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Researchers identify TACI; MyD88 activates immune system against infection

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found a new mechanism that explains how certain immune cells are activated to create protective antibodies against infections or pathological antibodies such as those present in autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The research is published online in the September issue of Nature Immunology.

4 Aug 2010

Study shows link between fructose and pancreatic cancer proliferation

Pancreatic cancers use the sugar fructose, very common in the Western diet, to activate a key cellular pathway that drives cell division, helping the cancer to grow more quickly, a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.

4 Aug 2010

Study shows oral contraceptive use increases risk of breast cancer in African American women

Investigators from the Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University School of Medicine have reported that African American women who use oral contraceptives have a greater likelihood of developing breast cancer than nonusers. The study results, recently published on-line in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, were based on data from the Black Women's Health Study, a large follow-up study of 59,000 African American women from across the U.S. conducted by investigators at the Slone Epidemiology Center since 1995.

4 Aug 2010

Periodontal disease may increase risk of cognitive dysfunction: Researchers

NYU dental researchers have found the first long-term evidence that periodontal (gum) disease may increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction associated with Alzheimer's disease in healthy individuals as well as in those who already are cognitively impaired.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists discover single-chain protein to destroy GBM cancer cells

A major breakthrough in how to target and destroy the most malignant and aggressive brain cancer cells has been made by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.Scientists have identified a way to target and destroy Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells without harming healthy cells.

4 Aug 2010

Sensory dysfunction affects quality of life of patients with Autism

The way the brain reacts differently to the sense of touch in people with Autism will be examined as part of an innovative Cardiff University study designed to create better understanding of the condition. Dr David McGonigle from Cardiff University's Schools of Psychology and Biosciences will use the latest brain imaging techniques to create a clearer picture of how touch is processed differently.

4 Aug 2010

Research findings show normal rise and fall in triglycerides

When the circadian rhythm gets thrown off, it could come with an unexpected side effect: high triglycerides. The discovery, based on studies in mice with a "broken clock," helps to explain the normal rise and fall in triglycerides, which happens at about the same time each day, according to researchers who report their findings in the August issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication.

4 Aug 2010

Cancer cells utilize fructose as an alternative to glucose for fueling growth: Study

A study published in the August issue of Cancer Research has resulted in several premature and potentially misleading conclusions when it comes to fructose and its effect on pancreatic tumor cells. Unfortunately, the media covering this story, and even the authors, have been too quick to extrapolate the results of laboratory research on pure fructose to real-world conditions, which is not appropriate or helpful to consumers.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists identify IRP proteins to ensure iron balance for cell survival

Most organisms need iron to survive, but too much iron is toxic, and can cause fatal organ failure. The same is true inside cells, where iron balance must also be maintained. In a study published today in Cell Metabolism, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have discovered that a group of proteins named IRPs ensure that this iron balance is kept and as such are essential for cell survival. More specifically, they found that IRPs are required for the functioning of mitochondria, the cell's energy factories.

4 Aug 2010

Simulations Plus releases MedChem Studio software for drug discovery

Simulations Plus, Inc., a leading provider of simulation and modeling software for pharmaceutical discovery and development, has announced the launch of its MedChem Studio™ software for drug discovery.

4 Aug 2010

Bisphenol A may decrease sperm quality, concentration: Research

In one of the first human studies of its kind, researchers have found that urinary concentrations of the controversial chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, may be related to decreased sperm quality and sperm concentration.However, the researchers are quick to point out that these results are preliminary and more study is needed. Several studies have documented adverse effects of BPA on semen in rodents, but none are known to have reported similar relationships in humans.

4 Aug 2010

Study on long-term marital success of parents with autistic children

The parents of grown children with autism are more likely to divorce than couples with typically developing children, according to new data from a large longitudinal study of families of adolescents and adults with autism.

4 Aug 2010

Long-term dietary consumption of capsaicin can reduce blood pressure: Research

For those with high blood pressure, chili peppers might be just what the doctor ordered, according to a study reported in the August issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. While the active ingredient that gives the peppers their heat-a compound known as capsaicin-might set your mouth on fire, it also leads blood vessels to relax, the research in hypertensive rats shows.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists study specific cell interactions for reasearch on human developmental disorders

Two University of Iowa biologists have published a paper on how cells make specific interactions during development -- in the hope of one day learning more about human developmental disorders -- in the Aug. 2 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

4 Aug 2010

Long term decline in hemoglobin may announce onset of colorectal cancer

Anemia, a common blood disorder characterized by low hemoglobin levels, has long been associated with those suffering from colorectal cancer. But researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that, more than a symptom of active disease, low hemoglobin levels can actually indicate a potential for colon cancer years before it's diagnosed.

4 Aug 2010

EITC programs directly linked to higher birth weights: Study

Relieving poverty during pregnancy can reduce the incidence of low- birth-weight babies and may help break the succession of childhood poor health, a study published in the August 2010 issue of the American Sociological Review has found.

3 Aug 2010

Effects of natural compound against prostate cancer published in Integrative Cancer Therapies

Researchers at Columbia University have published the dramatic effects of a natural 33-ingredient compound against prostate cancer cell lines. The impressive results are found in the most recent publication of Integrative Cancer Therapies.

3 Aug 2010

Insulin resistance from obesity leads to lower cognitive performance in children: Research

A study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have found that obese adolescents with type 2 diabetes have diminished cognitive performance and subtle abnormalities in the brain as detected by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Identification of cognitive impairments as a complication of type 2 diabetes emphasizes the importance of addressing issues of inactivity and obesity, two important risk factors for the development of the disease among the young.

3 Aug 2010

Obesity-related Quality-Adjusted Life Years lost by U.S. adults doubles from 1993 to 2008

Although the prevalence of obesity and obesity-attributable deaths has steadily increased, the resultant burden of disease associated with obesity has not been well understood. A new study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine indicates that Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) lost to U.S. adults due to morbidity and mortality from obesity have more than doubled from 1993-2008 and the prevalence of obesity has increased 89.9% during the same period.

3 Aug 2010

U.S. clinical trials provide further evidence of importance of storing umbilical cord blood

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells, a biological insurance policy, to families nationwide and internationally, today said that clinical trials ongoing in the U.S. using umbilical cord blood in the treatment of cerebral palsy, high-risk hematologic cancer, injured spinal cords and Type 1 diabetes provide significant further evidence of the importance of storing umbilical cord blood at the time of birth.

3 Aug 2010