http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090330200722.htm
Researchers put these cats on a diet that progressive made the cat lose their myelin sheath that is need to ensure proper neural activity. When it is lost the cats have a weaken capacity to move and see correctly. When the researchers took them off the diet slowly but surely the cats regain their myelin sheath and their proper neural functions they had lost when they were on the diet. This is interesting because in Human beings we can't regain our myelin sheath. If Researchers can somehow coax the body to rebuild what we have lost in Multiple Sclerosis we can put an end to this autoimmune disease.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A modified protein which can better inhibit cancer growth!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090325222010.htm
Tumors when they grow have different regions which have a variety of blood supply so hypoxia often occurs. On some sites that hypoxia occurs these cells produce Hypoxia inducing factor(HIF) which enables them to continue growing even in less than ideal conditions. Canadian Researchers have learned this protein called Von Hippel Landau inhibits Tumor growth. The problem is it can't inhibit tumor growth in areas with little oxygen.
What these researchers discovered is if they can alter this protein so it works even in hypoxic areas they can have an effective treatment for dealing with these tumor growths. Especially in the kidney where apparently chemotherapy and radiation have a hard time getting rid of them.
This could save a lot of lives. I wish these researchers the best of luck.
Tumors when they grow have different regions which have a variety of blood supply so hypoxia often occurs. On some sites that hypoxia occurs these cells produce Hypoxia inducing factor(HIF) which enables them to continue growing even in less than ideal conditions. Canadian Researchers have learned this protein called Von Hippel Landau inhibits Tumor growth. The problem is it can't inhibit tumor growth in areas with little oxygen.
What these researchers discovered is if they can alter this protein so it works even in hypoxic areas they can have an effective treatment for dealing with these tumor growths. Especially in the kidney where apparently chemotherapy and radiation have a hard time getting rid of them.
This could save a lot of lives. I wish these researchers the best of luck.
Monday, March 16, 2009
An antibiotic that does not provoke bacterial resistance.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090313150121.htm
Researchers have developed a new way to fight the different types of bacteria that causes numerous ailments to people all around the world. Previously Researchers would develop an antibiotic that would kill the bacteria thus saving the patient. The problem with this method is some bacteria survive the attack from the antibiotic and spawn mutants that are immune to the antibiotic. Eventually those that are immune to the antibiotic becomes the majority of the bacteria and the problem arises again. Researchers then would have to develop a new antibiotic to fight off this new bacteria. Obviously this would be an endless cycle.
Researchers have learned they can disrupt the nasty effects of that certain bacteria produces in the patient by disrupting signaling molecules that induce the bacteria to harm whoever it is infecting. Bacteria uses a MTAN enzyme to synthesize autoinducers which makes the Bacteria produce damaging factors that harm the patient. The way Bacteria communicates with these signaling molecules is called quorum sensing. Researchers have learned when they disrupt the MTAN enzyme they can prevent most of the damaging effects of the Bacteria and the bacteria does not develop a resistance to this. This new way to treat bacteria could save many lives because it takes time to develop new antibiotics and this method could be done very quickly and it is not harmful to the human patient.
Researchers have developed a new way to fight the different types of bacteria that causes numerous ailments to people all around the world. Previously Researchers would develop an antibiotic that would kill the bacteria thus saving the patient. The problem with this method is some bacteria survive the attack from the antibiotic and spawn mutants that are immune to the antibiotic. Eventually those that are immune to the antibiotic becomes the majority of the bacteria and the problem arises again. Researchers then would have to develop a new antibiotic to fight off this new bacteria. Obviously this would be an endless cycle.
Researchers have learned they can disrupt the nasty effects of that certain bacteria produces in the patient by disrupting signaling molecules that induce the bacteria to harm whoever it is infecting. Bacteria uses a MTAN enzyme to synthesize autoinducers which makes the Bacteria produce damaging factors that harm the patient. The way Bacteria communicates with these signaling molecules is called quorum sensing. Researchers have learned when they disrupt the MTAN enzyme they can prevent most of the damaging effects of the Bacteria and the bacteria does not develop a resistance to this. This new way to treat bacteria could save many lives because it takes time to develop new antibiotics and this method could be done very quickly and it is not harmful to the human patient.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Iron production a detriment to Cancer Cells?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090311103607.htm
Due to the rapid development of Cancer Cells they need high levels of micro nutrients to sustain their rapid growth. One of them in particular is iron. But this is also a double edged sword. Too much production of iron creates oxygen radicals which damage the cancer cells. Because of this Cancer Cells produce iron storing proteins which keep the levels of Iron in check. What Researchers have discovered is if they can block these proteins that keep the iron levels in check the iron levels rise and so do the oxygen radicals. This kills the cancer cells but renders the normal cells unharmed because they have low levels of oxygen radicals.
