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Novel way of directly activating Bak protein can trigger cell death

Melbourne researchers have discovered a new way of triggering cell death, in a finding that could lead to drugs to treat cancer and autoimmune disease.

27 May 2016

Scientists debate role of AAV in causing hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer can be triggered by mutations in cancer driver genes resulting from the insertion of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors used to deliver therapeutic genes, although this tumor-inducing role of AAV remains highly controversial.

27 May 2016

Metabolic characteristics of CRPC may open new avenues for treatment

Advanced prostate cancer is usually treated by removing androgen, the male hormone that helps it grow. Although initially effective, this treatment often leads to the tumor becoming castration resistant- a lethal condition.

27 May 2016

Gene expression patterns of normal tissue may predict survival rates of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients

Breast tissue surrounding tumors could be used to gauge future survival outcomes for women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, a study led by University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers has found.

27 May 2016

Smell or taste of food can shorten lifespan by affecting sensory neurons

Animals can perceive changes in many environmental factors such as temperature and the taste or smell of foods. This is achieved by specialized nerve cells called sensory neurons. Interestingly, sensory neurons have been known to control the rate of aging in various animals, including the tiny free living roundworm C. elegans.

27 May 2016

Rockefeller scientists develop new technique that captures detailed snapshot of brain activity

When it comes to measuring brain activity, scientists have tools that can take a precise look at a small slice of the brain (less than one cubic millimeter), or a blurred look at a larger area.

27 May 2016

Novel method for designing geometric structures created from DNA

Among the valuable holdings in London's Wellcome Library is a rough pencil sketch made in 1953 by Francis Crick. The drawing is one of the first to show the double-helix structure of DNA--Nature's blueprint for the design of sea snails, human beings, and every other living form on earth.

27 May 2016

TSRI study shows how specific gene mutation promotes growth of aggressive tumors

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have caught a cancer-causing mutation in the act. A new study shows how a gene mutation found in several human cancers, including leukemia, gliomas and melanoma, promotes the growth of aggressive tumors.

27 May 2016

External stimulation guides brain circuit’s early development

A healthy brain has just the right ratio of cells that enhance signals (excitatory neurons) and cells that tone down signals (inhibitory neurons). These two sets of neurons start out looking exactly the same, so what determines their roles?

27 May 2016

Small drug-like molecule that alters perception of food may hold key to extending human healthspan

Researchers at the Buck Institute have shown a new effect on aging via a small drug-like molecule that alters the perception of food in the nematode C. elegans. Publishing in Aging Cell, researchers "tricked" the worm's metabolism into a state of caloric restriction, extending the animal's lifespan by 50 percent.

27 May 2016

Researcher explores whether DBS can help improve life of bipolar disorder patients

Jennifer Sweet, MD, a neurosurgeon at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, recently opened a clinical research study to learn if there is a structural target in the brain for patients suffering from bipolar disorder and whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) can bring them relief.

27 May 2016

Spexin harmone may play role in weight gain among teenagers

A Mayo Clinic-led study found that obese teenagers have lower levels of a hormone potentially tied to weight management than teens of normal weights. The study is published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

27 May 2016

Study reveals brain mechanism involved in switching between habitual behavior and decision-making

Not all habits are bad. Some are even necessary. It's a good thing, for example, that we can find our way home on "autopilot" or wash our hands without having to ponder every step. But inability to switch from acting habitually to acting in a deliberate way can underlie addiction and obsessive compulsive disorders.

27 May 2016

Early-life stress may lead to functional dyspepsia in adulthood

Traumatic events early in life can increase levels of norepinephrine—the primary hormone responsible for preparing the body to react to stressful situations—in the gut, increasing the risk of developing chronic indigestion and anxiety during adulthood, a new study in American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology reports.

27 May 2016

UT Southwestern study offers more insight into cholesterol transporter

Using X-ray crystallography, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have determined the 3-D atomic structure of a human sterol transporter that helps maintain cholesterol balance.

27 May 2016

Study shows birth defects in immune system function may contribute to malnutrition

Malnourished children are most likely to die from common infections, not starvation alone, and immune disorder may be part of the cause, according to a review led by Queen Mary University of London.

27 May 2016

Oxford researchers discover genes that make children more susceptible to bacteraemia

A team led by Oxford University has identified genes that make certain children more susceptible to invasive bacterial infections by performing a large genome-wide association study in African children.

27 May 2016

Fasting-mimicking diet may help decrease multiple sclerosis symptoms

Evidence is mounting that a diet mimicking the effects of fasting has health benefits beyond weight loss, with a new USC-led study indicating that it may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

27 May 2016

RBFOX2 dysregulation may cause heart damage in diabetic patients

Cardiac complications are the number one cause of death among diabetics. Now a team of scientists has uncovered a molecular mechanism involved in a common form of heart damage found in people with diabetes.

27 May 2016

Study reveals males and females exhibit different stress responses

How does stress - which, among other things, causes our bodies to divert resources from non-essential functions - affect the basic exchange of materials that underlies our everyday life? Weizmann Institute of Science researchers investigated this question by looking at a receptor in the brains of mice, and they came up with a surprising answer.

27 May 2016

Medical Science News

Novel way of directly activating Bak protein can trigger cell death

Scientists debate role of AAV in causing hepatocellular carcinoma

Metabolic characteristics of CRPC may open new avenues for treatment

Gene expression patterns of normal tissue may predict survival rates of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients

Smell or taste of food can shorten lifespan by affecting sensory neurons

Rockefeller scientists develop new technique that captures detailed snapshot of brain activity

Novel method for designing geometric structures created from DNA

TSRI study shows how specific gene mutation promotes growth of aggressive tumors

External stimulation guides brain circuit’s early development

Small drug-like molecule that alters perception of food may hold key to extending human healthspan

Researcher explores whether DBS can help improve life of bipolar disorder patients

Spexin harmone may play role in weight gain among teenagers

Study reveals brain mechanism involved in switching between habitual behavior and decision-making

Early-life stress may lead to functional dyspepsia in adulthood

UT Southwestern study offers more insight into cholesterol transporter

Study shows birth defects in immune system function may contribute to malnutrition

Oxford researchers discover genes that make children more susceptible to bacteraemia

Fasting-mimicking diet may help decrease multiple sclerosis symptoms

RBFOX2 dysregulation may cause heart damage in diabetic patients

Study reveals males and females exhibit different stress responses

Digital pathology and the PathoVerse: A conversation with Dr. Singh

Bioprocess Efficiency with Cell Density Monitoring

Exploring electron microscopy for plant and microbial imaging at the John Innes Centre

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