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Atp7a determines a hierarchy of copper metabolism essential for notochord development

A new study reveals the timing of developmental events that critically depend on copper. While copper deficiency is rare in humans, the findings suggest that suboptimal copper metabolism might contribute to birth defects, according to the researchers.

8 Aug 2006

China confirms human case of H5N1 infection dating back to November 2003

The Ministry of Health in China has today retrospectively confirmed a human case of H5N1 infection dating back to November 2003. The case occurred in a 24-year-old member of the military service based in Beijing.

8 Aug 2006

Drug given to stop miscarriages doubles breast cancer risk for daughters

Scientists in the U.S. have found that the daughters of women who took a common anti-miscarriage drug during pregnancy may be facing twice the the normal risk of developing breast cancer.

8 Aug 2006

Parents warned about the dangers of shopping carts

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has warned parents against placing children in shopping carts and is advising they look for alternatives.

8 Aug 2006

One dose of ketamine may help reduce severe depression

New research suggests that just one dose of the anesthetic ketamine appears to reduce depression in patients who show little improvement with standard medications.

8 Aug 2006

Probiotic drinks - not all brands live up to claims

According to experts as many as half of all probiotic health drinks do not contain the healthy bacteria they claim on the label.

8 Aug 2006

Just one meal high in saturated fat can reduce the ability of the body's "good" cholesterol

Before you bite into that burger or devour that doughnut, first chew on this: New research shows that just one meal high in saturated fat can affect the body's ability to protect itself against some of the underlying causes of heart disease and stroke.

8 Aug 2006

Low-fat vegan diet treats type 2 diabetes more effectively than a standard diabetes diet

Study participants on the low-fat vegan diet showed dramatic improvement in four disease markers: blood sugar control, cholesterol reduction, weight control, and kidney function.

8 Aug 2006

DNA overwinds when stretched

Most of us are familiar with the winding staircase image of DNA, the repository of a biological cell's genetic information. But few of us realize just how tightly that famous double helix is wound.

8 Aug 2006

A new discovery shows that the brain rewires itself following an experience

The research further shows that this process of creation, testing, and reconfiguring of brain circuits takes place on a scale of just hours, suggesting that the brain is evolving considerably even during the course of a single day.

8 Aug 2006

Scientists find new lead in hunt for a SARS vaccine

SARS coronavirus protein called "nsp1" causes the breakdown of biochemical messages that normally prompt the production of a protein critical to defending the body against viruses.

8 Aug 2006

New program tackles HIV prevention among Latino adolescents

An HIV prevention program emphasizing both abstinence and condom use may help decrease risky sexual behavior among Latino adolescents, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

8 Aug 2006

Exercise important in reducing size of abdominal fat cells

Reducing the size of abdominal fat cells - which are a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease - takes more than cutting calories, according to new research from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

8 Aug 2006

Gene amplification links growth controlling pathway from Drosophila to human cancers

Researchers at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have discovered a new cancer-promoting role for a gene potentially involved in breast, liver, and other kinds of cancers.

8 Aug 2006

Nicotine shows promise as treatment against Parkinson's disease

New research suggests that nicotine treatment protects against the same type of brain damage that occurs in Parkinson's disease.

7 Aug 2006

Effects of sleep deprivation on the brain

Everyone needs sleep, but temporary periods with no sleep can be a reality of military operations.

7 Aug 2006

Scientists discover two proteins responsible for detecting sour tastes

A team led by Duke University Medical Center researchers has discovered two proteins in the taste buds on the surface of the tongue that are responsible for detecting sour tastes.

7 Aug 2006

Gene defects in young present serious risk from environmental tobacco smoke

The dangers of passive smoking are even more pronounced among young people carrying common gene defects, researchers at the University of Dundee have found.

7 Aug 2006

Metal-organic crystals with large pores store drugs and release them over time

A French–Spanish research team has now developed a new type of carrier that can take on a particularly large "load" of medication and then release it in a controlled fashion: metal–organic frameworks with large cavities.

7 Aug 2006

AIDS drugs still work but TB a deadly addition to the virus

According to a new report, ten years after they were introduced in Europe and North America, HIV/AIDS drugs remain effective but many patients are not being put on them soon enough.

7 Aug 2006