Source - EurekAlert – Biology:
Public Release: 21-Oct-2009
New research shows how mobile DNA survives -- and thrives -- in plants, animals <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/uog-nrs101909.php>
Bits of movable DNA called transposable elements or TEs fill up the genomes of plants and animals, but it has remained unclear how a genome can survive a rapid burst of hundreds, even thousands of new TE insertions. Now, for the first time, research led by plant biologists at the University of Georgia have documented the impact of such a burst in a rice strain that is accumulating more than 40 new TE insertions per plant per generation of an element called mPing.
Contact: Phil Williams
phil@franklin.uga.edu
706-542-8501
University of Georgia <http://www.uga.edu>
Public Release: 21-Oct-2009
Single-stranded DNA-binding protein is dynamic, critical to DNA repair <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/uoia-sdp102109.php>
Researchers report that a single-stranded DNA-binding protein, once thought to be a static player among the many molecules that interact with DNA, actually moves back and forth along single-stranded DNA, gradually allowing other proteins to repair, recombine or replicate the strands.
Contact: Diana Yates
diya@illinois.edu
217-333-5802
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign <http://www.uiuc.edu>
Public Release: 21-Oct-2009
Lifestyle changes remain important in fighting peripheral arterial disease <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/soir-lcr102109.php>
Modifying the risk of peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) -- with healthy lifestyle changes -- remains vital to one's health, note researchers in a recent issue of the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. And while PAD can progress and worsen over time, there is not enough evidence yet to advocate minimally invasive treatment in patients who have had a narrowing or blockage of a leg artery but showing no signs or symptoms of the disease.
Contact: Maryann Verrillo
mverrillo@sirweb.org
703-460-5572
Society of Interventional Radiology <http://www.sirweb.org/>
Public Release: 21-Oct-2009
Researchers exploit genetic 'co-dependence' to kill treatment-resistant tumor cells <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/dci-reg101909.php>
Cancer cells fueled by the mutant KRAS oncogene, which makes them notoriously difficult to treat, can be killed by blocking a more vulnerable genetic partner of KRAS, report scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. By targeting the second, more easily inhibited "co-dependent" gene, TBK, the strategy bypasses the so far unfruitful head-on assault against the highly resistant KRAS gene.
Contact: Bill Schaller
william_schaller@dfci.harvard.edu
617-632-5357
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute <http://www.dfci.harvard.edu>
Public Release: 21-Oct-2009
Study shows how normal cells influence tumor growth <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/osum-ssh101509.php>
A new study led by Ohio State University cancer researchers shows for the first time that the loss of a gene called PTEN from a type of normal cell in breast tumors can dramatically change the environment within the tumor in ways that foster the tumor's growth.
Contact: Darrell E. Ward
darrell.ward@osumc.edu
614-293-3737
Ohio State University Medical Center <http://www.osumedcenter.edu>
Public Release: 20-Oct-2009
Growing cartilage from stem cells <http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=9281>
Damaged knee joints might one day be repaired with cartilage grown from stem cells in a laboratory.
Contact: Andy Fell
ahfell@ucdavis.edu
530-752-4533
University of California - Davis <http://www.ucdavis.edu>
Public Release: 18-Oct-2009
Fate Therapeutics announces creation of small molecule platform for commercial-scale reprogramming <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/mbci-fta101509.php>
Fate Therapeutics announced today the generation of human induced-pluripotent stem cells using a combination of small molecules that significantly improves the speed and efficiency of reprogramming. The discoveries, which were made by Sheng Ding, Ph.D., under a research collaboration between Fate Therapeutics and the Scripps Research Institute, represent a more than 200-fold improvement in reprogramming efficiency and reduce the reprogramming period to two weeks as compared to methods using only the four reprogramming factors.
Contact: Cory Tromblee
ctromblee@macbiocom.com
617-571-7220
MacDougall Biomedical Communications, Inc.
Public Release: 18-Oct-2009
Small mechanical forces have big impact on embryonic stem cells <http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/uoia-smf101409.php>
Applying a small mechanical force to embryonic stem cells could be a new way of coaxing them into a specific direction of differentiation, researchers at the University of Illinois report. Applications for force-directed cell differentiation include therapeutic cloning and regenerative medicine.
Contact: James E. Kloeppel
kloeppel@illinois.edu
217-244-1073
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign <http://www.uiuc.edu>
Source - Science Daily:
Please note: Due to the format restrictions of Science Daily articles, you must click on the URL (web address) below the article summary, rather than the article title.
