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International conference to discuss research, unresolved issues of sickle cell disease

Carlton Haywood Jr., Ph.D., an associate faculty member of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, will mark the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of sickle cell anemia on Wednesday, Aug. 4, with a talk on the impact that race has had on the history of research and treatment of the inherited blood disorder.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists identify IRP proteins to ensure iron balance for cell survival

Most organisms need iron to survive, but too much iron is toxic, and can cause fatal organ failure. The same is true inside cells, where iron balance must also be maintained. In a study published today in Cell Metabolism, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have discovered that a group of proteins named IRPs ensure that this iron balance is kept and as such are essential for cell survival. More specifically, they found that IRPs are required for the functioning of mitochondria, the cell's energy factories.

4 Aug 2010

Study to understand processes that lead to onset of testicular germ cell cancer

Scientists have developed a model that will enable them to investigate, for the first time, how human testes develop in baby boys while they are in the womb. Until now it has been impossible to study testicular development during pregnancy in humans and this discovery will enable researchers to understand the processes that can lead to the onset of testicular germ cell cancer (TGCC) in young adult life, and how factors, such as common environmental chemicals, might play a role.

4 Aug 2010

Bisphenol A may decrease sperm quality, concentration: Research

In one of the first human studies of its kind, researchers have found that urinary concentrations of the controversial chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, may be related to decreased sperm quality and sperm concentration.However, the researchers are quick to point out that these results are preliminary and more study is needed. Several studies have documented adverse effects of BPA on semen in rodents, but none are known to have reported similar relationships in humans.

4 Aug 2010

Shared motivation drives gestational surrogacy

Jodi, of West Branch, IA, recently gave birth to twins (a boy and girl), but she doesn't claim to be their mother. That's because she carried them as the gestational surrogate for a Chicago couple wanting to start a family.

4 Aug 2010

Long-term dietary consumption of capsaicin can reduce blood pressure: Research

For those with high blood pressure, chili peppers might be just what the doctor ordered, according to a study reported in the August issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. While the active ingredient that gives the peppers their heat-a compound known as capsaicin-might set your mouth on fire, it also leads blood vessels to relax, the research in hypertensive rats shows.

4 Aug 2010

Special hearing on potential environmental health factors associated with autism spectrum disorders

Autism Speaks' Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. emphasized the importance of research on environmental risk factors for autism spectrum disorders as the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, Subcommittee on Children's Health convened a special hearing on potential environmental health factors associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders. The hearing is examining the latest research on potential environmental factors that may increase the risk for autism spectrum disorders.

4 Aug 2010

Scientists study specific cell interactions for reasearch on human developmental disorders

Two University of Iowa biologists have published a paper on how cells make specific interactions during development -- in the hope of one day learning more about human developmental disorders -- in the Aug. 2 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

4 Aug 2010

Long term decline in hemoglobin may announce onset of colorectal cancer

Anemia, a common blood disorder characterized by low hemoglobin levels, has long been associated with those suffering from colorectal cancer. But researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that, more than a symptom of active disease, low hemoglobin levels can actually indicate a potential for colon cancer years before it's diagnosed.

4 Aug 2010

Bode Technology expands international strategic distributor partnerships

GlobalOptions Group, Inc., a leading provider of domestic and international risk management services, today announced Bode Technology, its Forensic DNA Solutions and Products unit, is escalating its international distribution investments and reaffirming its commitment to help provide state-of-the-art, integrated forensic DNA solutions, though 7 new international strategic distributor partnerships this year.

3 Aug 2010

U.S. clinical trials provide further evidence of importance of storing umbilical cord blood

Cord Blood America, Inc., the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells, a biological insurance policy, to families nationwide and internationally, today said that clinical trials ongoing in the U.S. using umbilical cord blood in the treatment of cerebral palsy, high-risk hematologic cancer, injured spinal cords and Type 1 diabetes provide significant further evidence of the importance of storing umbilical cord blood at the time of birth.

