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Experimental drug for autism works effectively in laboratory mice: Study

A new experimental drug has shown promise in autism symptoms in mice. Researchers from the National Institutes of Mental Health and Pfizer reported Wednesday that an experimental compound, called GRN-529, increased social interactions and lessened repetitive self-grooming behavior in a strain of mice bred to display autism-like behaviors.

26 Apr 2012

IMPAKT 2012 breast cancer conference to focus on four major areas

"Basic science and clinical medicine move at different pace because they follow different paths. Both however aim at improving strategies to manage cancer patients. We need to efficiently translate the good things from basic science and efficiently implement them in the clinic."

26 Apr 2012

Study shows how PCBs could add to autism risk

New research from UC Davis and Washington State University shows that PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, launch a cellular chain of events that leads to an overabundance of dendrites - the filament-like projections that conduct electrochemical signals between neurons - and disrupts normal patterns of neuronal connections in the brain.

26 Apr 2012

InDex Pharmaceuticals granted U.S. patent for novel treatment of steroid-resistant inflammation

InDex Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The patent provides additional protection for the use of Kappaproct® and additional DNA-based immunomodulatory sequences (DIMS) for the treatment of steroid-resistant inflammatory diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

26 Apr 2012

Study examines role of NLRP3 inflammasome in ventilator-induced lung injury

Mechanical ventilation is often lifesaving, but can also initiate or aggravate lung injury. A new study in the May issue of Anesthesiology examined the role of one particular receptor in the inflammatory pathway, the NLRP3 inflammasome, and whether it impacts ventilator-induced lung injury.

26 Apr 2012

Body’s own DNA can cause inflammation in the heart

DNA from the heart's own cells plays a role in heart failure by mistakenly activating the body's immune system, according to a study by British and Japanese researchers, co-funded by the British Heart Foundation.

26 Apr 2012

Leica receives FDA Pre-Market Approval for new HER2 IHC test

Leica Biosystems, a division of Leica Microsystems, announced that it has received Pre-Market Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the Leica Bond Oracle HER2 IHC System with the Leica BOND-MAX, establishing their commitment to developing quality companion diagnostic products.

26 Apr 2012

Clinical and Translational Science Institute-Children's National awards pilot grant to GW researchers

GW researchers in the School of Medicine, Jeffrey M. Bethony, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine and David Diemert, M.D., FRCP(C), Associate Research Professor of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine and Director of Clinical Trials for the Sabin Vaccine Institute's Product Development Partnership (PDP), have been awarded a Pilot Grant from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute-Children's National.

25 Apr 2012

RANK inhibitor-chemotherapy combination may have important therapeutic effects against breast cancer

Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have shown that overactivation of the RANK signalling pathway promotes the initiation, progression and metastasis of tumours in human breast epithelial cells by dedifferentiation of breast cells to stem cells. The results of this study have been advanced in the electronic edition of the journal Cancer Research.

25 Apr 2012

Expression of specific GPCRs appears to play a role in prognosis of CLL

Researchers at the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine have shown that G protein-coupled receptor expression may predict the prognosis of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Their findings may identify new ways to treat such patients.

25 Apr 2012

Study investigates how vitamin D affects skeleton when serum calcium levels are depleted

Vitamin D is renowned for its role in creating strong bones and is a key regulator of serum calcium levels. Calcium is primarily obtained through diet and absorbed through the intestine and into the blood stream. In addition to building bone, calcium is required for a variety of important physiological processes. Vitamin D, which is detected by receptors in bone and intestinal cells, regulates the level of calcium in the blood stream and determines how much should be stored in the skeleton.

24 Apr 2012

Researchers discover how dendritic cells exchange information to amplify immune response

Using a new fluorescent biosensor they developed, researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have discovered how a key set of immune cells exchange information during their coordinated assault on invading pathogens.

24 Apr 2012

Cadmium exposure can cause progression of aggressive breast cancer

Studies by researchers at Dominican University of California show that breast cancer cells become increasingly aggressive the longer they are exposed to small concentrations of cadmium, a heavy metal commonly found in cosmetics, food, water and air particles.

24 Apr 2012

Autism symptoms treatment using antidepressant SSRIs may not be effective: Review

According to a new review of published and unpublished research, the belief that certain antidepressants can help to treat repetitive behaviors in kids with autism may be based on incomplete information.

24 Apr 2012

HDAC6 protein may provide novel target for stress-linked disorders

A cellular protein called HDAC6, newly characterized as a gatekeeper of steroid biology in the brain, may provide a novel target for treating and preventing stress-linked disorders, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

24 Apr 2012

TGA approves Ikaria’s LUCASSIN to treat Hepatorenal Syndrome Type 1

Ikaria, Inc., a critical care company focused on developing and commercializing innovative therapies for critically ill patients, announced today the approval of LUCASSIN (terlipressin) by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia.

24 Apr 2012

Intrinsically disordered protein responsible for inactivating BK channel

Tiny pores, or channels, embedded in cell membranes are critical to the healthy functioning of cells. Charged atoms, or ions, move through these channels to generate the electrical signals that allow cells to communicate with one another.

23 Apr 2012

SUMO protein regulates transfer of information between nerve cells in the brain

A key protein, which may be activated to protect nerve cells from damage during heart failure or epileptic seizure, has been found to regulate the transfer of information between nerve cells in the brain. The discovery, made by neuroscientists at the University of Bristol and published in Nature Neuroscience and PNAS, could lead to novel new therapies for stroke and epilepsy.

23 Apr 2012

First treatment guidelines for NMDA-receptor encephalitis

A mysterious, difficult-to-diagnose, and potentially deadly disease that was only recently discovered can be controlled most effectively if treatment is started within the first month that symptoms occur, according to a new report by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

21 Apr 2012

Results from Boehringer Ingelheim's afatinib Phase III lung cancer trial

Highly anticipated results from LUX-Lung 3, the pivotal Phase III lung cancer trial investigating Boehringer Ingelheim's front running oncology investigational compound, the ErbB Family Blocker afatinib, in patients with EGFR mutations, will be presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago from 1 - 5 June 2012.

21 Apr 2012