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18.12.2008 16:33:02 Women's Health Endometriosis - a new market research report on www.companiesandmarkets.com
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Life Science Analytics´, "Women´s Health Endometriosis " contains detailed information on the current drug pipeline. This report provides insight into the pipeline status of allergy drugs by company and by stage as well as a summary of the latest news and developments in this area.
Scope of the report:
Each Life Science Analytics’ Therapy Area Pipeline Report provides the user with
real detail on drug pipelines, by company and by stage, for each specific therapy area. The latest news, by company, also ensures that each report is fresh and up-to-date.
In addition to new developments and disease specific pipeline projects, each report also contains extensive information in tabular format on a company’s full product pipeline and products by phase of development with regard to the therapy area.
Full pipeline details, by stage, are provided and include detailed product descriptions, information on partnering activity plus clinical trial intelligence. Each Therapy Area Pipeline Report also provides detail on the top 20 companies with products in the early stage of development and the top 20 companies with products in the late stage of development. Finally, each report also provides a comparison with other major indications in the disease hub based on Marketed Products vs. Pipeline Products.
Key benefits
• Understand a company’s strategic position by accessing detailed independent intelligence on its product pipeline for specific therapy areas.
• Keep track of your competitors and partners by better understanding their product pipeline.
• Monitor a company’s research effectiveness by determining pipeline depth and number of products in development by clinical phase for specific disease areas.
• Maintain a critical competitive advantage.
Learn more about Author Allana Leigh and the Recovering Hope organization online at www.RecoveringHope.org or join our community online at recoveringhope.ning.com. Recovering Hope is on online organization dedicated to bringing hope and inspiration to men and women in all walks of recovery while raising funds and awareness for the more than 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometrisois.
Published December 18, 2008 in issue 0751 of the Hook
Cloris Leachman is very funny. High Anxiety proved it. Remember those pointy breasts as Nurse Diesel? Still, I didn't know how raunchy she could be until I saw her roast Bob Saget. Oooh, child!
Then she kept the censors for Dancing with the Stars jumping every time she was on air this past season because they didn't know what obscene, profane thing would come out of her. She was like Madonna on Letterman times four.
Cloris is 82 years old with many medical problems (as she mentioned on the first Dancing episode), but she moved as long as the young and vibrant Julianne Hough. It goes to show that age has nothing to do with perseverance. Hough, the professional dancer, was taken out by surgery for endometriosis. But then, as it's a competitive show, Lacey Schwimmer also announced she has endometriosis!
Is endometriosis that common?
Five million American women have endometriosis. Actually, it's hard to say how many really do because quite a few have it but don't have symptoms. For example, up to seven percent of women who are getting their tubes tied are found to have endometriosis.
On the other hand, nearly half of all teenage girls with chronic pelvic pain or menstrual problems are found to have endometriosis during exploratory laparoscopy.
Endometriosis is a weird disorder because we aren't really sure how the endometrial tissue (normally found within the uterus) ends up outside the uterus. Maybe it migrates out through the Fallopian tubes? It might just develop within the pelvis and abdomen because of cells "transforming" into endometrial tissue. It could be from altered immune cells because endometriosis is associated with autoimmune inflammatory disease, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, and allergies.
We all hate pain-- and that's the main issue, especially during the menstrual period, because bleeding occurs not only in the uterus but also wherever the tissue might migrate: ovaries, around the appendix (like Julianne Hough), sigmoid colon-- but also really anywhere including the breasts, arms, legs, lungs, and spine.
Cases of bruises under the skin have been attributed to endometrial tissue there!
Pain is most common in the pelvis, and it can mimic Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)-- except there is no evidence of a sexually transmitted disease. For some, the pain is continuous, not occurring only during menstrual periods, making everyday a Midol day.
More than pain, endometriosis is associated with infertility, discomfort during sex, and chronic fatigue. Because adhesions can occur (like scar tissue connecting internal tissues and organs), there can be bowel and bladder problems.
Endometriosis occurs almost exclusively in females of reproductive years because endometrial tissue thrives on ovarian hormones. It seems to attack tall thin women in their mid-20s to mid-30s. Delayed pregnancy appears to be a risk factor, so professional women appear to have endometriosis more.
Surgery is the only cure because the tissue must be removed. When I was a medical student, I saw cases of endometriosis within the abdominal cavity and attached to different organs. But it was like mining for silver, because it's impossible to search every inch for endometrial tissue.
How do you know if you get it all? How do you know that more won't grow elsewhere? Ultrasound and MRI can locate endometriosis regions, but often a woman with endometriosis will need more than one laparoscopy.
Hopefully with the growing awareness of endometriosis, there will be more research to find out the cause and the cure. We need to see our Dancing with the Stars ladies kicking, spinning, and jumping to the music-- not in response to pain.
~
Dr. Hook cracks a joke or two, but he's a renowned physician with a local practice. Email him with your questions.
Learn more about Author Allana Leigh and RecoveringHope.org online at www.recoveringhope.org or Join our community online recoveringhope.ning.com. Recovering Hope is on online organization which aims to inspire men and women in all walks of recovery, while raising funds and awareness for the more than 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis.
The star, also a professional on Dancing with the Stars, was hospitalised during the current season of the TV talent show, and doctors discovered a growth outside her womb.
Specialists insist she should still be able to have kids, but she is happy to find an alternative if the condition prevents her from conceiving.
She says, "The doctor said I should be okay. But if I was unable to conceive, I'd adopt."
Learn more about Author Allana Leigh and the RecoveringHope organization online at www.RecoveringHope.org or join our community at recoveringhope.ning.com. Recovering Hope is on online organization which aims to inspire men and women in all walks of recovery, while raising funds and awareness for the more then 70 million women worldwide who suffer with Endometriosis.
Last Update: 12/17 2:43 pm
FORT PIERCE, FL -- An anonymous bidder from Santa Ana, Calif., madea successful bid of $730 to buy Pamela Latrimore’s 2002 MRI brain scanthat some say shows an image of the Virgin Mary.
"I feel goodabout it," said 42-year-old Latrimore, who sold the brain scan on eBayTuesday night. "I wish more awareness could have gone out though."
Latrimore,a 15-year resident of Fort Pierce, was disappointed the image on eBayonly received 21,977 clicks. There were 46 bids in the 10 days it wasoffered.
The whole purpose of putting the image up for sale wasto raise awareness of all the sick people, like her, who suffer frommultiple diseases caused by Agent Orange and other chemicals in herhometown of Jacksonville, Ark., she said.
Latrimore’s hometownwas a place where a company called Vertac Chemical manufacturedpesticides and herbicides, including Agent Orange, from 1948 to 1986.
Latimoresaid it can make a person angry "when you see your father die of a rareform of cancer, when you have seen your family members and friends alldie of horrific diseases."
So now with the money Latrimore gainedfrom the MRI sale she plans on starting a non-profit organization tohelp sick people in Jacksonville, Ark., with treatment and communitysupport, she said.
Latrimore, who lived in the Arkansas town for13 years, has health problems that include three different microbacteriums, two of which requires tuberculosis treatment, pulmonaryissues, seizures and endometriosis. And she has no insurance.
"I’m way over $100,000 in debt in medical bills," said Latrimore.
Aboutfour years ago, Latrimore saw an environmental doctor who linked allher illnesses to symptoms of Agent Orange and dioxin, a toxin that cancause a variety of illnesses, including cancer, asthma and liverproblems, she said.
But even with her own medical issues shestill wants to do all she can to help the people from her home town andfind others who can help guide her with her goal of building anon-profit organization.
"Most of my friends I graduated with are dead," she said. "These families should be one of our top priorities."
