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Ragweed allergy sublingual immunotherapy: an interview with Dr. Peter Creticos, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Ragweed is a dominant seasonal allergen in North America (~26% of US and North American population is allergic to this noxious weed which pollinates from early August to early October).

31 May 2013

The Global Virus Network to hold spring 2013 meeting in Munich, Germany

The Global Virus Network, a coalition of the world's leading medical virology research centers working to prevent illness and death from viral disease, will hold its spring 2013 meeting in Munich, Germany May 30 to June 1.

28 May 2013

Viewpoints: We need more 'socialism'; The IRS's 'unwelcome role'; 'Fog of Obamacare'

So this is what socialism looks like: Private companies competing for people's business in an open marketplace. Californians got their first glimpse Thursday of what insurers plan to charge for coverage to be offered next year to about 5 million state residents who don't receive health insurance from employers (David Lazarus, 5/23).

27 May 2013

Experts urge baby boomers to get screened for HCV

If you're a baby boomer, you may not know that odds are high that you're carrying the hepatitis C virus, putting yourself at risk for illness that can range from minor to life threatening.

22 May 2013

Stronger epigenetic changes in estrogen responsive genes linked to postpartum depression

The epigenetic modifications, which alter the way genes function without changing the underlying DNA sequence, can apparently be detected in the blood of pregnant women during any trimester, potentially providing a simple way to foretell depression in the weeks after giving birth, and an opportunity to intervene before symptoms become debilitating.

21 May 2013

New LAMP malaria test to improve diagnosis for imported UK cases

A new, highly sensitive blood test that quickly detects even the lowest levels of malaria parasites in the body could make a dramatic difference in efforts to tackle the disease in the UK and across the world, according to new research published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

17 May 2013

Imaging scans do little help to detect relapse of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Imaging scans following treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma do little to help detect a relapse, a Mayo Clinic study has found.

17 May 2013

Idelalisib phase 1 clinical trial shows positive results in patients with CLL

A new oral targeted drug, idelalisib (GS-1101), has the potential to stave off the need for additional treatments for relapsed or treatment-resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia, according to a study led in part by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators.

16 May 2013

Angelina Jolie's choice underscores screening and treatment costs

News outlets report on the cost of and questions surrounding Angelina Jolie's decision to have genetic testing and then to undergo a double mastectomy as preventive surgery.

16 May 2013

A growing number of patients learn of allergies only after surgery is done

Imagine what Paula Spurlock must have been going through. Shortly after having a hip replaced in 2011, the trouble started. "I had horrible itching, really bad migraines and intense pain throughout my body," she said. "I couldn't take it. Every single thing in me itched."

15 May 2013

More studies needed to determine how decision aids help guide choices for cancer screening

When it comes to a cancer diagnosis, timing can be everything - the sooner it's found, the more treatable it is. But when and how often should someone get screened?

13 May 2013

Abbott receives CE Mark for ARCHITECT HbA1c test

Abbott today announced CE Marking (Conformité Européenne) for the ARCHITECT clinical chemistry Hemoglobin A1c test, which may aid physicians in diagnosing and monitoring diabetes as well as identifying patients at risk for developing diabetes.

9 May 2013

Hidden HIV replication may be occurring within the body's tissue, researchers report

Scientists have long believed that measuring the amount of HIV in a person's blood is an indicator of whether the virus is actively reproducing.

9 May 2013

PCEC releases statement on AUA's new prostate cancer clinical practice guidelines

The Prostate Conditions Education Council, a national organization committed to men's health and a leader in prostate cancer early detection, released the following statement in response to new clinical practice guideline released today by the American Urological Association.

5 May 2013

HCV screening of prison inmate drug users: an interview with Dr. Arthur Kim, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Prisoners overall have a very high rate of past or present injection drug use, which is a major risk factor for HCV infection due to repeated exposures to needles.

1 May 2013

Analysis identifies 37 RNA molecules that might predict survival in breast cancer patients

A Big Data analysis that integrates three large sets of genomic data available through The Cancer Genome Atlas has identified 37 RNA molecules that might predict survival in patients with the most common form of breast cancer.

30 Apr 2013

Baby boomers need to get tested for hepatitis C

If you were born during 1945-1965, talk to your doctor about getting tested for hepatitis C. Baby boomers are five times more likely than other adults to be infected. In fact, 75 percent of adults with hepatitis C were born during these years.

29 Apr 2013

Higher TMAO blood levels linked to increased risk of heart disease

A microbial byproduct of intestinal bacteria contributes to heart disease and serves as an accurate screening tool for predicting future risks of heart attack, stroke and death in persons not otherwise identified by traditional risk factors and blood tests, according to Cleveland Clinic research published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

25 Apr 2013

University of Leicester study investigates early detection of pancreatic cancer

Pioneering research to investigate whether pancreatic cancer can be detected early through a blood test is to be spearheaded by the University of Leicester thanks to new funding provided by Hope Against Cancer.

24 Apr 2013

Content of exosomes mirrors aggressiveness of brain tumour, study shows

"Current wisdom says that cells are closed entities that communicate through the secretion of soluble signalling molecules. Recent findings indicate that cells can exchange more complex information - whole packages of genetic material and signalling proteins.

19 Apr 2013