Speedy Weight Loss

A study has identified microRNA-3151 as a new independent prognostic marker in certain patients with acute leukemia The study involves patients with acute myeloid leukemia and normal-looking chromosomes CN-AML

The study by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G James Cancer Hospital and Richard J Solove Research Institute OSUCCC – James found that when microRNA-3151 miR-3151 is overexpressed in CN-AML, the disease responds poorly to treatment and patients experience shorter remissions and survival periods This effect is independent of other gene mutations that may be present in the cells

Additionally, miR-3151 is encoded within a gene called BAALC, which itself is an independent marker of poor survival when overexpressed in CN-AML

The findings, published online in the journal Blood, provide new insights into the nature of AML and might in the future help determine the best therapy for individual patients and further personalize AML therapy

“Patients with high levels of both miR-3151 and BAALC had the poorest outcome compared with those showing high expression of either miR-3151 or BAALC alone, or those expressing low levels of both,” says principal investigator Dr Clara D Bloomfield, a Distinguished University Professor at Ohio State and cancer scholar and senior advisor to the OSUCCC – James “This suggests that miR-3151 and BAALC may act through different mechanisms to enhance poor outcome of CN-AML patients”

The study involved 179 patients aged 60 years or older with CN-AML who were treated on Cancer and Leukemia Group B CALGB clinical trials

MicroRNAs are small molecules that cells use to help regulate the kinds and amount of proteins they make About one-third of human microRNAs are encoded within host genes Specifically, they are located in the portions of genes called introns, short stretches of DNA that are not used when genetic information is translated to make a protein

“Very little is known about the regulation of microRNAs located within introns, and especially about their possible interactions with their host genes,” says first author Dr Ann-Kathrin Eisfeld, a post-doctoral researcher who works in the laboratory of study co-author Dr Albert de la Chapelle and Bloomfield

“This is the first description of interplay of an oncogene and its intronic, and possibly oncogenic, microRNA,” Eisfeld says “It may be the first of other important intronic microRNAs in leukemia and perhaps other malignancies”

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Why are white women more likely to develop breast cancer, yet African American, Latina and Samoan women are more likely to die from the disease?  Why do women of color tend to develop more aggressive breast cancers at earlier ages than white women? Why are we seeing the sharpest rise in breast cancer rates in Japanese women in Los Angeles?

Race and ethnicity play a huge role in the answers to these questions because so often where we live, work and play is tightly bound to our racial make-up. Thi

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This is a comprehensive source of information on the application of ion chromatography (IC) in the analysis of pharmaceutical drugs and biologicals. This book, with contributors from academia, pharma, the biotech industry, and instrument manufacturing, presents the different perspectives, experience, and expertise of the thought leaders of IC in a comprehensive manner. It explores potential IC applications in different aspects of product development and quality control testing. In addition, an appendix section gives information on critical physical and chromatographic parameters related to IC and information on current manufacturers of IC systems, columns, and other components. Read full post…

A report from the nation’s leading cancer organizations shows rates of death in the United States from all cancers for men and women continued to decline between 2004 and 2008 The findings come from the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer

The report also finds that the overall rate of new cancer diagnoses for men and women combined decreased an average of less than one percent per year from 1998 through 2006, with rates leveling off from 2006 through 2008 Edward J Benz, Jr, MD, president of Dana-Farber Cancer in Institute in Boston, called the news encouraging, but is disappointed that the overall rate of cancer deaths is not falling nearly enough

“The rate of cancer diagnoses and deaths across all racial and minority groups are slowly decreasing,” said Benz “But there are still gaps that must be addressed”

The report is co-authored by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society It will be posted on the web site of the journal Cancer on March 28, 2012

Among children ages 19 years or younger, the report shows cancer incidence rates increased 06 percent per year from 2004 through 2008, while death rates decreased 13 percent per year during the same period

The authors also highlighted cancers associated with excess weight and lack of sufficient physical activity

“This report emphasizes that the growing obesity problem and decreased overall physical activity in our society compared to decades ago have a real impact on multiple diseases, including cancer,” said Jeffrey A Meyerhardt, MD, MPH, a colorectal cancer expert at Dana-Farber and author of several studies investigating the impact of exercise on survival rates for colorectal cancer patients “While we currently see declines in incidence of many cancers, if obesity continues at the current rates, I believe these improvements in incidences will reverse and increase over time” Benz added that the good news is that some of the cancer risks the report highlighted can be reduced by changes in lifestyle

“Many of the things that are still a problem in these statistics are modifiable,” said Benz “If you watch your diet, exercise, and manage your weight, you can not only prevent your risk of getting many lethal forms of cancer, you will also increase your chances of doing well, if you should get almost any form of cancer”

Victorian families are invited to have their say on the proposed Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

The draft guide, developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia, provides recommendations on serve sizes for each food group for adults as well as specific dietary information for children, adolescents, toddlers and infants.

The intended purpose of the guide is to help average Australians work out the types and amount of food they and their children should eat in order to meet daily nutritional needs based on age, gender and activity level.

The guide is designed to encourage healthy dietary patterns that promote and maintain the nutrition-related health and wellbeing of the Australian population and reduce the risk of diet-related disease.

In coordinating a response on the guide to the NHMRC, the Victorian Government is seeking the views of Victorian families on how well the guide would meet their needs.

An online survey is now available on the Victorian Government’s consumer health website, the Better Health Channel. T

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