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Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesDNA molecules in moss open door to new biotechnology
Plasmids, which are DNA molecules capable of independent replication in cells, have played an important role in gene technology. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have now demonstrated that plasmid-based methods, which had been limited to single-cell organisms such as bacteria and yeasts, can be extended to mosses, opening the door to applications of a number of powerful techniques in plant research. The findings have been published in the distinguished journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Contact: Hans Ronne
hans.ronne@imbim.uu.se
46-184-714-230
Uppsala University
Journal of Physics D: Applied PhysicsMagnetic nanoparticles to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat
The future for magentic nanoparticles (mNPs) appears bright With the design of "theranostic" molecules. mNPs could play a crucial role in developing one-stop tools to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat a wide range of common diseases and injuries.
Contact: Joe Winters
joseph.winters@iop.org
44-020-747-04815
Institute of Physics
ScienceGene therapy success in severe brain disorder applauded by the STOP ALD Foundation
First gene therapy success in boys with fatal brain disorder -- the Stop ALD Foundation, having spurred a successful European gene therapy trial, is now pressing to bring this therapy to the US. The foundation was started by families with children who have died or suffered from adrenoleukodystrophy, the disease highlighted in the movie Lorenzo's Oil. A report of the trial appears in the current issue of Science.
INSERM, Stop ALD Foundation, European Leukodystrophy Association, AP-HP, Association Fran�aise contre les Myopathies, othersContact: Amber Salzman
amber@stopald.org
610-659-1098
The StopALD Foundation
Cancer Prevention ResearchDoes green tea prevent cancer? Evidence continues to brew, but questions remain
Although scientists are reluctant to officially endorse green tea as a cancer prevention method, evidence continues to grow about its protective effects, including results of a new study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, which suggests some reduction in oral cancer.
Contact: Jeremy Moore
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
267-646-0557
American Association for Cancer Research
Researcher: 'Optical biopsy' for breast cancer increasingly accurate
Most biopsies following mammograms reveal benign abnormalities, not cancer.
NIH/National Cancer InstituteContact: Huabei Jiang
hjiang@bme.ufl.edu
352-392-7943
University of Florida
Lab on a ChipTiny injector to speed development of new, safer, cheaper drugs
Engineering researchers at McMaster University have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process.
Contact: Gene Nakonechny
genen@mcmaster.ca
905-525-9140 x26781
McMaster University
Respiratory ResearchLung tissue generated from human embryonic stem cells
Scientists in Belgium have successfully differentiated human embryonic stem cells into major cell types of lung epithelial tissue using a convenient air-liquid interface. The technique, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Respiratory Research, could provide an alternative to lung transplants for patients with lung injury due to chronic pulmonary disease and inherited genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis.
Contact: Graeme Baldwin
graeme.baldwin@biomedcentral.com
44-020-319-22165
BioMed Central
Source - Science Daily:
November 6, 2009 — Researchers have new evidence to explain how saturated fatty acids, which soar in those who are obese, can lead the immune system to respond in ways that add up to chronic, low-grade inflammation. ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121603.htm
First Use Of Antibody And Stem Cell Transplantation To Successfully Treat Advanced Leukemia
November 6, 2009 — For the first time, researchers have reported the use of a radiolabeled antibody to deliver targeted doses of radiation, followed by a stem cell transplant, to successfully treat a group of leukemia ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121048.htm
Low Cholesterol May Shrink Risk For High-grade Prostate Cancer
November 6, 2009 — Men with lower cholesterol are less likely than those with higher levels to develop high-grade prostate cancer -- an aggressive form of the disease with a poorer prognosis, according to results of a ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121607.htm