This research could create a new way to treat cancer. Right now doctor use chemotherapy and radiation to deal with cancers. Both methods harm the healthy cells and the cancer cells. This creates a dilemma when the patient's body is very weak he or she can not take the chemo because it produces a serious health risk.
Due to the rapid development of Cancer Cells they need high levels of micro nutrients to sustain their rapid growth. One of them in particular is iron. But this is also a double edged sword. Too much production of iron creates oxygen radicals which damage the cancer cells. Because of this Cancer Cells produce iron storing proteins which keep the levels of Iron in check. What Researchers have discovered is if they can block these proteins that keep the iron levels in check the iron levels rise and so do the oxygen radicals. This kills the cancer cells but renders the normal cells unharmed because they have low levels of oxygen radicals.
This research could create a new way to treat cancer. Right now doctor use chemotherapy and radiation to deal with cancers. Both methods harm the healthy cells and the cancer cells. This creates a dilemma when the patient's body is very weak he or she can not take the chemo because it produces a serious health risk.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Stem cells discovered in populations of Satellite Cells.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305121655.htm
Muscular Dystrophy is a disease caused by the inability of the body to produce dystrophin which is needed to sustain muscle cells. Satellite Cells are found around the muscle fibers. They can divide in specialized cells that can repair stressed muscle fibers. Researchers have learned there are stem cells within the Satellite cells can sustained the population of the Satellite cells which is important in keeping the muscle functional.
After Researchers injected Satellite Cells into a mouse's Satellite cells population they learned the injected Satellite Cells produced more Satellite Cells improving muscle repair and sustaining the population of Satellite cells in the region.
The only problem with this is you would need to keep injected satellite cells into the patient in order for the individual to maintain his muscles because of the lack of the protein dystrophin.
Muscular Dystrophy is a disease caused by the inability of the body to produce dystrophin which is needed to sustain muscle cells. Satellite Cells are found around the muscle fibers. They can divide in specialized cells that can repair stressed muscle fibers. Researchers have learned there are stem cells within the Satellite cells can sustained the population of the Satellite cells which is important in keeping the muscle functional.
After Researchers injected Satellite Cells into a mouse's Satellite cells population they learned the injected Satellite Cells produced more Satellite Cells improving muscle repair and sustaining the population of Satellite cells in the region.
The only problem with this is you would need to keep injected satellite cells into the patient in order for the individual to maintain his muscles because of the lack of the protein dystrophin.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Researchers linking Epstein-Barr Virus to Multiple Sclerosis
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302183248.htm
Multiple Sclerosis is a disease when inflammation and demylination occur in the Nerve Cells. This causes the electrical signals not to be able to reach their destination inhibiting movement of the patient. Researchers noticed a large amount of anti Epstein-Barr Virus antibodies in patience with Multiple Sclerosis leading them to believe the Epstein-Barr Virus plays some role in the progression of Multiple Sclerosis.
The Epstein-Barr Virus causes mononucleosis. This is an abnormally large single nuclei accumulation of white blood cells in the blood stream. This causes fever and sore throat.
Multiple Sclerosis is a disease when inflammation and demylination occur in the Nerve Cells. This causes the electrical signals not to be able to reach their destination inhibiting movement of the patient. Researchers noticed a large amount of anti Epstein-Barr Virus antibodies in patience with Multiple Sclerosis leading them to believe the Epstein-Barr Virus plays some role in the progression of Multiple Sclerosis.
The Epstein-Barr Virus causes mononucleosis. This is an abnormally large single nuclei accumulation of white blood cells in the blood stream. This causes fever and sore throat.
