ev3 Inc. Announces First Patient Enrollments in DEFINITIVE LE Post-Market Study

Largest Study to Date Will Evaluate SilverHawk Plaque Excision System for Treatment of Lower Extremity Peripheral Arterial Disease

PLYMOUTH, Minn., April 30 /PRNewswire/ -- ev3 Inc. (Nasdaq: EVVV) today announced that the first patients were recently enrolled in the DEFINITIVE LE post-market study. DEFINITIVE LE is a prospective, multi-center, single-arm study to evaluate the intermediate and long-term effectiveness of stand-alone SilverHawk(R) Plaque Excision therapy for endovascular treatment of lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Stuart Harlin, M.D., of Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, Florida and Prakash Makam, M.D., of Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana enrolled the first two patients.

To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/ev3/38145/

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FDA has Granted HUD (Humanitarian Use Device) Designation to ITGI's Pericardium Covered Stents, Over and Under(R) and Aneugraft(R)

OR AKIVA, Israel, April 28 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- ITGI Medical, Ltd. (TASE: ITGI) a company engaged in research, development, manufacturing and marketing of heterologous tissue covered stents, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted HUD (Humanitarian Use Device) designation to Over and Under(R) and Aneugraft(R) Pericardium Covered Stents for treatment of perforations and dissections of native coronary arteries and Saphenous Vein Grafts.

This is the first step towards obtaining marketing approval.Over and Under(R) and AneuGraft(R) are stents 100% covered with a heterologous tissue, designed to set a barrier between the coronary blood vessel wall and its lumen. Stents are commercially available in Europe, Israel and Latin America for treatment of Saphenous Vein Graft stenosis, aneurysms and for emergency situations such as perforations.

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Gore Announces Availability of Larger Diameter, Small Profile GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis

Minimally Invasive Treatment Now Available to Broader Patient Population

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced the May 4, 2009 availability of a 31 mm diameter version of the GORE EXCLUDER(R) AAA Endoprosthesis. The device provides physicians with a safe and effective endovascular option to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in patients with aortic inner neck diameters up to 29 mm. Other important enhancements include a flat-top design that enables greater production efficiency, an additional pair of proximal anchors to help ensure excellent fixation, and a lengthening of the trunk from 7 to 8 cm to accommodate larger anatomies.

More than 87,000 GORE EXCLUDER Devices have been implanted in patients worldwide, making it a widely accepted, minimally invasive treatment option for individuals with AAA. In March 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the 31 mm diameter version. It has been available outside of the US since 2004 and has been implanted in more than 3,300 patients.

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Study Finds Cook Medical Resonance Metallic Ureteral Stent Provides 43 Percent Cost Savings

Presentation at 2009 AUA Conference Highlights Success of Stent in Cost-Effectively Treating Benign Ureteral Obstruction

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--The results of a 16-month clinical study showing that the Cook Medical Resonance Metallic Ureteral Stent could remain in a patient for up to 12 months; generating a 43 percent cost savings in treating benign ureteral obstruction, will be presented by Dr. Thomas M. Turk, a member of the study’s investigative team, during a press conference at the 2009 AUA Conference in Chicago on April 27. These results are compared to alternative polymer stent treatment methods which may require more frequent stent changes throughout the year.

The study, conducted by Hector L. Lopez- Huertas, M.D.; Anthony J. Polcari, M.D.; Alex Acosta-Miranda, M.D. and Dr. Turk at Loyola University Health System, evaluated the safety, efficacy and cost of two stent options for the management of benign ureteral obstruction: polymer or metallic stents. The study found the annual costs associated with the repeated stent changes required in patients with polymer stents were approximately $23,999 as compared to patients with a metallic stent that can remain in the patient for up to 12 months, costing approximately $13,605. Therefore, the Cook Resonance Metallic Ureteral Stent was associated with an average cost savings of $10,394, representing the 43 percent reduction per patient per year.

