at the typical Fortune 500 company, reigning in health care costs is everyone’s job — including that of business.

What Employers Can Do

Since employers provide health insurance to more than 50 percent (160 million) of Americans through their health plans, employers are well positioned to make a direct impact on efforts that are beginning to win the war on cancer. What can companies do?

   --  Work with health plans to increase coverage for breast, cervical and       colorectal cancer screenings and tobacco cessation programs   --  Encourage employees to get screened for breast, cervical, and       colorectal cancer through employer driven education programs and by       eliminating insurance co-pays and deductibles for these services   --  Implement tobacco-free policies    

“Employers share the responsibility of protecting America’s health by supporting healthy actions among their employees, and this initiative demonstrates the real long-term value of these interventions for the company’s bottom line,” said Martin Murphy, Charter Member of C-Change and Convener of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. “We hope to see companies large and small adopting these policies in their health benefits programs in order to see measurable changes in health care expenditures in the near future.”

“Making the Business Case” By The Numbers

Investing in cancer prevention is a long-term strategy employers should use to reduce costs and ensure a healthier workforce. The “Making the Business Case” white paper, on behalf of C-Change, illustrates how:

   --  Cancer costs burden businesses.   --  Offering prevention and early detection health insurance benefits       reduces both the direct and indirect costs of cancer for employers.   --  Employers can encourage their respective employees to receive cancer       prevention and screening services.    

For a copy of the white paper, or to receive more information, please visit http://www.c-changeprojects.org/MakingTheBusinessCase.

About C-Change

C-Change, a non-profit organization consisting of public, private and nonprofit sectors, is comprised of 130 nationally-recognized leaders from across all sectors of society. Former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush serve as Honorary Chairpersons and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein is Honorary Vice Chair. C-Change’s mission is to leverage the resources and expertise of every sector of society to eliminate cancer as a major public health problem at the earliest possible time. For more information on C-Change, please visit http://www.c-changetogether.org/.

    Media Contact:    Beth Conner    312-240-2673    [email protected]  

C-Change

CONTACT: Beth Conner, +1-312-240-2673, [email protected], forC-Change

Web site: http://www.c-changetogether.org/

Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ranbaxy Laboratories, Gurgaon, India, has announced that under an agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals it has launched an authorized generic of Omeprazole 40mg capsules in the US healthcare system.

Ranbaxy’s Omeprazole 40mg is indicated for the treatment of acid-related disease, including gastric ulcer and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

Jim Meehan, vice president of sales and distribution at Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, said: “We welcome the opportunity to market an authorized generic of Omeprazole 40mg capsules that will be commercialized immediately to all classes of trade in the US healthcare system under the Ranbaxy label.

“We will offer this product as an affordable and accessible generic formulation to patients requiring this medication.”

HST Global, Inc., (OTCBB: HTSC) announced today it is meeting with 72% efficacy in pre-clinical treatment of Stage IV cancer in a test of 250 patients. The highlight of the study is in stage IV breast cancer where they have met with 72% efficacy with 58 patients over 2 1/2 years with its drug candidate Salicinium.

Ronald Howell President & CEO of HST Global, Inc. stated, “We are encouraged by these results and are looking forward to subjecting the study to more rigorous tests to support eventual commercialization.”

About the Study:

HST Global, Inc., currently has the rights to a pre-clinical outcome-based study using the pre-clinical drug trade named “Salicinium”. This natural substance, which is plant-derived, is both oral and a parenteral active inhibitor of certain fermenting enzyme dynamics in the cancer cells. Clinical studies demonstrate that Salicinium alters malignant cell fermentation dynamics, blocks cell division (mitosis), and causes fermenting cancer cells to lose their ability to withstand innate immune reactions.

