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Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of children becoming smokers too

New research has revealed that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the vulnerability to nicotine self-administration in adolescent mice. The results support the hypothesis that adolescents with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers and that they are also more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine, especially as a result of stress and peer pressure.

21 Mar 2011

Researchers discover 'broad spectrum' cancer suppressor gene

Portuguese researchers have discovered a "broad spectrum" cancer suppressor gene - called LRP1B - which acts by removing proteins crucial for cancer development from the tumour environment. The fact that LRP1B does not act on the tumour itself (in this study thyroid tumours) but, instead, on molecules which are known to be important to many different cancers is what makes it so interesting.

21 Mar 2011

Researcher to present study on validation of salivary-biomarkers for pSS patients

Saturday, March 19, during the 89th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research and the 35th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, lead researcher A.N.M. Nazmul-Hossaini will hold an oral presentation on a study titled "Validation of Salivary-Biomarkers for Sj-gren's Syndrome Detection in US Population."

19 Mar 2011

Insight into hereditary diseases

Hereditary diseases such as epilepsy or various coordination disorders may be caused by changes in nerve cells of the cerebellum, which do not set in until after birth. This is reported by Bochum's neuroscientists in the Journal of Neuroscience.

19 Mar 2011

Researchers review patient outcomes from full, partial organ removal for kidney cancer

Patients with kidney cancer who had their entire organ removed were more likely to have more renal complications and poorer health after surgery, compared to those who had only part of their kidney removed, a study has shown.

19 Mar 2011

New insight into Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Armed with a zebrafish model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a library of 1,200 chemicals already approved for human use, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have identified a compound that reverses the loss of muscle structure and function associated with DMD, seemingly by compensating for the loss of a critical protein.

19 Mar 2011

Researchers identify protein that triggers immune response in TB-infected people

Scientists have discovered a protein secreted by tuberculosis bacteria that could be a promising new vaccine candidate, they report today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The protein could also be used to improve diagnosis of TB.

19 Mar 2011

Researchers discover process that regulates DNA maintenance

DNA contains all of the genetic instructions that make us who we are, and maintaining the integrity of our DNA over the course of a lifetime is a critical, yet complex part of the aging process.

19 Mar 2011

RainDance Technologies launches ASDSeq and XSeq Research Screening Panels

RainDance Technologies, Inc., today announced the commercial availability of the ASDSeq™ and XSeq™ Research Screening Panels. Developed in collaboration with Emory University and Greenwood Genetic Center, the two comprehensive panels enable researchers to simultaneously interrogate key genes known to be linked to X-chromosome disorders and syndromic forms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using next-generation sequencing.

18 Mar 2011

Modified mRNA raises hope for safe and effective cancer drugs

Modern gene therapies raise hopes of combating many diseases until now considered terminal. Nowadays, however, the methods are expensive and carry a risk of severe complications.

18 Mar 2011

Low calorie diet may delay or prevent aging and neurodegenerative diseases

Cells, which employ a process called autophagy to clean up and reuse protein debris leftover from biological processes, were the original recyclers. A team of scientists from Paul Greengard's Rockefeller University laboratory have linked a molecule that stimulates autophagy with the reduction of one of Alzheimer's disease's major hallmarks, amyloid peptide.

17 Mar 2011

Major breakthrough in thrombosis

Scientists from the University of Reading have announced a major breakthrough in understanding how to control blood clotting which could lead to the development of new treatments and save the lives of thousands of people each year.

17 Mar 2011

Astellas to acquire all Maxygen's equity interests in Perseid for $76.0 million

Maxygen, Inc. today announced that Astellas Pharma Inc. has exercised its option to purchase all of Maxygen's equity interests in Perseid Therapeutics LLC at the current exercise price of $76.0 million.

17 Mar 2011

pIMAGO nanopolymer can test cancer drug efficacy against biochemical processes

A Purdue University scientist's nanopolymer would make it easier and cheaper for drug developers to test the effectiveness of a widely used class of cancer inhibitors.

17 Mar 2011

Scientist suggests breaking tangled mucus barrier can help treat cancer

Measuring the mechanical strength of cancer cell mucus layers provides clues about better ways to treat cancer, and also suggests why some cancer cells are more resistant to drugs than others, according to Kai-tak Wan, associate professor of engineering at Northeastern University, Boston, Mass.

17 Mar 2011

Bacteria more likely to adopt 'loner' genes

A new study of more than three dozen bacteria species - including the microbes responsible for pneumonia, meningitis, stomach ulcers and plague - settles a longstanding debate about why bacteria are more likely to steal some genes than others.

17 Mar 2011

Pig model reveals how cystic fibrosis gene mutation causes disease

It's been more than 20 years since scientists first discovered the gene that causes cystic fibrosis (CF), yet questions about how the mutated gene causes disease remain unanswered.

17 Mar 2011

Scientists to develop new universal vaccine against various flu viruses

A vaccine that helps against all types of influenza - for several years? If all goes right for Norwegian company Bionor Pharma ASA, such a vaccine could exist within a few years.

17 Mar 2011

BistroMD releases exclusive videos to educate women on menopause, weight gain

BistroMD, the number one physician-designed, chef-prepared meal delivery company in the United States, is releasing a series of exclusive videos where the company's founding physician, Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D., educates women on how to cope with menopause and weight gain.

16 Mar 2011

NextGen Sciences introduces multiplex protein assay for oncology biomarker discovery

NextGen Group plc is pleased to announce that its subsidiary NextGen Sciences Inc, a leader in biomarker discovery, measurement and qualification, has launched its first multiple protein assay, plasmadiscovery41, for oncology biomarker discovery and qualification.

16 Mar 2011