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Klf4 protein an important regulator of inflammation: HNK study

Microglia are the first line defence of the brain and are constantly looking for infections to fight off. Overactive microglia can cause uncontrolled inflammation within the brain, which can in turn lead to neuronal damage. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Journal of Neuroinflammation shows that, honokiol (HNK) is able to down-regulate the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory enzymes in activated microglia via Klf4, a protein known to regulate DNA.

19 Mar 2012

BC BS of Florida retires negative medical policy for FeNO testing

Aerocrine AB announces that BlueCross BlueShield (BC BS) of Florida1 has retired/archived their negative medical policy for FeNO testing. The change is effective March 15, 2012.

17 Mar 2012

Adalimumab may decrease vascular inflammation in patients with psoriasis

A clinical study co-led by the Montreal Heart Institute and Innovaderm Research Inc., which was presented today at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, shows that a new treatment for psoriasis could be associated with a significant decrease in vascular inflammation, a major risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

17 Mar 2012

Extremely contagious RSV virus can lead to serious illness in young children

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that infects the lungs and breathing passage ways. Though it may only produce minor cold symptoms in adults, it can lead to serious illness in young children and those with compromised immune systems.

17 Mar 2012

Positive data from VBL Therapeutics' VB-201 Phase 2 study on psoriasis, atherosclerosis

VBL Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company committed to the development of novel treatments for immune-inflammatory diseases and cancer, today announced that a Phase 2 sub-study of VB-201 in moderate to severe psoriasis patients with cardiovascular risk has successfully achieved its primary endpoint demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in vascular inflammation associated with atherosclerotic lesions as measured by PET-CT imaging.

17 Mar 2012

BRG1 gene loss implies lack of response of cells to retinoic acid and steroids

Retinoic acid (vitamin A) and steroids are hormones found in our body that protect against oxidative stress, reduce inflammation and are involved in cellular differentiation processes. One of the characteristics of tumours is that their cells have lost the ability to differentiate; therefore these hormones have useful properties to prevent cancer. Currently, retinoic acid and steroids are being used to treat some types of leukaemia.

16 Mar 2012

Addition of inflammatory biomarkers to clinical variables improve mortality prediction in COPD

The addition of changes in inflammatory biomarkers to established clinical variables improves the prediction of mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a new study.

16 Mar 2012

Combination therapy may improve life span and motor function of infants with Batten disease

Infants with Batten disease, a rare but fatal neurological disorder, appear healthy at birth. But within a few short years, the illness takes a heavy toll, leaving children blind, speechless and paralyzed. Most die by age 5.

16 Mar 2012

Scientists discover direct biomarker of Chikungunya fever

Recent breakthroughs in Chikungunya research spearheaded by scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) have made great strides in the battle against the infectious disease.

15 Mar 2012

Anti-inflammatory drugs may offer novel treatment for CHD

A large international study indicates that anti-inflammatory drugs may become a new tool for preventing and treating coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading global cause of death.

15 Mar 2012

Scientists discover cells that chaperone food antigens in the intestine

With every meal, immune cells in the intestine stand like sentries at a citadel, turning away harmful bacteria but allowing vitamins and nutrients to pass. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified the cells that chaperone food antigens, or proteins, in the intestine so that the immune system doesn't mount an attack.

15 Mar 2012

New RAGE inhibitor shows promise against Alzheimer's

Researchers have taken another crack at a promising approach to stopping Alzheimer's disease that encountered a major hurdle last year. In research published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, scientists have developed a compound that targets a molecular actor known as RAGE, which plays a central role in mucking up the brain tissue of people with the disease.

15 Mar 2012

Researchers discover molecular mechanism responsible for low back pain

Italian researchers at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart in Rome found an important molecular mechanism responsible for low back pain and other acute vertebral problems like cervical axial pain, all due to aging and degeneration of the vertebral column.

14 Mar 2012

Consumption of dietary trans fatty acids associated with irritability, aggression

Might the "Twinkie defense" have a scientific foundation after all? Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have shown - by each of a range of measures, in men and women of all ages, in Caucasians and minorities - that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids (dTFAs) is associated with irritability and aggression.

14 Mar 2012

New study to better understand role of the immune system in stroke

Stroke and other diseases and injuries to the brain are often followed by inflammation, caused by a reaction of the body's immune system. This reaction has been seen as something that must be combated, but perhaps the immune system could in fact help with recovery following a stroke. A major new EU project, led by Lund University in Sweden and the Weizmann Institute in Israel, is going to study this question.

14 Mar 2012

Biomedical research advances through new Australian Institute

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology (BMET) will be officially opened this evening at the University of Sydney, and will significantly advance this highly multidisciplinary research for life sciences and medicine.

14 Mar 2012

Modified Citrus Pectin binds and blocks harmful effects of Galectin-3

Galectin-3 sounds like a planet out of "Star Trek," but it can be much more ominous. Recently, distinguished integrative physician Isaac Eliaz, M.D., presented breakthrough research demonstrating that the protein Galectin-3 is an active biomarker for numerous life-threatening diseases. Even more importantly, Dr. Eliaz showed how Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) binds and blocks Galectin-3 throughout the body.

14 Mar 2012

Many children with Crohn's disease and IBD benefit from ImproveCareNow

Many children with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis who received treatment through ImproveCareNow, a national quality improvement and research network, ceased to have symptoms and no longer needed to take steroids for disease management.

13 Mar 2012

FTY720 improves locomotor recovery in mice with SCI

A new study suggests that administering FTY720, an oral drug that has shown promise in trials for human multiple sclerosis, significantly improves locomotor recovery in mice with spinal cord injury.

13 Mar 2012

JAK-STAT inhibitors reverse MS-like disease in mice

A new class of drugs completing clinical trials soon for rheumatoid arthritis should be examined as a treatment for multiple sclerosis, according to the authors of a University of Alabama at Birmingham study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

13 Mar 2012