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Cocoa can help prevent onset of colon carcinogenesis

A new study on living animals has shown for the first time that eating cocoa (the raw material in chocolate) can help to prevent intestinal complaints linked to oxidative stress, including colon carcinogenesis onset caused by chemical substances.

24 Jan 2012

Cholesterol receptor allows entry of HCV virus into human liver cells

A molecule embedded in the membrane of human liver cells that aids in cholesterol absorption also allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, the first step in hepatitis C infection, according to research at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.

24 Jan 2012

New gene therapy shows promise against X-linked retinitis pigmentosa

A new gene therapy method developed by University of Florida researchers has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults.

24 Jan 2012

Methylation also plays a significant role outside the nucleus

The same mechanism that stabilises the DNA in the cell nucleus is also important for the structure and function of vertebrate muscle cells. This has been established by RUB-researchers led by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Linke (Institute of Physiology) in cooperation with American and German colleagues.

24 Jan 2012

KSU professor turns to nutrition to tackle prostate cancer

A Kansas State University professor is turning to nutrition to tackle prostate cancer. Brian Lindshield, assistant professor of human nutrition, is helping men make more informed diet decisions by studying foods and dietary supplements that may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men in the United States.

24 Jan 2012

miR-375 can predict life threatening head and neck cancers

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein, have found a biomarker in head and neck cancers that can predict whether a patient's tumor will be life threatening.

24 Jan 2012

Study shows important aspects of how sodium and potassium are regulated in the kidney

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a principal risk factor for heart disease and affects 1 billion people. At least half of them are estimated to be salt-sensitive; their blood pressure rises with sodium intake. New research shows important aspects of how sodium and potassium are regulated in the kidney.

24 Jan 2012

Chromosome aberrations happen in pairs when it comes to cancer

A healthy genome is characterized by 23 pairs of chromosomes, and even a small change in this structure - such as an extra copy of a single chromosome - can lead to severe physical impairment. So it's no surprise that when it comes to cancer, chromosomal structure is frequently a contributing factor, says Prof. Ron Shamir of the Blavatnik School of Computer Science at Tel Aviv University.

24 Jan 2012

Study takes a closer look at high fructose corn syrup and table sugar

With growing concern that excessive levels of fructose may pose a great health risk - causing high blood pressure, kidney disease and diabetes - researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, along with their colleagues at the University of Florida, set out to see if two common sweeteners in western diets differ in their effects on the body in the first few hours after ingestion.

24 Jan 2012

CQA derivatives in mate tea kill human colon cancer cells

Could preventing colon cancer be as simple as developing a taste for yerba mate tea? In a recent University of Illinois study, scientists showed that human colon cancer cells die when they are exposed to the approximate number of bioactive compounds present in one cup of this brew, which has long been consumed in South America for its medicinal properties.

24 Jan 2012

OPKO acquires two new prostate cancer biomarkers from Arctic Partners

OPKO Health, Inc. today announced the acquisition of an exclusive license from Arctic Partners Ab Oy for two biomarkers in the kallikrein family which, used together with prostate specific antigen (PSA), can reduce the need for prostate biopsies by over 50%.

24 Jan 2012

Elevated blood lead levels put smokers at higher risk for renal cell carcinoma

Higher than normal levels of lead in the blood may signal a risk two times higher than average of developing renal cell carcinoma in smokers, according to medical researchers.

24 Jan 2012

Targeting a single protein can help fight both breast cancers and leukemias

Targeting a single protein can help fight both breast cancers and leukemias, according to two reports published online on January 23 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

24 Jan 2012

Scientists reveal structure of cellular protein degradation machinery

Defective proteins that are not disposed of by the body can cause diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Biochemistry recently succeeded in revealing the structure of the cellular protein degradation machinery (26S proteasome) by combining different methods of structural biology.

24 Jan 2012

Researchers uncover 13 novel genetic loci linked with onset of menopause

An international team of researchers from the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine and other institutions has uncovered 13 genetic loci, linked to immune function and DNA repair, that are factors in the age of onset of menopause.

24 Jan 2012

UCSF-led study to sequence DNA from 4,000 people with epilepsy

To probe the genetic secrets of one of the most common neurological diseases, more than 4,000 people with various forms of epilepsy will have their DNA decoded over the next five years in a study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and several collaborating institutions.

23 Jan 2012

Study explains how bacterial biofilms expand to form slimy mats on teeth, surgical instruments

New research at Harvard explains how bacterial biofilms expand to form slimy mats on teeth, pipes, surgical instruments, and crops.

23 Jan 2012

Researchers discover 13 new regions of genome associated with timing of menopause

An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause. These genes shed light on the biological pathways involved in reproductive lifespan and will provide insights into conditions connected to menopause, such as breast cancer and heart disease.

23 Jan 2012

Potential role of omega-3 fatty acid in preventing psychological consequences of accidents

A report in the 5th 2011 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics suggests the potential role of omega-3 fatty acid in preventing the psychological consequences of an accident.

23 Jan 2012

Small-group dynamics can alter expression of IQ in some susceptible people

In the classic film "12 Angry Men," Henry Fonda's character sways a jury with his quiet, persistent intelligence. But would he have succeeded if he had allowed himself to fall sway to the social dynamics of that jury? Research led by scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute found that small-group dynamics -- such as jury deliberations, collective bargaining sessions, and cocktail parties -- can alter the expression of IQ in some susceptible people.

23 Jan 2012