Caring for an individual who has trouble staying in an upright seated position can be difficult and, in some cases, can cause back strain for the caregiver and injuries to the person needing assistance. Maddaks new Patient Slide Mobility Device is designed to provide caregivers with an easier, safer way to reseat an individual to the back of a chair for better support.
Kathleen Hanek, Director of Product Development for Maddak Inc., manufacturer of Ableware
Interventional cardiologist Tony Farah, MD, and his colleagues at the Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) Cardiovascular Institute have helped pioneer many breakthroughs in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) over the past three decades, from new disease-fighting medications to life-saving procedures such as balloon angioplasty and coronary artery stent implantation.
Today, AGH officials announced that the hospital will once again play a prominent role in the study of a novel, first-of-its kind investigational device for CAD that many believe could be the next revolution in the treatment of a disease that strikes more than one million people annually in the United States, claims nearly 500,000 lives each year and is the leading cause of death for both men and women.
Under Dr. Farahs direction, AGH has been selected to join the ABSORB III clinical trial, a multi-center international study exploring a unique bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS), a small mesh tube that is designed to open a blocked artery and then fully dissolve over time, leaving the vessel free of a permanent metallic implant.
The FDA-approved study of the drug-eluting AbsorbTM BVS, made by healthcare company Abbott, is expected to enroll approximately 2,250 patients over the next 12 months, up to 200 of who could enter the trial at AGH.
Across every discipline in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, physicians at Allegheny General Hospital continue to set new standards of patient care through pioneering research and clinical ingenuity. The ABSORB study is just the latest example of the innovation that has been a hallmark of our cardiovascular program, said Dr. Farah, the hospitals principal investigator in the ABSORB III clinical trial.
Coronary artery disease is a condition in which one or more arteries that supply blood to the heart become narrowed, putting patients at risk of a heart attack and cardiac death. Similar to conventional metallic stents, the Absorb device is designed to open a blocked heart vessel and restore blood flow to the heart.
Unlike metallic stents, however, which are permanently implanted into the blood vessel, Abbotts Absorb is a uniquely engineered, temporary scaffold that provides support to the vessel until the artery can stay open on its own. Made of polylactide, a naturally dissolvable material that is commonly used in medical implants (such as dissolving sutures), the device dissolves into the blood vessel after its work has been done.
According to Dr. Farah, the potential advantages of a bioresorbable scaffold device are significant when it comes to the long-term management of CAD patients.
With the standardization of balloon angioplasty and stent implantation and the vast experience that we have accumulated in the use of these techniques, it has become apparent that the most effective and safe means of restoring natural blood vessel function in the setting of coronary disease is ultimately a treatment that leaves nothing behind in the vessel which was the original idea of angioplasty. The Absorb device moves us in the direction of that goal, Dr. Farah said.
Balloon angioplasty is a procedure in which a balloon tipped catheter is used to open an area of arterial blockage. The catheter is delivered into the artery through the skin via a small incision in the groin or arm.
Deployed in a similar fashion, stents evolved to help prevent a complication of angioplasty in which the previously opened lesion in the artery gradually re-narrows from continuing plaque build-up a condition called restenosis. To further improve stent performance, the technology was more recently advanced to include drug-eluting devices coated with medications designed to further inhibit the growth of plaque at the treatment site.
For all their effectiveness at improving the outcomes of many patients with CAD, the risks of conventional, permanently placed stents are not insignificant, Dr. Farah said.
Patients receiving stents typically require prolonged use of blood thinning medications to prevent blood clots from forming within the device, which may cause sudden heart attacks. Stented lesions are also still prone to restenosis, particularly among one of the largest subsets of patients at risk for CAD diabetics.
And for patients with advanced coronary disease, the presence of stents in multiple vessels has the potential to limit future heart surgery options, if needed.
Because of these concerns, there has always been a desire to find a better way to accomplish the pivotal short term function of stents, without the long-term complications, Dr. Farah said.
International studies to date of the Absorb device have been extremely encouraging and the start of the ABSORB III U.S. clinical trial follows the recent commercial launch of Absorb in Europe and parts of Latin America, Asia and India.
Absorb III is a prospective, randomized study that will compare Abbotts drug-eluting Absorb BVS devise to the companys XIENCETM family of drug eluting metallic stents. Both devices deliver everolimus, an anti-proliferative drug that has been shown to inhibit in-stent plaque growth in coronary vessels.
The primary endpoint of the trial is target lesion failure, a combined measure of safety and efficacy, at one year. In addition, a subset of patients within the trial will be evaluated for novel endpoints such as vasomotion, a measure of how much natural motion returns to the vessel as Absorb dissolves into the arterial tissue.
Dr. Farah said many patients with CAD who are good candidates for stent placement will be eligible for enrollment in the study. Those with questions about the clinical trial can contact Joe Carothers at 412-359-4156.
