The real story about witches
Young girls dressed in pointed black hats and wielding broomsticks almost assuredly will be walking the streets come this Halloween. For their efforts, a knock on a door usually will be greeted by a smiling face and a shower of candy and treats.
   The witch today, for the most part, is little more than a Hollywood construct, like the werewolf or the mummy risen from the dead. It is not something to be feared in the normal course of the day's activities.
   Such was not the case, however, for the witch in medieval times. Back then, when a hail storm would destroy crops or an infant died in his sleep, it was often believed by common people that otherworldly forces were at play. The most likely culprit was often the witch. A familiar tale would be that of a witch who, in the form of a black cat, would stealthily sneak into a child's bed and steal away his life-force. Full story...

Gene therapy fights prostate cancer in trial
Johns Hopkins cancer researchers report the successful use of human gene therapy to activate the human immune system against metastatic prostate cancer. The achievement, believed to be a first, could have implications in the treatment of many kinds of cancer. The study results are published in the Oct. 15 issue of Cancer Research.
   The Hopkins team injected a genetically engineered cancer vaccine in 11 prostate cancer patients whose cancer continued to spread following total surgical removal of their prostate glands. "We were astounded to find that every part of the immune system was alerted and turned on," says Jonathan Simons, associate professor of oncology and urology and principal investigator of this study, funded by the CaP Cure Foundation, the National Cancer Institute and the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Initiative. Full story...

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