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Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier shows promise as treatment for sickle cell disease

Studies in mice suggest that a red blood cell substitute based on human hemoglobin could be a promising new treatment for sickle cell disease in humans.

24 Jul 2007

Effects of aging hematopoietic stem cells

There is little disagreement that the body's maintenance and repair systems deteriorate with age, even as there is plenty of disagreement as to why.

24 Jul 2007

Chitosan for space travel injuries

A team of researchers is seeking to determine if an ingredient found in shrimp and lobster shells might make future missions to Mars safer for space crews who could be injured along the way.

24 Jul 2007

Self-assembling nanoparticles image tumor cells

By taking advantage of the full range of ways in which molecules can interact with and bind to one another, a team of investigators at the Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence has created nanoparticles that assemble themselves layer by layer.

23 Jul 2007

Gold nanorods identify metastatic tumor cells

Using a series of gold nanorods, each with its own characteristic optical signature, researchers at Purdue University have developed a method for rapidly assaying the cellular composition of breast tumors.

23 Jul 2007

Nanoscale dots target and track apoptosis

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is a hallmark effect triggered by effective anticancer drugs. Now, researchers in Korea have developed a biocompatible, fluorescent nanoparticle that could provide an early sign that apoptosis is occurring as a result of anticancer therapy.

23 Jul 2007

Discovery of novel 'molecular dictator with a conscience'

University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have uncovered an important naturally occurring mechanism in the body where "bad" cells that cause blockages in our blood vessels are kept under strict growth control, while "good" cells that keep our blood vessels free of clots and growths are left unaffected.

23 Jul 2007

New insight into cell division and chromosones

St. Jude investigators have used the lowly yeast to gain insights into how a dividing human cell ensures that an identical set of chromosomes gets passed on to each new daughter cell.

23 Jul 2007

Nicotine rush hinges on sugar in neurons

As with other questions involving good sensations, the answer appears to be sugar.

23 Jul 2007

New hope for common form of childhood cancer

Dr. Richard Lock, Head of the Leukaemia Biology Program at the Children's Cancer Institute Australia for Medical Research, Sydney, along with collaborators from the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and University of Southern California, USA, recently published their findings in the prestigious scientific journal Blood.

23 Jul 2007

Medical students respond positively to simulated patient experience

When a vomiting, simulated patient mannequin was rolled into the lecture hall last fall to teach large numbers of first- and second-year Wake Forest University School of Medicine students about the brain and nervous system, Michael T. Fitch, M.D., Ph.D., wasn't sure what to expect.

23 Jul 2007

Research to look at reasons for the formation of Lewy bodies

A University of Nottingham researcher has been awarded more than £440,000 by the Parkinson’s Disease Society (PDS) to investigate the causes of the condition.

23 Jul 2007

Arius begins toxicology program for lead anti-cancer antibody

ARIUS Research Inc has announced that the Company has initiated the first study in the formal pre-clinical toxicology program for its lead anti-CD44 drug candidate, which is under development for the treatment of breast, prostate and liver cancers.

23 Jul 2007

Good diet + exercise = less insulin in the brain and a longer life!

Scientists in the U.S. say reducing the action of insulin in the brain could well be the secret to longevity.

22 Jul 2007

Scientists clarify molecular basis of interferon action

Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara have made a significant discovery relating to viral infections in humans.

20 Jul 2007

New genetic risk factors for restless leg syndrome

In Germany alone 8 million patients are affected by RLS, which makes it one of the most common neurological diseases.

20 Jul 2007

Reducing insulin signaling in the brain can prolong lifespan

One route to a long and healthy life may be establishing the right balance in insulin signaling between the brain and the rest of the body, according to new research from Children's Hospital Boston.

20 Jul 2007

Protein IKKa protects checkpoint gene from chemical shutdown

A protein that is largely absent in one type of skin cancer protects an important gene in a cell's defense against harmful mutations from being silenced, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the July 20 edition of Molecular Cell.

20 Jul 2007

Xenotransplantation from pigs getting closer

Experiments using pigs genetically engineered for compatibility with the human immune system have raised hopes that cross-species transplantation could soon become an option for patients with diabetes and other currently incurable diseases.

20 Jul 2007

Obesity a risk factor for multiple myeloma

An obese person is more likely than a lean person to develop multiple myeloma, according to researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health.

20 Jul 2007