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J23 NEJM: Genetic mutation associated with most patients who develop myopathy on high-dose statins.
J23 Texas ESRD Network hurricane resource site
J23 Hurricane Dolly now at south Texas coast.
J23 How bacterial biofilms use chemical weapons against amoebas
J23 Scientists isolate compound in saliva that speeds wound healing.
J22 Dr. Arnold Kim gives up nephrology practice to attend to his Mac blogging site and other projects.
J22 As travel costs rise, more meetings go virtual.
J22 House Appropriations Subcommittee increases proposed FDA budget by more than 20% to over 2 billion dollars per year.
J22 Vagal nerve stimulation suppresses spleen production of TNF: A brain to immune system connection?
J22 New type of chlorine-tolerant membranes developed for desalination.
J22 The cold, cruel facts?: Disease prevention programs may not lower costs in the long run?
J22 Ezetimibe plus simvastatin drug trial shows no effect on aortic valve stenosis progression.
J22 Prostate cancer drug abiraterone hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of advanced disease.
J22 Ice-tea aficionado develops kidney stones
J22 Woman who claimed water-loading diet caused brain damage due to seizures wins lawsuit.
J21 Dr. Joseph Letteri, an expert in kidney treatment; in memoriam
J21 Advance lowers risk of rejection of animal tissues.
J21 Anti-bacterial actions of cranberry juice explained by its action on fimbriae.
J21 Adding calcium hydroxide to seawater may reverse global warming.
J21 Drug industry: No more free pens, pads, or mugs for docs.
J21 Singapore mulls legal kidney trading.
J21 FDA finds incriminated Salmonella strain on jalapeno peppers
J19 Off-topic weekend fun and games: Frogger
J19 Human blood vessels grown in mice
J18 In-center nocturnal dialysis in Colorado in the news.
J18 Donor nephrectomy via umbilical incision shortens donor post-op recovery time.
J18 Jonathan Himmelfarb to lead new Kidney Research Institute based in Seattle.
J17 Low-carb vs. low-fat supporters fight over importance of NEJM study on NY Times blog.
J17 FDA retracts Salmonella-related warning against eating raw tomatoes. Peppers still a potential risk factor.
J17 Genetic variant identified that increases risk of elevated triglycerides fourfold in Asian Americans.
J17 Peptidoglycans from gut bacteria may induce C. albicans to transform into infectious variant.
J17 Radiocontrast nephropathy studies may overestimate risk of AKI, since creatinine often increases in controls patients, also.
J17 U.S. population keeps getting fatter; esp. Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
J17 FDA safety recall: Sodium polystyrene sulfonate contaminated with yeast.
J17 AHA to launch new journal focusing on cardiovascular outcomes trials and methodology.
J17 Whole fruits and fruit juices have opposite effects on diabetes risk in Nurses' Health Study
J17 Atkins was right after all. NEJM study confirms benefits of low-carb and Mediterannean diets vs. low-fat diet.
J17 NEJM study shows that IVIG plus rituximab increases transplant success rates in HLA-sensitized patients.
J16 Doctors hopeful that improved blood thinners are on the horizon: Three new candidates.
J16 Annals: Low molecular weight heparin for 7 days better than stockings after arthroscopic knee surgery.
J16 Has the Achilles heel of the HIV virus been located?
J16 Cyclosporine increases expression of VEGF. Is this a mechanism for post-transplant cancer risk?
J16 Congress overrides Bush veto on Medicare bill that prevents physician payment cuts.
J15 Are kidney transplants performed at night less successful? A small European study suggests this possibility.
J15 GAO recommends prior authorization by Medicare of physican office-based diagnostic imaging tests.
J15 Bush to veto Medicare physician's pay patch bill today; Congress set to override.
J14 Will global warming spark a rise in kidney stone incidence?
J14 Ortho Biotech and Amgen resolve antitrust lawsuit.
J14 Japanese build DNA sewing machine.
J14 Sodium phenyl butyrate (PBA) may prolong life of pancreatic beta cells in type 2 diabetes.
J14 Nurses struggle with implications of new CMS policy re non-reimbursable adverse events.
