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Mechanism of action of the anti-cancer drug GMX1778 identified

Metabolon, Inc., the leader in metabolomics-driven biomarker discovery and analysis, today announced a new study has been published identifying the mechanism of action of the anti-cancer drug GMX1778. Co-authored by scientists at Gemin X Pharmaceuticals and Metabolon, the paper “The Small Molecule GMX1778 is a Potent Inhibitor of NAD+ Biosynthesis: Strategy for Enhanced Therapy in NAPRT1-Deficient Tumors” appears online ahead of print in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

17 Sep 2009

Learning curve method checks the proficiency level in laparoscopic splenectomy procedures

A research team, led by Dr. Tarik Z. Nursal from the University of Baskent, has investigated the proficiency level reached in laparoscopic splenectomy procedures using the learning curve method. Their study will be published on August 28, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

17 Sep 2009

Link between a key molecular player and human chromosomal birth defects established

Using yeast genetics and a novel scheme to selectively remove a single protein from the cell division process called meiosis, a cell biologist at The Florida State University found that when a key molecular player known as Pds5 goes missing, chromosomes fail to segregate and pair up properly, and birth defects such as Down syndrome can result.

17 Sep 2009

Bitemark identification not reliable as DNA identification, according to UB study

Against the backdrop of last week's Congressional hearing into the future of forensic science, researchers from the University at Buffalo's Laboratory for Forensic Odontology Research in the School of Dental Medicine, have published a landmark paper on the controversial topic of bitemark analysis.

17 Sep 2009

Multi-detector row computed tomography predicts malignancy of IPMNs

A clinical research article to be published on August 28, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses the role of multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in predicting malignancy of IPMNs preoperatively. The research team led by Prof. Wang DB from Ruijin Hospital of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine recruited a total of 20 patients with pathologically-confirmed IPMNs in their study. Axial MDCT images combined with CT angiography (CTA) and multiplanar volume or curved reformations (MPVR or CR) were preoperatively acquired.

17 Sep 2009

Researchers investigate individual's ability to get rid of Hepatitis C

More than seventy percent of people who contract Hepatitis C will live with the virus that causes it for the rest of their lives and some will develop serious liver disease including cancer. However, 30 to 40 percent of those infected somehow defeat the infection and get rid of the virus with no treatment. In this week's Advanced Online Publication at Nature, Johns Hopkins researchers working as part of an international team report the discovery of the strongest genetic alteration associated with the ability to get rid of the infection.

17 Sep 2009

Youngsters with continuous pain to look as old as those two decades older

17 Sep 2009

Standard liver volume formula for Chinese adults published

Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been used to alleviate the shortage of available liver donors. Accurate estimation of the standard liver volume (SLV) of the living donor and recipient is crucial. Scholars of different countries established several SLV formulae from clinical data, but which formula was the most accurate for Chinese adults has remained unclear.

17 Sep 2009

Molecular link between intelligence and curiosity discovered

Scientists from the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto have discovered a molecular link between intelligence and curiosity, which may lead to the development of drugs to improve learning.

17 Sep 2009

Avaxia Biologics receives NIH grant to develop an antibody therapeutic for oral mucositis

Avaxia Biologics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing oral antibodies for disease targets accessible via the GI tract, announced today that it has been awarded a Phase I SBIR grant from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to support the development of a novel antibody therapeutic for oral mucositis.

17 Sep 2009

New technique found that may prevent vision loss

Blocking a protein that battles infection may help thwart a common cause of vision loss in chronic diseases such as diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.

16 Sep 2009

The relationship between pain and age related disability

Younger people with pain look similar in terms of their disability to people who are two to three decades older without pain, according to a study published in this month's issue of the Journal of the American Geriatric Society. The results of the study uncovered that people with pain develop the functional limitations classically associated with aging at much earlier ages.

16 Sep 2009

SSO2 administration reduces heart muscle damage

Supersaturated oxygen (SSO2) administered during catheter-based treatments for heart attack can significantly reduce heart muscle damage, according to a new study reported in Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions, a journal of the American Heart Association.

16 Sep 2009

Patients with celiac disease face increased risk of mortality

New research indicates that patients with lesser degrees of celiac disease-related symptoms, such as intestinal inflammation or latent celiac disease, have a modestly increased risk of death, according to a study in the September 16 issue of JAMA.

16 Sep 2009

Transcendental Meditation aids students diagnosed with ADHD

A panel of physicians and scientists will report on the benefits of a simple meditation practice for aiding students diagnosed with ADHD during a national medical webinar, which will be hosted by the David Lynch Foundation on Wednesday, September 30, 12 noon (ET).

16 Sep 2009

Study shows 29 percent patients experienced angina chest pain once a week

The world's largest quality of life study of chronic angina patients has revealed that almost one in three experience frequent chest pain, which affects their daily life.

16 Sep 2009

Research study indicates presence of two stable bacterial ecosystems in the gut

Small-bowel transplant patients with an ileostomy -- an opening into their small bowel -- have a very different population of bacteria living in their gut than patients whose ileostomy has been closed, researchers from UC Davis and Georgetown University Medical Center have found. The results are published online Sept. 14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

16 Sep 2009

Study reveals effectiveness of cognitive testing by telephone in elderly individuals

Cognitive testing by telephone in elderly individuals is generally as effective as in-person testing, according to a new study by Effie M. Mitsis, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and part of Mount Sinai's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The study will appear in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

16 Sep 2009

The Miriam Hospital researchers study brain activity patterns

A difference in brain activity patterns may explain why some people are able to maintain a significant weight loss while others regain the weight, according to a new study by researchers with The Miriam Hospital.

15 Sep 2009

Study investigates links between acne, diet and mental health issues

Zits, pimples, bumps and blemishes are a young person's worst nightmare. Collectively they are known as acne, a very common skin condition that affects millions of adolescents. Now a Norwegian study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health has investigated the links between acne, diet and mental health issues in both males and females.

15 Sep 2009