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First Ever Prospective Fracture Study in Prostate Cancer Patients on ADT Reveals These Men Are at High Risk for Skeletal Fractures

Data from GTx’s Phase III clinical trial evaluating toremifene 80 mg for the prevention of fractures in men with prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy presented at 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association

CHICAGO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--GTx, Inc. (Nasdaq: GTXI ) announced today that in a recent Phase III clinical trial of advanced prostate cancer patients being treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), nearly one in four placebo group subjects developed bone fractures or critical bone loss (>7% loss) within two years. This analysis of placebo group data from the Phase III clinical trial evaluating toremifene 80 mg for the prevention of bone fractures in men with prostate cancer on ADT was presented yesterday in an oral presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association in Chicago.

An analysis of placebo group subjects from the clinical trial demonstrates the risk of fracture for men with prostate cancer on ADT. During the two year trial, 9.9% of these men had a nontraumatic fracture (morphometric vertebral fracture or clinical fragility fracture), and nearly one in four, 23.9%, experienced either a nontraumatic fracture or greater than 7% bone loss, a predetermined level of bone loss at which men were considered to be at high risk for fracture and were removed from the study for safety reasons. These data are from the modified intent to treat population: subjects who had a minimum of one dose of study drug or placebo and at least one on study radiograph, n=970.

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Varian Medical Systems to Exhibit Full Spectrum of Prostate Cancer Treatment Technologies at the American Urological Association Meeting in Chicago

Company will showcase technologies for brachytherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), RapidArc(TM) radiotherapy, and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 24 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR ) will showcase the company's full spectrum of prostate cancer treatment technologies at the upcoming American Urological Association (AUA) Meeting at McCormick Place in Chicago from April 25-30.

"Varian offers state-of-the-art technology for all five of the commonly-used radiotherapy approaches to treating prostate cancer," said Calvin Huntzinger, MS, senior director, Varian Surgical Sciences. "At the AUA meeting, we'll be exhibiting our latest solutions for high-dose-rate brachytherapy, planning for low-dose brachytherapy with permanent seed implants, 3-D conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)." Each is a different approach to targeting prostate tumors with radiation.

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Cardiovascular Systems Expands Product Portfolio Company to Sell Invatec Balloon Catheters in the United States

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI) (Nasdaq:CSII), a medical device company developing and commercializing innovative interventional treatment systems for vascular disease, has expanded its product portfolio by signing an agreement with Invatec, a comprehensive provider of interventional products, to market Invatec’s PTA balloon catheter line in the United States. CSI is also launching the newest addition to its Viper line of supplemental products, the ViperSheath™ Introducer Sheath.

CSI’s flagship product is the Diamondback 360o™ Orbital Atherectomy System, a minimally invasive catheter system for treating peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Between 8 and 12 million Americans suffer from PAD, which is caused by the accumulation of plaque in leg or foot arteries, reducing blood flow. Symptoms include leg pain when walking or at rest, and PAD can lead to tissue loss and eventually limb amputation. The Diamondback 360o is highly effective in removing plaque and restoring blood flow in vessels both below and above the knee. In some cases, balloon angioplasty may also be used to achieve the desired vessel diameter after removing plaque with the Diamondback 360o.

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NMT Medical Receives PMA Approval for STARFlex as a Ventricular Septal Defect Repair Implant

BOSTON--(HSMN NewsFeed)--NMT Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: NMTI ), an advanced medical technology company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets proprietary implant technologies that allow interventional cardiologists to treat structural heart disease through minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures, today announced that it received Pre-Market Approval (PMA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) enabling commercial sale of the Company’s STARFlex® cardiac septal repair implant in the United States for patients with ventricular septal defects (VSD). The STARFlex® implant can be placed in the heart to close the VSD using a catheter during a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for the alternative treatment of open-heart surgery, which is considered a high-risk, invasive procedure.

Commenting on the FDA approval, Frank Martin, NMT’s President and Chief Executive Officer said, “The approval of STARFlex® for VSD is welcome news for NMT and our customers, along with their patients, as we can now offer this next generation implant. STARFlex® will replace our CardioSEAL® implant, which had previously received FDA approval for VSD treatment. STARFlex® features the addition of a unique self-centering mechanism, which accommodates easier implantation as well as the treatment of larger defects.”

