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Scientists discover new serine protease: NSP4

Neutrophil granulocytes comprise important defences for the immune system. When pathogenic bacteria penetrate the body, they are the first on the scene to mobilise other immune cells via signal molecules, thereby containing the risk. To this end, they release serine proteases - enzymes that cut up other proteins to activate signal molecules. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried have now discovered a new serine protease: neutrophil serine protease 4, or NSP4.

3 Apr 2012

CovalentMedical makes Focus MaculaPro available to general public

Focus MaculaPro is a leading macular health vitamin in the United States and is sold in more retina specialists' offices than any other eye vitamin on the market. Focus MaculaPro up until now has only been available to patients through their retina specialist. Now, however, Covalent Medical has made Focus MaculaPro available to the general public.

3 Apr 2012

FDA clears Fenwal's TPE on the Amicus separator

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Fenwal to market a therapeutic plasma exchange protocol for the company's Amicus separator, Fenwal announced today.

3 Apr 2012

Some autistic children may “bloom” socially with early and the right therapy

According to the latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1 in 88 U.S. children have autism, a spectrum of disorders that ranges from severe communication and intellectual disability to much milder symptoms seen in children with Asperger's syndrome. Autism is marked by a group of symptoms, all arising from atypical brain development that causes problems with socialization, communication and behavior. Although the disorder can be mild or severe, in general children with autism have trouble communicating and making friends.

2 Apr 2012

Melanoma on the rise especially amongst the young

Women under 40 are hit hardest by the escalating incidence of melanoma, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, out today. Researchers examined records from a decades-long database of all patient care in Olmsted County, Minn., and looked for first-time diagnoses of melanoma in patients 18-39 from 1970 to 2009. Melanoma cases increased eightfold among women in that time and fourfold for men, the authors say. However, death rates from melanoma fell during the same period, suggesting that early interventions may be helping to save some lives, said the researchers.

2 Apr 2012

Blood test for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease

Soon researchers may be able to detect signs of Alzheimer's disease before symptoms appear by a simple blood test. Currently, biological tests to diagnose Alzheimer's use invasive and costly procedures including brain imaging and spinal punctures.

2 Apr 2012

Hypnotherapy effective for treating bowel disorder IBS

Hypnosis can be a highly effective treatment for the bowel disorder IBS. Studies involving a total of 346 patients conducted by researchers at The Sahlgrenska Academy of the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, showed that hypnotherapy alleviated symptoms in 40 per cent of those affected - and that the improvement is long-term.

2 Apr 2012

Regular walking regimen can benefit cancer survivors

Researchers have affirmed that pancreatic cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue. A study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons reports that patients who underwent an operation as part of their cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program.

2 Apr 2012

Study identifies specific chemical in smokeless tobacco products that induces oral cancer

The chemical (S)-N'-nitrosonornicotine, or (S)-NNN, which is present in smokeless tobacco products, is a strong oral carcinogen, according to results presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held here March 31 - April 4.

2 Apr 2012

Non-invasive brain stimulation cuts time to improve speech in stroke patients

One of the most frustrating challenges for some stroke patients can be the inability to find and speak words even if they know what they want to say. Speech therapy is laborious and can take months. New research is seeking to cut that time significantly, with the help of non-invasive brain stimulation.

2 Apr 2012

Successful aneurysm treatment may not improve quality of life

Patients with unruptured brain aneurysms have significant reductions in several areas of quality of life—especially physical functioning, reports a study in the April issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

2 Apr 2012

CYP1B1 protein may be a potential target for intervention in head and neck cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck-which typically arises from thin, flat cells that line moist surfaces inside the mouth, nose and throat-is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, and it has a relatively low five-year survival rate and a high recurrence rate.

2 Apr 2012

PolyTherics, Spirogen enter research collaboration to produce novel ADCs for treatment of cancer

PolyTherics Limited, a provider of solutions to enable the development of better biopharmaceuticals, and Spirogen Limited, a leading oncology-focused company developing DNA sequence-targeted agents, announce that they have formed a research collaboration to develop antibody drug conjugates that combine PolyTherics' proprietary site-specific conjugation chemistry with Spirogen's highly potent novel cytotoxic drugs to produce novel ADCs for the treatment of cancer.

2 Apr 2012

Special fatty molecules pave novel way to treat infections, autoimmune diseases, allergies and cancer

An international research team led by scientists from Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) under the Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) discovered that a special class of fatty molecules is essential for activating a unique group of early-responding immune cells.

2 Apr 2012

Safe method for destroying cancer cells using death cap mushroom poison

The mere thought of an identification error sends a chill down the spine of any mushroom lover: The death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides), which resembles the common white button mushroom, contains one of the most deadly poisons found in nature, α-amanitin.

2 Apr 2012

New technology prevents stone migration during procedures to retrieve urinary stones

Boston Scientific Corporation announces the launch of its BackStop Gel, a new technology designed to prevent stone migration during procedures used to break up and retrieve urinary stones.

2 Apr 2012

Eisai, University of Kansas grant water-soluble pro-drug technology patent to OneWorld Health

OneWorld Health (OWH), a nonprofit that develops lifesaving medicines for neglected diseases, announced that it has signed a nonexclusive patent agreement with Eisai Co., Ltd., for a water-soluble pro-drug technology patent. OWH will use the pro-drug technology to advance development of iOWH032, its new drug to treat acute secretory diarrhea.

2 Apr 2012

Sleep enhances emotionally positive memories

Sleep plays a powerful role in preserving our memories. But while recent research shows that wakefulness may cloud memories of negative or traumatic events, a new study has found that wakefulness also degrades positive memories. Sleep, it seems, protects positive memories just as it does negative ones, and that has important implications for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

2 Apr 2012

Targeting inflammatory pathways may lead to new therapies

Scientists at Fox Chase Cancer Center have uncovered more details about how defects in components of the machinery that makes new proteins can lead to blood and other cancers.

2 Apr 2012

TYRX enrolls 1000th patient in CITADEL/CENTURION AIGISRx Antibacterial Envelope studies

TYRX, Inc., the leader in the commercialization of implantable medical devices designed to help reduce surgical-site infections (SSIs) associated with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), announced today that the 1000th patient has been enrolled into the CITADEL & CENTURION clinical studies evaluating the company's AIGISRx Antibacterial Envelope.

2 Apr 2012