Given parenterally, in the form of the Forsythe Immune Therapy #2, the I.V. contains proprietary amounts of normal saline, magnesium chloride, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, B complex, folic acid, vitamin C, L-Lysine, zinc, glutathione, and the main ingredient “Salicinium”. The preparation is succussed at the time of the patient’s visit, and it is prepared in approximately a 1:70 dilution.

The purpose of the pre-clinical outcome-based study in Stage IV adult cancers is to study efficacy and safety issues. All patients coming to the clinical are given the following choices:

 1. Conventional chemotherapy, either first, second or third line, as appropriate to the patient's prior history. 2. Conventional chemotherapy, either standard or low-dose fractioned, with Salicinium; 3. Conventional dose or low-dose fractioned chemotherapy with Salicinium and other complimentary products; 4. Salicinium along with other complimentary therapies; 5. Salicinium alone; 6. Insulin potentiated therapy using standard chemotherapy with Salicinium; and 7. Any of the above plus hormonal therapies. 

This study was carried out from June of 2005 through March of 2008, with 250 Stage IV cancer patients under study.

The advantages of the pre-clinical study were to show efficacy and safety, and freedom from adverse toxicities and adverse side-effects. The conclusion of the study was that Salicinium is a novel, homeopathic, immune boosting therapy that when used alone in breast cancer, isolated from other cancers, showed an overall response rate of 79% at 33 months.

When Salicinium was used in combination with Poly-MVA and/or chemotherapy, the overall response rate was 75%.

These results compared favorably with conventional chemotherapy alone which, in five years in the allopathic literature from 2004, showed only a 2.1% survival rate in the United States with any form of chemotherapy alone.

It is important to note that this product is compatible with other complimentary therapies, which vector in on the metabolism of the cancer cell in a different matter.

Also of great importance is the fact that there were no significant adverse events in these 250 patients using Salicinium, even when used with low-dose fractioned chemotherapy.

The pre-clinical outcome-based study is available for review, with all the statistics outline, which demonstrates the above positive effects.

HST Global, Inc. makes no representation that the US Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory agency will allow this Investigational New Drug to be marketed. Furthermore, no claim is made that potential medicine discussed herein is safe, effective, or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, data that demonstrates activity or effectiveness in animals or in vitro tests do not necessarily mean the formula test compound; referenced herein will be effective in humans. Safety and effectiveness in humans will have to be demonstrated by means of adequate and well-controlled clinical studies before the clinical significance of the formula test compound is known. Readers should carefully review the risk factors described in filings the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About HST Global, Inc.

HST Global, Inc. is a development stage biotechnology company that acquires and develops innovative products for the treatment of cancer. We focus on in-licensing drug candidates that are undergoing or have already completed initial clinical testing for the treatment of cancer, and then developing those drug candidates for commercial use.

HST Global, Inc. wishes to inform readers that forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned that such forward looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, unforeseen changes in the course of research and development activities and in clinical trials by others; possible acquisitions of other technologies, assets or businesses; possible actions by customers, suppliers, competitors, regulatory authorities; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

By Lisa Ryckman

Remember the Disney version of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice with Mickey Mouse? The part where Mickey chops up the broom and each piece becomes another broom until there are thousands and thousands of brooms?

Diet books are like that. For every one you bury in the backyard or set on fire or beat into submission with a sledgehammer, two more magically appear to take its place. It’s a veritable tsunami of useless advice rising out of an ocean of obesity, and we’re all sitting ducks.

Lately, there’s been a wave of diet books that come off like somewhat pretentious, sometimes amusing and often obnoxious girlfriends, with terms like gorgeous and little black dress and hot chick in the titles. Consider this diet advice for the Sex in the City set; if you can name all of Carrie Bradshaw’s boyfriends in order, these might be for you.

INFOBOX 1

Eat, Drink and Be Gorgeous, by Esther Blum

The hook: Diet tools for your rhinestone-studded tool belt.