J14 Track the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games
J14 CKD screening shows that a high percentage of Australia's indigenous population has kidney disease.
J14 FDA warning: Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with avastin plus sunitinib.
J14 Amgen's osteoporosis drug denosumab found effective in maintaining bone density in prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation.
J13 Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor SAHA found to have anti-immune effects in graft vs. host disease.
J12 Off-topic: weekend fun and games: The Memory Game
J12 Triathlon athlete and dialysis patient Shad Ireland in the news.
J12 Pioneering heart surgeon Michael DeBakey dies at age 99.
J11 Dialysis patients in Scotland can access their lab results on-line.
J11 FDA lists May 2008 labeling changes: Aranesp (tumor progression) and CellCept (lymphoma and PML risk)
J11 Angiodynamics recalls its Centros dialysis catheter due to inadequate cuff attachment.
J11 U.S. News issues its annual rankings of hospitals by specialty.
J11 White House threatens to veto bill rescinding physician Medicare payment cuts. Does the Senate have the votes to override?
J11 Scientists image prostate cancer that has metastasized to pelvic lymph nodes.
J10 Aspirin may benefit patients with osteoporosis: a possible mechanism identified.
J10 Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors protect ischemic tissue from injury.
J10 Computational biology approach leads to better understanding of immune response to presented antigen.
J10 Time of day affects antibody response to vaccination in men, but not women. Morning is best.
J10 U.S. National Public Radio examines health care system in 5 European countries.
J09 New form of Creutzfeld-Jakob-type of dementia discovered in the United States - no obvious cause.
J09 Salmonella outbreak continues: jalapeno peppers now thought to be a cause.
J09 Medicare bill that rescinds physician payment cuts passes in Senate with veto-proof majority.
J09 ESRD Network 14 (Texas) alert regarding contamination of at least one lot of Morton salt pellets by sodium ferrocyanide.
J09 Androgen-deprivation therapy does not help when given to older men with localized prostate cancer vs.watchful waiting alone..
J09 Fresenius signs sublicensing agreement with Luitpold to use Venofer in United States patients.
J08 Phosphate in CKD conference; September 26, 2008 in New York City.
J08 Stanford researchers find molecule that kills kidney cancer cells, STF-62247.
J08 Farm-raised tilapia fish has relatively low levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
J08 Fish oil plus red yeast lower cholesterol to the same extent as statin therapy.
J08 Transplant tourists running out of destinations.
J08 FDA adds boxed warning on risk of tendon rupture associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
J08 Overweight patients trying to lose weight lose twice as much if they keep a food diary.
J08 HDCN: Causes of stone disease, including nanobacteria; ASDIN: Part 4 vascular access; PGE: Reactive oxygen species talks; NNJ: Knowledge expectations and depression treatment; FA: Ionized calcium and CKD in the elderly.
J07 Swiss study suggests an 8% increase in failure rate when a male kidney is given to a woman recipient.
J07 Medicare double delay: Senate fails to act and CMS holds physician claims.
J07 Dr. Allen Alfrey, discoverer of the cause of aluminum-related dialysis dementia, in memoriam.
J07 Fresenius Medical buys heparin-maker APP pharmaceuticals.
J03 NEJM: Scanning the blood for circulating tumor cells using DNA technology helps guide treatment of metastatic disease.
J03 VA/NIH study of dialysis dose in acute kidney failure published in NEJM
J03 Statins spur glial progenitor cells to develop into oligodendrocytes.
J03 Pfizer will no longer work directly with for-profit CME companies.
J03 Novel antibiotic ceftobirole kills even the most resistant Staph. aureus.
J03 CMS releases 2007 ESRD Clinical Performance Measures report (.pdf)
J03 Secondary analysis of CHOIR data suggests that high EPO doses, rather than high Hb per se, associated with mortality.
J03 FDA panel recommends that all new diabetes drugs be screened for cardiovascular risk.
J02 New orally active, broad-spectrum angiogenesis inhibitor may be useful against many cancers.
J02 Secret of herpesvirus latency discovered in strands of microRNA.
