五鼎 20億血糖量測片 衝了 !!!!

歐美追單 五鼎加碼擴產【經濟日報╱記者黃文奇／台北報導】 2012.07.03 03:37 am血糖量測廠五鼎（1733）董事長沈燕士昨（2）日表示，因應下半年歐美追單出現，現有產能明年恐將不足，將加碼讓產線倍增，總投資額約6億元；泰博也受惠中東國家政府血糖器材標案，連續3年每年獲3億片訂單，預估每年挹注營收4到6億元。 由於歐債問題有解、加上上海國際原料藥展剛落幕，年度生技月也將在7月下旬登場，生技族群在利多加持下，類股全面喊漲，包括學名藥廠生達、杏輝，測試晶片廠晶宇等多檔都漲停。血糖量測廠商也傳利多，五鼎昨日股價收75.4元，上漲1.3元；泰博收52.2元，上漲0.8元；華廣則以82元平盤作收。 五鼎說，公司6月營運和5月相較持平穩定，但由於下半年歐美訂單繼續追加，衡量目前年產10億片的規模，到明年恐不足以因應需求，五鼎去年已規劃投資4億元擴產，近期可望再加碼2億元，讓產能擴充至20億片以上，預計明年投產。 沈燕士說，去年公司預計分階段擴產，首波投資約4億元，因此董事會決議去年獲利盈餘全數發予股東；但考量近期訂單緩步加溫，加上老齡化商機加持，因此董事會決議擴大擴產規模，並且要求「1次到位」。 依五鼎規畫，擴產動作可能在兩岸同步進行，大陸以原本規劃的蘇州地區為主，台灣部分，由於新竹、桃園都個有舊廠房，因此也將兩地擇一。據了解，五鼎新竹廠區現有7,000多坪，比桃園廠大許多，因此新廠有可能落腳新竹。泰博表示，今年客戶接獲中東方面政府標案，年需求量達到600萬盒血糖測試片（3億片），且連續3年可望向泰博下訂單，將穩定挹注公司未來營運。法人說，以每盒售價3.5美元計算，保守估計每年可挹注至少6億元營收，推升公司今年營運將躍增二成，每股稅後純益也可望上看5元。 華廣也指出，目前內部擴產進度符合預期，但公司和美國通用醫材合作情況，比預期落後了一些；法人說，華廣今年首季狀況不佳，而第2季可望回升，今年營運大抵持平，明年進入爆發期。 焦點個股： ‧五鼎 【2012/07/02 經濟日報】

in vitro fertilization (IVF) & breast cancer !!

 IVF in young women tied to later breast cancer   Friday, June 22, 2012 By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who go through in vitro fertilization (IVF) early in life are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who don't undergo the treatment, suggests a new study. The findings, however, cannot determine whether IVF contributed to the cancers or whether something else could explain the link. "I don't think it's a huge increased risk that you should worry or panic (about)," said Louise Stewart, the study's lead author and a researcher at the University of Western Australia in Crawley. She added, however, that her findings did show a link between the two and doctors should keep that in the back of their minds. For the new study, Stewart and her colleagues collected information on 21,025 women between the ages of 20 and 40 years old who went through fertility treatment at the hospitals of Western Australia between 1983 and 2002. They were able to piece together enough data to follow the women for some 16 years to see if they developed breast cancer. When all the women were analyzed together, the researchers did not see an overall link between IVF and breast cancer. Roughly 1.7 percent of the 13,644 women who only had fertility drugs without IVF ended up developing breast cancer by the end of the study. That figure was about two percent for women who got fertility drugs and IVF - a difference the researchers say isn't statistically significant. When they divided the women into two different age groups, however, that changed. Women who started taking fertility drugs around their 24th birthday and went through IVF had a 56 percent greater chance of eventually developing breast cancer compared to those in the same age group who only went through fertility treatments without IVF. Meanwhile, there was no increased risk for women who started fertility treatments when they were about 40 years old, regardless of whether they had IVF or not, according to findings published in Fertility and Sterility. Stewart told Reuters Health that the most likely reason the younger women see an increased risk of breast cancer is that they are exposed to higher levels of circulating estrogen during their cycles of IVF treatment. "The development of breast cancer is linked to estrogen exposure and the longer one is exposed, the greater the risk," said Dr. Linda Giudice, president-elect of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, in a statement. "In an IVF cycle, there is a short, but significant elevation in circulating estrogen, and whether this is linked to the observations found in this study is not clear at this time," Giudice said. Stewart added, another explanation could be that younger women who undergo IVF may be different in some significant way from those who only have other types of fertility treatments. "If, for example younger women who had IVF were more likely to have a specific cause of infertility, and this was related to an increased risk of breast cancer, then it would appear that IVF was related to breast cancer when in fact it was the type of infertility that was more common in women who had IVF," Stewart explained. She emphasized that this is "just speculation," and the data used in the study didn't include information about the women's causes of infertility. She also said that the current study's results need to be confirmed by future research. Giudice, who was not involved with the new study, added, "Women should be reassured that, overall, IVF was not associated with an increased risk for development of breast cancer." SOURCE:  Fertility and Sterility, online May 28, 2012.

新竹雲端健康城市 推動聯盟!!!

推動雲端服務　打造新竹縣健康城 優活健康資訊網／UHO新聞部-2012年07月02日 下午18:28（優活健康網新聞部／綜合報導）臺北醫學大學醫學科技學院院長，台灣唯一美國醫學資訊學院(ACMI)院士李友專院長曾於專訪中指出「建構醫療、照護、保健三合一的健康雲，可有效提昇國人健康，並嘗試降低健保的支出」。有鑑於大新竹區的急重症醫療資源不足且新竹縣病床數為北部地區最低的縣市，新竹縣政府遂推動雲端健康城市計畫，結合百略醫學科技、東元醫院、台灣雲康、優活健康傳媒、友康健管、佳世達科技與智邦科技等專業團隊共同發起成立「新竹雲端健康城市推動聯盟」，以發展創新健康雲服務系統，提供大新竹地區居民更溫馨、更貼心的健康管理與健康促進服務。新竹市政府將舉辦說明會，由邱鏡淳縣長主持，並廣邀新竹縣竹北、竹東、湖口、關西、新埔等地方代表，上百位社區里長、發展協會與診所，一起為推動新竹縣健康城市概念努力。

Link between phthalates and early eczema uncovered

Published on June 29, 2012 By Helen Albert Research published in Environmental Health Perspectives suggests that prenatal exposure to butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP), a common component of vinyl flooring, may increase a child's risk for developing early eczema. "While hereditary factors, allergens, and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the first to show that prenatal exposure to BBzP is a risk factor," said lead author Allan Just (Columbia University, New York, USA) in a press statement. The team enrolled 407 nonsmoking women of African‑American and Dominican ethnicity and their children to take part in the study. The women provided urine samples that were tested for monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), the main metabolite of BBzP in urine, during the third trimester of pregnancy. The women were also questioned about whether their children developed symptoms of eczema between 0 and 60 months of age. In total, 30% of the children in the study developed eczema by the age of 2 years. Of these, 48% were African‑American and 21% Dominican. Most (>99%) maternal urine samples tested positive for MBzP. The team calculated that an increase in maternal log MBzP of 5.7 ng/ml (interquartile range) was associated with a significant 52% increased risk for childhood eczema before the age of 2 years following adjustment for factors such as urine specific gravity, gender, and ethnicity. To evaluate whether sensitivity to common allergens may influence the relationship between prenatal BBzP exposure and early eczema, the researchers also tested the children for total, anticockroach, dust mite, and mouse immunoglobulin E levels at 24, 36, and 60 months of age. But no association between maternal MBzP levels and sensitization to these allergens was found and seroatopy did not appear to influence the association between MBzP level and early childhood eczema. "We know allergies are a factor with some childhood eczema, but our data suggest that is not the case when BBzP is involved," study co-author Rachel Miller, also from Columbia University, told the press. "However, these are important findings, given that eczema is a common and uncomfortable disease of early childhood," she added. These findings add to others demonstrating the adverse health consequences of phthalate exposure including delayed motor skill development and behavioral problems in children and disruption of the endocrine system in children and adults. 

FDA重啟減肥藥上市大門，神隆客戶新藥受關注

  精實新聞 2012-06-29 10:05:30 記者 蕭燕翔 報導 美國FDA 13年來首度核准減肥新藥上市，市場也看好與神隆(1789)合作的美國藥廠Vivus新藥Qnexa最快可望在7月中取得藥證，因神隆是該藥廠的獨家供應商，將帶動未來5-10年的營收動能。 因處方藥物連續爆發安全性問題，美國FDA近年在審減肥新藥上格外謹慎，2010年還曾以安全疑慮拒絕放行3款減肥藥，至去年底為止，也有約13年沒有批准減肥新藥上市。也因此，FDA近日批准艾瑞納製藥(Arena)的減肥新藥Belviq上市，格外引發市場關注，據臨床結果顯示，使用該藥物平均一年減少5.8%體重，但可能引發憂鬱、偏頭痛、記憶喪失等副作用，且須進行6項心血管疾病及中風風險的後續研究。惟FDA 13年來首度開了減肥新藥的上市大門，讓市場對於未來該市場重回成長，抱以高度期待。其中與台廠最有關的是Vivus的Qnexa，該藥物傳言是由國內原料藥龍頭神隆擔任獨家原料供應商，而Qnexa今年2月也獲FDA諮詢小組以20：2的懸殊票數背書，建議將其列為處方用藥，一度激勵股價大漲，但4月中FDA通知將藥物審查截止日(PDUFA Date)延後3個月至7月17日，單日股價因而有所波動，惟隨藥物上市將至，目前股價維持高檔震盪。 法人也評估，FDA延長審查期限應屬正常動作，且因Qnexa減重效果優於Belviq，且沒有心血管等副作用疑慮，應有更大市場，最快7月中藥物有機會獲准上市，第三季起神隆相關原料藥將有小量拉貨，第四季逐步放量，且若市場接受度不弱，可望帶動未來5-10年的營收動能。 法人估計，神隆今年營收將上看46億元，年增16%，稅後盈餘12億元，年增26%，每股稅後盈餘1.9元，今年底至明年初常熟二期廠房建置完成後，將有助增加該公司打入中國原料藥市場，啟動新的成長動能。

