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Consumption of fish has no major role in protection against heart failure

The consumption of fish has no major role in the prevention of heart failure, according to results from a large prospective population study. The study, which was started in 1990 and involved all men and women over the age of 55 living in a suburb of Rotterdam, found no difference in the risk of developing heart failure between those who did eat fish and those who didn't.

1 Oct 2009

Brdt protein in developing sperm cells direct tight re-packaging of sperm DNA

In the quest for speed, olympic swimmers shave themselves or squeeze into high-tech super-suits. In the body, sperm are the only cells that swim and, as speed is crucial to fertility, have developed their own ways to become exceptionally streamlined. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg and Grenoble, the Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS) and the Institut Albert Bonniot, both also in Grenoble, have been studying the secrets of speedy sperm.

1 Oct 2009

Peanuts can help control obesity in children

A landmark study published in Obesity shows that, 80% of high-risk adolescents decreased or maintained weight, while almost 65% of the control group gained at one year.

1 Oct 2009

Resverlogix RVX-208 exceeds expectations in Phase 1b/2a clinical trial

Resverlogix Corp. announced today that results from the Company's Phase 1b/2a clinical trial have met and exceeded expectations by successfully concluding the drug, RVX-208, is safe and tolerable. Most importantly RVX-208 has met its primary endpoint to increase the production of plasma ApoA-I, the key cardioprotective protein in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), often referred to as "good" cholesterol.

1 Oct 2009

Latest optical and laser technology in medicine displayed at FiO meeting

From scopes that help premature babies breathe to techniques for imaging live neurons and beating hearts as they develop, the latest optical and laser technology being deployed in medicine and the biosciences will be on display at the Optical Society's (OSA) Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics (FiO), which takes place Oct. 11-15 at the Fairmont San Jose Hotel and the Sainte Claire Hotel in San Jose, Calif.

1 Oct 2009

PSA test vital for assessing prostate cancer

When it comes to the prostate cancer, the disease known as the "silent killer" because it often exhibits no symptoms, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. It is the second leading cancer killer in men, just behind lung cancer. Every year, more than 218,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the United States, claiming about 28,000 lives.

1 Oct 2009

The Replikin Count of H1N1 virus’s infectivity gene shows continued elevation

The latest H1N1 genomic data shows a 50% drop in the Replikin CountTM of the virus’s replikins lethality gene since its recorded highs in April 2009. In contrast, the Replikin Count of the virus’s infectivity gene showed a continued elevation.

30 Sep 2009

Immunocellular Therapeutics' pilot study can help in early cancer detection

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. (OTCBB: IMUC), a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is developing immune-based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers, announced today results from its pilot study evaluating the cancer detection abilities of one of its lead monoclonal antibody product candidates, ICT-109. Data from this study demonstrated that ICT-109 had a statistically significant ability to discriminate between cancerous and non-cancerous samples, suggesting the potential to detect pancreatic and lung cancer in plasma and serum study sets.

30 Sep 2009

Medgenics announces unaudited half-yearly results for the six months ended 30 June 2009

Medgenics (AIM:MEDG) (AIM:MEDU) is pleased to announce its unaudited half-yearly results for the six months ended 30 June 2009.

30 Sep 2009

Critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle identified

A study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has identified critical biochemical pathways linked to the aging of human muscle. By manipulating these pathways, the researchers were able to turn back the clock on old human muscle, restoring its ability to repair and rebuild itself.

30 Sep 2009

University scientists achieve breakthrough in brain research

Chaos brews in the brains of newborns: the nerve cells are still bound only loosely to each other. Under the leadership of Academy Research Fellow Sari Lauri, a team of researchers at the University of Helsinki has been studying for years how a neural network capable of processing information effectively is created out of chaos. The team has now found a new kind of mechanism that adjusts the functional development of nerve cell contacts.

30 Sep 2009

SATAI invests $1.045 million in Azaya Therapeutics

SATAI (www.satai.us) and the South Texas Regional Center of Innovation and Commercialization (www.strcic.com) today announced an investment of $1.045 million in Azaya Therapeutics, Inc. through the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) for the commercialization of Azaya’s proprietary Protein Stabilized Nanoparticle (PSN) technology platform to produce targeted, safer and more effective formulations of chemotherapy pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer.

30 Sep 2009

Genetic factors play an important role in the development of type 1 diabetes

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Anette Ziegler, scientists of the Diabetes Research Group at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Technische Universität München investigated the formation of antibodies to a zinc transporter in children with elevated risk for type 1 diabetes. The study provided indications of an early onset of the disease when specific antibodies in the blood and specific variants of the associated zinc transporter are present in the genome.

30 Sep 2009

Scientists use new techniques to explore vocal learning at molecular level

You can learn a lot from an animal. By manipulating the DNA of mice, flies, frogs and worms, scientists have discovered a great deal about the genes and molecules behind many of life's essential processes. These basic functions often work about the same in people as they do in "model" animals.

30 Sep 2009

Researchers uncover evolutionary ancestry of prion gene

A University of Toronto-led team has uncovered the evolutionary ancestry of the prion gene, which may reveal new understandings of how the prion protein causes diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as "mad cow disease."

30 Sep 2009

Synta commences Phase 1/2 clinical study of novel Hsp90 inhibitor in hematologic malignancies

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical study of its novel heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor, STA-9090 in hematologic malignancies with a once-a-week dosing schedule.

29 Sep 2009

Scarab Genomics releases new E. Coli strain

ScarabXpress is the latest strain in the multiple-deletion series (MDS) of Scarab Genomics Clean Genome® E. coli. Based on the MDS™42 strain, ScarabXpress T7lac contains a chromosomal copy of the T7 RNA polymerase gene expressed from a unique, tightly controlled lac promoter.

29 Sep 2009

Research finds novel chemical that targets drug-resistant bacteria

Eric Brown, a professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, and a team of researchers from the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research have identified a novel chemical compound that targets drug-resistant bacteria in a different way from existing antibiotics. The discovery could lead to new treatments to overcome antibiotic resistance in certain types of microorganisms.

29 Sep 2009

Also in Global Health news: News outlets explore AIDS vaccine research; chloroquine resistance unraveled; authorities contest maternal mortality report

The Associated Press examines the role of the Thai participants in the recent clinical trial of an experimental HIV vaccine which showed modest potential for preventing infection. "Nearly 16,000 Thais ignored the false rumors that they were being infected by the AIDS virus, and overcame their fears of becoming social outcasts to participate in trials of the first vaccine found to prevent infection with the deadly virus," the news service writes (Ahuja/Casey, 9/27).

29 Sep 2009

NHGRI and NIMH fund $45 million to establish Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), both part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced grants expected to total approximately $45 million to establish new Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science at the Medical College of Wisconsin and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill as well as to continue support of existing centers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Southern California.

29 Sep 2009