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Science journal’s NEWSFOCUS section describes recent advances in sequencing technology

Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. This week's NEWSFOCUS section of the journal Science describes recent advances in sequencing technology.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 23 May 2012

“Sandwich” immunoassay used to search for new chemical reactions

Many discoveries are made by chance, but it is also possible to help it along: The chance of finding something interesting increases when the number of experiments rises. French researchers have now applied this principle to the search for new chemical reactions. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, they have introduced a new concept based on antibodies and a “sandwich” immunoassay.

22 May 2012

Tiny filter could fight against tuberculosis

A tiny filter could have a big impact around the world in the fight against tuberculosis. Using the traditional microscope-based diagnosis method as a starting point, a University of Florida lung disease specialist and colleagues in Brazil have devised a way to detect more cases of the bacterial infection.

18 May 2012

Pfizer outlines vision for Systems-based Pharmaceutics

Leading pharmaceuticals company Pfizer outlined its vision for Systems-based Pharmaceutics, a revolutionary model-based approach linking drug process and product engineering to product quality and performance in the human body, at the recent Advanced Process Modelling Forum in London.

17 May 2012

Codexis receives U.S. patent for enzymes utilized in HCV therapeutics

Codexis, Inc., a developer of cost-advantaged processes for the production of biofuels, bio-based chemicals, and pharmaceutical intermediates, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Codexis' patent covering the biocatalysts and biocatalytic processes used to make key pharmaceutical intermediates in the synthesis of leading hepatitis-C therapeutics.

16 May 2012

Researchers find protein that controls neurotransmission: findings may lead to new drugs to treat neurological disorders

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that the single protein -- alpha 2 delta -- exerts a spigot-like function, controlling the volume of neurotransmitters and other chemicals that flow between the synapses of brain neurons. The study, published online in Nature, shows how brain cells talk to each other through these signals, relaying thoughts, feelings and action, and this powerful molecule plays a crucial role in regulating effective communication.

15 May 2012

Scientists discover curious twist in chalcone-isomerase

A curious twist in a family of plant proteins called chalcone-isomerase recently was discovered by Salk Institute for Biological Studies scientist Joseph Noel and colleagues at Iowa State University led by Eve Wurtele.

15 May 2012

BBI from soybeans shows promise against cancer

Soybeans soaking in warm water could become a new "green" source for production of a cancer-fighting substance now manufactured in a complicated and time-consuming industrial process, scientists are reporting in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

10 May 2012

Combination of Pressure Right device and antiemetics effective in reducing PONV

Pressure Point Inc. stated in a recent press release that in a peer reviewed research article appearing in the Anesthesia & Analgesia Journal last month entitled: Use of Disposable Acupressure Device, its Pressure Right acustimulation disposable (adhesive) wrist device confirmed a positive advantage when used as part of a multimodal antiemetic regimen. The clinical effects of the Pressure Right acupressure technique in a sham-controlled study comparison demonstrated a definite impact in reducing PONV.

9 May 2012

Grade 12 researcher wins top honors at 2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada

An Ontario girl, 16, who invented a disease-fighting, anti-aging compound using nano-particles from trees, won top national honours today in the 2012 Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada.

9 May 2012

Molecule that starts DNA repairs also halts them

Repairing DNA breaks can save a cell's life - but shutting off the repair machinery can be just as critical. How cells accomplish this feat was unknown. However, new research by Johns Hopkins scientists, published in the Feb. 22 issue of Nature, suggests that shutting down the repair machinery relies heavily on the same molecule used to start repair in the first place.

8 May 2012

First Edition: May 8, 2012

Today's headlines include highlights of how congressional action surrounding the budget and the student loan program could impact health policy.

8 May 2012

Scientists make important discovery about internal programming of B cells

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have made an important discovery about the internal programming of B cells, the immune cells that make antibodies against infections. The finding opens the way for the development of vaccines that can work more efficiently and hints at therapies for conditions in which B cells cause harm—such as the autoimmune disease lupus erythymatosus, severe allergies, and B-cell lymphomas.

8 May 2012

Can curry really be beneficial for cancer?

Curcumin is found in the spice turmeric has been linked to a range of health benefits. Studies have already shown that it can beat cancer cells grown in a laboratory and benefits have been suggested in stroke and dementia patients as well. Cucurmin, which acts as an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties, has traditionally been used as an alternative remedy for liver disease, digestive disorders, acne and a range of allergies. Some studies have shown it may slow the spread of cancer, boost the effectiveness of chemotherapy and protect healthy cells from the effects of radiotherapy.

8 May 2012

New study on curcumin for advanced bowel cancer

Compounds found in curry are being investigated as a way of improving drug response in patients with advanced bowel cancer in a new study launched on Monday.

7 May 2012

An Achilles heel within cells that bacteria exploit to cause infection

Scientists have discovered an Achilles heel within our cells that bacteria are able to exploit to cause and spread infection.

4 May 2012

Non-invasive imaging technique measures specific brain chemical changes

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. New and accurate techniques for early diagnosis are critical. Pravat K. Mandal, PhD, and his colleagues have developed a completely non-invasive brain imaging technique to measure specific brain chemical changes. This provides a signature of the early stages of AD from the hippocampal region of the brain.

3 May 2012

Large-scale, patient-specific simulations of blood function

Having a virtual copy of a patient's blood in a computer would be a boon to researchers and doctors. They could examine a simulated heart attack caused by blood clotting in a diseased coronary artery and see if a drug like aspirin would be effective in reducing the size of such a clot.

3 May 2012

Scientists determine structure of green pigment seen in nitrite-cured bacon, other meats

As with many concerned consumers, a team of University of Oklahoma researchers wondered if the green color sometimes seen in bacon is, in fact, harmful to human health. Recently, these OU scientists took an important first step in answering this question by determining the structure of the green pigment responsible for this 'nitrite burn.'

3 May 2012

3M Health Care honored with Silver Edison Awards

Today, 3M Health Care announced it has been honored with a Silver Edison Award for Quality of Life in the Lifestyle and Social Impact category for its 3M™ Kind Removal Silicone Tape and a Silver Edison Award for Analytic Systems in the Science/Medical category for its Aerobic Procedure for Lactic Acid Bacteria with 3M Petrifilm Aerobic Count Plate. The Edison Awards, established in 1987, recognize the most innovative products in the world.

2 May 2012