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Dosimetric Equivalence Of Nonstandard HDR Brachytherapy Catheter Patterns
UroToday.com - Robotic and medical imaging technology has made leaps and bounds over the past few decades, and the practice of brachytherapy should take advantage of these advances. Of course, any new technology cannot be implemented in the clinic without a scientifically validated foundation, which must be established in order to justify the move away from tried-and-true methods. With this in mind, we present this paper as a peek into the future -- alternative, potentially useful implant catheter patterns.
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House Democrats May Rethink Tax Increases
Democratic leaders may scale back a plan to tax the highest American earners, The New York Times reports.
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New Survey Highlights Growing Concern About Risk Of Infection In Cancer Patients And Emerging Antibiotic Resistance
Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) announced the results of a national Harris Interactive, Inc. survey indicating that the vast majority of oncologists and infectious disease (ID) specialists are highly concerned about the negative impact infection may have on treatment outcomes in chemotherapy patients, as well as emerging antibiotic resistance. Nearly all oncologists surveyed (92 percent) believe it is important for cancer patients to prevent infections to achieve successful treatment outcomes. Antibiotic resistance is a growing concern among the majority of physicians surveyed, with 96 percent of ID specialists and 79 percent of oncologists reporting an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections in cancer patients over the past five years. Both groups of physicians report methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections as the most commonly observed in chemotherapy patients.
Diagnostics

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". How are viruses spread? Viruses may spread vertically (from mother to child) or horizontally (from person to person). A virus"s ability to spread depends on the makeup of the virus. Interesting articles What are bacteria? What is fungus? What are fungi? What is herpes? What is genital herpes? What is hepatitis? Symptoms, causes and treatments. What is swine flu? What is measles? What are the symptoms of measles? What is polio? What causes polio? What is flu (influenza)? What are the symptoms of flu? Some viruses can spread by simple contact, exchanges of saliva, coughing, or sneezing. Some require sexual contact, while others go through the fecal-oral route via contaminated food or water. Still other viruses require an insect like a mosquito to carry the virus from person to person. What diseases are caused by viruses? Several human diseases are caused by viruses. These include: *Smallpox *The common cold *Measles *Chickenpox *Hepatitis *Influenza *Human papilloma virus *Shingles *Herpes *Polio *Rabies *Ebola *Hanta fever *HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) *Cold sores *SARS (Severe acute respiratory syndrome) *Dengue *Epstein-Barr virus *Some types of cancer How do we fight viruses? When the body"s immune system detects a viral infection, it begins to respond in a generic way. A process begins called RNA interference, which is crucial to fighting viruses because it degrades the viral genetic material and enables cells to survive the infection. The immune system also produces specific antibodies that are capable of binding to viruses and making them non-infectious. In addition, the body"s T cells are sent to destroy the virus. Although most viral infections result in a protective response from the immune system, viruses such as HIV specialize in evading the immune system by using a number of different techniques. Neurotropic viruses are also very capable of avoiding our natural immune system"s response to infection. How are viruses prevented and treated? Whereas bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, viral infections require either vaccinations to prevent them or antiviral drugs to treat them. Vaccinations are generally the cheapest and most effect way to prevent viruses. Currently, vaccinations exist for polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and smallpox among others. In fact, vaccinations have been instrumental in eliminating diseases such as smallpox and reducing other viral diseases to extremely rare status. Virus vaccinations consist of a weakened form of the virus (live-attenuated viruses) or viral proteins called antigens. Live-attenuated vaccines carry the risk causing the original disease in people with weak immune systems. Antiviral drugs have been developed largely in response to the AIDS pandemic. These drugs do not destroy the pathogen but instead inhibit their development. Antiviral medications are relatively harmless to the host. Written by Peter Crosta M.A. Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today


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