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RNA viruses hijack cellular enzyme to create viral replication factories on cell membranes

Nihal Altan-Bonnet, assistant professor of cell biology, Rutgers University in Newark, and her research team have made a significant new discovery about RNA viruses and how they replicate themselves.

29 May 2010

Circumstantial evidence suggests first identified Alzheimer disease patient carried N141I presenilin-2 mutation

Writing the latest pages of an anthropological mystery, scientists propose in this month's Archives of Neurology that it is highly possible that Auguste Deter, the first identified Alzheimer disease patient, carried the N141I presenilin-2 mutation—the same one as in present-day U.S. families descended from German emigrants who settled near the river Volga in Russia.

29 May 2010

RNAi therapy shuts down gene critical to RSV, prevents virus replication

John DeVincenzo, MD, professor and researcher in the Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Sciences at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has proven for the first time that a totally new concept in drug design can be used to treat human disease. Dr. DeVincenzo, who also serves as a children's infectious diseases specialist at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, conducted his study at the Children's Foundation Research Center, a UT Health Science Center partner located at Le Bonheur.

29 May 2010

Consent forms become more accurate over time, but increased length interferes with comprehension

The consent forms that people sign before participating in research are widely considered difficult to understand and sometimes inaccurate. The lack of clarity was implicated in a high-profile legal settlement in April between Arizona State University and a Native American tribe, which claimed that blood samples that its members provided for genetic research were used for purposes not stated in the consent form. Efforts have been made to improve the forms, but how effective are they?

29 May 2010

Study demonstrates protection against Ebola infection in nonhuman primates using RNAi

Scientists using tiny particles of genetic material to interfere in the replication process of the deadly Ebola virus have successfully prevented monkeys exposed to that virus from dying of hemorrhagic fever. The proof-of-concept study, published in this week's issue of The Lancet, suggests that such protection also should be possible in humans.

29 May 2010

Researchers discover method to select sperm with highest DNA integrity

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have discovered a method to select sperm with the highest DNA integrity in a bid to improve male fertility. The method is comparable to that of the egg's natural selection abilities, according to the study published in the June/July issue of the Journal of Andrology.

29 May 2010

Life Technologies acquires majority stake in Geneart

Life Technologies Corporation, a provider of innovative life science solutions, announced today that it has concluded its tender offer and acquired a majority stake in Geneart AG, the global leader of the synthetic gene market segment. The combination of Geneart with Life Technologies' resources and commercial capabilities creates a well-capitalized synthetic biology company with advanced technology and production capabilities, providing products to fuel innovation in this emerging field.

28 May 2010

Study papers shows how nutrients affect gene expression

Awareness of the influence of our genetic variation to dietary response (nutrigenetics) and how nutrients may affect gene expression (nutrigenomics) is prompting a revolution in the field of nutrition. Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics provide powerful approaches to unravel the complex relationships among nutritional molecules, genetic variants and the biological system.

28 May 2010

Not all strains of influenza die off at the end of winter, reveals genetic analysis

Every autumn, as predictably as falling leaves, flu season descends upon us. Every spring, just as predictably, the season comes to a close. This cyclical pattern, common in temperate regions, is well known, but the driving forces behind it have been in question.

28 May 2010

Research finding could lead to first-ever target for drug therapy for lymphedema

A genetic mutation for inherited lymphedema associated with lymphatic function has been discovered that could help create new treatments for the condition, say researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health. Their findings are reported in the June issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics.

28 May 2010

Roche launches GS Junior System benchtop DNA sequencing platform for life science research

Roche, announced today the global launch of the GS Junior System, the company's new benchtop next-generation DNA sequencing platform for life science research. The GS Junior System, developed by 454 Life Sciences, a Roche company, provides an integrated sequencing and bioinformatics solution, all in a size that is no bigger than a typical desktop laser printer.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 28 May 2010

UT Southwestern researchers create 35 new rat "lines" with mutations in specific genes

For two decades, the laboratory mouse has been the workhorse of biomedical studies and the only mammal whose genes scientists could effectively and reliably manipulate to study human diseases and conditions.

