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Shire announces expansion of Human Genetic Therapies pipeline

Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced the expansion of its Human Genetic Therapies pipeline through the exclusive license, in markets outside of North America, for the activin receptor type IIB class of molecules being developed by Acceleron Pharma Inc., a private biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

10 Sep 2010

Mayo Clinic opens newly expanded neurophysiology laboratory at Florida campus

Mayo Clinic unveiled a newly expanded, state-of-the-art neurophysiology laboratory on its Florida campus to provide additional services and care for more patients, many of whom are referred by community physicians for specialized diagnostic testing.

10 Sep 2010

Researchers to develop two-way fiber optic communication between prosthetic limbs and peripheral nerves

Lightning fast connections between robotic limbs and the human brain may be within reach for injured soldiers and other amputees with the establishment of a multimillion-dollar research center led by SMU engineers.

10 Sep 2010

Acceleron Pharma and Shire announce joint development of ACE-031 for DMD

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including muscle, bone, fat, red blood cells and the vasculature, and Shire plc, the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced a joint development and commercialization agreement for ACE-031 and other novel molecules targeting the activin receptor type IIB (ActRIIB) pathway. This pathway plays critical roles in regulating the growth of skeletal muscle.

9 Sep 2010

Johns Hopkins Children's Center urges new screening program to improve sickle cell trait

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center top pediatrician is urging a "rethink" of a new sickle cell screening program, calling it an enlightened but somewhat rushed step toward improving the health of young people who carry the sickle cell mutation.

9 Sep 2010

SMA researchers receive grant for Spinal Muscular Atrophy research

Brian Kaspar, PhD, principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, along with a team of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) researchers and clinicians, recently received a $250,000 grant for SMA research and clinic development from Sophia's Cure Foundation via the Pepsi Refresh Project.

9 Sep 2010

Cachexia reduces function and changes muscle structure of heart in mice with colon cancer

The wasting disease associated with some cancers that is typically seen affecting skeletal muscles can also cause significant damage to the heart, new research in mice suggests.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers demonstrate how insulin prepares cells for glucose uptake

Using high-resolution microscopy, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have shown how insulin prompts fat cells to take in glucose in a rat model. The findings were reported in the Sept. 8 issue of the journal Cell Metabolism.

9 Sep 2010

Lack of data on best way to treat nausea and vomiting in children undergoing chemotherapy

Although nausea and vomiting are common in children undergoing chemotherapy, few quality studies identify absolutely the best way to prevent and treat this problem in kids, said Robert Phillips, M.D., lead author of a new Cochrane review. Phillips, a pediatric oncologist at St. James's Hospital in Leeds, England, said the main finding is the paucity of data that he and his colleagues uncovered.

8 Sep 2010

Decreasing pituitary's sensitivity to insulin could be new target for infertility treatment

Obese women have a well-known risk for infertility, but a new Johns Hopkins Children's Center study has unraveled what investigators there believe is the mechanism that accounts for the risk.

8 Sep 2010

Static stretching leads to decreased running performance

Distance runners who stretch before running may not be able to run as far—and yet spend more energy doing it, according to a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, official research journal of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

8 Sep 2010

Physical qualities can influence stem cell differentiation mechanism: Research

A researcher at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, together with Israeli and foreign collaborators, has revealed how physical qualities and not only chemical ones may have an influence in determining how adult stem cells from the bone marrow develop into differentiated ones. This represents an important step in understanding the mechanisms that direct and regulate the specialization of stem cells from their undefined state.

7 Sep 2010

Research on iPS cells can imply potential cell therapy for X-linked disorders

Female induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, reprogrammed from human skin cells into cells that have the embryonic-like potential to become any cell in the body, retain an inactive X chromosome, stem cell researchers at UCLA have found.

4 Sep 2010

Study finds acupuncture can control side effects of cancer treatment

Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can help control a number of symptoms and side effects such as pain, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting associated with a variety of cancers and their treatments.

3 Sep 2010

International study to improve treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

A large international study aimed at improving the care of muscular dystrophy patients worldwide is being launched by physicians, physical therapists, and researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

3 Sep 2010

Arthroscopic surgery for torn shoulder muscles in elderly patients can reduce pain

Repairing torn shoulder muscles in elderly patients is often discouraged because of fears of complications. But a new study conducted at Rush University Medical Center has shown that minimally invasive, or arthroscopic, surgery can significantly improve pain and function.

3 Sep 2010

Research on motor neuron subtype may provide useful therapy for neuron diseases

Scientists have devised a method for coaxing mouse embryonic stem cells into forming a highly specific motor neuron subtype. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 3rd issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, provides new insight into motor neuron differentiation and may prove useful for devising and testing future therapies for motor neuron diseases.

3 Sep 2010

Cerebral palsy risk rises in post term babies: Study

Babies born past their due dates – at 42 weeks or later, are at increased risk for cerebral palsy compared to those born at 40 weeks, according to new research. That said, the actual risk of cerebral palsy remains low. According to the CDC one in 303 children have some type of cerebral palsy. Common symptoms may include movement problems, muscle stiffness, poor muscle tone, and spasticity. The symptoms are thought to result from injury to the brain as a fetus or early in infancy.

2 Sep 2010

Biologists find daily exercise as a heritable trait

Biologists at the University of California, Riverside have found that voluntary activity, such as daily exercise, is a highly heritable trait that can be passed down genetically to successive generations.

2 Sep 2010

Illinois profs receive grant to work with kidney dialysis patients

University of Illinois scientists will learn whether protein supplements and cycling during treatments can help dialysis patients fight cardiovascular disease and retain physical function, thanks to a $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

2 Sep 2010