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EDAP Announces Association of Italian Urologists Recommends HIFU as a Standard of Care for Prostate Cancer Treatment

LYON, France, April 8, 2009 -- (HSMN NewsFeed) -- EDAP TMS SA (NasdaqGM:EDAP ), the global leader in therapeutic ultrasound, announced today that the Association of Italian Urologists (AURO) has recommended High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) as a standard of care for the treatment of prostate cancer as part of the Association's new guidelines on prostate cancer diagnosis and therapy.

The recommendation and updated guidelines on the use of HIFU for prostate cancer are based on the significant number of HIFU patients treated in Europe to date and on a comprehensive review of the current literature highlighting the positive clinical outcomes and acceptable follow-up.

Full article >> http://salesandmarketingnetwork.com/news_release.php?pipe=0000ac177000191&ID=2027769

Core Essence Receives FDA Approval for SECURUS(TM), an Innovative Knotless Suture Anchor System

YARDLEY, Pa., April 8 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- Core Essence Orthopaedics, Inc., a medical device company focused on soft tissue and skeletal repair of the extremities, today announced that it has received 510(k) regulatory approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SECURUS(TM), a novel knotless suture anchor system used in minimally invasive, arthroscopic surgery. SECURUS provides increased flexibility, simplicity, and ease for surgeons seeking to employ minimally invasive techniques in the surgical treatment of rotator cuff repair.

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Medtronic Initiates Global Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Study

ENGAGE Will Enroll 1,200 Patients At Up To 80 Sites Worldwide To Evaluate “Real-World” Performance of Endurant Stent Graft

MINNEAPOLIS--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT ), today announced the start of ENGAGE¹, the largest ever study of its kind, which will evaluate the performance of the Endurant stent graft, an implantable medical device designed to provide an advanced minimally-invasive alternative to open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

“ENGAGE seeks to involve more patients, at more sites and in more countries than any previous study of its kind,” according to Dr. Robert Fitridge of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, one of the study’s seven executive committee members. “The data this multicenter international study collects on the Endurant stent graft will help physicians worldwide determine how best to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms in the real-world setting of standard clinical practice.”

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HydroCision Announces 40,000th Procedure Using Its Novel Cutting-with-Water Fluidjet Technology

BILLERICA, Mass.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--HydroCision Inc. (www.hydrocision.com) announced today that its novel cutting-with-water fluidjet technology has been used in over 40,000 spinal, arthroscopic and wound debridement procedures—thus firmly establishing HydroSurgery as a major platform for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). “The company has capitalized on the double digit growth of the minimally invasive surgical market,” states Doug Daniels, President and CEO of HydroCision. “A large driver of our procedural growth has been patients who seek out surgeons that perform minimally invasive procedures. This has led to rapid adoption of these new and evolving techniques, for example, in back surgery by a growing number of neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and interventional pain physicians to treat their patients’ pain in a variety of back procedures, including fusion and discectomy.”

The Company’s family of fluidjet products empowers surgeons to simultaneously cut, ablate, and remove hard and soft tissue quickly, safely, and effectively— without the collateral thermal or mechanical trauma of other surgical modalities.

Full article >> http://salesandmarketingnetwork.com/news_release.php?pipe=0000ac177000191&ID=2027766

Encision Signs a Non-Exclusive Manufacturing, Supply and Licensing Agreement With Intuitive Surgical

BOULDER, CO--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Apr 8, 2009 -- Encision Inc. ("Encision") (OTC BB:ECIA.OB ), a medical device company owning patented surgical technology that is emerging as a standard of care in minimally-invasive surgery, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-exclusive manufacturing, supply and licensing agreement with Intuitive Surgical Inc. ("Intuitive Surgical") (NasdaqGS:ISRG ) for the purchase and use of Encision's patented AEM® technology with Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci® Surgical Systems. Encision's agreement with Intuitive Surgical will allow Encision access beyond conventional laparoscopy to the next generation of minimally invasive surgery.

"We are excited about partnering with Intuitive Surgical, the world's leader in surgical robotics," stated Jack Serino, President and CEO of Encision Inc. "Prior to the agreement, Encision was focused on conventional laparoscopic surgery. Now, we can expand our technology into the rapidly growing market segment of laparoscopic robotic surgery."