28 May 2010

E. coli O157:H7 is rare in some wildlife species of California's Central Coast region: Researchers

The disease-causing bacterium E. coli O157:H7 is present but rare in some wildlife species of California's agriculturally rich Central Coast region, an area often referred to as the nation's "salad bowl," reports a team or researchers led by a UC Davis scientist.

28 May 2010

Women with recurrent miscarriages can have successful pregnancy with supportive care

For women who have multiple miscarriages, the pain of repeated loss is often compounded by another reality. The causes behind miscarriage are complex and often difficult to identify, and even those conditions and associations proposed as causes are poorly understood.

28 May 2010

CSL Behring granted authorization to market Berinert for HAE in Italy and Luxembourg

CSL Behring announced today it has been granted national marketing authorization in Italy and Luxembourg to market Berinert® for the treatment of acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in any body location. This latest authorization brings the number of countries to 28 (in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Australia) in which Berinert is now licensed.

28 May 2010

Patterns consolidate features of older theories, may help diagnosis of psychiatric disorders

In a study appearing in the journal PLoS ONE, Massachusetts General Hospital scientists describe finding mathematical patterns underlying the way individuals unconsciously distribute their preferences regarding approaching or avoiding objects in their environment.

27 May 2010

IOM, UIC to convene regional meeting to discuss rising rates of diabetes, obesity in the U.S

The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies will convene a regional meeting on Sept. 21 at the University of Illinois at Chicago to discuss the rapidly rising rates of diabetes and obesity in the U.S.

27 May 2010

Weill Cornell Medical College commences construction of 18-story, $650 million Medical Research Building

Weill Cornell Medical College today celebrated the start of construction on its new Medical Research Building, a state-of-the-art facility that will more than double the institution's existing research space. The 18-story, $650 million building is the centerpiece of Weill Cornell's $1.3 billion Discoveries that Make a Difference Campaign, the country's largest for a medical college. A total of $1 billion has been raised toward this goal in a record time of less than four years.

27 May 2010

UCI scientists create eight-layer, early-stage retina from human embryonic stem cells

UC Irvine scientists have created an eight-layer, early-stage retina from human embryonic stem cells, the first three-dimensional tissue structure to be made from stem cells.

27 May 2010

Small segment of a protein can control normal expression of genes: Research

In a major cancer-research breakthrough, researchers at the McGill University, Department of Biochemistry have discovered that a small segment of a protein that interacts with RNA can control the normal expression of genes - including those that are active in cancer.

27 May 2010

Genetic News and Research

RNA viruses hijack cellular enzyme to create viral replication factories on cell membranes

Circumstantial evidence suggests first identified Alzheimer disease patient carried N141I presenilin-2 mutation

RNAi therapy shuts down gene critical to RSV, prevents virus replication

Consent forms become more accurate over time, but increased length interferes with comprehension

Study demonstrates protection against Ebola infection in nonhuman primates using RNAi

Researchers discover method to select sperm with highest DNA integrity

Life Technologies acquires majority stake in Geneart

Study papers shows how nutrients affect gene expression

Not all strains of influenza die off at the end of winter, reveals genetic analysis

Research finding could lead to first-ever target for drug therapy for lymphedema

Roche launches GS Junior System benchtop DNA sequencing platform for life science research

UT Southwestern researchers create 35 new rat "lines" with mutations in specific genes

E. coli O157:H7 is rare in some wildlife species of California's Central Coast region: Researchers

Women with recurrent miscarriages can have successful pregnancy with supportive care

CSL Behring granted authorization to market Berinert for HAE in Italy and Luxembourg

Patterns consolidate features of older theories, may help diagnosis of psychiatric disorders

IOM, UIC to convene regional meeting to discuss rising rates of diabetes, obesity in the U.S

Weill Cornell Medical College commences construction of 18-story, $650 million Medical Research Building

UCI scientists create eight-layer, early-stage retina from human embryonic stem cells

Small segment of a protein can control normal expression of genes: Research

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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