The skinny: “Perhaps you’re looking for a dominatrix who will spank you every time you’ve been naughty,” writes New York dietitian Blum, self-proclaimed food fashionista. “If so, this book isn’t for you.” (Esther, you little minx!) Not a diet book in the classic sense, but the message – have your cake but not too much of it – is a good one. Health and hedonism? Duh and double duh!

Might work for: anyone who longs to walk a New York mile in Carrie’s Manolos

How To Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever, by Melissa Clark and Robin Aronson

The hook: Eat that little black dress out of the closet! (Still hungry? Snack on some stilettos.)

The skinny: A book born after new mom Robin sought chub-busting advice from her bony gal-pal Melissa, the barely there babe every woman loves to hate. Melissa writes cookbooks, reviews restaurants and eats out in New York City every night – how ever does she maintain her size 2? Simple: She exercises like a maniac and limits portions to one bite. “Cutting the food up and moving it around the plate makes not eating much less obvious,” she says, apparently unaware that anorexics have been using that one for years. The best feature: recipes from Melissa, who can cook up a storm even if she doesn’t eat a drop.

Might work for: anybody who thinks she can actually eat just one mouthful of anything

How To Eat Like a Hot Chick, by Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent

The hook: Chocolate cake for breakfast and a pound of spinach for dinner.

The skinny: Yeah, that’s right – spinach sandwiches, spinach tacos, spinach martinis, spinach out the yin-yang. Lipper and Vincent have decided that spinach is the “it” food to unleash your inner hotness. It’s also the penitence you pay for any overindulgence: party like a Hot Chick – two martinis, a glass of Champagne and half a rum and diet cola, topped off with a bag of greasy fries to soak up the excess alcohol – and you’d better believe you’ll be chewing on a pound of spinach for dinner the next day, Missy. Actually, there are some very sensible nutrition tips in here delivered with a wry sense of humor and an ample sprinkling of obscenities. Really, ladies – you eat spinach with those mouths?

Might work for: Popeye

Secrets of a Former Fat Girl, by Lisa Delaney The hook: I was you but now I’m not, and you can be just like me and less like you. Because there will be less of you. Like me.

The skinny: FFG Delaney reveals seven secrets, all of which are more about what goes on in your mind than what you have on your hips. With humor and honesty, she details her own struggle to dig out from under the emotional baggage that led her to cocoon herself in flesh. No menus, recipes or meal plans but plenty of guidance on deflecting flak from passive-aggressive friends and family, jump- starting an exercise program no matter how much you hate it and saving the rest of your life from FG-mindset sabotage. Read this and maybe you’ll see past your own reflection.

Might work for: FGs who long to be FFGs

INFOBOX 2

A smattering of others:

* The Genotype Diet, by Dr. Peter D’Adamo

The hook: Turn off the bad genes and fit into your skinny jeans!

The skinny: D’Adamo says we can get healthier and happier if we just “turn up the volume on some genes and silence others,” although he offers no advice on how to deal with loudmouthed genes that refuse to shut up no matter how many times you shush them. This is an expansion of his earlier diet, Eat Right for Your Type, which based food on blood type; like this book, it had no basis in science, but it was a New York Times best-seller anyway. Naturopath D’Adamo identifies six genotypes – hunter, gatherer, teacher, explorer, warrior and nomad – and figuring out which one you are is a snap: Just check whether your torso is longer than your legs and your left ring finger is shorter than your index finger and your fingerprints are mismatched and your teeth are shovel-like and your head is at a gonial angle (don’t ask). As a nomad, my superfoods include mutton, ostrich, emu (thank goodness they’re having a special on emu wings at King Soopers!), poi and cod liver oil. I’d definitely lose weight on this diet – I’ve just lost my appetite.

Might work for: those who believe that the length of their calves might mean goat is one of their superfoods

* The Feel Good Diet, by Cheryle Hart and Mary Kay Grossman

The hook: Yo-yo? No no!

