Sunday, November 15, 2009

GBP Health / Biotech News 11-13-2009

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Source - EurekAlert — Biology:

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Molecular Cell
Research reveals lipids' unexpected role in triggering death of brain cells
The lipid that accumulates in brain cells of individuals with an inherited enzyme disorder also drives the cell death that is a hallmark of the disease, according to new research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators.
National Institutes of Health, Lysosomal Storage Disease Consortium, Assisi Foundation of Memphis, American-Lebanese-Syrian Associated Charities
Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Molecular Cell
Research reveals lipids' unexpected role in triggering death of brain cells
The lipid that accumulates in brain cells of individuals with an inherited enzyme disorder also drives the cell death that is a hallmark of the disease, according to new research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators.
National Institutes of Health, Lysosomal Storage Disease Consortium, Assisi Foundation of Memphis, American-Lebanese-Syrian Associated Charities

Contact: Summer Freeman
summer.freeman@stjude.org
901-595-3061
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
PLoS Pathogens
Hoping for a fluorescent basket case
The HIV/AIDS virus continues to ravage populations worldwide. Using a novel combination of optical techniques, LMU Munich researchers visualize how virus particles assemble and are released from infected cells to find new victims -- knowledge which could lead to new technologies for inhibiting this process.

Contact: Dr. Don C. Lamb
Don.Lamb@cup.uni-muenchen.de
49-892-180-77564
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit�t M�nchen

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Cell Transplantation
The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine may also be detrimental for health
A work performed by scientists from the universities of Granada and Le�n has shown that transplantation of mononuclear cells isolated from human cord blood had a deleterious effect in rats with chronic liver disease. Cell transplantation did not improve the health of sick animals but it induced a hepatorenal syndrome instead.

Contact: Luis Fontana
fontana@ugr.es
34-958-242-335
University of Granada

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Journal of Nutrition
Coffee break: Compound brewing new research in colon, breast cancer
A compound in coffee has been found to be estrogenic in studies by Texas AgriLife Research scientists. Though the studies have not been conducted to determine recommended consumption amounts, scientists say the compound, called trigonelline or "trig," may be a factor in estrogen-dependent breast cancer but beneficial against colon cancer development.

Contact: Kathleen Phillips
ka-phillips@tamu.edu
979-845-2872
Texas A&M AgriLife Communications

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
EMBO Journal
CSHL team solves structure of NMDA receptor unit that could be drug target for neurological diseases
A team of scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory reports on Thursday their success in solving the molecular structure of a key portion of a cellular receptor implicated in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other serious illnesses.

Contact: Peter Tarr
tarr@cshl.edu
516-367-8455
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
PLoS Genetics
Genetic changes shown to be important indicators for disease progression in cervical cancer patients
Cervical cancer patients with specific changes in the cancer genome have a three- or fourfold increased risk of relapse after standard treatment compared to patients without these changes, according to a study by Norwegian researchers published November 13 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics. The research suggests that specific genetic changes are crucial steps in the progression of the disease towards an aggressive and treatment-resistant state.

Contact: Tamsin Milewicz
press@plos.org
0044-122-346-3339
Public Library of Science

Public Release: 12-Nov-2009
Cell
Shape of things to come: Structure of HIV coat could lead to new drugs, says Pitt team
Structural biologists at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have described the architecture of the complex of protein units that make up the coat surrounding the HIV genome and identified in it a "seam" of functional importance that previously went unrecognized. Those findings, reported in Cell, could point the way to new treatments for blocking HIV infection.
National Institutes of Health

Contact: Anita Srikameswaran
SrikamAV@upmc.edu
412-578-9193
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

Public Release: 11-Nov-2009
Science Translational Medicine
Treatment to improve degenerating muscle gains strength
A study appearing in Science Translational Medicine puts scientists one step closer to clinical trials to test a gene delivery strategy to improve muscle mass and function in patients with certain degenerative muscle disorders.

Contact: Mary Ellen Peacock
MaryEllen.Peacock@NationwideChildrens.org
614-355-0495
Nationwide Children's Hospital

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.

November 13, 2009 — Structural biologists have described the architecture of the complex of protein units that make up the coat surrounding the HIV genome and identified in it a "seam" of functional importance that ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112121559.htm

Weak Link In Cancer Cell Armor Identified

November 13, 2009 — The seeming invincibility of cancerous tumors may be crumbling, thanks to a promising new gene therapy that eliminates the ability of certain cells to repair themselves. Researchers have discovered ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112162838.htm

High Blood Pressure And Markers Of Inflammation In Blood More Common In Offspring Of Parents With Alzheimer's Disease

November 13, 2009 — High blood pressure, evidence of arterial disease and markers of inflammation in the blood in middle age appear more common in individuals whose parents have Alzheimer's disease than in individuals ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171411.htm

Exploration By Explosion: Studying The Inner Realm Of Living Cells

November 12, 2009 — Scientists in Washington, DC, are reporting development and successful tests of a new way for exploring the insides of living cells, the microscopic building blocks of all known plants and animals. ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123618.htm

NSAIDs Prevent Early Sign Of Alzheimer Disease In Mice

November 12, 2009 — If taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen is to protect you from developing Alzheimer disease then you will have to start taking them at a very early age ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173402.htm

