Disease Research
The Lead
Big Data Unveils Exciting Head and Neck Cancer Targets
May 20, 2013 1:05 pm | by Cynthia Fox | Articles | Comments
Genome sequencing of head and neck cancers may quickly—and soon—spur new therapies. There are 20 tumor types being studied by the massive, $100 million Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the eighth to be unveiled. The first, glioblastoma, has been cited in a whopping 2000-plus manuscripts.
Decoding Cancer Metastasis
May 6, 2013 12:25 pm | by Christina Smith | Articles | Comments
Combining two biological approaches, a research team from University of Michigan broke down the...
Brain Mapping Reveals Neurological Basis of Decision-Making in Rats
March 21, 2013 11:12 am | News | Comments
Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered how memory recall is linked to decision-making in...
Stem Cells Entering Heart can be Tracked with Nano-‘Hitchhikers’
March 21, 2013 10:58 am | News | Comments
The promise of repairing damaged hearts through regenerative medicine—infusing stem cells into...
New Immune System Discovered
May 21, 2013 11:22 am | News | CommentsMucus may be slimy and gross, but a research team has discovered that it is also home to a powerful immune system that could change the way doctors treat a number of diseases. In this previously undocumented immune system, researchers uncovered bacteria-infecting viruses known as bacteriophage, which shield the body from invading infection.
A New Way to Open Clogged Arteries
May 21, 2013 11:03 am | News | CommentsOver the past few decades, scientists have developed many devices that can reopen clogged arteries, including angioplasty balloons and metallic stents. While generally effective, each of these treatments has drawbacks, including the risk of side effects.
NYU Researchers Took Chinese Bribes
May 20, 2013 3:37 pm | by BY TOM HAYS - ASSOCIATED PRESS | News | CommentsThree New York University researchers from China divulged results from a federally funded study to Chinese competitors in exchange for tuition, rent and other expenses, federal prosecutors say. Yudong Zhu, a U.S.-educated NYU professor, and Xing Yang, a lab engineer, were released on bail after appearing in federal court in Manhattan to face commercial bribery and other charges. They left court without speaking to reporters.
Multitasking Neurons Enhance Brain Flexibility
May 20, 2013 11:40 am | News | CommentsOver the past few decades, neuroscientists have made much progress in mapping the brain by deciphering the functions of individual neurons that perform very specific tasks, such as recognizing the location or color of an object. However, there are many neurons, especially in brain regions that perform sophisticated functions such as thinking and planning, that don’t fit into this pattern.
New MATH Method for Head, Neck Cancer
May 20, 2013 11:05 am | News | CommentsA new method of measuring the variety of genetic mutations found in cells within a tumor appears to predict treatment outcomes of patients with the most common type of head and neck cancer. The research describes how a new way of measuring tumor heterogeneity was a better predictor of survival than are most traditional risk factors in a small group of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
UK Measles Surge Years After Vaccine Scare
May 20, 2013 6:00 am | by MARIA CHENG - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsMore than a decade ago, British parents refused to give measles shots to at least a million children because of a vaccine scare that raised the specter of autism. Now, health officials are scrambling to catch up and stop a growing epidemic of the contagious disease. This year, the U.K. has had more than 1,200 cases of measles, after a record number of nearly 2,000 cases last year.
Researchers Aim to Map the 'Food Genome'
May 19, 2013 1:42 pm | by MARY CLARE JALONICK - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsDo your kids love chocolate milk? It may have more calories on average than you thought. Same goes for soda. Until now, the only way to find out what people in the United States eat and how many calories they consume has been government data, which can lag behind the rapidly expanding and changing food marketplace.
Obesity Linked to 'Vicious Cycle' in Brain
May 17, 2013 11:58 am | News | CommentsWith obesity reaching epidemic levels in some parts of the world, scientists have only begun to understand why it is such a persistent condition. A new study reports the discovery of a molecular chain of events in the brains of obese rats that undermined their ability to suppress appetite and to increase calorie burning.
Auto Emissions Transform Cholesterol
May 17, 2013 11:44 am | News | CommentsAcademic researchers have found that breathing motor vehicle emissions triggers a change in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, altering its cardiovascular protective qualities so that it actually contributes to clogged arteries.
