Interesting comparisons on a chase for new Health Care in two continents, is involving Prime Minister Keven Rudd (Australia) and President Barack Obama (America) on a review of their respective Health Care systems.
Similarly, top government personality's Health Minister, Nicola Roxon (Australia) and House Speaker, U.S. Congress, Nancy Pelosi (America) are handling the trafficking of the respective Bills through Government channels. Both Ladies have a determined drive to get the best for their Country.
Nicola Roxon is looking at a projected budget upto $5.7bn covering 22 million Australians. Nancy Pelosi is attempting to push Obama-designed legislation through a hostile Congress to gain major Democrat support for new US. Health Care Bill, likely to cost upwards of $1000 trillion. Both Leaders proposed reviews of Health Care on their election to office.
The Australian Government set in motion a National Review of their Health Care system in 2008, for a committee to report the nation's health needs by June 2009, now being examined; the Government holding talking with many medical and hospital managements, as with other Federal and State health operatives. Some Australian States are issuing protectionist challenges to the new plans on Health Care.
President Obama, with Nancy Pelosi, are also battling opposition to change, which like Australia's economic woes, is experiencing rough passage through their respective political channels. 256 House Democrats are having problems understanding a 1000 page bill before Congress.
The President is also battling pricing for many of the nation's treatments, pharmacy and oncology costs, seeking justification of level of pricing for services to patients.
A defeat would be a devastating setback for Obama team. Regardless of outcome, rank and file Democrats are bracing for intense August at home, as constituites are hit with waves of advertising from business groups opposed to the legislation, and Liberal interest Groups supporting the Health bill. Australian consumers and patients are warey of increased costs of upto $1,000 p.a. as higher contributions.
Interesting comparisons on Health Care reviews of both Australia and America.
Acknowledgement washingtonpost.com and Australian Press. Geoff.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
New Generation Drug to battle BRCA 1&2 Gene
British research may have found a way to attack BRCA 1&2 Genes, known for their aggressive path in Breast Cancer.
Trials carried out by Institute of Cancer Research, together with Royal Marsden Hospital and pharmacy company AstraZeneca, England, show that the new drug Olaparib specifically targets hereditary cancer caused by faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The phase 1 trial showed that more than half of patients' Breast tumors shrank or stabilised.
Prof. Alan Ashworth, director of Breakthough Breast Cancer Research centre, said that work done in the lab had been translated so quickly into benefits for patients. "We are hopeful that Olaparib could provide a new targeted treatment for women with BRCA-related Breast Cancer" commented Prof. Ashworth.
The new approach applied in the use of Olaparib, is referred to as synthetic lethality, where the drug kills cancer cells with a faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, by preventing repair of the DNA.
A cell with a BRCA fault relies on a protein called PARP to keep its DNA healthy. Olaparib, known as a PARP-inhibitor, blocks PARP, which causes the cancer to die, indicating that the tumor would stop growing or shrink. Once cancer cells are targeted by Olaparib, it leaves healthy cells unaffected.
Acknowledge medicalnewstoday.com Geoff.
Trials carried out by Institute of Cancer Research, together with Royal Marsden Hospital and pharmacy company AstraZeneca, England, show that the new drug Olaparib specifically targets hereditary cancer caused by faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The phase 1 trial showed that more than half of patients' Breast tumors shrank or stabilised.
Prof. Alan Ashworth, director of Breakthough Breast Cancer Research centre, said that work done in the lab had been translated so quickly into benefits for patients. "We are hopeful that Olaparib could provide a new targeted treatment for women with BRCA-related Breast Cancer" commented Prof. Ashworth.
The new approach applied in the use of Olaparib, is referred to as synthetic lethality, where the drug kills cancer cells with a faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, by preventing repair of the DNA.
A cell with a BRCA fault relies on a protein called PARP to keep its DNA healthy. Olaparib, known as a PARP-inhibitor, blocks PARP, which causes the cancer to die, indicating that the tumor would stop growing or shrink. Once cancer cells are targeted by Olaparib, it leaves healthy cells unaffected.
Acknowledge medicalnewstoday.com Geoff.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Cancer-causing Chemicals in Tobacco smoke
Tar - a mixture of dangerous chemicals.
Arsenic - used in wood preservatives.
Benzene - an industrial solvent, refined from crude oil.
Cadmium - used in batteries.
Formaldehyde - used in mortuaries and paint manufacturing.
Polonium.210 - a higly radioactive element.
Chromium - used to manufacture dye, paints and alloys.
1,3-butadiene - used in rubber manufacturing.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - a group of dangerous DNA-damaging chemicals.
Nitrosamines - another group of DNA-damaging chemicals.
Acrolein - formerly used as a chemical weapon.
Hydrogen Cyanide - used as an industrial pesticide.
Carbon Monoxide - found in car exhausts and used in chemical m,anufacturing.
Nitrogen Oxides - a major component of smog.
Ammonia - used to make fertilisers and explosives.
'How do you feel about your smoking now ?'
Geoff.
Arsenic - used in wood preservatives.
Benzene - an industrial solvent, refined from crude oil.
Cadmium - used in batteries.
Formaldehyde - used in mortuaries and paint manufacturing.
