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GM Tomatoes 'Tastier and Longer-lasting'

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Purple genetically modified tomatoes are better-tasting and longer-lasting, say researchers. "Working with GM tomatoes that are different to normal fruit only by the addition of a specific compound, allows us to pinpoint exactly how to breed in valuable traits," said Professor Cathie Martin from the John Innes Centre. The research could also lead to GM varieties with better flavour, health and shelf life characteristics because even higher levels ...

Barley and its Benefits

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The benefits of barley far outweigh any contraindications of this wonder grain and its simplicity and availability is what we should take advantage of.

Scientists Reveal Secrets Behind Itching

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National Institutes of Health scientists have discovered a small molecule released in the spinal cord of a mouse triggers a process that is later experienced in the brain as the sensation of itch. The small molecule, called natriuretic polypeptide b (Nppb), streams ahead and selectively plugs into a specific nerve cell in the spinal cord, which sends the signal onward through the central nervous system. When Nppb or its nerve cell was removed, ...

Link Between Calcium Supplements and Longer Lifespan Identified

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Intake of calcium supplements can help women live longer, says study published in iJournal of Clinical Endocrinology (and) Metabolism/i (JCEM). Calcium, an essential nutrient for bone health, is commonly found in dairy products as well as vitamins. Although calcium is an essential nutrient for bone health, past studies have linked calcium supplements to heart disease risk. Researchers analyzing data from the large-scale Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study ...

Homes With Dogs Have More Types of Bacteria: Study

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Households that have dogs have more types of bacteria, finds recent study. Dr. Rob Dunn, an associate professor of biology at North Carolina State University and co-author of a paper, said that the team wanted to know which variables influenced the microbial ecosystems in their homes, and the biggest difference that they have found so far is whether they own a dog or not. He said that the team could tell whether a person owns a dog based on the ...

(Dollar) 100 Monthly can Actually Pay for Health Insurance

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Among the probable advantages of retiring abroad, in some places it is possible to get comprehensive health insurance for as little as (Dollar) 100 a month or lower and at times for free. Some policies don't pay outside the United States - like the military policies, Medicare doesn't work overseas. When you retire abroad it would be a good idea to either buy a local insurance policy, an international policy or pay cash for medical expenses as required. Not buying insurance ...

Reasons to Drink More Water

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We all are constantly reminded of how important water is for our bodies, and that's for a good reason. Something that makes up for more than 70% of your body, is definitely important, which is why, we've decided to list down some facts about how important water is. You may probably never have heard of about some of these! Research suggests that around half of the world's population is chronically dehydrated, and by the time you actually feel the need to ...

Fungi at Your Feet

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Can you ever imagine that our feet have nearly 200 different types of fungi and they have their favorite spots too? Our skin is home to many harmless fungi which can cause infection in case they multiply. The favorite spots for the fungi are between toes, under toenails and the heel. This information can be of great help in tackling skin conditions like athlete's foot. Nearly three in every 100 people in the UK are affected by fungal nail infections and the ...

Dietary Advice on Added Sugar 'Damaging Our Health', Says Expert

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Current dietary advice on added sugar is in desperate need of emergency surgery, says an Indian origin cardiologist. In 2003 the World Health Organization stated that "added sugars" should contribute no more than 10percent of total energy intake. This was in line with the UK government's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) recommendations. This nutritional advice has formed the basis of UK food labelling since 2003 ...

Strenuous Working Environment Leads to Diabetes

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According to the scientists working in strenuous environment, healthy individuals too are exposed to the threat of developing diabetes. The present lifestyle is strenuous and full of competitions. Innumerable tensions surround our daily life. The tension of meeting with deadlines and hours of hard work accompanied with insufficient social support can result in the development of diabetes. Sharon Toker, Ph.D., of Tel Aviv University's ...

What is the Similarity Between Sugary Syrup and Cocaine?

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Recent research has found that sugary syrup extensively used in processed foods like biscuits can trigger behavioral changes akin to the effect of cocaine. Study into high fructose corn syrup found that it can cause behavioral changes very close to Class A drugs. This was tested in laboratory rats that were found to portray behavioral changes with high fructose corn syrup. Professor Francesco Leri, who led the study, found that there is an addictive ...

