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Researchers examine 'invading' bacteria in DNA - advanced warfare on the most elemental of levels

Researchers at Texas A&M University's Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering have discovered how certain types of bacteria integrate the DNA that they have captured from invading enemies into their own genetic makeup to increase their chances of survival.

2 Jun 2009

Dementia drugs Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl may put some patients at risk

Side effects associated with several commonly-prescribed dementia drugs may be putting elderly Canadians at risk, says Queen's University Geriatrics professor Sudeep Gill.

27 May 2009

Researchers discover six new genome sequences and fundamental insights to the Candida fungus family

An international research collaboration coordinated by UCD researchers and involving scientists at 21 institutes including the genome sequencing centres in the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, UK and the Broad Institute at MIT and Harvard, USA have defined six new genome sequences in the Candida fungus family and identified genetic differences in species that cause disease.

25 May 2009

Soft and tough like biological tissue: DNA-wrapped carbon nanotubes

For modern implants and the growth of artificial tissue and organs, it is important to generate materials with characteristics that closely emulate nature.

17 May 2009

New device could track tumor's growth

Surgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a single moment in time.

13 May 2009

Type of physician certification associated with risk of complications from ICDs

Patients whose implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are implanted by nonelectrophysiologists are at increased risk of complications and are less likely to receive a specific type of ICD when clinically indicated, according to a study in the April 22/29 issue of JAMA.

22 Apr 2009

Nerve shock implant device may help bladder control in urinary incontinence

For people with urinary incontinence who have run out of options, an electrical device might help, according to a new Cochrane Library review.

14 Apr 2009

Funding boost for Bristol research on titanium bone implants

Dr Jason Mansell, Lecturer in Bone Biology, has been awarded £57,000 from the International Team for Implantology (Switzerland) for work on titanium bone implants.

12 Apr 2009

St. Jude Medical announces first European patient implants of Libra deep brain stimulation systems for Parkinson’s Disease

St. Jude Medical, Inc. has announced the first patient implants of its Libra deep brain stimulation (DBS) system for treating the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, a progressive neurological disorder that affects a person's control over his or her movements and speech.

29 Mar 2009

Auditory regions of brain convert to sense of touch in hearing loss

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers have discovered that adult animals with hearing loss actually re-route the sense of touch into the hearing parts of the brain.

24 Mar 2009

New class of smart prosthetic implants may help prevent blindness

Blindness in millions of people with diseases that starve eye tissue and nerves of oxygen might be averted with a procedure being developed by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Southern California and the University of Tennessee.

20 Mar 2009

Promising results for 5-day stereotactic body radiation therapy in early stage prostate cancer

Preliminary results show that a shortened course of radiation therapy for prostate cancer called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides good PSA response for early-stage prostate cancer and has the same side effects as other treatments, according to a March 15 study in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics , the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

16 Mar 2009

A nanotech coating for brain implants

Biomedical and materials engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a nanotech coating for brain implants that helps the devices operate longer and could improve treatment for deafness, paralysis, blindness, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

11 Mar 2009

Immune reaction to metals in joint replacement devices leads to early failure

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have identified a key immunological defense reaction to the metals in joint replacement devices, leading to loosening of the components and early failure.

4 Mar 2009

Possible new methods to enhance the success rate of fertility treatments

As hopeful moms-to-be learn, there are important considerations to the successful implantation of a fertilized human egg.

2 Mar 2009

Why do teeth form in a single row?

A system of opposing genetic forces determines why mammals develop a single row of teeth, while sharks sport several, according to a study published in the journal Science.

26 Feb 2009

New cancer treatment stops aggressive sarcomas

After all standard treatments had failed, a new cancer treatment has stopped the growth of aggressive sarcomas in two recent patients. These results are similar to the new protocol's previous success against several cancers, including melanoma, pancreatic, colon, mesothelioma and other sarcomas.

25 Feb 2009

Remote Intelligent Drug Delivery System (RIDDS) may soon be a reality

Electronic implants that dispense medicines automatically or via a wireless medical network are on the horizon. Australian and US researchers warn of the security risks in a forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology .

8 Feb 2009

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor protects key brain cells in Alzheimer's models

Memory loss, cognitive impairment, brain cell degeneration and cell death were prevented or reversed in several animal models after treatment with a naturally occurring protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

8 Feb 2009