Body

Lasers might be the cure for brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, together with researchers at the Polish Wroclaw University of Technology, have made a discovery that may lead to the curing of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (the so called mad cow disease) through photo therapy.

The researchers discovered, as they show in the journal Nature Photonics, that it is possible to distinguish aggregations of the proteins, believed to cause the diseases, from the the well-functioning proteins in the body by using multi-photon laser technique.

The biggest mass extinction and Pangaea integration

The mysterious relationship between Pangaea integration and the biggest mass extinction happened 250 million years ago was tackled by Professor YIN Hongfu and Dr. SONG Haijun from State Key Laboratory of Geobiology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan).

Their paper says that Pangaea integration resulted in environmental deterioration which further caused that extinction.

IU study: Leadership void, not lack of money, slows efforts to address cervical cancer

BOSTON -- A study by Indiana University public health researchers found that the opportunity for significant progress in addressing cervical cancer across the country is being squandered -- not because of a lack of money, but because of a void of leadership and organization at the state levels.

Study finds a patchwork of genetic variation in the brain

It was once thought that each cell in a person's body possesses the same DNA code and that the particular way the genome is read imparts cell function and defines the individual. For many cell types in our bodies, however, that is an oversimplification. Studies of neuronal genomes published in the past decade have turned up extra or missing chromosomes, or pieces of DNA that can copy and paste themselves throughout the genomes.

Brushing your teeth could prevent heart disease

Taking care of your gums by brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits could help hold heart disease at bay. Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have shown for the first time that as gum health improves, progression of atherosclerosis slows to a clinically significant degree. Findings appear online in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Artherosclerosis, or the narrowing of arteries through the build-up of plaque, is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and death.

Genetic rarity rules in wild guppy population, study finds

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When it comes to choosing a mate, female guppies don't care about who is fairest. All that matters is who is rarest.

Florida State University Professor Kimberly A. Hughes in the Department of Biological Science has a new study just published in the journal Nature that is the first to demonstrate a female preference for rare males using an experiment in a wild population, rather than a laboratory setting.

This study of genetic differences in male guppies is relevant to understanding variation in humans as well as in other organisms, Hughes said.

Liver tropism is key for B cell deletion immunotherapy

Antibodies against the B cell surface protein CD20 have been used successfully to treat B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases and lymphomas. Antibody binding receptors, called Fc receptors, on other immune cells bind anti-CD20 on coated B cells, which induces B cell deletion through a mechanism that is not clearly understood. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Philippe Bousse and colleagues at the Pasteur Institute in Paris described the fate of B cells in live mice after treatment with anti-CD20 antibodies.

Dysfunctional chemokine receptor promotes candidiasis

Candida albicans is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections in immune compromised patients. The risk of both developing candidiasis and the clinical outcome of infection is variable among patients, and the host-dependent factors that contribute to patient susceptibility to C. albicans infection are poorly understood. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Michail Lionakis and colleagues at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases demonstrated that the chemokine receptor CX3CR1 is required for the interaction of C.

A new model for organ repair

Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have a new model for how the kidney repairs itself, a model that adds to a growing body of evidence that mature cells are far more plastic than had previously been imagined.

GenSeq: Updated nomenclature for genetic sequences to solve taxonomic determination issues

An improved and expanded nomenclature for genetic sequences is introduced that corresponds with a ranking of the reliability of the taxonomic identification of the source specimens. This nomenclature is an advancement of the "Genetypes" naming system, which some have been reluctant to adopt because of the use of the "type" suffix in the terminology. The study was published in the open access journal Zookeys.

Double-pronged attack could treat common children's cancer

A dual-pronged strategy using two experimental cancer drugs together could successfully treat a childhood cancer by inhibiting tumour growth and blocking off the escape routes it uses to become resistant to treatment, finds a new study.

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found that combining two separate molecularly targeted therapies could stop processes driving growth in a cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma, a major cause of cancer death in children.

Sugar intake is not directly related to liver disease

Despite current beliefs, sugar intake is not directly associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Rather, high-calorie diets promote the progression of this serious form of liver disease.

LSUHSC simulation or team training improves performance & patient safety

New Orleans, LA – A study conducted by an inter-professional team of LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans faculty found that simulation-based operating room team training of medical and nursing students resulted in more effective teamwork by improving attitudes, behaviors, interaction and overall performance leading to potential increased patient safety and better clinical outcomes. The study is published online November 1, 2013, in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

New IOF review provides guidance on fracture prevention in cancer-associated bone disease

Nyon, Switzerland – November 1, 2013

Cancer is a health burden of increasing importance which affects close to 13 million people globally. Bone is often affected in these patients, frequently because of bone metastases, or as a result of anti-cancer therapies which can contribute to bone loss and fragility.

Nationwide disparities of deaths reported to coroners

A LEADING detective turned university researcher has discovered huge nationwide disparities in the numbers of deaths reported to coroners. It could mean that in some areas, inquests into unnaturaldeaths are not being conducted when they might have been deemed necessary elsewhere. Also, it has emerged that deaths of women are less likely to be reported and go to inquest. And when they do, they are less likely to result in a verdict of unnatural death.