The skinny: Are you suffering from yo-yo brain? So who isn’t? Here’s the feel-good fix: It starts with a pre-meal swig of “Super pH water,” a cup of water with a teaspoon of unfiltered apple cider vinegar. It can erode tooth enamel and give you the runs, but what the hey – it also neutralizes “acid cell wastes,” no doubt a major contributor to the aforementioned yo-yo brainosity. The authors prattle on ad nauseam about high- insulin-spiking foods, low- insulin-spiking foods and the feel- good brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine. But in the end, it all comes down to a neurotransmitter supplement lozenge called “CraniYums.”

Might work for: anyone who finds the name “CraniYums” amusing

* Listen and Lose Weight, by Glenn Harrold

The hook: When I snap my fingers, you’ll open your eyes and forget you’re fat.

The skinny: No diet plan, no exercises, no recipes – just sit there and absorb the feel-good burble of Brit Harrold (CD included) and watch that excess baggage and poundage melt away. Let’s all try his “banishing- unhealthy-food technique”: Close your eyes, breathe deeply and imagine a plateful of rotting fish (if that’s not sufficiently repulsive, the author helpfully suggests maggots instead). Then visualize it topped with the food you’d like to banish from your diet – chocolate, for example (no gagging allowed, class!). From this moment forward, every time you think about inhaling a Snickers bar, you’ll see stinky chocolate-covered fish guts instead. Easy as maggot pie!

Might work for: the highly gullible and deeply desperate

* Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet, by Peter Gott

The hook: Lose weight with just four little words.

The skinny: So how exactly does the good doc fill 186 pages with a four-word diet plan? Here’s how: menus, recipes and his syndicated newspaper columns, “Ask Dr. Gott,” where everybody wants to ask Dr. Gott either how he got so wonderful or why it’s so tough to follow a four-word diet. Here’s my 13-word answer: Everything worth eating in the world contains either sugar or flour or both. And don’t think that cutting out sugar and flour means you can pig out on pork rinds all day: This is all about cutting carbs and calories and fat. Consider it Atkins Lite with a twist.

Might work for: people who believe that man doth not live by bread at all

Originally published by Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News.

(c) 2008 Rocky Mountain News. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.

PHILADELPHIA, July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Diagnosed with lymphoma, a deadly cancer of the lymphatic system, award-winning Newsweek journalist Jamie Reno felt stunned and alone. What gave him hope was learning of others’ successful battles with the disease.

His spirits were lifted and today, eleven years later, Jamie Reno has drawn on his experience with the release of Hope Begins in the Dark, a collection of 50 compelling lymphoma survivors’ stories. Featuring inspiring personal accounts from a wide range of lymphoma patients including former professional baseball player Andres Galarraga, comedian Robert Schimmel, and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Hope Begins in the Dark stresses the importance of self advocacy during treatment.

“When I was diagnosed with lymphoma, I searched for information about the experiences of other patients. Yet, there wasn’t one comprehensive resource that provided personal stories of patients who beat this disease,” said Reno. “The goal of Hope Begins in the Dark is to give patients strength, through other’s stories, to become their own advocates and to take an active role in their disease with the support from this community. There is hope!”

Reno became an advocate for the lymphoma community after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in late 1996. He was initially treated successfully with a common chemotherapy, but his cancer returned two years later. When Reno learned of the recurrence, he immediately began researching new treatment options and enrolled in a clinical trial with a radioimmunotherapy called BEXXAR(R) (Tositumomab and Iodine I 131 Tositumomab). BEXXAR, which was an experimental therapy at the time, has since been approved by the FDA for patients with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma whose disease has returned following initial therapy. He has been in remission for nine years since receiving that treatment in the spring of 1999.

“I took control of my treatment by conducting my own research and identifying the options that were right for me,” said Reno. “I hope that this book empowers other patients to educate themselves and discuss all available treatment options for their disease with their doctors.”

