Copolymer 1, also called glatiramer acetate, is an unusual therapeutic compound, a heterogeneous mix of polypeptides containing the four amino acids Y, E, A, and K in definite ratios but with no uniform sequence. Although its mode of action remains controversial, this preparation clearly helps retard the progression of human multiple sclerosis (MS) and of the related autoimmune condition, studied in mice, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Copolymer 1 is presented on class II MHC molecu

A substance produced by tomatoes repels mosquitoes and other insects more effectively and is safer than DEET, the chemical most commonly used in insect repellents, a North Carolina State University scientist has discovered.

Indeed, work by Dr. Michael Roe, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Entomology at NC State, showed that the natural compound found in tomatoes is so effective at repelling insects that the university patented the substance. The patent describes how the subs

Finding has implications for future of biodiversity

A significant number of organisms that survived the five greatest mass extinctions in Earth’s history subsequently failed to achieve evolutionary success, according to a new study funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and conducted by University of Chicago scientist David Jablonski.

“It’s clear that there is a lot of evolutionary action in the aftermath of mass extinctions,” said Jablonski. “During the re

A group of anti-cancer agents that once produced dismal results in clinical trials could once again be a promising tool in fighting the deadly disease, thanks to research by a team of chemists at the University of Washington and in Germany.

The agents, called maytansinoids, were first discovered in the 1970s when scientists looked for tumor inhibitors in a rare Ethiopian plant. The same group of maytansinoids was later isolated from a new bacteria species. The compounds held great promise b

A new UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute study shows for the first time that measurable changes in the front of the brain can predict the effectiveness of an antidepressant within days of treatment — weeks before a patient begins to feel better.

Using quantitative EEG, a non-invasive computerized measurement of brain wave patterns, the researchers discovered that specific changes in brain-wave activity precede clinical changes brought on by medication. The new findings, published in the July e

Depression investigators at The Research Institute of University Hospitals of Cleveland have zeroed in on the neurotransmitter serotonin, a brain chemical that regulates emotion. Their tactics: reduce serotonin levels in each study subject to learn who is vulnerable for developing major depression.

This new study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, is designed to help scientists better understand the role of serotonin in people who get major depression. By examining the way

Scientists at the University of North Carolina have successfully treated mice with hemophilia A using a new approach to gene therapy – RNA trans-splicing. The experimental procedure repairs a mutated section of the gene responsible for hemophilia A, a hereditary bleeding disorder.

Dr. Hengjun Chao, a research assistant professor at the UNC School of Medicine, Gene Therapy Center will present the new research Saturday June 8 in Boston at the Presidential Symposium of the American Society of

LGC, the UK`s leading independent provider of genetic testing services, has issued its first testing licence for the key DNA variant in the drug metabolising gene CYP2D6 to Orchid BioSciences Inc. LGC holds the exclusive commercialisation rights to the patented diagnosis of this `poor metaboliser` gene variation and, in granting this first licence, will make access to this beneficial technology available to leading companies internationally for the first time.

The gene CYP2D6 controls an enz

The Standard Days Method (TM), a new natural method of family planning, is more than 95% effective at preventing pregnancy, according to an international study conducted by Georgetown University Medical Center’s Institute for Reproductive Health. Results of the study are published in the current issue of Contraception, the journal of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals.

Based on sophisticated computer modeling of reproductive physiology data, the Standard Days Method ident

Along with Canadian colleagues, a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scientist has discovered fossils of plants dating back some 420 million years.

The discovery, made on Bathurst Island in the Northwest Territories about 800 miles from the North Pole, shows vascular plants were more complex at that time than paleontologists previously believed and is significant for that reason, the UNC researcher said.

“These are not the earliest vascular plants ever found, but they are

Consider the plight of the lonely nene goose: Fated to occupy just one island in all the world; reduced in numbers to fewer than 30 individuals by the middle of the last century; each bird as closely related to the others as human siblings.

What caused the narrowing of the nenes’ circumstances to the point of near-extinction? Was the isolation of island living to blame for draining their gene pool to a puddle, or was it caused by the 20th century population decline? How did they surviv

Genital infections with Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) have risen in western Scotland over the last 15 years, particularly among young women, finds a study in this week’s BMJ.

Researchers reviewed all genital samples of herpes simplex processed between 1986 and 2000 at the West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre.

Of the 3,181 swabs testing positive for the virus, 63% were from women and 37% were from men. Twenty-nine per cent of patients were aged 21-25 years. In 1986-1988,

In this month`s issue of EMBO Reports Kahle et al. describe how they genetically engineered a mouse to show pathological symptoms similar to those of human patients suffering from the neural disease Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), also known as Shy-Drager-Syndrome. The model could help researchers to develop and test new efficient drugs against this wide spread disease.

More than 100,000 Europeans and 100,000 US-Americans suffer from MSA. Affected individuals either show symptoms similar to t

Ph.D. candidate Nina Isoherranen wins Kaye Awards

Nina Isoherranen, a Ph.D. candidate at the Hebrew University School of Pharmacy, was awarded a Kaye Innovation Award this week for developing a new medication to treat epilepsy, migraine headaches, and chronic pain that does not cause birth defects in animal models, unlike other medicines currently used to treat epilepsy.

Ms. Isoherranen explained that 1% of the population suffers from epilepsy, a central nervous system (CNS)

Study of Lupus Patient Confirms Promise of Stem Cell Transplant Therapy
Findings Indicate Need for Wider Clinical Trials

For patients with severe autoimmune diseases, blood stem cell transplantation may be promising therapy option. This process involves an infusion of healthy blood cells to replace the body`s own malfunctioning ones and restore immune function. A recent case study, published in the June 2002 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, has shown this approach to be particul

Prioritise resources towards primary prevention, say EUROPREVAL researchers

The largest study on the prevalence of cancer in Europe is published today (Thursday 6 June) in Annals of Oncology, journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology.

Thirty-eight cancer registries in 17 countries provided data on 3 million cancer patients for EUROPREVAL. An objective of the study was to provide health systems with essential information for health planning and resource allocation.