Breaking BubR1 mimics genetic shuffle seen in cancer cells

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PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 17, 2008) – A study of how one protein enzyme, BubR1, helps make sure chromosomes are equally distributed during mitosis might explain how the process of cell division goes so awry in cancer, according to researchers from Fox Chase Cancer Center. Their findings might offer a better understanding of the processes behind cancer-cell survival and drug-resistance.

Calls for a more flexible approach to vaccine funding

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Including quality-of-life impacts in assessments of national vaccination programs would lead to many benefits, including improved productivity and less sick leave for parents, according to an editorial co-authored by a University of New South Wales (UNSW) researcher, that has appeared in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Such initiatives would also protect others in society, while getting the maximum impact of population vaccination programs.

Floppy-footed gibbons help us understand how early humans may have walked

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Why HIV treatment makes people so susceptible to heart disease and diabetes

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Clinicians have known for some time that people treated for HIV also become much more susceptible to diabetes and heart disease. A study by scientists at Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research has now shown some of the reasons why – enabling better patient management and monitoring.

Study helps clarify role of vitamin D in cancer therapy

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A colon cancer cell isn't a lost cause. Vitamin D can tame the rogue cell by adjusting everything from its gene expression to its cytoskeleton. In the Nov. 17 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology, Ordóñez-Morán et al. show that one pathway governs the vitamin's diverse effects. The results help clarify the actions of a molecule that is undergoing clinical trials as a cancer therapy.

Mayo researchers identify dangerous 'two-faced' protein crucial to breast cancer spread and growth

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two critical properties of cancer cells are their ability to divide without restraint and to spread away from the primary tumor to establish new tumor sites. Now, researchers from the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found a protein they say acts as a deadly master switch, both freeing cancer cells from a tumor while ramping up new growth.

Gene chips accurately detect pneumonia in ICU patients on ventilators

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Nov. 17, 2008 -- Even seasoned doctors have a difficult time diagnosing pneumonia in hospitalized patients breathing with the assistance of a ventilator. That's because a patient's underlying illness often skews laboratory test results and masks pneumonia's symptoms.

Sonography in space

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Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC (November 14, 2008) Astronauts on extended space missions can get injured or develop diseases, necessitating immediate diagnosis and treatment. Research conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) ensuring that astronauts could accurately perform remotely-guided sonograms was published in the November/December 2008 issue of the Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (published by SAGE).

Canadian cold/flu breakthrough remedy undergoes NCI-sponsored trial in leukemia patients

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Cancer patients – with their weakened immune systems – are particularly vulnerable when the cold and flu season hits. To help, the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) is sponsoring a landmark trial to see whether a unique Canadian cold remedy – COLD-FX – can help.

Psychological interventions associated with breast cancer survival

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A new study finds that breast cancer patients who participate in intervention sessions focusing on improving mood, coping effectively, and altering health behaviors live longer than patients who do not receive such psychological support. Published in the December 15, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that reducing the stress that can accompany cancer diagnosis and treatment can have a significant impact on patients' survival.