J01 Caffeine intake increases rate at which muscle replenishes glycogen stores after exercise.
J01 Indocyanine green plus laser light kills even resistant bacteria; application to wound infections.
J01 Medicare proposes changes for dialysis reimbursement.
J01 More on the physician Medicare payment cut battle in the Congress.
J01 FDA may start focusing more on software reliability in medical devices.
J01 Bills pending in Congress would remove Supreme Court shield for medical device manufacturers.
J01 Doxycycline-inhibitable protease activity increased in SHR rats; this also may explain various aspects of metabolic syndrome.
J30 Doctors get temporary reprieve on Medicare cuts.
J30 Cancer cure strategy in mice to be tested in humans: transfusion of allogeneic cancer-killing leukocytes.
J30 Volcanoes turn out to be an important source of mercury pollution.
J30 Calcium supplementation alone does not reduce hip fracture risk in the elderly (new meta-analysis)
J30 AHA publishes cookbook focusing on healthy soul food recipes
J30 Sudden hearing loss associated with increased risk of future stroke.
J30 AHA launches hearthub.org, a website for patients.
J30 Prevalence of silent cerebral infarction in healthy (mean age 62) people at 11% in MRI study.
J30 AMA delegates oppose CMS no pay policy for "preventable" conditions that develop during hospital stay.
J28 Mortality rates similar at for-profit and not-for-profit dialysis chain patients; former use more EPO and IV iron.
J28 Bill to approve pathway for FDA approvals of biosimilars advocated as saving billions of dollars.
J28 Senate fails to take up legislation that would delay Medicare physician fee cut.
J28 FDA/Roche: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) warnings added to mycophenolate labeling.
J26 Fructose, but not glucose, increases visceral adipose tissue and triglycerides, and lower insulin sensitivity.
J26 Testing of athletes for illicit EPO use has high rate of false negatives.
J26 Gastric vagal block surgery less invasive, than bariatric surgery, but also effective in causing weight loss.
J26 Two siRNA in the Phase I/II pipeline for kidney disease, one for delayed graft function, the other for AKI
J26 Cethromycin for community-acquited MRSA.
J26 Allen Nissenson hired as Chief Medical Officer of DaVita
J25 R provides open access software for statistical analysis and graphing of results.
J25 House Medicare bill and the politics of competitive bidding for medical equipment
J25 Off topic - new technology: Compressed air cars on the near horizon (watch video)
J25 House votes to block cut in physician Medicare fees.
J25 MRSA skin infections becoming commonplace in healthy athletes.
J25 Site indentified at which microRNAs may down-regulate immune response.
J25 Impending Medicare reimbursement cuts may affect delivery of care
J25 African Americans excrete less potassium in the urine, and it's not all due to dietary intake.
J25 Excessive amounts of lead found in indoor/outdoor carpeting and artificial grass.
J25 Radiofrequency equipment ID tags can halt dialysis machines, change ventilator settings, alter syringe pump performance in the ICU.
J25 Obesity drug rimonabant approved for NHS use in England and Wales.
J25 Breast-cancer gene BRCA2 linked to much shorter survival after prostate cancer.
J24 Take your meds and have a chance at winning the lottery.
J24 House reps Dingell and Barton plan bill pushing nationwide adoption of electronic medical record systems.
J23 Some academic sites offering on-line second opinion services.
J23 Brouhaha over inclusion of Social Security numbers on Medicare ID cards: Would take 8 years to change?
J23 Rapamycin may impact retardation in tuberous sclerosis and might be useful in treating autism.
J23 New source of cardiac stem cells found in the epicardium
J21 Might Tai-Chi benefit CKD patients who can't sleep well?
J20 ANNA Monthly enewsletter, June, 2008
J20 Abbott Labs research grant solicitation on VDRA: Deadline is June 30th.
J20 ASN: Renal Express, June issue.
J20 Stem cells give old muscles new pep
J19 Some pathogenic bacteria use nanosyringe to inject host cells with toxins.
J19 Might exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation be beneficial?
J19 Is fluoride in drinking water safe for patients with CKD?
