#Researchers find new way to treat diabetic blindness WASHINGTON: US researchers said they have found a new way to restore the eyesight in patients who have a blinding eye disease caused by diabetes.
The key is to block a second blood vessel growth protein, along with one that is already well-known,
and preventing diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease, they reported in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Xinhua news agency reported.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the normal blood vessels in the eye are replaced over time with abnormal,
damaging the light-sensitive retina and causing blindness. Forty to 45 percent of Americans with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy, according to the US National Eye Institute.
Laser-sealing eye blood vessels can save central vision, but this often sacrifices peripheral and night vision, according to the researchers at the Johns hopkins university and the University of Maryland.
But studies have shown that although these drugs slow progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, it does not reliably prevent it,
people with diabetes who did not have diabetic retinopathy and people with diabetic retinopathy of varying severity were tested.
While levels of VEGF tended to be higher in those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy some of their fluid had less VEGF than did the healthy participants.
But even the low-VEGF fluid from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy stimulated blood vessel growth in lab-grown cells."
"The results suggested to us that although VEFG clearly plays an important role in blood vessel growth,
and angiopoietin-like 4 in fluid from the eyes of people with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, it markedly reduced blood vessel growth in lab-grown cells.
it might be combined with the anti-VEGF drugs to prevent many cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
whether angiopoietin-like 4 might also play a role in other eye diseases, such as macular degeneration,
US researchers said they have found a new way to restore the eyesight in patients who have a blinding eye disease caused by diabetes.
and preventing diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease, they reported in the US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Xinhua news agency reported.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the normal blood vessels in the eye are replaced over time with abnormal,
damaging the light-sensitive retina and causing blindness. Forty to 45 percent of Americans with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy, according to the US National Eye Institute.
Laser-sealing eye blood vessels can save central vision, but this often sacrifices peripheral and night vision, according to the researchers at the Johns hopkins university and the University of Maryland.
But studies have shown that although these drugs slow progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, it does not reliably prevent it,
people with diabetes who did not have diabetic retinopathy and people with diabetic retinopathy of varying severity were tested.
While levels of VEGF tended to be higher in those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy some of their fluid had less VEGF than did the healthy participants.
But even the low-VEGF fluid from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy stimulated blood vessel growth in lab-grown cells."
"The results suggested to us that although VEFG clearly plays an important role in blood vessel growth,
and angiopoietin-like 4 in fluid from the eyes of people with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, it markedly reduced blood vessel growth in lab-grown cells.
it might be combined with the anti-VEGF drugs to prevent many cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
whether angiopoietin-like 4 might also play a role in other eye diseases, such as macular degeneration,
#Machine that unboils eggs now being used to improve cancer treatment A machine that can be used to uncook eggs is now being used to dramatically improve the effectiveness of a cancer treatment.
Using the invention on carboplatin a common cancer treatment drug, used against ovarian and lung cancers has boosted the potency by almost five times.
"Raston told ABC News. A machine that can be used to uncook eggs is now being used to dramatically improve the effectiveness of a cancer treatment.
Using the invention on carboplatin a common cancer treatment drug, used against ovarian and lung cancers has boosted the potency by almost five times.
#In a first, cold sore virus used to fight cancer cells Scientists have the first proof that a"brand new"way of combating cancer,
Specialists at the NHS Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) confirmed that melanoma skin cancer patients treated with a modified herpes virus (the virus that causes cold sores) had improved survival-a world first.
randomised trial of a so-called oncolytic virus to show success. Cancer scientists predict it will be the first of many in the coming years-adding a new weapon to our arsenal of cancer treatments.
Other forms of immunotherapy-the stimulation of the body's own immune system to fight cancer-using antibodies rather viruses,
Viral immunotherapies are also being investigated for use against advanced head and neck cancers, bladder cancers and liver cancers.
Kevin Harrington, UK trial leader and professor of biological cancer therapies at the ICR and an honorary consultant at the Royal Marsden, said he hoped the treatment could be available for routine use within a year in many countries
"We hope this is the first of a wave of indications for these sorts of cancer fighting agents that we will see coming through in the next decade or so."
and kill human cells that can make them such promising cancer treatments.""The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, included 436 patients, all of
is that they work by stimulating an immune response against cancer, "he said.""The field has moved very quickly clinically.
