DNA of Xenopus tropicalis will provide new clues to vertebrate development

In their continuing search for new clues to how human genes function and how vertebrates develop and evolve, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (JGI) are gearing up to map the DNA of a diminutive, fast-growing African frog named Xenopus tropicalis .

Frogs have long been a favorite subject for biologists because their growth from eggs to tadpoles to

Revolutionary surgery in womb transplants may give hope to patients with fertility problems. Infertility is an increasing problem in the western world and it is estimated that around 15% of all couples are infertile. Most causes of infertility are today treatable by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and sperm injection (ICSI), but infertility due to a hysterectomy or womb (ie uterus) malformation is not treatable. Uterine infertility can be caused by injury, congenital conditions, or hysterectomy. Even th

A compound found in many foods and drinks could form the basis for new drugs to defeat cancer and heart disease, scientists at UCL claimed today.

Professor Peter Shepherd and his team believe that caffeine and theophylline- compounds commonly found in cola beverages, coffee, tea and chocolate – block the operation of a key enzyme linked to a wide range of cell functions. This suggests these compounds would block cell growth and also blood clotting. The teams work may also explain the anti-in

Researchers in the Netherlands have found that the herbal dietary supplement St. John’s wort interferes with the metabolism–and potentially the effectiveness of–the chemotherapy drug irinotecan. Their findings appear in the August 21 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

St. John’s wort ( Hypericum perforatum L.) is widely used to treat mild to moderate forms of depression. Past studies have suggested that the compound increases levels of CYP3A4, an enzyme

Ginkgo biloba has no beneficial effect on memory and related mental functions of healthy older adults when taken following manufacturer’s instructions, according to a study in the Aug. 21st issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association conducted by researchers at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass. and The Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vt.

The study was designed and conducted by the paper’s lead author, Paul R. Solomon, Ph.D., professor of psychology and found

Internet websites promoting `alternative` cures for cancer can seriously harm patients who follow their advice . And some are downright dangerous – according to an editorial published today in the British Journal of Cancer. A survey of 13 sites relating to alternative or complementary medicine and cancer found that patients were not only discouraged from using conventional cancer therapies but were not informed about alternative remedies that have been shown to be ineffective. The w

Researchers are developing a marijuana-derived synthetic compound to relieve pain and inflammation without the mood-altering side effects associated with other marijuana based drugs.

They say the compound could improve treatment of a variety of conditions, inctluding chronic pain, arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Their findings were presented at the 224th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

The compound, called ajulemic

Exotic mushrooms could herald a new era of cancer treatment and prevention as the Western world learns lessons from the Orient according to a report released by Cancer Research UK today (Aug 19th).

The charity has produced the world`s most comprehensive review of information about the way medicinal mushrooms are used in Japan, China and Korea where they have been reported to have anti-tumour properties and to stimulate the immune system to fight disease.

It also documents evidence f

Although there has been an intensive research effort focused on diseases caused by kinetoplastid parasites, there has been little success in developing effective ways of treating them. The launch of the online journal Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease represents the practical first step in tackling some of the communication difficulties that face those concerned with the eradication of kinetoplastid parasites that cause diseases like sleeping sickness, Chargas disease and Leishmaniasis.

Ki

Don’t like spinach? Try honey. It contains about the same level of plaque-fighting antioxidants as the leafy green stuff. And according to research presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, the range of antioxidants in honey is comparable to that in apples, bananas, oranges and strawberries.

A five-week study of blood from 25 men between the ages of 18 – 68 indicates that drinking a mixture of water and honey, about

Flu shots can save lives, especially among the elderly who account for most of the 20,000 flu-related deaths in the United States each year. But physicians have debated whether vaccinating healthy, younger adults is worth the time and money. The answer is yes, according to a new study based on a computer model. The study was led by Patrick Lee, MD, a resident in internal medicine at Stanford Hospital & Clinics.

“There’s been a lot of debate about optimal treatment strategies,” Lee said

Using a simple, inexpensive test to determine levels of C-reactive protein in the blood, researchers were able to detect heart disease before symptoms were apparent, according to a report in today’s rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers studied the relationship between levels of C-reactive protein (CRP, a marker of inflammation in the body), and coronary calcium, which indicates the extent of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries.

AIDS researchers have developed a candidate vaccine strategy that, for the first time, demonstrates an ability to elicit antibodies that block the infection of multiple HIV virus strains — an elusive scientific goal that has been pursued for a decade.

The candidate vaccine – still early in developmental stages at the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) — is described in a report to appear during the week of Aug. 19-23 in the U.S. Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It is

Developed by Hebrew University Scientists

A new technique for tricking cancer cells into “committing suicide” and thus preventing their spread has been developed by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Their work is described in the September issue of Nature Biotechnology, which was published this week in its Internet version.

The technique involves the engineering of a virus that will induce the cancer cell to behave in a manner similar to that of norm

Before the pancreas is a pancreas, it is just two tiny bumps–two groups of cells sprouting from a central tube. What makes these cells bud off from the main group? How do they go on to make all the cell types of the mature pancreas? These are the kinds of questions that drive the research efforts of Vanderbilt developmental biologist Chris Wright and colleagues. The answers could pave the way toward limitless supplies of pancreatic cells for transplantation therapy of diabetes.

“It has bee

In the future, a “broccoli-pill” a day may help keep breast cancer at bay. Researchers have developed a new compound, designed from a known anticancer agent found in broccoli, that shows promise as a breast cancer preventive.

Apparently less toxic than its natural counterpart, the compound could be marketed for cancer prevention, the researchers say. Their findings were described at the 224th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.