Cosmetics Business last week named X-Rite, Incorporated as the winner of its 2013 Technology award for the introduction of a digital device used in retail settings to help customers precisely select cosmetics that accurately match their skin tones.
After beta testing and an initial rollout last year, the CAPSURE technology is being used in the Match Made Service offered in more than 890 Boots UK stores globally to help customers select the closest color match among the No7 Foundation collection to their skin tones.
The technology also is being used by the French cosmetics company Sephora in its Sephora + PANTONE Color IQ system of matching skin tones with foundation colors. After a successful trial test of the system last summer in New York City and its North American headquarters of San Francisco, the company expects to roll out the system to its more than 300 retail locations in the United States and Canada this year. A wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Pantone licensed the exclusive use of the PANTONE Skin Tones library for use in CAPSURE at Sephora.
"This is a good looking device that has a clear commercial application," said Emma Reinhold, Editor of Cosmetics Business and Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics (SPC) magazine and one of the 10 expert judges that assessed submissions for the award. "It fits perfectly with the trend for more animation at the point of sale and will set a precedent with what can be done to improve the consumer experience in store." Owned by HPCi Media Ltd. in London, Cosmetics Business delivers the latest information on the global personal care market through the web, email newsletters and events, along with its print magazines SPC, European Cosmetic Markets (ECM), Cosmetics International (CI) and Cosmetics News Weekly (CNW).
The inaugural Cosmetics Business Innovation Awards celebrates dynamism in the industry by honoring companies in four major and two special categories. The Cosmetics Business panel selected 13 winners from a field of more than 150 entries that Reinhold said were outstanding examples of work in the personal care industry. This year's event was held June 6 at the London Film Museum, where X-Rite Vice President EMEA Sales and Marketing Manager, Channels and Retail Francesco Tomasello represented the company in accepting its award.
"We are very honored to receive this recognition from Cosmetics Business," Tomasello said. "CAPSURE represents a significant investment by X-Rite in a solution to a universal problem of personal color matching in cosmetics, and we think the device already is making selection of foundations fun again for customers, rather than a frustrating experience. It's gratifying that the panel of judges saw the value of the instrument in increasing customer satisfaction in cosmetics selection."
CAPSURE is an easy-to-use spectrocolorimeter that identifies the color of a customer's skin in seconds, then precisely targets the closest matches among a library of color palettes loaded into its memory.
Early market research by Boots UK indicated that 78 percent of women in the United Kingdom would change their foundation if they could find a better color match, and tests of the CAPSURE technology showed customers were very satisfied with its accurate color matching capabilities.
Joanne Watson, Innovation Technologist at Boots UK, said early trials of the system showed that women appreciated the experience of having their skin tones measured with a sensitive instrument that could give more accurate and objective color readings, no longer relying on in-store lighting conditions. The device shows a digital photo of a person's skin, and the foundation color that is the closest match.
Boots UK selected the device from X-Rite because it provided a robust method of color measurement and was easy for advisors to use and keep on their person, Watson said.
Matthew Adby, X-Rite Product/Market Manager who oversaw the European introduction of the device, said X-Rite engineers customized aspects of the device's firmware to handle some of the unique challenges of measuring a person's skin accurately. He said they had to take into consideration the translucent nature of skin, its texture and variations in color in a small measurement area.
The device employs proprietary camera technology that illuminates the skin from three different directions while simultaneously recording 27 color-accurate images within 2 seconds, eliminating the shadows and interference inherent to textured surfaces. With 8 different visible illuminations and 1 ultraviolet illumination, the instrument is able to more accurately define the location of a skin tone in color space than traditional colorimeters that typically have only three illuminations of red, green and blue light.
"Using an instrument of this quality really resonates with our customers," Watson said. "It takes the guesswork out of trying to find a shade since there is so much choice in the market now."
Sales advisors who use the CAPSURE technology like its compact size and light weight that allows them to wear the instrument around their necks if they wish. The device is powered by a lithium ion battery that lasts through a whole day of measuring customers before it needs recharging.
About X-Rite
X-Rite incorporated with its wholly owned subsidiary Pantone LLC is the global leader in color science and technology. The company develops, manufactures, markets and supports innovative color solutions through measurement systems, software, color standards and services. X-Rites expertise in inspiring, selecting, measuring, formulating, communicating and matching color helps users get color right the first time and every time, which translates to better quality and reduced costs. X-Rite serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, plastics, paint, textiles, dental and medical.
About Pantone
Pantone LLC has been the worlds color authority for nearly 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers paint and designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at http://www.pantone.com.
On December, 2012, the Silkn Flash&Go is scheduled to be featured on the SUZANNE Show on Lifetime Television, hosted by celebrity Suzanne Somers. Silk'n
Fine Treatment recommends Dr. Allens Device for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as it helps to protect men from the problems caused by treating this condition with potentially harmful medications. Dr. Allens Device enables an effective natural therapy free from any side effects. Propecia sales down; lawsuits continue; media cover side effects article explains that hundreds of Propecia lawsuits [are] filed by men (and some spouses) who have suffered enduring erectile problems and related side effects since using the drug.