"Dr Hayley Frend, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said the potential for viruses in future cancer treatments was"exciting"."
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, and is becoming more widespread
if the cancer-indicated by the appearance of a new mole on the skin-is caught early.
and 2, 000 people still die from melanoma in the UK every year. Scientists have the first proof that a"brand new"way of combating cancer,
using genetically modified viruses to attack tumour cells, can benefit patients, paving the way for a"wave"of new%potential treatments over the next decade.
Specialists at the NHS Royal Marsden Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) confirmed that melanoma skin cancer patients treated with a modified herpes virus (the virus that causes cold sores) had improved survival-a world first.
randomised trial of a so-called oncolytic virus to show success. Cancer scientists predict it will be the first of many in the coming years-adding a new weapon to our arsenal of cancer treatments.
Other forms of immunotherapy-the stimulation of the body's own immune system to fight cancer-using antibodies rather viruses,
Viral immunotherapies are also being investigated for use against advanced head and neck cancers, bladder cancers and liver cancers.
Kevin Harrington, UK trial leader and professor of biological cancer therapies at the ICR and an honorary consultant at the Royal Marsden, said he hoped the treatment could be available for routine use within a year in many countries
"We hope this is the first of a wave of indications for these sorts of cancer fighting agents that we will see coming through in the next decade or so."
and kill human cells that can make them such promising cancer treatments.""The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, included 436 patients, all of
is that they work by stimulating an immune response against cancer, "he said.""The field has moved very quickly clinically.
"Dr Hayley Frend, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said the potential for viruses in future cancer treatments was"exciting"."
Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, and is becoming more widespread
if the cancer-indicated by the appearance of a new mole on the skin-is caught early.
and 2, 000 people still die from melanoma in the UK every year r
#Cells that aid hearing, balance created in lab LONDON: Scientists have developed successfully a way to coax embryonic stem cells to become the inner-ear hair cells
foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress.""It is possible to make incredible materials from trees
foam-like battery material that can withstand shock and stress.""It is possible to make incredible materials from trees
senior study author and an associate professor in the UC San diego School of medicine Department of Pathology. Five other genetic mutations have previously been identified by research groups as pivotal in achromatopsia."
"In this particular disease, we think a mutation in the ATF6 gene disrupts the UPR process
because this (UPR) is a new pathway found to be involved in this disease, "he said d
#Tata doctors find way to cut oral cancer risk Tata Memorial Hospital, the cancer hub in Parel, announced a breakthrough on Tuesday that could
not only reduce the risk of death for oral cancer patients by 36 %but also prevent recurrence of the disease by 55%.
%The innovation is an'extra cut'-a dissection in medical parlance-along the neck to detect
if the patient's cancer had spread from his/her oral cavity to the neck. The cut would be a prophylaxis-a preventive medicine-against aggressive cancer forms
and prevent the need for chemotherapy or radiation. The findings were announced by Tata Memorial Centre's Dr Anil D'Cruz at an ongoing meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology at Chicago on May 31.
The findings were published also in the latest edition of New england Journal of Medicine. The study assumes significance
because India carries the highest burden of oral cancer in the world, with around 1 lakh new patients detected every year.
It is the most common cancer among Indian men and third most common among Indian women.
"When a patient comes with a lesion in his oral cavity, be it his her tongue
whether the cancer has progressed beyond to the neck region. This is especially in the early stages of oral cancer.''
''At present, patients may choose to not undergo neck dissection and wait until some cancerous bulge-basically,
whether or not early stage oral cancer patients should undergo a neck dissection. On one hand, the dissection is a delicate operation
they may be at the risk of not diagnosing the cancer's complete spread early enough.
#Tata docs find way to cut oral cancer risk Tata Memorial Hospital, the cancer hub in Parel, announced a breakthrough on Tuesday that could
not only reduce the risk of death for oral cancer patients by 36 %but also prevent recurrence of the disease by 55%.