New Method for Finding Therapeutic Antibodies Identified

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A powerful new technique for finding antibodies that have a desired biological effect has been devised by The Scripps Research Institute scientists. Antibodies, which can bind to billions of distinct targets, are already used in many of the world's best-selling medicines, diagnostics and laboratory reagents. The newly reported technique should greatly speed the process of discovering such products. "For the first time, we have a selection method whose power ...

Study Says H7N9 Bird Flu can Spread in Mammals

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According to a recent study H7N9 bird flu strain can spread among ferrets and could do the same among humans under certain conditions. So far there have been no known cases of human-to-human spread of the new virus, which has infected 131 people and killed 36 since it first emerged in China in March. If the virus were found to be able to spread easily among humans, experts fear it could trigger a widespread pandemic. Animal studies are a first ...

HI VISION Preirus Ultrasound from Hitachi and PENTAX

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Hitachi has just made available its HI VISION Preirus ultrasound system, owing to a team effort with PENTAX. The system finds itself useful in most ultrasound imaging situations, including OB/GYN, and in interventional procedures. It can also be used for transesophageal cardiac echos. The system is very different from conventional ultrasound systems and gives a fillip to accuracy while making diagnosis. The world of medicine can benefit from ...

Tapping into the World of Bugs to Solve Food Demand

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Did you know that worms can be a source of proteins, vitamins and minerals? Thailand may give us some lessons on innovative thinking to find answers to the growing global food crisis by exploring the world of insects. More recently, The United Nations' Food and Agricultural Organization has come out with a booklet about worms that can become food. This is especially important as the demand for food is forecasted to grow by 60% by 2050. Apparently, ...

Botox Captures the Imagination of Pretty Young People

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Botox, a popular procedure among the 40-year-olds is now fast catching up with people as young as 20. Botox, an injection that contains permissible and a safe form of botulism, is injected into the face, and actually works by temporarily paralyzing the muscle. This is thought to make the skin look younger as it reduces wrinkles. This procedure is quite popular among 40-year olds, in their quest of youth. Most people who have taken these injections say ...

Experts Recommend US Approval of a New Merck Sleeping Pill

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Independent panel of experts recommended US approval of a new Merck sleeping pill called suvorexant, but expressed concerns over the highest dosage and risks of drowsy daytime driving. A majority of the panel voted that the drug was safe and effective in most cases, but was divided on the question of approving the safety of higher doses if lower doses did not appear to work for patients. The panel voted 13 yes, three no with one abstention that starting ...

Coronavirus Claims New Life in Saudi Arabia

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The health ministry announced on its website that a man who had contracted the coronavirus has died in Saudi Arabia, raising the death toll in the kingdom from the SARS-like virus to 17. "A male non-Saudi died on Tuesday in a hospital in the Qassim region where he had been admitted several days ago with acute bronchitis," the ministry said. The ministry announced on Monday that a patient had died of coronavirus in the Eastern Region where most of the ...

Cancer Risk Following CT Scans in Adolescence Confirmed

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In a group of 10,000 young people, the researchers say that they would expect 39 cancers to occur during the next 10 years, but if they all had one CT scan, up to six extra cancers would occur. CT (computed tomography) scans have great medical benefits, but their increasing use since the 1980s has raised some concerns about possible cancer risks, particularly following exposures in childhood. Most previous studies have estimated risks indirectly, and some radiation ...

Concept Vaccine may Protect Against Flu

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Scientists unveiled a concept vaccine against flu that they said may protect against various strains with a single jab. Tested in ferrets, considered good human models, the synthetic vaccine uses nanotechnology to attack parts of the influenza virus that different strains have in common, they wrote in the journal Nature. "It provides a basis for development of universal influenza vaccines and for more rapid generation of vaccines during new outbreaks," ...

Life Expectancy Gap Widens Among Mental Illness Patiets

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Among mental illness, the association of higher death rate has been extensively documented, but most of the attention has focused on the elevated risk of suicide. Whereas most of the risk can be attributed to physical illness such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer (80% of deaths). The higher death rate is also normally reported in terms of mortality rates but other measures can be used such as potential years of life lost, average ...