Source: TCPalm.com
Copyright 2008 The E.W. Scripps Co. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Learn more about Author Allana Leigh and the RecoveringHope.org online at www.RecoveringHope.org or join our community online at recoveringhope.ning.com. RecoveringHope is on online community which aims to inspire men and women in all walks of recovering, while raising funds and awareness for the more then 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis.
By Christine Des Garennes
URBANA – Despite final exams, relentless snow and below-freezing temperatures, more than a dozen University of Illinois graduate students and employees gathered in front of the campus health center on Tuesday to call for better health care for students.
"Women's health should be a priority!" they shouted. Health care benefits should be improved, not whittled away, several said in response to news that because of the upcoming retirement of a technician, sonograms may not be available at the center.
With a family history of ovarian cancer, graduate student and employee Aimee Rickman said her doctors have told her she should have a sonogram performed twice a year to screen for ovarian cancer. Since she has been a graduate student at the UI, she has had those procedures at McKinley.
"I don't want to get ovarian cancer. To stay on top of it, I need these screenings," she said.
University spokeswoman Robin Kaler said the health center's staff is optimistic the university would be able to maintain the sonogram service after the technician's retirement.
"We're now negotiating with a community health partner to find a replacement to continue the service one day a week with no cost to students," she said.
Since a contract has not been finalized, Kaler said she could not release details such as the name of the provider or the cost of the contract.
The sonogram is an important tool in women's health care, said nurse practitioner Susan Miller, who has worked at McKinley for 25 years. If a patient comes to McKinley complaining of pelvic pain or irregular bleeding, a sonogram can help detect fibroids, an ectopic pregnancy or endometriosis, Miller said.
"If they take our tools away, we can't do our jobs," she said.
"We know the university has budget issues," said Jim McGuire, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 698, which represents nurses and technicians at McKinley Health Center. But cuts shouldn't be made in health care for students, he said.
The Graduate Employees' Organization, which sponsored Tuesday's rally, would like the university to hire a full-time sonogram technician.
"We want it to be a regular service," said graduate student and employee Michael Simeone. "That signifies the university's commitment to health care."
"The GEO recognizes we're in difficult economic times, but slashing basic medical services is something that cannot happen," he added.
Learn more about Author Allana Leigh and the Recovering Hope organization online at www.recoveringhope.org or Join our community at recoveirnghope.ning.com. RecoveirngHope is an online community dedicated to inspiring hope for men and women in all walks of recovery, while raising funds and awareness for the more then 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis.
Dec 17 2008 By Maria Croce
Our Larger Than Life Duo Find Out If The Fashion Industry Is Keeping Up With The Growing Demand For Generous Sizes
AS a nation more of us are putting on the beef and becoming curvier women and chunkier men.
And now the clothing industry is finally trying to cater for fuller figures by expanding their bigger size ranges. Despite the credit crunch, it seems there are profits in plus sizes.
Around 18 per cent of British women are now at least a size 18. The market for plussized women's clothing is worth £3.8bn with a 26 per cent growth in sales in the last five years.
Menswear is also expanding - just like male waistbands - as in the same period men's plus-size clothing has gone up by 40 per cent.
Now the market for men's clothes sized XL or larger is worth £1.7bn - up from £1.2bn in 2003, according to research from Mintel.
Researchers are predicting the menswear plus-size market is likely to increase by 26 per cent over the next five years.
It's no longer the case that just because you're a large size you have to cover up in a shapeless outfit.
Chef Nigella Lawson celebrates her curves in styles that make the most of her fuller shape. And Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles is a larger size but still manages to look stylish.
So we decided to take two shoppers to check out the plus-sized fashions at John Lewis in Glasgow.
When you're officially a plus-size it can be difficult to find something suitable that fits.
Childcare worker Lynn Benzie, from Glasgow, is a size 18 and admits clothes shopping isn't always easy for her.
Lynn, 30, says she doesn't have much choice on the high street, although she's a fan of New Look and Debenhams, where she can find clothes to fit. And she was impressed with the range available at John Lewis.
"I don't even go in some of the high streets shops as the sizes are made too small," she explained.
"But even when I do find something in my size I have to try it on because sizes can vary depending on the shop or sometimes the style isn't cut right for a larger figure."
Lynn was a size 8/10 in her early 20s but says her weight has increased due to medical condition endometriosis.
She believes the clothing industry should improve their plus-size ranges as she still wants to wear fashionable clothes in a size 18.
She said: "It's not always people's choice to be the size they are and they shouldn't be penalised for being bigger. You should still be able to get something fashionable.
"Sometimes the bigger sizes are designed for older people. I like bright colours. But there's a tendency for bigger clothes to be in black and dark colours."
Lynn admits in the past she's tried to squeeze into clothes that are too small because a larger size wasn't available. "The dress I bought for my 30th was a size 16 and looking back it was just too small, but it didn't come in abigger size.
"Now I cringe when I look back at the photos. I look very fat and ugly - it was the wrong style and far too tight."
Lynn was given a helping hand to find an evening outfit from fashion advisor Tricia Chennell.
She was pleased with her choice of a red John Lewis dress and black shrug with sparkly shoes and accessories, complimented by make-up done by beauty assistants at Bobbi Brown in the store.
"There were quite a few different party frocks for the Christmas season to choose from," explained Lynn. "At last the clothing industry is beginning to realise people have different proportions."
Tricia is used to sourcing clothes in the store for customers in a range of sizes, but she explained: "There's a real need for the bigger sizes and manufacturers need to do more for the younger market ."
But luckily there are still styles to suit different ages that include larger sizes.
The John Lewis range goes up to size 20 and the JL range up to 18. Other ranges such as Coast, Planet, Fenn Wright Manson, Paul Costelloe and Fat Face include sizes up to 18.
The fashion line Chesca is geared to the 14 to 24 size range and includes classic styles for more mature ladies.
It can also be difficult for shorter ladies with fuller figures to find clothes to fit.
Tricia explained: "I get ladies who are 5ft and a size 24 and then that's quite difficult to find them something. The petite range only goes up to a size 20 and most of the largersized clothes are fine if you're 5ft 6in or over."
Drama teacher Ed Allen, 27, from Glasgow, admits to carrying a little excess weight but says he rarely has too much trouble finding outfits. He was surprised to hear Lynn sometimes faced a problem finding clothes.
Ed's an XL, with a waist of around 39in and a 44in chest. "I'm a bit overweight but I can still shop in regular stores," he says. "But sizes can vary depending on what shop I'm in.
"I've never really felt self-conscious about my size. I could do with losing about a stone but it's down to laziness and too much beer.
"I can usually wear what I want. I'll tend to just choose something I like but if there isn't one in my size I just find something else.
"But I'd be surprised if a shop didn't include XL. These days it's common to get XXL and XXXL."
With the help of staff in John Lewis, he picked a striped shirt, but tried on a couple of pairs of trousers until a 42in waist fitted.
Lesley McIntyre, section manager in menswear, said: "We are getting more fashionable clothes for men in the larger sizes.
Men seem more interested in fashion. Now they'll ask for an opinion - in the past they'd just take an outfit home then ask their wife."
"Most bigger sizes are designed for older people. I like bright, trendy colours"
"There is usually something I like. I'd be surprised not to find an XL"
OUR SHOPPERS' OUTFITS...
Clothes by John Lewis: Lynn wears John Lewis dress, £99, Camilla black shrug from Coast, £58.72, John Lewis shoes, £50, necklace £25, bracelet, £18. Ed wears Balmain shirt, £40, and John Lewis trousers, £50, (own shoes). Make-up by Bobbi Brown at John Lewis.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and the RecoveringHope.org project to inspire men and women in all walks of recovery, while raising funs and awareness for the more than 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis. Visit us online at www.RecoveringHope.org or join our community at RecoveringHope.ning.com.
