Hepatitis: Non-invasive liver fibrosis tests that may replace liver biopsy remains controversial

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Hepatitis: Non-invasive liver fibrosis tests that may replace liver biopsy remains controversial

From NATAP

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Non-invasive liver fibrosis tests that may replace liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis remains controversial

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Diagnostic accuracy of FibroScan and comparison to liver fibrosis biomarkers in chronic viral hepatitis: A multicenter prospective study (the FIBROSTIC study) - published pdf attached

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News From The Journal Of Clinical Investigation:

Dec. 6, 2010

Psoriasis is a common skin disorder that arises when immune cells become overactive and generate unneeded inflammatory responses in the skin. Dysregulated growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing vessels (a process known as angiogenesis) is one hallmark of psoriasis, which is also characterized by thick silvery scales on affected areas of skin and itchy, dry, red patches. A team of researchers, led by Schön, at Georg August University, Germany, has now found that reducing angiogenesis in xenotransplantation models of psoriasis and in mice with a disease that resembles psoriasis alleviates disease. They therefore suggest that their non-viral gene therapy approach to reducing angiogenesis might provide a new approach to treating psoriasis and, perhaps, other inflammatory skin disorders characterized by

dysregulated angiogenesis.

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TITLE: Halting angiogenesis by non-viral somatic gene therapy alleviates psoriasis and murine psoriasiform skin lesions

VIROLOGY: How hepatitis C virus uses the cells it infects to its own advantage The current therapy to treat individuals infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) works in only about half of those treated. Therefore, many individuals remain chronically infected with HCV, something that often leads to liver failure and liver cancer. Research using human liver cell lines, performed by Po-Yuan Ke and Steve Chen, at Academia Sinica, Taiwan, has identified new ways in which HCV coopts normal cellular processes in the cells that it infects to enhance its reproduction and to evade certain aspects of the antiviral immune response. These data not only

provide new insight into the ways in which interactions between HCV and the cells it infects can benefit the virus, but also provide potential new avenues of research for the development of novel therapeutic approaches to clearing HCV infection.

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TITLE: Activation of the unfolded protein response and autophagy after hepatitis C virus infection suppresses innate antiviral immunity in vitro

PULMONARY: Pinpointing a role for the molecule TGF-beta in lung scarring Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disorder for which there are currently no treatments. It is a progressive disease that results in lung scarring and changes in lung architecture, which together lead to loss of lung function and death. Although the cause(s) of IPF is unclear, dysregulated signaling triggered by the molecule TGF-beta is known to have a role in disease development. Parviz Minoo, Zea Borok, and colleagues, at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, have now been able to more specifically pinpoint the role of dysregulated TGF-beta signaling in disease development using a mouse model of lung fibrosis (scarring).

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Osteopath gets further suspensionHe was taken off professional register after making wrong hepatitis C diagnosisBy kaye nicolsonPublished: 08/12/2010A Moray osteopath who was found guilty of wrongly diagnosing a woman with hepatitis C has been suspended for a further 18 months.Goran Stal, who works from his home in Iowa Place, Forres, said he had “lost all trust†in the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC), after they announced his extended suspension yesterday.He was initially suspended from the osteopaths register for five weeks last year, after the GOsC found him guilty of making the wrong diagnosis.Mr Stal admitted making a definitive diagnosis of hepatitis C which was not supported by valid tests, communicating that diagnosis to the patient, and not referring her for further

testing.

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Project gives youngsters affected by HIV and Hep C an outlet to express their feelings

Published Date: 08 December 2010

By GEMMA FRASERTHEY paint, act, make jewellery, sing, dance and draw.But the children who attend workshops run by Waverley Care get more than just the chance to have fun.Pictured here is just a small selection of the moving illustrations and written accounts created by the youngsters at the Edinburgh-based charity, which helps people living with HIV and Hepatitis C.

