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ATP1A3 gene mutations responsible for alternating hemiplegia of childhood

Alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) is a rare disorder that usually begins in infancy, with intermittent episodes of paralysis and stiffness, first affecting one side of the body, then the other. Symptoms mysteriously appear and disappear, again and again, and affected children often experience dozens of episodes per week. As they get older, children fall progressively behind their peers in both intellectual abilities and motor skills, and more than half develop epilepsy.

31 Jul 2012

New drug shows promise for Long QT syndrome

Long QT syndrome, which results from genetic mutation or certain medications, can cause the heart to beat chaotically and the affected person to die suddenly. The chaotic heartbeat is due to abnormal electrical activity in the heart. In an electrocardiogram test, this abnormality appears as a wider-than-normal QT interval, a pattern of "hills" in a map of peaks and valleys corresponding to the heart contracting and relaxing.

30 Jul 2012

Study extends scientific understanding of how pheromones activate the vomeronasal organ

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is one of evolution's most direct enforcers. From its niche within the nose in most land-based vertebrates, it detects pheromones and triggers corresponding basic-instinct behaviors, from compulsive mating to male-on-male death matches. A new study from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, published online in Nature Neuroscience on July 29, 2012, extends the scientific understanding of how pheromones activate the VNO, and has implications for sensory transduction experiments in other fields.

30 Jul 2012

Researchers discover gene mutations in patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood

Alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) is a very rare disorder that causes paralysis that freezes one side of the body and then the other in devastating bouts that arise at unpredictable intervals. Seizures, learning disabilities and difficulty walking are common among patients with this diagnosis.

30 Jul 2012

AAQ chemical temporarily restores vision in blind mice

A team of University of California, Berkeley, scientists in collaboration with researchers at the University of Munich and University of Washington in Seattle has discovered a chemical that temporarily restores some vision to blind mice, and is working on an improved compound that may someday allow people with degenerative blindness to see again.

26 Jul 2012

Neural precursor cells suppress aggressive tumors

Neural precursor cells (NPC) in the young brain suppress certain brain tumors such as high-grade gliomas, especially glioblastoma (GBM), which are among the most common and most aggressive tumors.

23 Jul 2012

Scientists create synthetic pores that mimic activity of cellular ion channels

Inspired by nature, an international research team has created synthetic pores that mimic the activity of cellular ion channels, which play a vital role in human health by severely restricting the types of materials allowed to enter cells.

18 Jul 2012

Heart-protective protein finally found

It is a cellular component so scarce, some scientists even doubted its existence, and many others gave up searching for its molecular structure. Now a team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins has defined the protein structural composition of mitoKATP, a potassium channel in the mitochondria of the heart and other organs that is known to protect against tissue damage due to a heart attack or stroke.

18 Jul 2012

Scientists uncover new strategy that may help reverse mucus dehydration in CF, COPD

University of North Carolina scientists have uncovered a new strategy that may one day help people with cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder better clear the thick and sticky mucus that clogs their lungs and leads to life-threatening infections.

16 Jul 2012

Researchers settle controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles kill bacteria

Rice University researchers have settled a long-standing controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles, the most widely used nanomaterial in the world, kill bacteria.

12 Jul 2012

Neonate blood-brain barrier more intact than adults following stroke

The ability for substances to pass through the blood-brain barrier is increased after adult stroke, but not after neonatal stroke, according to a new study the UCSF that will be published July 11 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

11 Jul 2012

Conference highlights utility of zebrafish for human disorder studies

Zebrafish, popular as aquarium fish, now have an important place in research labs as a model organism for studying human diseases.

8 Jul 2012

RUB biologists deliberately transform spinal cord stem cells into immature nerve cells

RUB biologists have deliberately transformed stem cells from the spinal cord of mice into immature nerve cells. This was achieved by changing the cellular environment, known as the extracellular matrix, using the substance sodium chlorate.

29 Jun 2012

Study investigates how glucose metabolism affects biochemical signals in cancer cells

Compared to normal cells, cancer cells have a prodigious appetite for glucose, the result of a shift in cell metabolism known as aerobic glycolysis or the "Warburg effect." Researchers focusing on this effect as a possible target for cancer therapies have examined how biochemical signals present in cancer cells regulate the altered metabolic state.

27 Jun 2012

Birmingham hip resurfacing offers lowest mortality risk

Men with osteoarthritis who undergo Birmingham hip resurfacing have a lower risk for mortality than patients undergoing cemented or uncemented total hip arthroplasty, UK researchers reveal.

25 Jun 2012

The stakes of the decision

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that though most Americans continue to oppose the health law, they support many of its provisions. Meanwhile, news outlets continue to report on what the impact would be -- both in terms of people and the markets -- if the law is overturned and these provisions are rolled back.

25 Jun 2012

Scientists recommend new type of therapeutic approach to dementia

Scientists at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have succeeded in recommending a new type of therapeutic approach to dementia. The study published in the journal Neurology shows that immune reactions against the body's own nerve cells can be the cause of advanced dementia and an appropriate immune suppressive therapy can develop with significant effectiveness.

23 Jun 2012

Researchers uncover why ointment and photodynamic therapy cause pain in skin cancer patients

Apply the ointment, light on, light off - that's how easy it is to cure various forms of non-melanoma skin cancer. However, the majority of patients suffer severe pain during the so-termed photodynamic therapy.

23 Jun 2012

Positive results from Zalicus Z944 Phase 1 SAD clinical study for chronic inflammatory pain

Zalicus Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops novel treatments for patients suffering from pain and immuno-inflammatory diseases, announced that it is has successfully completed a Phase 1 single ascending dose (SAD) clinical study with Z944, its novel, oral, T-type calcium channel blocker.

19 Jun 2012

SickKids, Life Technologies partner to advance pediatric genomic research on Ion Proton Sequencer

Life Technologies Corporation today announced it has partnered with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) to advance pediatric genomic research on the Ion Proton Sequencer.

19 Jun 2012

Ion News and Research

ATP1A3 gene mutations responsible for alternating hemiplegia of childhood

New drug shows promise for Long QT syndrome

Study extends scientific understanding of how pheromones activate the vomeronasal organ

Researchers discover gene mutations in patients with alternating hemiplegia of childhood

AAQ chemical temporarily restores vision in blind mice

Neural precursor cells suppress aggressive tumors

Scientists create synthetic pores that mimic activity of cellular ion channels

Heart-protective protein finally found

Scientists uncover new strategy that may help reverse mucus dehydration in CF, COPD

Researchers settle controversy over the mechanism by which silver nanoparticles kill bacteria

Neonate blood-brain barrier more intact than adults following stroke

Conference highlights utility of zebrafish for human disorder studies

RUB biologists deliberately transform spinal cord stem cells into immature nerve cells

Study investigates how glucose metabolism affects biochemical signals in cancer cells

Birmingham hip resurfacing offers lowest mortality risk

The stakes of the decision

Scientists recommend new type of therapeutic approach to dementia

Researchers uncover why ointment and photodynamic therapy cause pain in skin cancer patients

Positive results from Zalicus Z944 Phase 1 SAD clinical study for chronic inflammatory pain

SickKids, Life Technologies partner to advance pediatric genomic research on Ion Proton Sequencer

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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