News and applications for life science research professionals
High court rules for Monsanto in patent case
May 13, 2013 5:48 pm | by JESSE J. HOLLAND - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Supreme Court said Monday that an Indiana farmer violated Monsanto Co.'s patents on soybean seeds resistant to its weed-killer by growing the beans without buying new seeds from the corporation. The justices unanimously rejected the farmer's argument that cheap soybeans he bought from a grain...
Deaths from West Nile virus hit record last year
May 13, 2013 5:03 pm | by MIKE STOBBE - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsU.S. health officials say last year was the worst ever for West Nile virus deaths. The final tally reported Monday was 286 deaths — or two more than the record set in 2002. But there were far fewer illnesses overall, and fewer serious cases than in previous years. The Centers for Disease...
Chemistry Breakthrough Yields New Imaging Dye
May 13, 2013 1:30 pm | News | CommentsFrom microscopes to nuclear imaging scanners, imaging technology is growing ever more vital for the world's hospitals, whether for the diagnosis of illness or for research into new cures. Imaging technology requires dyes or contrast agents of some sort. Current contrast agents and dyes are expensive, difficult to work with and far from ideal. Now, chemists have discovered a new dye and proved its worth against the dyes currently available.
New Genetic Risk Factors for Testicular Cancer Found
May 13, 2013 1:10 pm | News | CommentsA new, first-of-its-kind meta-analysis looking at the genomes of more than 13,000 men identified four new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer, the most commonly diagnosed type in young men today. The discovery of these genetic variations could ultimately help researchers better understand which men are at high risk and allow for early detection or prevention of the disease.
Potential Flu Pandemic Lurks in Birds, Pigs
May 13, 2013 1:01 pm | News | CommentsIn the summer of 1968, a new strain of influenza appeared in Hong Kong. This strain, known as H3N2, spread around the globe and eventually killed an estimated 1 million people. A new study from MIT reveals that there are many strains of H3N2 circulating in birds and pigs that are genetically similar to the 1968 strain and have the potential to generate a pandemic if they leap to humans.
Spontaneous Mutations Crucial in Congenital Heart Disease
May 13, 2013 12:48 pm | News | CommentsEvery year, thousands of babies are born with severely malformed hearts, disorders known collectively as congenital heart disease. Many of these defects can be repaired though surgery, but researchers don’t understand what causes them or how to prevent them. New research shows that about 10 percent of these defects are caused by genetic mutations that are absent in the parents of affected children.
New Respiratory Viruses Could Spark Global Outbreaks
May 13, 2013 10:48 am | by MARIA CHENG - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsTwo respiratory viruses in different parts of the world have captured the attention of global health officials — a novel coronavirus in the Middle East and a new bird flu spreading in China. Last week, the coronavirus related to SARS spread to France, where one patient who probably caught the the disease in Dubai infected his hospital roommate.
Medicinal Plant Can Treat Anxiety
May 13, 2013 10:17 am | News | CommentsA world-first completed clinical study by an Australian team has found Kava, a medicinal South Pacific plant, significantly reduced the symptoms of people suffering anxiety. The study revealed Kava could be an alternative treatment to pharmaceutical products for those who suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorders (GAD).
Cilia Research Heats Up
May 13, 2013 9:11 am | News | CommentsExperiments have unearthed clues about which protein signaling molecules are allowed into hollow, hair-like “antennae,” called cilia, that alert cells to critical changes in their environments. Researchers found that the size limit for entry is much greater than previously thought, allowing most of a cell's proteins into cilia.
France confirms 2nd case of SARS-related virus
May 12, 2013 7:41 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGovt stops study seeking to prevent type of stroke
May 10, 2013 5:59 pm | by LAURAN NEERGAARD - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe government has halted a study testing treatments for a brain condition that can cause strokes after early results suggested invasive therapies were riskier than previously thought. The condition involves a kind of tangle in the brain called an arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. Arteries and...
FDA denies request to block generic painkiller
May 10, 2013 5:53 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsIn a surprise move Friday, federal health regulators denied a request by Endo Health Solutions to block generic versions of its painkiller Opana ER, which the company argued are more easily abused than its branded product. Endo's Opana ER is a long-acting narcotic drug used to treat moderate and...
Study: Cholesterol progress stalled in recession
May 10, 2013 5:00 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsYears of progress fighting cholesterol might have stalled with the recession, says a huge study from one of the country's largest health laboratories. Americans' cholesterol levels have significantly improved over the past few decades, because of changes in diet and use of cholesterol-lowering...
Data Show Medtronic-Exclusive LIA Software Detects Non-Medtronic Lead Issues at a Greater Rate Than Standard Impedance Monitoring
May 10, 2013 4:06 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsMINNEAPOLIS and DENVER - May 10, 2013 - Data presented today at Heart Rhythm 2013, the Heart Rhythm Society's 34th Annual Scientific Sessions, show that Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) Lead Integrity Alert (LIA) software detected pace/sense lead issues in non-Medtronic leads at a...
200 sickened after dining at Vegas restaurant
May 10, 2013 2:41 pm | by MICHELLE RINDELS - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsA new report shows 200 people who dined at one of Las Vegas' most popular restaurants about a block off the Strip have reported food poisoning symptoms, making it the largest outbreak southern Nevada health officials have seen in at least a decade. Sick patrons who dined at Firefly, a tapas...