Blood Test to Spot Postpartum Depression

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Post partum depression is known to affect 10 to 18% of mothers. Presently there is no way to screen for postpartum depression. Researchers at John Hopkins University have discovered that the presence of two genes can show the risk of a woman developing postpartum depression. They said that it can be found through a simple blood test. Researchers tracked the changes in genes in pregnant women and found that those who went on to suffer from ...

Contagious Nature of Suicidal Thoughts

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Nearly 13 % of suicides among teens are copycat ones, researchers said. Young adolescents may contemplate suicide if their classmate or a friend from their group committed suicide, a recent research has found. The study showed that suicidal thoughts could be contagious among teens. This is why after a suicide case goes public, we tend to hear about more such similar incidents. The research found that students, who were 12 to 13 years old and had a classmate ...

Australian Study: Social Network Addiction Taking Over Lives

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An analysis by the 2013 Yellow Social Media Report has found that a growing number of Australians are using social network at an addictive rate wherever they can, even in toilet cubicles! According to the study, three out of every five internet users are accessing these sites more than five times a day, making it a total of seven hours a day. In a report by News.com, the study found that the time spent by Australians for social media usage has gone ...

Anabolic Steroids may Affect Future Mental Health: Study

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The main conclusion of a new study on elite male strength athletes that researchers from the University of Gothenburg recently published in the iBritish Journal of Sports Medicine/i finds that there is a link between use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and reduced mental health later in life. Twenty per cent of the subjects in the study admitted steroid use. The study is published by CERA, which is the University of Gothenburg's centre for education and research ...

Glaucoma Drug can Cause Droopy Eyelids: Study

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Prostaglandin analogues (PGAs) are drugs which lower intraocular pressure. PGAs are often the first line of treatment for people with glaucoma, but their use is not without risks. PGAs have long been associated with blurred vision, dryness, changes in eye color and other side effects. Now a new study has found that these drugs also cause upper and lower eyelid drooping and other issues that can interfere with vision. The findings are described in iPLOS ONE/i. Researchers ...

Researchers Are Trying To Find a Family for a Pair of Orphan Receptors in the Brain

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A protein that stimulates a pair of "orphan receptors" found in the brain was identified by researchers at Emory University, solving a long-standing biological puzzle and possibly leading to future treatments for neurological diseases. The results are published in the iProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences/i, Early Edition. The human genome is littered with orphans: proteins that look like they will bind and respond to a hormone or a brain ...

Early-life Traffic-related Air Pollution Exposure Linked to Hyperactivity: Research

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According to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, early-life exposure to traffic-related air pollution was significantly associated with higher hyperactivity scores at age 7. The research is detailed in a study being published Tuesday, May 21, in iEnvironmental Health Perspectives/i, a peer-reviewed open access journal published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, an institute ...

Researchers Say Timing of Cancer Radiation Therapy May Minimize Hair Loss

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Researchers suspect that hair loss in humans from toxic cancer radiotherapy and chemotherapy might be minimized if these treatments are given late in the day. This suspicion comes after the discovery that mouse hair has a circadian clock - a 24-hour cycle of growth followed by restorative repair. The study, which appears in the early online edition of the iProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences/i (PNAS), found that mice lost 85 percent of their hair ...

Telerehabilitation Allows Accurate Assessment of Patients With Low Back Pain: Study

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A study in the May 15 issue of iSpine/i/a reports that a new "telerehabilitation" approach lets physical therapists assess patients with low back pain (LBP) over the Internet, with good accuracy compared with face-to-face examinations. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams (and) Wilkins/a, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health/a. Taking advantage of Skype and other widely-used services may make telerehabilitation a more feasible alternative to in-person ...

Mechanism Linking Key Inflammatory Marker to Cancer Found By Researchers

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Researchers reveal how a key player in cell growth, immunity and the inflammatory response can be transformed into a primary contributor to tumor growth. The study can be found in the journal iOncogene/i. Scientists call this Jekyll-and-Hyde molecule NF-kappa B. In healthy cells, it is a powerful "first responder," a vital part of the body's immune and inflammatory responses. It spends most of its life in the cell's cytoplasm, quietly awaiting orders. But when ...

