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New York Times Series Examines Maternal Mortality In Tanzania
The New York Times on Sunday examined maternal mortality in Tanzania, in the opening of a three-part series on maternal mortality in Africa. According to the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, the country has a maternal death rate of 578 per 100,000 births, though the World Health Organization puts the count at 950 maternal deaths per 100,000 births. Roughly 13,000 Tanzanian women die of pregnancy- or childbirth-related causes annually, giving it "neither the best nor the worst record in Africa," the Times reports. Tanzania is one of the world"s poorest countries and faces shortages in several areas -- including health workers, drugs, equipment and infrastructure -- that contribute to maternal mortality.The Times profiled obstetrical care at a rural hospital in Berega, Tanzania, that typifies efforts to reduce maternal mortality in Africa. Facing a shortage of doctors and nurses, the hospital has been training "assistant medical officers" to perform caesarean sections and other procedures. Meanwhile, the government also is attempting to train more assistants and midwives, build more clinics and nursing schools, offer housing to attract health workers to rural areas and provide places for pregnant women to stay closer to hospitals.According to the Times, many women who die in childbirth are young and healthy, and most maternal deaths are preventable with basic obstetrical care. The five leading causes of maternal death are bleeding, infection, high blood pressure, prolonged labor and complications resulting from abortions, the Times reports. In discussing maternal mortality, experts often refer to what are known as "the three delays": a woman"s delay in going to the hospital, the time spent traveling there and the hospital"s delay in starting treatment upon the woman"s arrival. Although only around 15% of births have dangerous complications, the problems are almost impossible to predict, and seemingly normal labors can quickly progress into serious emergencies. Worldwide, more than 536,000 women die annually from pregnancy or childbirth, according to WHO (Grady, New York Times, 5/24). Don't forget to buy zoloft online no prescription.

Parental Stress Increases Pollution-Related Childhood Asthma, Study
New research from the US suggests that having stressed parents may make it more likely that children will develop asthma that is triggered by air

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Neurobiological Technologies' Partner, Celtic Pharma, Announces Results Of XERECEPT(R) Phase 3 Clinical Program
Neurobiological Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: NTII) (NTI(R)) announced that Celtic Pharmaceutical Holdings L.P. (Celtic Pharma) has announced the results from its Phase 3 Clinical Program for XERECEPT(R) in patients with edema associated with brain tumors and from preclinical studies of XERECEPT in brain tumor models.
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Abbott Initiates Trial Of Next-Generation XIENCE PRIME(TM) Drug Eluting Stent, Building Upon Superior Outcomes From SPIRIT Family Of Trials