Full article >> http://salesandmarketingnetwork.com/news_release.php?pipe=0000ac177000191&ID=2027761

Terason Announces Agreement with Premier Inc.

BURLINGTON, Mass.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Terason, the innovator and leader in laptop ultrasound technology, today announced that it has signed a three-year agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners, L.P., the group purchasing unit of Premier Inc. The agreement, which is effective April 1, 2009, covers Terason’s complete product line of portable ultrasound imaging solutions, including the Terason 2000+™, Terason t3000™ and Terason Echo™ Ultrasound Systems.

“We are delighted to be a part of the Premier healthcare alliance through the awarding of this contract,” said Alice Chiang, Ph.D., Teratech CEO. “I am confident that Premier’s participating members will appreciate the exceptional image quality, portability and value that our ultrasound systems offer, just as we appreciate the distribution reach that results from our relationship with Premier.”

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FDA Approves Label Change for Non-Invasive Fibroid Treatment

Label Allows Doctors to Use ExAblate(R) to Treat up to 100% of Uterine Fibroid Volume

Label Change Based on Data Showing Greater Long-Term Symptom Reduction Following More Complete Fibroid Treatment

TIRAT CARMEL, Israel, April 7 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- InSightec Ltd. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a label change for the company's ExAblate® 2000 MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) system for the treatment of women with non-hysteroscopically resectable uterine fibroids. Under the new labeling, the agency allows physicians to treat up to 100% of the fibroid compared to its previous restriction to only treat up to half the fibroid tissue.

"In allowing doctors to destroy the entire fibroid, we believe the FDA has demonstrated further confidence in the safety and efficacy of the non-invasive ExAblate system," said Haywood L. Brown, MD, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology/Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Duke Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

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Bioject Medical Technologies Inc. (BJCT) Announces FDA Market Clearance for the Zetajet Needle-Free Injection Therapy System

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioject Medical Technologies Inc. (OTCBB:BJCT - News), a leading developer of needle-free injection therapy systems, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted market clearance for the Zetajet™ Needle-Free Injection Therapy System. Bioject’s new ZetajetTM system is the latest advance in needle-free delivery systems, offering a significant array of unique product features and patient benefits that can provide highly competitive differentiation to a wide variety of injectables market segments.

The Zetajet™ Needle-free Injection Therapy System is a compact, spring-powered, needle-free injection device. It is intended to deliver vaccines and injectable medications either subcutaneously or intramuscularly. The Zetajet™ uses jet force to propel a finely dispersed stream of injectable medication into the subcutaneous or intramuscular tissue without the use of a needle. The syringe assembly has a unique ”auto-disable” feature that prevents re-use of the syringe. The plunger is pre-assembled into the syringe and can be used for reconstitution and other pre-injection tasks.

Full article >> http://www.devicespace.com/news_story.aspx?NewsEntityId=133668

NHS National Innovation Centre Cites VNUS Closure(R) Procedure as Select Innovative Technology

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Varicose Veins to be showcased at National Health Service EXPO

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VNUS(R) Medical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNUS), a worldwide leader in medical devices for the minimally invasive treatment of venous reflux disease, today announced that the UK NHS National Innovation Centre has identified the VNUS Closure(R) procedure as a select innovative technology that is bringing benefits to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and patients. The VNUS Closure procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for patients suffering with symptomatic varicose veins and venous reflux, and has been demonstrated in numerous comparative studies to offer advantages over conventional vein stripping surgery. The technique will be showcased at the NHS EXPO Meeting on June 18-19, 2009.

Full text >> http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=253464

A revolutionary treatment for high blood pressure?

Washington, Apr 2 (PTI) Scientists have developed a "world-first" treatment to lower high blood pressure and the risk of sudden death, a finding they claim could revolutionise treatment options for hypertension around the world.

