The Foot Blog News-October 2007
No evidence magnets dull pain, researchers say
CTV- (Canadian Press)”TORONTO – They’re embedded in everything from mattresses to insoles for shoes to wrist bands – but there is no definitive scientific evidence that static magnets actually relieve chronic pain, researchers say. Products that incorporate static magnets are a multibillion-dollar business worldwide and many chronic pain sufferers are drawn to the promise they hold for alleviating such nagging conditions as arthritis, fibromyalgia and low back discomfort. The theory from proponents is that the device’s magnetic field increases blood flow, causing increased oxygen, nutrients, hormones and painkilling endorphins to be distributed to tissues in the affected area.New topical lotion that penetrates the skin deeply enough to target and eliminate serious skin infections with a high degree of safety and tolerability in patients with onychomycosis
MNT- ”Results of the phase 1 clinical trial are important to the fields of dermatology and infectious diseases because currently approved systemic medications for onychomycosis carry serious risks of cardiac and liver toxicity,” said James Baker, MD, chief science officer and founder of NanoBio Corporation in Ann Arbor, Mich.The phase 1 data for the new lotion, NB-002, will be presented at the 47th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) meeting, to be held Sept. 17 -20, 2007, in Chicago. “At present, the vast majority of people with onychomycosis are untreated as a result of concerns for the serious toxicities associated with the available oral medications,” said Baker, whose team developed the lotion. “Our safety data, combined with early information from the ongoing phase 2 trial, indicate that NB-002 is potentially the first treatment for onychomycosis that is highly efficacious and very safe.” NanoBio Corporation is a spin-off from the University of Michigan. The company develops novel anti-infective products and mucosal vaccines to treat or prevent a wide range of infections, from cold sores and toenail fungus to influenza and hepatitis B. Its lead products are NB-001 to treat herpes labialis and NB-002 to treat onychomycosis.HalcyGen Anti-Fungal SUBA-Itraconazole Successful In Second Clinical Study
MNT- HalcyGen Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: HGN) lead product anti-fungal drug SUBA-Itraconazole has successfully been evaluated in the second of two pharmacokinetic studies in man. The next major milestone is the pivotal Phase III trial in early 2008 before product registration and sales.The current trial demonstrated that HalcyGen’s formulation of Itraconazole is absorbed twice as effectively as the lead marketed form of the drug, Sporanox* allowing the development of a half-dose format of the drug. The study also demonstrated that SUBA-Itraconazole was absorbed effectively in the fed and fasted states. Sporanox is recommended as “to be taken with a full meal”. Global sales of the anti-fungal drug Itraconazole/Sporanox were in excess of US$600 million last year.Oritavancin Demonstrates Potent And Rapid In Vitro Activity Against MRSA, VRE And Other Strains Of Resistant Bacteria
MNT- Targanta Therapeutics Corporation today released detailed data from completed studies comparing the in vitro activity of its lead antibiotic drug candidate, oritavancin, to that of other antibiotics against a variety of susceptible and resistant strains of gram positive bacteria. Results are being presented today at the 47th Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) taking place in Chicago, IL.Calcium’s anti-fracture effect varies with age
Reuters- In women, calcium supplements offer the greatest protection against forearm fractures early in menopause, whereas they offer the best protection against broken hips later in life, new research suggests.The findings were presented here this week at the 29th annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research by principal researcher Dr. Risto J. Honkanen of the University of Finland in Kuopio.Wall Street Journal Examines Hospital Efforts To Reduce Pressure Sores
MNT- The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined how hospitals across the U.S. “are scrambling to put new programs in place to prevent pressure ulcers,” or bedsores, after CMS last month announced that starting in October 2008 it no longer will provide reimbursements for eight preventable medical errors. In 2006, there were 322,946 reported cases of pressure ulcers as a “secondary diagnosis” in hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries. Treating severe ulcers that require surgery can cost up to $70,000, according to studies.Too tight socks on tiny tots leave lasting scars
News Medical- While this is hardly life-threatening, the doctors say sock-line bands in some cases developed at just one week leaving raised, reddish markings around the ankle or leg. The marks in some cases appeared after wearing a tight pair of socks on just one occasion and though they faded, raised lines remained. However while they may be unattractive, the lesions appear to be harmless but as the condition has only recently been recognised, whether scarring will be permanent remains unclear. The team from Washington University advise parents to choose their babies’ socks carefully, and ensure there is plenty of space between leg and sock.Crocs and Escalators a Dangerous Combo:Podiatrists Say Small Children May Be Most at Risk
ABC News- Ten-year-old Chloe Johnson of Kansas City was afraid of sharks — something that she made well known to her parents during a 2005 vacation to Florida. But it was only on the way back from the vacation, in Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport, that she received an unexpected bite — from an escalator.Health Tip: Preventing a Bunion
HealthDay News- A bunion is a sore, swollen bump on the foot at the joint of the big toe. It can be very sore and painful, and may require surgery to remove.Here are suggestions to prevent a bunion, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
- Never try to force your foot into a shoe that doesn’t fit well, or is too tight.
- Wear soft-soled shoes with wide insteps and ample space for the toes.
- Don’t wear any heels higher than 2 1/4 inches.
- Avoid pointy-toed shoes.
- Wear cushioned pads in your shoes to prevent a bunion, and also to ease the pain of a bunion that has already formed.
Research May Lead To New Classes Of Antibiotics
MNT- Scientists have what could be some very bad news for disease-causing bacteria. All three major classes of antibiotics that kill infectious bacteria do so in part by ramping up the production of harmful free radicals, researchers report in Cell a publication of Cell Press. Because those different types of antibiotics each initially hit different targets, it had been believed they worked by independent means..
September 30, 2007 at 9:20 am
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