New antibiotic cures disease by disarming pathogens
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- Category: Research
A new type of antibiotic can effectively treat an antibiotic-resistant infection by disarming instead of killing the bacteria that cause it. Researchers report their findings in the October 2 issue of mBio®, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Biological markers increase clinical trial success rate of new breast cancer drugs
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- Category: Research
Using biological markers - genetic characteristics that are associated with some patients with breast cancer - can increase the success rate of clinical trials for breast cancer drugs by almost 50 per cent, says new research from the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Can disclosure hurt the translation of research?
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- Category: Research
All major clinical trials now include disclosures detailing who funded the study to ensure transparency. However, is it possible that this transparency is actually hurting research? One might assume that the methodological rigor of the study matters to physicians more than the disclosure.
Statins are unlikely to prevent blood clots
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- Category: Research
Despite previous studies suggesting the contrary, statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) may not prevent blood clots (venous thrombo-embolism) in adults, according to a large analysis by international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine. In 2009, an additional analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial called the JUPITER trial reported that the statin rosuvastatin halved the risk of venous thromboembolic events among apparently healthy adults.
Light drinking may relate to increase in risk for certain cancers
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- Category: Research
The majority of observational studies have shown that alcohol intake, especially heavy drinking, increases a number of upper-aero-digestive tract (UADT) and other cancers, and even moderate drinking is associated with a slight increase in the risk of breast cancer. A meta analysis published in the Annals of Oncology compares the effects between light drinkers (an average reported intake of up to 1 typical drink/day) versus "non-drinkers" in terms of relative risks for a number of types of cancer.
Researchers reveal underlying mechanism of powerful chemotherapy for prostate cancer treatment
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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. Most physicians and investigators believe that taxane chemotherapy (paclitaxel, docetaxel and cabazitaxel) just does one thing - stop a cancer cell from dividing - but the scientists have revealed it acts much more powerfully and broadly, especially against prostate cancer.
Considerably more patients may benefit from effective antidiabetic drug
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- Category: Research
The antidiabetic drug metformin is not prescribed for patients with reduced kidney function because the risk of adverse effects has been regarded as unacceptably high. A study at Sahlgrenska Academy, Sweden, has found that the risks have been substantially overrated. As a result, many more patients with diabetes may be able to enjoy the benefits of the medication.
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- Male birth control pill may be ready soon
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- Cleveland Clinic researchers investigating potential drug for treatment of Alzheimer's disease
- Possible therapy for tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer identified