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Scientists solve first 3-D structure of DNAzyme

DNA does not always adopt the form of the double helix which is associated with the genetic code; it can also form intricate folds and act as an enzyme: a deoxyribozyme. A researcher from Spain and other scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (Germany) have solved the first three-dimensional structure of this biomolecule that has proved much more flexible than previously thought.

3 Mar 2016

Study identifies gene linked to rare, complex diseases

IRB Barcelona identifies GEMC1 as a master gene for the generation of multiciliated cells—cells with fine filaments that move fluids and substances—which are found exclusively in the brain, respiratory tract, and reproductive system.Defects in multiciliated cells lead to ciliopathies—rare and complex diseases that are poorly understood and for which not all causative genes have been identified.

3 Mar 2016

Rice university researchers uncover elusive lung cancer cells

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have uncovered a trick used by lung cancer cells to hide from the body's immune system.

3 Mar 2016

U-M researchers develop novel mouse model of children's brain cancer

Children with brain cancer may soon get some help from mice with the same disease, thanks to new research from University of Michigan Medical School scientists and their colleagues.

3 Mar 2016

New study shows that individuals with higher protein intake feel more full after meals

Many people turn to high-protein foods when trying to lose weight because eating protein-rich meals is commonly believed to make dieters feel fuller. Surprisingly, this idea hadn't been tested on a large scale.

3 Mar 2016

High-fat diet may make intestinal stem cells to become cancerous

Over the past decade, studies have found that obesity and eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet are significant risk factors for many types of cancer. Now, a new study from Whitehead Institute and MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research reveals how a high-fat diet makes the cells of the intestinal lining more likely to become cancerous.

3 Mar 2016

Researchers find key brain receptor linked to depression, drug addiction and Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that a key receptor in the brain, once thought to only strengthen synapses, can also weaken them, offering new insights into the mechanisms driving depression, drug addiction and even Alzheimer's disease.

3 Mar 2016

Prebiotic may help curb obesity in moms and babies

Obesity is a global epidemic and the evidence is clear: if a mother is obese or gains too much weight during pregnancy chances are the child will be at higher risk of being obese throughout its life.

2 Mar 2016

Researchers find Achilles' heel of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa have found the Achilles' heel of one of the most aggressive forms of leukemia that affects both children and adults. They have also identified a possible new treatment that exploits this fatal weakness.

2 Mar 2016

Researchers aim to develop gentler treatment that 'tricks' cancer cells

The most common treatments for cancer are radiation and chemotherapy. However they have side effects and also damage healthy tissues. Moreover, their effectiveness is limited when the cancer has spread through out the body. Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute are therefore working to develop a gentler treatment that 'tricks' the cancer cells, which would absorb a cytotoxin and therefore be destroyed, while healthy cells would remain unaffected. The results are published in the scientific journal, Scientific Reports.

2 Mar 2016

Commonly-used agricultural fertilisers may pose threat to human reproductive health

Eating meat from animals grazed on land treated with commonly-used agricultural fertilisers might have serious implications for pregnant women and the future reproductive health of their unborn children, according to a new study involving sheep.

2 Mar 2016

Inhibitors that activate brown fat may help treat diabetes, metabolic disorders

In recent decades, obesity has become a global problem. The disease goes hand in hand with a dramatic increase in the proportion of body fat. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research and the Cologne Cluster of Excellence in Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases at the University of Cologne have now succeeded in inhibiting a protein in mice that hampers activation of the useful "brown fat" in obese mice. When treated with inhibitors against this protein, obese mice exhibited a notable improvement of their glucose metabolism.

2 Mar 2016

New BD Vacutainer Barricor Plasma Blood Collection tube earns CE mark approval

BD, a leading global medical technology company, announced today that it obtained the CE mark in Europe for a next-generation blood separation technology that is designed to enhance sample quality, improve laboratory efficiency and reduce laboratory turnaround time.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 2 Mar 2016

TSRI researchers find way to predict therapeutic potential of stem cells against different diseases

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have for the first time developed a way to predict how a specific type of stem cell will act against different diseases.

2 Mar 2016

Study provides insights into cellular mechanisms that may contribute to new osteoarthritis treatments

Researchers show that the protein CCN4 positively regulates the generation of cartilage matrix, which are depleted in osteoarthritis.

2 Mar 2016

Study finds benefits of drinking plain water

For people who want to control their weight or reduce their intakes of sugar, sodium and saturated fat, tap water may be what the doctor ordered.

2 Mar 2016

El Niño may transport waterborne diseases across new shores

New research just published has highlighted how El Niño could be transporting and spreading waterborne diseases like cholera thousands of miles, across oceans, with significant impacts for public health.

2 Mar 2016

Research shows nighttime lights may affect sleeping habits

If your neighborhood is well-lit at night, you may not be sleeping well, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

2 Mar 2016

Cognitive impairment after traumatic brain injury linked to brain connectivity disruptions

Cognitive impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common, often adversely affecting quality of life for those 1.7 million Americans who experience a TBI each year. Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas have identified complex brain connectivity patterns in individuals with chronic phases of traumatic brain injury which may explain long term higher order cognitive function deficits.

2 Mar 2016

Polyunsaturated lipids can alter binding rate of two receptors involved in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

A study published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports from the Nature group demonstrates, for the first time and using computational tools, that polyunsaturated lipids can alter the binding rate of two types of receivers involved in certain nervous system diseases.

2 Mar 2016