Alzheimer's Researchers Find High Protein Diet Shrinks Brain <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020192206.htm>
One of the many reasons to pick a low-calorie and low-fat diet is that host of epidemiological studies have suggested that such a diet ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020192206.htm
Blood Clots In Lungs Might Not Always Originate In Deep Veins Of Legs And Pelvis In Trauma Patients <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172329.htm>
October 21, 2009 — Few trauma patients who develop potentially deadly blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) also have clots in the deep veins of their pelvis and legs (deep venous thrombosis), challenging ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172329.htm
Aggressive Microdermabrasion Induces Wound-healing Response In Aging Skin <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172107.htm>
October 21, 2009 — Microdermabrasion using a coarse diamond-studded instrument appears to induce molecular changes in the skin of older adults that mimic the way skin is remodeled during the wound healing process, ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172107.htm
Research Shows Treating HIV-AIDS With Interleukin-2 Is Ineffective <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015171457.htm>
October 21, 2009 — An international research team has demonstrated that treating HIV-AIDS with interleukin-2 is ineffective. As a result, the researchers recommend that clinical trials on this compound be ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015171457.htm
Melanoma Treatment Options One Step Closer <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020122534.htm>
October 20, 2009 — A targeted chemotherapy for the treatment of skin cancer is one step closer, after researchers successfully synthesized a natural substance that shows exceptional potential to specifically treat this ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020122534.htm
Detecting The Undetectable In Prostate Cancer Screening <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019162927.htm>
October 20, 2009 — Researchers, using an extremely sensitive tool based on nanotechnology, have detected previously undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients who have undergone radical ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019162927.htm
Added Oxygen During Stroke Reduces Brain Tissue Damage <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172333.htm>
October 20, 2009 — Scientists have countered findings of previous clinical trials by showing that giving supplemental oxygen to animals during a stroke can reduce damage to brain tissue surrounding the clot. The timing ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172333.htm
Studying Cancer In Pet Dogs To Find New Treatments For Human Patients <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225543.htm>
October 20, 2009 — Scientists say that studying pet dogs with cancer could yield valuable information on how to diagnose and treat human ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091012225543.htm
Dementia As A Terminal Illness: Understanding Clinical Course Of Disease Leads To Better End-of-life Care <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014174009.htm>
October 20, 2009 — The clinical course of advanced dementia, including uncomfortable symptoms such as pain and high mortality, is similar to that experienced by patients of other terminal conditions, according to ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014174009.htm
Unusual Metals Could Forge New Cancer Drug <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123107.htm>
October 19, 2009 — Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123107.htm
Small Mechanical Forces Have Big Impact On Embryonic Stem Cells <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141601.htm>
October 19, 2009 — Applying a small mechanical force to embryonic stem cells could be a new way of coaxing them into a specific direction of differentiation, researchers report. Applications for force-directed cell ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091018141601.htm
Process That Determines Fate Of White Blood Cells Uncovered <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123550.htm>
October 19, 2009 — Researchers describe how a protein called Id3 coaxes blood progenitor cells in the thymus into becoming gamma-delta T cells. Gamma-delta T cells represent only 5 percent of T cells, yet researchers ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015123550.htm
Resident Physicians Seldom Trained In Skin Cancer Examination <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172109.htm>
October 19, 2009 — Many resident physicians are not trained in skin cancer examinations, nor have they ever observed or practiced the procedure, according to a new ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019172109.htm
Bioengineering Of Nerve-muscle Connection Could Improve Hand Use For Wounded Soldiers <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122043.htm>
October 17, 2009 — Prosthetic hand devices used by wounded soldiers have limited motor control and no sensory feedback. But a bioengineered interface, made of muscle cells and a nano-sized polymer, could go a long way ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014122043.htm
Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: Oct. 21, 2009 <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=632222>
- Swine Flu Vaccine Production Behind Schedule
- CDC Panel Recommends HPV Vaccine Cervarix
- Check Commercial Drivers, Ship Pilots for Sleep Apnea: NTSB
- Most Owners Would Perform CPR on Pets: Survey
- Samsung Fined for Laptop Pesticide Claims: EPA
- FDA Cracks Down on Misleading Food Labels
- Sperm Donor Passed Heart Defect to Children
- U.S. Med School Enrollment Up Again: Report
Group has no plans to rethink testing for breast, prostate tumors, contrary to published report.
Gene Behind Gaucher Disease a Player in Parkinson's <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=632199>
Finding from worldwide study could one day lead to new treatments
Worldwide Vaccine Availability Reaches All-Time High: Report <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=632185>
Experts urge international community to continue to push for progress
Clinical Trials Update: Oct. 21, 2009 <http://www.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=632220>
- Migraine
- Chronic Low Back Pain
- Parkinson's Disease
- Depression
- Gout
- Fibromyalgia
- High Cholesterol
- Hepatitis C
- Metastatic Colorectal Cancer - PEAK Study
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
Amgen Beats, Raises Guidance <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/mostpop/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/zacks/091022/26258.html?.v=1> - Zacks.com - 1 hour, 25 minutes ago
U.S. sales increased 5%, primarily due to an increase in demand which was driven by an increase in units sold and price increases. International sales fell 7% to $313 million.
FDA delays ruling on Acorda's MS drug until Jan. <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/mostpop/*http:/biz.yahoo.com/ap/091022/us_acorda_therapeutics_fda_delay.html?.v=1> - AP - Thu 6:38 am ET
Acorda Therapeutics Inc. said Thursday the Food and Drug Administration delayed a ruling on its multiple sclerosis drug candidate Fampridine-SR by three months.