Monique Mattiace, Correspondent
Originally published 10:32 p.m., December 16, 2008
Updated 10:32 p.m., December 16, 2008
FORT PIERCE — An anonymous bidder from Santa Ana, Calif., made a successful bid of $730 to buy Pamela Latrimore’s 2002 MRI brain scan that some say shows an image of the Virgin Mary.
“I feel good about it,” said 42-year-old Latrimore who sold the brain scan on eBay Tuesday night. “I wish more awareness could have gone out though.”
Latrimore, a 15-year resident of Fort Pierce, was disappointed the image on eBay only received 21,977 clicks. There were 46 bids in the 10 days it was offered.
The whole purpose of putting the image up for sale was to raise awareness of all the sick people, like her, who suffer from multiple diseases caused by Agent Orange and other chemicals in her hometown, she said.
Latrimore grew up in Jacksonville, Ark., a place where a company called Vertac Chemical manufactured pesticides and herbicides, including Agent Orange, from 1948 to 1986.
Latimore said it can make a person angry “when you see your father die of a rare form of cancer, when you have seen your family members and friends all die of horrific diseases. ”
So now with the $730 Latrimore gained from the MRI sale she plans on starting a non-profit organization to help sick people in Jacksonville, Ark., with treatment and community support, she said.
Latrimore, who lived in the Arkansas town for 13 years, has health problems that include three different micro bacteriums, two of which requires tuberculosis treatment, pulmonary issues, seizures and endometriosis. And she has no insurance.
“I’m way over $100,000 in debt in medical bills,” said Latrimore.
About four years ago, Latrimore saw an environmental doctor who linked all her illnesses to symptoms of Agent Orange and dioxin, a toxin that can cause a variety of illnesses, including cancer, asthma and liver problems, she said.
But even with her own medical issues she still wants to do all she can to help the people from her home town and find others who can help guide her with her goal of building a non-profit organization.
“Most of my friends I graduated with are dead,” she said. “These families should be one of our top priorities.”
Learn more about Allana Leigh and the RecoveirngHope.org network online at www.recoveringhope.org or join the community at recoveringhope.ning.com. RecoveringHope.org is on online organization designed to inspire hope for men and women in all walks of recovery, while raising funds and awareness for the more than 70 million women worldwide who suffer from Endometriosis.
5:00AM Wednesday Dec 17, 2008
By Eloise Gibson
Breast cancer prevention advocates hope a decision to ban a toxic insect spray will save some New Zealanders from getting cancer.
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) banned the pesticide endosulfan on Monday, effective from January 16.
The Breast Cancer Network said yesterday it was "delighted" with the decision to ban endosulfan from use on parks, playing fields and crops. It believes exposing children to the spray may have played a role in New Zealand's high levels of breast cancer.
Endosulfan is an insecticide used to control worms in playing fields and other insects on food crops such as citrus, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and sweetcorn. It is one of a group of pesticides - including DDT - which doctors believe may interfere with humans' hormone systems.
Experts do not agree on whether the chemical is linked to cancer.
An endosulfan fact sheet by the Queensland Government said there was no clinical evidence it caused cancer or disrupted the hormone system.
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However, opponents of the chemical say it causes hormone disruptions that are linked to breast cancer, endometriosis, male breast enlargement and delayed sexual maturity.
An Erma report prepared for the review of endosulfan said the chemical could adversely affect the nervous system, liver and kidneys of humans.
The greatest risk is to people who handle endosulfan in their work.
Endosulfan is banned in about 50 countries but a recent Green Party investigation found 18 of New Zealand's 85 councils were still using it.
Green MP Sue Kedgley said pesticide campaigners were thrilled Erma had ruled to ban the chemical.
However, she said the Government needed a wider strategy to reduce pesticides if New Zealand was going to keep its clean, green image.
Endosulfan has been linked with the poisoning of agricultural workers and villagers in Benin, Indonesia, India and Thailand. Last year the Food Safety Authority prosecuted Waimauku's Carl Houghton for using the spray on cattle at his farm, after residues were found in a shipment of beef exports to Korea in 2005.
Anna Wilkowska-Landowska on December 16, 2008 - 8:00am
Published under: Global PerspectiveContraception | Maternal Health | Access to Abortion |Women’s RightsVatican | surrogacy | IVF | in-vitro fertilization | fertility | embryos |Dignitatis Personae
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Last week Vatican has explicitly expressed its opposition to in vitro fertilization. A new document issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, criticizes that method, claiming that it violates the principles that every human life - even an embryo - is sacred, and that babies should be conceived only through intercourse between husband and wife.
The 23-page instruction, entitled "Dignitas Personae," or "The Dignity of the Person," carries the approval and the authority of Pope Benedict XVI. The Instruction, released December 12, highlights "some anthropological, theological and ethical elements of fundamental importance" as well as "new problems regarding procreation" and "new procedures involving the manipulation of embryos and the human genetic patrimony." This Instruction was announced at the same time in Vatican and Warsaw, Poland, where it raised questions regarding the impact it may have on the Polish couples who consider IVF technique as the only treatment which is to combat their infertility.
Catholic Church officials regard this Instruction on bioethical issues as a guidance on how to respect human life and human procreation in everyday life. "Dignitas Personae" criticizes "embryo adoption," whereby infertile couples adopt embryos frozen during in vitro techniques, because it involves separating conception from the "conjugal act" and often results in the destruction of embryos. "The Church understands suffering of many infertile couples, but the desire to have a child cannot come first, before the dignity of every human life, including an embryo," said the Polish priest and professor Wojciech Bołos. The Church representatives underline that the ban on in vitro fertilization results from the fact that it violates the basic moral norms created by the Catholic Church.
The Instruction similarly opposes the techniques involved in IVF, because embryos are or can be destroyed. The Instruction's authors consider intentional selective abortion the deliberate and direct elimination of one or more innocent human beings in the initial phase of their existence. The authors also oppose pre-implantation diagnosis and embryo freezing, arguing that doing so exposes them to potential damage and manipulation, and that it raises the problem of what to do with frozen embryos that are not implanted. The document also says "no" to the morning-after pill, even if it doesn't cause an abortion, because an abortion was intended. The use of drugs such as RU-486, which causes the elimination of the embryo once it is implanted, is equivalent to the "sin of abortion," thus their use is "gravely immoral."
Experts say that there is little new in this document, but that it may still come as a surprise to many Catholics who are unaware of the church's ban on in vitro fertilization. However, Polish ethicists claim that Instruction should not change social attitudes towards IVF methods. "The document should be treated seriously, but one does not have to blindly accept its postulates," says Pawel Łukow, a Polish expert on bioethics.
Instead of IVF the Church supports adoption, and medical treatment of infertility or endometriosis. It does not oppose research on stem cells derived from adults; blood from umbilical cords; or fetuses "who have died of natural causes." The document does not prohibit the use of vaccines developed using "cell lines of illicit origin" if children's health is at stake. But it says that "everyone has the duty" to inform health care providers of personal objections to such vaccines.
The Vatican's intended audience is not only individual Roman Catholics, but also non-Catholic doctors, scientists, medical researchers and legislators who might consider regulating stem cell research and other recent developments in biomedical technology. With regard to the last group of addressees, the Vatican's statement is released just when the works on new bioethics law in Poland are being undertaken. Quite coincidently, a few days before the Vatican's Instruction was issued, the Church representatives in Poland for the Episcopate conference expressed their discontent regarding the idea of partial insurance coverage of in vitro fertilization methods, to be included into the new law on bioethics. Archbishop Józef Michalik said that "refunding IVF is paying for murder," and Archbishop Henryk Hoser stated that "it's moral schizophrenia." "There is no slightest doubt that IVF violates the right to life of conceived persons. At the price of one life, to give parents pleasure and give them a child, another one is killed," said Archbishop Józef Michalik, chairman of the Polish Episcopate Conference. However, Jarosław Gowin, the member of the Parliament, who is responsible for preparing a legal act on bioethics, was not surprised when he heard what the Polish Catholic Church authorities said, as well as the Vatican's instruction issued right after. And, even more importantly, he underlined that the new law would allow for the use of in vitro fertilization in Poland, because Poland is a secular state and while creating the law, his team did not take into consideration the Church's guidance related to reproductive methods.