Polonium.210 - a higly radioactive element.
Chromium - used to manufacture dye, paints and alloys.
1,3-butadiene - used in rubber manufacturing.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - a group of dangerous DNA-damaging chemicals.
Nitrosamines - another group of DNA-damaging chemicals.
Acrolein - formerly used as a chemical weapon.
Hydrogen Cyanide - used as an industrial pesticide.
Carbon Monoxide - found in car exhausts and used in chemical m,anufacturing.
Nitrogen Oxides - a major component of smog.
Ammonia - used to make fertilisers and explosives.
'How do you feel about your smoking now ?'
Geoff.
Roll-your-own Cigaresttes just as deadly for Cancer!
The theory about roll-your-own cigarettes as being a safer passage for smoking, has been blown by recently new research by Cancer Research UK.
Urine samples compared with RYO smokers compared with manufactured-cigarette smokers showed little difference on the concentrations of toxin entering the body, despite age, sex, body mass indes, puffing behaviour and nicotine exposure, were taken into account.
The research showed women had higher concentrations of these toxins, irrespective of cigarette smoked. Researcher, Dr.Lion Shahab, Cancer Research UK., said many smokers believed RYO cigarettes to be more natural and therefore less harmful than manufactured cigarettes.
"The findings show women accumulate higher conentrations of cancer-causing chemicals in their body, smoking with RYO or manufactured cigarettes" Dr. Shahab said.
Elspeth Lee, head of Tobacco Control, Cancer Research UK., said results show there is no such thing as a safe cigarette. "Half of all long-term smokers will die from smoking addiction, so it is important to continue working to reduce the impact tobacco has on so many lives" concluded Elspeth.
Acknowledge medicalnewstoday.com Geoff.
Urine samples compared with RYO smokers compared with manufactured-cigarette smokers showed little difference on the concentrations of toxin entering the body, despite age, sex, body mass indes, puffing behaviour and nicotine exposure, were taken into account.
The research showed women had higher concentrations of these toxins, irrespective of cigarette smoked. Researcher, Dr.Lion Shahab, Cancer Research UK., said many smokers believed RYO cigarettes to be more natural and therefore less harmful than manufactured cigarettes.
"The findings show women accumulate higher conentrations of cancer-causing chemicals in their body, smoking with RYO or manufactured cigarettes" Dr. Shahab said.
Elspeth Lee, head of Tobacco Control, Cancer Research UK., said results show there is no such thing as a safe cigarette. "Half of all long-term smokers will die from smoking addiction, so it is important to continue working to reduce the impact tobacco has on so many lives" concluded Elspeth.
Acknowledge medicalnewstoday.com Geoff.
Dogs, and Us, help find Tumor cure
Who would have thought our pet pooch is being considered in the chase to find a cure for Brain Cancer. As man's best friend down through the ages past, an elevation to a higher order for our doggie friends seems very emminant, according to new research.
North Carolina State University have discovered a gene believed to be involved in meningiomas, that affects the meninges of the human brain. Designated intercranial tumors, meningiomas do not grow within Brain tissue, but grow within the space between skull and Brain.
By comparing human chromosomes with that of a dog, research has found some similarity in the genetics of both, pinpointing a tumor-suppressing gene on human chromosome 22, known as NF2, a possible contributor to meningioma development.
Professor of Genomics at NC State, Dr.Matt Breen, says their research has compared human chromosome 22 to the canine conterpart, discovering a split-up across three separate canine chromosomes, with NF2 appearing on dog chromosome 26.
While researchers focusing on the portion of human chromosome 22, found that dogs with a meningioma were rarely affected, casting doubt on this gene as playing a role in the desease.
In meningioma-affected canines, which correlaters with part-human chromosome 1 involved in almost 70% of human meningioma cases, with a poor patient outcome.
Prof. Breen's team hope they can use this correlation to further narrow the search of specific genes involved in the desease.
"The data support that dog and human tumors are very similar at the genitic level, show both species will benefit from the research", Breen concluded.
Acknowledge North Carolina State University. Geoff.
North Carolina State University have discovered a gene believed to be involved in meningiomas, that affects the meninges of the human brain. Designated intercranial tumors, meningiomas do not grow within Brain tissue, but grow within the space between skull and Brain.
By comparing human chromosomes with that of a dog, research has found some similarity in the genetics of both, pinpointing a tumor-suppressing gene on human chromosome 22, known as NF2, a possible contributor to meningioma development.
Professor of Genomics at NC State, Dr.Matt Breen, says their research has compared human chromosome 22 to the canine conterpart, discovering a split-up across three separate canine chromosomes, with NF2 appearing on dog chromosome 26.
While researchers focusing on the portion of human chromosome 22, found that dogs with a meningioma were rarely affected, casting doubt on this gene as playing a role in the desease.
In meningioma-affected canines, which correlaters with part-human chromosome 1 involved in almost 70% of human meningioma cases, with a poor patient outcome.
Prof. Breen's team hope they can use this correlation to further narrow the search of specific genes involved in the desease.
"The data support that dog and human tumors are very similar at the genitic level, show both species will benefit from the research", Breen concluded.
Acknowledge North Carolina State University. Geoff.
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