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Long-term Entecavir therapy reverses fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients

Researchers from this international study found that patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who received at least 3 years of cumulative entecavir (antiviral) therapy achieved substantial histologic improvement and regression of fibrosis or cirrhosis. Full details of the study appear in the September issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

17 Aug 2010

Research confirms genetic link to advanced fatty liver disease

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who carry an allele of the PNPLA3 gene have an increased risk of developing advanced disease, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis. A second study supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) validates these findings and further concludes that in pediatric patients, the same allele is associated with earlier disease presentation. Both studies are available in the September issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

17 Aug 2010

Brain connections break down as we age

It's unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new study suggests.

17 Aug 2010

Gene variations likely to have important effects on gene function: Study

Everyone is special in their own unique way. From a genetic point of view, no two humans are genetically identical. This means that DNA for each individual contains variants that are more or less comm. on in the overall population.

17 Aug 2010

Cancer Institute of New Jersey expands 'Quality and Outcomes in Cancer Care Research Program'

Looking to gain further understanding about the impact of cancer on patients and families, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) is expanding its Quality and Outcomes in Cancer Care (QOCC) Research Program by welcoming nationally-recognized population science researcher Sharon Manne, PhD. Dr. Manne, who is the recipient of major grant awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her work in behavioral science, was most recently at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

17 Aug 2010

Best practices for assessing toxicity during drug discovery process

Ingenuity® Systems, the leading provider of information solutions for life science researchers, today announced the release of the white paper, "Best Practices for Assessing Toxicity throughout the Drug Discovery Process: Toxicogenomics." The white paper is based on input from industry experts and shows how multidisciplinary toxicology teams in drug discovery can leverage toxicogenomics and IPA® for improved predictive toxicology and mechanistic toxicity analysis.

17 Aug 2010

TRI awarded RSC contract to support domestic, international clinical research programs

Technical Resources International, Inc. is pleased to announce that TRI has been awarded the Regulatory Support Center contract by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services.

17 Aug 2010

Discovery can lead to new class of drugs for chronic pain treatment

Researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a brand new class of drugs to treat chronic pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and back pain without numbing the whole body.

17 Aug 2010

Humans adapt to visual search to adjust different levels of stimulus uncertainty: Study

The most beautiful thing about humans, says Indiana University researcher S. Lee Hong, is that they are both ever-changing and sometimes prone to error. Yet humans are still extremely flexible and adaptable, managing the transition from one context to another almost seamlessly. His new study demonstrates how this adaptability boils down to a zero-sum game.

17 Aug 2010

Effect of Presidential election outcomes on suicide rates: Study

Change and hope were central themes to the November 2008 U.S. presidential election. A new longitudinal study published in the September issue of Social Science Quarterly analyzes suicide rates at a state level from 1981-2005 and determines that presidential election outcomes directly influence suicide rates among voters.

17 Aug 2010

Study discovers multiple effects of SSRIs on cells

A new discovery about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) suggests that these drugs, which are used to treat mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, have multiple effects on our cells. In a research report published in the August 2010 issue of GENETICS, researchers used yeast cells to identify secondary drug targets or pathways affected by SSRIs. Such secondary pathways could help explain why different people taking the same drug may experience different effects, and could also lead to new types of drugs altogether.

17 Aug 2010

Diets rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids can help protect people from skin cancer: Study

We all want that summer glow that comes from a day at the beach, but taking in the rays can have long-term implications for our health. Now Dr. Niva Shapira of Tel Aviv University's School of Health Professions suggests a way to make fun in the sun safer ― and it's all in our food.

17 Aug 2010

Deconstruction of biomedical research on pain will improve diagnosis, treatment of chronic pain sufferers

Is the science of diagnosing pain causing a number of pain sufferers to defend their honor? Research out of the University of Cincinnati is examining the diagnosis of pain that evades scientific testing, and the additional emotional suffering that can result for the patient.

17 Aug 2010

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Urinary catheters are often left in place longer than needed, and new research shows that reminder systems that encourage hospital staff to remove catheters promptly can reduce the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infections by 52 percent.

