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New drug targets may fight tuberculosis and other bacterial infections in novel way

Over the course of the 20th Century, doctors waged war against infectious bacterial illness with the best new weapon they had: antibiotics.

28 Dec 2007

Mutations in a protein called dynein may cause inherited neuropathy

Mutations in a protein called dynein, required for the proper functioning of sensory nerve cells, can cause defects in mice that may provide crucial clues leading to better treatments for a human nerve disorder known as peripheral neuropathy, which affects about three percent of all those over age 60.

28 Dec 2007

Paradigm shift in TB: virulence factors, not antibiotics

Over the course of the 20th Century, doctors waged war against infectious bacterial illness with the best new weapon they had: antibiotics.

27 Dec 2007

Seniors who walk regularly lower their risk for dementia

Seniors who walk regularly and also do other forms of moderate exercise are protecting themselves against a certain form of dementia.

20 Dec 2007

Research may bring new generation of cochlear implants

A Rutgers University team led by neuroscientist Robin Davis is opening new doors to improved hearing for the congenitally or profoundly deaf.

20 Dec 2007

Rehabilitation training for patients with spinal cord injuries may help repair brain, spinal cord

Intensive rehabilitation training for patients with spinal cord injuries can stimulate new branches growing from severed nerve fibers, alongside compensatory changes in the brain, say Canadian researchers.

20 Dec 2007

Intensive training post-spinal cord injury can stimulate repair in brain and spinal cord

20 Dec 2007

Depletion of antioxidant glutathione linked to Parkinson's in mice

Scientists at the Buck Institute have shown that mice suffering from a depletion of the antioxidant glutathione in dopamine-producing neurons developed nerve damage and symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in humans.

20 Dec 2007

Discovery of new ALS gene

The ALS research team at Umea University in Sweden, working with Dutch and Belgian colleagues, has found new connections between mutations in gene DPP6 and contracting the non-hereditary form of ALS. The findings are being published december 16 in Nature Genetics on the Web.

18 Dec 2007

Pain treatment in the field: Good for soldiers' comfort and better for rebuilding troop strength

Noncombat-related acute and recurrent chronic pain are the leading causes of soldier attrition in modern war, with the return-to-duty rate as low as 2 percent when these soldiers are treated outside the theaters of operation.

18 Dec 2007

Overexcited neurons not good for cell health

Neurotransmitters have consequences. They initiate events that are critical to a healthy life, giving us the ability to move, to talk, to breathe, to think. But that's if the neurotransmitters are getting it right and sending proper signals downstream to muscle cells, neurons or other cells.

18 Dec 2007

Oral diabetes medication - new guidelines

A pair of plain-language guides that outline the latest scientific evidence on the effectiveness and safety of oral medications for adults with type 2 diabetes are now available from HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

18 Dec 2007

Biocapture surfaces produced for study of brain chemistry

A research team at Penn State has developed a novel method for attaching small molecules, such as neurotransmitters, to surfaces, which then are used to capture large biomolecules.

14 Dec 2007

Protein fingerprinting made easy

Combining some traditional experimental methods of molecular biology with computational methods of artificial intelligence, a group of researchers from Ruder Boskovic Instititute and Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics from Zagreb, Croatia, demonstrated a novel approach for producing 'protein fingerprints' of diverse tissues.

13 Dec 2007

More regulatory DNA than previously thought

Surrounding the small islands of genes within the human genome is a vast sea of mysterious DNA. While most of this non-coding DNA is junk, some of it is used to help genes turn on and off.

13 Dec 2007

Biodegradable polymers with neurotransmitters promote nerve regrowth

Research reported December 11 in the journal Advanced Materials describes a potentially promising strategy for encouraging the regeneration of damaged central nervous system cells known as neurons.

12 Dec 2007

Human hormone shows potential as new antidepressant agent

Novel treatment strategies for major depression with broader treatment success or a more rapid onset of action would have immense impact on public health, a new study published in the December 1st issue of Biological Psychiatry explains.

12 Dec 2007

Umbilical cord blood transplant may confer advantages over bone marrow transplant for kids with life-threatening metabolic disorders

Children born with inherited metabolic disorders that cause organ failure and early death can be treated successfully with umbilical cord blood transplants from unrelated donors and, in some cases go on to live for many years, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers.

10 Dec 2007

Fever may restore nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain

The behavior of children with autism may improve during a fever, according to a first-of-kind study, "Behaviors Associated With Fever in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders," published Nov. 30 in Pediatrics.

10 Dec 2007