Body Fluids News and Research

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Spit in a cup to replace needle pricks

One day soon patients may spit in a cup, instead of bracing for a needle prick, when being tested for cancer, heart disease or diabetes.

26 Mar 2008

Blood test for Parkinson's shows promise

A test that profiles molecular biomarkers in blood could become the first accurate diagnostic test for Parkinson's disease, new research shows.

12 Mar 2008

Peptoids as new class of antibiotic drugs

Drug-resistant bacterial infections are a growing concern, and much research has been devoted to finding new classes of antibiotics to fight them.

10 Mar 2008

Different treatments for acute kidney failure often have similar outcomes

An analysis of studies examining treatments for acute kidney failure indicates that intermittent hemodialysis and continuous kidney replacement therapy appear to lead to similar clinical outcomes, including a similar risk of death, according to an article in the February 20 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

20 Feb 2008

Proteomic profiling shown more accurate than traditional biomarkers in identifying liver cancer

As the incidence of liver cancer continues to grow - fueled in large part, by rising rates of hepatitis C infections - so too does the need for tests to help diagnose the disease at an earlier stage.

16 Jan 2008

New European medical implants

Patients suffering from conditions such as stroke, blindness, deafness, incontinence, glaucoma or hydrocephalus will be the first to benefit from a range of new technologies and implantable medical devices developed by a pioneering European consortium of researchers, surgeons and technology companies.

16 Jan 2008

Raised public awareness of hepatitis C leads to 10 per cent increase in diagnoses

The number of newly diagnosed cases of hepatitis C infection in England reached 8,346 in 2006 - 10% higher than in 2005 - according to latest figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

17 Dec 2007

Sysmex America receives FDA clearance for new hematology analyzer

Sysmex America, Inc. has announced that its Sysmex XE-5000 Automated Hematology Analyzer has been cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sale in the U.S.

From Sysmex America, Inc. 12 Dec 2007

Frightening new Ebola strain ravages remote Congo area

An outbreak of a new strain of the deadly Ebola virus in a remote area near the Democratic Republic of Congo is causing considerable concern.

3 Dec 2007

New insight into how cystatin C may lower the risk for Alzheimer's disease

For unknown reasons a protein called amyloid beta aggregates into toxic plaques in the brain, killing neurons.

19 Nov 2007

Most UK citizens susceptible to hep B infection

The failure of the UK to introduce universal hepatitis B immunisation means that most UK citizens are susceptible to infection, warns an infectious diseases expert in this week's BMJ.

13 Nov 2007

Bilberry extract for cancer prevention

A Leicester cancer research project, which receives funding from Hope Against Cancer (formerly The Hope Foundation,) is investigating whether an extract from bilberries can prevent or delay the onset of certain cancers.

4 Oct 2007

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer technology shows how cancer may take hold

A team, led by researchers at the Carnegie Institution,* has found a key biochemical cycle that suppresses the immune response, thereby allowing cancer cells to multiply unabated.

26 Sep 2007

International teams fighting deadly Ebola virus in DR Congo

Another four more cases of the Ebola virus have been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing the total in the country to nine to date.

24 Sep 2007

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation and BG Medicine collaborate

The Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation and BG Medicine have announced a collaboration to discover plasma biomarkers of drug efficacy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading genetic cause of mortality in infants and toddlers.

18 Sep 2007

Community superbug a growing menace

A strain of the superbug MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) is causing concern across the U.S. because it is becoming more common in the wider community.

11 Sep 2007

Study identifies osteopontin as a key player in the body's immune response to chronic stress

Osteopontin (OPN), a protein molecule involved in many different cellular processes, plays a significant role in immune deficiency and organ atrophy following chronic physiological stress, resulting in increased susceptibility to illness.

4 Sep 2007

Outbreak of Marburg in Uganda has authorities on high alert

Health officials in western Uganda believe the latest outbreak of the Marburg virus may have originated from a monkey.

7 Aug 2007

Aptamers may refine cancer treatment

University of Florida researchers have successfully used molecular probes to detect subtle differences in leukemia cells from patient samples, an achievement that could lead to more effective ways to diagnose and treat cancer.

20 Jul 2007

Soil increases the oral transmissibility of deadly prions

The rogue proteins that cause chronic wasting disease (CWD) exhibit a dramatic increase in their infectious nature when bound to common soil particles, according to a new study.

9 Jul 2007