Deleting a single gene results in autism-like behavior; immunosuppressant drug prevents symptoms

July 2, 2012 in Genetics Deleting a single gene in the cerebellum of mice can cause key autistic-like symptoms, researchers have found. They also discovered that rapamycin, a commonly used immunosuppressant drug, prevented these symptoms. The deleted gene is associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), a rare genetic condition. Since nearly 50 percent of all people with TSC develop autism, the researchers believe their findings will help us better understand the condition's development. "We are trying to find out if there are specific circuits in the brain that lead to autism-spectrum disorders in people with TSC," said Mustafa Sahin, Harvard Medical School associate professor of neurology at Boston Children's Hospital and senior author on the paper. "And knowing that deleting the genes associated with TSC in the cerebellum leads to autistic symptoms is a vital step in figuring out that circuitry." This is the first time researchers have identified a molecular component for the cerebellum's role in autism. "What is so remarkable is that loss of this gene in a particular cell type in the cerebellum was sufficient to cause the autistic-like behaviors," said Peter Tsai, HMS instructor of neurology and the first author of this particular study. These findings were published online July 1 in Nature. TSC is a genetic disease caused by mutations in either one of two genes, TSC1 and TSC2. Patients develop benign tumors in various organs in the body, including the brain, kidneys and heart, and often suffer from seizures, delayed development and behavioral problems. Researchers have known that there was a link between TSC genes and autism, and have even identified the cerebellum as the key area where autism and related conditions develop. Previous studies have shown that certain cells essential for cerebellar function called Purkinje cells, which are among the largest neurons in the human brain, are fewer in number in patients with autism. To better understand the relationship between Purkinje cells and autism, Sahin and his team deleted copies of the TSC1 gene in the Purkinje cells of mice. Some mice had only one copy of the gene deleted, while others had both of their copies deleted. In both cases, deleting this gene caused the three main signs of autistic-like behaviors: Abnormal social interactions. The mice spent less time with each other and more with inanimate objects, compared to controls. Repetitive behaviors. The mice spent extended amounts of time pursuing one activity or with one particular object far more than normal. Abnormal communication. Ultrasonic vocalizations, the communication method used among rodents, were highly distressed. The researchers also tested learning. "These mice were able to learn new things normally," said Tsai, "but they had trouble with 'reversal learning,' or re-learning what they had learned when their environment changed." Tsai and colleagues tested this by training the mice to swim a particular path in which a platform where they could rest was set up on one side of the pool. When the researchers moved the platform to the other side of the pool, the mice had greater difficulty than the control mice re-learning to swim to the other side. "These changes in behavior indicate that the TSC1 gene in Purkinje cells, and by extension, the cerebellum, are a part of the circuitry for autism disorders," emphasized Sahin. The researchers also found that the drug rapamycin averted the effects of the deleted gene. Administering the drug to the mice during development prevented the formation of autistic-like behaviors. Currently, Sahin is the sponsor-principal investigator for an ongoing Phase II clinical trial to test the efficacy of everolimus, a compound in the same family as rapamycin, in improving neurocognition in children with TSC. The trial will be open for enrollment until December 2013. "Our next step will be to see how the abnormalities in Purkinje cells affect autism-like development. We don't know how generalizable our current findings are, but understanding mechanisms beyond TSC genes might be useful to autism," said Tsai. Journal reference: NatureProvided by Harvard Medical School

翁啟惠...台灣生技中小企業發展模式 ! 讚啦 !!!!

生醫能量發功，政府快動起來 2012-07-02 【時報-台北電】生醫業能量續發光，繼醣聯、智擎、台微體投入的癌症新藥持續授權後，太景治療社區性肺炎的奈諾沙星也以1,400萬美元授權浙江藥廠，中研院院長翁啟惠認為，我生醫業能量已出來了，2014年可望有新藥拿到藥證上市。此際政府應制定更彈性的政策，整合資源，推動生醫產業打進國際競技場。翁啟惠表示，日本由於決策太慢，在生技產業的布局上漸失優勢，新加坡是大量引進人才，但實際上內部產業的發展還未成氣候，韓國則是政府大力扶持，三星等大集團加入戰場，開發出新藥，而台灣生技業都是中小企業，小兵立大功模式，創造不錯彈性和能量。翁啟惠指出，國內目前已有20個以上新藥進入美國FDA臨床，而太景、基亞生技的新藥也可望打進大陸，東洋集團的布局十分穩健，原料藥的神隆等公司國際競爭力強，杏輝與旗下的杏國低調投入新藥開發，也將陸續開花結果，另外像浩鼎、瑞華的新藥開發相當具利基，中天在保健食品和新藥開發也有優勢，快的話2014年台灣應有新藥可獲認證上市。翁啟惠說，整體來看，台灣的生技產業是不用怕韓國，也不需要像電子業必須要聯日、美去抗韓，但政府應趁著生技產業能量要爆發時，應祭出更優惠的政策，讓生技產業能吸引更多專利、行銷、法律等人才，俾以進軍國際舞台。(新聞來源：工商時報─記者杜蕙蓉／台北報導) 

New study nets eight new genes for osteoarthritis

 July 2, 2012 in Arthritis & Rheumatism The biggest probe yet into the inherited causes of osteoarthritis has turned up eight genes associated with this painful disease, bringing the tally of suspects to 11, The Lancet reported on Tuesday. Researchers led by John Loughlin at Newcastle University, northeast England, compared the DNA code of more than 7,400 people with severe hip and knee osteoarthritis against that of more than 11,000 counterparts who did not have the disease. The results were then cross-checked against a second group, comprising 7,500 people who had osteoarthritis and 43,000 otherwise healthy counterparts. Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of arthritis, affecting about 40 percent of the world's population aged older than 70. Genes are believed to account for about half of the risk for the disease and environmental factors for the rest. Spotting genes associated with disease helps identify people who are most at risk, so that they can make lifestyle changes. Genetic clues also open the way to new drugs to treat the condition. Journal reference: The Lancet(c) 2012 AFP 

Oxygen Injections May Save Thousands of Compromised Patients

by GENE OSTROVSKY on Jun 29, 2012 • 10:59 am During life-threatening situations where patient's respiratory status is compromised (acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sever pneumonia, pneumothorax, etc.), there's an acute need to oxygenate the blood to prevent near certain death. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have developed a way to inject oxygen into the bloodstream, a method that may soon be an option for critical care clinicians, ER staff, and maybe even first responders. The technique relies on encapsulating pure oxygen gas within self-assembling lipid structures. The resulting foam suspension contains between 50 and 90 ml of oxygen per deciliter, and its effectiveness was confirmed by prolonging life in hypoxemic rabbits and animals with a blocked trachea. Researchers at Children's Hospital note that the particles are different from perfluorocarbon-based blood substitutes, which can carry oxygen but are not useful when the lungs are unable to oxygenate them. Instead, the microparticles are designed for situations in which respiratory function is completely incapacitated.

From the study abstract in Science Translational Medicine: When the microparticles were infused by intravenous injection into hypoxemic rabbits, arterial saturations increased within seconds to near-normal levels; this was followed by a decrease in oxygen tensions after stopping the infusions. The particles were also infused into rabbits undergoing 15 min of complete tracheal occlusion. Oxygen microparticles significantly decreased the degree of hypoxemia in these rabbits, and the incidence of cardiac arrest and organ injury was reduced compared to controls. The ability to administer oxygen and other gases directly to the bloodstream may represent a technique for short-term rescue of profoundly hypoxemic patients, to selectively augment oxygen delivery to at-risk organs, or for novel diagnostic techniques. Furthermore, the ability to titrate gas infusions rapidly may minimize oxygen-related toxicity. Children's Hospital Boston statement: Injecting life-saving oxygen into a vein… Abstract in Science Translational Medicine: Oxygen Gas–Filled Microparticles Provide Intravenous Oxygen Delivery 

Dad's Love Can Be Crucial for Happy Childhood

For many kids, rejection by father can be even more devastating than by mother Friday, June 15, 2012 FRIDAY, June 15 (HealthDay News) -- Move over, tiger moms. Dads can play an even more significant role in the development of happy, well-adjusted children than do mothers, a new study indicates. Just in time for Father's Day, findings from a large-scale review of research shed light on how parental acceptance and rejection can affect the personalities of progeny well into adulthood. "In our 50 years of research in every continent but Antarctica, we have found that nothing has as strong and consistent an effect on personality development as does being rejected by a parent -- especially by a father -- in childhood," said study co-author Ronald Rohner, director of the Ronald and Nancy Rohner Center for the Study of Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection at the University of Connecticut, in Storrs. The study, published recently in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review, analyzed 36 studies, from 1975 to 2010, involving almost 1,400 adults and 8,600 children in 18 countries. The children ranged in age from 9 to 18, and adults were between 18 and 89. All the studies included in the review included an assessment of seven personality traits considered central to what is called "parental acceptance-rejection theory." Those traits -- aggression, independence, positive self-esteem, positive self-adequacy, emotional responsiveness, emotional stability and positive worldview -- were evaluated using self-report questionnaires. Participants were asked about their parents' degree of acceptance or rejection during their childhoods and about their own personality characteristics or tendencies. "The study shows a strong relationship between those seven traits and the experience of feeling accepted and cared about by your parents," said Dr. John Sargent, a professor of psychology and pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine and chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center, in Boston. "What's really important to kids is to know they're accepted by their parents," Sargent said. Study author Rohner said fathers may have a greater impact on a child's personality because children and teenagers pay more attention to the parent who seems to have greater interpersonal power, or influence, in the family's power hierarchy. He explained that when a father is perceived as having more power, even if he spends less time with the children, he can have a greater impact. That's because his comments or actions seem to stand out more notably. This is despite the fact that, all over the world, mothers tend to spend more time with kids than fathers do. While not being accepted causes identifiable personality issues, acceptance doesn't necessarily confer particular benefits. "Unfortunately, humans respond more dramatically to negative things," Rohner said. Rejection predicts a specific set of negative outcomes -- such as hostility, low self-esteem, negativity -- while feeling loved and accepted is not as closely associated with particular positive outcomes, he explained. There was no difference seen in the importance of a father's love for girls versus boys. The study does not establish a causal connection between respondents' personalities and perceptions of being accepted or rejected. Rohner said the research shows that society tends to place too much emphasis on the impact of mothers on children, often blaming them for troublesome personality traits or behaviors, even into adulthood. "We need to start giving greater acclaim to dads, and put them on an equal footing with moms in terms of their impact on children," he said. "Our work should encourage dads to get really involved in the loving care of their children at an early age," Rohner said. "Their kids will be measurably better off." SOURCES: Ronald P. Rohner, professor emeritus and director, Ronald and Nancy Rohner Center for Interpersonal Acceptance and Rejection, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.; John Sargent, M.D., professor, psychology and pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine, and chief, child and adolescent psychiatry, Tufts Medical Center, Boston; May 2012 Personality and Social Psychology Review HealthDay 