The law will simply make legal all those practices which are already commonly used by many Polish couples suffering from infertility. Gowin is a co-author of a draft law which, although it goes against the Catholic Church ideology, radically improves the right to life. And Gowin still hopes for a positive opinion of the Polish Episcopate in that regard. But right now the Episcopate's acceptance is rather unrealistic. One may say that what the Church says should not be so important, but for some Catholic couples in Poland the decision over whether to undergo in vitro fertilization may become that much more difficult, knowing that the Church considers "a sin." It will certainly not make their lives easier.
Find out more about Allana Leigh and Endometriosis online at www.RecoveringHope.org or join our community at RecoveringHope.ning.com
Several firms are recalling tens-of-thousands of pounds of pork due to possible dioxin contamination after being notified by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) that routine surveillance tests indicated the presence of dioxin in pork products that were sent to multiple importers in the United States.
Dioxins are organic compounds that act as environmental pollutants and carcinogens. They are a byproduct of the chlorine solvents known as Organochlorides, as well as byproducts in the burning of chlorine-containing products (like PVC) and the bleaching of paper.
Dioxins build up in fatty tissues over time, allowing even low-level exposure to build up over time until it reaches dangerous levels in the human body, which can cause major health effects like cancer, severe acne, damage to the nervous system, thyroid disorders, endometriosis diabetes and many others. Some studies also show that dioxins have an effect on the sex of babies born in contaminated areas.
Learn more about Allana Leigh at http://ping.fm/49L7v or online at http://ping.fm/ttF1o
Saturday, December 13, 2008 23:59 IST
Experts give you a complete lowdown on what you need to do both physically and mentally before you conceive.
Juggling their professional and personal lives, women around the world are stressed. Reportedly, in a bid to conceive, 42-year-old singer Janet Jackson has decided to take time off from her music career to soothe her mind with some music.
Actor, doctor and mother of two, Aditi Govitrikar made several lifestyle changes before she conceived her second child. She says, “I decided to slow down; I did yoga and also listened to music.” She suggests you should get together with other women who are also planning to get pregnant to discuss happy things and think positively.
One of the primary things a woman can do after deciding to have a baby is to take some time off work. Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany says that one’s mind has to be tuned to the fact that the body is ready for childbearing. “This is a time when hormones can run amuck. You should leave behind the worldly worries, and can even head for an exotic location to conceive your child and spend some quality time with your spouse,” she adds.
Dr Bindu Gohil, gynaecologist and clinical associate, says that it is compulsory to pay a visit to your doctor after deciding to get pregnant. She explains, “Today, people are opting for late marriages, and hence delayed pregnancies. If a woman is older than 35 years, complications are bound to occur and they need to undergo a thorough counselling process.” Often motherhood at advanced ages can arise in complications due to polycystic ovarian problems and endometriosis. Dr Gohil also says that diabetes and obesity can also create serious issues.
She suggests a series of regular and specific tests to be conducted before deciding whether it is safe for the body to bear a child. She says, “A lot of young women go for the anorexic look. When they decide to have a child, it is necessary to conduct tests to confirm anaemia, haemoglobin levels and physical immunity levels. A woman should take folic acid supplements at least three months before she wants to start a family,” she advises.
Fitness expert Zareen Watson feels that an all-round fitness level is a must. Both obese and anorexic women need to work on their bodies before getting pregnant. She says, “While it is very important for obese women to lose weight in a gradual process, it is also important not to go into a starvation mode. It should be a target to lose at least two pounds each week.” She also adds that anorexic women should watch unhealthy food habits, and have food with high nutrition value.”
c_sujata@dnaindia.net
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight for funding and awareness of Endometriosis, a condition which effects more then 70 million women world wide online at http://ping.fm/49L7v or online at http://ping.fm/ttF1o
The IND application included the Phase 1/2 protocol BDP-ENT-01, which is designed as a multicenter, open-label, sequential, dose-escalation study in approximately 36 patients. Patients with rectal cancer who are scheduled to undergo concurrent radiation and chemotherapy prior to surgery will be enrolled in four dose groups. The objectives of the study are to evaluate the safety and maximal tolerated dose of escalating doses of DOR201, as well as the preliminary efficacy of DOR201 for prevention of signs and symptoms of acute radiation enteritis. The study is planned to be initiated in the first half of 2009.
Acute radiation enteritis is caused by radiation-induced death of the normal cells in the lining of the bowel. As bowel cells die and are not replaced, gastrointestinal toxicity develops over the next few days and weeks with chronic diarrhea, vomiting and pain being the major symptoms. The addition of chemotherapy often exacerbates the onset, severity, and debilitation related to intestinal symptoms. Radiation enteritis often results in delay or interruption of the cancer treatment.
There are over 100,000 patients in the United States annually who receive abdominal or pelvic external beam radiation treatment for cancer and these patients are at risk of developing acute and chronic radiation enteritis.
"Radiation enteritis is a serious complication for colorectal cancer patients receiving radiation therapy that impacts their quality of life and can require treatment modification," stated William Small, Jr., MD, FACRO, Professor and Vice Chairman, Department of Radiation Oncology, Associate Medical Director, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University and a Principal Investigator for the Phase 1/2 clinical study. "Based on oral BDP's proven pharmacology in treating severe GI inflammation, DOR201 represents a potential prophylactic option that would enable physicians/patients to maintain planned treatment regimens to battle the underlying malignancy. I look forward to working with DOR on the continued development of DOR201."
"This is a significant step in continuing DOR's commitment to expand our oral BDP development program," said Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and CEO of DOR. "Based on its known pharmacology, we believe that oral administration of BDP may help to prevent or reduce the severity of acute radiation enteritis and the deleterious effects it has on the patient's and treating physician's ability to deal with the underlying malignancy. We look forward to continued, productive interactions with the FDA and our experts in the field to initiate our clinical program in the coming months."
About Acute Radiation Enteritis
External radiation therapy is used to treat most types of cancer, including cancer of the bladder, uterine, cervix, rectum, prostate, and vagina. During delivery of treatment, some level of radiation will also be delivered to healthy tissue, including the bowel, leading to acute and chronic toxicities. The large and small bowels are very sensitive to radiation. The larger the dose of radiation the greater the damage to normal bowel tissue. Radiation enteritis is a condition in which the lining of the bowel becomes swollen and inflamed during or after radiation therapy to the abdomen, pelvis, or rectum. Most tumors in the abdomen and pelvis need large doses, and almost all patients receiving radiation to the abdomen, pelvis, or rectum will show signs of acute enteritis.
Patients with acute enteritis may have nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding, among other symptoms. Some patients may develop dehydration and require hospitalization. With diarrhea, the gastrointestinal tract does not function normally, and nutrients such as fat, lactose, bile salts, and vitamin B12 are not well absorbed.
Symptoms will usually resolve within 2-6 weeks after therapy has ceased. Radiation enteritis is often not a self-limited illness, as over 80% of patients who receive abdominal radiation therapy complain of a persistent change in bowel habits. Moreover, acute radiation injury increases the risk of development of chronic radiation enteropathy, and overall 5% to 15% of the patients who receive abdominal or pelvic irradiation will develop chronic radiation enteritis.