J19 FDA cautions about increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia who had been treated with antipsychotic drugs
J19 Investigation of deaths at Lufkin dialysis center: How alleged criminal activity was uncovered.
J18 DNA-modified bacteria eat plant waste and excrete fuel oil.
J18 Computer generated warfarin dosing as effective as dosing by expert prescribers.
J18 HHV-8 herpes virus linked to ketosis-prone type 2 diabetes in Africa.
J18 HDCN: Genetics of FSGS; More ASDIN talks; PGE course audiofiles on reactive oxygen species.
J17 Big breakfast diet more effective than low-carb diet in maintaining weight loss.
J17 Diabetes doubles the risk of hearing loss.
J16 Transportation fees impact some Canadian diaysis patients.
J16 British Medical Journal hosts interchange of views on appropriateness of paying live organ donors.
J16 Patients only rarely use online ratings to pick physicians.
J16 Do patients with combined liver/kidney transplants really need the kidney portion?
J16 Eating in response to stress? Ghrelin could be the reason why.
J16 Studies with fat cells suggest that resveratrol may help combat obesity.
J16 Etanercept slows cyst formation in a mouse model of PKD via inhibiting TNF-alpha.
J13 Senate Republicans block debate on Baucus bill, that would have delayed Medicare payment cuts.
J13 FDA and EMEA to consider biomarkers of renal injury in animal studies evaluating renal safety of new drugs.
J12 Baxter avian flu vaccine shows promise in early testing.
J12 XBP1, stimulated by a high-carb diet, may be a new target for treatment of dyslipidemias.
J12 Sequential treatment of lupus in women with cyclophosphamide and mycophenolate preserves ovarian function.
J12 Patch-based vaccine effective against traveler's diarrhea.
J12 A subgroup of retinal cells linked to circadian cycle resetting and insomnia.
J12 FDA approves generic form of ramipril made by Lupin pharmaceuticals.
J11 Vitamin D protects heart-failure-prone rats against heart failure when fed a high-salt diet.
J11 Lupus more severe, and nephritis more common, in patients with Southern European ancestry.
J11 Fresenius helps to provide dialysis supplies to China earthquake victims.
J11 CMS gives researchers access to parts of the Medicare prescription drug benefit database.
J11 FDA: Concern about potential cancer risk in users of Regranex (becaplermin) gel (used to help heal foot ulcers in diabetics).
J11 ANNA releases new editions of its Certification Review Guide and Core Curriculum
J11 The American Heart Association translates key parts of its website to Spanish, Vietnamese, and simplified Chinese.
J11 Doctor of nursing practice degree - will this grant clinical privileges similar to that of an MD?
J10 Rosiglitazone may slow progression of diabetic eye disease.
J10 Would the proposed Baucus bill threaten smaller dialysis providers?
J10 Baucus unveils Medicare payment reform legislation that would impact on ESRD reimbursement.
J10 Study suggests existence of more than one stem cell population in a single organ (intestinal tract)
J10 One more argument against smoking: Increased risk of age-related hearing loss.
J10 Etanercept plus exenatide increases efficacy of islet cell transplants over the standard Edmonton protocol.
J10 Eating diet rich in oily fish associated with markedly reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration.
J10 Large Australian RCT specifically shows that lowering HbA1C in diabetics to a 6.5% target protects the kidney.
J10 NEJM: Full text of ADVANCE trial, which showed a benefit of intensive glucose control (HbA1C to 6.5%)
J09 NEJM: Glycemic control in the ADVANCE vs. ACCORD trials (editorial)
J09 NEJM: ACCORD trial results published (full text): Intensive blood glucose lowering in diabetes may worsen outcomes.
J09 Myeloma drug Velcade (bortezomib) shows promise in treating lupus in an animal model.
J09 Observational study associated low 25-D levels with poor CV outcomes in peritoneal dialysis patients.
J09 High blood levels of 25-vitamin D may increase risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
J09 VA diabetes trial reports at ADA. Lowering HbA1c below 7% associated with a trend for improved CV outcomes.
J09 115 year old woman found to have essentially normal brain on autopsy, with no evidence of Alzheimer's disease.