Weight-Loss Surgery May Improve Diabetes-Related Kidney Damage

 Obese patients who had bariatric procedure had lower rates of kidney disease, study found By Robert Preidt Wednesday, June 20, 2012 WEDNESDAY, June 20 (HealthDay News) -- Weight-loss surgery may reduce the risk of kidney disease in obese people with diabetes, according to a small study. The study included 52 patients, mostly female, who were obese and had type 2 diabetes. Nearly 40 percent of the patients had diabetic nephropathy, a form of kidney damage that can require dialysis and lead to kidney failure. All of the patients underwent bariatric surgery, intended to help people lose weight. Most had a type of bariatric surgery known as gastric bypass, in which the stomach is stapled to make it smaller, and the small intestine is rerouted to the smaller pouch. Five years after surgery, nearly 60 percent of the patients who'd had diabetic nephropathy no longer had the condition, the researchers said. They also found that only 25 percent of those who did not have diabetic nephropathy at the time of surgery eventually developed the condition. That's about 50 percent less than the occurrence rate in people with diabetes who don't have bariatric surgery. The five-year diabetes remission and improvement rates for patients in the study were 44 percent and 33 percent, respectively. The study is scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery in San Diego. "When we started this study, we thought bariatric surgery may just halt the progression of diabetic nephropathy," lead author Dr. Helen Heneghan, a bariatric surgery fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, said in a society news release. "Instead, over half the patients who had diabetic nephropathy prior to undergoing bariatric surgery experienced remission. This is a remarkable finding that warrants greater consideration of bariatric surgery in this patient population." About 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes worldwide are overweight or obese, according to the World Health Organization. In the study, patients' average body-mass index -- a measure of body fat based on height and weight -- was 49 at the time of the surgery. A body-mass index of 30 or higher is considered obese. Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. Experts also note that although the study found an association between weight-loss surgery and less kidney damage, researchers did not prove that the surgery was responsible for the decreased kidney disease. SOURCE: American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, news release, June 20, 2012 HealthDay 

翁啟惠樂觀：國家生技園區104年完工

 【聯合晚報╱記者林進修/台北報導】 2012.07.02 02:23 pm攸關台灣生技發展前景的國家生技研究園區，確定民國104 年底完工，民國105年4月開幕。中央研究院院長翁啟惠樂觀指出，國家生技研究園區的籌建作業相當順利，一定可如期呈現在國人面前。翁啟惠的樂觀與信心，今天也得到總統馬英九的大力支持。馬總統上午在開幕典禮致辭時指出，國家生技研究園區過去雖一波三折，碰到很多困難，但在中研院全力和各界溝通，並縮小建物面積後，阻礙逐一排除，目前大都解決了。他希望國家生技研究園區能在他的任內完成，他的第二任總統任期，從今年5月至民國105年5月。 翁啟惠表示，放低姿態並誠意相對，是他和環保團體溝通的原則，他發現經過不斷接觸及溝通後，這些環保團體大都能接受他提出的看法，也逐漸接受國家生技研究園區，終讓籌建作業得以順利進行。 翁啟惠說，國防部已逐一將園區內202兵工廠的廠房遷出，目前正在進行整地、排水等基礎工程，預計明年8月動工興建各主體大樓，民國104年底完工，105年4月開幕。 【2012/07/02 聯合晚報】

More evidence obesity may lower IVF success

 Wednesday, June 20, 2012 Obesity By Amy Norton NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The odds of having a baby via in-vitro fertilization (IVF) may be lower for obese women than their thinner counterparts, two new studies find. The studies, reported in the journal Fertility and Sterility, add to evidence suggesting that heavy women have a lesser chance of success with IVF -- where a woman's eggs are fertilized in a lab dish then implanted in her uterus. Research shows that obese women may be less fertile than their thinner peers. But the evidence has been mixed on whether extra pounds can affect a woman's odds of having a baby with IVF. In the new studies, researchers at two different Massachusetts fertility centers found that overweight women were less likely to have a baby after IVF. In one, the birth rate among both overweight and obese women was 23 percent, versus 42 percent among women at the lower end of the normal-weight range. In the other study, the odds of success were lower only for obese women, and not those who were less overweight. Of 477 women who were moderately obese, 22 percent had a baby. That compared with 30 percent of normal-weight women. And the chances of success dipped with the severity of a woman's obesity. Among the most obese women -- about 100 pounds or more overweight -- 15 percent had a baby. The lead researcher on that study said there are still questions about the role of a woman's weight in IVF success. In some past studies, researchers have found that normal-weight and obese women have similar chances of having a baby, said Dr. Vasiliki A. Moragianni, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston. But most of those studies were much smaller than this one, he said in an email.

NO DIFFERENCE FOR SHORT-TERM WEIGHT LOSS Moragianni's team had data on 4,600 women who underwent a first-time round of IVF or IVF plus intracytoplasmic sperm injection -- a technique used when there are problems with the sperm. The other study, led by Dr. Jorge E. Chavarro, included 170 women who had at least one round of fertility treatment at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. Overall, obese and overweight women were less likely to have a baby, Chavarro's team found. So then the researchers looked at whether short-term weight loss made a difference. There were 45 women who had managed to shed some pounds before starting their first treatment cycle -- typically about 6 pounds. But the researchers found no difference in their chances of having baby, even though those women did tend to produce a higher number of "mature," usable eggs. None of that means weight loss is no use to heavy women undergoing infertility treatment, the researchers say. The fact is, no one is sure what impact weight loss might have, according to Moragianni. He said there is evidence that weight loss helps obese women who have a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome, which disrupts ovulation. But little is known about other women. "It can certainly be hypothesized that weight reduction and lifestyle changes can improve (infertility treatment) outcomes in obese individuals," Moragianni said. But clinical trials are needed to actually prove that is true, he added. Researchers are not sure why heavier women might have less success with infertility treatment. Obesity may affect the quality of the eggs or embryos a woman produces, Moragianni said, and heavy women sometimes have a less "receptive" uterus versus thinner women. There may also be a role for hormones, since body fat can affect the ovaries' hormone production. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/M6YF5k and http://bit.ly/LfQtAJ Fertility & Sterility, online May 14 and 17, 2012. Reuters Health 

晟德：代重要子公司玉晟創業投資股份有限公司公告董事會決議通過透過第三地間接投資大陸

 鉅亨網新聞中心　　2012-07-02 19:49:29 第二條　第20款 1.事實發生日:2012/07/022.本次新增（減少）投資方式: 透過香港東源國際醫藥(股)公司增資大陸東曜藥業。 3.交易數量、每單位價格及交易總金額: 總金額USD310萬元。 4.本次新增投資大陸被投資公司之公司名稱: 東曜藥業有限公司 5.前開大陸被投資公司之實收資本額: USD 2100萬元 6.前開大陸被投資公司本次擬新增資本額: USD 1650萬元 7.前開大陸被投資公司主要營業項目: 癌症用藥、脂體注射劑、單株抗體之生產及研發 8.前開大陸被投資公司最近年度財務報表會計師意見型態: 無保留 9.前開大陸被投資公司最近年度財務報表淨值: 人民幣 81,145仟元 10.前開大陸被投資公司最近年度財務報表損益金額: 人民幣 -22,462仟元 11.迄目前為止，對前開大陸被投資公司之實際投資金額: 新臺幣 185,960仟元 12.迄目前為止，投審會核准赴大陸地區投資總額（含本次投資）: NTD 185,960仟元 13.迄目前為止，投審會核准赴大陸地區投資總額（含本次投資）占最近期財務報表 實收資本額之比率: 19.78% 14.迄目前為止，投審會核准赴大陸地區投資總額（含本次投資）占最近期財務報表 總資產之比率: 21.95% 15.迄目前為止，投審會核准赴大陸地區投資總額（含本次投資）占最近期財務報表 股東權益之比率: 21.95% 16.迄目前為止，實際赴大陸地區投資總額: 185,960仟元 17.迄目前為止，實際赴大陸地區投資總額占最近期財務報表實收資本額之比率: 19.78% 18.迄目前為止，實際赴大陸地區投資總額占最近期財務報表總資產之比率: 21.95% 19.迄目前為止，實際赴大陸地區投資總額占最近期財務報表股東權益之比率: 21.95% 20.最近三年度認列投資大陸損益金額: 100年：-15,666仟元 99年：-2,087仟元 98年：0元 21.最近三年度獲利匯回金額: 0 22.交易相對人及其與公司之關係: 本公司採權益法評價之被投資公司 23.交易相對人為實質關係人者，並應公告選定關係人為交易對象之原因及前次移轉 之所有人（含與公司及相對人間相互之關係）、移轉日期及金額: 不適用 24.交易標的最近五年內所有權人曾為公司之實質關係人者，尚應公告關係人之取得 及處分日期、價格及交易當時與公司之關係: 不適用 25.處分利益（或損失）: 不適用 26.交付或付款條件（含付款期間及金額）、契約限制條款及其他重要約定事項: 現金增資 27.本次交易之決定方式、價格決定之參考依據及決策單位: 董事會決議 28.經紀人: 不適用 29.取得或處分之具體目的: 長期投資及拓展大陸事業 30.本次交易董事有異議:否 31.本次交易會計師出具非合理性意見:否 32.其他敘明事項: 無

Should You Put Sunscreen on Infants? Not Usually

 Here are some of the most important ways to protect your infant from the harmful rays of the sun: an umbrella and brimmed hat for shade, a cooler for liquids, a bottle for hydration, and clothing for covering the skin.

