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Oral Bacteria May Contribute To The Development Of Obesity
The world-wide explosion of overweight people has been called an epidemic. The inflammatory nature of obesity is widely recognized. Could it really be an epidemic involving an infectious agent? In this climate of concern over the increasing prevalence of overweight conditions in our society, investigators have focused on the possible role of oral bacteria as a potential direct contributor to obesity.
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HIV Rates Increasing In Salt Lake County, Utah
HIV rates have been steadily increasing over the last three years in Salt Lake County, which includes Salt Lake City and surrounding areas, according to the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, the Deseret News reports. Health officials contend that lack of awareness of HIV, personal concern about becoming infected and sexual health discussions - especially among young adults - are driving the increase. Preliminary data indicate that the trend will continue in 2009, according to health officials. Stan Penfold, the executive director of the Utah AIDS Foundation, said, "Rates grow because there is a lack of conversation around HIV and what the risk factors are. It is really easy to compartmentalize because of the stigma associated with HIV, but the average age of infection is getting younger and younger," he said. Lynn Beltran, STD and HIV program manager for the Salt Lake County Health Department, noted that sex education in high schools also is a concern, but added, "Everyone needs to educate themselves and understand how to make healthy decisions about sex" (Norlen, Deseret News, 6/28).
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Biomedical Imaging: Twinkling Nanostars Cast New Light
Purdue University researchers have created magnetically responsive gold nanostars that may offer a new approach to biomedical imaging.
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Initial Therapy With Janumet™ Provided Significantly Greater Blood Sugar Lowering Compared To Metformin Alone In Type 2 Diabetes

New data presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that initial treatment with "Janumet"* (sitagliptin/metformin) provided significantly greater blood sugar improvements in drug-naç¯ve** patients with type 2 diabetes, compared with metformin alone.[i] "In this study, initial combination therapy with the fixed-dose combination sitagliptin and metformin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes helped patients achieve blood sugar goals more effectively than metformin alone," said Barry J. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical Research, Diabetes and Obesity, Merck & Co., Inc. Maintenance of combination therapy may not be appropriate for all patients. These management options are left to the discretion of the physician. *Note, initial therapy with "Janumet" is not currently licensed and the fixed-dose combination drug is not currently available in some countries, such as the UK. Sitagliptin is a highly selective, once-daily DPP-4 inhibitor that enhances a natural body system called the incretin system, to help regulate blood sugar by increasing blood levels of active GLP-1 and GIP hormones; it inhibits DPP-4 over 24 hours.[ii] The fixed dose combination of sitagliptin and metformin targets all three key defects of diabetes: insulin deficiency from pancreatic beta cells, insulin resistance, and overproduction of glucose by the liver.[iii] Sitagliptin is the first approved medicine in the DPP-4 inhibitor class of oral treatments. It has been approved in over 80 countries and to-date, there have been more than 11.1 million prescriptions dispensed worldwide.[iv] Initial therapy with a fixed dose sitagliptin and metformin*1 This large, randomised, double-blind study of initial therapy with a fixed dose combination of sitagliptin and metformin, compared to metformin alone, involved 1,250 drug-naç¯ve patients** with a mean HbA1c*** baseline of 9.8 percent. Patients were randomized to sitagliptin/metformin (50/1,000 mg twice daily) or metformin (1,000 mg twice daily) for 44 weeks. The primary study hypotheses were addressed after 18 weeks. After 18 weeks, patients taking fixed dose combination of sitagliptin and metformin as initial therapy achieved mean HbA1c reductions from baseline of 2.4 percent (n=560), compared with 1.8 percent for patients taking metformin alone (n=566), a significant between-group difference of 0.6 percent (pAbout sitagliptin/metformin The combination of sitagliptin, a DPP-4 inhibitor, and metformin, a mainstay of diabetes therapy is indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on diet and exercise plus metformin alone or those already being treated with the combination of sitagliptin and metformin. The drug combination is also indicated for use in combination with a sulfonylurea (SU) as an adjunct to diet and exercise in patients inadequately controlled on metformin and an SU. The dose of antihyperglycaemic therapy with sitagliptin/metformin should be individualised on the basis of the patient"s current regimen, effectiveness, and tolerability while not exceeding the maximum recommended daily dose of 100mg sitagliptin.3 Sitagliptin/metformin is contraindicated in patients with: hypersensitivity to the active substances or to any of the excipients; diabetic ketoacidosis or diabetic pre-coma; moderate and severe renal impairment or abnormal creatinine clearance, acute conditions with the potential to alter renal function; acute or chronic disease which may cause tissue hypoxia; hepatic impairment; acute alcohol intoxication; alcoholism and lactation. This drug combination should not be used in patients with type 1 diabetes.3 Patients taking sitagliptin/metformin in combination with a sulfonylurea, a medication known to cause hypoglycaemia, may be at a higher risk of hypoglycaemia to those patients taking sitagliptin/metformin alone. Therefore, a reduction in the dose of the sulfonylurea may be required.3 References [i] Reasner C, Olansky L, Seck TL et al. Initial therapy with the fixed-dose combination of sitaglitptin and metformin (Janumet™) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus provides superior glycemic control and hemoglobin A1C goal attainment with lower rates of abdominal pain and diarrhea versus metformin alone. Data presented at ADA Congress 2009, New Orleans. [ii] JANUVIA European Public Assessment Report (EPAR), Product Information, 19/09/2008 Januvia-H-C-722-N-06. [iii] JANUMET European Public Assessment Report (EPAR), Product Information, 10/12/2008 Janumet BMS-H-C-861-IA-05. [iv] IMS Health, NPA™ Weekly, TRxs, week-ending October 20, 2006 through week-ending May 22, 2009. Data on file, Merck & Co., Inc. Merck, Sharp & Dohme


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