%The innovation is an'extra cut'-a dissection in medical parlance-along the neck to detect
if the patient's cancer had spread from his/her oral cavity to the neck. The cut would be a prophylaxis-a preventive medicine-against aggressive cancer forms
and prevent the need for chemotherapy or radiation. The findings were announced by Tata Memorial Centre's Dr Anil D'Cruz at an ongoing meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology at Chicago on May 31.
The findings were published also in the latest edition of New england Journal of Medicine. The study assumes significance
because India carries the highest burden of oral cancer in the world, with around 1 lakh new patients detected every year.
It is the most common cancer among Indian men and third most common among Indian women.
"When a patient comes with a lesion in his oral cavity, be it his her tongue
whether the cancer has progressed beyond to the neck region. This is especially in the early stages of oral cancer.''
''At present, patients may choose to not undergo neck dissection and wait until some cancerous bulge-basically,
whether or not early stage oral cancer patients should undergo a neck dissection. On one hand, the dissection is a delicate operation
they may be at the risk of not diagnosing the cancer's complete spread early enough.
The product uses"low levels of pulsed electrical energy to signal specific neural pathways, allowing users to dial up or dial down their stress responses and energy levels."
The method, called Virscan, developed by Howard hughes medical institute (HHMI) researchers can test for current and past infections with any known human virus,
including HIV and hepatitis C. The method, called Virscan, is an efficient alternative to existing diagnostics that test for specific viruses one at a time.
The immune system ramps up production of pathogen-specific antibodies when it encounters a virus for the first time
or decades after it clears an infection. PTI That means Virscan not only identifies viral infections that the immune system is actively fighting,
but also provides a history of an individual's past infections. To develop the new test,
Elledge and his colleagues synthesised more than 93,000 short pieces of DNA encoding different segments of viral proteins.
either through infection or through vaccination. The study was published in the journal Science e
#Now, aircraft wings that can'self heal'on the fly Even the researchers involved in the project describe it as"verging on science fiction".
"Plus the amputation is tied often to a traumatic experience like an accident or illness, and the mind keeps reliving these memories,
"Plus the amputation is tied often to a traumatic experience like an accident or illness, and the mind keeps reliving these memories,
#Copper and its alloys destroy'stomach flu'virus Metal surfaces containing copper can destroy human norovirus, one of the causes of gastroenteritis or'stomach flu,
including copious vomiting and diarrhea. It is a major problem on cruise ships, in restaurants, and in elder care homes, where the disease is transmitted easily by environmental contamination,
"said Clyde Manuel, a doctoral student of North carolina State university, Raleigh.""This is the first study to demonstrate copper's destructive powers against human norovirus,
Several earlier studies have established that copper is very effective against a host of bacteria that cause a variety of human diseases including stomach ailments, pneumonia,
meningitis, skin infections etc. But this is the first study to record copper's action against a virus. In the study,
He notes that a hospital intensive care unit that recently replaced other materials in high touch surfaces with copper reduced the overall infection rate by half.
#New sensor to detect cancer, HIV, hepatitis Researchers have developed a highly sensitive nanomechanical sensor that can detect cancerous tumours as well as viral disease markers for HIV,
hepatitis and herpes. Researchers from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) developed the ultracompact nanomechanical sensor for analysing the chemical composition of substances and detecting biological objects.
The sensor can detect viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable
or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others. The sensor will also enable doctors to identify tumour markers,
whose presence in the body signals the emergence and growth of cancerous tumours. The highly sensitive sensor will allow for diagnosing diseases long before they can be detected by any other method,
which will pave the way for a new-generation of diagnostics, researchers said. Calculations done by the researchers,
Dmitry Fedyanin and Yury Stebunov, showed that the new sensor will combine high sensitivity with a comparative ease of production
#New sensor to detect cancer, HIV Researchers have developed a highly sensitive nanomechanical sensor that can detect cancerous tumours as well as viral disease markers for HIV,
hepatitis and herpes. Researchers from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) developed the ultracompact nanomechanical sensor for analysing the chemical composition of substances and detecting biological objects.