Sun Safety Tips for Infants You're at the beach, slathered in sunscreen. Your 5-month-old baby is there, too. Should you put sunscreen on her? Not usually, according to Hari Cheryl Sachs, M.D., a pediatrician at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). "The best approach is to keep infants under 6 months out of the sun," Sachs says, "and to avoid exposure to the sun in the hours between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when ultraviolet (UV) rays are most intense."

Sunscreens are recommended for children and adults. What makes babies so different? For one thing, babies' skin is much thinner than that of adults, and it absorbs the active, chemical ingredients in sunscreen more easily, explains Sachs. For another, infants have a high surface-area to body-weight ratio compared to older children and adults. Both these factors mean that an infant's exposure to the chemicals in sunscreens is much greater, increasing the risk of allergic reaction or inflammation. The best protection is to keep your baby in the shade, if possible, Sachs says. If there's no natural shade, create your own with an umbrella or the canopy of the stroller. If there's no way to keep an infant out of the sun, you can apply a small amount of sunscreen—with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15—to small areas such as the cheeks and back of the hands. Sachs suggests testing your baby's sensitivity to sunscreen by first trying a small amount on the inner wrist. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests dressing infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn. Tight weaves are better than loose. Keep in mind that while baseball caps are cute, they don't shade the neck and ears, sensitive areas for a baby.

Summer's heat presents other challenges for babies. Younger infants also don't sweat like we do, Sachs says. Sweat naturally cools the rest of us down when we're hot, but babies haven't yet fully developed that built-in heating-and-cooling system. So you want to make sure your baby doesn't get overheated. In the heat, babies are also at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. To make sure they're adequately hydrated, offer them their usual feeding of breast milk or formula, says Sachs. The water content in both will help keep them well hydrated. A small of amount water in between these feedings is also okay.

Sun Safety Tips for Infants Here are some things to keep in mind this summer when outside with infants: Keep your baby in the shade as much as possible. If you do use a small amount of sunscreen on your baby, don't assume the child is well protected. Make sure your child wears clothing that covers and protects sensitive skin. Use common sense; if you hold the fabric against your hand and it's so sheer that you can see through it, it probably doesn't offer enough protection. Make sure your baby wears a hat that provides sufficient shade at all times. Watch your baby carefully to make sure he or she doesn't show warning signs of sunburn or dehydration. These include fussiness, redness and excessive crying. Hydrate! Give your baby formula, breast milk, or a small amount of water between feedings if you're out in the sun for more than a few minutes. Don't forget to use a cooler to store the liquids. Take note of how much your baby is urinating. If it's less than usual, it may be a sign of dehydration, and that more fluids are needed until the flow is back to normal. Avoid sunscreens containing the insect repellant DEET on infants, particularly on their hands. Young children may lick their hands or put them in their mouths. According to AAP, DEET should not be used on infants less than 2 months old. If you do notice your baby is becoming sunburned, get out of the sun right away and apply cold compresses to the affected areas. 

Research links educational status to obesity

 July 2, 2012 in Overweight and Obesity (Medical Xpress) -- A study published online today by Melbourne researchers predicts almost half of Australian adults with low educational status will be obese by 2025. The projections show the prevalence of obesity among Australian adults with secondary level education only is likely to nearly double in 2025 (from 23% in 2000 to 44% in 2025, compared to an estimated 30% in 2025 for those with a degree qualification or higher), with these disparities evident across all age groups. The study, which was led by Baker IDI researcher Dr. Kathryn Backholer and published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, has major implications for governments, health authorities and educators with regards to the development of health prevention strategies and policy.The study suggests that unless obesity prevention and management strategies narrow social inequalities in obesity, such inequality will also impact health outcomes, particularly when it comes to rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The predictions mirror those of other international studies, with similar socio-economic inequalities in weight gain observed in studies from the United States and Finland, as well as Australia. Head of Obesity and Population Health at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, and co-author of the study, Associate Professor Anna Peeters said there were a number of potential reasons for the predicted growth in the relationship between low educational attainment and obesity prevalence, including differing environmental, social and cultural influences throughout life on lifestyle and physiology. Disparities in exposure to, and uptake of, health promotion and other public health interventions were also likely to play a part. A/Prof Peeters said the challenge for government, health authorities and communities would be to implement interventions that not only curbed current body weight trends but also narrowed differences in obesity prevalence between socioeconomic groups.Given the alarming obesity trends in Australia (with 34% of Australian adults expected to be obese in 2025) and our inability to reverse these trends to date, A/Prof Peeters said these latest predictions were a further reason to increase our efforts to make healthy lifestyles accessible, affordable and enjoyable. 

訊聯搶灘拉丁美洲！間質幹細胞技術移轉至巴拿馬

 鉅亨網記者胡薏文 台北　　2012-07-02 20:25　 訊聯生技(1784-TW)國際化佈局再下一城，成功搶灘拉丁美洲！訊聯今天公告與Cordon de Vida (Panama)簽約，成為策略合作伙伴，將間質幹細胞技術移轉至巴拿馬！訊聯表示，未來除了幹細胞分離技術外，也將可延伸至產前基因檢測合作。 這也是訊聯繼台灣、日本市場後，拓展國際業務的一項重大突破。訊聯表示，與Cordon de Vida (Panama)簽約合作，技轉範圍限於拉丁美洲地區，也希望透過這項合作，能將服務對象擴及海外華人。訊聯今年業績因「龍子潮」帶旺，前5月營收達2.49億元，年增率13.71%，自結前5月稅前盈餘為4000萬元，稅後盈餘3200萬元，每股稅後盈餘0.66元，已超越去年全年每股稅後盈餘0.46元水準。 訊聯僅為台灣臍帶血儲存市占率龍頭，且在臍帶血部分，累計超過120個移植案例，品牌在華人市場以建立口碑，認同度大增。 訊聯隨今年新生兒出生率攀高，第2、3季業績將有機會持續增溫，同時旗下專攻攻基因檢測的創源生技 (4160-TW) ，已正式送件申請上櫃，最快年底前掛牌交易，訊聯生技集團即將正式成軍。

友霖OP014最快明年授權 3年後美上市 搶10億美元商機

 鉅亨網記者張旭宏 台北　　2012-06-15 18:45　 友霖生技執行長蔡孟霖(圖中)表示，公司針對治療帕金森氏症所引起流口水症狀的OP014，最慢今年底可完成人體臨床試驗。(鉅亨網記者張旭宏攝) 友華(4120-TW)旗下新藥廠友霖生技(4166-TW)今(15)日登錄興櫃法說會，執行長蔡孟霖表示，公司針對治療帕金森氏症所引起流口水症狀的OP014，最慢今年底可完成人體臨床試驗，目前有國際藥廠積極接觸，預計明年將授權出去，3年後藥品可望在美上市銷售，搶攻全球10億美元商機。友霖為新藥研發廠，目前股本16.8億元，友華持股58.2%，目前以友霖研發製造，友華負責行銷推廣。友霖主要營運為為藥品研發，包含新藥及學名藥研發，及代工服務，包含藥品代工及臨床實驗設計服務。但友霖現以代工服務為其目前主要營收來源。2010-2011年營收分別為1億元及1.25億元，主要都來自為友華藥品代工的收入，2010年1月向友華租用桃園廠廠房後，即承接代工友華藥品訂單生產業務，以心血管及糖尿病用藥為主；另14%營收為服務收入，即為提供友華臨床實驗及法規登記服務。蔡孟霖進一步指出，友霖是專注在新劑型新藥的開發，並聚焦在中樞神經(CNS)藥品開發，且以美國市場為開發導向，全球13%人口受中樞神經類疾病所苦，全世界藥物市場規模高達700億美元，其中又以抗精神病及抗憂鬱為大宗，隨著高齡化社會來臨，阿茲海默及帕金森氏症近年大幅成長，未來公司商機可觀。 蔡孟霖強調，公司新藥研發於海外市場以美國FDA規範之505(b)(2)新藥為主，台灣則以tNCE為主，以避免學名藥價格競爭。學名藥則以利基型學名藥為開發標的，如具技術門檻的長效型學名藥開發全球帕金森氏症病患中，流口水症狀的盛行率約30-70%，初估全球市場規模約10億美元，目前OP014新劑型新藥已取得澳洲及新加坡專利，歐美也提出申請，現也在美國底特律醫學中心進行人體臨床二期試驗，最慢今年年底完成，未來將規劃進行海外授權。 除了OP014外，蔡孟霖表示，公司積極開發ORADUR新藥，此新藥為一治療注意力缺乏過動症(ADHD)的藥物，目前相關藥物以J&J的Concerta市佔率最大，全球年銷售額超過13.2億美元，但起效時間過長且有藥物濫用風險，友霖針對藥物進行改良，除可縮短藥物達到最高濃度的時間外，友霖與日商共同開發的兩階段釋放膠囊技術平台將該藥物改以膠狀膠囊劑型，可達到防止管制藥物濫用的特性。目前進行人體臨床一期，預計2013年可進行二期臨床。蔡孟霖樂觀表示，友霖未來將朝兩個營運模式，除與世界出名的研發中心共同開發新藥外，一則自行生產賣到美國經銷商，另外則完成階段臨床試驗後授權出去，單純收授權金，目前最快應該是OP014，據了解已有幾家國際大廠積極接觸，最快明年就可以授權出去，公司就會獲利賺錢。

