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Review of Memantine for Alzheimer's

In a study published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, researchers from the University of Aberdeen report that the drug memantine, used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and praised as "the first and only representative of a new class of Alzheimer drugs" works in fact similar to other existing compounds, and is beneficial only in a narrow concentration range.

11 Jan 2008

High blood pressure gene found

Scientists have identified the gene that sets off a sequence of events in the blood vessels of otherwise healthy adults that can lead to high blood pressure.

11 Jan 2008

Genomic screen identifies 273 human proteins required for HIV propagation

In some ways, HIV resembles a minimalist painter, using a few basic components to achieve dramatic effects.

11 Jan 2008

Genetic evolution of tumours according to their growth dynamics.

A study co-directed by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and La Paz hospital in Madrid identifies a protein of high expression in cells located at the tumour boundary that could play an essential role in the evolution of tumours and their invasive potential.

11 Jan 2008

Asf1, the protein that oversees DNA replication and packaging in the cell

At the Institut Curie, the CNRS team of Genevieve Almouzni has just discovered how the protein Asf1 ensures the correct (re)organization of duplicated DNA. During DNA replication, all the information in the mother cell must be transmitted to the daughter cells.

11 Jan 2008

Comprehensive assessment of long-term effects of reducing intake of energy

Overweight people who lose a moderate amount of weight get an immediate benefit in the form of better heart health, according to a study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

11 Jan 2008

Scientists identify cells that promote formation of lethal lung metastases

Cancer patients usually ask what can be done after a primary tumor has already spread, or metastasized, to other organs.

11 Jan 2008

Body's immune system uses common molecule to recognize prostate tumors

In experiments with mice, researchers have found that the body's immune system can use a surprisingly common molecule to recognize prostate tumors.

11 Jan 2008

Discovery of gene variant that raises autism risk

Scientists have found a variation in a gene that may raise the risk of developing autism, especially when the variant is inherited from mothers rather than fathers.

11 Jan 2008

New way to boost red blood cell numbers

A common treatment for anemia a deficiency in red blood cells (rbcs) caused by their insufficient production, excessive destruction, or excessive loss is administration of recombinant erythropoietin (Epo), a hormone that stimulates the production of rbc precursors by the bone marrow.

11 Jan 2008

The drug sirolimus shrinks tumors, improves lung function

The drug sirolimus, normally used to help transplant patients fight organ rejection, may eventually be used as a less invasive treatment for a tumor called angiomyolipomata in patients with who would otherwise face surgery.

10 Jan 2008

Potential new treatments for Huntington's disease

Working with fruit flies, researchers have discovered a new mechanism by which the abnormal protein in Huntington's disease causes neurodegeneration.

10 Jan 2008

Small pieces of ribonucleic acid prevent spread of breast cancer

Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have identified small pieces of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that suppress the spread of breast cancer to the lungs and bone.

10 Jan 2008

RNA silences cancer suppressor gene

One way cancer arises is when tumor suppressor genes that normally keep cell growth in check are mysteriously turned off.

10 Jan 2008

Drug deferoxamine boosts bone healing and re-growth

A drug originally used to treat iron poisoning can significantly boost the body's own ability to heal and re-grow injured bones, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).

10 Jan 2008

Morphotek announces agreement for development of antibodies to treat prostate cancer

Morphotek, Inc., a subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd., has announced that it has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the development of therapeutic antibodies to a cancer-associated protein identified by NCI researchers.

10 Jan 2008

microRNA molecules block breast cancer's ability to spread

Researchers have identified a specific group of microRNA molecules that are responsible for controlling genes that cause breast cancer metastasis.

10 Jan 2008

Life savers in the gut

Researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have discovered that proteins that regulate the body's iron household play a vital role in making sure enough nutrients and water are absorbed in the intestine.

10 Jan 2008

New insight into the mechanisms underlying amnesia

Brain scans of hypnotized people that are taken as they forget and are triggered to remember have revealed neural circuitry that is key to the memory suppression and recall process.

10 Jan 2008

Huntington's disease problem starts early

The damaging effects of the mutated protein involved in Huntington's disease take place earlier in cell life than previously believed, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston in a report that appears in the current edition of the journal Neuron.

10 Jan 2008