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Six1 gene may have more substantial role in human kidney development

The best laid plans of mice and men are a bit different -- at least when it comes to kidney development. Compared to a mouse, a human has nearly 100 times more nephrons, the functional units of the kidneys. Humans may owe these abundant nephrons to a gene called SIX1, according to a new paper published in the journal Development.

21 Mar 2016

Study points to potential way to make people behave in less selfish, more altruistic ways

It's an age-old quandary: Are we born "noble savages" whose best intentions are corrupted by civilization, as the 18th century Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau contended? Or are we fundamentally selfish brutes who need civilization to rein in our base impulses, as the 17th century English philosopher Thomas Hobbes argued? After exploring the areas of the brain that fuel our empathetic impulses -- and temporarily disabling other regions that oppose those impulses -- two UCLA neuroscientists are coming down on the optimistic side of human nature.

21 Mar 2016

PERK inhibition can be a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases

A major challenge in the field of neurodegeneration is the unclear understanding of neuronal dysfunction. Elucidation of these patho-mechanisms could result in the identification of novel therapeutic targets. In this article, Bell et al. present an exhaustive literature review highlighting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase PERK as a crucial contributor to systemic and neurodegenerative disorders.

20 Mar 2016

New type of nerve cells appears to control feeding behaviors in mice

While researching the brain's learning and memory system, scientists at Johns Hopkins say they stumbled upon a new type of nerve cell that seems to control feeding behaviors in mice. The finding, they report, adds significant detail to the way brains tell animals when to stop eating and, if confirmed in humans, could lead to new tools for fighting obesity. Details of the study will be published by the journal Science on March 18.

20 Mar 2016

Innovative treatment may help prevent brain swelling, death in stroke patients

New research has provided more evidence that an innovative treatment strategy may help prevent brain swelling and death in stroke patients. J. Marc Simard, professor of neurosurgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, along with colleagues at Yale University and Massachusetts General Hospital, found that Cirara, an investigational drug, powerfully reduced brain swelling and death in patients who had suffered a type of large stroke called malignant infarction, which normally carries a high mortality rate.

19 Mar 2016

UCMR researchers discover compounds that can attenuate virulence of Listeria monocytogenes

Scientists at Umea Centre for Microbial Research have discovered chemical compounds which are able to attenuate the virulence of the bacterial human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Their findings are published today in the high impact journal Cell Chemical Biology.

19 Mar 2016

Novel plasmid-based microRNA inhibitor system effectively prevents microRNA activity in cells

Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Brad Amendt, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA, will present a study titled "New Biotechnology to Inhibit MicroRNA Activity and Novel Applications for Craniofacial and Dental Research."

19 Mar 2016

Rare ADCY9 mutations linked to non-syndromic oral clefts in Puerto Ricans

Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Carmen Buxó-Martínez, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, will present a study titled "Identification of Rare ADCY9 Mutations and Non-syndromic Oral Clefts in Puerto Ricans." The AADR Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

19 Mar 2016

Patients with schizophrenia demonstrate specific leftward asymmetry for globus pallidus volume

A Japanese research group found that patients with schizophrenia demonstrated a specific leftward volumetric asymmetry for the globus pallidus, one of the basal ganglia of the brain. The basal ganglia are involved in motivation and volition, the impairment of which may result in difficulties in social life. This finding is expected to help elucidate the underlying pathological mechanisms of schizophrenia. Moreover, it will be a step toward the development of therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia.

19 Mar 2016

Manipulation of NAD could lead to potential therapy for acute kidney injury

Approximately one out of five hospitalized adults and one out of three hospitalized children worldwide experience acute kidney injury, the sudden loss of kidney function. Many different factors, including surgery, chemotherapy or shock, can lead to acute kidney injury, but exactly why the kidneys are so vulnerable to these and other stressors has not been well understood.

19 Mar 2016

Study links severe early childhood caries to microbiome among Canadian First Nations children

Today at the 45th Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, researcher Robert Schroth, University of Manitoba, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, will present a study titled "Microbiome Associated With Severe Caries in Canadian First Nations Children." The AADR Annual Meeting is being held in conjunction with the 40th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research.

