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Canadians paralysed after drinking carrot juice

Carrot juice which was withdrawn from the market late last month is thought to be responsible for the illness of two Canadians who are paralyzed and are severely ill in hospital.

9 Oct 2006

Carrot juice with botulism latest food scare from California

A Floridian woman, the fourth victim of botulism poisoning contracted from drinking spoiled carrot juice, is suffering from paralysis.

4 Oct 2006

New understanding of how cells defend themselves

Biologists at the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne) have unveiled a new twist in a metabolic pathway that cells use to defend themselves against toxins made by disease-causing bacteria.

21 Sep 2006

Three cases of botulism possibly caused by improper refrigeration of carrot juice

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising consumers of the vital importance of keeping carrot juice - including pasteurized carrot juice - refrigerated.

18 Sep 2006

Colchicine delays development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis virus-related liver cirrhosis

Colchicine, an anti-inflammatory drug most often used to treat gout, prevented liver cancer in patients with hepatitis virus-related end-stage liver disease, according to a new study.

11 Sep 2006

Genotoxic bacteria in the digestive tract

Escherichia coli is a commensal bacterium, which lives peacefully in our digestive tract. However, certain strains are pathogenic and are frequently incriminated in a broad spectrum of infections, affecting both farmed animals and humans (diarrhoea, urinary tract infections, food poisoning, septicaemia, neonatal meningitis, etc.).

16 Aug 2006

Botox offers an additional tool in preventing the formation of bad scars

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that treating a facial wound in the early healing phase with botulinum toxin (Botox) improves the appearance of a scar later.

8 Aug 2006

New technique paves the way for developing high-sensitive microsensors for the rapid detection of neurotoxins

To understand how brain cells release compounds used when the cells communicate with each other researchers devise new technique, that can be applied now to the study of a wide range of biological processes and interactions.

3 Aug 2006

HHS to stockpile Anthrax immune globulin

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced it will purchase 10,000 therapeutic courses of treatment of Anthrax Immune Globulin (AIG) from Cangene Corporation of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for a total of $143,833,719.

30 Jul 2006

Genetically-engineered antivenom to improve the treatment of snake bite

Important breakthrough in using DNA sequencing rather than actual snake venom as the means to generate antivenom.

27 Jun 2006

Researchers identify new keys to regulation of bacterial gene expression

The cellular process of transcription, in which the enzyme RNA polymerase constructs chains of RNA from information contained in DNA, depends upon previously underappreciated sections of both the DNA promoter region and RNA polymerase

18 Jun 2006

HHS awards BioShield contract heptavalent botulism antitoxin

HHS has awarded a contract to the Cangene Corporation in the amount of $362,641,105 for 200,000 doses of Heptavalent Botulism Antitoxin.

5 Jun 2006

Arsenic inhibits DNA repair

Dartmouth researchers, working with scientists at the University of Arizona and at the Department of Natural Resources in Sonora, Mexico, have published a study on the impact of arsenic exposure on DNA damage.

30 May 2006

Evidence indicates rising use of non-cigarette tobacco products among youth, especially girls

The World Health Organization is urging governments to broaden tobacco control efforts in view of the rapid spread and growing variety of smoked and smokeless tobacco products, and increasing use of these products by young people who may be unaware of their harmful effects.

30 May 2006

Men with enlarged prostate can benefit from Botox injection

When researchers at the Chang Gung University Medical College, Taiwan and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine injected botulinum toxin A, or Botox, into the prostate gland of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition commonly referred to as enlarged prostate, they found that it eased symptoms and improved quality of life.

23 May 2006

Botox eases lines and depression

According to a U.S. study patients who were depressed who received the treatment botulinum toxin A (Botox) experienced relief from their symptoms.

22 May 2006

Short-course postexposure antibiotic prophylaxis combined with vaccination protects against experimental inhalational anthrax

Anthrax vaccine administered in combination with a short course of antibiotics completely protected nonhuman primates from inhalational anthrax, the most lethal form of the disease, according to scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID).

3 May 2006

Research into toxins points to development of better medicines

Researchers have combined magnetic resonance spectroscopy with special protein synthesis procedures to uncover how potassium channels and toxins combine and change in structure. This work could make it possible to develop medications for high blood pressure and many other diseases connected to potassium channel failure .

23 Apr 2006

Novel approach used to neutralize anthrax toxin

Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Toronto have designed a nanoscale assembly of molecules that successfully counteracts and inhibits anthrax toxin in animal and laboratory experiments.

23 Apr 2006

New methods for revealing nerve-muscle activity in live animals

Picking up a pencil, running a marathon, even the simple act of breathing - every time we move a muscle we depend on a series of finely-tuned interactions at the junction of nerve fiber and muscle cell.

20 Apr 2006