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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/49687143#49687143
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Monday, November 5, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Drug doesn't significantly lower risk of major heart problems in dialysis patients
ScienceDaily (Nov. 3, 2012) ? In one of the largest and longest trials involving patients with kidney failure, a study led by an international team of researchers found that cinacalcet -- a drug commonly prescribed to patients with kidney failure and a disturbance of bone and mineral metabolism known as secondary hyperparathyroidism -- does not significantly reduce the risk of death or major cardiovascular events.
The results of the trial known as EVOLVE, which enrolled nearly 4,000 kidney patients from several continents and stretched over five years, were mixed, researchers said.
"The results of the EVOLVE trial suggest that cinacalcet favorably alters bone and mineral metabolism, and could result in improved health and longevity for patients with end-stage renal disease," said the study's lead author, Glenn Chertow, MD, professor of medicine and chief of nephrology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. "But the trial was not definitive in determining cardiovascular benefits because so many patients discontinued taking the study drug."
Researchers did say the trial results showed possible cardiovascular benefits when certain factors were taken into account, such as an imbalance in age between study participants who were treated with cinacalcet and those who received a placebo. Those who received the drug were on average a year older; age is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
"The trial is not definitive in its results; however, recognizing some of the limitations -- such as the high dropout rate -- it is suggestive of a cardiovascular health benefit," said co-author Geoffrey Block, MD, medical director of Denver Nephrology.
The study, published online Nov. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine, was also presented at the American Society of Nephrology annual meeting in San Diego the same day.
Patients on kidney dialysis are among the most frail and chronically ill, with high mortality and hospitalization rates. This makes recruitment and retention of such patients in clinical trials particularly challenging, the study stated.
Earlier studies suggested that cinacalcet, one of several drugs used to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism, may also help to prevent or ameliorate cardiovascular disease. Cinacalcet is manufactured by Amgen Inc., a biotechnology firm located in Thousand Oaks, Calif., which sponsored the EVOLVE trial.
Because secondary hyperparathyroidism and associated disorders are linked with death, fractures and cardiovascular disease, physicians have prescribed the drug in the hopes of preventing cardiovascular events in patients undergoing dialysis. Its side effects include nausea and gastrointestinal distress.
"Secondary hyperparathyroidism develops when the kidneys are unable to maintain the balance of certain minerals, including phosphorus and calcium," Chertow said. "In this setting, the bones do not mineralize normally, and blood vessels and other tissues can become calcified."
Cardiovascular disease is exceptionally common among patients with chronic kidney disease, including those treated with dialysis, among whom rates of death due to cardiovascular disease are more than 10 times higher than in the general population, the study stated. The objective of the study was to determine whether the use of cinacalcet in patients undergoing hemodialysis would reduce the rates of death and major cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, hospitalization for unstable angina, heart failure and peripheral vascular events, all of which were considered endpoints for the study.
Determining the appropriate treatment course for people with advanced chronic kidney disease, particularly those on dialysis, can be challenging. Patients with kidney failure require either kidney transplantation or dialysis; the latter typically requires three- to four-hour sessions of blood cleansing three times per week. In addition, patients on hemodialysis take about 19 prescription tablets daily and often suffer gastrointestinal disturbances and other side effects.
"The burden of hemodialysis treatment is considerable, and most patients take several prescription medications, often several times per day," Chertow said. "Cinacalcet is not a perfect drug. It has been shown to be safe and the gastrointestinal side effects are not prohibitive, but when someone is taking 20 pills a day, it is difficult to justify the 21st unless it makes an important difference."
The trial, which was originally designed to last four years, was extended to nearly five and a half years in an attempt to reach the required number of endpoints. Between Aug. 22, 2006, and Jan. 31, 2008, researchers recruited 3,883 patients on hemodialysis with secondary hyperparathyroidism from the United States, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Australia and Canada. These patients were then randomized to either a treatment course with cinacalcet or placebo and were followed for up to 64 months.
The primary analysis of the trial showed that the relative risk of death or a major cardiovascular event was reduced by 7 percent in patients treated with cinacalcet, a statistically non-significant result. Adjusting for age, or a combination of age and other clinical features of the study population -- such as diabetes or a history of heart disease -- the risk reduction was 12 percent and was nominally statistically significant, the study said.
