OCT News and Research

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Body's 'internal marijuana': A new target for treatment of schizophrenia, Parkinson's?

“Endocannabinoids” is an impressive word that sounds like the name for a group of tribal warriors or an ancient people. Actually, it is the scientific term for beneficial molecules produced in the brain that act as “a sort of internal marijuana in our system

4 Nov 2004

Gene regulated by need to process proteins linked to enlargement of protein processing factory

Part of a cellular mechanism that regulates the folding of new proteins into their proper shapes also includes a genetic response that enlarges the factory where both protein folding and packaging of proteins occurs.

2 Nov 2004

Hormone therapy findings suggest a complex relationship between marketing, scientific evidence and prescribing patterns

Pharmaceutical companies slashed their promotional spending for hormone therapies by more than a third following reports in July 2002 of health risks associated with the drugs, but within the year they beefed up their marketing efforts to promote lower-dose forms of the medications

1 Nov 2004

Cellular enzyme represents a potential new target for developing improved HIV drugs

Scientists have discovered that a cellular enzyme helps ferry HIV genetic instructions out of the cell nucleus where they can then be translated into proteins to begin their most destructive work.

1 Nov 2004

Pegasys with ribavirin combo may best for reducing hepatitis C viral levels

Interim study results indicate a certain drug combination treatment may suppress the hepatitis C virus more quickly than another.

1 Nov 2004

Chronic diseases linked to obesity could put the brakes on economic progress in many developing countries

Chronic diseases linked to obesity could put the brakes on economic progress in many developing countries unless urgent action is taken, experts warned at the opening of the first major international conference on obesity in Africa yesterday (Oct 28).

29 Oct 2004

Nonprescription medications to treat upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year

Using nonprescription, or over-the-counter (OTC), medications to treat common upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University.

26 Oct 2004

Transplanted human retinal stem cells can successfully regenerate

"We transplanted the cells early in the animals' development when all the nutrients and signals they needed for differentiation were still there," says lead author Brenda Coles, a U of T laboratory technician working under the supervision of Professor Derek van der Kooy in the Department of Medical Genetics and Microbiology. "When their eyes fully developed, the human cells survived, migrated into the sensory part of the eye and formed the correct cells."

25 Oct 2004

National Cancer Institute symposium exploring the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer

The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, which includes The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center and the Ireland Cancer Center at University Hospitals of Cleveland, will sponsor a National Cancer Institute symposium exploring the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer.

25 Oct 2004

Findings could lead to improvements in the next generation of implantable cardioverter defibrillators

For people who suffer from a rapid heartbeat condition called tachycardia, an implanted device can usually nudge the racing blood pump back into a normal rhythm by applying electrical pulses to the heart.

25 Oct 2004

High levels of a protein called LRP6 can make cancer cells more aggressive

The protein's ability to enhance tumor development suggests that the gene that codes for LRP6 is an oncogene--a gene that contributes to tumor development when overactivated.

25 Oct 2004

New understanding of how poxviruses jump from species to species

A Canadian study conducted at Robarts Research Institute sheds new light on how poxviruses can jump from species to species -- and will lead to further exploration of another potential candidate in the emerging field of “oncolytic viruses” to fight cancer.

25 Oct 2004

Infection plays a larger role than lack of oxygen in premature infants with brain injury

Johns Hopkins researchers have dispelled the widespread belief among obstetricians that, in premature infants, brain injury results from a lack of oxygen, also called hypoxia, when, in fact, infection plays a larger role.

24 Oct 2004

Human primitive spinal cord cells may delay symptoms and paralysis associated with Lou Gehrig's disease

Human primitive spinal cord cells delayed symptoms and paralysis by a week when implanted in the spinal cord of rats destined to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, researchers from Johns Hopkins report.

24 Oct 2004

Key discovery toward understanding mechanism associated with uncontrollable muscular movements

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Lou Gehrig's and Huntington's exhibit loss of nerve function in different ways, from memory lapses to uncontrollable muscular movements, but it is now believed that these diseases share many common molecular mechanisms.

22 Oct 2004

New Center for Space Medicine

The Cleveland Clinic is launching a Center for Space Medicine that will coordinate its efforts to research medical problems experienced by humans during long-term space flight. The center will work closely with engineers and scientists at Cleveland’s NASA Glenn Research Center.

22 Oct 2004

Researchers trim count of human genes to 20,000-25,000

Scientific description of the finished human genome sequence, reducing the estimated number of human protein-coding genes from 35,000 to only 20,000-25,000, a surprisingly low number for our species.

21 Oct 2004

Gene variations explain why people with type 2 diabetes are at much greater risk for coronary artery disease

New studies by an international team of scientists led by Joslin Diabetes Center have found variations in a gene that help explain why people with type 2 diabetes are at much greater risk for coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death for this group.

21 Oct 2004

Recommendations made for new research to settle questions on in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Twenty-five years after the birth of the first baby conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF), there remain many unanswered questions about the health and well-being of babies born following IVF.

20 Oct 2004

Possible link between elevated calcium levels in older neurons and aging-related disorders of the brain

Brain cells become increasingly unable to regulate calcium loads as they age, becoming more vulnerable to injury and premature death, according to new findings that Virginia Commonwealth University researchers will present at an international conference this month.

20 Oct 2004

OCT News and Research

Body's 'internal marijuana': A new target for treatment of schizophrenia, Parkinson's?

Gene regulated by need to process proteins linked to enlargement of protein processing factory

Hormone therapy findings suggest a complex relationship between marketing, scientific evidence and prescribing patterns

Cellular enzyme represents a potential new target for developing improved HIV drugs

Pegasys with ribavirin combo may best for reducing hepatitis C viral levels

Chronic diseases linked to obesity could put the brakes on economic progress in many developing countries

Nonprescription medications to treat upper respiratory infections could save $4.75 billion a year

Transplanted human retinal stem cells can successfully regenerate

National Cancer Institute symposium exploring the application of nanotechnology in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer

Findings could lead to improvements in the next generation of implantable cardioverter defibrillators

High levels of a protein called LRP6 can make cancer cells more aggressive

New understanding of how poxviruses jump from species to species

Infection plays a larger role than lack of oxygen in premature infants with brain injury

Human primitive spinal cord cells may delay symptoms and paralysis associated with Lou Gehrig's disease

Key discovery toward understanding mechanism associated with uncontrollable muscular movements

New Center for Space Medicine

Researchers trim count of human genes to 20,000-25,000

Gene variations explain why people with type 2 diabetes are at much greater risk for coronary artery disease

Recommendations made for new research to settle questions on in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Possible link between elevated calcium levels in older neurons and aging-related disorders of the brain

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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