Hybrid Molecules Show Promise For Exploring, Treating Alzheimer's
November 6, 2009 — One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101551.htm
New Treatment Option Emerging For Some With Early Stage Lung Cancer
November 6, 2009 — Patients with early stage, non-small cell lung cancer who are not able to undergo surgery, now have a highly effective treatment option. Physicians say that option, radical stereotactic radiosurgery ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103174206.htm
Keeping Hearts Pumping With 'LifeFlow': Smart IV Device To Save Lives At Disaster Sites
November 6, 2009 — LifeFlow is a new device that applies a sophisticated algorithm to a computer-controlled IV drip to improve the efficiency of disaster response in the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132500.htm
Survival Of The Healthiest: Selective Eradication Of Malignant Cells
November 6, 2009 — The ultimate goal in cancer research, a treatment that kills cancer cells whilst leaving healthy cells untouched, is brought nearer by the success of a new therapeutic approach. The potential therapy ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104191825.htm
Blood Test Identifies Women At Risk From Alzheimer's
November 6, 2009 — Middle-aged women with high levels of a specific amino acid in their blood are twice as likely to suffer from Alzheimer's many years later, reveals new research from
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095638.htm
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger Immune Response To HIV And Prostate Cancer
November 5, 2009 — Researchers have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells. Their findings could lead to novel ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105165527.htm
1930s Drug Slows Tumor Growth: Gonorrhea Medication Might Help Fight Cancer
November 5, 2009 — Drugs sometimes have beneficial side effects. A glaucoma treatment causes luscious eyelashes. A blood pressure drug also aids those with a rare genetic disease. The newest surprise discovered by ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106095644.htm
Insights Into The Molecular Basis Of Tumor Cell Behavior
November 5, 2009 — A new study sheds light on the molecular basis by which tumor cells modulate their surroundings to favor cancer ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121211.htm
Dementia: Rare Brain Disorder Is Highly Hereditary
November 4, 2009 — New research shows that frontotemporal dementia -- a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia -- is highly ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171207.htm
Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 6, 2009
10,000 human genomes could be sequenced next year, company says
Survey finds poorer results, higher costs than in other countries
at The Wall Street Journal Online - 9 minutes ago
Times Online
Gene therapy has become rather an unfashionable branch of medicine. Though heavily hyped in the early 1990s as the answer to many genetic diseases, ...
For Gene Therapy, Seeing Signs of a Resurgence
New York Times
By GINA KOLATA Not long ago, gene therapy seemed troubled by insurmountable difficulties. After decades of hype and dashed hopes, many who once embraced the ...
Scientists team with Martin Memorial to study the flu
Palm Beach Post
Scientists at the Vaccine & Gene Therapy Institute in Port St. Lucie have begun research that they hope will answer some nagging questions about the flu. ...
Approved Lymphoma Drug Shows Promise In Early Tests Against Bone Cancer
A drug already approved for the treatment of lymphoma may also slow the growth of the most deadly bone cancer in children and teens, according to an early-stage study published online in the International Journal of Cancer. The study drug, Bortezomib, was found to be effective against bone cancer in human cancer cell studies and in mice. While key experiments were in animals, the cancer studied closely resembled the human form and the drug has already been proven to be safe in human patients.In the current study, researchers sought to use Bortezomib (Velcade(R)) against osteosarcoma, an aggressive cancer that starts in bone, spreads quickly and responds poorly to current chemotherapies. The drug, a proteasome inhibitor developed by Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of a rare, aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2006 and for multiple myeloma in 2008.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170040.php
Does Prostate-specific Antigen Velocity Help In Early Detection Prostate Cancer?
