Archive for July, 2009
A virus against cancer?
Posted by admin in General Health on July 28th, 2009
A virus against cancer?
A virus that already saves the lives of millions of children could become a new weapon against cancer. This virus is one that is used to immunize against measles, a live version, but “down” the virus that causes the childhood disease. “There are viruses that preferentially infect cancer cells. This is particularly the case of virus vaccine against measles,” said Mark Gregory, director of research at the Institute for Therapeutic Research, University of Nantes. “The virus enters the cancer cells and cause their destruction” continued the researcher. We talk about viruses “oncolytic”.
Funded by the ARC *, Mark Gregory and his team have begun to address these viruses following a discussion with a researcher from the Institute Pasteur in Paris, Frédéric Tangy. Nantes team had discovered that many cancer cells on their surface showed an unusual amount of a protein called CD 46. The researcher Paris knew about him that the attenuated virus vaccine against measles had just needs this protein to infect human cells. Hence was born the idea of using this virus to destroy cancer cells.
Other oncolytic viruses
Other oncolytic viruses exist and it is even possible to make new viruses by modifying existing they acquire the necessary properties. The strain of the vaccine against measles, however, presents significant advantages: used since the late 60s to vaccinate every year millions of children, the safety of its administration is more to prove. Moreover, this virus has an antitumor activity “bonus” it will not only cause the destruction of tumor cells it infects, but it will simultaneously activate the cells of the patient’s immune system to attack that they also to the tumor. “The destruction of cancer cells by virus leads to the production of danger signals that are recognized by the immune system,” explains Mark Gregory. “An immune response specifically directed against the tumor cells are then put in place. Some data suggest that there is even production of immune memory cells. If this is indeed the case, the virus vaccine against measles could not only destroy tumors, but also prevent relapse: when a tumor recurrence in the body, immune cells attack memories there. This last point remains to be verified and Drs Gregory and Tangy actively engaged.
The use of this virus and other oncolytic viruses are already being tested in clinical trials, especially at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minnesota, USA). The results of U.S. trials are not yet published, but according to Marc Grégoire, they would rather encouraging. The viruses tested at the Mayo Clinic to date would treat many types of cancer such as myeloma, gliomas, glioblastomas, ovarian carcinoma or breast cancer. “We are working on the model of mesothelioma [cancer of the pleura], but we think also to test this approach on melanoma and lung cancer. The base system is ready. There are still many details to confirm, but the the use of antitumor oncolytic viruses such as the vaccine against measles could start in no distant future “.
Auto Financial Health
Posted by admin in Family Health, Financial health on July 5th, 2009
1. Proximity
Put yourself in the best conditions for success by focusing your license driving schools available near you, your place of work or study with class schedules or code of conduct tailored to your needs.
Tip: You can use Google Maps to find a driving school near an address
2. Success Rate
The success rate of the driving school to the driving test is an indication of the quality of training. Two precautions for using this information:
* This rate depends on locally to the social and cultural background of the candidates and the severity of the examiners. The relevant comparison is between two driving schools in the same sector
* A perverse effect of displaying this rate is selected by some driving schools candidates they present. Take contacts of alumni to see!
Record the approval number of the driving school is it that you will get the success rate with the prefecture.
Several rankings by success rates are available online:
* Awards 1000 best driving school French Auto Plus 06/08
* The classification of driving schools in the Nord Pas-de-Calais La Voix du Nord 02/09
3. Quality training
Listen to the opinions of students who have already started or completed their training. Avoid a driving school where others have known bad experience and prefer for your driving lessons instructor competent and motivated.
Some questions to assess:
* The opportunity to train regularly in traffic What are the times to review the code?
* How many sessions per week?
* The correction is it made by a monitor?
* The quality of coaching What was the behavior of the monitor while driving hours: Attentive and educational or absent?
* Should I monitor “referent”? Ie a monitor fixed or at least someone to go?
* The effectiveness of the preparation for the examination of driver’s license How Chess Exam code and conduct, and especially why?
* During the examinations passed, what was the success rate of the driving school?
* How many hours did you need to spend / pass the practical test?
* If applicable, how long did you have to wait to retake the exam?
Feel free to interview students in training, so that you do not answer your questions.
Emphasize driving schools that have signed the Charter of quality driving schools required to offer the license to one euro per day or took a quality as Qualicert.
Any training code must be performed by a certified instructor.
On average, for the B license, the price of a basic package 20H is 1200 € divided as follows:
Decomposition of the price of a basic package permits
4. Rates
Emphasize driving schools which clearly show their services and their rates.
Pay close attention to course content: code, conduct, presentation.
To effectively compare two driving schools, make a simulation taking into account 30 hours of training before the first passage of the permit.
Attention, unbeatable prices are not a guarantee of seriousness, quite the contrary. Beware of a driving school offering a package of 500 or 600 € is to say at a price below the cost of only 20 hours of mandatory training to drive (20 hours x 35 €).
As in all businesses, prices shown may be negotiated. Heads Up competition between driving schools and compare prices!
Some driving schools have a student discount.
5. Financial Health
Choose a driving school that lets you set a phased manner. In all cases do not agree to pay the full amount at the first appointment.
Verify that the driving school of your choice is not bankrupt or in receivership by example by going on the website Euridile.
Emphasize a driving school with financial security, such as those proposing the permit to one euro per day, signed the Charter of quality driving schools.
6. 321permis_voiture_auto-ecoleMatériel
Observe the quality (state-level maintenance, type) of material: vehicles, furniture, media code, local, etc.. A vehicle damaged, dirty or above may suggest a formation of low quality or even a critical financial situation.
As part of the motorcycle license, the material is of considerable importance:
• the school must provide all its students fluorescent vests when driving;
• when learning movement, the monitor must be connected by radio to his students. The materials should not suffer from any defect;
• during the learning stage, the bike-school must have a sufficiently broad and secure to acquire control of the bike drive in good conditions.