神隆東洋 成交爆量

【經濟日報╱記者高佳菁／台北報導】 2012.07.03 01:57 am歐盟峰會釋出利多，台股昨（2）日同慶上漲48點，而生技股在生技月及生技大展加持，如杏輝、生達等多檔鎖漲停，而神隆也接近漲停，吸引權民卡位，如神隆多檔權證漲幅逾三成，且有3檔成交量破千張。圖／經濟日報提供 傳產族群昨天以生技類股走勢最亮眼，指數大漲3.67%。法人表示，在政府近年來積極扶植生技產業，並將7月訂為生技月，加上日前生策會將第2類高階醫材納入「生技新藥產業發展條例」適用範圍，預計9月修法後上路，在利多題材不斷，生技股短線偏多。 神隆日前大手筆在南科興建癌症針劑廠，由原料藥延伸至製劑廠的一條鞭服務，公司預計在2014年完工，上周股價創波段新高來到56.8元，隨著生技月來臨，昨股價更一舉突破近2個月新高，來到58.3元，大漲6.58%。 神隆昨帶量突破新高，如昨成交量高達7,660張，較5日均量2,869張與10日均量3,109張，多出2、3倍。在技術線型呈多頭排列，昨天權證交易爆出難得一見的大量，有3檔權證成交量都逾千張，成交量在數百張以上也有10餘檔，不僅成交量亮眼，漲幅更犀利，有多檔漲幅在三成以上，昨天有交易的權證漲幅也都在一成五以上。 另股價來到波段高點119元的東洋，昨天也帶量站上所有均線，由於近期在微脂體抗癌藥物Lipo-Dox（卵巢癌、多發性骨髓瘤、卡波西氏瘤）與美國、歐洲策略聯盟，預估今年的出量可達70萬針，明年破百萬針，並挑戰亞洲最大針劑供應中心，在利多訊息不斷，股價有機會再創新高。 工銀證券新金部表示，在生技月加持下，短線生技股偏多。因此，投資人在透過權證布局上，可挑價外15%、距到期日2個月以上的權證，槓桿效果較大。 【2012/07/03 經濟日報】

Exercise Program Boosts Health After Lung Transplant

 Training regimen linked to improved strength, mobility and heart health a year after surgery By Robert Preidt Wednesday, June 27, 2012 WEDNESDAY, June 27 (HealthDay News) -- A structured exercise program boosted the overall health of lung transplant patients and reduced their risk of cardiovascular problems, a new study reports. Lung transplant patients often have weak muscles and limited physical endurance due to inactivity before the transplant and the drugs they must take after, the researchers said. Many patients remain inactive after their transplant, and up to half develop conditions such as high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoporosis, the study authors noted.

Exercise can help prevent these problems. The new study included 40 patients with an average age of 59 who had single or double lung transplants. About half were assigned to a three-month exercise program while the rest (the control group) received usual care. The patients in the exercise group did three 90-minute workouts per week after they were discharged from the hospital. The activities included cycling, walking, stair climbing and leg presses. Exercise intensity increased over the course of the training program. The control group did not engage in the training regimen, but did perform daily mobility exercises -- such as walking, cycling and stair climbing -- for about six weeks after their surgery. One year after being discharged from the hospital, patients in the exercise group were walking an average of 85 minutes a day, compared with 54 minutes for those in the control group. The patients in the exercise group also had significantly more leg strength and self-reported physical functioning, could walk farther in six minutes, did much more physical activity and had lower blood pressure and better cardiovascular health than those in the control group. The study was published in the June issue of the American Journal of Transplantation. "Our study showed patients who had uncomplicated lung transplant surgery benefited greatly from supervised exercise training, which was initiated immediately after they were discharged from [the] hospital," lead author Dr. Daniel Langer, an expert in respiratory diseases and rehabilitation at University Hospitals KU Leuven in Belgium, said in a journal news release. SOURCE: American Journal of Transplantation, news release, June 21, 2012 HealthDay 

Hot Flashes Don't Signal Poor Heart Health for Most Women

 The exception may be when hot flashes continue for years or start many years after menopause Friday, June 29, 2012 FRIDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- The hot flashes that bedevil so many women as they enter menopause don't appear to be linked to poorer heart health, new research suggests. The exception to that finding may be if hot flashes persist for many years after the onset of menopause, or if the hot flashes start many years after menopause begins. "It's very reassuring for the women who have the most common pattern of hot flashes. There is no signal of an increased cardiovascular risk for women who have hot flashes around the time of menopause," said study author Dr. Emily Szmuilowicz, assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. "But there may be a suggestion of increased cardiovascular risk among the smaller group of women who experience these symptoms for the first time many years after menopause or who have them for many years." The study was presented this week at the Endocrine Society annual meeting in Houston. A woman is considered to be in menopause one year after her last menstrual cycle. As much as 85 percent of women, by some estimates, will experience hot flashes during that time -- and possibly in the years leading up to it, said Dr. Cynthia Stuenkel, a menopause expert and clinical professor of medicine at the University of California-San Diego. "We know that hot flashes are a very normal experience for women going through menopause," Stuenkel said. Much of the underlying physiology of hot flashes remains a mystery, experts say. But in the past few years, some research suggests hot flashes may be associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease. A study published last year based on data from the Women's Health Initiative study -- a large, long-term look at postmenopausal women -- found that those who had late-onset hot flashes were at a higher risk of heart attacks and death during the study period. (Women who had hot flashes around the time of menopause faced no added risk, and perhaps even a lower risk of heart attack than women with no hot flashes.) The current study was a follow-up to the prior study, measuring biological markers to try to determine what the underlying mechanism might be. Szmuilowicz and her colleagues examined data on nearly 60,000 postmenopausal woman with an average age of 64 who were asked about hot flashes, including when they started getting them and how many years they persisted. Compared to women who didn't have hot flashes, women who got hot flashes around the time of menopause onset were no more likely to have certain markers associated with a heightened risk of heart disease. Those markers include blood-pressure levels and white-blood-cell counts, which can be a sign of inflammation, Szmuilowicz said. But women whose hot flashes emerged an average of 14 years after menopause and those who had persistent hot flashes (those who had them both around menopause and many years later) had higher blood-pressure readings and higher white-blood-cell counts. Women who had only early hot flashes also had better readings on a marker for blood vessel function than women who didn't have hot flashes, although there was no difference in women with late or persistent hot flashes. In women with persistent hot flashes, blood glucose and insulin levels also were higher, which may indicate diabetes risk. There was no association between diabetes risk factors and women in any of the other hot-flash groups. Although the science on hot flashes remains murky, experts said women experiencing persistent or late-onset hot flashes may be wise to try to lower their risk for heart disease and stroke, including keeping blood pressure and weight in check, exercising and eating a healthy diet. "Menopause is a good time for women to step back and take stock of their health," Stuenkel said. "There are a whole lot of things women can due to decrease their risk." Because this study was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. SOURCES: Emily Szmuilowicz, M.D., assistant professor, medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; Cynthia Stuenkel, M.D., clinical professor, medicine, division of endocrinology and metabolism, University of California-San Diego; June 25, 2012, presentation, Endocrine Society annual meeting, Houston HealthDay 

利多加持，生技股多頭剽悍

2012-07-02 12:27 時報資訊 【時報記者郭鴻慧台北報導】 生技類股挾著放寬二類醫材納入生技新藥條例及生技展人氣題材，多頭氣勢如虹，個股順勢大漲，帶動族群漲幅逾3.5%，成為盤面上的人氣焦點。晶宇(4131)、杏輝(1734)、生達(1720)全數鎖在漲停板，神隆(1789)、中化(1701)等緊跟在後，股價漲幅都在5%以上，今日上市個股表現又較上櫃個股來的強勢。日前由生策會主辦的「台灣生技醫療產業政策總體檢論壇」會中共識，希望放寬第2類高階醫材納入「生技新藥產業發展條例」適用範圍，預計9月修法後上路。業界預期，若生技新藥產業發展條例能順利納入第2級醫材，則國內多加廠商、業者將同步受惠。 2012年生技展將在7月26～29日登場，每年生技展題材都能讓生技族群格外受到重視，並讓個股活蹦亂跳。生技股在4、5月時曾隨著台股下修，不少個股現在股價回到相對合理的位置，短線上可留意選擇跌深新藥股。

