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Bacteria die on stainless steel

To establish which materials allow pathogens to survived best, micro-organisms such as bacteria living in wet and dry environments, pathogenic fungi and the bacterium Escherichia coli, have been studied during comparative tests undertaken at the Hygiene Institute of the University of Leipzig.

Article • Qualification

Diabetes-Nanny

About 25,000 German children are diabetic, and numbers are increasing rapidly. Specialists in childhood diabetes gathered at a meeting held by the Dianino Foundation during the 41st Annual Meeting of German Diabetes Society (DDG), to discuss `Diabetes-Nanni´, a programme in which female diabetes advisers receive additional psychology training to care for diabetes-affected families in their homes.…

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Test identifies patients who benefit from targeted cancer drugs

USA - A new laboratory test - EGFRx, developed by the Weisenthal Cancer Group* - has accurately identified patients who would benefit from treatment with the molecularly-targeted anti-cancer therapies gefitinib (Iressa, AstraZeneca) and erlotinib (Tarceva, Genentech), according to clinical data published at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

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Biochip for the early detection of cancer

The Innsbruck Biocentre, led by Professor Lukas Huber, is involved in a major European research project. This involves the development of a 'biological interface' for a new semiconductor developed by Siemens.

Near-patient testing (NPT)

Near-patient testing (NPT) is any analytical process performed for, or by, a patient outside the traditional clinical laboratory. By Manole Cojocaru MD PhD, scientific consultant at ROMAR Medical-Laboratory Colentina, Bucharest

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Sepsis research honoured

Germany - The third Hugo Schottmüller Prize, awarded by the German Sepsis Society (DSG), has been presented to Dr Marc W Merx, of the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technical University (RWTH) Hospital, Aachen, for his paper 'HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor Simvastatin Profoundly Improves Survival in a Murine Model of Sepsis', published in the journal Circulation.

Baby food & meningitis

An extensive international study, presented at the American Society for Microbiology meeting in New Orleans, concludes that baby foods contain worrying levels of disease-causing microbes, including Enterobacter sakazakii (linked to some fatal outbreaks of meningitis at children's hospitals in Europe and the USA*).

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Award for HIV monitoring

The CyFlow and CyLab technique (e.g. for economical CD4/CD8 counting in HIV monitoring in developing countries) has received 1st prize in the Innovations Award 2003, given by the State Ministry of Economy, Dresden, Germany.

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Britain earmarks £50 million for NHS genetics

'Genetics offers prediction of risk, more precise diagnosis, more targeted and effective use of existing drugs, new gene-based drugs and therapies, and prevention and treatment regimes tailored to an individual's genetic profile.'

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Transplants

Birmingham, UK - Giving interleukin-2 receptor antibodies to patients after a kidney transplant can halve the risk of rejection, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal (Interleukin-2 receptor monoclonal antibodies in renal transplantation: meta-analysis of randomised trials BMJ Volume 326, pp 789-91).

BioAnalytica 2003

Live 'drug transporters' - bacteria that deliver medication to targeted body areas; a coating for tooth implants that promotes bone growth; biochips to test the potential effects of a medication on particular patients, and miniature genetic point-of-care testing laboratories (POCT) for use during medical emergencies, were among exciting developments demonstrated by 270 exhibitors from 14…

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Article • Research, diagnostics, treatments

Focus on leukemia

Leukaemia is a common cancer of the haematopoietic system. The main forms, such as chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), sometimes differ considerably in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic options. Keep reading for modern approaches such as molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies.

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