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Hyperferritinemia Is Another Surrogate Marker Of Advanced Liver Disease
High serum ferritin, being a hallmark of hereditary hemochromatosis , is frequently found in chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients . A study in Italy has investigated the link between ferritin and steatosis in a non-obese cohort of non-alcoholic patients. In southern European populations, high ferritin levels, after exclusion of diagnosis of HH, represent a risk factor for steatosis and clinical relevance, being associated with low platelet count.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Shows Circumcision Does Not Reduce Male-To-Female HIV Transmission
Male circumcision does not reduce the transmission of HIV from men to their female partners, according to a Lancet study conducted in Uganda, Bloomberg reports (Sargent, 7/16). The researchers recruited 922 uncircumcised HIV-positive men between the ages of 15 and 49 for the study, who were then divided into two groups - those who were "immediately circumcised" and those for whom the procedure was "delayed for two years" Reuters reports. Researchers also followed the wives and female sex partners of the men, who all were HIV-negative (Fox, 7/16). The analysis found that "18 percent of the female partners of the circumcised men became infected with the virus compared with 12 percent of the partners of men who hadn"t undergone the procedure," Bloomberg writes (7/16). Despite studies that "suggested circumcision ò€¦ can lower the rate of male-to-female virus transmission from HIV-positive men" the researchers concluded that "[c]ircumcision of HIV-infected men didn"t reduce HIV transmission to female partners over 24 months; longer-term effects could not be assessed" (Wawer et al., Lancet, July 2009).
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Abortion Could Prove Divisive For Health Reform, Too
An ultimatum against using federal money for abortion procedures could reopen the politically treacherous rift over the issue, creating yet another obstacle for congressional Democrats to overcome if they are to achieve their health reform goals, Time reports. "While current versions of the [health reform] legislation do not address the abortion issue at all, late last month 19 anti-abortion Democrats in the House sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, warning "we cannot support any health care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan.""
Sexual Health

ZymoGenetics Reports Encouraging Preliminary Results From Phase 2 Study Of IL-21 In Metastatic Melanoma Conducted By NCIC

ZymoGenetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZGEN) announced that Interleukin 21 (IL-21) demonstrated an impressive overall response rate in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. In interim Phase 2 results from 24 patients, 29 percent showed a partial response, with an additional 33 percent of patients showing stable disease in this difficult to treat disease. "We are seeing promising anti-tumor response with IL-21 in patients with metastatic melanoma in this Phase 2 study," said Nicole Onetto, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of ZymoGenetics. "The response rate is favorable, particularly when compared to those of approved agents. Patients with advanced melanoma have few effective treatment options, so a clear need exists for new agents to manage this disease." Results from the Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with metastatic melanoma were presented at the World Congress on Melanoma meeting in Vienna, Austria. The single-agent multi-center clinical trial is being conducted by the NCIC Clinical Trials Group in Canada and is evaluating three dosing regimens of IL-21 in patients with no prior systemic therapy for metastatic melanoma. The primary endpoint is efficacy, as measured by objective response or lack of early disease progression. To date 7 of the 24 patients (29%) had a partial response (5 confirmed by RECIST criteria). Eight patients (33%) had stable disease. The most common adverse events were mild or moderate fatigue and rash. Two schedules testing 50 mcg/kg were evaluated in a total of 10 patients but were poorly tolerated due to adverse events including neutropenia and skin rash. The trial will be completed with a full cohort of 30 patients to be treated at the 30 mcg/kg dose, which is tolerable for outpatient dosing and active as assessed by tumor response. About Interleukin 21 (IL-21) IL-21, a cytokine that enhances CD8+ T cell and NK cell activity, has single-agent anti-tumor activity (J Clin Oncol 26:2034, 2008). ZymoGenetics has worldwide rights to IL-21 and is developing IL-21 for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and metastatic melanoma. ZymoGenetics


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