People who walk a lot have lower risk of diabetes

Thursday, June 28, 2012 By Kerry Grens NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Among people with low physical activity and a high risk of diabetes, those who walk more throughout the day are less likely to actually get the blood sugar disorder, according to new research. The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care, is part of a growing body of evidence that for people who get very little exercise, "even small amounts of activity will provide a really good return on their investment," said Catrine Tudor-Locke, who studies walking and health at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was not involved in the research. Daily walking recommendations typically point to a minimum of 10,000 steps per day. Tudor-Locke said a good rule of thumb is that 2,000 steps equals about one mile. Earlier studies, based on questionnaires, have shown that walking more is tied to a lower risk of diabetes. But few studies have used precise measures of how many steps people take each day, said Amanda Fretts, the lead author of the new report and a researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle. To get a better sense of walking's potential benefits, Fretts and her colleagues asked more than 1,800 people to wear a pedometer on their hip for a week to tally the number of steps they typically took each day. All of them came from native American communities in Arizona, Oklahoma and North and South Dakota that are known to have low physical activity levels and high rates of diabetes. About a quarter of the group were considered to have very low activity, taking fewer than 3,500 steps a day, while half took fewer than 7,800 steps per day. At the beginning of the study, none of the participants had diabetes. But after five years of follow-up, 243 people had developed the condition. About 17 percent of the people in the lowest activity group developed diabetes, compared to 12 percent of the people who took more than 3,500 steps a day. After taking into account people's age, whether they smoked and other diabetes risk factors, Fretts's team determined that people who walked the most were 29 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who walked the least. "Our finding wasn't surprising given that other studies have shown that even light activity is associated with a lower risk of diabetes," Fretts wrote in an email to Reuters Health. The findings don't prove that walking more is responsible for the lower risk of diabetes, but Fretts offered some possible explanations for how walking might help. "Increased physical activity may prevent weight gain and promote weight loss, a major determinant of diabetes risk," she told Reuters Health. Indeed, when Fretts took into account how large people were, based on a measure called body mass index (BMI), she found that extra walking didn't provide any benefits to reducing people's diabetes risk. "BMI is one of the plausible biological mechanisms by which physical activity (or walking) may lower diabetes risk - that is, walking may promote weight loss - and weight loss is a major factor related to diabetes risk," Fretts said. Physical activity also has effects on inflammation, glucose and other molecules in the body that could help lower diabetes risk, said Fretts. Tudor-Locke added that the potential benefits of moderate levels of walking are "only for those who are really inactive to begin with" and don't mean others should decrease their activity levels. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/Lr2Pkb Diabetes Care, online June 20, 2012. (This story corrects attribution in last paragraph) Reuters Health

政院：Codex論戰政治角力

 2012/07/02 19:05:00 行政院2日下午召開「Codex經貿論戰本質」記者會，發言人胡幼偉（中）、衛生署食品藥物管理局長康照洲（右）與經濟部副總談判代表介文汲（左）出席。（中央社記者張新偉攝 101年7月2日） （中央社記者蔡和穎、龍瑞雲台北2日電）行政院發言人胡幼偉今天說，Codex的專家委員會8年前早有定論，安全容許量內的萊克多巴胺肉品，沒有危害健康；Codex年年討論是國際貿易的政治角力，非健康問題。國際食品法典委員會（Codex Alimentarius Commission，CAC）在義大利羅馬召開會議，衛生署食品藥物管理局長康照洲表示，日前透過駐外單位、邦交國代為提出爭取旁聽機會沒成功，只能透過駐外人員前往羅馬瞭解。 康照洲表示，Codex會議是討論最大殘留容許量（MRLs）標準，但不具有法律效果，僅提供各國參考標準。 行政院下午召開「Codex經貿論戰本質」記者會，胡幼偉、康照洲和經濟部經貿談判代表辦公室副總談判代表介文汲出席。 針對瘦肉精萊克多巴胺議題，介文汲說，就科學角度而言，Codex下的世界衛生組織食品添加物專家聯合委員會（JECFA）已在2004年獲得結論，提出萊克多巴胺在牛豬的肌肉、肝臟、腎臟等可訂定安全容許量，在範圍內安全無虞。 介文汲說，Codex再討論萊克多巴胺的殘餘標準，是因國際組織的專業訂定，還是要得到政治機構認可，Codex羅馬會議基本上在做政治角度的認可，由各會員國掌握最後決定權。 他表示，Codex有關萊克多巴胺的討論，主要因歐盟與美國在議題上意見分歧，會員國無法獲得共識，近幾年的討論都沒有結論；今年萊克多巴胺排在第4議程，今天已開始討論，目前獲知美國和歐盟意見還是沒有辦法一致，通過的可能性不高。 胡幼偉說，Codex會議今年是否會對萊克多巴胺議題做出決議不得而知，不過Codex對萊克多巴胺的討論已是國際政治經貿論戰議題，涉及歐盟、中國大陸及美國的豬牛市場保護或開放，已不在於萊克多巴胺對人體有無危害問題。 胡幼偉指出，行政院對食品衛生管理法修法方向從未改變，尊重立法院朝野協商結論，在完成食管法修法前不提行政命令；行政院將持續根據不能被扭曲忽略的基本事實，向大眾說明。1010702 

雲端進病房 提升護理品質

【中央社╱台北2日電】 2012.07.02 01:00 pm台北醫學大學附設醫院導入「病房雲端照護系統」，以提高病人住院品質，可節省護理師測量及填病歷時間，估計全院每月可省下1583小時，讓護理師多用於病人照護。 台北醫學大學附設醫院院長陳振文表示，與源星生醫科技合作，引入全國首套「病房雲端照護系統」，系統將自動帶出病人生命徵象趨勢圖，連結病人相關處置，包括正在使用的特殊藥物、會診、檢驗與特殊處置，提供醫療團隊作為生命徵象變化的對照與整合性評估。 他說，傳統作法上，醫師仰賴護理師逐一測量及完成病歷記載後，供醫師掌握病人病情變化。護理師為住院病人每天例行測量需費14.5分鐘，若以42床計算，每天護理師需花費至少10小時以上時間在測量與登載入病歷。 行政副院長朱子斌表示，「病房雲端照護系統」平均可為每一病人節省6.3分鐘轉謄抄寫時間，42床就可省下4.5小時，全院1個月下來估計可節省護理師1583小時轉謄抄寫時間，省下來的時間可以用於照護病人。 【2012/07/02 中央社】

F-康樂揮軍中東市場 搶近4億人口商機

 2012/6/30 鉅亨網提供回應(0)列印轉寄討論推薦▼ 東南亞最大美容保健健康飲品第一品牌康樂生技(F-康樂)(4154)，董事長陳言福強調，今年成長動能會在新市場、新產品及新通路等三大主軸，除了持續推出新產品外，公司目前積極佈局中東市場，據了解，目前中東國家人口數達3.85億，由於中東國家高所得人口相當高，因此產品終端售價也會提高3成以上，將大幅大幅拉高平均毛利率，目前已跟阿聯及科威特兩國最大通路商洽談，旗下共計近5000家經銷點，最快下半年可以簽約，明年開始挹注效益，獲利如虎添翼。 陳言福進一步指出，選擇中東市場是因為目前沒有任合一款美容保健健康飲品，屬於藍海市場，加上區內正走向經濟及建設現代化的道路，人均所持續提高，對於外在重視越來越高，另外中東地區人口數高達3.85億元，為一個美國加上兩個加拿大，商機潛能龐大。 陳言福表示，公司產品在馬來西亞是第一品牌，中東國家暑假有許多人來馬國避暑及旅遊，因此對康樂生技的牌子相當熟識，另外公司產品具有清真(阿拉)認證，因此在中東國家進去銷售時間會相當快，有信心明年將成為中東國家地區保健健康飲品最大品牌。 陳言福說，公司上個月首度參加中東地區美容世界大展，參展完共有超過50個分銷商有高度興趣，其中阿聯及科威特兩國境內最大通路商，目前已進入簽約最後階段，最快第三季就可以簽約完成，送審為國家衛生部審批，一般都要1年，公司產品因具有清真認證，因此將大幅縮短審批時間，預計最快明年1月就可上架銷售，成為公司明年主要成長動能。

康富生技 會計暨財務主管異動事宜 !!

 發言時間 101/06/2918:05:19 發言人 洪彩玲 發言人職稱 董事長特別助理 發言人電話 (04)2205-6565ext332主旨 : 公告本公司會計暨財務主管異動事宜 符合條款第11款 事實發生日101/06/29 說明1.人員變動別（請輸入發言人、代理發言人、財務主管、會計主管、研發主管 或內部稽核主管）:會計主管、財務主管 2.發生變動日期:101/06/29 3.舊任者姓名、級職及簡歷:張明睿 財會處財務長 4.新任者姓名、級職及簡歷:古彩蓉 會計部經理 5.異動情形（請輸入「辭職」、「職務調整」、「資遣」、「退休」、「死亡」或「新 任」）:職務調整 6.異動原因:公司內部職務異動 7.生效日期:101/06/30 8.新任者聯絡電話:04-22056565分機260 9.其他應敘明事項:新任會計暨財務主管任命待最近期董事會追認 以上資料均由各公司依發言當時所屬市場別之規定申報後，由本系統對外公佈，資料如有虛偽不實，均由該公司負責.

5醫院合作 提供口腔癌友營養品

聯合新聞網 2012/06/30 財團法人明倫基金會今年6月起，與板橋亞東、基隆長庚、彰基、花蓮慈濟和高雄醫學大學附設醫院合作，提供免費營養品給經濟弱勢口腔癌患者；受惠的王姓及洪姓口腔癌患者。昨天回贈花感謝。【聯合報╱記者王長鼎／板橋報導】 財團法人明倫基金會今年6月起，與板橋亞東、基隆長庚、彰基、花蓮慈濟和高雄醫學大學附設醫院合作，提供免費營養品給經濟弱勢口腔癌患者；受惠的王姓及洪姓口腔癌患者。昨天回贈花感謝。 今年68歲，從事清潔工的王姓口腔癌患者，因牙周病引起口腔黏膜發炎，去年9月切片檢查證實罹患第3期口腔癌，經電療、化療撿回一命，卻面臨口潰舌爛及喉嚨痛，想吃又不能吃的痛苦。 王妻說，丈夫因營養不足體重直直落，從65公斤瘦到只剩45公斤，每天以美國進口的營養品補充，才逐漸增重至55公斤，但每月營養品費用近6千元，負擔沉重。 吃檳榔、抽菸長達30年的50歲洪姓口腔癌患者，今年2月檢查罹患口腔癌，生活頓時從彩色變黑白。 亞東院長朱樹勳說，口腔癌患者要靠價格不菲的營養品補充體力，他不忍見患者家中經濟面臨沉重經濟負擔，提出跨院合作方案後，獲得明倫基金會董事董定宇支持。 董定宇表示，計畫至今年底贊助200萬元經費，由5家醫院社工員提供有需求的口腔癌患者名單，將提供300名口腔癌友免費營養品。協助對象以在5家合約醫院接受化療或放射治療的經濟弱勢病友，請向各醫院癌症資源中心洽詢。

