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Retail meat harbors disease-causing Klebsiella pneumoniae, shows new study

Chicken, turkey and pork sold in grocery stores harbors disease-causing bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae, according to a new study. The research, which was published online today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, shows that contaminated meat may be an important source of human exposure to Klebsiella.

23 Jul 2015

Researchers develop dynamic smart drug that targets site-specific inflammation

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and University of Colorado researchers have developed a dynamic "smart" drug that targets inflammation in a site-specific manner and could enhance the body's natural ability to fight infection and reduce side effects.

23 Jul 2015

MD Anderson named one of Genome Characterization Centers

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been named a site for one of two new Genome Characterization Centers (GCC) funded through the National Cancer Institute.

23 Jul 2015

New UTMB study reveals mechanism central to pollen-induced allergies

A new study from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has uncovered a mechanism that is central to becoming allergic to ragweed pollen and developing allergic asthma or seasonal nasal allergies. The findings are currently available online in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.

23 Jul 2015

Study finds that serum biomarkers can predict pre-eclampsia risk in pregnant women

Levels of biomarkers in the blood of pregnant women can be used to predict which women are at risk of pre-eclampsia, finds a study published today (22 July) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG). ADMA and Hcy, both known to be raised in women with pre-eclampsia, are present in the blood in higher than normal concentrations a month before the onset of the condition.

23 Jul 2015

Infants born with mutation in PLVAP gene develop severe protein losing enteropathy

Newborn children born with a mutation in the Plasmalemma Vesicle Associated Protein (PLVAP) gene develop severe protein losing enteropathy, according to a case study1 published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the basic science journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.

23 Jul 2015

Scientists report new way to mimic the body's natural approach to programming stem cells to treat muscular dystrophy

Stem cells hold great potential for addressing a variety of conditions from spinal cord injuries to cancer, but they can be difficult to control. Scientists are now reporting in the journal ACS Nano a new way to mimic the body's natural approach to programming these cells.

23 Jul 2015

Important new target identified for ovarian cancer therapy

Scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute have uncovered an important new target for ovarian cancer therapy. Contrary to current research this new study found that LKB1, a molecule that regulates the metabolism of many adult cells, is an important molecule in the cancer's promotion and survival.

23 Jul 2015

Genetic variation influences survival in patients with multiple myeloma

As part of a multi-institutional effort, researchers with Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah have found that multiple myeloma patients with a genetic variation in the gene FOPNL die on average 1-3 years sooner than patients without it.

23 Jul 2015

New research suggests updates to current dietary protein recommendations

New research based on modern techniques suggests that recommendations for protein intake in healthy populations may be incorrect. In a paper just published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, an NRC Research Press journal (a division of Canadian Science Publishing), researchers put the focus on protein as an essential component of a healthy diet.

23 Jul 2015

Eradicating H. pylori bacterium with short course of therapy may help prevent gastric cancer

A new review published in the Cochrane Library, indicates that eradicating Helicobacter pylori bacterium-- the main cause of stomach ulcers - with a short course of therapy comprising two commonly used medicines may help to reduce the risk of gastric cancer. Stomach, or gastric, cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer worldwide, and people who are infected with the Helicobacter pylori bacterium are more likely to develop the disease.

23 Jul 2015

Fluorescent material can reveal growth of cells inside living tissue

Fibre from a semiconducting polymer, developed for solar cells, is an excellent support material for the growth of new human tissue. Researchers at Linköping University have shown that the fibre glows, which makes it possible to follow the growth of the cells inside living tissue.

22 Jul 2015

Gene responsible for cancer growth plays unexpected role in prostate cancer

A gene that is responsible for cancer growth plays a totally unexpected role in prostate cancer. The gene Stat3 is controlled by the immune modulator interleukin 6 and normally supports the growth of cancer cells. The international research team led by Prof. Lukas Kenner from the Medical University of Vienna, the Veterinary University of Vienna, and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institiute for Cancer Research (LBI-CR) discovered a missing link for an essential role of Stat3 and IL-6 signalling in prostate cancer progression.

22 Jul 2015

Multi-year project aims to develop, improve clinical research tools for studying ASD

Government, non-profit, and other private partners will fund a multi-year project to develop and improve clinical research tools for studying autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The project will receive a total of $28 million over the next four years to test and refine clinical measures of social impairment in ASD in order to better evaluate potential behavioral and drug therapies.

22 Jul 2015

Study shows regions of genome underlying IBD consistent around the world

The first genetic study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to include individuals from diverse populations has shown that the regions of the genome underlying the disease are consistent around the world. This study, conducted under the auspices of the International IBD Genetics Consortium, included nearly 10,000 DNA samples from people of East Asian, Indian or Iranian descent and an existing set of 86,640 samples drawn from across Europe, North America and Oceania.

22 Jul 2015

Dairy products could make probiotics more effective

The success of probiotics for boosting human health may depend partly upon the food, beverage, or other material carrying the probiotics, according to research published on July 10th in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

22 Jul 2015

Heidelberg University scientists gain new insight into cytotoxic effect of Ebola virus

In the course of basic research in membrane biochemistry scientists at Heidelberg University have gained new insight into the cytotoxic effect of the Ebola virus. Employing biochemical and cell biological methods they have shed light on the molecular relationships between the Ebola glycoprotein and its role in mediating cytotoxicity.

22 Jul 2015

Study identifies new culprit in Alzheimer's disease development

A recent study conducted at Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research and NYU Langone Medical Center implicates a new culprit in Alzheimer's disease development. The research reveals that ßCTF -- the precursor of the amyloid beta (Aß) peptide -- acts at the earliest stage of Alzheimer's to initiate a range of abnormalities leading to the loss of groups of neurons critical for memory formation.

22 Jul 2015

New TripAdvisor-style website launched to help researchers choose better tools for biomedical research

An international panel of leading scientists is launching a new TripAdvisor-style website aimed at helping researchers choose better-quality research tools - and avoiding potentially serious errors in biomedical research.

22 Jul 2015

New model helps to answer longstanding question in cancer science

A paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues against the commonly held "accumulation of mutations" model of oncogenesis in favor of a model that depends on evolutionary pressures acting on populations of cells.

22 Jul 2015