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Scientists reveal how breast milk prevents necrotizing enterocolitis in premature babies

The immune-boosting properties of breast milk have long been known. Now a team of scientists led by Johns Hopkins pediatric surgeon-in-chief David Hackam, M.D., Ph.D., says experiments in mice reveal how breast milk works to ward off the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a devastating intestinal disorder that affects 12 percent of premature babies and claims the lives of one in four of those who have it.

23 Apr 2015

Adseverin protein plays key role in bone loss associated with osteoinflammatory disease

Adseverin, a protein found in the body, has been identified as the key driver behind the bone loss associated with the world's most common inflammatory disease: gum disease, or periodontitis.

23 Apr 2015

Chemists working to develop 'greener' processes for discovering, developing medicines

Chemists funded by NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences are working to develop "greener" processes for discovering, developing and manufacturing medicines and other molecules with therapeutic potential, as well as compounds used in biomedical research.

22 Apr 2015

Female liver cells become more susceptible to adverse effects of drugs, study finds

Female liver cells, and in particular those in menopaused women, are more susceptible to adverse effects of drugs than their male counterparts, according to new research carried out by the JRC. It is well known that women are more vulnerable when it comes to drug-induced liver effects, but it's the first time it has been shown that there are differences at cellular level.

22 Apr 2015

Lab-on-paper technique could help detect low quality antimalarial drugs

Access to high-quality medicine is a basic human right, but over four billion people live in countries where many medications are substandard or fake. Marya Lieberman of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame and Abigail Weaver a postdoctoral associate in the University's Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Earth Sciences took up the challenge of how people in developing countries could detect low quality antimalarial drugs without expensive equipment and without handling dangerous chemicals.

21 Apr 2015

Plaque can be used to predict, identify and treat diseases, say researchers

Scraped from the gums, teeth and tongue in the form of plaque, the researchers behind Canada's first plaque bank are betting that the bacterial content of plaque will open up a new frontier of medicine.

17 Apr 2015

Study: BPA exposure during pregnancy affects fertility, reproductive function

When scientists exposed pregnant mice to levels of bisphenol A equivalent to those considered safe in humans, three generations of female mouse offspring experienced significant reproductive problems, including declines in fertility, sexual maturity and pregnancy success, the scientists report in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology.

16 Apr 2015

New pre-validated fluorinated fragment library boosts drug screening efficiency

Researchers engaged in drug discovery can now benefit from a new library of fluorinated compounds with superior drug-like characteristics...

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 14 Apr 2015

Simple, effective portable tool can help predict avian flu outbreaks

A simple and effective portable tool to predict avian flu outbreaks on farms has been created by University of Guelph researchers.

12 Apr 2015

New fluorescent probes detect problems related to lysosomes

Lysosomes are the garbage disposals of animal cells. As the resources are limited in cells, organic materials are broken down and recycled a lot -- and that's what lysosomes do.

10 Apr 2015

Study identifies gut immune system as new, effective target for diabetes

A commonly-used drug to treat inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, has been shown to lower blood sugar levels in obese mice, potentially identifying the gut immune system as a new and effective target in treating diabetes in humans.

8 Apr 2015

New data underscore global threats posed by unsafe foods

New data on the harm caused by foodborne illnesses underscore the global threats posed by unsafe foods, and the need for coordinated, cross-border action across the entire food supply chain, according to WHO, which next week is dedicating its annual World Health Day to the issue of food safety.

6 Apr 2015

UC Davis researchers unravel how micro RNA could potentially lead to novel cancer therapies

The micro RNA miR-22 has long been known for its ability to suppress cancer. However, questions remain about how it achieves this feat. For example, which molecules are regulating miR-22, and which are miR22 targets?

6 Apr 2015

Purdue researchers identify new class of chemical insecticides to control mosquitoes

Purdue researchers have identified a new class of chemical insecticides that could provide a safer, more selective means of controlling mosquitoes that transmit key infectious diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and elephantiasis.

2 Apr 2015

Hormone that stimulates milk production in nursing mothers also fosters bond between parents

Research has discovered a role for prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production in nursing mothers, in the bond between parents.

31 Mar 2015

Researchers develop software for calculating concentration of pesticides

Researchers of the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME have developed software for Germany that calculates the concentration of pesticides/plant protection products in surface waters like ditches or streams. The new process can be employed as a component of pesticide authorization procedures.

30 Mar 2015

3D respiratory tissue model shown to be effective for measuring impact of chemicals

A 3-dimensional model of human respiratory tissue has been shown to be an effective platform for measuring the impact of chemicals, like those found in cigarette smoke, or other aerosols on the lung.

27 Mar 2015

Only few studies demonstrate the effectiveness of marijuana

While many states have pushed for new laws to legalize the use of marijuana for medical reasons, there are few well-controlled studies that demonstrate its effectiveness.

25 Mar 2015

New imaging technique could give precise information about structures inside tissues, cells

One infrared scan can give pathologists a window into the structures and molecules inside tissues and cells, enabling fast and broad diagnostic assessments, thanks to an imaging technique developed by University of Illinois researchers and clinical partners.

25 Mar 2015

Plexin D1 gene determines body fat distribution in humans

Scientists have known for some time that people who carry a lot of weight around their bellies are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease than those who have bigger hips and thighs.

24 Mar 2015