An international team, led by the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia, has developed the "catheter- based treatment" for life threatening high blood pressure and it also reduces the risk of stroke. According to them, the treatment involves inserting a catheter through the femoral artery of patients suffering from severe and resistant hypertension -- a dangerous form which doesn't always respond adequately to traditional medications.
The procedure, conducted under a local anaesthetic, uses radio energy frequency delivered via catheter to silence sympathetic nerves in renal artery -- the artery delivering blood supply to the kidneys, they said.

This one-off procedure, conducted on both kidneys, has the potential to substantially reduce the premature ill health and mortality attributed to high blood pressure, a university release said.

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GE Healthcare Introduces CARESCAPE Telemetry Platform for Wireless Patient Monitoring

WAUKESHA, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE Healthcare introduced today its new CARESCAPE(TM) Telemetry platform, a wireless patient monitoring offering for hospitals. Built on GE CARESCAPE Enterprise Access(TM) and leveraging GE ApexPro(R) CH Telemetry, GE CARESCAPE telemetry enables hospitals to simultaneously leverage multiple telemetry frequencies and coordinate cell phone, Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies on one infrastructure.

The new CARESCAPE Telemetry offering consists of a seamless integration between ApexPro CH Transmitter, CARESCAPE Enterprise Access, CARESCAPE Telemetry Server, CARESCAPE T14 Transmitter and other components of an ApexPro Telemetry System. It provides dual-band capabilities enabling hospitals to simultaneously leverage the two protected frequency bands-- 600 MHz and 1.4 GHz -- in Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) with a single, central telemetry system. Hospitals can monitor up to 438 patients while ensuring that critical patient data is sent securely without interference. Hospitals using GE Healthcare ApexPro CH telemetry transmitters have the flexibility to leverage the existing 600 MHz frequency band transmitters and expand into the 1.4 GHz frequency band with the CARESCAPE Telemetry T14 Transmitter on CARESCAPE Enterprise Access. Powered by MobileAccess and its Wire-it-Once infrastructure, CARESCAPE Enterprise Access seamlessly unites hospital wireless networks into one infrastructure, helping to eliminate coverage drop-out and downtime. As a hospital's wireless needs grow, this Wire-it-Once infrastructure can help reduce the costs and infection-control issues associated with installing new cables and antennas.

Press release >> http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2256611/

IQMax Delivers Healthcare Solutions to Blackberry Devices

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) April 6, 2009 -- IQMax, Inc., a leading mobile healthcare solutions provider, is pleased to announce that its entire suite of healthcare solutions is available on Blackberry® devices including the Storm. With IQMax, physicians can dictate and document patient encounters, capture billable charges, and view patient information including lab results, alerts, allergies, medications, and pathology and radiology reports, at the point of care. IQMax provides physicians a continuity of care record for their patients across diverse care environments, whether they see patients at the hospital, clinic, or in a home healthcare environment. Now physicians can use the same device that they use to view email, manage their calendar and contacts, and access the internet, to stay connected to patient and clinical data anytime, anywhere, and anyplace.

Full article >> http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/04/prweb2300464.htm

Edwards Lifesciences Launches New Software for FloTrac System to Enhance Performance in Patients With Sepsis

New Data Presented at ISICEM Demonstrate System Is Highly Accurate

ST-PREX, SWITZERLAND--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Apr 6, 2009 -- Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE:EW ), a global leader in hemodynamic monitoring, today announced the availability of third generation software (G3) for its minimally invasive FloTrac cardiac monitoring system that enhances the product's accuracy when used in patients with sepsis and other critical illnesses. The new software draws upon state-of-the-art analysis and a broader patient database to enable the FloTrac system to automatically and accurately adjust to the radical changes that occur in these patients. Sepsis is a common, life-threatening condition that results from the body's response to infection, with more than 18 million cases of severe sepsis reported worldwide each year.

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LDR Announces FDA Clearance of Its ROI-A ALIF Device

Innovative VerteBRIDGE(TM) Screwless Plating Technology Offers Simple Insertion and Stable Fixation

AUSTIN, Texas--(HSMN NewsFeed)--LDR, a total spine solution company, announced that it received FDA clearance on Feb. 2 to market its ROI-A(TM) implant as an anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) device. Previously cleared in April 2008 as a partial vertebral body replacement, the ROI-A(TM) system incorporates the innovative VerteBRIDGE(TM) screwless plating technology.