The sensor can detect viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable
or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others. The sensor will also enable doctors to identify tumour markers,
whose presence in the body signals the emergence and growth of cancerous tumours. The highly sensitive sensor will allow for diagnosing diseases long before they can be detected by any other method
which will pave the way for a new-generation of diagnostics, researchers said. Calculations done by the researchers,
Dmitry Fedyanin and Yury Stebunov, showed that the new sensor will combine high sensitivity with a comparative ease of production
Researchers have developed a highly sensitive nanomechanical sensor that can detect cancerous tumours as well as viral disease markers for HIV,
hepatitis and herpes. Researchers from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) developed the ultracompact nanomechanical sensor for analysing the chemical composition of substances and detecting biological objects.
The sensor can detect viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable
or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others. The sensor will also enable doctors to identify tumour markers,
whose presence in the body signals the emergence and growth of cancerous tumours. The highly sensitive sensor will allow for diagnosing diseases long before they can be detected by any other method
which will pave the way for a new-generation of diagnostics, researchers said. Calculations done by the researchers,
The breakthrough, described in the journal Human Reproduction, gives hope to thousands of young cancer victims who face treatments such as chemotherapy which can damage the ovaries
The breakthrough, described in the journal Human Reproduction, gives hope to thousands of young cancer victims who face treatments such as chemotherapy which can damage the ovaries
Cure for untreatable wounds BEIJING: Chinese scientists have claimed successfully growing muscle stem cells in a test tube,
a breakthrough that could potentially save the careers of top athletes besides cure untreatable injuries caused from accidents and surgeries due to cancer."
"It can generate enough stem cells to heal permanent wounds, especially those caused externally,"said Hu Ping, a cell biologist with the Shanghai Institute for Biological science at the Chinese Academy of Sciences."
"Muscle stem cells are the ultimate way to cure muscle-related wounds or diseases, "Hu said,
those who have had surgery for cancer, or sufferers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).""This technology could cure (recently retired Chinese hurdler) Liu Xiang's injury,
"Hu said, referring to Asia's first Olympic gold medallist in the 110-metre hurdles at the 2004 Athens Olympics who also ranks as the continent's first world champion hurdler.
A nagging tendon injury caused the Shanghai native to limp off the track when Beijing hosted the Summer Games in 2008.
blaming his longstanding injury. Now scientists from his hometown believe they have found a way to restore him to full health,
along with millions of other patients bearing muscle-related injuries. By transplanting the stem cells from the test tube back into the patient's body
large wounds require large numbers to be dragged over from healthy parts of the patient's body,
The professor said a similar method could be used to grow tendon stem cells to treat injuries like Liu's. She added that
"Most people in China don't care about muscle injuries until they find they cannot walk,
#Microsoft's drones to catch mosquitoes and help stop epidemics WASHINGTON: Microsoft researchers are developing autonomous drones that collect mosquitoes to look for early signs that potentially harmful viruses are spreading,
with the goal of preventing disease outbreaks in humans. Project Premonition, launched by American tech company Microsoft,
is developing a system that aims to detect infectious disease outbreaks before they become widespread. Project Premonition could eventually allow health officials to get a jump start on preventing outbreaks of a disease like dengue fever
or avian flu before it occurs, whether or not it is a disease spread by mosquitoes,
researchers said. It will do that by relying on what Ethan Jackson the Microsoft researcher who is spearheading the project,
calls'nature's drones'-mosquitoes-to look for early signs that a particular illness could be on the move.
Until recently, the idea of culling through mosquitoes to try to find diseases that are known both
with the goal of preventing disease outbreaks in humans. Project Premonition, launched by American tech company Microsoft,
is developing a system that aims to detect infectious disease outbreaks before they become widespread. Project Premonition could eventually allow health officials to get a jump start on preventing outbreaks of a disease like dengue fever
or avian flu before it occurs, whether or not it is a disease spread by mosquitoes,
researchers said. It will do that by relying on what Ethan Jackson the Microsoft researcher who is spearheading the project,
calls'nature's drones'-mosquitoes-to look for early signs that a particular illness could be on the move.
