Soda, Halloween candy and other food products that contain high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners could one day get a fresh makeover using honey, one of the most ancient sweeteners, researchers say.

Scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign say that honey may be a healthier alternative than corn syrup due to its higher level of antioxidants, compounds which are believed to fight cancer, heart disease and other diseases.

Honey, which contains a

Forensic genetics is the branch of genetics that, through DNA analysis and comparison, deals with the resolution of legal problems such as paternity tests. Recently, it has been proposed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could be used as a new genetic marker in the field eventually even replacing the methods/markers now employed. But in an article just published online in Forensic Science International, a team of scientists challenges the effectiveness of SNPs in kinship studies predic

Its two-step handiwork described in The EMBO Journal as most efficient of any enzyme

A newly discovered enzyme described by University of Pittsburgh researchers in a study published online today, is believed to play a key role in maintaining the integrity of a cell’s genetic information – the basis by which the life of a cell or species is preserved – by allowing its DNA to be replicated despite discovery of a mishap on the sequence that it corrects with a new mistake. Its sop

Metabolic monitoring may be indicated for patients

Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center say a group of drugs known as “atypical antipsychotics” that are commonly used to treat children with aggression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may trigger insulin resistance, a condition that increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life.

Results of the study linking insulin resistance to the use of these antipsychotics are sc

Conclusion

The project presented here examines the research cooperation between the Institute for Product Development, Technische Universität München, and a cardiology centre in Munich, Deutsches Herzzentrum München. The main aim of the project was the optimization of the interaction of the heart lung machine (HLM) and the human organism. The extracorporeal circulation (ECC) – where the HLM takes over the blood circulation, gas exchange and thermoregulation of the blood outside of t

When treating an infection, physicians may face a choice between using a bactericidal (bacteria-killing) drug, a bacteriostatic (bacteria-inhibiting) drug or a combination of the two. The solution is not always obvious, particularly since a drug that is bactericidal for one strain of bacteria may only inhibit the growth of another strain, according to an article in the November 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

Although it might seem logical that bacter

Occlusion of the basilar artery (BAO) is a relatively infrequent but the most catastrophic form of ischemic stroke with a dismal natural course, carrying from 85 to almost 95 % mortality. Complete BAO precipitates a sudden or gradually worsening clinical syndrome with bilateral motor weaknesses, visual or speech disturbances, deficits in motor coordination and balance, and often leads to reduced consciousness. The most devastating end-point is the locked-in state, in which the patient is consc

In preparation for the Women International Space Simulation for Exploration (WISE) study, which starts on 22 February next year, an official call for candidates to participate as test subjects was issued on 3 August.

Over 700 women have responded in the 10 weeks since then, demonstrating strong interest in the study among potential participants. However, most of the applications are from France, where the WISE study is to take place, and ESA wishes to ensure that women from all o

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania have found an immune system cell can “remember” a parasite’s attack and help the body mount a more effective defense against subsequent invasions by the same parasite.

The finding, published in the October issue of Nature Medicine, will likely aid efforts to develop a vaccine for Leishmania major, a parasite that infects approximately 12 million people worldwide, causing si

Strong-flavored onions can be harsh on your social life, but they’re potentially great for fighting cancer. Researchers at Cornell University have found, in preliminary lab studies, that members of the onion family with the strongest flavor — particularly New York Bold, Western Yellow and shallots — are the best varieties for inhibiting the growth of liver and colon cancer cells.

“No one knows yet how many daily servings of onions you’d have to eat to maximize protection against c

A common antibacterial and antifungal ingredient used in mouthwashes and tooth paste may have another positive medicinal use: protection against skin cancer.

According to new studies, sanguinarine was shown to enhance production of proteins that induce cell death, or apoptosis, in cells damaged by ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation. The alkaloid also restricts skin cell production of other pro-proliferation proteins. “This natural compound may protect skin from cells that acquire the

Researchers have uncovered a specific signaling mechanism that contributes to the development of colorectal cancer, one of the most common deadly human cancers. The discovery furthers the understanding of mechanisms that contribute to disease progression and provides new avenues for development of therapies for colorectal cancer.

According to study author, Dr. Marcus F. Neurath from the University of Mainz in Germany, “Several lines of evidence support an important role of TGF-b

By knocking out a single gene in mice, immunologists at Duke University Medical Center have mimicked a little-understood autoimmune disorder in humans. In the puzzling disorder, called Sjögren’s syndrome, the person’s tear and salivary glands are affected, causing dry eyes and mouth, as they are damaged by an attack of the person’s own immune cells.

According to researchers, the achievement not only offers insight into Sjögren’s syndrome, but into the genera

Diabetics could face a higher risk of both pancreatic and liver cancer, according to a Université de Montréal researcher who will be presenting her team’s findings at the Frontiers in Cancer Research Prevention Meeting. While the association between diabetes and both pancreatic and liver cancer has been previously documented, the researchers accounted for many factors unavailable in previous studies, making this the most accurate association ever found between diabetes and the incidence of live

Dolphin Quest enlists University of Pittsburgh specialist to develop custom ’scaffold’ for tissue’s repair; ’Liko is one lucky dolphin’

An expert team of marine mammal veterinarians, medical researchers, cosmetic surgeons and dolphin trainers recently joined forces to apply the latest advances in human regenerative medicine in an attempt to restore a bottlenose dolphin’s damaged dorsal fin.

The procedure on Liko, a three-year-old male dolphin

St. Jude/Johns Hopkins discovery suggests that manipulating levels of Lag-3 protein on T regulatory cells might prevent autoimmune diseases or amplify immune system attacks on cancer cells

The discovery that the Lag-3 gene acts as a brake to prevent immune system responses from running out of control solves a mystery that has puzzled researchers since the gene was discovered 14 years ago. A report on this discovery, from investigators at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital a