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In Huntington's Patients, Transplanted Neurons Develop Disease-Like Pathology
The results of a recent study published in PNAS question the long-term effects of transplanted cells in the brains of patients suffering from Huntington"s disease. This study, conducted jointly by Dr. Francesca Cicchetti of Universitç© Laval in Quebec, Canada, Dr. Thomas B. Freeman of the University of South Florida, USA, and colleagues provides the first demonstration that transplanted cells fail to offer a long-term replacement for degenerating neurons in patients with Huntington"s disease.

Silver Nanoparticles Show "immense Potential" In Prevention Of Blood Clots
Scientists are reporting discovery of a potential new alternative to aspirin, ReoPro, and other anti-platelet agents used widely to prevent blood clots in coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. Their study, scheduled for the June 23 issue of ACS Nano, a monthly journal, involves particles of silver - 1/50,000th the diameter of a human hair - that are injected into the bloodstream.
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Des Moines Register Examines Planned Parenthood Of Greater Iowa 75 Years After Founding
The Des Moines Register on Friday profiled Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, which marks its 75th anniversary this year. Established in 1934 as the Iowa Maternal Health League, PPGI now includes 17 clinics offering a range of reproductive health services, as well as an education and re center. The organization originally was founded by four women with a mission of providing birth control for low-income married women. Over the years, it frequently "has been on the forefront of advances in reproductive history," according to the Register. For example, in the early 1960s, PPGI became the first provider in the Midwest to offer the oral contraceptive Ortho-Novum, leading to a more than 350% increase in its number of patients.Although antiabortion-rights advocates often discuss Planned Parenthood in relation to abortion services, the vast majority of its services are not abortion-related. Jill June, president and CEO of PPGI, said that although the organization"s services have greatly expanded since its founding, the "needs people have for the services we provide and the challenges we face in meeting those needs haven"t changed." She added, "People still face unintended pregnancies despite great technological advances in birth control and efforts to make contraception more available and to normalize contraception use" (Challender, Des Moines Register, 5/22).
Nutrition

Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd Withdraws Its Marketing Authorisation Application For Lunivia (eszopiclone)

The European Medicines Agency has been formally notified by Sepracor Pharmaceuticals Ltd of its decision to withdraw its application for a centralised marketing authorisation for the medicine Lunivia (eszopiclone), 2 and 3 mg tablets. Lunivia was expected to be used for the treatment of insomnia, including difficulty falling asleep, nocturnal awakening or early awakening in adults, usually for short-term duration. The application for the marketing authorisation for Lunivia was submitted to the Agency on 23 July 2007. In October 2008, Lunivia received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), recommending that the medicine be granted a marketing authorisation. However, the CHMP recommended that the medicine should not be granted "new active substance" status. Following a re÷¬examination procedure at the request of the applicant, the CHMP confirmed its previous opinion in February 2009. At the time of withdrawal, the application was pending the adoption of a marketing authorisation decision by the European Commission. In its official letter, the company stated that the withdrawal of the application was based on the CHMP"s recommendation that Lunivia should not be regarded as containing a new active substance, and that the commercial viability of launching the product in the European Union was compromised. More information about Lunivia and the state of the scientific assessment at the time of withdrawal will be made available in a question-and-answer document. This document, together with the withdrawal letter from the company, will be published on the Agency"s website after the next CHMP meeting of 26-29 May 2009. Notes 1. Withdrawal of an application does not prejudice the possibility of a company making a new application at a later stage. 2. The press release from the October 2008 meeting can be found here. 3. The summary of the positive opinion from October 2008 can be found here. EMEA


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