About DOR201
DOR201 contains BDP, a highly potent, topically active corticosteroid that has a local effect on inflamed tissue. BDP has been marketed in the United States and worldwide since the early 1970s as the active pharmaceutical ingredient in inhalation products for the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. BDP is also the active ingredient in orBec(R), currently in Phase 3 and Phase 2 development by DOR for the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host disease (GI GVHD), respectively. DOR201 is a time-release formulation of BDP specifically designed for oral use.
About DOR BioPharma, Inc.
DOR BioPharma, Inc. (DOR) is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing products to treat life-threatening side effects of cancer treatments and serious gastrointestinal diseases, and vaccines for certain bioterrorism agents. DOR's lead product, orBec(R) (oral beclomethasone dipropionate or BDP), is a potent, locally acting corticosteroid being developed for the treatment of gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host disease (GI GVHD), a common and potentially life-threatening complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation. DOR expects to begin a confirmatory Phase 3 clinical trial of orBec(R) for the treatment of GI GVHD in 1H 2009. orBec(R) is also currently the subject of an NIH-supported, Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the prevention of acute GVHD. Oral BDP may also have application in treating other gastrointestinal disorders characterized by severe inflammation. Additionally, DOR has a Lipid Polymer Micelle (LPM(TM)) drug delivery technology for the oral delivery of leuprolide for the treatment of prostate cancer and endometriosis.
Through its Biodefense Division, DOR is developing biomedical countermeasures pursuant to the Project BioShield Act of 2004. DOR's biodefense products in development are recombinant subunit vaccines designed to protect against the lethal effects of exposure to ricin toxin, botulinum toxin and anthrax. DOR's ricin toxin vaccine, RiVax(TM), has been shown to be well tolerated and immunogenic in a Phase 1 clinical trial in normal volunteers.
For further information regarding DOR BioPharma, Inc., please visit the Company's website at http://www.dorbiopharma.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect DOR BioPharma, Inc.'s current expectations about its future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. Statements that are not historical facts, such as "anticipates," "believes," "intends," or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, these statements. DOR cannot assure you that it will be able to successfully develop or commercialize products based on its technology, including orBec(R), particularly in light of the significant uncertainty inherent in developing vaccines against bioterror threats, manufacturing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials of vaccines, and obtaining regulatory approvals, that its cash expenditures will not exceed projected levels, that it will be able to secure partnerships or obtain financing within the next nine months to meet operating expenses and to conduct its upcoming confirmatory Phase 3 trial of orBec(R), that product development and commercialization efforts will not be reduced or discontinued due to difficulties or delays in clinical trials or due to lack of progress or positive results from research and development efforts, that it will be able to successfully obtain any further grants and awards, maintain its existing grants which are subject to performance, enter into any biodefense procurement contracts with the US Government or other countries, that the US Congress may not pass any legislation that would provide additional funding for the Project BioShield program, that it will be able to patent, register or protect its technology from challenge and products from competition or maintain or expand its license agreements with its current licensors, or that its business strategy will be successful. Important factors which may affect the future use of orBec(R) for gastrointestinal GVHD include the risks that: the FDA's requirement that DOR conduct additional clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of orBec(R) will take a significant amount of time and money to complete and positive results leading to regulatory approval cannot be assumed; DOR is dependent on the expertise, effort, priorities and contractual obligations of third parties in the clinical trials, manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of its products; orBec(R) may not gain market acceptance if it is eventually approved by the FDA; and others may develop technologies or products superior to orBec(R). These and other factors are described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, DOR's most recent reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-KSB. Unless required by law, DOR assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events.
DOR BioPharma, Inc.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight for funding and awareness of Endometriosis, a disease which effects more then 70 million women world wide online at http://www.Reconveringhope.org or on our community at http://rcoveringhope.ning.com
SAN FRANCISCO—Multiplying total motile sperm count by the percent of normal sperm determined by strict morphology (TM×SM) may be a significant predictor of pregnancy when sperm morphology is less than 5%, according to a new study by Texas researchers.
Appropriate counseling for teratozoospermia is controversial. It has been suggested that in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be the best treatment option for couples with less than 5% normal sperm strict morphology. Wanting to investigate whether the 5% threshold or the TM×SM was a significant predictor of intrauterine insemination (IUI) success, researchers looked at infertile couples undergoing IUI at their institution between November 1995 and December 2007. Their findings, which were presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), suggest that TM×SM may be helpful in selecting couples who are not suitable for IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment.
Exclusion criteria were female age greater than 40 years, history of endometriosis, tubal factor, or history of previous IVF or use of donor sperm. A total of 237 couples were included in the study. The investigators determined total motile sperm counts for each of the initial semen analyses and used the Kruger strict morphology criteria to calculate the percentage of total normal sperm, then multiplied to get the TM×SM.
The overall cumulative pregnancy rate was about 30%. Mean female age, mean strict morphology, mean TMC, and mean TM×SM in both the pregnant and nonpregnant groups were similar. The pregnancy rate was 24% in couples with strict morphology less than 5% (about 45% of the cohort) compared with a pregnancy rate of 34% in couples with strict morphology of 5% or more. The difference was not statistically significant.
In couples with SM less than 5%, the pregnant group had a significantly higher mean TM×SM compared with the nonpregnant group (3.7 million vs. 2.3 million). No pregnancies occurred in the 14 couples whose TM×SM was less than 0.29 million. Overall, TM×SM was the only significant predictor of pregnancy in couples with SM below 5%.
“The take-home message is not to look at strict morphology alone. You should also look at the total motile count and combine it with the strict morphology,” said study investigator Ertug Kovanci, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Sometimes IVF or ICSI is recommended just because the strict morphology is less than 5%. But we are saying that if the total motile count is good, you don't have to do IVF or ICSI [in these couples]. You can get away with IUIs or inseminations.”
That could lead to huge costs savings because IUI is both less invasive and less expensive, he said. Dr. Kovanci noted that this retrospective study in a relatively small number of couples does have limitations, so these findings need to be replicated in a larger cohort.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight for funding and awareness of Endometriosis effecting more then 70 milion women world wide online at http://www.RecoveringHope.org or on our community at htp://recoveringhope.ning.com
Stimulants for Healthy People?
Healthy people should be permitted to take pills typically prescribed only for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or memory impairment, suggested several scientists in an opinion piece published online yesterday in the journal Nature. Stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall are usually prescribed for those with ADHD, but the drugs may also help those without the disorder focus and handle information. College students already illegally take such drugs to help with studying, the scientists wrote. Also, a sleep disorder drug called Provigil can help healthy people who need a boost when they're sleep deprived, and some Alzheimer's disease medications may help improve memory in healthy people. Two of the study's seven authors acknowledged consulting for pharmaceutical companies, the Associated Press reports.
In May, U.S. News's Nancy Shute talked with Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction and CrazyBusy, about news that adults with ADHD lose 22 days' worth of productivity at work each year because of the disorder. Hallowell said the study might actually help more people identify a condition that's making them miserable and get help.
U.S. News also recently investigated how people use Ritalin, Adderall, and other stimulants as study drugs and performance enhancers. It also reported on concerns that stimulants can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. While adults are most at risk, taking the drugs appears to increase the risk of death for children with rare undetected heart problems.
Making Pregnancy Possible
Infertility affects about 7.3 million U.S. couples, or roughly 12 percent of those trying to get pregnant, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. About one third of infertility cases can be attributed to female factors—such as blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts—and a similar number result from male problems, such as diminished sperm production. For the remaining couples, it's a combination of problems in both partners, or it is simply unexplained. Eighty-five percent to 90 percent of infertility cases can be treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures, the ASRM estimates. Fewer than 3 percent require costly advanced reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization. U.S. News lists five fertility tips to help make pregnancy possible.
