Food and Drug Administration policies prevent pharmaceutical manufacturers from informing patients about potentially fatal toxicities that occur with some cancer drugs — policies that should be revised immediately, according to Northwestern University researchers.

Andrew M. Evens, D.O., instructor in medicine, and Charles L. Bennett, M.D., professor of medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, have called for an immediate revision of these FDA policies, par

Scientists funded by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health, reported today taking a major step forward in using saliva to detect oral cancer. As published in the current issue of Clinical Cancer Research, the scientists found they could measure for elevated levels of four distinct cancer-associated molecules in saliva and distinguish with 91 percent accuracy between healthy people and those diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcino

Pharmacogenomics, the study of genetic variability in the way individuals respond to medicines, has the potential to spark a major, technology-driven restructuring of the health care and pharmaceuticals industries, according to a commentary published in the current issue of Nature Medicine by faculty of the Indiana University Program in Pharmacogenomics, Ethics, and Public Policy.

Commentary co-authors Barbara Evans, Ph.D., J.D., David Flockhart, M.D., Ph.D.,and Eric Meslin, Ph.

Carbohydrates displayed on the surface of cells play critical roles in cell-cell recognition, adhesion, signaling between cells, and as markers for disease progression. Neural cells for instance use carbohydrates to facilitate development and regeneration and viruses recognize carbohydrates to gain entry into host cells. Identification of the specific saccharides involved in these processes is important to better understand cell-cell recognition at the molecular level and to aid the design of ther

A Swedish case where a certain type of stem cells has been transplanted to a foetus with a serious disease, was made public today. The results suggest that fetal mesenchymal stem cells may be a valuable source for transplantation and cell therapies.

A female foetus with multiple intrauterine fractures, diagnosed as severe osteogenesis imperfecta, was transplanted with HLA-mismatched mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the 32nd week of gestation. At 35 weeks, the baby girl was

New source means new cellular communication

For 50 years, thousands of labs around the world have studied cells’ critical internal communications, and scientists had assumed the speakers were known. But now, in the Dec. 17 issue of Science, Johns Hopkins researchers report finding not just a new participant, but a brand new conversation that has implications for treating disease and understanding biology.

Much of cells’ internal communication revolves around two

Hummingbirds aren’t known for their power-lifting prowess. But researchers nevertheless put nearly 1,000 Peruvian hummers through lifting trials and flight tests over a two-year stretch in order to find out how their flying abilities are affected by the lower oxygen and thin air of higher elevations.

The results, which appeared this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) Online Early Edition, show a clear decline in hummingbirds’ lifting a

Thomas Kusch, Ph.D., a Senior Research Associate at the Stowers Institute working with Investigator Jerry Workman, Ph.D., has identified a histone-modifying complex from Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), which facilitates DNA double-strand repair by locally increasing DNA accessibility at sites of damage. The findings are available in the Dec. 17 issue of Science.

“DNA double strand breaks are regarded as one of the primary causes of cancer,” says Kusch. “While there are nat

Scientists have sequenced the genome of the microorganism Silicibacter pomeroyi, a member of an abundant group of marine bacteria known to impact the Earth’s ecosystem by releasing and consuming atmospheric gases. This genetic blueprint provides insight into the biochemical pathways the bacterium uses to regulate its release of sulfur and carbon monoxide. Atmospheric sulfur serves as a catalyst for cloud formation, in turn, directly affecting the planet’s temperature and energy regula

Scientists at the University of British Columbia have discovered an enzyme in mammals crucial to the transportation of proteins within cells. Published today in Neuron, this discovery opens new avenues of understanding of the mechanisms underlying neuronal function and new therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Huntington Disease.

The enzyme, HIP14, is a palmitoyl transferase that adds signaling molecules to proteins resulting in their transpo

For nearly 75 years, transition-state theory has guided chemists in how they view the way chemical reactions proceed. Recent research by Emory University chemists is challenging the long-held theory, showing that in some cases chemical reactions can proceed via a path that completely bypasses the “transition state.”

“Our understanding of chemical reactions rests on the notion of the transition state. If we think of reactions as occurring on an energy landscape, the transition stat

Virginia Tech researchers are working on technologies that could create a new industry from a problem in the state’s cotton-growing region.

“Our goal is to add a value to the cotton crop by using the residue from the cotton to make a valuable product,” said Foster A. Agblevor, professor of biological systems engineering in Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

About 100,000 acres of cotton are grown in the Virginia counties of Southampton, I

Even light-to-moderate consumption increases risk if it occurs outside of meals

During this season to be jolly, when alcohol flows more freely than usual, a new study alerts drinkers that a habit of drinking outside of meals may be setting them up for high blood pressure. Research conducted at the University at Buffalo has shown that consuming alcohol mostly without food is a significant risk factor for developing hypertension. The effect was present even in people with light-to-

Just in time for the holidays, McGill researchers have identified a new way to reduce fat and cholesterol levels in the body. Their program, which combines consuming plant-derived sterols (or oils) with exercise, may benefit those who are at risk of coronary heart disease. These findings were recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

“Both consuming plant sterols and exercising have been shown to affect blood cholesterol levels on their own,” said senior au

Researchers at the University of Essex have found new biochemical indicators of cirrhosis in blood plasma which could help detect the disease in its early stages.

The findings of the project, which was led by Professor Paul Thornalley, of the Disease Mechanisms and Therapeutics Research Group in the Department of Biological Sciences, suggest these markers could be used to assess damage to the liver and the likelihood of developing cirrhosis which could have a significant effect

The risk of tuberculosis infection doubles within one year of HIV infection, according to a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online. Scientists previously assumed that there was no increase in tuberculosis risk within the first few years of HIV infection. Pam Sonnenberg of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and colleagues were therefore surprised by the results of their research on the two infections, which they conducted in