The November issue of European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology, features an article focussing on prostate specific antigen (PSA) velocity and early cancer detection. It has been suggested that changes in PSA over time aid prostate cancer detection. It is argued that a rapidly rising PSA may indicate a greater risk of diagnosis of prostate cancer even if PSA levels are low. Some guidelines do incorporate PSA velocity cut points as an indication for biopsy. Professor A.J. Vickers of the
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170051.php
Selective Eradication Of Malignant Cells
The ultimate goal in cancer research, a treatment that kills cancer cells whilst leaving healthy cells untouched, is brought nearer by the success of a new therapeutic approach. The potential therapy, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research, targets proliferation of cancer, but not normal, cells. An international research team led by Professor Cohen-Armon of Tel-Aviv University found that potent phenanthridine derived polyADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors that were originally designed to protect cells from cell-death under stress conditions (e.g. stroke or inflammation), efficiently eradicate MCF-7 and MDA231 breast cancer cells without impairing normal proliferating cells, such as human epithelial cells (MCF-10A), nor normal non-proliferating cells, such as neurons and cardiomyocytes.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169970.php
The same genes that are chemically altered during normal cell differentiation, as well as when normal cells become cancer cells, are also changed in stem cells that scientists derive from adult cells, according to new research from Johns Hopkins and Harvard. Although genetically identical to the mature body cells from which they are derived, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are notably special in their ability to self-renew and differentiate into all kinds of cells. And now scientists have detected a remarkable if subtle molecular disparity between the two: They have distinct "epigenetic" signatures; that is, they differ in what gets copied when the cell divides, even though these differences aren't part of the DNA sequence.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169954.php
- Public Release: 4-Nov-2009 Lab on a Chip
Tiny injector to speed development of new, safer, cheaper drugs
Engineering researchers at McMaster University have fabricated a palm-sized, automated, micro-injector that can insert proteins, DNA and other biomolecules into individual cells at volumes exponentially higher than current procedures, and at a fraction of the cost. This will allow scientists to vastly increase preclinical trials for drug development and genetic engineering, and provide greater control of the process.Contact: Gene Nakonechny
genen@mcmaster.ca
905-525-9140 x26781
McMaster UniversityPublic Release: 4-Nov-2009 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Curry-cure? Spicing up the effectiveness of a potential disease-fighter
Scientists are reporting development of a nano-size capsule that boosts the body's uptake of curcumin, an ingredient in yellow curry now being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of several diseases. Their study is in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.Contact: Michael Bernstein
m_bernstein@acs.org
202-872-6042
American Chemical SocietyPublic Release: 4-Nov-2009 Journal of American Chemical Society
Hybrid molecules show promise for exploring, treating Alzheimer's
One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the disease's devastating symptoms of memory loss and other mental difficulties. National Institutes of HealthContact: Nancy Ross-Flanigan
rossflan@umich.edu
734-647-1853
University of MichiganPublic Release: 3-Nov-2009 Cell Metabolism
How saturated fatty acids 'anger' the immune system (and how to stop them)
Researchers have new evidence to explain how saturated fatty acids, which soar in those who are obese, can lead the immune system to respond in ways that add up to chronic, low-grade inflammation. The new results could lead to treatments designed to curb that inflammatory state, and the insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes that come with it.Contact: Cathleen Genova
cgenova@cell.com
617-397-2802
Cell PressPublic Release: 3-Nov-2009 Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Cholesterol and cancer: Answers and some new questions
A pair of studies in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention lay to rest the decades-long concern that lower total cholesterol may lead to cancer, and in fact lower cholesterol may reduce the risk of high-grade prostate cancer.Contact: Jeremy Moore
jeremy.moore@aacr.org
267-646-0557
American Association for Cancer ResearchPublic Release: 2-Nov-2009
PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative shares strategy for developing 'next-generation' malaria vaccines
Marking its tenth anniversary year, the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative today unveiled a new strategy that sets the stage for an aggressive push targeting the long-term goal of eliminating and eradicating malaria. Malaria is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, killing nearly 900,000 people a year, most of them children in sub-Saharan Africa.Contact: Preeti Singh
psingh@burnesscommunications.com
301-980-0961
PATH Malaria Vaccine InitiativePublic Release: 1-Nov-2009 Nature Materials
Duke develops nano-scale drug delivery for chemotherapy
Duke University bioengineers have developed a simple and inexpensive method for loading cancer drug payloads into nano-scale delivery vehicles and demonstrated in animal models that this new nanoformulation can eliminate tumors after a single treatment. National Institutes of HealthContact: Richard Merritt
richard.merritt@duke.edu
919-660-8414
Duke UniversitySource - 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.Tiny Laser-scanning Microscope Images Brain Cells In Freely Moving Animals
