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Study finds some people have ability to hallucinate colours at will

Scientists at the University of Hull have found that some people have the ability to hallucinate colours at will - even without the help of hypnosis.

1 Dec 2011

Different brain structures control eye reflexes in the course of life

Structures in the midbrain that developed early in evolution can be responsible for functions in newborns which in adults are taken over by the cerebral cortex. New evidence for this theory has been found in the visual system of monkeys by a team of researchers from the RUB. The scientists studied a reflex that stabilizes the image of a moving scene on the retina to prevent blur, the so-termed optokinetic nystagmus.

1 Dec 2011

New marker may provide more accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer's, FTLD

New research finds a marker used to detect plaque in the brain may help doctors make a more accurate diagnosis between two common types of dementia - Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

1 Dec 2011

Combination of two techniques promises to improve effectiveness of experimental gene therapies

yeast or phages act not only to tag and target but also to exchange specific genes in DNA A combination of two techniques promises to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of experimental gene therapies, while also reducing potential side effects says a new research report published in the December 2011 issue of the FASEB Journal.

1 Dec 2011

New gene therapy approach safe for patients with muscular dystrophy

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown that it is safe to cut and paste together different viruses in an effort to create the ultimate vehicle for gene therapy. In a phase I clinical trial, the investigators found no side effects from using a "chimeric" virus to deliver replacement genes for an essential muscle protein in patients with muscular dystrophy.

1 Dec 2011

Novel nanocarbon platform shows potential for future bioelectronic implants

Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, a graphene-based transistor array that is compatible with living biological cells and capable of recording the electrical signals they generate.

1 Dec 2011

Study investigates why American Indians with African ancestry were more fertile

American Indians with African ancestry outdid 'full bloods' in reproductive terms in the early 1900s, despite the odds being against them, according to a new study by Michael Logan from the University of Tennessee in the US. Their increased fertility occurred at a time when things were not going particularly well for full bloods either - in social, economic and health terms.

1 Dec 2011

Harvard SEAS, BASF to co-host symposium on pharmaceutical nanoformulations

From targeted cancer chemotherapy to the guarantee of successful organ transplants, the 21st century may prove to be the age of big ideas in medicine. The drugs themselves, though, will be miniscule. Experts in chemistry, applied physics, materials science, and pharmaceutical science are gathering this week for the BASF Advanced Research Initiative at Harvard University's symposium on pharmaceutical nanoformulations.

1 Dec 2011

Scientists identify 700 anti-bacterial substances from nine species of odorous frogs

Some of the nastiest smelling creatures on Earth have skin that produces the greatest known variety of anti-bacterial substances that hold promise for becoming new weapons in the battle against antibiotic-resistant infections, scientists are reporting.

1 Dec 2011

Researchers identify first gene associated with frequent herpes-related cold sores

A team of researchers from the University of Utah and the University of Massachusetts has identified the first gene associated with frequent herpes-related cold sores.

1 Dec 2011

Nanoparticles do not penetrate beneath outermost layer of cells when applied to the skin

Ultra-tiny zinc oxide (ZnO) particles with dimensions less than one-ten-millionth of a meter are among the ingredients list of some commercially available sunscreen products, raising concerns about whether the particles may be absorbed beneath the outer layer of skin.

1 Dec 2011

Oral ingestion of apple polyphenols can prevent colitis in mice

Here's another reason why "an apple a day keeps the doctor away"-according to new research findings published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, oral ingestion of apple polyphenols can suppress T cell activation to prevent colitis in mice.

1 Dec 2011

Researchers reveal stress-induced machinery of protein synthesis involved in bacterial cell death

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the University of Vienna have revealed for the first time a stress-induced machinery of protein synthesis that is involved in bringing about cell death in bacteria.

1 Dec 2011

Scripps scientist receives NIH grant for HIV/AIDS research

A scientist at The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded $3.4 million from the National Institutes of Health to study the mode of action and the therapeutic potential of a new compound that blocks a step of HIV replication not targeted by current therapies.

1 Dec 2011

Study shows how UK scientists develop simple blood test to detect early-stage Parkinson's

A new research report appearing in the December issue of the FASEB Journal shows how scientists from the United Kingdom have developed a simple blood test to detect Parkinson's disease even at the earliest stages.

1 Dec 2011

Inflammasome may lead to more damage following heart attack

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have found that an inflammatory mechanism known as inflammasome may lead to more damage in the heart following injury such as a heart attack, pointing researchers toward developing more targeted strategies to block the inflammatory mechanisms involved.

30 Nov 2011

Removing amyloid beta can restore sense of smell in mouse model of Alzheimer's

One of the earliest known impairments caused by Alzheimer's disease - loss of sense of smell - can be restored by removing a plaque-forming protein in a mouse model of the disease, a study led by a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researcher finds.

30 Nov 2011

One-time injection after spinal cord injury can limit pain for 8 months

A collaborative research group - led by researchers at Cleveland Clinic - published findings that indicate a one-time injection immediately after spinal cord injury can limit pain for an extended period of time.

30 Nov 2011

Joslin study uncovers potential targets for soft-tissue sarcomas

Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston have uncovered important molecular and genetic keys to the development of soft-tissue sarcomas in skeletal muscle, giving researchers and clinicians additional targets to stop the growth of these often deadly tumors.

30 Nov 2011

FDA clears Abbott's new ARCHITECT 25-OH Vitamin D assay

Abbott announced today it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a fully-automated 25-OH Vitamin D assay performed on its widely used ARCHITECT laboratory testing platform.

30 Nov 2011