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Study establishes critical roles for cancer-causing Myc gene in stem cell biology

Stem cells might be thought of as trunks in the tree of life. All multi-cellular organisms have them, and they can turn into a dazzling variety other cells-kidney, brain, heart or skin, for example. One class, pluripotent stem cells, has the capacity to turn into virtually any cell type in the body, making them a focal point in the development of cell therapies, the conquering of age-old diseases or even regrowing defective body parts.

3 Sep 2010

Murad launches Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture for dry, dehydrated skin

Murad, Inc. has announced the launch of Hydro-Dynamic Ultimate Moisture, an uber-rich, all purpose moisturizer that combines an extraordinarily luxurious recipe of ingredients to quench dry, dehydrated skin and restore youthful resilience and tone.

3 Sep 2010

BARDA awards contract to develop treatment for ionizing radiation exposure

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) today awarded a $153 million contract to Cellerant Therapeutics, Inc. of San Carlos, Calif., to continue developing a new way to treat an illness caused by exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation which can damage the body's cells - the type of radiation that would come from a nuclear blast.

3 Sep 2010

GABRA2 gene influences brain’s reward responses to alcohol odors: Research

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are DNA sequence variations that occur when a single nucleotide in the genome sequence is altered. Prior research suggested an association between SNPs in a gene that encodes aspects of the brain's gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA)-A receptors (the GABRA2 gene) and alcohol dependence. A study of responses to the aromas of alcoholic drinks according to subjects' genotyping at a SNP in GABRA2 has found that this genotype can affect the brain's reward responses to cues such as alcohol odors.

3 Sep 2010

Study shows molecular imaging benefits treatment planning for wide spectrum of cancers

A series of studies published in the September Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM) show that molecular imaging plays a critical role in the evaluation and treatment planning for a broad spectrum of cancers, including thyroid cancer and lymphoma.

3 Sep 2010

New TB diagnostic test effective in first large-scale field trial

Research assessing the effectiveness of a new diagnostic test for the detection of tuberculosis (TB) is featured in the Sept. 1 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Sep 2010

New test detects TB faster, with more accuracy than current diagnostics, study says

A new molecular test for tuberculosis can diagnose the disease and detect a drug-resistant form of it in less than two hours and more accurately than current tests, according to the findings of a study published online in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, Reuters reports (Kelland, 9/1).

3 Sep 2010

AMIA launches non-profit Global Health Informatics Partnership

AMIA, the U.S.-based association for informatics professionals, has launched a non-profit, wholly owned subsidiary organization called the Global Health Informatics Partnership (GHIP) to serve as an international center for collaborative initiatives on health informatics. With generous operational support from AMIA, GHIP, aims to build grassroots networks of health informatics advocates and professionals that will result in strengthened health informatics capacity in low-resource settings, primarily in South America, Africa, and Asia.

3 Sep 2010

Study finds source of tetracycline from bone analysis of Nubians

A chemical analysis of the bones of ancient Nubians shows that they were regularly consuming tetracycline, most likely in their beer. The finding is the strongest evidence yet that the art of making antibiotics, which officially dates to the discovery of penicillin in 1928, was common practice nearly 2,000 years ago.

3 Sep 2010

Study demonstrates safety of cord blood stem cell transplantation protocol to treat neurological conditions

In a new peer-reviewed article published by the Journal of Translational Medicine, scientists from Beike Biotechnology,China's leading stem cell research and regenerative medicine company, and Medistem, Inc.,reported positive safety data in 114 patients who were treated by doctors at Nanshan Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College (Shenzhen Nanshan Hospital) in Shenzhen using Beike's proprietary cord blood stem cell transplantation protocol.

3 Sep 2010

Research on motor neuron subtype may provide useful therapy for neuron diseases

Scientists have devised a method for coaxing mouse embryonic stem cells into forming a highly specific motor neuron subtype. The research, published by Cell Press in the September 3rd issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, provides new insight into motor neuron differentiation and may prove useful for devising and testing future therapies for motor neuron diseases.

3 Sep 2010

Discovery of omega-3 fatty acid molecular mechanism paves way for development of dietary remedy for diabetes

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified the molecular mechanism that makes omega-3 fatty acids so effective in reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

3 Sep 2010

Researchers find hair cortisol level can assess chronic stress in heart attack

Researchers at The University of Western Ontario have provided the first direct evidence using a biological marker, to show chronic stress plays an important role in heart attacks.

3 Sep 2010

Target stores join field of retail medicine

Chicago Tribune: "Target Corp., renewing its push into retail medicine, will open eight new clinics in the Chicago area and Palm Beach, Fla., giving a boost to a form of health care delivery that has seen slower growth amid the economic downturn. The Minneapolis-based retail giant launched its first health clinic four years ago but has not been as aggressive as rivals CVS/Caremark Corp. and Walgreen Co., which have opened several hundred clinics in recent years.

3 Sep 2010

Cigarette smoke inhibits LTA4H enzyme, regulates body's response to inflammation: Study

Cigarette smoke shuts off a key enzyme in airways that regulates the body's response to inflammation, according to findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published online today at Science Express.

3 Sep 2010

Study finds high content of aluminium in infant formulas

The aluminium content of a range of the most popular brands of infant formulas remains high, and particularly so for a product designed for preterm infants and a soya-based product designed for infants with cow's milk intolerances and allergies, researchers have found.

3 Sep 2010

Scientists develop direct method to detect gene doping

Scientists at the universities in Tübingen and Mainz have developed a test that can provide conclusive proof of gene doping. "For the first time, a direct method is now available that uses conventional blood samples to detect doping via gene transfer and is still effective if the actual doping took place up to 56 days before," Professor Perikles Simon, MD, PhD from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany explained on Thursday.

3 Sep 2010