In November, U.S. News gave 10 prenatal tips for women who are pregnant or thinking about it. In October, Sarah Baldauf described how to cope with depression during pregnancy.
Protecting Kids From Heart Disease
Kids today are developing very "adult" health problems, from aging arteries and prediabetes to hypertension and high cholesterol, Deborah Kotz reports. And doctors out of necessity are starting to treat them like grown-ups. From 2002 to 2005, pediatric prescriptions for diabetes drugs rose by more than 100 percent. "Our findings are a symptom of a growing problem in children, the increase in chronic disease," says Emily Cox, senior director of research at Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company in St. Louis, whose study on medication use in children was published in November in Pediatrics.
Stimulants for Healthy People?
Healthy people should be permitted to take pills typically prescribed only for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or memory impairment, suggested several scientists in an opinion piece published online yesterday in the journal Nature. Stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall are usually prescribed for those with ADHD, but the drugs may also help those without the disorder focus and handle information. College students already illegally take such drugs to help with studying, the scientists wrote. Also, a sleep disorder drug called Provigil can help healthy people who need a boost when they're sleep deprived, and some Alzheimer's disease medications may help improve memory in healthy people. Two of the study's seven authors acknowledged consulting for pharmaceutical companies, the Associated Press reports.
In May, U.S. News's Nancy Shute talked with Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction and CrazyBusy, about news that adults with ADHD lose 22 days' worth of productivity at work each year because of the disorder. Hallowell said the study might actually help more people identify a condition that's making them miserable and get help.
U.S. News also recently investigated how people use Ritalin, Adderall, and other stimulants as study drugs and performance enhancers. It also reported on concerns that stimulants can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. While adults are most at risk, taking the drugs appears to increase the risk of death for children with rare undetected heart problems.
Making Pregnancy Possible
Infertility affects about 7.3 million U.S. couples, or roughly 12 percent of those trying to get pregnant, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. About one third of infertility cases can be attributed to female factors—such as blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts—and a similar number result from male problems, such as diminished sperm production. For the remaining couples, it's a combination of problems in both partners, or it is simply unexplained. Eighty-five percent to 90 percent of infertility cases can be treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures, the ASRM estimates. Fewer than 3 percent require costly advanced reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization. U.S. News lists five fertility tips to help make pregnancy possible.
In November, U.S. News gave 10 prenatal tips for women who are pregnant or thinking about it. In October, Sarah Baldauf described how to cope with depression during pregnancy.
Protecting Kids From Heart Disease
Kids today are developing very "adult" health problems, from aging arteries and prediabetes to hypertension and high cholesterol, Deborah Kotz reports. And doctors out of necessity are starting to treat them like grown-ups. From 2002 to 2005, pediatric prescriptions for diabetes drugs rose by more than 100 percent. "Our findings are a symptom of a growing problem in children, the increase in chronic disease," says Emily Cox, senior director of research at Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company in St. Louis, whose study on medication use in children was published in November in Pediatrics.
Stimulants for Healthy People?
Healthy people should be permitted to take pills typically prescribed only for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or memory impairment, suggested several scientists in an opinion piece published online yesterday in the journal Nature. Stimulants like Ritalin and Adderall are usually prescribed for those with ADHD, but the drugs may also help those without the disorder focus and handle information. College students already illegally take such drugs to help with studying, the scientists wrote. Also, a sleep disorder drug called Provigil can help healthy people who need a boost when they're sleep deprived, and some Alzheimer's disease medications may help improve memory in healthy people. Two of the study's seven authors acknowledged consulting for pharmaceutical companies, the Associated Press reports.
In May, U.S. News's Nancy Shute talked with Edward Hallowell, author of Driven to Distraction and CrazyBusy, about news that adults with ADHD lose 22 days' worth of productivity at work each year because of the disorder. Hallowell said the study might actually help more people identify a condition that's making them miserable and get help.
U.S. News also recently investigated how people use Ritalin, Adderall, and other stimulants as study drugs and performance enhancers. It also reported on concerns that stimulants can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. While adults are most at risk, taking the drugs appears to increase the risk of death for children with rare undetected heart problems.
Making Pregnancy Possible
Infertility affects about 7.3 million U.S. couples, or roughly 12 percent of those trying to get pregnant, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. About one third of infertility cases can be attributed to female factors—such as blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts—and a similar number result from male problems, such as diminished sperm production. For the remaining couples, it's a combination of problems in both partners, or it is simply unexplained. Eighty-five percent to 90 percent of infertility cases can be treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures, the ASRM estimates. Fewer than 3 percent require costly advanced reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization. U.S. News lists five fertility tips to help make pregnancy possible.
In November, U.S. News gave 10 prenatal tips for women who are pregnant or thinking about it. In October, Sarah Baldauf described how to cope with depression during pregnancy.
Protecting Kids From Heart Disease
Kids today are developing very "adult" health problems, from aging arteries and prediabetes to hypertension and high cholesterol, Deborah Kotz reports. And doctors out of necessity are starting to treat them like grown-ups. From 2002 to 2005, pediatric prescriptions for diabetes drugs rose by more than 100 percent. "Our findings are a symptom of a growing problem in children, the increase in chronic disease," says Emily Cox, senior director of research at Express Scripts, a pharmacy benefit management company in St. Louis, whose study on medication use in children was published in November in Pediatrics.
In November, Nancy Shute listed five ways to prevent diabetes in your teenage child. Last year, Kotz reported on how to win the battle against childhood obesity.
—January W. Payne
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight for fundig and awreness of Endometriosis for the more then 70 million women effected by Endo online at http://ping.fm/49L7v or on our community at http://ping.fm/iSx5X
By Kerry Hannon
Posted December 8, 2008 US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT
Face it, for most 20-somethings, getting pregnant isn't top priority. Not getting pregnant is more like it. But the truth is, it's never too early to protect your fertility for the future. Otherwise, when you are ready to start a family, getting pregnant might not be as easy as you envisioned.
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In fact, infertility affects about 7.3 million U.S. couples, or roughly 12 percent of those trying to have a child, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. About one third of infertility cases can be attributed to female factors—such as blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or ovarian cysts—and a similar number result from male problems, such as diminished sperm production. For the remaining couples, it's a combination of problems in both partners, or it is simply unexplained.
The good news is that 85 percent to 90 percent of infertility cases can be treated with drug therapy or surgical procedures, the ASRM estimates. Fewer than 3 percent require costly advanced reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization.
To steer clear of potential roadblocks, you can do myriad things years before you decide to have a child. Here are five strategies to safeguard your fertility.
1. Don't wait too long. "Many women don't realize that their peak fertility time is in their mid-20s and already starting to fall by their late 20s," says Jamie Grifo, program director of the New York University Fertility Center. Infertility rates about double for women between the early 30s and early 40s. The percentage of married, 25-to-29-year-old women who are infertile is 9 percent, according to ASRM data. By 35 to 39, the percentage has climbed to 22 percent, and by the early 40s, it has jumped to 29 percent. Moreover, a healthy 30-year-old who's trying to get pregnant has a 20 percent chance per month. By age 40, her odds are only about 5 percent a month. And yet, approximately 20 percent of women wait until after age 35 to begin their families.
Male fertility isn't timeless, either. After 50, some men may experience a decline in sperm quality—they produce more misshapen cells and fewer that can swim well—which can make fertilization trickier.
"Don't assume fertility is a guarantee," Grifo says. "It isn't like they told us in high school. The most important thing you can do is start early."