J09 Search abstracts being presented at the 2008 American Diabetes Association meeting.
J09 Study suggests benefits of a short nap for night-shift healthcare workers.
J06 Why the two diabetes trials of aggressively lowering HbA1c came up with different results.
J06 High-protein weight loss diet protects against the bone loss seen with standard low-fat higher carb diets.
J06 Nephros completes trial of clip-on hemodiafiltration module and high-efficiency b2-M hemodiafilter.
J06 Mechanism of action of niacin to increase HDL levels discovered.
J05 HHS releases comprehensive plan to speed nationwide adoption of health information technology.
J05 FDA: More on the ongoing review of TNF-blockers and cancer risk.
J05 Is your health record already on-line on your health insurer's website? If so, how tightly is this protected?
J05 Alcohol ingestion cuts risk of rheumatoid arthritis by 50%.
J05 Study in mice suggests resveratrol has marked cardioprotective effects.
J05 NEJM: Heparin contaminated with oversulfated chondroitin sulfate causes anaphylaxis via kallikrein activation.
J05 NEJM: Aliskiren plus losartan lowers proteinuria in diabetics.
J04 FDA reviewing reports of increased cancer risk associated with TNF- blocking drugs.
J03 ASN Renal Express Newsletter, June 3rd.
J03 Antibacterial wipes can actually spread drug-resistant bacteria if used on more than one surface.
J03 Salmonella outbreak in 9 states linked to raw tomatoes.
J03 HDCN Update: PAD in CKD; Rheumatology in CKD; More RRI, ASDIN, and RPA talks; PGE Renal Tx. part 2; Articles: Lipid management and remission clinic
J03 ASN 2008 Renal Week abstract deadline extended to June 9th.
J03 Nova (R) renal - a contrast-free method for visualization of renal perfusion on MR scans.
J03 Magnetic control mechanism developed to steer swallowed mini-cameras for better GI tract images.
J03 Artificial blood vessel creation from smooth muscle cells makes major advances.
J03 NIH to fund research into bacteria colonizing various parts of the human body.
J03 Ultrasmall bacteria that can pass through dialysis filters identified in deep Greenland ice cores.
J03 USC researchers identify gene that controls blood glucose levels.
J03 Senate Bill would delay Medicare payment cuts to physicians.
J02 Links fixed to .mp3 files for the 2008 Renal Research Institute meeting talks
J02 Taiwanese study links water chlorination to birth defects.
J02 Genetically engineered regulatory T-cells used to control inflammatory bowel disease in mice.
J02 Cubing and then boiling potatoes markedly reduces their content of potassium and other minerals.
M31 Journal of Renal Care journal club: Buttonhole method of cannulating AV fistulas - the new gold standard?
M31 Fomer nurse at dialysis center arrested regarding question of injecting bleach intravenously into a patient.
M30 Cause of clubbing of the fingers in lung disease found - 15-HPGD.
M30 Whole milk as effective as 0.1% barium as GI contrast agent for CT.
M29 Diabetes Tech and Therapeutics journal supplement focuses on self-monitoring of blood glucose.
M29 Prucalopride shows promise in treating patients with severe constipation.
M29 Dehydrated tomatoes markedly lower prostate tumor growth in an animal model.
M29 New microsphere-based vaccine for type 1 diabetes to be tested in humans. It reverses diabetes in mice.
M28 Hope for stroke victims. Monkeys control prosthetic arm using brain waves to feed themselves.
M28 ADA Scientific Sessions start June 6th. Search abstracts at this link.
M28 Study suggests that salsalate may be of benefit in type 2 diabetics.
M28 RIP140 molecule involved in tumor cachexia, fatty liver, and associated inflammation.
M27 AMAG Pharmaceuticals signs agreement with 3SBio to commercialize ferumoxytol in China.
M27 Louisiana Senate passes bill that would shield disaster responders from civil liability lawsuits.
M27 Study suggests that RDA for children for cholecalciferol should be 2,000 IU/day, rather than 200 IU/day.
M27 New scoring method for coronary artery calcification that takes into account extent of calcium coverage.