Abbott (NYSE: ABT) announced the initiation of SPIRIT PRIME, a clinical trial to study the performance of the company"s next-generation XIENCE PRIME(TM) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System, currently an investigational device, for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Results from SPIRIT PRIME will be used to support the regulatory filing for XIENCE PRIME in the United States. The first patient was enrolled into the SPIRIT PRIME clinical trial at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Okla., by Rajesh Chandwaney, M.D. XIENCE PRIME utilizes the same well-studied drug and proven biocompatible polymer as Abbott"s market-leading XIENCE V(R) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System. In addition, it offers a novel stent design and a modified delivery system designed for greater flexibility and improved deliverability. XIENCE PRIME uses cobalt chromium technology, which allows for very thin struts while maintaining strength to support the vessel as well as excellent visibility under X-ray during the stent implantation procedure. XIENCE PRIME is based upon the proven design of the MULTI-LINK(R) family of stents, which is the most widely used stent platform in the world - with more than 2 million implants worldwide. The company expects to launch XIENCE PRIME in a broad size matrix with sizes up to 38 mm in Europe later this year. "XIENCE PRIME carries the same successful drug and polymer as the XIENCE V stent. Its stent platform and delivery balloon are designed to be highly deliverable, and as such, XIENCE PRIME has the potential to simplify procedures in challenging cases," said Marco A. Costa, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, FSCAI, professor of medicine, director of the Interventional Cardiology Center, and director of the Center for Research and Innovation, Harrington-McLaughlin Heart and Vascular Institute, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and principal investigator of the SPIRIT PRIME trial. "XIENCE V is used routinely in my practice, and I look forward to studying the enhanced features and sizes of Abbott"s next-generation drug eluting stent, XIENCE PRIME." The SPIRIT PRIME study is a prospective, multi-center, nonrandomized trial designed to study XIENCE PRIME in 500 patients at 75 hospital centers. Patients may receive a maximum of two stents in separate vessels. SPIRIT PRIME will have two arms: the Core Size arm will follow 400 patients who will be treated with a stent from 2.25 mm to 4.0 mm in diameter and from 8 mm to 28 mm in length, and the Long Lesion arm will follow 100 patients who will receive a stent from 2.5 mm to 4.0 mm in diameter and either 33 mm or 38 mm in length. The primary endpoint is major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which is a composite measure of cardiac death, heart attack (myocardial infarction) and repeat procedure of the treated lesion (target lesion revascularization) at one year. "Based upon the market-leading technology of XIENCE V, XIENCE PRIME will be available in a greater breadth of sizes, and is designed to provide improved deliverability," said Charles Simonton, M.D., FACC, FSCAI, divisional vice president, Medical Affairs, and chief medical officer, Abbott Vascular. "SPIRIT PRIME is expected to build upon the superior outcomes from the SPIRIT family of clinical trials, and the initiation of the study represents Abbott"s commitment to bringing important advances in drug eluting stent technology to clinicians and their patients." In the SPIRIT family of trials, XIENCE V demonstrated superiority to Boston Scientific"s TAXUS(R) Paclitaxel Eluting Coronary Stent System in two randomized clinical trials. In the SPIRIT II trial, XIENCE V demonstrated a statistically significant 69 percent reduction of in-stent late loss (a measure of vessel re-narrowing) at six months compared to TAXUS. In the SPIRIT III trial, XIENCE V demonstrated a statistically significant 50 percent reduction of in-segment late loss (a measure of vessel re-narrowing) at eight months compared to TAXUS. Long-term results further reinforce the excellent clinical outcomes, with XIENCE V demonstrating an 88 percent reduction in cardiac death and a 57 percent reduction in MACE compared to TAXUS at three years in the SPIRIT II trial. At two years in the SPIRIT III trial, XIENCE V demonstrated a 45 percent reduction in the risk of MACE compared to TAXUS. Across the SPIRIT family of trials, Abbott plans to study more than 20,500 patients treated with everolimus eluting stents. In addition to SPIRIT PRIME, Abbott"s robust vascular research program includes clinical trials in coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease. Key products in the vascular pipeline include: the MULTI-LINK 8(TM) Coronary Stent System, a next-generation frontline balloon dilatation catheter, a fully bioabsorbable drug eluting coronary device, and the Omnilink Elite(TM) Peripheral Stent System. The MULTI-LINK 8 Coronary Stent System, the next-generation frontline balloon dilatation catheter, the fully bioabsorbable drug eluting device and the Omnilink Elite Peripheral Stent System are in development and are not available for sale. XIENCE PRIME currently is an investigational device in the United States and not available for sale. About XIENCE V Abbott"s market-leading XIENCE V drug eluting stent is marketed in the United States, Europe and other international markets. XIENCE V is an investigational device in Japan and is currently under review by Japan"s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency. Everolimus, developed by Novartis Pharma AG, is a proliferation signal inhibitor, or mTOR inhibitor, licensed to Abbott by Novartis for use on its drug eluting stents. Everolimus has been shown to inhibit in-stent neointimal growth in the coronary vessels following stent implantation, due to its anti-proliferative properties. About Abbott Vascular Abbott Vascular, a division of Abbott, is one of the world"s leading vascular care businesses. Abbott Vascular is uniquely focused on advancing the treatment of vascular disease and improving patient care by combining the latest medical device innovations with world-class pharmaceuticals, investing in research and development, and advancing medicine through training and education. Headquartered in Northern California, Abbott Vascular offers a comprehensive portfolio of vessel closure, endovascular and coronary products. About Abbott Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs more than 72,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries. Abbott


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