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Reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect brain from changes related to AD

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now the sixth leading cause of death among Americans, affecting nearly 1 in 8 people over the age of 65. There is currently no treatment that alters the course of this disease. However, an increasing amount of evidence suggests that changes in the way the body handles iron and other metals like copper and zinc may start years before the onset of AD symptoms. A new study shows that reducing iron levels in blood plasma may protect the brain from changes related to AD.

11 Apr 2012

Heart cells starved of nutrients less likely to be damaged during ischemia, reperfusion

Heart cells starved of nutrients are less likely to be damaged during periods of decreased blood flow and sudden influxes of blood, known as ischemia and reperfusion, and are also less likely to get out of synch with their cellular neighbors, the damaging phenomenon called arrhythmia.

9 Apr 2012

Medicaid news: Oregon competitors working together; Calif. 'duals' project launches

A new push to reshape health care in greater Portland is reminiscent, its biggest booster says, of the race to land a man on the moon. Erstwhile health care competitors hope to set aside their differences to care for the region's 200,000 Oregon Health Plan members, says Legacy Health CEO George Brown. The task is happening in a timeline -- Brown snaps his fingers -- "that's like that long. It's a moon shot for sure. What we're trying to do, to my knowledge, has not been attempted any place in the country."

6 Apr 2012

No cancer risk with metal on metal hip replacements: Study

Cancer risk was just one of the fears linked to the implants. Regulators have already called for them to be monitored closely following reports of high failure rates. Tiny metal ions made up of cobalt and chromium are thought to break off from the implants and leak into the blood, with fears that this leads to muscle and bone damage, and neurological issues.

4 Apr 2012

Detailed information on how metastasin protein facilitates spread of tumour cells

Researchers from the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Gothenburg have managed for the first time to obtain detailed information about the role of the protein metastasin in the spread of tumour cells.

3 Apr 2012

Stimulating specific neurons may reverse age-related memory defects

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have shown in animal models that the loss of memory that comes with aging is not necessarily a permanent thing.

3 Apr 2012

RNA binding motif protein 20 regulates titin splicing

Cardiomyopathy comprises a deterioration of the heart muscle that affects the organ's ability to efficiently pump blood through the body. Previously researchers have tied forms of the disease to the alternative splicing of titin, a giant protein that determines the structure and biomechanical properties of the heart, but the molecular mechanism remained unknown.

2 Apr 2012

Genetic variations could be linked with meconium ileus in CF patients

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers working as part of the International Cystic Fibrosis Consortium have discovered several regions of the genome that may predispose cystic fibrosis (CF) patients to develop an intestinal blockage while still in the uterus.

2 Apr 2012

FDA seeks expert advice on risks and benefits of MoM hip systems

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it is seeking expert scientific and clinical advice on the risks and benefits of metal-on-metal (MoM) hip systems as well as potential patient and practitioner recommendations on the use of MoM hip systems and the management of patients implanted with such devices. FDA will discuss these issues at a two-day expert advisory panel meeting on June 27-28, 2012.

30 Mar 2012

Starfruit-shaped nanorods for medical imaging, chemical sensing

They look like fruit, and indeed the nanoscale stars of new research at Rice University have tasty implications for medical imaging and chemical sensing.

28 Mar 2012

CRF initiates Harmonizing Outcomes with Revascularization and Stents in AMI II trial

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) today announced the initiation of the HORIZONS-AMI II randomized trial, evaluating Promus Element platinum-chromium everolimus-eluting stents versus Omega bare-metal stents in patients with heart attack undergoing primary angioplasty with bivalirudin anticoagulation.

28 Mar 2012

Nanoscale sensor can conduct individual DNA sequencing

Researchers have devised a nanoscale sensor to electronically read the sequence of a single DNA molecule, a technique that is fast and inexpensive and could make DNA sequencing widely available.

27 Mar 2012

Study identifies major gene affecting chronic pain sensitivity

Nearly one in five people suffers from the insidious and often devastating problem of chronic pain.

27 Mar 2012

Anesthesia may affect organization of lipids in a cell's outer membrane

Why does inhaling anesthetics cause unconsciousness? New insights into this century-and-a-half-old question may spring from research performed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

22 Mar 2012

Two-year results from Boston Scientific's PROMUS Element trial to be presented at ACC 2012

Boston Scientific Corporation releases its schedule of product-related clinical research at the 61th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology/i2 Summit, March 24-27 in Chicago.

21 Mar 2012

Study identifies function of GlialCAM gene in brain edema

A study of the pathophysiology of this rare disease has uncovered one mechanism that destabilizes the homeostatic balance of brain cells causing edema.

20 Mar 2012

Positive data from XENTION's XEN-D0103 phase 1 trial on AF

XENTION LTD, the Cambridge-based biopharmaceutical company specialising in the discovery and development of ion channel-modulating drugs, reported positive data today from a phase 1 trial of XEN-D0103 administered orally.

20 Mar 2012

DNA Electronics licenses technology platform for rapid, lab-free DNA detection to geneOnyx

DNA Electronics Ltd. a developer of semiconductor solutions for real-time DNA and RNA detection, today announces that it has licensed its ground-breaking Genalysis technology platform for rapid, lab-free DNA detection to geneOnyx, a company that is delivering on-the-spot genetic analytics services for cosmetics and skincare applications.

19 Mar 2012

Researchers describe preparation of chitosan nanoparticles

Nanoparticles containing chitosan have been shown to have effective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. The materials could be used as a protective wound-healing material to avoid opportunistic infection as well as working to facilitate wound healing.

17 Mar 2012

Novel sensor selectively screens single molecules passing through nanopores

A novel type of sensor, based on nanometer-scale pores in a semiconductor membrane, is a step closer to practical use in applications such as analyzing the protein contents of a single cell. Researchers pioneering single-molecule nanopore sensor technology at the Technische Universit-t M-nchen (TUM) have shown its potential through a succession of experiments over the past few years.

16 Mar 2012