17 Aug 2010

Nanoparticle-based gene silencing system inhibits angiogenesis process in tumor growth

A protein associated with cancer progression when abundant inside of tumors also unexpectedly regulates the creation of new blood vessels that feed the tumor outside, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in the August edition of Cancer Cell.

17 Aug 2010

Studies provide evidence for new approach to MRSA vaccines

Two recent studies provide evidence for a new approach to vaccines to prevent infections caused by drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- better known as MRSA - the leading cause of skin and soft tissue, bloodstream and lung infections in the United States. One demonstrates a way to counteract the bacteria's knack for evading the immune system. The other shows how to disrupt the germ's tissue-damaging mechanism.

17 Aug 2010

Zebrafish-yeast approach for studying copper deficiency, complex multifactorial diseases

Copper deficiency diseases can be devastating. Symptoms can range from crippling neurological degeneration in Menkes disease ,a classic copper deficiency disease to brittle bones, anaemia and defective skin pigmentation in gastric bypass patients. Unfortunately, very little is known about how the body uses this essential nutrient. Knowing that melanocytes (the cells that give rise to hair, skin and eye pigmentation) are dramatically affected by the effects of copper deficiency, Elizabeth Patton from the University of Edinburgh, UK, and other colleagues from UK and US based labs decided to find out how melanocytes metabolise copper.

17 Aug 2010

Human induced pluripotent stem cells help to treat Parkinson’s disease: Research

Researchers at the Buck Institute for Age Research have successfully used human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to treat rodents afflicted with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The research, which validates a scalable protocol that the same group had previously developed, can be used to manufacture the type of neurons needed to treat the disease and paves the way for the use of iPSC's in various biomedical applications. Results of the research, from the laboratory of Buck faculty Xianmin Zeng, Ph.D., are published August 16, 2010 in the on-line edition of the journal Stem Cells.

17 Aug 2010

Scientists experiment with three proteins that impact preadipocytes contribute to fat cell determination

Just what causes the birth of a human fat cell is a mystery, but scientists using mathematics to tackle the question have come up with a few predictions about the proteins that influence this process.The research is intended to increase understanding of how and why preadipocytes, or pre-fat cells, either lie dormant, copy themselves or turn into fat. But the findings eventually could lead to a way to freeze these early cells in their current state before they can ever become the basis of fat tissue, according to Ohio State University researchers.

17 Aug 2010

Human adult stem cells can regenerate damaged heart tissue: Research

Mayo Clinic investigators, with Belgian collaborators, have demonstrated that rationally "guided" human adult stem cells can effectively heal, repair and regenerate damaged heart tissue. The findings called "landmark work" in an accompanying editorial appear in today's Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

17 Aug 2010

Medical Research News

Long-term Entecavir therapy reverses fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients

Research confirms genetic link to advanced fatty liver disease

Brain connections break down as we age

Gene variations likely to have important effects on gene function: Study

Cancer Institute of New Jersey expands 'Quality and Outcomes in Cancer Care Research Program'

Best practices for assessing toxicity during drug discovery process

TRI awarded RSC contract to support domestic, international clinical research programs

Discovery can lead to new class of drugs for chronic pain treatment

Humans adapt to visual search to adjust different levels of stimulus uncertainty: Study

Effect of Presidential election outcomes on suicide rates: Study

Study discovers multiple effects of SSRIs on cells

Diets rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids can help protect people from skin cancer: Study

Deconstruction of biomedical research on pain will improve diagnosis, treatment of chronic pain sufferers

Simple, low-cost interventions reduce most common hospital-acquired infections

Nanoparticle-based gene silencing system inhibits angiogenesis process in tumor growth

Studies provide evidence for new approach to MRSA vaccines

Zebrafish-yeast approach for studying copper deficiency, complex multifactorial diseases

Human induced pluripotent stem cells help to treat Parkinson’s disease: Research

Scientists experiment with three proteins that impact preadipocytes contribute to fat cell determination

Human adult stem cells can regenerate damaged heart tissue: Research

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

Addressing Important Cardiac Biology Questions with Shotgun Top-Down Proteomics

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