Hepatitis C 'switch' offers target for new drug research

Public release date: 31-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anna Blackaby
a.blackaby@warwick.ac.uk
44-247-657-5910
University of Warwick

Scientists have discovered a 'switch' in the Hepatitis C virus which could be used as a target for new kinds of drug treatment.

Hepatitis C affects more than 170 million people worldwide, but current combination treatment is only effective against a limited range of this naturally highly variable virus.

However, according to new research by the University of Warwick, the newly discovered SL9266 'switch' is very highly conserved and present in all Hepatitis C viruses, meaning this offers a good starting point for further research into an across-the-board treatment.

This region represents a vulnerable spot for attacking and clearing the virus from the body as it controls a critical event in the earliest stages of the virus lifecycle.

It seems the switch modulates the mutually incompatible translation and replication processes that must occur for the virus to spread inside the body.

University of Warwick scientists at the School of Life Sciences and their collaborators in the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh are now working with chemists to develop custom-designed drugs that target the switch and lock it in the 'off' position.

By locking the virus into a translation-only phase it cannot initiate replication, a process critical for infecting other cells in the liver.

The immune response to the initially infected cell would contribute to the clearance of the virus from the body.

Despite the variability of the virus, the mechanism and function of this 'switch' is thought to be highly conserved, providing a means of targeting all Hepatitis C viruses.

Professor David Evans of the University of Warwick said: "Hepatitis C is a growing concern worldwide and is set to place a massive demand on the organ transplant system.

"We are already at the stage in many countries where the main need for liver transplants is due to liver damage caused by the Hepatitis C virus.

"Current medication is not effective in all cases, that's why it's vital that we continue to build on this early-stage research to focus drug development work on treatment which works across all Hepatitis C genotypes."

The research, funded by the UK Medical Research Council, is published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

The study is entitled A twist in the tail: SHAPE mapping of long-range interactions and structural rearrangements of RNA elements involved in HCV replication.

It is co-authored by Andrew Tuplin, Madeleine Struthers and David Evans of the University of Warwick and Peter Simmonds of the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh.

###

The study is available at here

Prof David Evans is available on +44 (0)2476 574183 or D.J.Evans@warwick.ac.uk

Or Anna Blackaby, University of Warwick press officer, a.blackaby@warwick.ac.uk, + 44 (0) 2476 575910 or +44 (0) 7785 433155

---

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?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 31-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Anna Blackaby
a.blackaby@warwick.ac.uk
44-247-657-5910
University of Warwick

Scientists have discovered a 'switch' in the Hepatitis C virus which could be used as a target for new kinds of drug treatment.

Hepatitis C affects more than 170 million people worldwide, but current combination treatment is only effective against a limited range of this naturally highly variable virus.

However, according to new research by the University of Warwick, the newly discovered SL9266 'switch' is very highly conserved and present in all Hepatitis C viruses, meaning this offers a good starting point for further research into an across-the-board treatment.

This region represents a vulnerable spot for attacking and clearing the virus from the body as it controls a critical event in the earliest stages of the virus lifecycle.

It seems the switch modulates the mutually incompatible translation and replication processes that must occur for the virus to spread inside the body.

University of Warwick scientists at the School of Life Sciences and their collaborators in the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh are now working with chemists to develop custom-designed drugs that target the switch and lock it in the 'off' position.

By locking the virus into a translation-only phase it cannot initiate replication, a process critical for infecting other cells in the liver.

The immune response to the initially infected cell would contribute to the clearance of the virus from the body.

Despite the variability of the virus, the mechanism and function of this 'switch' is thought to be highly conserved, providing a means of targeting all Hepatitis C viruses.

Professor David Evans of the University of Warwick said: "Hepatitis C is a growing concern worldwide and is set to place a massive demand on the organ transplant system.

"We are already at the stage in many countries where the main need for liver transplants is due to liver damage caused by the Hepatitis C virus.

"Current medication is not effective in all cases, that's why it's vital that we continue to build on this early-stage research to focus drug development work on treatment which works across all Hepatitis C genotypes."

The research, funded by the UK Medical Research Council, is published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

The study is entitled A twist in the tail: SHAPE mapping of long-range interactions and structural rearrangements of RNA elements involved in HCV replication.

