Berlin, Germany, Friday 1st April 2011: Highly anticipated data from a number of clinical trials presented for the first time at the International Liver CongressTM confirmed that a range of new proteases inhibitors will help treat patients who have previously failed therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.1,2,3,4,5 The treatments have been tested for efficacy and safety in combination with PegIFN-alpha and ribavirin in patients that have previously failed treatment (either non-responder or relapse). Following different treatment and dosing, all of the trials ...

A new study presented today at the International Liver CongressTM shows a novel pathway where activated natural killer (NK) cells expressing death ligands may excessively down-modulate the antiviral immune response in chronic HBV patients.1 Blocking the TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) pathway partially reconstitutes HBV-specific T cells, suggesting that these cells are vulnerable to NK cell-mediated apoptosis through this death ligand pathway. NK cells are one of the main effectors of the innate immune response that plays a key role in containing intracellular ...

777 Dragon Casino, who assert that they are the best Asian online casino, have definitely stepped up to the plate with their latest Casino Payout Reports. With the latest payout report that has been released by the independent auditing body who regularly audits the casino, during the month of February, 2011, Poker Games have proven to be a prominent part of the casino's payouts as they paid out 100.16%! Jessica Drake, spokesperson and manager at the casino, explained, "Receiving our payout report on a monthly basis keeps us in the know about how well our players are ...

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Eating a fatty fast food meal is never good for you, but washing that meal down with a coffee is even worse, according to a new University of Guelph study. Researcher Marie-Soleil Beaudoin has discovered not only that a healthy person's blood sugar levels spike after eating a high-fat meal, but that the spike doubles after having both a fatty meal and caffeinated coffee – jumping to levels similar to those of people at risk for diabetes. "The results tell us that saturated fat interferes with the body's ability to clear sugars from the blood and, when combined with ...

Contact: Cassandra Bianco cbianco@crt-tanaka.com 646-218-6009 Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Could maple syrup from Canada be the next champion food? Maple syrup may pack similar health benefits to those found in berries, tea, red wine and flax seed New York – April 1, 2011 - There's more good news about pure maple syrup from the University of Rhode Island (URI). Researchers there have now identified 54 compounds in maple syrup from Canada, double the amount previously reported, and many with antioxidant activity and potential health benefits. In laboratory ...

The new TNM 7 lung cancer staging system seems to be a better predictor of local or regional recurrence of lung cancer following surgery, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. Being able to better define which patients might experience a cancer recurrence is important, especially given the controversies surrounding the use of adjuvant therapies, particularly postoperative radiation therapy (RT), for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In 2009, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) ...

A component in soybeans increases radiation's ability to kill lung cancer cells, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official monthly journal of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. "To improve radiotherapy for lung cancer cells, we are studying the potential of natural non-toxic components of soybeans, called soy isoflavones, to augment the effect of radiation against the tumor cells and at the same time protect normal lung against radiation injury," said Dr. Gilda Hillman, an associate professor ...

This press release is available in Spanish. A technique developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists for tracking pathogens has helped confirm that Escherichia coli is not likely to contaminate the internal vascular structure of field-grown leafy greens and thus increase the incidence of foodborne illness. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) microbiologist Manan Sharma wanted to find out if plant roots could draw in E. coli pathogens from the soil when taking in nutrients and water. He and colleagues modified several types of E. coli-including some ...

Economists from the Bank of Spain's Research Department have published a study on the direct, indirect and 'second time around' effects of oil prices on the economies of Spain and those of the European Monetary Union (EMU). The results show that Spanish inflation reflects oil prices than more directly inflation in the euro area overall. "It affects Spanish inflation more for two reasons. Firstly, because Spaniards spend proportionally more on petrol and diesel than people in other European countries, and also becuase fuel taxes in Spain are lower than in the other countries ...

Once you have decided to undergo breast augmentation, you will find yourself inundated with many other important choices regarding your new implants. One of the most important decisions you will have to make will deal with the size of your breast implants. Ultimately, this is a highly personal decision, and it is important that you - not your spouse, significant other, friends, or family members - feel comfortable with this decision. Approximately one third of all breast augmentation revision procedures are performed to address dissatisfaction in the breast implant size. ...

Breathalyzers have gained considerable scrutiny across the United States as more defendants challenge the accuracy of blood alcohol test results. Breathalyzer machines are used by scores of law enforcement agencies to measure the level of alcohol in a person's blood. If a driver's BAC is above .08, he or she could be arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Specifically, defendants and advocacy groups have long questioned whether the machines were properly calibrated to accurately measure blood-alcohol content. Last ...