The trial, which was sponsored by Amgen Inc., was led by an academic executive committee of researchers from several institutions who supervised the trial design and implementation. Four Amgen researchers were among the co-authors of the study.
Chertow was the only Stanford author. He reported receiving consulting fees from Amgen.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Stanford University Medical Center. The original article was written by Tracie White.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Vlado Perkovic, Bruce Neal. Trials in Kidney Disease ? Time to EVOLVE. New England Journal of Medicine, 2012; : 121103123025000 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe1212368
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/qVFqtygSv58/121104082205.htm
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Merkel hosts meeting to plan Germany's energy future
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Skin Care Simple Anti Aging | Bodybuilding, Supplements, Diets ...
Are you worried that your skin is aging prematurely? Do you think that it is sagging and wrinkling too early? Well, do not give up hope yet, because we are going to look at simple answers to anti aging skin care.
It could be wise to first have a full medical check up before you take on a course of skin care. This is not an example of the modern lunacy of extreme caution, but it is a good idea to find out whether your untimely skin aging condition is real or imaginary.
If it is authentic, there may be a deep-seated root reason such as thyroid or liver problems. Evidently, if you have such an illness, there is not much you can do about your skin, until you sort the reason out first. Being the biggest organ of our body, the skin often mirrors internal issues like an early warning system. If you have not had a full check up for a long time, it would be a good idea anyway.
Men?s and women?s skins are not the same in general. A dermatologist would often recommend a facial cream containing vitamin B5 and witch hazel for men with skin suffering from overexposure, while a woman undergoing the same problem would only need vitamin B5.
Petrolatum was, and often still is, a common constituent of skin care creams, however, dermatologists now recommend that it be avoided. Therefore, check the label of any skin cream that you are offered for the existence of petrolatum and shun it like the plague.
It is imperative to read the label of any skin care product before you buy it, but there is little possibility of most people remembering the Latin or chemical names of those ingredients that should be avoided. There are thousands of chemicals that should be avoided, if you want to use natural skin care products.
There is a first-rate rule of thumb that can help you determine whether a skin care product is full of chemical compounds and that is: if you can not pronounce it easily, it is long, and there are x?s, y?s and z?s in it, then it almost certainly is a man-made chemical compound, and you would be better off keeping away from it.
Remember that there are many straightforward skin care techniques, if you are just maintaining your skin. Wash often using a soap that is not too severe, and that is not over-perfumed; but do not wash so often that your skin loses its natural oils and becomes dry. Apply moisturizer to your body once a day after a shower or bath and give the moisturizer time to soak in before you towel yourself dry.
If you go out in harsh weather like wind or cold, moisturize before you go out and cover up as much of your skin as you can. Shower and moisturize when you get back. It is better to have a small jar of expensive but very good cream, in particular for your face, than a large tub of something that is little better than mayonnaise.
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Saturday, November 3, 2012
Stocks close lower after upbeat jobs report
20 hrs.
Stocks edged lower on Friday, erasing earlier gains spurred by a stronger-than-expected payroll report, as they were pressured by weakness in energy and materials shares.?
Employers added 171,000 people to their payrolls last month, the Labor Department said on Friday. The number outpaced forecasts, and the government also said 84,000 more jobs were created in August and September than initially estimated. Still, sustained job gains of this magnitude would only bring the unemployment rate down slowly.?
"The report itself was good, but just not good enough, especially after the pre-rally we had yesterday," said Todd Schoenberger, managing principal at the BlackBay Group in New York, referring to a 1.1-percent surge in the S&P on Thursday, the index's best day since September 13.?
The latest jobs report, which is the last one before the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, could boost President Obama's fortunes at the ballot box, though polls continue to indicate a close race between Obama and Republican candidate, Mitt Romney.?
"With the election next week, and the outcome of that still so uncertain, some modest downward pressure is to be expected for the rest of the day," Schoenberger said.?
Materials shares were the day's weakest, falling 0.9 percent, pressured by Newmont Mining Corp, which dropped 5.6 percent to $50.24 after its profits missed expectations.?
