INTERESTING TIMES

In a recently published phase-I, open label clinical trial, 50 patients with chronic HCV infection were treated orally with a combination of seven antioxidative oral preparations (glycyrrhizin, schisandra, silymarin, ascorbic acid, lipoic acid, L-glutathione, and alpha-tocopherol) on a daily basis for 20 weeks, along with four different intravenous preparations (glycyrrhizin, ascorbic acid, L-glutathione, B-complex) twice weekly for the first 10 wk[11]. Normalization of liver enzymes occurred in 44% of patients who had elevated pretreatment ALT levels. A decrease in viral load by one log or more was observed in 25% of the patients. Histological improvement, with twopoint reduction in the HAI score, was noted in 36.1% of the patients. The SF-36 quality of life score improved in 26 of 45 patients (58%) throughout the trial. No major adverse reactions were noted. These findings suggest that antioxidant therapy may have a beneficial effect on necroinflammatory variables in these patients.

Then they did this study:
http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/13/5317.pdf
( summary from abstract )

We can give the H1N1 flu to our feline friends! If you have a kitty, wash your hands before you say hello with petting! The first case was in Iowa but now it has happened in Oregon and elsewhere.

Companion animals have been known to contract flu from other species — canine influenza (H3N8) originated in horses, and cats contract avian influenza (H5N1) from eating birds. But this appears to be the first time a cat has contracted influenza from a human. Two pet ferrets, one in Oregon and one in Nebraska, have also tested positive for H1N1, and the virus has also been transmitted between humans and pigs.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/the-cat-who-got-swine-flu/
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jPhJ3QpRycpDLrrOUwe7f4yZ5BSQD9CFBB6O0
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/nov/08/business/chi-flu-pets_mullennov08

http://www.hpathy.com/diseases/Swine-flu-symptoms-treatment.asp
Don't assume that I approve. I'm filing this to examine it later.
( Text from link above behind cut. )

Here's a retrospective study supporting my theory that zinc doesn't damage your sense of smell unless you snort the gel back into the olfactory-receptor-laden part of your nasal mucosa. I plan to keep using it, if needed, to head off a cold. I have several tubes. The NY Times reported that you can return it to the manufacturer for a refund. I'll be interested to see if any of the anosmic people will attempt to sue the company. If they had followed the instructions they would not have had trouble, but can you hold the customer accountable for reading the instructions? There was no warning on the package about this particular hazard.

All patients diagnosed with zinc-induced anosmia or hyposmia reported sniffing deeply when applying the gel. This was followed by an immediate sensation of burning lasting minutes to hours. Loss of sense of smell was then perceived within 48 hours.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16467707
( study abstract behind cut )