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New Oral Agents May Prevent Injury After Radiation Exposure
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and collaborators have discovered and analyzed several new compounds, collectively called the ""EUK-400 series,"" which could someday be used to prevent radiation-induced injuries to kidneys, lungs, skin, intestinal tract and brains of radiological terrorism victims. The findings, which appear in the June issue of the Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry, describe new agents which can be given orally in pill form, which would more expedient in an emergency situation.
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House, Senate Committees Approve Bills That Include Influenza Pandemic Funds
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted unanimously to approve a $91.3 billion defense and foreign aid spending bill that includes President Obama"s request for $1.5 billion in emergency funds to fight a potential influenza pandemic, the AP/Winston-Salem Journal reports. The House version of the bill, approved Thursday in a 368-60 vote, adds $500 million to the pandemic preparedness funds (AP/Winston-Salem Journal, 5/15). Last month, the public health emergency involving the H1N1 influenza virus spurred congressional lawmakers to rethink the elimination of $870 million from the economic stimulus package that would have been used to combat an influenza pandemic. Democratic legislators eliminated the funds in order to garner support from congressional Republicans to pass the stimulus package (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/28).
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China's Health Reform Must Address Costly, Unnecessary Treatment, Report Says
China"s $124 billion three-year "overhaul of its healthcare system needs to address the prescription of unnecessary drugs and treatments - a widespread practice relied upon to finance the medical sector, the World Bank said Thursday," China Daily/People"s Daily Online reports. The country"s "ambitious" reform efforts aim to "provide basic medical coverage and insurance to the country"s 1.3 billion people," according to the publication (7/24).
Oncology

In Men, Insomnia With Objective Short Sleep Duration Is Associated With Increased Mortality

Men with insomnia and sleep duration of six or fewer hours of nightly sleep are at an increased risk for mortality, according to a research abstract presented on June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies Results indicate that compared to people who sleep six hours or more, men with insomnia and less than six hours of nightly sleep were at highest risk of mortality. The mortality rate of the sample was 19.6 percent for men versus 10.3 percent for women. The study included data from 1,741 men and women who were randomly selected from Central Pennsylvania. Participants were studied in a sleep laboratory; follow-ups were conducted over the course of 14 years for men and 10 years for women. Insomnia was defined by a complaint of insomnia with duration of greater than a year, while "poor sleep" was defined as a complaint of difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or early final awakening. Polysomnographic sleep duration was classified into two categories; people who slept greater than six hours, and those who slept for less than six hours. According to the lead author, Alexandros Vgontzas, MD, endowed chair in Sleep Disorders Medicine at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, PA., insomnia is associated with medical morbidity and mortality rates similar to those seen in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. "Based on clinical experience and pervious studies, we can speculate that medication and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or a combination of the two can be used to extend sleep duration and reduce the risk of mortality," said Vgontzas. Other studies have also found serious medical risks associated with insomnia and objective short sleep duration; another study led by Vgontzas presented at SLEEP 2009 found that insomnia with objective short sleep duration is also associated with increased risk of diabetes. Authors of the study claim that findings indicate that people with insomnia should seek evaluation and treatment from their medical provider. Although the results suggest that people with insomnia have a lower risk for physical problems if their sleep duration is normal, they still are at increased risk for depression and may suffer from the behavioral effects of insomnia. Abstract Title: Insomnia with objective short sleep duration is associated with increased mortality in men Presentation Date: Monday, June 8 Category: Sleep Disorders - Insomnia Abstract ID: 0868 Kelly Wagner American Academy of Sleep Medicine


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