Uterine fibroids, or leiomyomata, are the most common tumours in women during the reproductive years and represent a significant health issue, yet little is known about their pathogenesis. We mapped a predisposition gene for multiple fibroids, cutaneous leiomyomata and renal carcinoma to chromosome 1q42.3-q43 and refined the region of the gene by mapping critical recombinants and using FISH in ...

With fraud and sleaze so visible all over the world in politics, finance and public life, finding that these also exist in medical research should come as no surprise. Yet it does, and medical scientists still react as if a case were unique. And they manage it so badly, with the whistleblawer often more penalised than the miscreant. 1 Seemingly, fraud has a brief history. I argue that scientist...

' Modern diagnosis and treatment make an increasing demand for methods by which the functional efficiency of organs or systems of the body may be objectively and quantitatively determined. It is important alike for the physician and for the surgeon to be able to assess the degree of impairment with which he has to deal. It may also be necessary to have means of measuring a disability for such p...

Background: Molecular signatures for predicting breast cancer prognosis could greatly improve care through personalization of treatment. Computational analyses of genome-wide expression datasets have identified such signatures, but these signatures leave much to be desired in terms of accuracy, reproducibility, and biological interpretability. Methods that take advantage of structured prior kno...

Most medical research is empirical based on evidence rather than hunches or preferences. It follows a series of specific steps. There are no short cuts. Collection of evidence and its analysis should follow a carefully drawn protocol. Most of the modern medical research requires biostatistical tools to reach to a valid and reliable conclusion. Researcher must have an adequate knowledge and skil...

OBJECTIVE: To establish an experimental model of extracorporeally perfused non-pregnant swine uteri for the study of uterine contractility, peristalsis and transport mechanisms through the female genital tract using an intrauterine double-chip microcatheter. In order to validate the model described biochemical parameters were assessed during the whole perfusion time. METHODS: An extracorporeal ...

Background: The problem of silent multiple comparisons is one of the most difficult statistical problems faced by scientists. It is a particular problem for investigating a one-off cancer cluster reported to a health department because any one of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of neighbourhoods, schools, or workplaces could have reported a cluster, which could have been for any one of several...

THE AIM OF THIS REVIEW is to provide an updated overview of experimental in vitro and in vivo investigations focusing on the anticancer activity of few herbs specially phytochemicals from daily kitchen ingredients. Potential use of these natural agents in cancer therapy and chemoprevention is also discussed. Studies using animal models and cultured human malignant cell lines have demonstrated a...

OBJECTIVE: To review the literature concerning idiosyncratic drug-induced agranulocytosis, a rare but life-threatening potential adverse event of most drugs. DATA SOURCES: Articles were identified through searches of MEDLINE (January 1966 to March 2005). Unpublished data from our cohort of drug-induced agranulocytosis in the University Hospital of Strasbourg, France were also considered. DATA E...