Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles
Benefits Of Grapefruit

Coma, Vegetative State, Minimally Conscious State: Frequent Misdiagnoses And Inconsistent Standards In Europe Pose Ethical Problems
"Latest research raises important ethical issues concerning our care for patients with chronic consciousness disorders," said Professor Gustave Moonen (Liege, Belgium), past president of the European Neurological Society (ENS), at a press conference at the current ENS Congress. This major meeting in European neurology is gathering more than 2,900 experts from all over the world in Milan. "This is all the more important as studies have shown that more than a third of patients given an initial diagnosis of vegetative state or persistent vegetative state show minimal signs of consciousness under more detailed examination."
generic viagra online
Study Suggests Arthritis Drug Might Prove Effective In Fighting The Flu
Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have found that an approved drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis reduces severe illness and death in mice exposed to the Influenza A virus. Their findings suggest that tempering the response of the body"s immune system to influenza infection may alleviate some of the more severe symptoms and even reduce mortality from this virus.
News of the day
GOP House Members Send Obama Letter Asking Him To Reinstate 'Conscience' Rule
House GOP members on Tuesday sent a letter to President Obama praising him for saying that he wants to "honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion" during his commencement address at the University of Notre Dame last weekend, The Hill reports. The Republican lawmakers -- Reps. James Sensenbrenner (Wis.), Chris Smith (N.J.) and John Fleming (La.) -- said Obama"s speech indicated to them that he would reinstate the HHS provider "conscience" rule, which expanded the ability of health workers to refuse to provide services or information they objected to on moral or religious grounds and prohibited federal funding for health entities that do not comply.In March, Obama began the process for rescinding the Bush-era rule, and it is currently undergoing a White House review. In the letter, the representatives said that they "agree with [Obama] that pro-life health care providers should have the right to refuse to participate in procedures that they find morally reprehensible." Smith said he has "renewed hope, hopefully not false" that Obama will "completely forgo the rescinding of this rule" after his remarks during Sunday"s speech (Hooper, The Hill, 5/19).
Health Insurance

Carbohydrate Acts As Tumor Suppressor

Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have discovered that specialized complex sugar molecules (glycans) that anchor cells into place act as tumor suppressors in breast and prostate cancers. These glycans play a critical role in cell adhesion in normal cells, and their decrease or loss leads to increased cell migration by invasive cancer cells and metastasis. An increase in expression of the enzyme that produces these glycans, í²3GnT1, resulted in a significant reduction in tumor activity. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The specialized glycans are capable of binding to laminin and are attached to the í±-DG cell surface protein. This binding facilitates adhesion between epithelial and basement membrane cells and prevents cells from migrating. The team of scientists, led by Professor Minoru Fukuda, Ph.D., demonstrated that í²3GnT1 controls the synthesis of laminin-binding glycans in concert with the genes LARGE/LARGE2. Down-regulation of í²3GnT1 reduces the number of glycans, leading to greater movement by invasive cancer cells. However, when the researchers forced aggressive cancer cells to express í²3GnT1, the laminin-binding glycans were restored and tumor formation decreased. "These results indicate that certain carbohydrates on normal cells and enzymes that synthesize those glycans, such as í²3GnT1, function as tumor suppressors," said Dr. Fukuda." Upregulation of í²3GnT1 may become a novel way to treat cancer." Using antibodies, the team investigated the expression of both í±-DG and its associated glycans in both normal and cancerous cells. They found that the quantity of í±-DG was similar in both cell types, but the level of attached glycans was reduced in the cancer cells. Further study showed that prostate cancer cells that highly expressed the í±-DG glycans produced smaller tumors. The team also found that when they knocked down í²3GnT1 expression by RNA interference, which reduces protein expression, the amount of glycans decreased even when LARGE was overexpressed. The scientists demonstrated that í²3GnT1 plays a key role in forming laminin-binding glycans attached to í±-DG, which in turn reduces cancer cell movement. The study provides a new understanding of the role that complex carbohydrates play in cancer and could lead to new directions in the development of therapeutics. About Burnham Institute for Medical Research Burnham Institute for Medical Research is dedicated to revealing the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. Burnham, with operations in California and Florida, is one of the fastest-growing research institutes in the country. The Institute ranks among the top-four institutions nationally for NIH grant funding and among the top-25 organizations worldwide for its research impact. Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, infectious and inflammatory and childhood diseases. The Institute is known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Burnham is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation. Burnham Institute for Medical Research


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009