The ROI-A(TM) ALIF is a stand-alone implant system with zero profile, self-locking plates designed for initial and long-term stability. The surgical technique is a direct anterior approach, with the curved plates inserted along the sagittal plane thus requiring no additional exposure to the vertebral bodies.

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Cynosure Announces Presentation of Favorable Results from Post-Marketing Studies of Smartlipo MPX

Findings Demonstrate Statistically Significant Improvements in Skin Tightening and Tissue Shrinkage

Data to be Presented at 2009 American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery Annual Conference

WESTFORD, Mass., April 2 (HSMN NewsFeed) -- Cynosure, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYNO ) today announced the presentation of positive efficacy data from two post-marketing studies that demonstrate the skin-tightening and tissue-shrinking effects of the Company's Smartlipo MPX(TM) laser lipolysis workstation. The studies are being presented at the 2009 American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) Annual Conference, which is taking place April 1-5 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center near Washington, D.C.

A randomized, blinded study, conducted by Barry DiBernardo, M.D., Medical Director of New Jersey Plastic Surgery & MedNet Technologies, Inc., compared Smartlipo MPX workstation against liposuction for their ability to improve skin elasticity and tighten tissue. A total of 10 women received a single treatment with liposuction on one side of the abdomen and the dual-wavelength Smartlipo MPX on the other. Skin shrinkage was evaluated through photographic imaging and measurement of temporary ink markings. Skin tightening was evaluated with the use of an elasticity device. Measurements were taken at baseline and at one and three months post-treatment.

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NIMS Exer-Rest® Technology Linked to Reduced Brain Damage in Strokes

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems, Inc. [NIMS] (OTCBB:NIMU) announced today that the results of a laboratory investigation published in the April issue of the journal Neuroscience links the technology behind NIMS’ patented Exer-Rest® acceleration therapeutic platform to a reduction in brain damage for the major cause of stroke. In their report, “Whole-body periodic acceleration (pGz) reduces brain damage in a focal ischemia model,” Drs. Martinez-Murillo, Serrano, Fernandez and Martinez of CSIC and CIBIR, Madrid & Logroño, Spain concluded that whole body periodic acceleration (WBPA, pGz), the technology behind the Exer-Rest®, has potential to positively impact on the management of stroke, the third leading cause of death and the major cause of significant disability in adults living in the USA and Europe. They selected this treatment because it increases release of beneficial substances, such as nitric oxide, prostacyclin, prostaglandin E2, and adrenomedullin, from the inner lining of blood vessels into the circulation. These substances protect the brain from damage due to ischemia, i.e., cessation of blood flow to tissue. In their study, the investigators simulated occlusion of a brain blood vessel with clot, the cause of 85% of human strokes. In one group of rats, WBPA was administered for three hours immediately following the simulated stroke, while no treatment was provided to a control group. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted 7 days after the simulated stroke revealed 82% less dead brain tissue in the WBPA-treated rats than in the untreated control group. In addition, biochemical markers of brain damage were significantly lower in the WBPA-treated animals.

Press release >> http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/biospace/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090401006091&newsLang=en

Chemists: Light-activated 'lock' can control blood clotting, drug delivery

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Scientists have shed new light -- literally -- on a possible way to starve cancer tumors or prevent side effects from a wide range of drugs.

A lock-like molecule designed by University of Florida chemistry researchers clasps or unclasps based on exposure to light. In laboratory tests, the chemists put the lock on an enzyme involved in blood clotting. They then exposed the enzyme to visible and ultraviolet light. The clasp opened and closed, clotting the blood or letting it flow.

The results suggest that the biological hardware could one day be used to prevent the formation of tiny blood vessels that feed tumors. The little lock could also be placed in drugs, giving doctors the ability to release them only on diseased cells, tissues or organs -- maximizing their efficacy while preventing side effects from damage to healthy tissue. Endoscopic lights inserted into the patient could unlock the drugs when desired -- or, the drugs could be activated by simply exposing the skin nearest the targets to near-infrared light, which penetrates the skin.

Full Article >> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-03/uof-cl032509.php