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Plant extract effective against ulcerative colitis in mice

A South Dakota State University scientist's research shows an extract made from a food plant in the Brassica family was effective in alleviating signs of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel condition, in mice.

2 Jul 2010

HL patients with heart disease at increased risk of hospitalization for cardiac complications after treatment

Older patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and a history of heart disease face a high risk of hospitalization for cardiac complications after completing treatment, according to research published online today in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. HL is a form of cancer of arising in the lymph nodes, and approximately 8,500 people were diagnosed with the disease in 2009, according to the American Cancer Society.

2 Jul 2010

UCLA study highlights traffic-related asthma flares in urban areas

A new academic study led by UCLA scientists has found that even brief exposure to ultrafine pollution particles near a Los Angeles freeway is potent enough to boost the allergic inflammation that exacerbates asthma.

2 Jul 2010

Mice study may provide new insight on human pregnancies

The concept of pregnancy makes no sense-at least not from an immunological point of view. After all, a fetus, carrying half of its father's genome, is biologically distinct from its mother. The fetus is thus made of cells and tissues that are very much not "self"-and not-self is precisely what the immune system is meant to search out and destroy.

2 Jul 2010

Clinical study proves effectiveness of acupuncture for heart patients

Acupuncture can improve exercise tolerance in patients suffering from chronic heart failure. This was determined in a clinical pilot study by the team headed by Dr. Johannes Backs, physician and study director at the Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology - Medical Director: Professor Dr. Hugo Katus) of Heidelberg University Hospital.

2 Jul 2010

New asthma therapy shows promise for patients who do not respond to steroid treatments

A new nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy made from a human protein significantly decreases disease signs of asthma in mice, opening the possibility of a new asthma therapy for patients who do not respond to current steroid treatments. Results of this therapy in an animal model were presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

2 Jul 2010

Olive oil, Mediterranean diet modify expression of atherosclerosis-related genes

Everyone knows olive oil and a Mediterranean diet are associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, but a new research report published in the July 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal offers a surprising reason why: These foods change how genes associated with atherosclerosis function.

1 Jul 2010

Nanostructured assemblies for dental application

Scientists are reporting an advance toward the next big treatment revolution in dentistry - the era in which root canal therapy brings diseased teeth back to life, rather than leaving a "non-vital" or dead tooth in the mouth. In a report in the monthly journal ACS Nano, they describe a first-of-its-kind, nano-sized dental film that shows early promise for achieving this long-sought goal.

1 Jul 2010

Commonly used type of bone marrow stem cell may help treat sepsis, new study suggests

A new study from researchers in Ottawa and Toronto suggests that a commonly used type of bone marrow stem cell may be able to help treat sepsis, a deadly condition that can occur when an infection spreads throughout the body. The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, shows that these cells can triple survival rates in an experimental model of sepsis.

1 Jul 2010

Ecolab launches Virasept to treat Clostridium difficile spores

Ecolab Inc. today announced the launch of Virasept, Ecolab's first ready-to-use (no mixing required) hard surface disinfectant approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be effective against Clostridium difficile spores.

1 Jul 2010

Researchers identify a set of molecular signatures for biliary atresia

Researchers have identified a set of "molecular signatures" for biliary atresia - the most common diagnosis leading to liver transplant in children - that can help identify the progression of disease at diagnosis and predict clinical outcomes.

1 Jul 2010

Bortezomib may offer hope for treating inflammatory diseases: New research

Those looking for a new treatment for a range of inflammatory diseases like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lupus may need to look no further than a drug already available for treating cancer. In a research report published in the July 2010 print issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Japanese scientists use mice to show that bortezomib, currently used to treat cancers that affect white blood cells, induces cell death only in harmful (active and proliferating) T cells, leaving the rest unharmed.

1 Jul 2010

Transition commences dosing in TT-301 Phase 1 clinical study for rheumatoid arthritis, ICH, TBI

Transition Therapeutics Inc. announced today that the first patient has been dosed with drug candidate TT-301 in a Phase 1 clinical study. TT-301 is a small molecule compound that has demonstrated efficacy in preclinical models of rheumatoid arthritis, intracerebral haemorrhage and traumatic brain injury.

30 Jun 2010

Asbestos induces cell necrosis, promotes tumor growth

More than 20 million people in the U.S., and many more worldwide, who have been exposed to asbestos are at risk of developing mesothelioma, a malignant cancer of the membranes that cover the lungs and abdomen that is resistant to current therapies.

30 Jun 2010

FDA grants IND regulatory clearance for Phase I/II clinical trial of AAT in type 1 diabetics

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Investigational New Drug (IND) regulatory clearance to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial evaluating Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) in type 1 diabetics, based on research by Dr. Eli Lewis of Israel's Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

30 Jun 2010

Importance of cell-cell communication in ischaemia

A team from the Bristol Heart Institute have investigated the importance of cell-cell communication in regulating the formation of new blood vessels following the restriction in blood supply to the heart or back leg in mice.

29 Jun 2010

Zymeworks closes $3.2 million financing round

Zymeworks Inc., a privately held biotechnology company focused on the development of next generation antibody-based therapeutics, today announced the close of a financing totaling $3.2 million. The financing consists of a follow-on round of institutional investment by CTI Life Sciences Fund, L.P. ("CTI") which led the Company's previous financing in 2009.

29 Jun 2010

Study implicates cytokine molecule IL-17 in low back pain associated with herniated discs

An immune cell known to cause chronic inflammation in autoimmune disorders has been identified as a possible culprit in low back pain associated with herniated discs, according to doctors at Duke University Medical Center.

29 Jun 2010

High-phenolic-content olive oil modifies genes that promote inflammation

Health conscious consumers have long known that virgin olive oil is a good choice when it comes to preparing meals and dipping breads. Now, a team of researchers, including one with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), has found that phenolic components in olive oil actually modify genes that are involved in the inflammatory response.

29 Jun 2010

MGH, Iacocca Foundation complete Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Iacocca Foundation announce today the completion of the Phase I BCG clinical trial in type 1 diabetes, as well as the submission of all safety reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the MGH data safety monitoring boards. Plans for the Phase II clinical study, which will continue the investigation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination as a treatment for people with existing type 1 diabetes, are actively underway.

29 Jun 2010