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Editorial
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e-
SQUARE- Aiming
High
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Dear
Doctor:
We're
sure you are enjoying reading this e-newsletter full of valuable
health and wellness information. This issue of "e-SQUARE"
features a variety of contents including Protein
& stroke, Wound excision & burn, Colon cancer, Hepatitis
C therapy, Genetic marker, Arthritis and heart risk.
If
you have problems with this service or any thoughts about our
healthcare online, please mail us. We
are just one click away!
WE ALWAYS VALUE YOUR
FEEDBACK.
Wish
you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous life.
Yours
sincerely,
Editorial
Team
The
views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect
those of its editor or SQUARE
PHARMACEUTICALS LTD.
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Protein &
Stroke
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A
possible risk factor for stroke
Back
to Features
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A
natural part of protein produced by the body may be to
blame for a person's increased risk of stroke. A study
found the risk of stroke was more than four-times
higher in people with the highest homocysteine levels
compared to those with the lowest levels. Homocysteine
is an amino acid produced in the body. High levels can
make blood clot more easily. The study involved 80
patients with coronary heart disease who had ischemic
strokes, during more than eight years of follow-up and
80 patients who remained free of stroke or any
recurrent events throughout the study. Researchers
found the stroke patients had higher homocysteine
levels. In addition, two-thirds of stroke patients had
higher homocysteine levels than their matched
controls. How homocysteine increases these risks is
unclear. Some evidence indicates it may damage blood
vessels and predispose people to forming fatty
deposits and blood clots in arteries.
SOURCE:
Ivanhoe Newswire
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Wound
Excision & Burn
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Best
treatment for burns
Back
to Features
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A
new study shows, not only is early burn wound excision
safe, but also superior to other conservative
treatments. Researchers studied 35 severely burned
children responded to two different treatments. Twenty
of the children were treated with early burn wound
excision within 24 hours after the injury. The other 15
children were treated more conservatively. They were
treated with a topical treatment for five days before
their burn wounds were surgically removed. The patients
who were treated with early burn wound excision had
minimal adverse effects. This treatment did not increase
caloric demands and controlled the inflammatory
response. Overall, researchers said immediate surgical
intervention was superior to the conservative topical
treatment and delayed excision. Researchers concluded
that immediate burn wound excision should be considered
as the treatment of choice for full-thickness burns.
SOURCE:
Archives of Surgery, 2003; 138:127-132
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Colon Cancer
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Calcium
slows colon cancer
Back
to Features
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Doctors
recently reported the same bacterial toxin that causes
traveler's diarrhea could slow down the growth of colon
cancer cells. Calcium seems to be a very important part
of the process. Researchers say the toxin that causes
traveler's diarrhea appears to create an opening that
allows calcium into the cells. Researchers write,
dietary calcium is the mediator of this
antiproliferative effect. They explain that the
toxin activates a receptor, GCC, which in turn causes a
channel to open and calcium to enter. The toxin and
calcium interact with one another to slow the growth of
the cancer cell. When the toxin connects with the GCC
receptor, two events are set off. First, intestinal
diarrhea and then cell growth is slowed.
SOURCE:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2003;
published in Feb. 10,
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Hepatitis
C Therapy
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Improved
Hepatitis C survival rate Back
to Features
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Researchers
found a current hepatitis C therapy may also help people
with liver cancer caused by hepatitis C to live longer.
Researchers say when given after surgery to remove the
cancer the drug seems to reduce the occurrence of new
cancer locations. The study involve 74 patients with
cirrhosis, a potentially life-threatening condition that
occurs when scarring damages the liver. After all
patients had their lesions removed through therapy, 49
patients were assigned to receive interferon three times
a week for 48 weeks. Twenty-five did not receive
treatment. Results of the study show of the 49 patients
treated with interferon, 21 patients showed a sustained
biochemical response and 14 patients showed a sustained
virologic response to the treatment. The rate of
recurrence of new cancer in distant body parts was
similar in the patients treated with interferon and
untreated patients. However, the rates of second or
third recurrences seemed to be lower in the interferon
group than in the untreated group. Patients treated with
interferon had a survival rate of 68 percent after five
years and 53 percent after seven years. Untreated
patients had a survival rate of 48 percent after five
years and 23 percent after seven years.
SOURCE:
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2003;138:299-306
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Genetic
Marker
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Genetic
marker for longevity identified!
Back
to Features
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Scientists
for the first time have identified a common genetic
mutation in the people over 100 years old, a finding
they say could be a key to discovering a way to avoid
the ravages of aging. In a study researcher found that
centenarians were five times more likely than others to
have the same mutation in their mitochondrial DNA. In
the study of a group of 52 centenarians, the researchers
found a common mutation in the same main control region.
Looking at mitochondrial DNA in white blood cells, they
found that 17% of the 52 had a specific mutation called
C150 T transition, compared with only 3.4% of 117 people
under the age of 99.
Source:
Reuters Health
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Arthritis
and Heart Risk
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Arthritis
increases heart risk
Back
to Feature
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Women
with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more likely to have a
heart attack than their peers without arthritis.
Researchers behind a new study say RA should be
considered a risk factor for heart attack and drug
therapy should be considered to reduce the risk. This
study examined the link between RA, heart attack and
stroke. In the study 114,342 women were included. There
were 527 cases of RA and 3,622 cases of heart attack and
stroke. Researchers conclude, participants with
rheumatoid arthritis had a significantly increased risk
of myocardial infarction, but not stroke, compared with
those without rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors say
atherosclerosis has been known to have an inflammatory
component and it may be similar to the inflammation
associated with RA.
SOURCE:
Ivanhoe Newswire
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