Health Business Week

Merck & Co., Inc. - Pharmaceutical company granted motion for coordinated pretrial proceedings

Monash University - Transcriptional profiling enables endometrial cycle stage prediction

Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City - IQ loss linked to mercury costs $8.7 billion

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. - Stem cell technology company appoints new non-executive cochairman

National University of Athens - New research in the area of osteoporosis detailed

Neosil, Inc. - Dermatology pharmaceutical company adds to its board of directors

Nevada Cancer Institute - Nevada cancer institute names VP of communications and public affairs

NuVasive, Inc. - Medical device company announces fourth quarter revenue increase of 78%

PLUS Orthopedics - Availability of computer assisted orthopedic surgery technology announced

Personnel - Nationally recognized ophthalmologist Donald Gass dies

Pfizer Inc - Pharma company to acquire Idun Pharmaceuticals

PhytoMedical Technologies, Inc. - Biopharma company signs agreement with Celliance BioServices, Inc.

PricewaterhouseCoopers - Research finds pharmacogenomics alters balance of power in drug development

Prison Health - Judges halt inmate mental evaluations at Tennessee facility

Provalis plc - Diagnostics company names nonexecutive director

Rapid Recovery Health Services Inc. - Florida physicians use Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy

ResCare - Disabilities service provider announces financial results, '05 earnings guidance

Rigel Pharmaceutical, Inc. - Findings advance knowledge in virology research

Royal Free & University College, London - Changes in clinical progression to aids in patients on HAART therapy

Russian Academy Science, Moscow - MSCs isolated from BM and fetal liver can form a hematopoietic microenvironment

Saft - Cardiac Science awards contract for lithium battery power packs for AEDs

Sangart, Inc. - Enrollment complete in phase 2 clinical trial of hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier

SciClone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - Viral disease-focused company reports resignation of VP of medical affairs

Shandong University - Antiangiogenic genes prevent secondary metastasis after primary tumor removal

Shantou University, Guangdong Province - Infected sperm transmits hepatitis B to early embryonic cells

Siemens Medical Solutions - U.S. FDA clears MammoReport(Plus) for extended use

Signet Laboratories, Inc. - Monoclonal antibodies reactive to the C-terminus of beta amyloid now available

SkinMedica, Inc. - Data: Laser Plus VANIQA provides better hair-removal results

Sookmyung Women's University - Recent findings in diabetes therapy provide new insights

St. Croix Systems Corporation - Healthcare-focused software company names Samuel H. Adams president, CEO

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich - DNA-loaded biodegradable microparticles useful for vaccine delivery systems

Texas Woman's University, Denton - Studies advance knowledge in sports medicine research

The Medicines Company - Acute care products provider reports Q4, year 2004 financial results

Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia - Apoptosis of osteoblast-like cells studied, role of surface attachment revealed

Tobacco Use - Mississippi coalition urges lawmakers to revive cigarette tax bill

Transgene - Drug company to focus on developing cancer and infectious diseases products

Transgene SA - Constructs with membrane bound or secreted GITR-L bypass immune suppression

U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention - Sequence polymorphism in subspecies B1 human adenoviruses reported

U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services - Overall healthcare cost growth projections slow from 2003

U.S. Food & Drug Administration - Genetic typing of porin protein of Neisseria gonorrhoeae reported

U.S. National Cancer Institute - Urinary estrogen metabolite ratio may signal higher risk in Asian Americans

U.S. National Inst. of Standards and Technology - Study seeks to protect drinking water supplies within buildings

U.S. Natl. Institutes of Health - NCI creates gene expression database of normal human organ tissue

United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain - Lower plasma BNP levels may reduce burden on CV system in hemodialysis patients

Univ. of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston - Ligand binding studied, role of calcitonin receptor-like receptor revealed

University of Amsterdam - Trials evaluated the effect of antichlamydial antibiotics on secondary CV events

University of Bristol - Inhibiting MMPs could ameliorate intimal thickening, prevent MI

University of California Los Angeles - Thymectomy disturbs long-term maintenance of lymphocyte populations

University of California, San Francisco - CD14+ macrophage hybrid phenotype circulates in persons with high HIV viral load

University of Camerino -  Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase studied, effects of oxidation shown

University of Cincinnati - Gastrointestinal hormones and food intake reviewed

University of Frankfurt - Article reviews components of NADPH oxidases in leukocytes and vascular tissue

University of Giessen - Multiplex PCR differentiates closely related streptococcal species

University of Giessen - Reports advance knowledge in cardiology research

University of Hong Kong - Researchers describe findings in gynecology studies

University of Iowa - New findings in atherosclerosis described

University of Kaiserslautern - High doses of green tea extract are toxic to cultured rodent liver cells

University of Maryland - Sugar epitopes are potential disease transmission blocking targets

University of Melbourne - Origins of MDA-MB-435 cells with melanoma genes clarified

University of Oslo - Left atrial diameter may serve as criterion for HF with pulmonary congestion

University of Queensland, Australia - Passive smoking kills 30 people a day in the U.K.

University of Queensland, Brisbane - Protein expression analyzed, correlation with transmitter release shown

University of Regensburg - HIV-1 virus-like particles are potent immune stimulators

University of Rome La Sapienza - AT-II agonists facilitate systolic BP control and provide CV protection

University of Sussex - Prion disease incubation time studied, effect of dynein mutation clarified

University of Sussex - Synthesis of external beta-turn templates studied, reaction documented

University of Tennessee, Knoxville - Costimulatory cytokines rescue CD8+ T cell response to peptide immunization

University of Toronto - Catheter closure of atrial defects in children is safe, and effective

University of Verona - Moderate exercise promotes fat oxidation in obese prepubertal boys

University of Western Ontario, London - Postprocessing tools provide a means for quantifying microcirculation

University of Wurzburg - Vaccine induces T cell response against tumor antigen survivin

Verispan - Company launches information system to address effect of Part D of Medicare act

Vermont Cancer Center, Burlington - Older women can benefit from chemotherapy

Wake Forest University - Quantitative trait locus for fasting insulin and glucose identified

Western Washington Medical Group - Washington surgeon to teach laparoscopic procedures in China

Wright Medical Group, Inc. - Release of surgical navigation software for knee implant system announced

sanfo-aventis - Pharmaceutical company updates patent litigation regarding antiplatelet drug