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Obesity bottlenecks cellular power plant

The machinery responsible for energy production in fat cells is working poorly as a result of obesity.

13 Mar 2008

Good news for people with glycogen storage disease type Ia

A gene therapy treatment that restores a missing liver enzyme in test animals could provide a cure for a rare metabolic disorder in humans, according to Duke University Medical Center researchers.

13 Mar 2008

DNA detectives find genetic markers for lung cancers most likely to recur

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have uncovered clearly recognizable genetic alterations in tumors and tissue removed from patients with early-stage lung cancers that look like good predictors of which of these cancers are more likely to recur.

13 Mar 2008

Bird brains suggest how vocal learning evolved

Though they perch far apart on the avian family tree, birds with the ability to learn songs use similar brain structures to sing their tunes.

13 Mar 2008

Nuclear protein SATB1 triggers aggressive breast cancer

SATB1 is a nuclear protein well known for its crucial role in regulating gene expression during the differentiation and activation of T cells, making it a key player in the immune system.

13 Mar 2008

New mouse model of bipolar disorder

Bipolar Disorder (BPD or manic-depressive illness) is one of the most serious of all mental disorders, affecting millions of individuals worldwide.

13 Mar 2008

Weight loss more effective than intensive insulin therapy for type 2 diabetics

Weight-loss and major lifestyle changes may be more effective than intensive insulin therapy for overweight patients with poorly controlled, insulin-resistant type 2 diabetes, according to a diabetes researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

12 Mar 2008

Thermo Fisher Scientific creates breakthrough gene-silencing tool

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has developed a breakthrough gene-silencing tool that greatly simplifies RNA- interference (RNAi) technology and eliminates barriers associated with previous cellular delivery methods.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 12 Mar 2008

Scientists discover epigenetic changes in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Scientists have discovered epigenetic changes (i.e. chemical changes to a gene that do not alter the DNA sequence) in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

12 Mar 2008

Weight-loss more effective than intensive insulin therapy for type 2 diabetics, according to expert

11 Mar 2008

Snakes vault past toxic newts in evolutionary arms race

Snakes don't eat fugu, the seafood delicacy prepared from blowfish meat and famed for its poisonous potential.

11 Mar 2008

Novel brain cancer drug HhAntag for children may damage bones

A novel drug that fully eliminated brain tumors from mice in a dramatic 2004 study has shown a darker side - causing permanent bone damage in younger mice.

11 Mar 2008

Offspring of parents who both have Alzheimer's disease may be more likely to develop the illness

Adult-age offspring of parents who have both been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease appear to have an increased risk of developing the disease compared with the general population, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Neurology.

11 Mar 2008

Scientists unlock secrets of E coli contamination

Using new genetic techniques, scientists are unlocking the secrets of how E coli bacteria contaminate food and make people sick.

11 Mar 2008

Study aims to improve treatment for children born with heart defects

Trying to understand and stop the collateral lung damage that can occur in babies with congenital heart disease is the focus of a new study.

11 Mar 2008

Japanese find way to make flu vaccine effective for multiple strains

Japanese scientists say they are well on the way to developing influenza vaccines which are effective for multiple strains of the disease, including strains of the bird flu virus.

11 Mar 2008

Improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells

UC Irvine researchers have discovered a dramatically improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells, making it easier for scientists to study and potentially treat thousands of disorders ranging from Huntington's disease to muscular dystrophy and diabetes.

10 Mar 2008