While no two stories in Hope Begins in the Dark are the same, taking control of your life and living it to the fullest, as well as making informed decisions with the help of a doctor, are common themes echoed from each survivor in the book.

“The stories featured in Hope Begins in the Dark are a true inspiration to everyone involved in the fight against lymphoma and we commend Jamie for his efforts to strengthen the bond within this community,” said Dave Moules, Vice President of Oncology, GlaxoSmithKline. “We believe this book will provide support and hope for the people facing this disease and their loved ones.”

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is the fifth most common cancer in the United States(excluding skin cancer) and the most common cancer of the lymphatic system.(1,2) The average risk of an American developing non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is approximately one in 50.(1) In 2008, approximately 66,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the United States.(1) Recent diagnoses in the news include former American Idol finalist Luke Menard, who has been diagnosed with Stage II non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and the father of World Series game-winning Boston Red Sox pitcher, Jon Lester. In 2006, Jon Lester himself was diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma called anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Today, he is cancer-free.

The book was written in association with Vital Options International, a not-for-profit cancer communications and advocacy support organization and producer of The Group Room(R) cancer talk radio show, and supported through an unrestricted educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline. Limited quantities of Hope Begins in the Dark are available free of charge by contacting Vital Options at http://www.vitaloptions.org/ or calling 1-800-477-7666.

Important Safety Information(3)

BEXXAR(R) is not for everyone. Patients who are pregnant or allergic to any components of the regimen should not receive BEXXAR. Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including some with fatal outcome, have been observed with the BEXXAR Therapeutic Regimen. Treatment with BEXXAR resulted in very severe decreases in blood counts (platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells) in the majority of patients, which could be life-threatening, for an extended period of time (about a month). In 7% of patients, these decreases persisted for more than 90 days. Infections occurred in 45% of patients, bleeding in 12% of patients, and treatment with hematologic supportive care in 27% of patients. Other reactions during or following the infusion included fever, chills, sweating, nausea, low blood pressure, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. There is also a risk of hypothyroidism following the administration of BEXXAR.

Administration of BEXXAR resulted in the development of antibodies to the mouse antibody (called HAMA). Certain cancer therapies including BEXXAR have been associated with the development of a second type of blood cancer and solid tumors. At a median follow-up of 29 months, 44 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome (a type of pre-leukemia) and/or leukemia and 65 cases of secondary tumors in 54 patients were reported among the 995 patients enrolled in studies with BEXXAR.

Healthcare providers must be specifically trained to administer BEXXAR. Additional information about the BEXXAR Therapeutic Regimen, including safety and complete prescribing information, may be obtained by calling 1-877-423-9927 (1-877-4BEXXAR) or visiting http://www.bexxar.com/

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline — one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies — is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better, and live longer. For company information, visit GlaxoSmithKline at http://www.gsk.com/.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

Under the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Factors that may affect GSK’s operations are described under ‘Risk Factors’ in the ‘Business Review’ in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2007.

Note to Editors

To access the latest GSK Oncology media materials, visit http://www.gsk.com/media.

   Enquiries:    US Media enquiries:    Sarah Alspach       +1 919 483 2839                          Mary Anne Rhyne     +1 919 483 2839    References:   

(1) The American Cancer Society. What are the key statistics about non-Hodgkin lymphoma? Available at:

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1x_What_are_the_key_stat istics_for_childhood_non_Hodgkins_lymphoma_9.asp Accessed June 12, 2008.

(2) Lymphoma Research Foundation. What you need to know about lymphoma. Available at:

http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=chKOI6PEImE&b=1573289 Accessed June 12, 2008.

(3) BEXXAR Prescribing Information.

GlaxoSmithKline

CONTACT: Sarah Alspach, +1-919-483-2839, Mary Anne Rhyne,+1-919-483-2839, both of GlaxoSmithKline

Web Site: http://www.bexxar.com/http://www.gsk.com/http://www.vitaloptions.org/