Medical Science News

RSS

BTNL2 gene mutation that impacts immune function increases risk of prostate cancer

A team of researchers led by Janet Stanford, Ph.D., of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has discovered that mutations in the gene BTNL2, which encodes a protein involved in regulating T-cell proliferation and cytokine production - both of which impact immune function - increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.

30 Aug 2013

Researchers identify mutation in CNGB1 gene causing PRA in Phalene and Papillon

Professor Hannes Lohi's research group at the University of Helsinki and Folkh-lsan Research Center, Finland, has identified a mutation in CNGB1 gene, causing progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) in the Phalene and Papillon dog breeds.

30 Aug 2013

Scientists unravel how DNA damage may trigger lupus erythematosus

Summer, sun and the sea - a dream vacation for most - can turn sour for those affected by lupus erythematosus. For them, absorption of the UV-light component in sunlight may cause florid inflammation and redness of the skin. Scientists of the University Hospital Bonn, Germany have now discovered which signaling pathway of the innate immune system promotes autoimmune symptoms following sun-induced DNA damage.

30 Aug 2013

Diabetic patients could benefit from breakthrough cell study

Diabetic patients could benefit from a breakthrough that enables scientists to take cells from the pancreas and change their function to produce insulin.

30 Aug 2013

Blood test provides tool essential to trials of therapies for Huntington's disease

An assay designed to measure normal and abnormal forms of the huntingtin protein - the mutated form of which causes Huntington's disease - was successful in detecting levels of the mutant protein in a large multicenter study of individuals at risk for the devastating neurological disorder.

30 Aug 2013

Protein activated by inflammation converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to most aggressive form

A prominent protein activated by inflammation is the key instigator that converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to their most aggressive, untreatable form and promotes resistance to radiation therapy, an international team lead by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported online today in the journal Cancer Cell.

30 Aug 2013

Absence or presence of single protein can make cancer cells more or less susceptible to drugs

A new weakness has been discovered in cancer cells that may make them more susceptible to chemotherapy and other treatments. In a research report appearing in the September 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists identify the HDAC5 protein as being essential for the maintenance of structures, called telomeres, within cancer cells that promote cancer cells longevity.

30 Aug 2013

Potential drug target to treat depression and other mood disorders may lie in GABA neurons

A new drug target to treat depression and other mood disorders may lie in a group of GABA neurons (gamma-aminobutyric acid -the neurotransmitters which inhibit other cells) shown to contribute to symptoms like social withdrawal and increased anxiety, Penn Medicine researchers report in a new study in the Journal of Neuroscience.

30 Aug 2013

Study reveals zinc-regulated small compound in blood mediates harmful effects of zinc deprivation

According to new research published in The FASEB Journal, a drop in blood zinc levels does not directly harm the blood vessel cells. Rather, zinc regulates the production of a small molecular compound, which then circulates in the blood and causes harmful blood vessel cell effects.

30 Aug 2013

Urinary protein may be early warning sign regarding patients' cognitive abilities

The presence of protein in the urine may be a marker of risk for future cognitive decline in patients with type 2 diabetes and normal kidney function, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

30 Aug 2013

Researchers discover protein that may help predict breast cancer prognosis

Researchers have identified a protein that they believe may help predict breast cancer prognosis, potentially relieving thousands of women at low risk from having to undergo painful, oft-debilitating therapies, while insuring the most successful treatments for those at high risk. The research was published ahead of print in the journal Molecular and Cellular Biology.

30 Aug 2013

Researchers discover new gene mutations which cause devastating mitochondrial disorders

Researchers have identified a novel disease gene in which mutations cause rare but devastating genetic diseases known as mitochondrial disorders.

30 Aug 2013

Study explains how sensory input impacts fruit flies' decisions about sweet taste

Fruit flies have a lot to teach us about the complexity of food. Like these tiny little creatures, most animals are attracted to sugar but are deterred from eating it when bitter compounds are added.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists develop complex human brain tissue in 3D culture system

Complex human brain tissue has been successfully developed in a three-dimensional culture system established in an Austrian laboratory. The method described in the current issue of NATURE allows pluripotent stem cells to develop into cerebral organoids - or "mini brains" - that consist of several discrete brain regions.

29 Aug 2013

Study identifies cognitive factor in voice familiarity that helps older listeners to hear better

With so many other competing voices, having a conversation on a bustling subway or at a crowded cocktail party takes a great deal of concentration. New research suggests that the familiar voice of a spouse stands out against other voices, helping to sharpen auditory perception and making it easier to focus on one voice at a time.

29 Aug 2013

Fast food TV commercials aimed at children did not comply with self-imposed guidelines

Fast food TV commercials aimed at children 2-11 years old did not comply with self-imposed guidelines organized through the Better Business Bureau (BBB) during a one-year study period, according to Dartmouth researchers who published their findings today with PLOS ONE.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue. Findings from a team of UC Davis investigators have brought this dream a step closer by developing a method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin - a fatty, insulating sheath essential to normal neural conduction.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists create polymer additives that enhance orally administered drugs to reach bloodstream

All too often, when a person takes a pill full of a potent and effective drug, the drug passes straight through the body, not reaching the organ where it is needed - a waste of money and inconvenient if it is a cold medicine, but potentially dire if it is a treatment for a serious illness.

29 Aug 2013

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

All people have trillions of bacteria living in their intestines. If you place them on a scale, they weigh around 1.5 kg. Previously, a major part of these 'blind passengers' were unknown, as they are difficult or impossible to grow in laboratories.

29 Aug 2013

Pulmonary hypertension may be caused by molecular pathway that damages blood vessels

Pulmonary hypertension, a deadly form of high blood pressure that develops in the lungs, may be caused by an inflammation-producing molecular pathway that damages the inner lining of blood vessels, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

29 Aug 2013

Medical Science News

BTNL2 gene mutation that impacts immune function increases risk of prostate cancer

Researchers identify mutation in CNGB1 gene causing PRA in Phalene and Papillon

Scientists unravel how DNA damage may trigger lupus erythematosus

Diabetic patients could benefit from breakthrough cell study

Blood test provides tool essential to trials of therapies for Huntington's disease

Protein activated by inflammation converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to most aggressive form

Absence or presence of single protein can make cancer cells more or less susceptible to drugs

Potential drug target to treat depression and other mood disorders may lie in GABA neurons

Study reveals zinc-regulated small compound in blood mediates harmful effects of zinc deprivation

Urinary protein may be early warning sign regarding patients' cognitive abilities

Researchers discover protein that may help predict breast cancer prognosis

Researchers discover new gene mutations which cause devastating mitochondrial disorders

Study explains how sensory input impacts fruit flies' decisions about sweet taste

Scientists develop complex human brain tissue in 3D culture system

Study identifies cognitive factor in voice familiarity that helps older listeners to hear better

Fast food TV commercials aimed at children did not comply with self-imposed guidelines

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Scientists create polymer additives that enhance orally administered drugs to reach bloodstream

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

Pulmonary hypertension may be caused by molecular pathway that damages blood vessels

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

Latest News