Study Suggest New Roles for ECMO
May 17, 2013 10:48 am | News | CommentsExtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a procedure traditionally used during cardiac surgeries and in the ICU that functions as an artificial replacement for a patient's heart and lungs, has also been used to resuscitate cardiac arrest victims in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.
WHO says single yellow fever shot is enough
May 17, 2013 3:55 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe World Health Organization says a yellow fever booster vaccination given 10 years after the initial shot isn't necessary. The U.N.'s global health agency said Friday that its expert group on immunization believes a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer lifelong immunity against the disease.
Nanogel Secretes Insulin on Demand
May 16, 2013 11:49 am | News | CommentsInjectable nanoparticles developed at MIT may someday eliminate the need for patients with Type 1 diabetes to constantly monitor their blood-sugar levels and inject themselves with insulin. The nanoparticles were designed to sense glucose levels in the body and respond by secreting the appropriate amount of insulin, thereby replacing the function of pancreatic islet cells, which are destroyed in patients with Type 1 diabetes.
‘Brainbow’ Imaging Gets Upgraded
May 16, 2013 11:31 am | News | CommentsThe breakthrough technique that allowed scientists to obtain one-of-a-kind, colorful images of the myriad connections in the brain and nervous system is about to get a significant upgrade. A group of Harvard researchers has made a host of technical improvements in the “Brainbow” imaging technique.
Maturing Teenage Brain Explored
May 16, 2013 11:08 am | News | CommentsDespite adolescence being a high-risk time for developing major psychiatric and drug dependence disorders, very little is known about the teenage brain. A new research project aims to shed light on what happens to the brain as young people mature.
Skin Cancer Linked to Reduced Alzheimer's Risk
May 15, 2013 5:01 pm | by Einstein | News | CommentsPeople who have non-melanoma skin cancer may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study showed that individuals with skin cancer were nearly 80 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease compared with people who did not have skin cancer. No such association was found with other types of dementia, such as vascular dementia.
Brains Re-wire to Compensate After Damage
May 15, 2013 10:56 am | News | CommentsScientists have advanced our understanding of brain plasticity by showing that the brain forms complex new circuits after damage, often far from the damaged site, to compensate for lost function. The study identified the exact regions of the brain that take over when a learning and memory center, known as the hippocampus, is damaged.
New Drug Slows Alzheimer's
May 15, 2013 10:17 am | News | CommentsA drug developed by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, known as J147, reverses memory deficits and slows Alzheimer's disease in aged mice following short-term treatment. The findings may pave the way to a new treatment for Alzheimer's disease in humans.
One Master Regulator Drives Majority of Lymphoma
May 14, 2013 11:44 am | News | CommentsA soon-to-be-tested class of drug inhibitors were predicted to help a limited number of patients with B-cell lymphomas with mutations affecting the EZH2 protein. However, a research team now reports that these agents may, in fact, help a much broader cross section of lymphoma patients.
Gel Implant Restores Paralyzed Nerves
May 14, 2013 11:33 am | News | CommentsA team of researchers has invented a method for repairing damaged peripheral nerves. Through a biodegradable implant in combination with a newly-developed Guiding Regeneration Gel (GRG) that increases nerve growth and healing, the functionality of a torn or damaged nerve could ultimately be restored.
Protein Triggers Cell Death
May 14, 2013 11:12 am | News | CommentsWhen cells suffer too much DNA damage, they are usually forced to undergo programmed cell death, or apoptosis. However, cancer cells often ignore these signals, flourishing even after chemotherapy drugs have ravaged their DNA. A new finding may offer a way to overcome that resistance.
India to Offer $1 Rotavirus Vaccine
May 14, 2013 7:43 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Indian government announced the development of a new low-cost vaccine proven effective against a diarrhea-causing virus that is one of the leading causes of childhood deaths across the developing world. The Indian manufacturer of the new rotavirus vaccine pledged to sell it for $1 a dose, a significant discount from the cost of the current vaccines on the market.
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.
