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Researchers examine how toxin triggers motor neuron death

In most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, a toxin released by cells that normally nurture neurons in the brain and spinal cord can trigger loss of the nerve cells affected in the disease, Columbia researchers reported today in the online edition of the journal Neuron.

7 Feb 2014

Research suggests that male mice may be vulnerable to effects of maternal inflammation than females

Johns Hopkins researchers report that fetal mice - especially males - show signs of brain damage that lasts into their adulthood when they are exposed in the womb to a maternal immune system kicked into high gear by a serious infection or other malady.

7 Feb 2014

Proprietary supplement improves cognitive processing speed of older adults

Declines in the underlying brain skills needed to think, remember and learn are normal in aging. In fact, this cognitive decline is a fact of life for most older Americans.

7 Feb 2014

Studies shed more light on genetic basis of bone marrow failure

The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, detected and identified a new disease gene (ERCC6L2). In its normal form, the gene plays a key role in protecting DNA from damaging agents, but when the gene is mutated the cell is not able to protect itself in the normal way.

7 Feb 2014

Researchers design microfluidic platform to see how cancer cells invade specific organs

Nearly 70 percent of patients with advanced breast cancer experience skeletal metastasis, in which cancer cells migrate from a primary tumor into bone - a painful development that can cause fractures and spinal compression.

7 Feb 2014

Researcher receives grant to find compounds that interrupt binding of cancer cells to blood vessels

In scary movies, the killer often comes back to life mysteriously, attacking again when the main character least expects it. Blood cancers are like this too, finding a safe spot to hide during treatment and then striking again when a patient is in remission.

7 Feb 2014

Researchers identify histone proteins that may be key to generate induced totipotent stem cells

One major challenge in stem cell research has been to reprogram differentiated cells to a totipotent state. Researchers from RIKEN in Japan have identified a duo of histone proteins that dramatically enhance the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) and may be the key to generating induced totipotent stem cells.

7 Feb 2014

Researchers evaluate feasibility of using stem cell therapies on preterm infants to treat BPD

Advances in neonatal care for very preterm infants have greatly increased the chances of survival for these fragile infants. However, preterm infants have an increased risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a serious lung disease, which is a major cause of death and lifelong complications.

6 Feb 2014

New book encourages critical thinking and effective action for future of global agrifood system

Carbon dioxide emissions from transportation, energy generation and built infrastructure may be major contributors to climate change, but they may not be the biggest ones. According to UC Santa Barbara environmental science professor David A. Cleveland, that dubious distinction could go to the agrifood system.

6 Feb 2014

Graphene balloon yields unprecedented images of hydrated protein molecules

A graphene water balloon may soon open up new vistas for scientists seeking to understand health and disease at the most fundamental level.

6 Feb 2014

Study: Rise of tuberculosis in Zimbabwe linked with widespread food shortage

The rise of tuberculosis (TB) in Zimbabwe during the socio-economic crisis of 2008-9 has been linked to widespread food shortage, according to a new study led by Canadian researchers from the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health published in PLOS ONE.

6 Feb 2014

Minimizing person's sight may help improve brain's ability to process hearing

Minimizing a person's sight for as little as a week may help improve the brain's ability to process hearing, neuroscientists have found.

6 Feb 2014

Research examines differences between male and female brain that contributes to violent behavior

Human behaviors such as violence depend on interactions in the brain between genetic and environmental factors. An individual may be more vulnerable to developing violent behaviors if they have predisposing factors and are then exposed to stress, abuse, or other triggers, especially early in life.

6 Feb 2014

Chinese scientists confirm world’s first case of human infection with new avian influenza virus

Scientists from China report in The Lancet on the world’s first confirmed case of human infection with a new avian influenza A H10N8 virus in a 73-year-old woman who died from the infection.

6 Feb 2014

Scientists discover new mechanism governing brain stem cell proliferation

Higher mammals, such as humans, have markedly larger brains than other mammals. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden recently discovered a new mechanism governing brain stem cell proliferation.

5 Feb 2014

Study provides evidence for importance of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy brain development

Monkeys that ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids had brains with highly connected and well organized neural networks - in some ways akin to the neural networks in healthy humans - while monkeys that ate a diet deficient in the fatty acids had much more limited brain networking, according to an Oregon Health & Science University study.

5 Feb 2014

Researchers make first link between menopause, smoking and genetic variations in white women

New research is lighting up yet another reason for women to quit smoking. In a study published online in the journal Menopause, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report the first evidence showing that smoking causes earlier signs of menopause - in the case of heavy smokers, up to nine years earlier than average - in white women with certain genetic variations.

5 Feb 2014

New effective method of treatment against increased cholesterol

Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally due to e.g. arteriosclerosis. The cause is increased cholesterol. There is therefore a considerable need for an effective method of treatment against increased cholesterol. Now, Danish researchers have made a discovery that may change the picture of how it must be treated.

5 Feb 2014

6-month-old infants later diagnosed with autism divert gaze from facial features

From birth, infants naturally show a preference for human contact and interaction, including faces and voices. These basic predispositions to social stimuli are altered in individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

5 Feb 2014

Researchers identify specific biomarkers of obesity and early-stage colon cancer

Obesity is a known risk factor for many cancers including colon cancer, yet the reasons behind the colon cancer link have often remained unclear.

5 Feb 2014

Medical Science News

Researchers examine how toxin triggers motor neuron death

Research suggests that male mice may be vulnerable to effects of maternal inflammation than females

Proprietary supplement improves cognitive processing speed of older adults

Studies shed more light on genetic basis of bone marrow failure

Researchers design microfluidic platform to see how cancer cells invade specific organs

Researcher receives grant to find compounds that interrupt binding of cancer cells to blood vessels

Researchers identify histone proteins that may be key to generate induced totipotent stem cells

Researchers evaluate feasibility of using stem cell therapies on preterm infants to treat BPD

New book encourages critical thinking and effective action for future of global agrifood system

Graphene balloon yields unprecedented images of hydrated protein molecules

Study: Rise of tuberculosis in Zimbabwe linked with widespread food shortage

Minimizing person's sight may help improve brain's ability to process hearing

Research examines differences between male and female brain that contributes to violent behavior

Chinese scientists confirm world’s first case of human infection with new avian influenza virus

Scientists discover new mechanism governing brain stem cell proliferation

Study provides evidence for importance of omega-3 fatty acids in healthy brain development

Researchers make first link between menopause, smoking and genetic variations in white women

New effective method of treatment against increased cholesterol

6-month-old infants later diagnosed with autism divert gaze from facial features

Researchers identify specific biomarkers of obesity and early-stage colon cancer

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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