November 4, 2009 — By building a tiny microscope small enough to be carried around on a rat's head, scientists in Germany have found a way to study the complex activity of many brain cells simultaneously while animals ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102252.htm
Blood Vessels Might Predict Prostate Cancer Behavior
November 4, 2009 — A study of 572 men with localized prostate cancer suggests that size and shape of tumor blood vessels may predict whether the tumor will grow aggressively and require immediate treatment or grow ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171917.htm
Concurrent Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy Shows Promise In Small Cell Lung Cancer
November 4, 2009 — Treating limited stage small cell lung cancer with a combination of accelerated high-dose radiotherapy and chemotherapy has shown encouraging results, opening the door to larger scale investigation, ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103153756.htm
Discovery Of Novel Protein Offers Hope For Possible Parkinson’s Disease Cure
November 4, 2009 — Researchers have found an essential key to possibly cure Parkinson's disease. They have discovered that a novel protein -- known as protein kinase-C -- kills dopamine-producing cells in the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102359.htm
Hybrid Molecules Show Promise For Exploring, Treating Alzheimer's
November 4, 2009 — One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101551.htm
Medical Imaging May Help Researchers Understand Pathogenesis Of H1N1 Virus
November 3, 2009 — Researchers have found that imaging can now be used as a tool for identifying severe cases of H1N1 and may play a key role in understanding the pathogenesis of the virus, possibly leading to earlier ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013141750.htm
Smart Drug Delivery System; Gold Nanocage Covered With Polymer That Responds To Light
November 3, 2009 — A tiny cage of gold covered with a smart polymer responds to light, opening to empty its contents and resealing when the light is turned off. The smart nanocages could be used to deliver drugs ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091101132539.htm
Adapting Space-industry Technology To Treat Breast Cancer
November 3, 2009 — Researchers are collaborating on a study to determine if an imaging technique used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle can be used to predict tissue damage often experienced by breast cancer ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172043.htm
Gamma Knife Treatment For Glioblastomas Shows Promising Results
November 3, 2009 — Researchers report promising results from a cutting-edge research study that treated the aggressive brain tumors glioblastoma multiforme using a novel type of imaging called MR spectroscopy coupled ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171223.htm
November 3, 2009 — Treating a common brain tumor with multiple sessions of radiation appears to result in less brain swelling than treating the tumor once with a high dose of radiation, say ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103215835.htm
New Method Targets Cancerous Tumors Without Harming Healthy Cells
November 2, 2009 — Researchers have discovered a technology that can detect cancerous tumors and deliver treatment to them without the harming the healthy cells surrounding them, thereby significantly reducing side ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132414.htm
Gene Therapy Repairs Injured Human Donor Lungs For The First Time
November 2, 2009 — For the first time, scientists have successfully used gene therapy to repair injured human donor lungs, making them potentially suitable for transplantation into patients. This technique could ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028142223.htm
Researchers Have Immune Cells Running In Circles
November 2, 2009 — Researchers have identified the important role a protein plays in the body's first line of defense in directing immune cells called neutrophils toward the site of infection or ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171221.htm
Innovative Imaging System To Study Sudden Cardiac Arrest Developed
November 1, 2009 — Medical researchers have developed an innovative optical system to simultaneously image electrical activity and metabolic properties in the same region of a heart, to study the complex mechanisms ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002510.htm
Source - Health Day:Health Highlights: Nov. 4, 2009
- BPA in Canned Foods Cause For Concern, Group Says
- Breast Cancer May Change When It Spreads: Study
- Tests Can Detect Early Dementia: Study
- Cereal's 'Immunity' Claim Outrages Experts
- FDA Rejects Cholesterol Drug Application
- Diabetes Drug Label to Address Safety Concerns: FDA
Severe Swine Flu Can Kill Young, Old Alike
Seniors may carry some immunity, but more likely to die if hospitalized, study findsCDC Urges Patience As More Swine Flu Shots Arrive
Total should near 42 million by week's end; more health-care workers getting vaccineLow Cholesterol May Help Prevent Cancer
Two studies dispel longstanding fears about possible connectionFDA Issues Warning for Diabetes Drug
Reports of kidney problems for those using Byetta prompted actionClinical Trials Update: Nov. 3, 2009
- Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Prevention
- Insomnia
- Frequent Night Time Urination (Nocturia)
Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 2, 2009
- Type 2 Diabetes with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS)
- Smoking Cessation and Depression
- Seasonal Allergies
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation for TNFerade(TM) - PR Newswire - Wed 7:44 am ET
GenVec, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to TNFerade for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Merck, now No. 2 drugmaker, set for future buys - AP - 2 hours, 40 minutes ago
The new Merck & Co. has become the world's second-biggest drugmaker overnight, with a fat wallet to fund future deals. That's after the maker of vaccines and cholesterol and diabetes drugs on Tuesday closed its acquisition of New Jersey neighbor Schering-Plough Corp. for $41.1 billion.
