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BioMarin Pharmaceutical announces FDA approval for Kuvan

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval for Kuvan(TM) (sapropterin dihydrochloride) Tablets, the first specific drug therapy approved for the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU).

14 Dec 2007

Biocapture surfaces produced for study of brain chemistry

A research team at Penn State has developed a novel method for attaching small molecules, such as neurotransmitters, to surfaces, which then are used to capture large biomolecules.

14 Dec 2007

Aggressive TB control can yield big economic gains

A new World Bank research report finds that 22 countries with the world's highest numbers of TB cases could earn significantly more than they spend on TB diagnosis and treatment if they signed onto a global plan to sharply reduce the numbers of TB-related deaths.

14 Dec 2007

Adapting to pregnancy played key role in human evolution

The human spine evolved differently in males and females in order to alleviate back pressure from the weight of carrying a baby, according to research spearheaded at The University of Texas at Austin.

14 Dec 2007

A glass of wine a day may be of benefit to the health of older women

Researchers at the University of Newcastle say a glass of wine a day may be of benefit to the health of older women.

14 Dec 2007

Zebrafish study shows key enzyme in gut is a peacemaker

University of Oregon scientists, using zebrafish to study the gastrointestinal tract, say that an enzyme long assumed to be involved in digestion instead is a detoxifying traffic cop, maintaining a friendly rapport between resident gut bacteria and cells.

13 Dec 2007

Why the switch stays on

Cellular processes, such as when to multiply, are often regulated by switches that control the frequency and timing of interactions between proteins.

13 Dec 2007

Venlafaxine extended-release effective for patients with major depression

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common major mental illness, afflicting almost one in five individuals.

13 Dec 2007

Use of thiazolidinediones by seniors linked with increased risk of heart problems

Older patients treated with the diabetes medications known as thiazolidinediones (which include rosiglitazone) had a significantly increased risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure and death, compared with the use of other hypoglycemic drugs, according to a study in the December 12 issue of JAMA.

13 Dec 2007

Male infertility - epigenetics may be the underlying cause

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) suggest epigenetics, or the way DNA is processed and expressed, may be the underlying cause for male infertility.

13 Dec 2007

Different areas of the brain respond to belief, disbelief and uncertainty

The human mind is a prolific generator of beliefs about the world. The capacity of our minds to believe or disbelieve linguistic propositions is a powerful force for controlling both behavior and emotion, but the basis of this process in the brain is not yet understood.

13 Dec 2007

Fructose overload

Here's one tip for how to eat at the holidays: Don't take your cues from Santa. The sugary cookies and fat-laden fruitcakes the mythical North Pole resident eats are a no-no.

13 Dec 2007

Blood transfusions linked to surgery complications in women

Women die and get infections more often than men after heart surgery because they tend to receive more blood transfusions, which boost the risks of bad outcomes, according to a study published in the December Journal of Women's Health.

13 Dec 2007

DAB2IP gene linked to aggressive prostate cancer

Results from two genome-wide association studies have identified a genetic variant of the DAB2IP gene that is associated with the risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

13 Dec 2007

Great-grandparent of all the cells of the blood identified

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have isolated a human blood cell that represents the great-grandparent of all the cells of the blood, a finding that could lead to new treatments for blood cancers and other blood diseases.

13 Dec 2007

Smoking and type 2 diabetes

A review of previous studies indicates that people who currently smoke have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared with non-smokers, according to an article in the December 12 issue of JAMA.

13 Dec 2007

Setting a course for the future of tissue engineering

The editors of Tissue Engineering asked 24 leaders in the field what critical steps are needed for tissue engineering to achieve broad critical success by the year 2021 and published their findings in the December 2007 issue (Volume 13, Number 12).

13 Dec 2007

Sedative may have better outcomes than common medication for ICU patients on respirator

Intensive care unit patients on respirators who were sedated with the drug dexmedetomidine had more days alive without delirium or coma and better sedation compared to patients treated with the recommended drug lorazepam, according to a study in the December 12 issue of JAMA.

13 Dec 2007

$1.7 million grant to advance understanding of genetic influences on diabetes

Scientists at Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research (SFBR) expect to make big leaps in their understanding of genetic influences on diabetes, thanks to a new $1.7 million grant awarded to Dr. Joanne Curran, the grant's principal investigator.

13 Dec 2007

U.S. efforts to monitor H5N1 could easily miss entry of the virus into North America

A University of Kansas investigator closely following the spread of the avian influenza known as H5N1 said that U.S. government monitoring efforts easily could miss the entry of the virus into North America.

13 Dec 2007