Researchers 'Notch' A Victory Toward New Kind Of Cancer Drug

November 12, 2009 — Scientists have devised an innovative way to disarm a key protein considered to be "undruggable," meaning that all previous efforts to develop a drug against it have failed. Their discovery lays the ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111130948.htm

Unravelling The Pathology Of Dementia

November 12, 2009 — Combination therapies to tackle multiple changes in the brain may be needed to combat the growing problem of dementia in aging societies, according to a new ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065911.htm

Quarter Of A Million Children In England At Risk Of Skin Cancer From Sunbeds

November 12, 2009 — An estimated quarter of a million 11-17 year olds inEngland are being put at increased risk of developing malignant melanoma by using sunbeds, warn ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113083928.htm

Newly Discovered Mechanism Of Insulin Production Could Lead To Better Treatment For Diabetes

November 12, 2009 — How a specific gene within the pancreas affects secretion of insulin has been discovered. The work opens the way for a new understanding of possible paths to battle diabetes and diabetes-related ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112103415.htm

Drug Shrinks Lung Cancer Tumors In Mice

November 11, 2009 — A potential new drug for lung cancer has eliminated tumors in 50 percent of mice in a new study. In the animals, the drug also stopped lung cancer tumors from growing and becoming resistant to ...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110135409.htm

Source - Health Day:
Health Highlights: Nov. 13, 2009
  • Disease Prevention Important to Americans: Poll
  • Foodborne Illnesses Can Cause Long-Term Problems
  • Texting Linked to Shoulder Pain: Study
  • FDA Can't Expect All Drug Risk Info in Web Ads: Experts
  • Nearly $1 Billion a Year Spent on Blood Thinners in U.S.: Report

Study Links Yo-Yo Dieting to Addiction
Rats fed sugary chow suffered withdrawal when regular meals returned

Gene Therapy Brings New Muscle to Monkeys
Finding holds hope of better treatment for muscular dystrophy, experts say

Clinical Trials Update: Nov. 13, 2009

  • Osteoarthritis of the Knee
  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) with Constipation
Source - Yahoo Biotech News:
Lexicon says IBS drug met mid-stage study goal - AP - Fri 9:33 am ET
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Friday an irritable bowel syndrome drug candidate met its goals in a mid-stage clinical trial.

Glaxo H1N1 Vaccine Approved - Zacks.com - 2 hours, 19 minutes ago
Glaxo gets approval from FDA for its unadjuvanted influenza A pandemic vaccine.

Source - Google Health News:
Haematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for ALD
PHG Foundation
French researchers have reported the results of a new form of gene therapy used to treat patients with the genetic neurodegenerative disease X-linked ...

Gene Therapy That Bulks up Muscles Raises Doping Concerns
Discover Magazine
A gene therapy treatment intended to reverse muscle weakness appears to restore muscle mass in monkeys, raising hopes that doctors may soon be able to treat ...

Gene therapy improves vision
Penn Current
Now for the first time, the most promising magic bullet yet—gene therapy—has been shown to safely improve vision in children and adults with rare retinal ...

Autologous Stem Cell Transplant with Lentiviral (HIV) Vector Successful in Two ...
Cancer Consultants
[1] Over the past two decades, there has been much discussion about the promise of “gene therapy” for treating a variety of diseases including cancer. ...
Source - Medical News Today:

The risk of cancer can be dramatically reduced through everyday choices about diet, exercise and tobacco use, according to a Special Report on Cancer Prevention in the November issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. Evidence suggests that one-third of the more than 560,000 cancer deaths that occur in the United States annually are related to diet, exercise and weight. Another one-third of annual cancer deaths are related to tobacco exposure. The eight-page Special Report examines the science and latest findings on 10 approaches that can make a real difference in preventing cancer. Here are some highlights from the list:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170823.php

FDA Expands Approved Use Of H1N1 Vaccines To Include Infants And Children

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of CSL Limited's 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to include children ages 6 months and older. This vaccine was previously approved only for use in adults, ages 18 years and older. "Because children are among those most vulnerable to the 2009 H1N1 virus, having a broader range of children's vaccines available is an important step in responding to the H1N1 outbreak," said Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., commissioner of food and drugs.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170817.php

FDA Approves New Drug For Rare Cancer Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug for treating patients with the rare white blood cell cancer Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL); the drug Istodax (romidepsin) is injectable and is marketed by Gloucester Pharmaceuticals Inc of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Every year, about 1,500 Americans are newly diagnosed with CTCL, a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma . It is a slow growing cancer that affects lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170799.php

How The Body Prevents Formation Of Blood Vessels Has Implications For Cancer Treatment

Researchers at Uppsala University, in collaboration with colleagues inSweden and abroad, have identified an entirely new mechanism by which a specific protein in the body inhibits formation of new blood vessels. Inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels is an important aspect of, for example,cancer treatment. The study is published in the November issue of the journal Molecular Cancer Research. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, is strictly regulated by a number of molecules that serve to either promote or inhibit the process. Certain diseases are characterised by excessive or insufficient angiogenesis. The rapid growth of tumors, for example, is conditioned on the formation of new blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients, which explains why angiogenesis is accelerated in cancer patients.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/170760.php

Source - MIT's Technology Review:
Biodegradable Transistors

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