Genetic Screening Could Reveal Hidden High Risk for Coronary Heart Disease: Study

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The study led by Professor Samuli Ripatti was comprised of over 24,000 Finnish subjects. The results revealed that a panel of 28 genetic markers improved detection of individuals with high risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) (10-year risk (and) #8805;20%) over traditional risk factors. Identification of high-risk individuals is an important preventive strategy for CHD, because the current guidelines recommend statin treatment for the high-risk group. "The results ...

Mortality in the ICU Can Be Predicted By Metabolic Biomarkers

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According to a new study, a metabolic profile of intensive care unit (ICU) patients based on biomarkers of four metabolites can be used to accurately predict mortality. "Existing models for predicting mortality in the ICU may not always be accurate and they can also be cumbersome to use," said researcher Angela J. Rogers MD, MPH, Instructor in Medicine at Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston. "Levels of lactate, ...

WHO: Impossible to Predict Outcome in China's Bird Flu Outbreak

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The head of the World Health Organisation said that it is impossible to predict the evolution of China's human H7N9 bird flu outbreak as researchers are still trying to understand the source of human transmission. According to the latest official data, H7N9 avian influenza has infected 130 people in China, and killed 35, since it was found in humans for the first time in March. "Influenza viruses constantly reinvent themselves. No one can predict the ...

Your Mood Could Improve With The Help Of A Brain Ultrasound

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An improvement in the mental states of people suffering from chronic pain could possibly be taken care of by transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS). In 2002 a UCLA group led by Alexander Bystritsky noticed beneficial side effects in psychiatric patients whose brains were imaged by TUS. A team led by Virginia Tech's W. Jamie Tyler has shown TUS-induced behavioral and electrophysiological changes in animals. A Harvard group led by S-S Yoo has used ...

Super Specialty Dental Care Chain to Boost Oral Care in India

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Clove, multi-specialty dental care chain from the house of Star Dental, announced aggressive business plans to launch 40 company owned clinics across India over the next one year. The company will make an investment of close to Rs 150 crores over a period of three years. The growth plan is supported by a healthy mix of organic and inorganic growth. Clove has added new paradigm to oral care in India through its high-quality clinics that offer international ...

Electric Lighting Hampers Proper Sleep at Night

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A Harvard University researcher suggests that electric lighting in the evenings plays a disruptive role on our natural 24-hour body clock or "circadian rhythm" and affects our sleep. The report, published in the journal Nature, states that electric lighting leaves us checking our mails or watching television during late evenings and keeps our body alert when it should be winding down for sleep. Study author Prof Charles Czeisler adds that the blue light using ...

One in Ten Girls Suffers from Anorexia During Teenage

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Anorexia has become one of the most common new mental health problems affecting teenage girls with one in ten girls thought to be suffering from the disorder which is also being seen in increasing number of boys. Researchers at University College, London have found that the number of anorexia cases have jumped by 13 percent during the period between 2003 and 2009 with the highest increase found among girls between 15 and 19 years of age. The researchers added that ...

Plastics Used in Food Packaging Linked to High Blood Pressure in Children

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Common types of plastics used in food packaging could be dangerous to children as they may lead to high blood pressure, a new study reveals. Researchers led by Leonardo Trasande at NYU Langone Medical Center analyzed more than 2,000 children over a period of six years and found that a common class of pthalates, DEHP (di-2-ethyhexylphthalate), used in industrial food production leads to an increase of one-millimeter mercury of systolic blood pressure among children ...

Women With Attractive Faces Have Low Levels of Stress Hormone

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Women with attractive faces have lower levels of stress hormone and are also more fertile compared to other women, according to a new study conducted by Finnish researchers. The study has been conducted by researchers at University of Turku in Finland and has been published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters. The researchers found that women who have high levels of stress hormone cortisol were found to be less attractive, signaling lower reproduction ...

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke in Womb Makes Kids Antisocial

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A joint study conducted by researchers at University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine hospital found that children who are exposed to second hand smoking either when in womb or when growing up were more likely to develop physically aggressive characteristics and become antisocial. Researchers analyzed data of over 2,000 children from the time they were born to when they were 10 years old. The data collected by Quebec health authorities and also included details from ...