北醫雲端照護系統 大幅節省醫療人力

 2012-07-02 新聞速報 台灣醒報／郭庚儒 為提升病人照護品質，台北醫學大學附設醫院運用「病房雲端照護系統」，只要直接掃描病人辨識條碼，就可知道各項生理數值，不但可大幅縮減護理師記錄資料時間，避免人工轉謄失誤，醫師還可透過雲端讀取病人各項生理數值，快速提供治療。行政副院長朱子斌表示，這套系統預估將可為全院一般病房一個月省下1583小時。傳統醫師要掌握病人的血壓、脈搏、血氧飽和度等數值，需仰賴護理師逐一測量及完成病例紀載，但看似簡單的病例記載，其實需要繁複的步驟，包括確認病人身分，將壓脈帶套在正確脈動處，接著按壓啟動鈕抄下數據，返回護理站後再將數值記錄在各式表單、病例上，並將數值轉化為曲線圖。朱子斌表示，護理師執行一位住院病人一天例行量平均約14.5分鐘，以一般醫院42床病房來說，就要耗費至少10小時，若使用「病房雲端照護系統」平均一位病人可節省6.3分鐘，一天就可節省4.5小時，一個月節省時間高達1583小時，這將可轉用於病人照顧上。北醫附醫院長陳振文表示，此系統還會自動顯示病人生命徵象趨勢圖，並連結病人相關處置，如病人目前使用中的特殊藥物、會診、檢驗等，提供醫療團隊生命徵象變化對照與整合性評估，掌握病人恢復情形。北醫除了建置病房雲端照護系統外，也購置具上傳功能的高階電子血壓計、血氧測量儀及無線傳輸設備，可大大簡化護理部作業及改善工作負荷，讓護理師將時間用在病人照顧。另外，為保障病人資料安全，傳輸過程使用WPA2（Wi-Fi Protected Access 2）加密，避免資料外洩。

治療過動症藥(Methylphenidate) 變成 "聰明藥" ?

考生門診求開「聰明藥」 衛署：管制藥品需經醫師處方 2012-07-02 【中廣新聞／吳佩臻】 媒體報導，一種治療過動症、俗稱「聰明藥」的藥物派醋甲酯，在美國遭到濫用，而近來也有民眾向醫師要求開立這種藥物，希望給要考試的考生服用提升注意力。衛生署食品藥物管理局表示，這類用於治療過動症的「派醋甲酯」是屬於管制藥物，必須由醫師診斷開立處方才能使用。耕莘醫院精神科暨心理衛生中心主任楊聰財表示，大考前夕，精神科門診最近多了一些因考試問題而來求診的學生患者，特別是有家長帶小孩來，指名要醫師開立「聰明藥」，幫助考生集中注意力。食藥局管制藥品組組長蔡文瑛表示，這類含有「派醋甲酯」成份的藥物，是屬於第三級管制藥品，需經醫師開立處方，如果醫師違法，將依醫師法第二十五條，送各縣市衛生局醫師懲戒委員會。蔡文瑛說：「所有管制藥品都是一樣的，就是因為他可能有成癮、濫用、或是其它作用，所以我們才要管制，既然是管制藥品就要嚴加看管，所以需要醫師來處方，就不會像一些成藥你到處都可以買，一定要經過醫師診斷、判斷有需要才可以用，不然這藥會對中樞神經有影響。」楊聰財指出，這類藥品在臨床的研究上，吃下後，的確有程度不一的幫助效果，不過這種藥物要還是要有符合醫療上面的適應症再來食用比較適當，因為水能載也能覆舟，這項藥物用多了不僅會失眠、食慾不振、成癮、嚴重會有精神異常的狀況，呼籲民眾要謹慎。

過動兒藥物Methylphenidate的用藥常識   行政院衛生署 建檔時間：2009/02/13 17:58:37更新日期：2009/02/13 17:59:25「過動兒」是患有「注意力不足/過動症(Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder，ADHD)」兒童的俗稱，過動兒往往會有注意力缺損、過動以及衝動等三大症狀，須經由受過適當訓練的醫師，在家長和老師的配合觀察之下，經過謹慎、完整的評估後加以診斷。過動兒約占學齡期孩童的5-10%，其最好的治療方式是同時採用藥物和行為治療，若未經治療，其相關症狀通常會持續到青少年，甚至是成年。目前國內核准用以治療注意力不足/過動症的藥物，有Methylphenidate(派醋甲酯)及Atomoxetine二種，這些藥物都可影響腦中掌管注意力集中的神經傳導物質-多巴胺和正腎上腺素的多寡。其中第一線用藥為Methylphenidate，其作用與安非他命之中樞神經興奮劑相類似，可使腦中的多巴胺與正腎上腺素更加活躍。Methylphenidate之口服效果迅速且良好，半衰期約為1-3小時，其作用力可維持4-6小時，服用後可提升注意力、增進短期記憶、幫助學習功能等。目前有短效型(RitalinR，利他能)及長效型(ConcertaR，專思達)等兩種劑型。但要注意的是，服用Methylphenidate之後常見的副作用有失眠、食慾不振、頭暈等症狀，家長發現後可與醫師討論，藉由調整服藥劑量與時間，或將短效劑型改為長效劑型，來改善大部分的副作用症狀。此外，孩童長時間服用該藥品，家長或老師須隨時觀察有無異常運動現象，並告知醫師；另外還須注意不可任意停藥，若任意停藥或改變服藥時間，可能使相關症狀復發；即使無特別現象或問題，建議最好每年接受一次小兒科或精神科的整體性檢查。目前並未發現有注意力不足/過動症病患，因服用治療劑量的Methylphenidate而產生藥物濫用的案例，但若不是此類病人而長期服用該藥，則可能會導致成癮，因此我國將該藥列屬第三級管制藥品，須由領藥人簽名領藥，以防他人誤領、誤用而導致成癮。另一治療藥物Atomoxetin (StratteraR，思銳)，非屬中樞神經興奮劑，而是一種正腎上腺素再回收抑制劑，為新的治療藥物，使用於短效Methylphenidate藥物療效不佳或無法忍受其副作用的病人，常見的副作用則為頭痛、噁心、嘔吐。注意力不足/過動症是一種持續且需長時間治療的疾病，除長期且規律的藥物治療外，亦需配合行為輔導，過動兒的家長須耐心遵照醫師的指示(包括指導過動兒服藥、行為輔導與環境維持)，才能達到最理想的治療效果。

Crucell訂單將倍增 國光生今年外銷占比拼40%

精實新聞 2012-07-02 10:35:39 記者 蕭燕翔 報導 流感原液銷售旺季將至，法人預期，國光生技(4142)合作夥伴Crucell本月底可望取得歐洲藥證，今年原液銷售將倍數成長，全年外銷營收占比將拉升至35-40%，虧損也可望逐步改善。 國光生技是國內疫苗研發大廠，產品包括日本腦炎、破傷風及流感疫苗，2011年起開始供應J&J旗下荷蘭疫苗Crucell流感疫苗，成為亞洲唯一有能力銷歐的疫苗廠。根據法人預估，該公司去年供應該客戶的流感原液近100克，營收占比28%。 展望今年，在內銷市場部分，國光生技今年總計取得約180萬劑的流感疫苗標案，主要新增來自兒童0.25cc部分，將於今年7-9月交貨，營收貢獻預估約1.7-1.8億元。至於外銷部分，國光生技最大合作夥伴Crucell可望在7月底取得歐洲藥證，法人估計，今年來自Crucell的原液訂單將逾倍成長，今年外銷占比也將上看35-40%。 法人評估，該公司雖首季處產業淡季，未銷售流感疫苗原液，營收較去年同期下滑，單季虧損也擴大至1.34億元，每股稅後淨損0.82元，惟第二季起已有部分流感原液開始交貨，營收已漸改善，虧損可望同步縮減，今年全年營收將上看4億元，年增35%以上，明年銷售Crucell原液有機會上看800克，全年也將挑戰損益兩平以上。 法人認為，國光生技雖今年仍處虧損，但第一季底每股淨值還超過21元，目前股價淨值比約1.55-1.6倍，在生技股中相對偏低。

精緻整形新美學 4D訂書針雙眼皮

 雙眼皮、大眼睛在命相學中也都有一番見解，許多人都相信，漂亮的雙眼皮可招來桃花及工作運，因此不僅藝人割雙眼皮的數量不勝枚舉，隨著畢業潮來臨，為增加求職機會的社會新鮮人、想要減少貼雙眼皮貼困擾的上班族，越來越多的人都紛紛開始關切雙眼皮手術。佳醫美人張至德醫師表示，縫或割雙眼皮在整形市場上是基本的手術，但這小小的手術因緊臨人類的靈魂之窗，更不得不小心對待。而在醫美技術快速成長的進步下，雙眼皮手術的躍進，也讓單眼皮族群有了更舒適、安全的選擇。就記者實地抽訪100 25至40歲的上班族，發現有4成比例的人都對雙眼皮手術有興趣，其中有3成的原因是『想省掉化妝時間』，2成原因是『有雙眼皮但不夠漂亮』，其他5成都是希望『眼神能夠更有電力』。但再進一步了解，這有意願的4成上班族中，真正願意執行手術的卻不到10人。了解原因，發現大家擔心的，都是＂若不自然怎麼辦！？＂為此整形外科張至德醫師表示，過去頗受民眾喜愛的訂書針雙眼皮手術，在國外目前已有更精進的突破，此次從韓國研習全新『4D訂書針雙眼皮』，便可針對不同人的眼臉，做出自然且流順的雙眼皮線條。張至德醫師進一步說明，所謂的4D訂書針雙眼皮手術，融合了日本及韓國雙眼皮醫術的優點，以三點式縫合出更自然的線條，並讓傳統訂書針雙眼皮，無法修飾的眼尾線條，也能一併處理與改善，使眼頭及眼尾的部分整體順暢，且其傷口小，同時具有割雙眼皮的功能。而針對單眼皮民眾可能同時有眼頭遮掩部份太多的問題，經驗純熟的醫師亦會一併做開眼頭的處理；甚至過單的泡泡眼，亦可同時處理過多脂肪，讓塑造出來的雙眼皮更為迷人流暢。不過張至德醫師表示，如年紀較大或是眼皮過鬆的族群，還是建議以用割式的雙眼皮手術較為理想。而若是想讓自己擁有自然電眼，以利面試順利的民眾，也請預留兩周的恢復期，在這兩周內盡量不要上妝，一個月內也勿有大力揉眼的動作。最後由於該技術並不需要透過機器，而是完全仰賴醫師的專業與技法，因此在術前醫師的選擇與溝通，便更為重要與緊慎。