Source - Google Health News:
GLOBAL: State of world's vaccines and immunization <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx%3FReportId%3D86679&ct=ga&cd=NTgehl8Tk4g&usg=AFQjCNHVwYvwcN3c_zgJ4jdbrbRlS_ODqA>
IRINnews.org
Two H5N1 flu vaccines have been developed in the US and Europe. Six vaccine manufacturers in developing countries have started H5N1 vaccine development as ...
Italy obtains European funding for gene therapy <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-10/22/content_12294192.htm&ct=ga&cd=6zAzazTZuLw&usg=AFQjCNFOv1gjD06ObWGLmdwciGMipKxUdw>
Xinhua
ROME, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Italian research group on Wednesday obtained European funding for a new gene therapy aimed at preventing the most common form ...
Approval for H1N1 vaccine expected this week <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/approval-for-h1n1-vaccine-expected-this-week/article1328738/&ct=ga&cd=qRp4ArOHfW0&usg=AFQjCNHEJ_IubgQObWifP-BaLKtP8VW2rw>
Globe and Mail
But components of the vaccine have been proven to be safe: The adjuvant has been tested on thousands with the H5N1 avian flu drug, and the antigen has been ...
'Spectacular results' hailed for muscular dystrophy drug <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/medicine/article6882646.ece&ct=ga&cd=A0oDrPSiVVI&usg=AFQjCNGu3xVo85eka0pulg_RL81OH85yeQ>
Times Online
A gene therapy for the most severe type of muscular dystrophy has achieved spectacular results in animal tests, opening a powerful new approach to treating ...
We need to learn more about ProSavin Phase I/II Trial in Parkinson's disease <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.glgroup.com/News/We-need-to-learn-more-about-ProSavin-Phase-I-II-Trial-in-Parkinsons-disease-44292.html&ct=ga&cd=A0oDrPSiVVI&usg=AFQjCNFfKS2AlQ23arYpsHuaLK2eMY4YcQ>
Gerson Lehrman Group
The expanding experimental study should be addressed to determine how this gene therapy acts on the selective population of neurons in vivo and how the ...
Scientists using gene therapy to treat Parkinson's disease <http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&q=http://www.newspostonline.com/science/scientists-using-gene-therapy-to-treat-parkinsons-disease-2009101871809&ct=ga&cd=RmxuNedILHM&usg=AFQjCNH7ATTU4KPedoKuIz7rzFppcM4qzg>
Newspost Online
Scientists from French Atomic Energy Commission's Institute of Biomedical Imaging in Orsay are using gene therapy to treat Parkinson's disease. ...
Source - Medical News Today:
High Protein Diet May Shrink Brain Say Alzheimer's Researchers <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168211.php>
Researchers observing the effects of various diets on the brains of genetically engineered mice bred for studying Alzheimer's disease <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442.php> found quite unexpectedly that mice fed a high protein, low carbohydrate <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/161547.php> diet, developed brains that were five per cent lighter than those of mice fed other diets. The study was the work of lead author, Sam Gandy, a professor at The Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a neurologist at the James J Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the Bronx NY, and colleagues from research centers in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK. The study is published this week in BioMed Central's open access journal Molecular Neurodegeneration.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168211.php
StemCells, Inc.'s Neural Stem Cells Show Promise For Treating Age-Related Macular Degeneration <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168011.php>
StemCells, Inc. (NASDAQ:STEM) announced new preclinical data showing that its human neural stem cells <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/stem_cell/whatarestemcells.php> protect cone photoreceptors (cones) in the eye from progressive degeneration and preserve visual function long term. Cones are light sensing cells that are highly concentrated within the macula of the human eye, and the ability to protect these cells suggests a promising approach to treating age-related macular degeneration <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152105.php> (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 55. These important findings were presented today in Chicago, Illinois at the Society for Neuroscience 2009 Annual Meeting, one of the leading forums for neuroscientists from around the world to present and discuss cutting-edge research in the field. "We have long recognized that a number of eye disorders may be suitable candidates for stem cell-based therapies," stated Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, vice president and head of the CNS program at StemCells, Inc. "The demonstrated ability of our human neural stem cells to preserve cones is very meaningful, because it is the progressive deterioration of these specific cells that ultimately results in vision loss in AMD. These data support our hypothesis that our neural stem cells may provide neuroprotection to existing cells, and it is our hope that we will be able to replicate these promising results in the clinic."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168011.php
Neural Stopwatch Found In The Brain <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168009.php>
What's New: MIT researchers have identified populations of neurons that code time with extreme precision in the primate brain. These neurons are found in two interconnected brain regions, the prefrontal cortex and the striatum, both of which are known to play critical roles in learning, movement, and thought control. Why it matters: The timing of individual actions, whether we are speaking, driving a car, or playing the piano, require very precise control. Although our daily life is extremely dependent on this remarkable capability, surprisingly little has been known about how time is represented in the activity of brain cells. The discovery made by MIT neuroscientists is an important step toward answering this fundamental question.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168009.php
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Source - MIT's Technology Review:
Massive Gene Database Planned in California <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23777/>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23777/
Blood Test Offers More Accurate Picture of Health <http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23776/>
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23776/
Decoding the Brain with Light <http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23767/>
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23767/
