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New insights into melatonin production

In the April 1 issue of G&D, a Korean research team led by Dr. Kyong-Tai Kim (Pohang University) describes how melatonin production is coordinated with the body's natural sleep/wake cycles.

2 Apr 2007

Precise region in the frontal cortex may be specialised for learning social information

Is there a specific memory for events involving people Researchers in the Vulnerability, Adaptation and Psychopathology Laboratory (CNRS/University Paris VI France ) and a Canadian team at Douglas Hospital, McGill University (Montreal), have identified the internal part of the prefrontal cortex as being the key structure for memorising social information.

2 Apr 2007

Treatment for acute intermittent porphyria

The Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) from the University of Navarra and the Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics BV (AMT) have demonstrated the pre-clinical effectiveness of a treatment against acute intermittent porphyria.

2 Apr 2007

Revving up a crucial set of muscle genes improves muscular dystrophy symptoms in mice

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown in a laboratory study that revving up a crucial set of muscle genes counteracts the damage caused by a form of muscular dystrophy.

2 Apr 2007

New target for removing unwanted ammonia from the body

Thousands of people with liver and kidney disease die every year from too much ammonia in their blood, and scientists from the United States and Japan have found a possible solution.

2 Apr 2007

Traumatic memories can be wiped out

French CNRS scientists in collaboration have shown that a memory of a traumatic event can be wiped out, although other, associated recollections remain intact.

2 Apr 2007

Regenerative medicine project taps into human stem cells

Researchers at the McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida have initiated a project to treat human brain and other diseases by plundering the secrets of regeneration from creatures with remarkable powers of self-renewal, such as salamanders, newts, starfish and flatworms.

2 Apr 2007

Glyoxalase I protects proteins against damage by oxidation and nitration

Protein degradation and malfunction is a major cause of ageing and can be the result of attacks on proteins by other molecules.

2 Apr 2007

Reducing calorie intake later in life still offers health benefits

Much research has shown that reduced calorie intake can increase health and longevity.

2 Apr 2007

Playing in the dirt to counter depression

Treatment of mice with a "friendly" bacteria, normally found in the soil, altered their behavior in a way similar to that produced by antidepressant drugs, reports research published in the latest issue of Neuroscience.

2 Apr 2007

Effect of gender on the development of UVB-induced skin cancers

Inherent gender differences "instead of more sun exposure" may be one reason why men are three times more likely than women to develop certain kinds of skin cancer, say researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center.

2 Apr 2007

Fats in our stomach may reduce the protective effects of antioxidants

Scientists at the University of Glasgow found that in the presence of lipid the ability of antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid (the active component of vitamin C), to protect against the generation of potential cancer-forming compounds in the stomach is less than when no lipids are present.

2 Apr 2007

Estrogen improves host response after traumatic injury

Researchers have identified the receptor pathway used by estrogen to decrease liver injury after trauma and hemorrhage.

2 Apr 2007

Pseudoknots an important step in developing a viral vaccine

How is virus as for example HIV and bird flu able to make the cells within a human body work for the purpose of the virus?

2 Apr 2007

Health problems accumulate and take heavy toll on seniors

In the later years of life, chronic diseases and other health problems tend to accumulate and negatively affect an individual's health, according to reports published in the latest issue of The Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences.

2 Apr 2007

Potential new cancer diagnosis and treatment options

By recognizing sugars, a technique developed by University of Michigan analytical chemist Kristina Hakansson sets the stage for new cancer diagnosis and treatment options.

2 Apr 2007

Iron nanoparticles exhibit toxic effects on neuronal cells

Researchers at UC San Diego have discovered that iron-containing nanoparticles being tested for use in several biomedical applications can be toxic to nerve cells and interfere with the formation of their signal-transmitting extensions.

1 Apr 2007

Diabetes and high blood pressure play a much greater role heart failure

Diabetes and high blood pressure, two conditions rooted in genetics and environmental surroundings, play a much greater role than race alone in determining who is mostly likely to develop heart failure, according to the latest study from cardiologists at Johns Hopkins.

1 Apr 2007

Next generation drugs designed from 3D protein models

The next generation of drugs will be designed on the basis of 3D protein models that scientists are creating. The Structural Genomics Consortium laboratory at Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet has now made available the structure of PARP3, the four hundredth structure in this unique project to chart the body's proteins.

1 Apr 2007

Successful weight loss for teenagers

Participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity and limiting time in front of the television are some of the keys to successful weight loss in teens, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

1 Apr 2007