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Proteins are complex molecules that are made up of amino acids. They can be found in every cell in the body, and carry out vital processes that keep human beings alive. Mutations in proteins can lead to a multitude of diseases, the most common being cancer.

Warmer temperatures can lead to higher concentrations of arsenic in rice grains

People around the world consume rice in their daily diets. But in addition to its nutrient and caloric content, rice can contain small amounts of arsenic, which in large doses is a toxin linked to multiple health conditions and dietary-related cancers.

4 Dec 2019

Epigenomic techniques used to fight disease

Humans differ from one another in many ways, including how they react to disease, because of their DNA blueprint, as well as the difference in the environments they face. These factors combine to make each person unique. Now a new study published in the journal Nature Protocols reports the development of a promising technology to uncover the process by which the body fights diseases in different ways.

4 Dec 2019

New method for discovering potential cancer-treating compounds

A new study published in the journal Cell Reports reports a novel method by which antitumor drugs that focus on reawakening exhausted immune cells called cytotoxic T cells against cancer can be quickly identified. This could help treat a large subset of cancers that thrive because of their ability to suppress antitumor activity in T cells.

4 Dec 2019

Gabapentin – a drug for nerve pain could help patients with spinal injury finds study

A preclinical study with mice has shown that Gabapentin, a drug that is commonly used in nerve pain could be useful for patients with spinal cord injury. Use of the drug showed improvement in upper limb function among the mice models of spinal cord injury, wrote the researchers. The study titled, “Gabapentinoid treatment promotes corticospinal plasticity and regeneration following murine spinal cord injury,” was published this week in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

4 Dec 2019

FDA-approved drug repairs gut leakiness associated with ulcerative colitis

A research team led by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that a drug approved by the FDA to treat rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis can repair permeability defects in the gut's epithelium.

4 Dec 2019

Ground breaking discovery could lead to new anti TB drugs

New drugs to treat strains of TB which have become resistant to treatment are now a possibility following a ground breaking discovery from the University of Surrey.

4 Dec 2019

Study shows intestinal involvement in the development and progression of MS

It is incompletely understood which factors in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) act as a trigger for the immune system to attack the brain and spinal cord.

4 Dec 2019

Study identifies improved treatment option for neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a rare form of malignant tumor, primarily affecting children under the age of six. A research team led by molecular pathologist Lukas Kenner from MedUni Vienna's Department of Pathology has now discovered, through genome sequencing, that the protein ALK and the cancer gene PIM1 are involved in the development of this tumor.

4 Dec 2019

Scientist earns prestigious award for research into cell suicide

Apoptosis is a form of “cell suicide”, where a cell self-terminates, ideally as planned or programmed, enabling multi-cellular organisms to continue to live, develop and thrive.

4 Dec 2019

Eating more protein than recommended dietary allowance may benefit only a few, study shows

While some diets load up on protein and other diets dictate protein sources, it can be hard to know what to consume while managing weight or during weight loss.

3 Dec 2019

Common drug for nerve pain could help restore upper limb function after spinal cord injury

Long-term treatment with gabapentin, a commonly prescribed drug for nerve pain, could help restore upper limb function after a spinal cord injury, new research in mice suggests.

3 Dec 2019

Why some sperm swim in circles – it’s a protein defect

A new study published in the journal PNAS shows that some sperm cannot swim straight because they lack a protein called VSP. This motility defect seriously impacts the rates of successful fertilization. In addition, VSP is also found to regulate the amount of calcium that enters the flagellum, the whiplike organelle that propels the sperm towards the waiting ovum or egg. This important discovery may help treat infertility more effectively.

3 Dec 2019

“Tic-Tac-Toe” tackles Alzheimer’s disease

Drawing on multiple scientific disciplines, a new team is gearing up for a fresh onslaught on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the extremely common age-related condition associated with loss of memory and disability.

3 Dec 2019

New screening method can rapidly discover potential cancer-treating compounds

Scientists at Scripps Research have developed a method for rapidly discovering potential cancer-treating compounds that work by resurrecting anti-tumor activity in immune cells called T cells.

3 Dec 2019

Dynamics of crucial immune system proteins revealed

Of the many marvels of the human immune system, the processing of antigens by the class I proteins of the major histocompatability complex (MHC-I) is among the most mind-boggling. Exactly how these proteins carry out their crucial functions has not been well understood.

3 Dec 2019

Researchers awarded $250,000 grant to study tumor microenvironment in lung cancer

Fueling exploration by investigators who collaborate under a research consortium partnership as recognized by the National Cancer Institute, between Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Princeton University, the GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer has awarded $250,000 toward the identification and development of novel strategies to address treatment resistance in non-small cell lung cancer.

3 Dec 2019