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Researchers reveal molecular structure of blood-clotting enzyme

Using state-of-the-art robotic and x-ray crystallographic equipment, researchers at Saint Louis University have revealed for the first time the molecular structure of the zymogen, or inactive, form of a blood-clotting enzyme.

3 Nov 2010

Jelly fish glow may help detect early stage cancer

Researcher Professor Norman Maitland of the Yorkshire Cancer Research Laboratory at York University, feels that this technology could be at least ten times better than CT scanners at detecting tumors. He explained, “Cancers deep within the body are difficult to spot at an early stage and early diagnosis is critical for the successful treatment of any form of cancer.

2 Nov 2010

Type of contrast agent influences changes in stem cell proliferation

When researchers tested three different labeling agents on three different stem cell populations to determine what effect the labeling agents had on stem cell phenotype, biological behavior and migration abilities, they found changes in stem cell proliferation depending on the type of contrast agent used.

2 Nov 2010

IRS awards RXi Pharmaceuticals four Therapeutic Discovery Project grants

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a recognized leader in RNAi-based therapeutic discovery and development, today announced that it was awarded four Therapeutic Discovery Project (TDP) grants, totaling $977,917, by the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

2 Nov 2010

NanoString’s nCounter CNV CodeSets help detect genetic copy number variations

NanoString Technologies, Inc., a privately held life sciences company marketing a complete solution for detecting and counting large sets of target molecules in biological samples, today announced the launch of a novel solution for detecting genetic copy number variations (CNVs) associated with disease susceptibility, drug response and cancer progression.

From NanoString Technologies 2 Nov 2010

RegeneRx announces positive results from RGN-259 non-clinical study for Dry Eye Syndrome

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the results of its first non-clinical dry eye study using RGN-259, RegeneRx's ophthalmic, preservative-free eye drop for the treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome (DES). In the study, animals were treated with RGN-259, a vehicle control and a positive control, doxycycline.

2 Nov 2010

TriRima shows positive result in food-induced cardiovascular effects associated with MAO inhibitors

CeNeRx BioPharma, Inc., today announced that a new formulation of TriRima, its lead agent for treatment resistant depression, showed excellent safety in a study designed to test whether it is free of the food-induced cardiovascular effects associated with conventional MAO inhibitors.

2 Nov 2010

Soligenix completes enrollment in RiVax Phase 1B ricin toxin clinical trial

Soligenix, Inc., a late-stage biopharmaceutical company, reported today that it has completed enrollment of its Phase 1B clinical trial of RiVax™, a ricin subunit vaccine, in healthy volunteers. Preliminary results indicate that RiVax™ appears safe at all doses tested in volunteers. This trial is designed to assess the duration of immune responses using an adjuvant formulation of RiVax™ over a period of more than one year after vaccination.

2 Nov 2010

QuantaLife announces launch of Droplet Digital PCR system at 60th ASHG meeting

QuantaLife, Inc. announced today at the 60th Annual American Society of Human Genetics Meeting the launch of their Droplet Digital™ PCR system. The system, which includes a droplet generator and a droplet reader, quantifies DNA molecules using the company's patented high-resolution, Droplet Digital PCR technology – a 3rd generation PCR technology that enables single-molecule resolution of target sequences.

2 Nov 2010

Scientists investigate link between nature and reduction in stress levels

Scientists at the University of Essex are embarking on a new project to build on their existing research into the benefits of enjoying the great outdoors.

2 Nov 2010

Full-term babies are born with key collection of networks already formed in their brains: Study

Full-term babies are born with a key collection of networks already formed in their brains, according to new research that challenges some previous theories about the brain's activity and how the brain develops. The study is published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

2 Nov 2010

Isogenica enters collaborative agreement with University of Cambridge Professor

Isogenica Ltd today announced that it has entered into a collaborative agreement with Professor Sir Tom Blundell of the University of Cambridge.

2 Nov 2010

Lactic acid levels in brain linked to aging process

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that they may be able to monitor the aging process in the brain, by using MRI technique to measure the brain lactic acid levels. Their findings suggest that the lactate levels increase in advance of other aging symptoms, and therefore could be used as an indicator of aging and age-related diseases of the CNS.

2 Nov 2010

Molecular imaging technique pinpoints changes that take place in injured brain

Results from a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) show that powerful imaging techniques positron emission tomography (PET) fused with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are helping researchers better understand the long-term functional and structural changes that take place after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

2 Nov 2010

Study explains statistical link between low aerobic exercise capacity and common diseases

Everybody knows that if you're physically fit, you're less likely to get a wide range of diseases. What most people don't know is that some people are "naturally" in better shape than others, and this variation in conditioning makes it difficult to test for disease risk and drug effectiveness in animal models.

2 Nov 2010

New algebraic model of DNA hybridization to measure cellular behavior

Researchers at New York University's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences have developed a novel algebraic model of DNA "hybridization," a process central to most biotechnology devices that monitor changes in cell's gene expression or characterize a cell's genome.

2 Nov 2010

New wiring diagram shows how brain organizes information

University of Utah (U of U) medical researchers have uncovered a wiring diagram that shows how the brain pays attention to visual, cognitive, sensory, and motor cues. The research provides a critical foundation for the study of abnormalities in attention that can be seen in many brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit disorder.

2 Nov 2010

Researchers explain how adiponectin prevents stress-induced damage in heart

One of the many advantages of maintaining a normal body weight is having healthy fat, which in turn supports a healthy heart. Fat tissue is increasingly seen as more than just a storage depot - it's also an active secretory organ that normally produces high levels of a cardioprotective hormone called adiponectin. How adiponectin protects the hearts of healthy people has long been a mystery, and now a team led by Barbara Ranscht, Ph.D. and Pilar Ruiz-Lozano, Ph.D. at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) reveals that the protein T-cadherin is the receptor that anchors adiponectin to heart cells.

2 Nov 2010

New targeted therapy shows positive results in patients with lung cancer

A UC Irvine oncologist's work with a targeted therapy is showing great promise in patients with a deadly form of lung cancer. The results were published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Nov 2010

Eye transformer impacts JAK/STAT-signaling pathway response with microbial challenge

Scientists are keeping their eye on a new discovery published in the November 2011 print issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) that explains what causes some genes to go out of control. Scientists have identified a "cellular switch," called eye transformer, that controls the flow of information from chemical signals outside of the cell to genes in the cell nucleus.

2 Nov 2010