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Results From Phase 1 Clinical Study Of PEG-PAL In PKU And Update On Phase 2 Clinical Study
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRN) announced results from the Phase 1 clinical study of PEG-PAL (PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase) for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). The company expects to initiate the Phase 2 clinical study in late June or early July, pending institutional review board (IRB) approval from the clinical trial sites. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the Phase II clinical trial protocol.
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Los Angeles Times Examines Increase In Caesarean Births, Related Rise In Risk, Cost
Caesarean sections -- which are performed in 31% of births, up from 4.5% in 1965 -- often are considered an unnecessary risk and "an example of how the intensive and expensive U.S. brand of medicine has failed to deliver better results and may, in fact, be doing more harm than good," the Los Angeles Times reports. According to the Times, c-sections can increase a woman"s risk of complications, such as infection, blood clots and premature delivery. Even without complication, c-sections typically result in longer hospital stays and increased costs. Expenses related to c-section births account for 45% of the more than $79 billion in annual hospital charges that childbirth incurs in the U.S. annually. The average uncomplicated c-section costs about $4,500, which is about twice the cost for vaginal births. C-sections cost about $13,000 for privately insured patients. According to a 2008 report by Childbirth Connection, "The financial toll of maternity care on private (insurers)/employers and Medicaid/taxpayers is especially large." It also said, "Maternity care thus plays a considerable role in escalating health care costs, which increasingly threaten the financial stability of families, employers, and federal and state budgets." Addressing the Increase
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What Is A Virus? What Is A Viral Infection?
A virus (from the Latin virus meaning toxin or poison) is a microscopic organism consisting of genetic material (RNA or DNA) surrounded by a protein, lipid (fat), or glycoprotein coat. Viruses are unique organisms because they cannot reproduce without a host cell. After contacting a host cell, a virus will insert genetic material into the host and take over the host"s functions. The cell, now infected, continues to reproduce, but it reproduces more viral protein and genetic material instead of its usual products. It is this process that earns viruses the classification of "parasite".
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Physicians Offer Practical Tips On Preventing Strokes And Their Lasting Effects

It takes less than a minute for a stroke to change a person"s life forever, but taking the time to make a few simple lifestyle adjustments and finding out how to recognize an attack when it happens can save thousands of lives. "It is the third leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disabilities, but more than half of all strokes can be prevented," says Dr. Matthew Fink, chief of the Division of Stroke and Critical Care Neurology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. These few lifestyle changes can greatly reduce anyone"s chances of having a stroke: - Reduce salt intake. High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of stroke. Cutting back on salt is one of the most significant steps to maintaining or lowering your blood pressure to a healthy level of 120/80 or below. Try flavoring your food with a variety of spices that may be healthier than salt. - Eat a heart-healthy diet. Maintaining a healthy balance between your good cholesterol (HDL) and bad cholesterol (LDL) is the best way to prevent high cholesterol, heart disease and the increased risk of stroke. Your cholesterol level should remain at 200 mg/dl or below. - Stop smoking. Smoking is not only bad for your lungs, it is bad for your brain, too. A smoker is at twice the risk of having a stroke because smoking damages blood vessels, raises blood pressure and speeds up the clogging of arteries. - Exercise. If you are obese or overweight, your risk factors for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes increases and so does your risk for a stroke. Extra weight places an added strain on your entire circulatory system, but aerobic exercise can be a good way to lose those extra pounds and substantially improve your health. However, there are certain populations that are still at higher risk of having a stroke even after making the proper lifestyle changes. These include adults 55 years of age or older, African-Americans and Hispanics, those with a family history of stroke, and people who have already had an attack or a transient ischemic attack (mini stroke). In addition, women are more likely to die from a stroke than men, although attacks are more common in men. "When someone does have a stroke they may experience either slight or extremely noticeable physical changes. The most effective way to prevent the permanent damage associated with stroke is to recognize the signs of an attack and to seek medical attention immediately," says Dr. Randolph Marshall, director of the Stroke Division at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. The most common signs of a stroke are: - Numbness. A sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs -- specifically on one side of the body. - Trouble Speaking. A feeling of confusion and slurred speech or trouble speaking. - Loss of Balance. Dizziness and trouble walking. - Poor Eyesight. A loss of vision in one or both of the eyes. - Headache. A sudden headache that occurs for no apparent reason. "Eighty percent of all strokes are caused by a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the brain. Today there are many new drugs and techniques that when applied during the early onset of an attack can prevent, and in some cases reverse, the damage caused by these blockages," says Dr. Philip Stieg, chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and neurosurgeon-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Some of the most popular techniques include: - Revascularization. Tiny micro catheters such as the Merci Retriever and the Penumbra System are inserted into the artery and used to remove the blockages and reopen the artery. - Clot-Dissolving Drugs. Tissue Plasminogen Activator (t-PA) is a commonly used clot-dissolving drug that is injected into the artery and dissolves the clot, restoring blood flow to the brain. This procedure is most effective when used immediately following an attack. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital


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