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VOA News report examines PEPFAR's use of generic drugs, discusses search for HIV vaccine

In a recent edition of VOA News' "Science In The News," correspondents Bob Doughty and Shirley Griffith report on "the growing use of generic drugs in fighting HIV" and discuss "the search for an effective vaccine against HIV."

19 Sep 2012

Researchers identify 21 proteins that specifically bind to ataxin-1

Misfolded proteins can cause various neurodegenerative diseases such as spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) or Huntington's disease, which are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons in the brain. Researchers of the Max Delbr-ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, together with their colleagues of the Universit- Paris Diderot, Paris, France, have now identified 21 proteins that specifically bind to a protein called ataxin-1.

19 Sep 2012

UC San Diego’s bold plan aims to personalize cancer treatment

UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center launched a bold plan today aimed at personalizing cancer treatment. The "My Answer to Cancer" team of oncologists, bioinformaticians, pathologists and geneticists pledges to "sequence" or analyze the DNA of large numbers of patients with cancer in order to match each patient to the best available drug for his or her particular tumor.

19 Sep 2012

Tranexamic acid: an interview with Prof Ian Roberts

Tranexamic acid is a medicine that reduces blood clot breakdown. In this way it helps in patients with bleeding.

19 Sep 2012

Measures of kidney function may be linked to thrombosis

Estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-creatinine ratio are independently associated with venous thromboembolism, research suggests.

18 Sep 2012

Most women with heart disease can shun advice to avoid pregnancy

The majority of women with structural or ischemic heart disease can safely undergo pregnancy with extensive pre-evaluation and high-quality care, say researchers.

18 Sep 2012

Measures of kidney function may be linked to thrombosis

Estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin-creatinine ratio are independently associated with venous thromboembolism, research suggests.

18 Sep 2012

Abiraterone acetate confirmed to offer significant survival benefit to advanced prostate cancer patients

Results of a phase 3 trial published in The Lancet Oncology have confirmed that the drug abiraterone acetate (marketed as Zytiga®) offers a significant survival benefit to patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer, which is spreading to other parts of their body (known as metastatic prostate cancer).

18 Sep 2012

Pfizer announces that 14 abstracts for tofacitinib to be presented at ACR/ARHP annual meeting

Pfizer Inc. announced today that 14 abstracts for tofacitinib, an investigational oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA), will be presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) / Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) 2012 Annual Meeting, which is being held November 9-14 in Washington, D.C.

18 Sep 2012

Power of taxane-based chemotherapy drugs may be potentially underestimated

The power of taxane-based chemotherapy drugs are misunderstood and potentially underestimated, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in the September 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.

18 Sep 2012

Viewpoints: Dragging the 'C word' -- cost -- out of hiding; Elton John on discrimination against state prisoners with HIV

We need death panels. Well, maybe not death panels, exactly, but unless we start allocating health care resources more prudently -- rationing, by its proper name -- the exploding cost of Medicare will swamp the federal budget.

18 Sep 2012

Roundup: Mont. settlement money to pay for uninsured's prescription drugs; Physician assistants' role in Mass.; Atlanta to cut worker premiums

The Montana attorney general's office says nearly $1 million collected in drug company settlements will be used to help pay for prescription medicine for people who are uninsured and underinsured. Attorney General Steve Bullock said in a statement Thursday the money came from settlements dating back to 2010 with four drug companies accused of inflating the wholesale prices of drugs paid by Medicare and Medicaid.

18 Sep 2012

Study finds major reason why melanoma is largely resistant to chemotherapy

Researchers with UC Irvine's Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a major reason why melanoma is largely resistant to chemotherapy.

18 Sep 2012

BACE2 enzyme could represent powerful new tool against Alzheimer's

An enzyme that could represent a powerful new tool for combating Alzheimer's disease has been discovered by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida. The enzyme - known as BACE2 - destroys beta-amyloid, a toxic protein fragment that litters the brains of patients who have the disease.

18 Sep 2012

Positive data from Aprea’s APR-246 Phase I/II study on blood or prostate cancer

Aprea today announced positive data from a completed Phase I/II clinical study with its investigational drug APR-246. The results from the study have been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

18 Sep 2012

New light-based technique demonstrates that toxic proteins build up gradually in blood cells

A new light-based technique for measuring levels of the toxic protein that causes Huntington's disease (HD) has been used to demonstrate that the protein builds up gradually in blood cells. Published today (17th) in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, the findings shed light on how the protein causes damage in the brain, and could be useful for monitoring the progression of HD, or testing new drugs aimed at suppressing production of the harmful protein.

18 Sep 2012

No association between XMRV/pMLV and chronic fatigue syndrome

The causes of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) have long eluded scientists. In 2009, a paper in the journal Science linked the syndrome-sometimes called myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)-to infection with a mouse retrovirus called XMRV (xenotropic murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related virus).

18 Sep 2012

Researchers obtain first detailed and complete picture of PRC2 protein

The first detailed and complete picture of a protein complex that is tied to human birth defects as well as the progression of many forms of cancer has been obtained by an international team of researchers led by scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).

18 Sep 2012

Antimuscarinics only moderately effective for overactive bladder

A comprehensive review of oral antimuscarinics for the treatment of overactive bladder concludes that the efficacy of treatment is, at best, moderate.

17 Sep 2012

Nanoparticles for non-invasive photodynamic therapy of deep cancer

National University of Singapore researchers at the Faculty of Engineering's Department of Bioengineering have discovered a new technology that paves the way for a new safe and non-invasive method of treating deep cancer. Led by Associate Professor Zhang Yong, the team has so far, proven that their technology could inhibit tumour growth and control gene expression in mice. This is a world's first for the use of nanoparticles for non-invasive photodynamic therapy of deep cancer.

17 Sep 2012