Body

Proteins are essential for processes that sustain life. They are created in cells through a process called gene expression, which uses instructions from stretches of DNA called genes to build proteins. Sometimes genes are faulty and create proteins that contain errors, preventing the cell from functioning properly. These lead to genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis and haemophilia.

The Puerta de Alcalá, the Prado Museum and the monastery of El Escorial are some of the monuments built with berroqueña stone, the traditional name of the high-quality Madrid granites which are also used in airports, for example Athens, and modern shopping centres around the world such as China. As with renowned wines and cheeses Spanish geologists now propose to the International Union of Geological Sciences that these granites should become part of the list of natural stones with designation of origin because of their cultural and economic importance.

New Haven, Conn.--A Yale scientist collaborated with researchers at Duke University and surgeons in Poland and the United States to create bioengineered blood vessels for kidney-disease patients on dialysis. The man-made vessels appeared to be both safe and more durable than commonly used synthetic versions, said the investigators.

Their study findings -- which set the stage for further investigation in randomized controlled trials -- were published May 12 in The Lancet.

The importance of forest conservation and forest regrowth in climate mitigation and carbon sequestration - capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere - has long been recognized by climate scientists. But, detailed information needed to make accurate estimates of this potential has been missing.

Now, an international team of 60 scientists - working together as the 2ndFOR Network -- has completed studies on the effects of forest conservation and secondary forest regeneration across 43 regions in Latin America and has come up with real answers.

Researchers and businesses have often operated under the idea that work-related cultural values are defined by country - just think of stereotypes about countries that are known to have hard workers or are team-oriented. A new study finds that nationality is actually a bad proxy for work-related cultural values, and points to other groupings - such as occupation - as more reliable indicators.

New research from the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) has discovered that a new subset of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer could benefit from taking the drug cetuximab.

Senior investigator Chris O'Callaghan with the Queen's University-based CCTG worked with lead researcher Geoff Liu from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group on the research.

ATLANTA - May 13, 2016 -A new report assesses how the nation fared against the ambitious challenge goal set by the American Cancer Society to reduce the cancer death rates by 50% over 25 years ending in 2015. The report finds areas where progress was substantial, and others where it was not.

CHICAGO - A novel measure for assessing the body's response to surgery may allow for better anesthesia management in the O.R., less pain when regaining consciousness from anesthesia and better postoperative outcomes. According to a study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the measure, called the nociception (pain) level index, allowed physicians to more accurately evaluate responses to painful stimulation in patients under general anesthesia, compared to traditional measures.

Taxanes are a group of drugs commonly used to treat cancers of the breast, lung, ovary, or prostate, but its use can be limited by significant side effects. Researchers from Moffitt Cancer Center report prostate cancer patients who have a variation in the VAC14 gene are more susceptible to a side effect called peripheral neuropathy when treated with the taxane docetaxel.

Red wine lovers have a new reason to celebrate. Researchers have found a new health benefit of resveratrol, which occurs naturally in blueberries, raspberries, mulberries, grape skins and consequently in red wine.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Text messaging could hold the key to identifying postpartum women at-risk for developing potentially life-threatening complications resulting from preeclampsia, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The results are presented on Monday, May 16 at the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology's (ACOG) Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC (poster #30-O).

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (http://www.ucr.edu) -- When you're paid to sell things, it doesn't hurt to be able to stretch the truth or prey on people's emotions once in a while. Most advertisers probably don't spend too much time thinking about karma, then, but perhaps they should--at least if they want to get better at their jobs.

The results of preclinical studies by investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) reported in the May 2016 issue of Nature Communications demonstrate that CHOP/GADD153-dependent apoptosis reflects expression of the micro-RNA, miR-216b, during periods of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found that losing even a modest amount of weight can reap significant rewards, including lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, improved sleep, and fewer aches and pains.

But losing weight is difficult and maintaining that loss over years is even harder. The vast majority of those who lose weight gain it back. Yet research has found one group that has defied that trend.

ATS 2016, SAN FRANCISCO -- New research has found that a process initiated in white blood cells known as neutrophils may lead to worse outcomes for some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The discovery may help identify patients at higher risk for COPD progression, who might also show little benefit from standard treatments. The study was presented at the ATS 2016 International Conference.