Finding may lead to new therapies

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a key mechanism in the brains of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) dementia. The study is the first to document decreases in the neurotransmitter dopamine in those with the condition, and may lead to new, more effective therapies. HIV dementia is a type of cognitive decline that is more common in the later stages of HIV infection.

“Our

First complete DNA sequence of methanotroph reveals metabolic flexibility, suggests mechanisms for increasing its usefulness for biotechnology

The first complete genome sequence of a methane-breathing bacterium has revealed a surprising flexibility in its metabolism, suggesting an ability to live successfully in environments previously thought to be beyond its reach. The genome sequence of Methylococcus capsulatus – a species typical of methane-breathing bacteria commonly found in

In addition to its popular role in flavoring ice cream, fudge and cake frosting, vanilla may have a future use as a medicine. Recent laboratory research has strengthened the possibility that a form of vanilla may become a drug to treat sickle cell disease.
After specially bred mice received a compound that turns into vanilla in the body, they survived five times longer than mice that did not receive the chemical. All the mice had been subjected to low oxygen pressure, a condition that causes the

Endocrinologists from the University at Buffalo are providing one more link in the growing chain of evidence pointing to chronic cellular inflammation as the precursor of heart disease and diabetes.

In research published in the Sept 21 issue of Circulation, the researchers show for the first time that circulating mononuclear cells — the body’s monocytes (the largest type of white blood cell) and lymphocytes — exist in a proinflammatory state in obese persons known to be at i

Highly regulated virulence genes and genomic instability found in the horse pathogen, burkholderia mallei

More than 2,400 years after Hippocrates first described the symptoms of glanders, scientists have deciphered the genetic code of the ancient pathogen that causes the horse disease: Burkholderia mallei.

The study found that B. mallei, a highly evolved pathogen that has been deployed in the past as a biological weapon, has an extremely regulated set of virulence genes and

Approximately half of patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) fail to receive the recommended dose and schedule of chemotherapy, reducing their chances for remission or cure.

The study of 4,522 patients in 567 oncology practices nationwide, led by the University of Rochester Medical Center, is the largest of its kind to date. Published September 20, 2004 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (online edition), the study found that 48 to 53 percent of NHL patients receive

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine report a novel strategy for stimulating the production of utrophin – an important muscle protein in young mice – for muscular dystrophy therapy. The investigators gave mdx mice (the mouse model for Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy) heregulin, a small molecule to turn on the production of utrophin in their muscles. Utrophin improved muscle function in the mdx mice. “Our strategy boosts the levels of an existing gene using pre-existing

A Queensland PhD student’s discovery speeds up tissue growth and repair and sparks off a new listed biotech company.

“The key to recovering from a burn or a wound is the ability for cells to move and grow. We have discovered a naturally occurring novel complex of growth factors that speeds this process up,” says Jennifer Kricker, finalist in the Fresh Innovators forum and co-discoverer of the complex, now called VitroGro. “Speeding up healing reduces the risk of infection and scar

Sporting technology has been used on lizards to watch them run.

The same camera that analysed the bowling action of Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan is being used to study how dragon lizards can escape a bigger, faster predator – the goanna. “It’s all in the running action,” says zoologist, Chris Clemente from the University of Western Australia.

His work has shown that lizards have adapted their locomotion to fit with their habitats. For example, the dragon liz

The new Centre for Applied Medicine Research (CIMA) will be officially opened at the University of Navarre (Universidad de Navarra).

More than 15,000 square metres on four floors will be given over to investigative work – both basic and clinical – by some 350 biologists, doctors, pharmacologists and technicians. Those responsible for the project wished to direct their efforts in four areas of research involving 90 per cent of deaths in the West. The CIMA scientists will work within t

Scientists are a step closer to understanding the health benefits of drinking red wine. Researchers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and affiliated with the Salk Institute in San Diego, Calif., have succeeded in converting chalcone synthase, a biosynthetic protein enzyme found in all higher plants, into an efficient resveratrol synthase. Resveratrol, a beneficial component of red wine, is thought to contribute to the improved cardiovascular effects associated with moderate consumpt

Marine biologists want to find out more about the Giant Pacific Octopus, but this elusive creature doesn’t willingly reveal its secrets.

Divers can follow the octopus for short periods, but what’s really needed is an undersea robot that will wait patiently outside the creature’s den, ready to shadow its every move. UA engineering undergrads, in collaboration with students from two other universities, are building a mini-sub to answer this need. In July, they took a prototype to Ala

Improved production of polyunsaturated fats in oilseed crops will benefit human health and the environment

In research reported this month in The Plant Cell, scientists succeeded in producing genetically modified linseed plants that accumulate significant levels of very long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in seed. This is the first report of the successful engineering of very long chain PUFA into an oilseed crop, and is an excellent example of how genetic engineering of ag

Study published in Science also finds answers to the question: How do cells know to grow?

Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah and a collaborator at the University of California at Santa Cruz report they have developed a unique computational approach to investigate a regulatory network for gene expression that is implicated in cell growth and development. The study was published today in the journal Science.

“When studying the genome of

Scientists in India have developed a new gel that is taken orally and is capable of delivering drugs to manage diseases often requiring an injection. The research, published in the journal Polymer International, suggests the gel could offer a painless way of treating diabetes, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, bowel cancer, constipation and some infections, all of which require local drug delivery.

In these conditions, oral administration of medication cannot be achieved easily b

In 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) appeared in New York City, marking the most significant beginning of a new, vector-borne human pathogen in the United States over the past century. Throughout North American history, rapid expansion of various modes of travel and commerce have led to the introduction of such vector-borne human pathogens as dengue, yellow fever, plague and malaria. Now, it is West Nile Virus that has captured the attention of infectious disease officials as well as the American public.