Chesapeake Energy weighed on energy stocks after its shares fell 6.7 percent to $18.72, well outpacing a 1.8 percent drop in the price of crude oil.?
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 45.23 points, or 0.34 percent, at 13,187.39. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 2.27 points, or 0.16 percent, at 1,425.32. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 7.24 points, or 0.24 percent, at 3,012.82.?
The S&P 500 is still on track for its best weekly gain since the week ended September 16, lifted by a rally Thursday, when the index enjoyed its best day in seven weeks thanks to bullish consumer confidence and private-sector jobs data.?
The current trading week has been shortened by a historic two-day market closure Monday and Tuesday, spurred by the superstorm Sandy's devastating sweep through the U.S. Northeast.?
The S&P 500 index is down more 2 percent from a recent peak in September, and is below its 50-day moving average, amid investor caution ahead of the election and tough government budget negotiations at the end of the year.?
Starbucks Corp jumped 11.2 percent to $51.84 after raising its profit forecast for the fiscal year as sales in the U.S., its top market, beat expectations, providing the company optimism that has eluded much of the U.S. restaurant industry in recent months.?
Professional social network LinkedIn Corp beat Wall Street's third-quarter profit and revenue targets, as advertising rates increased and sales from its hiring services nearly doubled. The shares rose nearly 3 percent to $109.95.?
From New York City's Staten Island to the popular beach towns of the Jersey Shore, rescuers and officials continued to face widespread destruction Friday wrought by Sandy, as well as a rising death toll and frustration over delayed relief and fuel shortages.?
Verizon may take another two weeks to restore telecommunication services for its customers after flooding and power outages knocked out services during superstorm Sandy, according to a top executive at the company. The stock was down 0.2 percent at $45.05.?
Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wall-street-ticks-lower-despite-strong-jobs-data-1C6833986
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Video: Reviewing the iPad Mini
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Watchdog group: Japan nuclear safety team took utility money
TOKYO (AP) ? Members of a Japanese government team assigned to set reactor safety measures received funding from utility companies or atomic industry manufacturers, raising questions about the experts' neutrality in the wake of last year's tsunami-triggered nuclear disaster.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Friday that Nagoya University Professor Akio Yamamoto received 27.14 million yen ($339,000) over the past three years for research on reactors. That includes 6.28 million yen ($79,000) from a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant sent into meltdowns last year.
The authority said Friday that three others on the six-member standards team received industry funding. Getting such money is not illegal, but it could call the neutrality of the team into question, since the industry would benefit from laxer standards.
The commission had asked the team members to voluntarily disclose such funding, including grants and donations, in an effort to boost transparency.
Akira Yamaguchi, a professor at Osaka University, got 10 million yen ($125,000) in such money, including 3 million yen from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which makes nuclear plants.
Before, regulators were in the same ministry that promotes the industry. The Nuclear Regulation Authority was set up this year after calls for a more independent watchdog, and large and frequent public protests against nuclear power.
The Tokyo Shimbun newspaper reported Saturday that such funding highlights the "danger the measures may turn spineless to reflect the utilities' wishes."
Even the Nuclear Regulation Authority's chief, Shunichi Tanaka, has been under fire as possibly being too pro-nuclear. He was a key member of a government panel promoting nuclear energy and headed government research on the technology before being tapped for the job.
Separately, another team of experts working under the commission has been examining earthquake faults at Ohi nuclear power plant, which houses the only two reactors running in Japan.
A decision is expected Sunday on whether Ohi will be shut down.
Japan's 50 nuclear reactors, besides the four ruined at Fukushima Dai-ichi, have not been turned back on after getting turned off for routine inspections.
The two at Ohi went back on in July, barely two months after this nation went without nuclear power. Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power had furnished about 30 percent of Japan's electricity.
Ruling party legislator Goshi Hosono, the former minister overseeing the disaster, said Saturday more tests may be needed to check on the faults, but even "a gray zone" of uncertainty would likely mean Ohi reactors would go offline.
Japan is promising to develop renewable energy such as solar and wind power, but the shift takes time. The cost of oil and gas imports has hurt the world's third largest economy when it is still recovering from the quake and tsunami.
____
Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter: www.twitter.com/yurikageyama
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-nuclear-safety-team-took-utility-money-082949676--finance.html
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