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From Morbidity & Mortality Weekly ReportHIV Transmission Through Transfusion —

Missouri and Colorado, 2008B Laffoon; A Crutchfield; M Levi, MD; WA Bower, MD; M Kuehnert, MD; JT , MD; RM Selik MD; WM Switzer, MPH; W Heneine, PhD; A Shankar, MS, MSc; AD Iuliano, PhDAuthors and DisclosuresPosted: 12/08/2010;

Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. 2010;59(41):1335-1339. © 2010 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

IntroductionTransmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

through transfusion of contaminated blood components was documented in the United States in 1982.[1] Since then, the risk for transfusion-transmitted HIV infection has been almost eliminated by the use of questionnaires to exclude donors at higher risk for HIV infection and the use of highly sensitive laboratory screening tests to identify infected blood donations. The risk for acquiring HIV infection through blood transfusion today is estimated conservatively to be one in 1.5 million, based on 2007–2008 data.[2] This report describes the first U.S. case of transfusion-transmitted HIV infection reported to CDC since 2002.[3] A blood center in Missouri discovered that blood components from a donation in November 2008 tested positive

for HIV infection. A lookback investigation determined that this donor had last donated in June 2008, at which time he incorrectly reported no HIV risk factors and his donation tested negative for the presence of HIV. One of the two recipients of blood components from this donation, a patient undergoing kidney transplantation, was found to be HIV infected, and an investigation determined that the patient's infection was acquired from the donor's blood products. Even though such transmissions are rare, health-care providers should consider the possibility of transfusion-transmitted HIV in HIV-infected transfusion recipients with no other risk factors. Continue reading.............

..California Equity Research Initiates Coverage of Aethlon MedicalSAN DIEGO--(MARKETWIRE)--December 8, 2010--

California Equity Research initiated coverage todayof Aethlon Medical

Director of research Bud Leedom highlighted these themes in the initiation report:Aethlon Medical is a leading player in blood filtration systems under development to treat infectious disease, cancer and in biodefense.Aethlon has begun enrollment of its Hepatitis C clinical trial in India using Hemopurifier.Hemopurifier is undergoing in vitro testing in five cancer indications focused on reducing exosome levels.Aethlon has reestablished its biodefense program and is seeking government grants.The 26-page research report

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Criminalizing needles is ineffectiveWe need needle exchange programs to slow the spread of blood-borne infections — not more incarceration.

By n SwitalaIf you could severely mitigate the spread of the HIV, AIDS, and hepatitis C, would you?According to the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, injecting drug use accounts for 36 percent of AIDS cases and 60 percent of hepatitis C infections in the United States.Despite these well-documented statistics, the U.S. maintains counterproductive policies that increase the spread of disease from intravenous drug use.

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Published: Dec. 7, 2010

Updated: Dec. 8, 2010 9:46 a.m..

Anaheim Hills couple celebrates new lease on lifeBY SHARON HLAPCICHCONTRIBUTOR

Dennis and Judi Sepulveda have more than just similar interests in common — both also received an organ transplant exactly 13 years apart.He received a liver transplant on Dec. 12, 1996 as a result of Hepatitis C encountered while serving in Vietnam. She had a double lung transplant on Dec. 12, 2009 from blood clots in her lungs that caused Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

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Public Release: 8-Dec-2010 EPSCO Council

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EULAR welcomes Council action to tackle chronic diseases

The European League Against Rheumatism welcomes the outcomes of yesterday's Council of the European Union. In its meeting on Dec. 7, ministers for health adopted Council Conclusions on chronic diseases, in which the Council calls on Member States and the European Commission to adopt concrete, coordinated measures to tackle chronic diseases in Europe. EULAR is pleased to note that the Council Conclusions reflect many of the recommendations made at the Oct. 19 Presidency conference on Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal diseases.Contact: EULAR Press Office

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CDC: Flu Outbreak in Georgia Signifies Start of Flu Season

December 06, 2010Georgia reporting an increase in flu cases among youths, but flu vaccine likely a good match

Tis the Season for Being Happy …Or Not. The Holiday BluesWith the holiday season in full swing, many people find themselves battling a form of the “holiday blues.†According to M. Podell, M.D., a Los Angeles based, board certified psychiatrist who served over 20 years as a clinical faculty member at UCLA, a host of factors produce this well-known phenomenon.View

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In MemoryDecember 08, 2010Cancer Could Not Conquer Her Spirit - December 08, 2010(USA TODAY) -- relished the rough-and-tumble of politics, but in the end it was her personal struggles -- with the death of a teenage son, with the humiliation of an unfaithful husband and with a diagnosis of incurable cancer -- that forged a connection with millions of Americans.

http://Hepatitis Cnewdrugs.blogspot.com/2010/12/hepatitis-non-invasive-liver-fibrosis.html