19 Mar 2016

Neutralizing acidic tumor environment increases efficacy of immune-targeting cancer therapies

Cancer cells have the ability to grow in an acidic tumor environment that is detrimental to other cells, including immune cells. In a Cancer Research cover article published this week, Moffitt Cancer Center reported that neutralizing the acidic tumor environment increases the efficacy of several immune-targeting cancer therapies.

19 Mar 2016

Newly developed computer models can simulate stem cell transplant recovery

Scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University have developed computer models that can simulate the recovery of the immune system in patients undergoing stem cell transplants.

18 Mar 2016

Stem cell therapy restores normal bone structure in mice with age-related osteoporosis

Imagine telling a patient suffering from age-related (type-II) osteoporosis that a single injection of stem cells could restore their normal bone structure. This week, with a publication in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, a group of researchers from the University of Toronto and The Ottawa Hospital suggest that this scenario may not be too far away.

18 Mar 2016

Brain's immune cells play direct role in development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Cedars-Sinai research scientists have found that immune cells in the brain play a direct role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, offering hope for new therapies to target the neurodegenerative disease that gradually leads to paralysis and death.

18 Mar 2016

UT Southwestern researchers identify new role for protein linked to neurological disorders and cancers

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a second role for a class of RNA-binding proteins, revealing new insights about neurological diseases and conditions associated with this protein such as autism, epilepsy, and certain types of cancer.

18 Mar 2016

UC San Diego researchers use CRISPR-Cas9 system to target RNA in living cells for first time ever

The genetic code stored in DNA determines everything from the color of our eyes to our susceptibility to disease. This has motivated scientists to sequence the human genome and develop ways to alter the genetic code, but many diseases are linked to a different fundamental molecule: RNA.

18 Mar 2016

New scaffold technology could someday help treat Parkinson's disease, other brain-related conditions

Scientists at Rutgers and Stanford universities have created a new technology that could someday help treat Parkinson's disease and other devastating brain-related conditions that affect millions of people.

18 Mar 2016

Genomic profiling could help provide targeted therapies for difficult to treat cancer tumors

Research from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey examining difficult to treat cancer tumors through genomic profiling shows that tumors with alterations in a signaling pathway responsible for cell regulation may respond to targeted therapy regardless of where the tumor originated in the body.

18 Mar 2016

Sodium MRI could provide more detailed picture of tissue health and disease

MRI experts at The University of Nottingham win £1m grant to adapt scanning techniques to pick up sodium in the body. The research could lead to much more detailed MRI scans in the future with significant improvements to the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases.

18 Mar 2016

Medical Science News

Six1 gene may have more substantial role in human kidney development

Study points to potential way to make people behave in less selfish, more altruistic ways

PERK inhibition can be a promising therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases

New type of nerve cells appears to control feeding behaviors in mice

Innovative treatment may help prevent brain swelling, death in stroke patients

UCMR researchers discover compounds that can attenuate virulence of Listeria monocytogenes

Novel plasmid-based microRNA inhibitor system effectively prevents microRNA activity in cells

Rare ADCY9 mutations linked to non-syndromic oral clefts in Puerto Ricans

Patients with schizophrenia demonstrate specific leftward asymmetry for globus pallidus volume

Manipulation of NAD could lead to potential therapy for acute kidney injury

Study links severe early childhood caries to microbiome among Canadian First Nations children

Neutralizing acidic tumor environment increases efficacy of immune-targeting cancer therapies

Newly developed computer models can simulate stem cell transplant recovery

Stem cell therapy restores normal bone structure in mice with age-related osteoporosis

Brain's immune cells play direct role in development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

UT Southwestern researchers identify new role for protein linked to neurological disorders and cancers

UC San Diego researchers use CRISPR-Cas9 system to target RNA in living cells for first time ever

New scaffold technology could someday help treat Parkinson's disease, other brain-related conditions

Genomic profiling could help provide targeted therapies for difficult to treat cancer tumors

Sodium MRI could provide more detailed picture of tissue health and disease

Flow chemistry, AI, and NMR: A next-gen approach to scalable API production

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

Bioprocess Efficiency with Cell Density Monitoring

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