This release is available in German. The term entanglement was introduced by the Austrian Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger in 1935, and it describes a quantum mechanical phenomenon that while it can clearly be demonstrated experimentally, is not understood completely. Entangled particles cannot be defined as single particles with defined states but rather as a whole system. By entangling single quantum bits, a quantum computer will solve problems considerably faster than conventional computers. "It becomes even more difficult to understand entanglement when there are ...

A report issued in January 2011, rated New Jersey the second safest in the nation, based on the laws designed to promote highway safety. Only the District of Columbia ranked in front of New Jersey. Motor vehicle crashes impose a significant financial burden on society. According to the NHTSA, the total economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in 2000 was more than $230 billion. The Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety issued its eighth annual roadmap to state highway safety laws. The report ranks the states on fifteen criteria that promote highway safety: Adult ...

Athens, Ga. – A University of Georgia researcher studying invasive ladybugs has developed new models that help explain how these insects have spread so quickly and their potential impacts on native species. In recent years, some people have noticed swarms of ladybugs amassing in the fall, even infesting their homes. These are Asian lady beetles, insects native to eastern Asia, introduced to the U.S. as a biocontrol for aphids and have since spread throughout the country and into Canada. When he found the beetles in his own home, Assistant Research Scientist Richard Hall, ...

New guidelines, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) outline steps to eliminate bloodstream infections in patients with intravenous catheters, which are among the most deadly and costly healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The document, titled "Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheter-Related Infections" will be published in its entirety in a special supplement to the American Journal of Infection Control. The Journal will also present a video roundtable ...

Senate Bill 232 -- introduced in November by state senator Jane Nelson and currently being debated by the Criminal Justice Committee of the Texas State Senate -- recommends that every person put on probation following a conviction of driving while intoxicated (DWI) wear an alcohol-sensing monitor. The most common of these monitors is known as a secure continuous remote alcohol monitor (SCRAM). SCRAM bracelets -- manufactured by Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc. -- have gained notoriety due to high-profile DWI cases involving Hollywood celebrities. They are the most common ...

"I hope that unraveling the way Skywalker works will not only teach us more about the way neurons communicate with each other but will also lead to new diagnostics and therapies for neurological diseases such as Parkinson's," says Verstreken. Communication between brain cells Brain disorders take a major toll on society. More than 8% of the population in the West depends on analgesics. Twenty per cent suffers from a mental disturbance and the number of people suffering from the effects of neurological diseases is estimated at 1 billion. Many of these problems are caused ...

New research from the University of Cincinnati provides food for thought. The research examined how short-term and long-term hunger affected mate selection and aggression in female wolf spiders (Schizocosa ocreata) commonly found in the eastern United States and Canada. These female spiders are potentially aggressive and cannibalistic when approached by a courting male. The research is published in the April 2011 print issue of the journal, "Animal Behavior." It was carried out by George Uetz, UC professor of biology, and former UC doctoral student Brian Moskalik, ...

More than half of the commercial vehicle drivers who responded to United Safety Alliance, Inc.'s online survey admitted to deliberately violating federal Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. Those regulations aim to keep highways safe by limiting driving time so commercial vehicle drivers get enough rest. Currently, HOS compliance is monitored through paper logs and supporting documentation such as toll receipts. However, paper logs allow for falsification. For that reason, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is looking to shift to an automated means ...

Planting short rotation energy crops on England's unused agricultural land could produce enough biomass to meet renewable energy targets without disrupting the food industry or the environment, according to research led by Professor Gail Taylor from the University of Southampton. The study, funded by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), is a rare investigation into energy crop supply which looks at the potential of planting short rotation coppice (poplar and willow) in England, taking into account social, economic and environmental constraints. It found that with efficient ...

January 2011 was the snowiest January that Connecticut has seen since records were first kept in 1905. While one would expect snow and ice accumulation to impact commute times, such accumulation also has had impact on sidewalks, making outside entrances to businesses and houses slippery and dangerous. In fact, according to the Brookfield Patch, snow and ice-related accidents are unusually high this year. Tom Rizzo, spokesman for the Westchester District of the United States Postal Service, also told the Yorktown Patch that there have been 57 accidents due to slips and falls ...

Federal legislation proposed by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch seeks to force local law enforcement agencies to further assist federal immigration policy or lose funding. Senate Bill 332, the Strengthening Our Commitment to Legal Immigration and America's Security Act, also eliminates the diversity visa, an immensely popular program that allows for 50,000 lottery-based visas every year. Several other provisions involving exit procedures, welfare benefits and drug crimes round out the wide-ranging bill. But some commentators are already calling the effort a political ploy ...