This new article by Steve Thomas, of June 03, 2013 says, before the loss of market exclusivity became an issue, Merck saw its Propecia sales stagnate at $ 447 million in 2010 and 2011 and then decline to $ 424 million in 2012. As the Propecia patent has approached its October 2013 sunset, one generic competitor already has been allowed into the market in January and another will get the green light in July. Propecia sales in the first quarter of 2013 were down 37% to $ 68 million compared to the same period in 2012.
In the early 1990s, finasteride, a 4-aza steroid compound and type 2 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, was shown to profoundly affect the size of the prostate gland in animals, by George et all, in the journal Proceeding of National Academy of Sciences U S A., 1991.
Later, Proscar (finasteride 5 mg) was approved by FDA in 1992 and is suggested for the treatment of bothersome symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (also referred to as BPH or an enlarged prostate). Furthermore, Propecia (finasteride 1 mg) was approved by FDA in 1997 for the use in males only and is indicated for the treatment of male pattern hair loss.
As prostate enlargement is viewed as a normal ageing-related condition, there is no urgency for a man to opt for a long-term intake of BPH drugs the moment he experiences the first symptoms of urinary dysfunction. Medications can now be replaced with the Thermobalancing therapy. Watch a video testimonial recorded by the Oxford Innovation Centre that demonstrates how to use Dr. Allen's Device and its benefits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5xidswhxJM.
Prostate enlargement is very common. Some men tolerate symptoms for years but a third of men will ultimately seek treatment, says Dr. Simon Allen. Dr. Allens therapeutic device increases blood circulation in the enlarged prostate naturally helping to cleanse the prostate gland and reduce its volume.
For details, visit Fine Treatment at http://finetreatment.com/bph-treatment-prostate-enlargement.
About Dr. Simon Allen and Fine Treatment:
Dr. Simon Allen is a highly experienced medical professional. His specialty is in the internal medicine. He has treated a wide range of chronic diseases, including patients after a heart attack, with kidneys problems, including kidney stones disease, prostate and spine conditions, as well as metabolic disorders. Fine Treatment exclusively offers Dr Allens devices for chronic prostatitis and BPH treatment, coronary heart disease, dissolving kidney stones, as well as back pain and sciatica relief.
Fox-News reports on Kidney stones: Symptoms and treatment, May 29, 2013, with Dr. Samadi saying, Risk factors for developing kidney stones include: being over age 40, being male, ingesting too little water, too much/little exercise, obesity, weight loss surgery, digestive diseases, and consuming a diet high in salt, protein or sugar, especially fructose. Fine Treatment reveals that dissolving kidney stones with Dr. Allens Device for Kidney Care at home saves health and money, avoiding the use of risky shock waves.
Moreover, Dr. Allens Device dissolves any type and size of kidney stones naturally, while the Fox-News article states, Treatment for kidney stones primarily depends on the size of the stone. If it is smaller than four millimeters in diameter, you have a good chance of passing it spontaneously. Larger stones may require invasive treatment including: surgery, using a scope passed through the urethra or shock-wave lithotripsy, where high-energy sound waves break up the stone in to more easily passable stones.
According to WebMD, complications of ESWL include: pain caused by the passage of stone fragments; blocked urine flow as a result of stone fragments becoming stuck in the urinary tract; the fragments may then need to be removed with a ureteroscope, urinary tract infection, bleeding around the outside of the kidney. Furthermore, the conclusion made by researches from the Mayo Clinic is: At 19 years of follow-up SWL for renal and proximal ureteral stones was associated with the development of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.
Contrary to ESWL, the Thermobalancing therapy enabled by Dr. Allens Device eases the symptoms of kidney stones first, gradually dissolving kidney stones over time. Dr. Allens Device places natural thermo-elements to the back just above the waistline covering both kidneys. It improves blood circulation at the capillary level, letting the blood to cleanse kidneys from the stones naturally. Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wo0BQ24D6U.
Costing merely $ 150, Dr. Allens therapeutic device can save thousands of dollars but, more importantly, it helps to avoid ESWL and other invasive procedures preventing their severe complications, says Dr. Simon Allen. Why do people often take a risk? Because they dont know about the alternative kidney stones dissolving treatment with Dr. Allens Device, which can be used at home effectively.
Read more at: http://finetreatment.com/kidney-stones-treatment-kidney-stone/.
About Dr. Simon Allen and Fine Treatment:
Dr. Simon Allen is a highly experienced medical professional. His specialty is in the internal medicine. He has treated a wide range of chronic diseases, including patients after a heart attack, with kidneys problems, including kidney stones disease, prostate and spine conditions, as well as metabolic disorders. Fine Treatment exclusively offers Dr. Allens devices for BPH treatment and chronic prostatitis, coronary heart disease, dissolving kidney stones, as well as back pain and sciatica relief.
