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SLITRK1 gene appears to contribute to some cases of Tourette's Syndrome

In what may be a major milestone in Tourette's Syndrome (TS) research, scientists at Yale School of Medicine and their colleagues have identified a gene called SLITRK1 that appears to contribute to some cases of TS, according to a report in the October 14 issue of Science.

13 Oct 2005

Innovative therapy lowering body temperature slows down the injury process caused by birth asphyxia

Infants born with oxygen loss who are given an innovative therapy that lowers their entire body temperature by four degrees within the first six hours of life, have a better chance of survival and lower incidence of brain injury

12 Oct 2005

Chromosomes in the nucleus of the cell carry the material of heredity, or genes

Abnormal cell division that yields cells with an extra set of chromosomes can initiate the development of tumors in mice, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown, validating a controversial theory about cancer causation put forth by a scientific visionary nearly 100 years ago.

12 Oct 2005

Personalized medicine to improve the outcome for breast cancer patients

As cancer remains a leading cause of death in the United States, early detection and treatment are critical keys to improving the survival rate. Yet, an individual's response to treatment varies considerably, even among cancers of the same histological type.

12 Oct 2005

New fungal defensin, plectasin, possesses as much power as penicillin

A peptide identified in a fungus found in northern European pine forests possesses as much power as penicillin as well as vancomycin, according to an international team of researchers.

12 Oct 2005

Combining fMRI and PET scanning creates a way to compare different measurements of the brain's function concurrently

Clinical researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) are the first to combine fMRI and PET scanning in radiology, creating a way to compare different measurements of the brain's function concurrently. This analysis could lead to better diagnosis and treatment in patients suffering from brain disorders, like Alzheimer's disease.

12 Oct 2005

Removing metastatic disease from the diaphragm significantly increases survival rates in ovarian cancer patients

In a retrospective study looking back at a decade of surgeries, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers have determined that surgery to remove metastatic disease from the diaphragm, in conjunction with other procedures to remove the primary diseased tissue in ovarian cancer patients, significantly increases survival rates.

12 Oct 2005

Why the human immune system does not function well in the weightlessness of space

Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center have identified a set of key immune-response genes that do not turn on in a weightless environment. The discovery is another clue in the effort to solve an almost 40-year-old mystery

12 Oct 2005

Fijiian seaweed shows potential to kill cancer cells, bacteria and the HIV virus

Researchers have discovered 10 new molecular structures with pharmaceutical potential in a species of red seaweed that lives in the shallow coral reef along the coastline of Fiji in the south Pacific Ocean.

12 Oct 2005

Novel therapies for pleural mesothelioma

Researchers at New York University School of Medicine and Wayne State University have found a molecule that reveals the early stages of pleural mesothelioma, a chest cancer caused by asbestos. The finding opens the way to a blood test for the disease, according to a new study published in the Oct. 13 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

12 Oct 2005

Quest to develop synthetic versions of rare natural substances to cure tobacco-related diseases

Within a laboratory on the Florida State University campus, a chemist leads a team of researchers in a quest to develop synthetic versions of rare natural substances. If all goes well, the team’s efforts could pay off in the form of the next generation of cancer-fighting drugs.

12 Oct 2005

Researchers call for better recognition and pain management of endometriosis

Women with endometriosis can wait up to ten years for the painful gynaecological condition to be diagnosed, according to a paper in latest issue of UK-based Journal of Clinical Nursing.

12 Oct 2005

Long-term smoking linked to diminished mental proficiency

The association between long-term smoking and diminished mental proficiency in 172 alcoholic and non-alcoholic men was a surprising finding from a study that set out to examine alcoholism's long-term effect on the brain and thinking skills.

11 Oct 2005

New hormone discovery has implications for liver diseases

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered that the small intestine communicates with the liver to control the production of bile acids - a finding that has great medical implications in treating people at risk for certain types of liver disease.

11 Oct 2005

Obesity associated with a threefold increase in SCD1 expression in obese muscle

The gene encoding an enzyme that hinders muscle from burning fat manufactures three times more enzyme in the muscle of obese people than lean people, researchers from Duke University Medical Center and Louisiana State University have found. This causes the obese muscle tissue to both store more fat and burn less fat, the researchers said.

11 Oct 2005

New monoclonal antibody that targets immune system B cells shows promise for treating leukemias

In studies with mice, treatment with a new monoclonal antibody that targets immune system B cells has shown considerable promise for treating leukemias, autoimmune diseases and transplant rejection, according to immunologists at Duke University Medical Center.

11 Oct 2005

Families who regularly share meals together have children with higher self-esteem

Research by two Emory University psychology professors shows that families who regularly share meals together have children who know more about their family history and tend to have higher self-esteem, interact better with their peers and show higher resilience in the face of adversity.

11 Oct 2005

New discoveries help explore the function of regulatory T cells in autoimmune disease and in cancer

More than 150 years after the discovery of Hassall's corpuscles in 1849, the function of these round blobs of cells in the human thymus gland has now been explained. The answer, in turn, ends an intense hunt for the origin of regulatory T cells that has been under way for years.

11 Oct 2005

Natural cancer killing cells from the human embryonic stem cells

For the first time, stem cell researchers at the University of Minnesota have coaxed human embryonic stem cells to create cancer-killing cells in the laboratory, paving the way for future treatments for various types of cancers (or tumors).

11 Oct 2005

Rates for new cases of kidney failure have stabilized

After 20 years of annual increases from 5 to 10 percent, rates for new cases of kidney failure have stabilized, according to new research from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). At the same time, dramatic racial disparities persist.

11 Oct 2005

Medical Research News

SLITRK1 gene appears to contribute to some cases of Tourette's Syndrome

Innovative therapy lowering body temperature slows down the injury process caused by birth asphyxia

Chromosomes in the nucleus of the cell carry the material of heredity, or genes

Personalized medicine to improve the outcome for breast cancer patients

New fungal defensin, plectasin, possesses as much power as penicillin

Combining fMRI and PET scanning creates a way to compare different measurements of the brain's function concurrently

Removing metastatic disease from the diaphragm significantly increases survival rates in ovarian cancer patients

Why the human immune system does not function well in the weightlessness of space

Fijiian seaweed shows potential to kill cancer cells, bacteria and the HIV virus

Novel therapies for pleural mesothelioma

Quest to develop synthetic versions of rare natural substances to cure tobacco-related diseases

Researchers call for better recognition and pain management of endometriosis

Long-term smoking linked to diminished mental proficiency

New hormone discovery has implications for liver diseases

Obesity associated with a threefold increase in SCD1 expression in obese muscle

New monoclonal antibody that targets immune system B cells shows promise for treating leukemias

Families who regularly share meals together have children with higher self-esteem

New discoveries help explore the function of regulatory T cells in autoimmune disease and in cancer

Natural cancer killing cells from the human embryonic stem cells

Rates for new cases of kidney failure have stabilized

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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