M27 High-flavonoid cocoa can be a boost for diabetics.
M27 Should HbA1c be used instead of plasma glucose to screen for diabetes?
M27 Brooke Army medical center experimenting with stem cell treatment to regrow lost body parts.
M26 2008 American Transplant Congress to meet in Toronto starting May 31. Abstracts at this link.
M26 Qualitative changs in gut microflora affect insulin resistance.
M26 Six vs. three meals per day has no impact on weight loss.
M23 Automated CPR machine helps save lives.
M23 FDA to use Medicare claims data to monitor drug side effects once drugs have been marketed.
M22 Biotech company to hold auction for people who want to clone their pet dog.
M22 FDA approves gut opioid antagonist Entereg, for use to prevent postoperative ileus.
M22 It's official: Home BP monitoring is now the standard of care.
M21 CMS launches hospital comparison website.
M21 President Bush signs genetic anti-discrimination act (GINA) into law.
M21 Genetic researchers identify numerous genes involved in synthesis and storage of fat in cells.
M21 After heart attack, bivalirudin better than heparin plus glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors.
M21 Former Amgen executive Dr. Robert Brenner moves to AMAG.
M21 Modest red wine (but not beer) ingestion actually may lower risk of NAFLD - non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
M21 Protein structure is deciphered of steap3, a protein that regulates iron absorption in the gut.
M21 Denosumab (target of which is RANK ligand) increases bone mineral density more than continued alendronate treatment in postmenopausal women.
M20 Small adrenal masses found incidentally on computed tomography almost exclusively benign.
M20 NEJM: Palevsky-VA/NIH study shows that daily HD or more intense CRRT of no benefit in acute kidney injury
M20 Investigation into dialysis center deaths focuses on temporary use of 1.0 K dialysate concentrate.
M20 Google health now accepting patient information.
M19 Results of VA/NIH study on dialysis dose in acute kidney injury to be presented tomorrow, May 20th, in Toronto at ATS2008.
M19 A new discovery regarding pathogenesis of lupus - abnormal editing of genes.
M19 Vaccine targeting amyloid beta protein prevents Alzheimer's disease in mice.
M19 Silver-coated endotracheal tube use dramatically reduces resistant infections in ICU patients.
M19 Protein that mimics phagocyte defensins effective against resistant bacteria on in vitro testing.
M19 Two California patients may have been rejected for liver transplant because of medical marijuana use.
M19 Breast cancer risk gene BRCA2 now also tied to prostate cancer risk.
M19 American Society of Hypertension Annual Meeting (May 14-17) - abstracts at this link
M19 Capsaicin plus a derivative of lidocaine cause pain relief without numbness. Will it work for cannulation pain?
M19 Didusch center historical exhibit on Women Healers (7.5 mb .pdf file)
M18 Nephrology nurse practitioner and physician assistant meeting to be held July 17-18 in Arlington, VA.
M18 Didusch center for urologic history collections
M18 New superdrug may be useful against MRSA superbugs.
M17 FDA issues warning about birth defects in infants when mother took mycophenolate (MMF) during pregnancy.
M17 Is marrying your first cousin truly dangerous in terms of offspring? A critical examination of the data.
M17 FDA convenes to examine impact of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical, and now, medical device, advertising.
M17 Patient deaths at dialysis unit may have been caused by an employee with criminal intent.
M17 Former head of UCLA cadaver program indicted for selling body parts on the side, profiting directly from sales.
M16 Everolimus significantly delays progression of kidney cancer.
M16 Salmonella infection in people linked to exposure to dry dog food.
M16 View abstracts, posters being presented at the American Urologic Association annual meeting, May 17-22.
M16 Lymphocytic choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) - infected transplant organs cause 1 death and 1 serious injury at Boston-area hospital.
M16 Heparin-coated thoracic drainage catheters being recalled because of OSCS contamination.
M16 MMWR: CDC recommends herpes zoster vaccine for all persons over age 60.
M16 Is on-line hemodiafiltration finally coming to the U.S.?
M16 Small molecule found that can disassemble amyloid proteins associated with Alzheime