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Key step in the entry of anthrax toxin into human cells

The work, which grew out of an ongoing effort to produce a better anthrax therapeutic, shows that the protective antigen component of the bacterial toxin plays an active role in transferring the other two components of the toxin through the cell membrane.

28 Jul 2005

New findings could help scientists design more effective treatments to slow or halt the progression of HIV infection

Random fluctuations in gene expression can influence the fates of cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) far more than previously thought, according to new research from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

28 Jul 2005

Cause of chronic sinus infections lies in the nasal mucus

Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the cause of chronic sinus infections lies in the nasal mucus -- the snot -- not in the nasal and sinus tissue targeted by standard treatment. The findings will be published in the August issue of Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and are available online.

28 Jul 2005

Action of dopamine may be particularly important for understanding psychiatric conditions

Duke University Medical Center researchers have discovered a new mechanism by which chronically high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine exert their effects on the brain.

28 Jul 2005

Suspected research fraud: difficulties of getting at the truth

This week, the BMJ expresses concern about the validity of a paper it published in 1992 written by Dr Ram B Singh of Moradabad, India.

28 Jul 2005

Black people are more likely to survive a stroke than white people

The risk of stroke and death from stroke are generally higher in black people than whites in the United Kingdom and the United States. In south London, where this study took place, the average age of people with stroke is 10 years lower than in the whole population.

28 Jul 2005

Broccoli may help prevent bladder cancer

Researchers have isolated compounds from the vegetable broccoli that they believe may help prevent or slow the progress of bladder cancer.

28 Jul 2005

Discovery could improve the early diagnosis of breast and ovarian cancers through a simple blood test

Scientists from the Uppsala Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) have made a promising discovery that could improve the early diagnosis of breast and ovarian cancers through a simple blood test.

28 Jul 2005

Valuable clues for rational antimalarial drug design and vaccine development

By determining the molecular structure of a protein that enables malaria parasites to invade red blood cells, researchers have uncovered valuable clues for rational antimalarial drug design and vaccine development. The findings are reported in the July 29 issue of the journal Cell.

28 Jul 2005

New way to prevent macular degeneration

Two studies from an unusual research partnership at the University of Chicago appear to have resolved a long-standing dispute about the role of melanin in the eye. The studies, one published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and one early online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), also suggest a new way to prevent a common cause of blindness.

28 Jul 2005

Discovery sheds light on how a low-calorie diet extends lifespan

Mice, rats, worms, flies, and yeast all live longer on a low-calorie diet, which also seems to protect mammals against cancer and other aging-related diseases.

28 Jul 2005

New insight into how protein E75 may control circadian rhythms and metabolic processes

University of Toronto researchers have gained new insight into how a specific protein may control circadian rhythms and metabolic processes, which has implications for treating cholesterol-related diseases.

28 Jul 2005

Mental-state reasoning is universal milestone in child development

On this boring Wednesday afternoon, nothing would entertain a young child more than to play a joke on the babysitter. The sitter always keeps her lunch in her purse; so when she leaves the room, the little prankster quickly hides it under the couch. When the babysitter returns, where will she look first?

28 Jul 2005

Most undergraduate doctors in the UK receive only 5 minutes education on sleep medicine

Teaching staff at Warwick Medical School have long been concerned that trainee doctors do not get enough sleep. Sleep in the classroom that is. Despite sleep patterns being a major contributor to a number of illnesses on average most undergraduate doctors in the UK receive only 5 minutes education on sleep medicine.

28 Jul 2005