AIDS Cure may be Possible for Some, Say Scientists

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Top AIDS scientists have said a cure for AIDS might not work for all people but might be able to cure some patients. The experts have high hopes for a treatment that will be given at an early stage of infection -- most likely a cocktail that includes an immunity booster and a virus killer. But they said people with a long-running, untreated infection and a compromised immune system may never benefit from an envisioned "functional cure" -- which means ...

Ban on Gay Men Donating Blood Repealed in Canada

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Canadian health authorities have announced new rules making men who have not had sex with men in the past five years eligible to donate blood. Under the previous regime, men who had sex with men since 1977, even once, were not allowed to donate. The strict code was designed as a precaution against the spread of disease through blood transfusions, based on epidemiological data that showed a higher risk of transmitting HIV in, for example, men-to-men relations ...

Controversial Stem Cell Therapy Approved in Italy

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A law that allows limited use of a controversial type of stem cell therapy has been approved by lawmakers in Italy. The therapy has been condemned by many scientists but has given hope to families of terminally-ill children. The law gives the go-ahead for therapy being carried out by the Stamina Foundation on dozens of patients to continue, and allows for an 18-month period of clinical trials for the procedure, which had previously been blocked by Italian authorities. ...

Study Highlights RNA-Based Classification System for Colorectal Cancer

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A study published in iPLOS Medicine/i this week highlights a novel transcriptome-based classification of colon cancer that improves the current disease stratification based on clinicopathological variables and common DNA markers. Pr. Pierre Laurent-Puig and colleagues from INSERM in Paris, France used genetic information from a French multicenter study supported by the "Ligue contre le cancer" to identify a standard, reproducible molecular classification based ...

Trial Finds Biodegradable Stent is Non-Inferior to Drug-Eluting Stent

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A new imaging substudy reveals that the Orsiro stent, which is a novel stent platform eluting sirolimus from a biodegradable polymer, demonstrated non-inferiority to the Xience Prime everolimus-eluting stent for the primary angiographic endpoint of in-stent late lumen loss at nine months. The substudy was reported at EuroPCR 2013 today. The BIOFLOW-II substudy used intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to quantitatively ...

Survival is Not Improved With Early Use of Tracheostomy For Mechanically Ventilated Patients

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A new study says that for critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation, early tracheostomy was not associated with an improvement in the risk of death within 30 days compared to patients who received tracheostomy placement after 10 days. The study appears in the May 22/29 issue of iJAMA/i. "A tracheostomy is commonly performed when clinicians predict a patient will need prolonged mechanical ventilation," according to background information in the ...

Drugs Found to Prevent and Treat Alzheimer's Disease Identified in Animal Study

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A class of pharmaceuticals can both prevent and treat Alzheimer's Disease in mice, researchers at USC have found. The drugs, known as "TSPO ligands," are currently used for certain types of neuroimaging. "We looked at the effects of TSPO ligand in young adult mice when pathology was at an early stage, and in aged mice when pathology was quite severe," said lead researcher Christian Pike of the USC Davis School of Gerontology. "TSPO ligand reduced measures ...

Poliovirus Vaccine Trial for Recurrent Glioblastoma Reveals Promising Results

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Researchers at Duke Cancer Institute report that an attack on glioblastoma brain tumor cells that uses a modified poliovirus is showing encouraging results in an early study. The treatment, developed at Duke and tested in an ongoing phase 1 study, capitalizes on the discovery that cancer cells have an abundance of receptors that work like magnets drawing the poliovirus, which then infects and kills the cells. The investigational therapy, known as PVSRIPO, ...

Research Highlights Racial Disparities in the Surgical Management of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

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A new study has indicated that the surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in U.S. hospitals varies widely depending on the race of the patient. "In most patients, the initial treatment for Stage I and Stage II NSCLC is surgery," said researcher Jayanth Adusumalli, MBBS, of the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. "In our study of more than 1,200,000 patients diagnosed with NSCLC in US hospitals between the years 2000 and 2010, ...

Monoclonal Antibody Appears Effective and Safe in Asthma Phase IIa Trial

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US researchers say that a novel approach to obstructing the runaway inflammatory response implicated in some types of asthma has shown promise in a Phase IIa clinical trial. Their research will be presented at the American Thoracic Society 2013 International Conference and published simultaneously online in the iNew England Journal of Medicine/i. The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested the efficacy and safety of the monoclonal ...