New 'gene silencer' drug reduce cholesterol by over 50 percent
The findings come from the largest trial yet to test the safety and effectiveness of this kind of therapy. The technique, known as RNA interference (RNAi) therapy, essentially 'switches off' one of the genes responsible for elevated cholesterol. Researchers from Imperial College London and their colleagues, who conducted the trial, say the twice-a-year treatment could be safely given with or without statins, depending on individual patient needs.
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1 in 5 breast cancer patients could benefit from existing treatment
Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have discovered that a greater number of breast cancers are genetically similar to rarer cases with faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. The results published in Nature Medicine open up the possibility of up to 20 per cent of women being treated with PARP inhibitors, a class of drug previously only thought to be effective for women with an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation.
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Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors associated with cardiometabolic risk factors
The results are from the first investigation to be conducted with baseline data from the PREDIMED-PLUS study, an 8-year multicenter clinical trial based on a nutritional intervention involving an energy-restricted Mediterranean diet, the promotion of physical activity and behavioral support for primary cardiovascular prevention. The study is taking place nationwide across Spain and started in October 2013.
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Blueberry concentrate improves brain function in older people
Drinking concentrated blueberry juice improves brain function in older people, according to research by the University of Exeter. In the study, healthy people aged 65-77 who drank concentrated blueberry juice every day showed improvements in cognitive function, blood flow to the brain and activation of the brain while carrying out cognitive tests. There was also evidence suggesting improvement in working memory.
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The potential consequences for cancer care and cancer research of Brexit
In an editorial published in the journal ecancermedicalscience, leading academics from across the UK explore the risks facing cancer care, treatment and research in a post-Brexit world. The editorial is written by 6 doctors who represent cancer physicians, patient advocacy groups and genomics research (and includes Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse). The group is calling for Brexit negotiations to consider how UK groups continue to play an active role in cross continental projects, how UK Institutions are able to attract and keep international staff and how to handle regulatory issues going forward.
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Volkswagen's excess emissions will lead to 1,200 premature deaths in Europe
In September 2015, the German Volkswagen Group, the world's largest car producer, admitted to having installed "defeat devices" in 11 million diesel cars sold worldwide between 2008 and 2015. The devices were designed to detect and adapt to laboratory tests, making the cars appear to comply with environmental standards when, in fact, they emitted pollutants called nitric oxides, or NOx, at levels that were on average four times the applicable European test-stand limit.
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From heroin addiction to alcohol-related problems
Around 3,000 heroin addicts currently receive opioids such as methadone, buprenorphine or morphine as part of their treatment in the Canton of Zurich. The number of these so-called substitution treatments has remained constant since their introduction in the 1990s. Long-term courses of therapy with methadone or other opioids evidently reduce the consumption of illegal drugs among patients addicted to heroin.
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