Old Cells in the Brain operate a little different from newer cells.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302091235.htm
In a lot of neural degenerative diseases, protein buildup in the nerve cells cause disruption of signals. The body has a mechanism of breaking down the proteins. When there is more oxidative stress on the body the body needs to eliminate even more proteins which could lead to neural disorders such as Parkinson and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have learned that BAG-1 and BAG-3 proteins play an important role in regulating protein degradation during the aging process. BAG-1 regulates the protein degradation process when we are young but as we get very old a switch occurs and BAG-3 regulates the protein degradation process. It is postulated a dysfunction in the molecular switch could be the reason why we there are so many neural degenerative disorders as we age. Something must be going wrong in the BAG-3 that is leading to the accumulation of proteins which are causing these devastating diseases.
In a lot of neural degenerative diseases, protein buildup in the nerve cells cause disruption of signals. The body has a mechanism of breaking down the proteins. When there is more oxidative stress on the body the body needs to eliminate even more proteins which could lead to neural disorders such as Parkinson and Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have learned that BAG-1 and BAG-3 proteins play an important role in regulating protein degradation during the aging process. BAG-1 regulates the protein degradation process when we are young but as we get very old a switch occurs and BAG-3 regulates the protein degradation process. It is postulated a dysfunction in the molecular switch could be the reason why we there are so many neural degenerative disorders as we age. Something must be going wrong in the BAG-3 that is leading to the accumulation of proteins which are causing these devastating diseases.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
B Cells have been discovered to have additional functions!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226141144.htm
While studying intestinal worms in mice they discovered B cells one of the many cell of the immune system that are designed to fight off invaders have additional functions not previously known. Everyone knows B Cell tag invaders with antibodies which then attract macrophages to the antigen for destruction. Researchers have learn B Cell release cytokines which is a chemical signal that alerts the other immune cells of the presence of invaders. Researchers also learned B Cells present the protein of invaders to T helper cells to aide them in becoming more efficient at dealing with the invaders.
This discovery could help Researchers when dealing with autoimmune diseases such as allergies and diabetes. The more knowledge researchers have on these immune cells the better prepared they will be in fixing many disease that affect the immune system and caused by the immune system.
While studying intestinal worms in mice they discovered B cells one of the many cell of the immune system that are designed to fight off invaders have additional functions not previously known. Everyone knows B Cell tag invaders with antibodies which then attract macrophages to the antigen for destruction. Researchers have learn B Cell release cytokines which is a chemical signal that alerts the other immune cells of the presence of invaders. Researchers also learned B Cells present the protein of invaders to T helper cells to aide them in becoming more efficient at dealing with the invaders.
This discovery could help Researchers when dealing with autoimmune diseases such as allergies and diabetes. The more knowledge researchers have on these immune cells the better prepared they will be in fixing many disease that affect the immune system and caused by the immune system.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Preserving Fertility in Cancer Patients
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226122728.htm
This is an interesting article. Typically when someone is diagnosed with cancers the doctors first concerned is not usually preserving the patience fertility. Since cancer treatment usually includes radiation and chemotherapy these treatments can permanently damage the sex cells needed to produce an offspring. Doctors usually treat the cancer as an emergency and focus on getting rid of it no matter the consequence.
Some doctors are concerned especially for the children that are diagnosed with cancer. Their life after cancer could be pretty bleak. Since the survival rate of kids diagnosed with Cancer is about 80.
One option this article mentioned for females diagnosed with cancer is to remove the eggs from the female patients and then insert them back in when the females are ready to have children again.
This is an interesting article. Typically when someone is diagnosed with cancers the doctors first concerned is not usually preserving the patience fertility. Since cancer treatment usually includes radiation and chemotherapy these treatments can permanently damage the sex cells needed to produce an offspring. Doctors usually treat the cancer as an emergency and focus on getting rid of it no matter the consequence.
Some doctors are concerned especially for the children that are diagnosed with cancer. Their life after cancer could be pretty bleak. Since the survival rate of kids diagnosed with Cancer is about 80.
One option this article mentioned for females diagnosed with cancer is to remove the eggs from the female patients and then insert them back in when the females are ready to have children again.
Making lowcost antimalaria drugs!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090306172619.htm
Malaria is a deadly that has been around since 4BC. Researchers have been looking for a way to produce the antimalaria drug, artemisinin. It is the strongest antimalaria drug available but also very expensive to obtain. The reason why it is so expensive to obtain artemisinin is because the drug is produced only in the wormwood tree. The wormwood tree only produces it when the agricultural and climatological conditions are met.