2. Practice safe sex. Sexually transmitted diseases can drastically reduce one's ability to get pregnant—so abstinence or consistent condom use can simultaneously prevent pregnancy today and preserve fertility for the future. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are two leading causes of infertility; untreated, either can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. PID can lead to permanent scarring in the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues, which, in addition to impairing fertility, sometimes produces chronic pelvic pain and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancies, where the fetus develops outside the uterus.
The statistics are eye-opening. An estimated 2.3 million cases of chlamydia and more than 700,000 cases of gonorrhea occur annually nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both sexes are equally at risk, and the diseases can be acquired during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. About 1 in 4 U.S. women ages 14 to 19 is infected with at least one sexually transmitted infection. Up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia develop PID.
"Chlamydia is incredibly prevalent in young women today," says Nancy Sanders of Women OB/GYN Physicians in Washington, D.C. "It's easily treatable and cured with antibiotics, but if it's not cared for, it can cause infertility, and that's heartbreaking."
Chlamydia and gonorrhea often go undetected, in part because they often have no symptoms. The CDC recommends annual chlamydia screening for all sexually active females 25 and under and for any older woman who has a new sex partner, multiple partners, or other risk factors.
3. Eat right. While there is no real fertility diet, says NYU's Grifo, good eating habits will help keep your hormone levels on an even keel. In a 2007 study of 17,544 married women, Harvard researchers found that those with the lowest risk of infertility due to anovulation—the failure to produce a viable egg every month—tended to eat diets that emphasized monosaturated fats like olive oil, consumed more fiber and iron, and got their protein from plant sources such as beans and nuts rather than from red meat. The message: Opt for a healthful diet of fruit and vegetables, and choose whole grains instead of refined carbohydrates. Carbs can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and higher insulin levels, which can hamper ovulation.
4. Avoid environmental toxins. There's mounting evidence that numerous environmental factors have an effect onfertility. In a recent laboratory study, for instance, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco found that bisphenol A, a chemical used in rigid plastic packaging for many foods and beverages, decreased the division of uterine cells, which could potentially prevent an embryo from attaching to the uterus. Postdoctoral fellow Lusine Aghajanova presented the finding last month at the annual ASRM meeting. To be safe, don't microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers (recycling code No. 7) and avoid canned foods, since cans are often coated on the inside with BPA.
Other, more established environmental threats include lead and lead compounds, which can cause hormonal and menstrual irregularities, and radiation like X-rays, which damage rapidly dividing cells. Benzene—used to make certain rubbers, lubricants, dyes, and detergents and found in some paint, nail polish, and hair dyes—can cause women to stop having periods; exposed men may experience decreased sperm count, according to the American Fertility Association, a New York City-based nonprofit organization. Researchers are also finding that phthalates, a class of chemicals found in many cosmetics, have the potential to cause irregularities in ovulation and decrease sperm quality.
5. Maintain a good weight and healthful habits. Studies have shown that being too thin—or too heavy—can throw off women's hormone levels and suppress ovulation. Overweight men could have hormonal problems associated with low sperm count and quality.
Exercise is, of course, a key to staying on top of your reproductive game. Men, however, might be cautious about working out in tight-fitting pants like biking shorts, which can overheat the testicles. Prolonged and repeated exposure to heat can impair sperm count and movement. Smoking also damages sperm and lowers sperm counts. And, in women, smoking appears to accelerate the loss of eggs, potentially advancing the onset of menopause by several years.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight to help with funding and awareness for the more then 70 million women effected by Endometriosis online at http://ping.fm/49L7v or on our communiy at http://ping.fm/ttF1o
College sweethearts Jonathan and Megan Romine finished school, got married and moved to Cape Coral from Indiana for jobs in their respective professions. They bought a house, had nice cars and decided it was time for the next part of their lives to start. They wanted a family.
Months went by and still she wasn't pregnant.
The months turned into years, and the dream started to get scary.
"Everybody in our group of friends either had children or were getting pregnant," Megan Romine, 27, said. "It was frustrating."
The couple felt isolated because they didn't know anyone else who was having the same problem.
"It was disappointing every month that I wasn't pregnant," Megan Romine said. "You feel alone."
Enter Dr. Craig Sweet, a Fort Myers reproductive endocrinologist, who saw the couple after Romine's physician recommended they go through testing to find the problem.
Sweet found potential problems on both sides, but nothing definitive.
After hearing their options, the Romines decided on a course of in vitro fertilization, a process in which the sperm and egg are united in a petri dish, then implanted in the womb. Within weeks, Megan Romine got the call she had been waiting for: She was pregnant.
"It was disbelief," she said. "I've spent 3 1/2 years wishing to be pregnant, and now this lady is telling me that I am."
A positive pregnancy spells success for Sweet, who has been working with couples facing fertility issues for the past 17 years.
The reasons couples face fertility problems are as varied as his patients. Men may have abnormal sperm or perhaps a motility issue. Women who have experienced blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, or have irregular ovulation can face an uphill battle in the pregnancy race. The stakes get higher as women age past 35.
"Older women have waited a little too long getting their ducks in a row to have little ducklings," Sweet said. "Some have run out of time."
Reasons older women have more challenges in conceiving include the increased risk of a sexually transmitted disease because of a higher number of sexual partners; the average weight has increased, which has metabolic and reproductive consequences; older women are more likely to develop fibroids and tumors that can prevent pregnancy; and older women usually have older partners.
"The sperm quality tends to drop," Sweet said.
Sweet looks at each woman's individual issues to determine the probability that he can help her conceive. He doesn't guarantee that every woman will walk out of his office with a baby on the way but overall about half of the women who seek Sweet's help end up with a child.
"There is a reproductive ceiling," Sweet said. "As women get older, I have a ceiling as to how successful I can be because of age."
Women who qualify for and choose in vitro fertilization or insemination are rolling the dice. They may end up with one baby, twins or triplets, or they may walk away without a viable pregnancy. It's a risk couples must weigh.
"We're just trying to be successful," Sweet said. "We're not always successful."
Sweet said he can put the components in place, but the human body can reject what appears to be a normal egg and sperm union.
"Many embryos look normal but they're not," he said. "We can't judge a book by its cover."
When he is successful, couples often get the best of both worlds –– the addition of a child and the subtraction of a potentially life-threatening gene.
Sweet worked with one couple where both partners carried a gene for cystic fibrosis, an inherited genetic disorder that affects the exocrine glands of the lungs, liver, pancreas and intestines. People born with the disease may die as young as their 20s but new treatments have extended some life expectancies to age 50.
After the couple went through in vitro fertilization, the eggs that Sweet implanted did not carry the disease.
"We stopped that disease in its tracks," he said.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her fight to raise funding and awareness for the more then 70 million women in this wrld effected by Endometriosis online at http:/www.RecoveringHope.org or on our community at http://ping.fm/ttF1o
Dec 01, 2008EWING, NJMARKET WIRE
DOR BioPharma, Inc. (OTCBB: DORB) ("DOR" or the "Company") announced today that it has received $1.5 million under a letter of intent with Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Sigma-Tau"), which grants Sigma-Tau an exclusive right to negotiate terms and conditions for a possible business transaction or strategic alliance regarding orBec(R) (oral beclomethasone dipropionate or oral BDP) and potentially other DOR pipeline compounds until March 1, 2009.
Under the terms of the letter of intent, Sigma-Tau has purchased $1.5 million of DOR's common stock at the market price of $0.09 per share, which will be considered an advance payment to be deducted from upfront monies due to DOR by Sigma-Tau pursuant to any future orBec(R) commercialization arrangement reached between the two parties.
Gregg Lapointe, Chief Executive Officer of Sigma-Tau, commented, "As a result of our long-standing relationship with DOR, we are confident orBec(R) will prove successful in the confirmatory Phase 3 clinical program. orBec(R) is also a very good fit with our rare disease focus, particularly with our other development activities in the transplant area. We look forward to finalizing our collaboration with DOR in the progression of this important compound."