Johnson & Johnson sets restructuring, plans charge - AP - Tue 6:09 pm ET
Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday it will cut up to about 8,000 jobs and streamline its operations in an effort to cut costs as it braces for changes in the health care industry.Source - Google Health News:The Challenge of Getting Swine Flu Vaccine to Poor Nations
Science Magazine (blog)
Indonesia stopped sharing samples of H5N1 avian influenza because it wanted guarantees about access to vaccines and drugs. Now that we finally have a ...
Influenza vaccine market dynamics
Nature.com (subscription)
Two factors prompted a change in US policy: the emerging threat of a pandemic caused by the H5N1 avian influenza strain since 2004 and a perceived vaccine ...
A new gene therapy
Investor's Business Daily
A new gene therapy may soon repair injured human donor lungs, making them suitable for transplant, Canadian scientists said. A team from Univ. ...
Gene therapy may heal injured human donor lungs before transplant
Newspost Online
For the first time, a team of scientists in Canada have successfully used gene therapy to repair injured human donor lungs, making them potentially suitable ...
GENE THERAPY TREATS BLINDNESS
BBC News
A dramatic breakthrough using gene therapy to restore sight. We hear from nine your old Corey Haas who was born with a condition that means he was slowly ...Source - Medical News Today:GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Formally Launch Company To Develop New HIV Treatments
Pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer on Tuesdayformally launched ViiV Healthcare, a company focused on the development of new HIV treatments, Dow Jones Newswires/SmartMoney.com reports (11/3). "GSK was at the forefront of breakthroughs in HIV and AIDS treatments in the late 1980s and 1990s with anti-virals such as Retrovir, Epivir and Combivir, which slow the effects of the illness. However, new innovations have proved difficult to find despite the virus still killing 5,000 people every day," the Telegraph reports. "The deal will Pfizer allows the research and development of potential new drugs while also meeting investors' concerns by sharing the risk."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169811.php
Hope For Possible Parkinson's Disease Cure From ISU Researchers' Findings
Researchers at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169776.php
Research firms in developing countries have a medicine cabinet full of affordable and innovative drugs, diagnostics and vaccines on shelves or in development to address "neglected tropical diseases" but need help to get such products to more potential users. Canadian research, published by the journal Health Affairs ("A Business Plan To Help The 'Global South' In Its Fight Against Neglected Diseases"), says roughly 1 billion people worldwide are killed or sickened by "neglected tropical diseases" (NTDs). More than 30 such diseases, caused by worms, protozoa, bacteria, fungi or viruses, afflict the poorest people in the poorest countries, and collectively cause a health burden comparable to malaria, tuberculosis or AIDS (known as the "Big 3" tropical diseases).
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169697.php
FluGen Cell-Based, Egg-Free Method Produces Novel 2009 H1N1 Vaccine Virus
FluGen Inc., an emerging leader in the development, production and delivery of influenza vaccines, today announced that its proprietary CHO-cell-based production system has generated novel 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine virus without the use of eggs during any step of production. Unlike traditional vaccine production methods, FluGen's CHO-based system does not use eggs. The company expects its cell-based, egg-free method to readily transfer to full-scale vaccine production and is in the process of developing a highly-efficient, production-scale system that will be available in the near future.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169492.php
Source - MIT's Technology Review:Molecular Sunglasses for Macular Degeneration
http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23835/
Stealthy Nanoparticles Attack Cancer Cells
http://www.technologyreview.com/business/23855/
- BPA in Canned Foods Cause For Concern, Group Says
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