New scientific evidence that may shed light on why men are more likely than women to develop aggressive forms of skin cancer has been published today in Carcinogenesis. The research carried out by scientists in UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research shows that a gene found only in men is altered by a chemical process, which is in turn linked to aggressive forms of melanoma.

Dr William Gallagher, UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science and UCD Conway Insti

Lidocaine and similar local anesthetics are effective for treating pain that emanates from damaged nerves, according to a systematic review of current evidence.

Neuropathic pain, which can occur with chronic diseases or conditions, is frequently unresponsive to treatment and worsens over time.

“Intravenous lidocaine and oral derivatives relieve pain from damage to the nervous system,” found authors Ivo W. Tremont-Lukats, M.D., of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Hou

A new device that uses near-infrared light to non-invasively monitor the oxygenation of the brain during surgery appears to be a promising alternative to the more invasive techniques currently in use, according to a new study by Duke University Medical Center anesthesiologists.

The researchers said their findings offer the potential for accurate and reliable monitoring of brain oxygenation during cardiac surgeries, to more effectively protect the brain against reduced oxygen l

Messenger RNA ’cut and run’ scheme provides rapid stress response

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered a new kind of messenger RNA molecule that is converted from non-protein coding status to protein coding status in response to cellular stress such as viral infection. The discovery reveals a “cut and run” mechanism that is likely to control the expression of many genes in humans and a variety of other organisms. A deeper understanding of this m

Tumor-suppressor proteins work to inhibit tumor growth in our bodies and when they win, they spare us a battle with cancer. But one such protein, menin, appears to have a split personality. Though menin is well-known for its ability to suppress endocrine tumors, researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have discovered that it is also a key player in the development of some forms of acute leukemia.

The researchers, who made the discovery in working with mouse cells, s

Long-standing scientific question resolved

The discovery in 1977 that the coding regions of a gene could appear in separate segments along the DNA won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Richard J. Roberts and Phillip A. Sharp. The active segments of a gene were termed exons, separated from each other within the gene by inactive introns.

The research suggested the necessary existence of a number of biological processes and active entities, many of which h

Study shows cystic fibrosis gene mutation a risk factor for young-onset disease

Mayo Clinic researchers have found the risk of developing pancreatic cancer at a young age (under 60) to be twice as high for people who carry a mutation of the gene that causes cystic fibrosis, compared to noncarriers. Results of a pilot and follow-up study were reported Oct. 14, 2005, online in the journal Gut.

Pancreatic cancer kills over 32,000 people in the United States each year Twenty p

An unusual device that uses trained wasps, rather than trained dogs, to detect specific chemical odors could one day be used to find hidden explosives, plant diseases, illegal drugs, cancer and even buried bodies, according to a joint study by researchers at the University of Georgia and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The trained wasps are contained in a cup-sized device, called a “Wasp Hound,” that is capable of sounding an alarm or triggering a visual signal, such as a flashin

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables could be a good defense against prostate cancer, according to a Case Western Reserve University study published in the October online issue of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal.

Previous studies have suggested that increased intake of flavonoids which are common in fruits and vegetables may be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, according to Sanjay Gupta, Ph.D., an assistant professor in t

One of the first things we learn in chemistry class is that solids conduct heat better than liquids. But a new study suggests that in nanoscale materials, this is not necessarily the case.

Using computer simulations, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that heat may actually move better across interfaces between liquids than it does between solids. The findings, which were published online Oct. 11 in the journal Nano Letters, provide insights that could p

Researchers from Johns Hopkins have discovered the presence of functional ion channels in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). These ion channels act like electrical wires and permit ESCs, versatile cells that possess the unique ability to become all cell types of the body, to conduct and pass along electric currents.

If researchers could selectively block some of these channels in implanted cells, derived from stem cells, they may be able to prevent potential tumor development.

A new antifreeze protein discovered in tiny snow fleas by Queen’s University researchers may lengthen the shelf life of human organs for transplantation.

Drs. Laurie Graham and Peter Davies, from the Department of Biochemistry, found that the potent protein produced by the fleas to protect themselves against freezing is capable of inhibiting ice growth by about six Celsius degrees. This would allow organs to be stored at lower temperatures, expanding the time allowed between removal

Researchers at the University of Ulster have found that drugs being developed to combat diabetes could also prevent nerve degeneration caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurobiologist Dr Christian Holscher, who heads the Alzheimer Research Group at the University’s Coleraine campus, has teamed up with the University’s internationally renowned diabetes research group to investigate links between two diseases.

Recent research has shown a surprising link between Alzheimer’s a

The possibility of a patient lowering their blood pressure at the flick of a switch has been raised by research led by Oxford University, which shows that stimulating parts of the brain with electrodes can change a patient’s blood pressure.

In a paper published today by Neuroreport, researchers at Oxford University and Imperial College London report that they have found the exact area of the brain that controls blood pressure and how to make use of it.

A team of neurosur

The European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) has designated, as an orphan medicine, one of the 18 patents of the Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA) at the University of Navarre. This approval, achieved by the Digna Biotech biotechnological company, will facilitate the clinical development of its p144 peptide in the treatment of two symptoms of skin disease: local and systemic scleroderma.

The aim of Digna Biotech (www.dignabiotech.com) is the devel

Mother to child transmission of HIV accounts for a large proportion of HIV infections in children, with many infected as a result of breastfeeding, which requires transfer of the virus across mucosal barriers. DC-SIGN, a DC lectin receptor, interacts with HIV and is found at high expression levels in tonsillar tissue.

In a paper appearing online on October 20 in advance of print publication of the November issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, William Paxton and coll