"We are very pleased with Sigma-Tau's interest in orBec(R)," said Christopher J. Schaber, PhD, President and CEO of DOR. "We have known Sigma-Tau for a long time and have observed their strong commitment in working with other biotech companies, and have confidence in their expertise in commercializing orphan products. We look forward to productive discussions with Sigma-Tau to reach a mutually beneficial collaboration."
The common stock sold to Sigma-Tau has not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") or any state securities laws, and the securities may not be offered or sold absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Act and applicable state securities laws.
About orBec(R)
orBec(R) represents a first-of-its-kind oral, locally acting therapy tailored to treat the gastrointestinal manifestation of GVHD, the organ system where GVHD is most frequently encountered and highly problematic. orBec(R) is intended to reduce the need for systemic immunosuppressive drugs to treat GI GVHD. BDP is a highly potent, topically active corticosteroid that has a local effect on inflamed tissue. BDP has been marketed in the US and worldwide since the early 1970s as the active pharmaceutical ingredient in a nasal spray and in a metered dose inhaler for the treatment of patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma. orBec(R) is formulated for oral administration as a single product consisting of two tablets; one tablet is intended to release BDP in the proximal portions of the GI tract, and the other tablet is intended to release BDP in the distal portions of the GI tract.
Two prior randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials demonstrated that orBec(R) provides clinically meaningful outcomes when compared with the current standard of care, including a lowered exposure to systemic corticosteroids following allogeneic transplantation. Currently, there are no approved products to treat GI GVHD. The Phase 3 trial was a 129-patient pivotal Phase 3 multi-center clinical trial of orBec(R) conducted at 16 leading bone marrow/stem cell transplantation centers in the US and France. Although orBec(R) did not achieve statistical significance in the primary endpoint of its pivotal trial, namely median time to treatment failure through Day 50 (p-value 0.1177), orBec(R) did achieve statistical significance in other key secondary endpoints such as the proportion of patients free of GVHD at Day 50 (p-value 0.05) and Day 80 (p-value 0.005) and the median time to treatment failure through Day 80 (p-value 0.0226), as well as a 66% reduction in mortality among patients randomized to orBec(R) at 200 days post-transplant with only 5 patient (8%) deaths in the orBec(R) group compared to 16 patient (24%) deaths in the placebo group (p-value 0.0139). At one year post randomization in the pivotal Phase 3 trial, 18 patients (29%) in the orBec(R) group and 28 patients (42%) in the placebo group died within one year of randomization (46% reduction in mortality, hazard ratio 0.54, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.99, p=0.04, stratified log-rank test).
About Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a U.S. based, wholly owned subsidiary of the Sigma-Tau Group, and is dedicated solely to the global development and commercialization of medicines for patients with rare diseases. Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is based in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Since 1989, the company's products have been focused on rare diseases, kidney disease, and cancer. With more than 6,000 identified rare diseases that affect approximately 25 million patients in the U.S., Sigma-Tau places its considerable scientific resources behind the development and commercialization of compounds that benefit the few. The company has a substantial development program focused on transplant, cancer, inherited genetic disorders, malaria, and other areas of unmet medical need. For more information about the company, visit www.sigmatau.com.
About DOR BioPharma, Inc.
DOR BioPharma, Inc. (DOR) is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing products to treat life-threatening side effects of cancer treatments and serious gastrointestinal diseases, and vaccines for certain bioterrorism agents. DOR's lead product, orBec(R) (oral beclomethasone dipropionate or BDP), is a potent, locally acting corticosteroid being developed for the treatment of gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host disease (GI GVHD), a common and potentially life-threatening complication of hematopoietic cell transplantation. DOR expects to begin a confirmatory Phase 3 clinical trial of orBec(R) for the treatment of GI GVHD in the first half of 2009. orBec(R) is also currently the subject of an NIH-supported, Phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in the prevention of acute GVHD. Oral BDP may also have application in treating other gastrointestinal disorders characterized by severe inflammation. Additionally, DOR has a Lipid Polymer Micelle (LPM(TM)) drug delivery technology for the oral delivery of leuprolide for the treatment of prostate cancer and endometriosis.
Through its Biodefense Division, DOR is developing biomedical countermeasures pursuant to the Project BioShield Act of 2004. DOR's biodefense products in development are recombinant subunit vaccines designed to protect against the lethal effects of exposure to ricin toxin, botulinum toxin and anthrax. DOR's ricin toxin vaccine, RiVax(TM), has been shown to be well tolerated and immunogenic in a Phase 1 clinical trial in normal volunteers.
For further information regarding DOR BioPharma, Inc., please visit the Company's website at www.dorbiopharma.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect DOR BioPharma, Inc.'s current expectations about its future results, performance, prospects and opportunities. Statements that are not historical facts, such as "anticipates," "believes," "intends," or similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, these statements. DOR cannot assure you that it will be able to successfully develop or commercialize products based on its technology, including orBec(R), particularly in light of the significant uncertainty inherent in developing vaccines against bioterror threats, manufacturing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials of vaccines, and obtaining regulatory approvals, that its cash expenditures will not exceed projected levels, that it will be able to secure partnerships or obtain financing within the next nine months to meet operating expenses and to conduct its upcoming confirmatory Phase 3 trial of orBec(R), that product development and commercialization efforts will not be reduced or discontinued due to difficulties or delays in clinical trials or due to lack of progress or positive results from research and development efforts, that it will be able to successfully obtain any further grants and awards, maintain its existing grants which are subject to performance, enter into any biodefense procurement contracts with the US Government or other countries, that the US Congress may not pass any legislation that would provide additional funding for the Project BioShield program, that it will be able to patent, register or protect its technology from challenge and products from competition or maintain or expand its license agreements with its current licensors, or that its business strategy will be successful. Important factors which may affect the future use of orBec(R) for gastrointestinal GVHD include the risks that: the FDA's requirement that DOR conduct additional clinical trials to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of orBec(R) will take a significant amount of time and money to complete and positive results leading to regulatory approval cannot be assumed; DOR is dependent on the expertise, effort, priorities and contractual obligations of third parties in the clinical trials, manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of its products; orBec(R) may not gain market acceptance if it is eventually approved by the FDA; and others may develop technologies or products superior to orBec(R). These and other factors are described from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, DOR's most recent reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-KSB. Unless required by law, DOR assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events.
Company Contact: Evan Myrianthopoulos Chief Financial Officer (609) 538-8200 www.dorbiopharma.com DOR BioPharma, Inc. 850 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 201 Ewing, NJ 08628
SOURCE: DOR BioPharma, Inc.
Learn more about Allana Leigh and her effort to raise funding and awareness for the more then 70 million women in this world effected by Endometriosis at http://www.RecoveringHope.org or on our community at http://RecoveringHope.ning.com
During last night's big finale, Julianne told ET that she may have prematurely announced her departure from the hit show.
Although she made it to the final four this year, it was a tough run due to being diagnosed with endometriosis. The intense pain sent her to the hospital and she had to undergo an appendectomy just a little under a month ago. She triumphantly returned to the show but had said she was going to focus on her singing career.
Although she's not a 100-percent sure, she says she may indeed be back next season!
Posted November 26, 2008 8:25:00 AM
Learn more abour Allana Leigh and her fight to bring funding and awareness to the more then 70 million women who suffer from Endometriosis online at http://ping.fm/49L7v or in our community at http://ping.fm/ttF1o
If you are a female aged 18-49, have regular menstrual periods, and have had a surgical diagnosis of endometriosis in the past five years, you may qualify for this study.
The research site is in Seattle, Wash.
More information
Please see http://ping.fm/KYhDJ
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