It is co-authored by Andrew Tuplin, Madeleine Struthers and David Evans of the University of Warwick and Peter Simmonds of the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh.

###

The study is available at here

Prof David Evans is available on +44 (0)2476 574183 or D.J.Evans@warwick.ac.uk

Or Anna Blackaby, University of Warwick press officer, a.blackaby@warwick.ac.uk, + 44 (0) 2476 575910 or +44 (0) 7785 433155

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Ghana, Brazil seal agricultural equipment deal : Ghana Business ...

You Are Here: Home ? General News ? Ghana, Brazil seal agricultural equipment deal

Page last updated at Thursday, May 31, 2012 7:07 AM //

Brazil has approved Ghana?s request for the supply of equipment to mechanise the country?s agricultural sector.

This follows a meeting in Brasilia between Vice President John Dramani Mahama and Mr Pepe Vargas, Minister of Agrarian Development of Brazil.

These were contained in a statement issued from the Office of the Vice President in Accra on Wednesday, copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

Mr Vargas told Vice President Mahama that Brazil, in line with her earlier commitments, was ready to provide funds for the supply of Brazilian agricultural machinery and equipment to Ghana.

The farm tractors, boom sprayers, planters, water pumps, threshers, reapers, harvesters among others that will be supplied by Brazil is aimed at promoting Ghana?s agricultural sector through mechanisation.

The Ministries of Food and Agriculture and Finance and Economic Planning are expected to validate the prices and terms of financing by the end of next week, for confirmation by the Brazilian Government.

Vice President Mahama explained that once the processes were completed, Cabinet would discuss the details for approval and laying before Parliament for consideration.

Source: GNA

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Buffalo's AirStation AC1300/N450 4-Port Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Ethernet Bridge WLI-H4-D1300

Buffalo's AirStation AC1300/N450 4-Port Gigabit Dual Band Wireless Ethernet Bridge WLI-H4-D1300 ($180, list) is currently the only device that can take advantage of the higher speeds of 802.11ac. Of course, 802.11ac has yet to be ratified so the device is still in draft 802.11ac, which the device's packaging acknowledges. The media bridge is meant to be a companion device to the Buffalo AirStation AC1300/N900 Gigabit Dual Band WZR-D1800H Router, the company's first draft 802.11ac router.

A media bridge makes devices that are wired to it accessible wirelessly; typically you'd use it for hardware such as NAS devices, gaming consoles, and set-top boxes. While you can't wire your iPad or notebook to the media bridge and expect 1300 Mbps wireless performance if you also deploy Buffalo's 11ac router, the media bridge does offer a performance boost when used in conjunction with the D1800H. Performance gains are more noticeable when doing throughput-demanding tasks such as streaming high-definition video or copying large files across the network.

Although the biggest advantages of the device come when pairing it with the D1800H router, you can use it to connect to any AOSS or WPS enabled router. It's a well-made device for expanding wireless connectivity to wired devices, and if you are looking to leverage the performance boosts of Buffalo's 11ac router to the max right now, than the media bridge is a needed addition since there are no 11ac adapters currently available.

Specs and Setup
The D1300 is dual-band, supporting up to 1300 Mbps on the 5-GHz band and 450 Mbps on 2.4-GHz. The device is identical in design to the D1800H except the front panel has less LEDs. On the front is an AOSS button (AOSS is Buffalo's proprietary WPS "Wireless Protected Setup). When pushed, the media bridge syncs up with the D1800H and joins the wireless network.

The rear panel features four Gigabit Ethernet ports, a button to enable or disable 5-GHz, and a power on/off button.

The media bridge offers absolutely simple setup. There's no software or drivers to install. With the D1800H powered up and configured, I plugged in the media bridge and powered it on. To pair the router and bridge together is only a matter of pressing the AOSS button on the bridge and then the AOSS button on the D1800H. Pairing is complete when the wireless LED on both devices stop blinking. It's a solid setup process.

Performance
The media bridge does exactly what it's supposed to do; it allows wired devices to be accessed from a wireless network. I did want to see if I got any performance boost connecting a NAS to the bridge and wirelessly uploading a large file. I did. I connected Synology's DS712+ router to one of the LAN ports on the bridge and upload a 1.5GB file wirelessly. Connected to the bridge, my upload was about two minutes faster than with the NAS only connected to a router.