Until recently, the idea of culling through mosquitoes to try to find diseases that are known both
#In a first, drug offers hope for children with dwarfism An experimental drug, vying to become the first approved treatment for dwarfism, improved growth in children by a significant amount in a preliminary study, the drug's developer,
Biomarin Pharmaceutical, said on Wednesday. In the study, the 10 children who got the highest dose of the drug grew at an average rate of 6. 1cm,
can also increase the growth rate for people with dwarfism to 6 centimetres per year but the effect wears off after one year.
or vosoritide, is aimed at treating achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. The company says there may be 24
Women with achondroplasia typically grow to about four feet tall, and men a few inches taller.
The condition also causes disproportionate growth that can lead to complications like bowed legs, sleep apnea and spinal cord compression,
Some people with dwarfism say it is not a disease that needs treatment. But about 80%of children with achondroplasia are born to parents of normal stature,
and many parents want treatments for their children. One is a torturous surgery that lengthens the legs by breaking them h
Scientists have designed a new experimental HIV vaccine that may stimulate the immune system to block infection from the deadly virus. New research led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI),
INTERNATIONAL AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the Rockefeller University shows in mice that the vaccine candidate can stimulate the immune system activity necessary to stop HIV infection.
While many vaccines for other diseases use a dead or inactive version of the disease-causing microbe itself to trigger antibody production,
immunisations with"native"HIV proteins are ineffective in triggering an effective immune response, due to HIV's ability to evade detection from the immune system
and block HIV infection. This suggested that eod-GT8 60mer could be a good candidate to serve as the first in a series of immunisations against HIV
An important potential benefit that brainwave technology might offer is the ability to improve the accessibility of media content to people with disabilities.
For example, people affected by motor neurone disease or suffering locked-insyndrome may increasingly be able to use brain-computer interfaces to get a better experience of digital
#New breath test may detect pneumonia LONDON: A simple breath test can now detect if a critically ill patient is infected with pneumonia or not.
Chemically analysing breath specimens from patients in intensive care can reveal bacterial infection in the lower respiratory tract of ventilated patients at risk of developing pneumonia.
Though the study is at an initial stage, the results so far look promising and could potentially have a huge effect on clinical practice as healthcare associated infections are a major issue worldwide."
"Pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics but there are two major problems-it can be difficult to detect
and diagnose and because of that we tend to use potent broad spectrum antibiotics in anyone who shows symptoms of infection,
"said Paul Dark, one of the researchers and honorary consultant in intensive care medicine at Salford Royal.
Current methods of confirming the presence of infections involve laboratory tests of samples from deep in the lungs,
"said Stephen Fowler, clinical lecturer in the University of Manchester's Centre for Respiratory Medicine and Allergy.
and thalassemia who require treatment with regular transfusions and for whom it is difficult to find compatible donors.
#ost sensitivetest to detect superbugs Researchers have developed the world's most sensitive test to quickly detect dangerous infectious diseases and deadly superbugs such as C difficile and MRSA.
In essence, the new method can pick up any compound that might signal the presence of infectious diseases,
researchers developed a molecular device made of DNA that can be switched'on'by a specific molecule of their choice-such as a certain type of disease indicator
"This invention will allow us to detect anything we might be interested in, bacterial contamination or perhaps a protein molecule that is a cancer marker.
#New discovery may generate ways to beat deadly malaria WASHINGTON DC: Scientists have identified new ways which help the malaria parasite survive in the blood stream of its victims,
and the finding could lead to new treatments for the disease. Medical Research Council's (MRC) Toxicology Unit researchers at the University of Leicester and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found a key protein,
Co-lead author of the study professor Andrew Tobin said that the understanding of malaria's survival in the blood stream was a real breakthrough
and could lead to cure that stops malaria in its tracks without causing toxic side-effects.
According to the World health organization malaria currently infects more than 200 million people worldwide and accounts for more than 500,000 deaths per year.
Malaria has been a problem in India for centuries. At present, official figures for malaria in India, available at NVBDCP
indicate 0. 7-1. 6 million confirmed cases and 400-1, 000 deaths annually. Professor Patrick Maxwell, chair of the MRC's Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board,
said tackling malaria was a global challenge, with the parasite continually working to find ways to survive our drug treatments.
and exploit the disease's weak spots but with limited side-effects for patients s
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