ACP Immunization Advisor app makes it easier for doctors to identify vaccines for patients

 July 2, 2012 in Immunology The latest vaccine indications are available for doctors and other clinicians through the ACP Immunization Advisor app currently available for iPhone and iPad at http://immunization.acponline.org/app. Immunization providers can search the ACP Immunization Advisor app by age or underlying medical circumstance, or browse the Vaccine Library to determine the vaccines their adult patients need. The latest immunization news and updates from ACP are also available. The content in ACP Immunization Advisor is based on the 2012 ACIP Adult Immunization Schedule. "ACP's goal is to improve health care quality by disseminating clinical guidance and practice support through innovative web and mobile applications," said Michael S. Barr, MD, MBA, senior vice president, medical practice, professionalism & quality, ACP. "The ACP Immunization Advisor is the third product generated in collaboration with Cientis Technologies and Hot Tomali Communications and we couldn't be more pleased with the result." Made possible by unrestricted educational grants from Sanofi Pasteur, Merck Vaccines, and Pfizer, Inc., the ACP Immunization Advisor app makes the guidelines for adult vaccination developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) easier to access and use in the context of patient care. "It's exciting to work on a project that directly improves the way physicians run their practices," said Thomas Stringham, president and co-founder, Cientis Technologies. "By transforming paper-based clinical workflows into digital processes we're able to help physicians save what they value most -- time. Add to that the ability to access the most up-to-date medical information, and you have a formula for reduced health care expenditures and a higher quality of patient care." The ACP Immunization Advisor app has already received more than 3,000 downloads with strong usage statistics. Provided by American College of Physicians 

Genes may play role in educational achievement

 July 2, 2012 in Psychology & Psychiatry Researchers have identified genetic markers that may influence whether a person finishes high school and goes on to college, according to a national longitudinal study of thousands of young Americans. The study is in the July issue of Developmental Psychology, a publication of the American Psychological Association. "Being able to show that specific genes are related in any way to academic achievement is a big step forward in understanding the developmental pathways among young people," said the study's lead author, Kevin Beaver, PhD, a professor at the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Florida State University. The three genes identified in the study – DAT1, DRD2 and DRD4 – have been linked to behaviors such as attention regulation, motivation, violence, cognitive skills and intelligence, according to the study. Previous research has explored the genetic underpinnings of intelligence but virtually none has examined genes that potentially contribute to educational attainment in community samples, said Beaver. He and his colleagues analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, also known as Add Health. Add Health is a four-wave study of a nationally representative sample of American youths who were enrolled in middle or high school in 1994 and 1995. The study continued until 2008, when most of the respondents were between the ages of 24 and 32. The participants completed surveys, provided DNA samples and were interviewed, along with their parents. The sample used for this analysis consisted of 1,674 respondents. The genes identified in this research are known as dopamine transporter and receptor genes. Every person has the genes DAT1, DRD2 and DRD4, but what is of interest are molecular differences within the genes, known as alleles, according to Beaver. Subjects who possessed certain alleles within these genes achieved the highest levels of education, according to the findings. Dopamine transporter genes assist in the production of proteins that regulate levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, while dopamine receptor genes are involved in neurotransmission. Previous research has shown that dopamine levels play a role in regulating impulsive behavior, attention and intelligence. The presence of the alleles alone did not guarantee higher levels of education, the study found. Having a lower IQ was more strongly associated with lower levels of education. Also, living in poverty and essentially "running with a bad crowd" resulted in lower levels of education despite the genetic effects. Even though the genetic variants were found to be associated with educational levels, having a specific allele does not determine whether someone will graduate from high school or earn a college degree, according to Beaver. Rather, these genes work in a probabilistic way, with the presence of certain alleles simply increasing or decreasing the likelihood of educational outcomes, he said. "No one gene is going to say, 'Sally will graduate from high school' or 'Johnny will earn a college degree,'" he said. "These genetic effects operate indirectly, through memory, violent tendencies and impulsivity, which are all known predictors of how well a kid will succeed in school. If we can keep moving forward and identify more genetic markers for educational achievement, we can begin to truly understand how genetics play a role in how we live and succeed in life." More information: "Dopaminergic Polymorphisms and Educational Achievement: Results From a Longitudinal Sample of Americans," Kevin M. Beaver, PhD, Florida State University; John Paul Wright, PhD, University of Cincinnati; Matt DeLisi, PhD, Iowa State University; Michael G. Vaughn, PhD, Saint Louis University; Developmental Psychology, Vol. 48, No. 4. Journal reference: Developmental PsychologyProvided by American Psychological Association 

Drugs are first to topically deliver gene therapy via commercial moisturizers for skin disease treatment

 July 2, 2012 in Medical research "Getting under your skin" takes on a brave new meaning thanks to Northwestern University research that could transform gene regulation. A team led by a physician-scientist and a chemist -- from the fields of dermatology and nanotechnology -- is the first to demonstrate the use of commercial moisturizers to deliver gene regulation technology that has great potential for life-saving therapies for skin cancers. The topical delivery of gene regulation technology to cells deep in the skin is extremely difficult because of the formidable defenses skin provides for the body. The Northwestern approach takes advantage of drugs consisting of novel spherical arrangements of nucleic acids. These structures, each about 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, have the unique ability to recruit and bind to natural proteins that allow them to traverse the skin and enter cells. Applied directly to the skin, the drug penetrates all of the skin's layers and can selectively target disease-causing genes while sparing normal genes. Once in cells, the drug simply flips the switch of the troublesome genes to "off." A detailed study of a method that could dramatically redefine the field of gene regulation will be published online during the week of July 2 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Early targets of the novel treatment are melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (two of the most common types of skin cancer), the common inflammatory skin disorder psoriasis, diabetic wound healing and a rare genetic skin disorder that has no effective treatment (epidermolytic ichthyosis). Other targets could even include wrinkles that come with aging skin. "The technology developed by my collaborator Chad Mirkin and his lab is incredibly exciting because it can break through the skin barrier," said co-senior author Amy S. Paller, M.D., the Walter J. Hamlin Professor, chair of dermatology and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She also is director of Northwestern's Skin Disease Research Center. "This allows us to treat a skin problem precisely where it is manifesting -- on the skin," she said. "We can target our therapy to the drivers of disease, at a level so minute that it can distinguish mutant genes from normal genes. Risks are minimized, and side effects have not been seen to date in our human skin and mouse models." A co-senior author of the paper, Mirkin is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and professor of medicine, chemical and biological engineering, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. He also is the director of Northwestern's International Institute for Nanotechnology. Mirkin first developed the nanostructure platform used in this study in 1996 at Northwestern, and the FDA-cleared technology now is the basis of powerful commercialized medical diagnostic tools. This, however, is the first realization that the nanostructures naturally enter skin and that they can deliver a large payload of therapeutics. "The field of medicine needs new constructs and strategies for treating disease," Mirkin said. "Many of the ways we treat disease are based on old methods and materials. Nanotechnology offers the ability to very rapidly create new structures with properties that are very different from conventional forms of matter. This collaborative study is a case in point." The key is the nanostructure's spherical shape and nucleic acid density. Normal (linear) nucleic acids cannot get into cells, but these spherical nucleic acids can. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) surrounds a gold nanoparticle like a shell; the nucleic acids are highly oriented, densely packed and form a tiny sphere. The RNA's sequence is programmed to target the disease-causing gene. "We now can go after a whole new set of diseases," Mirkin said. "Thanks to the Human Genome Project and all of the genomics research over the last two decades, we have an enormous number of known targets. And we can use the same tool for each, the spherical nucleic acid. We simply change the sequence to match the target gene. That's the power of gene regulation technology." The nanostructures were developed in Mirkin's lab on the Evanston campus and then combined with a commercial moisturizer. Next, down in Paller's Chicago lab, the researchers applied the therapeutic ointment to the skin of mice and to human epidermis. The nanostructures were designed to target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a biomarker associated with a number of cancers. In both cases, the drug broke through the epidermal layer and penetrated the skin very deeply, with cells taking up 100 percent of the nanostructures. They selectively knocked down the EGFR gene, decreasing the production of the problem proteins. After a month of continued application of the ointment, there was no evidence of side effects, inappropriate triggering of the immune system or accumulation of the particles in organs. The treatment is skin specific and doesn't interfere with other cells.

 Interdisciplinary research is a hallmark of Northwestern. Paller and Mirkin said their work highlights the power of physician-scientists and scientists and engineers from other fields coming together to address a difficult medical problem. "This all happened because of our world-class presence in both cancer nanotechnology and skin disease research," Paller said. "In putting together the Skin Disease Research Center proposal, I reached out to Chad to see if his nanostructures might be applied to skin disease. We initially worked together through a pilot project of the center, and now the rest is history." Northwestern has one of nine Centers of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence funded by the National Cancer Institute and one of six Skin Disease Research Centers funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. "This study is a landmark achievement in the area of gene regulation -- I believe our work has a chance to positively and irreversibly change the field," Mirkin said. "The skin is a very tough barrier to go through, which is why this effective gene knockdown has not been accomplished before. The power and elegance of this system are in its simplicity." More information: The title of the paper is "Topical Delivery of siRNA-based Spherical Nucleic Acid Nanoparticle Conjugates for Gene Regulation." Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesProvided by Northwestern University