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Breakthrough in treatment of cancers and infectious diseases

Dr. André Veillette, a researcher at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), and his team led by postdoctoral fellow Dr. Mario-Ernesto Cruz-Munoz, will publish in the upcoming issue of the prestigious journal Nature Immunology of Nature Publishing Group.

19 Jan 2009

Genetic testing not cost-effective in guiding initial dosing of blood-thinner warfarin

New analyses led by the University of Cincinnati (UC) show that genetic testing used to guide initial dosing of the blood-thinner warfarin may not be cost-effective for typical patients with atrial fibrillation but may be for patients at higher risk for major bleeding.

19 Jan 2009

Gene switch sites found mainly on 'shores,' not just 'islands' of the human genome

Scientists who study how human chemistry can permanently turn off genes have typically focused on small islands of DNA believed to contain most of the chemical alterations involved in those switches.

19 Jan 2009

Three new genetic variations that increase the risk of obesity

The gene variant most strongly associated with childhood obesity and adult morbid obesity in the study is located near the PTER gene, the function of which is not known. This variant is estimated to account for up to a third of all childhood obesity, and a fifth of all cases of adult obesity.

19 Jan 2009

Kidney transplant survival can be long-term for people with HIV

A Johns Hopkins study finds that HIV-positive kidney transplant recipients could have the same one-year survival rates for themselves and their donor organs as those without HIV, provided certain risk factors for transplant failure are recognized and tightly managed.

19 Jan 2009

Relaxation helps keep that weight off

Researchers in New Zealand have found that the key to maintaining a weight loss might be relaxation.

19 Jan 2009

New clot-buster found

Exciting research into blood clotting by British Heart Foundation (BHF) researchers working at the University of Bristol will take us a step closer to better heart attack prevention and treatment.

19 Jan 2009

Seasonal variation in blood pressure

A French study reported in the 12th January issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has found a strong correlation between blood pressure and outdoor temperature in a large sample of the elderly.

19 Jan 2009

Psychological concerns are greatest barriers to an active lifestyle

The main factors influencing the amount of physical exercise people carry out are their self-perceived ability and the extent of their desire to exercise.

19 Jan 2009

Potential new biomarker for colon cancer

Cincinnati scientists have identified a new biomarker that could help predict a person's risk of developing colon cancer and how aggressive it may become.

19 Jan 2009

Socially stable individuals delay seeking help for alcohol problems

People with a stable psychosocial life situation often delay in seeking help for their alcohol problems - even though they are serious.

19 Jan 2009

Researchers find novel use for old compound in cancer treatment

The compound, alpha-difluoromethylornithine or DFMO, targets the activity of a specific enzyme and, even in very limited doses, is effective in protecting against the malignancy in animal models.

19 Jan 2009

New understanding on how aging causes broken bones to heal slowly

Researchers have unraveled crucial details of how aging causes broken bones to heal slowly, or not at all, according to study results published today in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

19 Jan 2009

Discovery of potential new bactericide

As bacteria resistant to commonly used antibiotics continue to increase in number, scientists keep searching for new sources of drugs.

19 Jan 2009

Mutant host cell protein sequesters critical HIV-1 element

Scientists have identified a new way to inhibit a molecule that is critical for HIV pathogenesis.

19 Jan 2009

A tipple a day helps seniors keep disabilities at bay

It is well known that moderate drinking can have positive health benefits - for instance, a couple of glasses of red wine a day can be good for the heart.

19 Jan 2009

Lack of grey matter linked to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

A research study led by scientists from the Gregorio Marañón University Hospital in Madrid and the Network of Centres for Biomedical Research in Mental Health Networks (CIBERSAM) shows that adolescents experiencing a first outbreak of psychosis have lower levels of grey matter in their brains than healthy teenagers. Strangely, this change was seen in patients suffering from various psychoses, including bipolar illness and schizophrenia.

19 Jan 2009

How the sensory organs of bacteria function

Bacteria can occur almost anywhere on earth and exist under the most varying conditions. If these tiny, microscopic organisms are to survive in these environments, they need to be able to rapidly detect changes in their surroundings and react to them.

19 Jan 2009

E. coli persists against antibiotics through HipA-induced dormancy

Bacteria hunker down and survive antibiotic attack when a protein flips a chemical switch that throws them into a dormant state until treatment abates, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the Jan.16 edition of Science.

19 Jan 2009

DREAM gene found to be a genetic candidate for explaining old age dementia

In 2002, a group of scientists at the University of Toronto was able to identify a gene which they dubbed DREAM (downstream regulatory element antagonistic modulator).

19 Jan 2009