That may not sound like a lot, but the performance gain could make for better video streaming and gaming.

There's a management interface you can access via a browser on the device. It provides some network setting control, but there isn't a heck of a lot to manage with a bridge and most users will never have to access the interface.

A Bridge to 802.11ac
At the moment, the D1300 is the only way to take advantage of 802.11ac and that only in unison with Buffalo's D1800H 11ac router. On its own, it's an excellent media bridge and can work with non-Buffalo WPS?supported devices. With setup only requiring a push of a button, it's a four star earner for networking hardware. My single criticism is that unless you purchase the D1800H and want to get the gains of 11ac, the D1300 is pricey for a dual-band media bridge, when perfectly good non 802.11ac media bridges are available for $120 or less.?

?More?Networking Reviews:
??? PhishGuru
??? Pwn Plug
??? iSimplyConnect (for iPad)
??? TorVPN
??? Private WiFi
?? more

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IsoRay's Cesium-131 Prostate Cancer Treatment Featured on ...

RICHLAND, WA, May 29, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) ?
IsoRay Inc.


/quotes/zigman/387787/quotes/nls/isr ISR
+20.51%



, a medical technology company and
innovator in seed brachytherapy and medical radioisotope
applications, today announced that Discovery Channel has featured the
Company?s Cesium-131 brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy)
treatment for localized prostate cancer.

Discovery Channel Chief Medical Expert John Whyte, MD, MPH, spoke
with UPMC urologist Dr. Ronald Benoit about the advantages of using
Cesium-131 over traditional isotopes. Dr. Benoit explained that UPMC
has been using Cesium-131 over a six year period. UPMC?s study found
that its patients benefited from the minimally invasive treatment
that resulted in reduced urinary problems. Typically, urinary
problems last up to 18 months after treatment with other
brachytherapy options. When using Cesium-131, Dr. Benoit explained,
urinary symptoms were gone in 3 to 6 months. View the Discovery
Channel story here.

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their
lifetimes. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among
American men, claiming some 30,000 lives annually. About 1 man in 36
will die of prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer
Society, which reports that about 241,740 new cases of prostate
cancer will be diagnosed in 2012. Only lung cancer claims the lives
of more men each year.

IsoRay is the exclusive manufacturer of Cesium-131. The
ground-breaking brachytherapy treatment represents one of the most
important advancements in internal radiation therapy in 20 years.
Cesium-131 allows for the internal radiation treatment of many
different cancers because of its incomparable combination of high
energy (its unique tissue penetrating capability reaching just far
enough to treat the cancer) and its 9.7 day half-life (its unrivaled
speed in giving off therapeutic radiation). The treatment can be
deployed using several delivery methods including single seed
applicators, implantable strands and mesh, and several new
implantable devices.

IsoRay Chairman and CEO Dwight Babcock commented, ?Cesium-131?s
success in treating low and intermediate risk prostate cancer is just
the beginning. IsoRay has built the foundation for the use of
Cesium-131 in the successful treatment of cancers throughout the
body. We expect more physicians and institutions in the medical
community to adopt the use of Cesium-131 for the treatment of
multiple cancers as they become aware of its dramatic impact on
survivability and quality of life benefits for their patients.?

In addition to its CMS codes, Cesium-131 is FDA-cleared in seed form
for the treatment of prostate cancer, lung cancer, ocular melanoma
cancer, brain cancer, colorectal cancer, gynecologic cancer, head and
neck cancer and other cancers throughout the body.

About IsoRay, Inc.
IsoRay, Inc., through its subsidiary, IsoRay
Medical, Inc., is the exclusive producer of Cesium-131 internal
radiation therapy, which is expanding brachytherapy options
throughout the body and the GliaSite(R) radiation therapy system, the
world?s only balloon catheter device used in the treatment of brain
cancer. Learn more about this innovative Richland, Washington company
and explore the many benefits and uses of Cesium-131 and the
GliaSite(R) radiation therapy system by visiting
www.isoray.com . Join
us on Facebook/Isoray. Follow us on Twitter @Isoray.

Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this news release about
IsoRay?s future expectations, including: the advantages of Cesium-131
seed, whether outcomes, including lessened side effects, from this
study will be experienced by other users of our products, whether
IsoRay will be able to continue to expand its base beyond prostate
cancer, whether IsoRay?s Cesium-131 seed and other delivery methods
for Cesium-131 will be used to successfully treat additional cancers
and malignant disease, whether additional physicians and institutions
will adopt the use of Cesium-131 to treat other cancers will be
successful, and all other statements in this release, other than
historical facts, are ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (?PSLRA?).
This statement is included for the express purpose of availing
IsoRay, Inc. of the protections of the safe harbor provisions of the
PSLRA. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate
corporate actions could differ materially from those in such
forward-looking statements based on such factors as physician
acceptance, training and use of our products, our ability to
successfully manufacture, market and sell our products, our ability
to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities to meet demand
within required delivery time periods while meeting our quality
control standards, our ability to enforce our intellectual property
rights, whether additional studies are released and support the
conclusions of early clinical studies, whether this and other studies
with Cesium-131 result in favorable patient outcomes, patient results
achieved when Cesium-131 is used for the treatment of cancers and
malignant diseases beyond prostate cancer, successful completion of
future research and development activities, and other risks detailed
from time to time in IsoRay?s reports filed with the SEC.

          Contact:         Sharon Schultz         (301) 351-0109         schultzpr@mchsi.com 

SOURCE: IsoRay, Inc.

          mailto:schultzpr@mchsi.com 

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

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Article source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/isorays-cesium-131-prostate-cancer-treatment-featured-on-discovery-channel-2012-05-29

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The Energy Rush: Even in Kentucky, Coal Industry Is Under Siege

[unable to retrieve full-text content]With the coal industry under siege across the country, an announcement that the operator of the Big Sandy power plant near Louisa, Ky., planned to switch to natural gas prompted an uproar.

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LinkedIn Acquires Professional Content Sharing Platform SlideShare For $119M

LinkedIn has just acquired professional content sharing platform SlideShare for $119 million in cash and stock. We've pasted the release below. SlideShare is a sharing platform for business documents, videos and presentations. SlideShare lets anyone share presentations and video and also serves as a social discovery platform for users to find relevant content and connect with other members who share similar interests. The company also has a huge enterprise following, and companies like IBM and others use the platform to curate content from all of their employees and partners on a branded page.

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How Jessica Alba Keeps Her Relationship Alive

In her exclusive blog for the iVillage blog series CelebVillage, actress and mom (to daughters Honor, 3, and 8-month-old Haven) Jessica Alba writes about how she keeps her marriage to husband Cash Warren ticking since becoming parents.

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Austerity-hit Spain also falls back into recession (Americablog)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Latest SGS3 leak makes us happy that May 3 is just two days away

 

A mere two days away from the huge Galaxy S III announcement, we’re getting yet another sneak peek at what Samsung is hiding up its sleeve. This leak comes courtesy of Sammobile, and appears to show the “next Galaxy” running Android 4.0.4 out of the box. This device looks to be the GT-I9300, the same phone leaked by Gizmodo Brazil and promptly confirmed by The Verge to be nowhere near the final build.  Sammobile's anonymous tipster claims that whatever this pans out to be, it'll have a 12 megapixel camera, a spec all but confirmed for the GS3. 

Does this mean that the GT-I9800 that got its Wifi certification last week will be the actual Galaxy S III, or are these different model numbers perhaps a continuation of Samsung’s tradition of different Galaxies for different carriers? Is the device above ready to ship, or is it just another dummy casing? Who knows, but one thing’s for certain: we can all say adios to renders and prototypes in just 48 hours, when we'll all unravel the GS3 mystery together.

Source: Sammobile

 

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Acer releases app to hurry the ICS-ification of Iconia slates (video)

Patience, they say, is a virtue. Try telling that to a tech-savvy tablet owner, whose friend already got an ICS update. Acer started pushing out an Android 4 update to lucky Iconia 500 owners earlier in the week, but for those who've yet to receive it, all is not lost. The tablet maker has taken the unusual step of releasing an app dedicated to getting you the upgrade asap. Can't wait a moment longer? Point your slate at the Play store and search for "Acer" and then simply look for the free Iconia Tab Update Enhancement app. Virtues are overrated anyway.

Continue reading Acer releases app to hurry the ICS-ification of Iconia slates (video)

Acer releases app to hurry the ICS-ification of Iconia slates (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UnitedHealth shares fall after Humana 1Q report

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