3 Aug 2010

An overview of ESA-s Annual Meeting

Whether it is a single rock being overturned or an entire mountaintop being removed, humans play a continuous role in environmental processes, and vice versa. Ecological scientists will discuss findings on human-ecosystem interactions-from the effects of nanomaterials on plant growth to the diversity of insect species on green roofs, and even communities of airborne microbes in hospital buildings-at the Ecological Society of America's 95th Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh from August 1-6, 2010. Here is just some of the research on humans and the environment to be presented:

3 Aug 2010

Toxic protein in bee venom improves liposome encapsulated drug effectiveness

The next time you are stung by a bee, here's some consolation: a toxic protein in bee venom, when altered, significantly improves the effectiveness liposome-encapsulated drugs or dyes, such as those already used to treat or diagnose cancer. This research, described in the August 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal, shows how modified melittin may revolutionize treatments for cancer and perhaps other conditions, such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and serious infections.

3 Aug 2010

Way patients cope with diabetes-related foot ulcers and their levels of depression affect wound healing

People suffering from diabetes-related foot ulcers show different rates of healing according to the way they cope and their psychological state of mind, according to new research by a health psychologist at The University of Nottingham.

3 Aug 2010

Particles of iron oxide enhance tumor visibility through MRI

Tiny particles of iron oxide could become tools for simultaneous tumor imaging and treatment, because of their magnetic properties and toxic effects against brain cancer cells. In mice, researchers from Emory University School of Medicine have demonstrated how these particles can deliver antibodies to implanted brain tumors, while enhancing tumor visibility via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

3 Aug 2010

PHD1 useful for pharmacologic inhibition in IBD: Research

Research into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) led by UCD Conway Institute scientists with national and international collaborators has identified a key regulator involved in maintaining the functional integrity of the gut lining. The findings, published recently in the scientific journal, Gastroenterology, provide information that may be important in developing a new therapeutic approach to the treatment of the disease.

3 Aug 2010

Exercise, restricted-calorie diets help to stave off mental, physical degeneration of aging: Research

Harvard University researchers have uncovered a mechanism through which caloric restriction and exercise delay some of the debilitating effects of aging by rejuvenating connections between nerves and the muscles that they control.

3 Aug 2010

miRagen Therapeutics develop MicroRNA based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease

miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving patients' lives by developing innovative microRNA-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease, announced today the publication of data demonstrating the essential role of microRNA-451 (miR-451) in the regulation of erythropoiesis, the process of red blood cell production in the body.

3 Aug 2010

People insensitive to quinine's bitter taste may have varied absorption, metabolization capabilities: Study

Some people find quinine to be bitter while others can drink it like water. Now, scientists from the Monell Center and collaborators report that individual differences in how people experience quinine's bitterness are related to underlying differences in their genes.The findings, published online in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, demonstrate that genetic variation in regions of DNA that encode bitter taste receptors predicts a person's perception of bitterness from quinine.

3 Aug 2010

Biomaterials-based bone grafts can manipulate cell behavior to repair injury

Scientists have developed a material for bone grafts that could one day replace the 'gold standard' natural bone implants.A new study shows how particles of a ceramic called calcium phosphate have the ability to stimulate promising bone regrowth by attracting stem cells and 'growth factors' to promote healing and the integration of the grafted tissue.

3 Aug 2010

Medical Science News

International conference to discuss research, unresolved issues of sickle cell disease

Scientists identify IRP proteins to ensure iron balance for cell survival

Study to understand processes that lead to onset of testicular germ cell cancer

Bisphenol A may decrease sperm quality, concentration: Research

Shared motivation drives gestational surrogacy

Long-term dietary consumption of capsaicin can reduce blood pressure: Research

Special hearing on potential environmental health factors associated with autism spectrum disorders

Scientists study specific cell interactions for reasearch on human developmental disorders

Long term decline in hemoglobin may announce onset of colorectal cancer

Bode Technology expands international strategic distributor partnerships

U.S. clinical trials provide further evidence of importance of storing umbilical cord blood

An overview of ESA-s Annual Meeting

Toxic protein in bee venom improves liposome encapsulated drug effectiveness

Way patients cope with diabetes-related foot ulcers and their levels of depression affect wound healing

Particles of iron oxide enhance tumor visibility through MRI

PHD1 useful for pharmacologic inhibition in IBD: Research

Exercise, restricted-calorie diets help to stave off mental, physical degeneration of aging: Research

miRagen Therapeutics develop MicroRNA based therapeutics for cardiovascular and muscle disease

People insensitive to quinine's bitter taste may have varied absorption, metabolization capabilities: Study

Biomaterials-based bone grafts can manipulate cell behavior to repair injury

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Exploring the Future of Neuroscience Drug Discovery

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