Because this is the case, people in Africa and South America can't obtain this drug to treat Malaria because it cost too much to make. Researchers have devise a way to get yeast to produce a precursor to the drug called artemisinic acid. This acid can be made into artemisinin very easily. If Researchers can get microorganisms to produce it for us we would have a very easy way to obtain artemisinin. Researchers took genes from the wormwood and from E-coli and were able to fuse it with the genes of the yeast. This made the yeast produce arteminsinic acid.
Researchers also hope by having a large amount of artemisinin at their disposable they can control how it is given to the people. Many bio companies give monotherapy for the disease which means they just give people this drug and that increases the chance of Malaria becoming resistant to it. The researchers want to make the artemisin one of a few other drugs applied to fight off Malaria and keep the resistance to it to a minimal.
Also, artemisinin is important because it releases oxygen radicals which can fight off the Malaria.
Malaria is a deadly that has been around since 4BC. Researchers have been looking for a way to produce the antimalaria drug, artemisinin. It is the strongest antimalaria drug available but also very expensive to obtain. The reason why it is so expensive to obtain artemisinin is because the drug is produced only in the wormwood tree. The wormwood tree only produces it when the agricultural and climatological conditions are met.
Because this is the case, people in Africa and South America can't obtain this drug to treat Malaria because it cost too much to make. Researchers have devise a way to get yeast to produce a precursor to the drug called artemisinic acid. This acid can be made into artemisinin very easily. If Researchers can get microorganisms to produce it for us we would have a very easy way to obtain artemisinin. Researchers took genes from the wormwood and from E-coli and were able to fuse it with the genes of the yeast. This made the yeast produce arteminsinic acid.
Researchers also hope by having a large amount of artemisinin at their disposable they can control how it is given to the people. Many bio companies give monotherapy for the disease which means they just give people this drug and that increases the chance of Malaria becoming resistant to it. The researchers want to make the artemisin one of a few other drugs applied to fight off Malaria and keep the resistance to it to a minimal.
Also, artemisinin is important because it releases oxygen radicals which can fight off the Malaria.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Scientists linked gene to having a role in Type 1 Diabetes.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090305141635.htm
Ok, we all have a gene called lFH1. This gene job is activate a protein when a virus is discovered to have entered the body. This protein activates the immune system to attempt to kill it off. Researchers believe the lFH1 gene may beleading people to developing type one Diabetes. Researchers have discovered four gene variants within lFH1 that act to protect the body from developing type 1 Diabetes. BTW, type 1 Diabetes is when the body can't produce insulin to lower the glucose levels in the blood stream after you eat. Researchers have found four gene variants that act to protect the body from developing Type 1 diabetes. These variants work to inhibit the lFH1 gene. They discovered people who have these variants have a better chance not getting the disease than those that did not. This is great news because the more we learn about the genetics of this disease the better equipped doctors will be to better treat patients of them.
Ok, we all have a gene called lFH1. This gene job is activate a protein when a virus is discovered to have entered the body. This protein activates the immune system to attempt to kill it off. Researchers believe the lFH1 gene may beleading people to developing type one Diabetes. Researchers have discovered four gene variants within lFH1 that act to protect the body from developing type 1 Diabetes. BTW, type 1 Diabetes is when the body can't produce insulin to lower the glucose levels in the blood stream after you eat. Researchers have found four gene variants that act to protect the body from developing Type 1 diabetes. These variants work to inhibit the lFH1 gene. They discovered people who have these variants have a better chance not getting the disease than those that did not. This is great news because the more we learn about the genetics of this disease the better equipped doctors will be to better treat patients of them.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Stripping Stem Cells of Cancer Causing Genes!
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16684-ethical-stem-cells-stripped-of-cancer-genes.html
So what this article is saying they are trying to get ordinary cells found on the body to revert back to stem cells without having to use viruses which remain in the stem cell. This is because viruses can increase the risk of the stem cells developing tumors and such. Apparently this parasitic element can infiltrate the normal skins cells, turn it into a stem cell and then exit the cell without leaving anything behind that can increase the risk of cancer developing....
Wow this is a pretty cool idea! I remember reading about some boy who had some stem cell implanted into his brain that later turned into tumor cells. Hopefully this technique will resolve that problem with stem cells.
So what this article is saying they are trying to get ordinary cells found on the body to revert back to stem cells without having to use viruses which remain in the stem cell. This is because viruses can increase the risk of the stem cells developing tumors and such. Apparently this parasitic element can infiltrate the normal skins cells, turn it into a stem cell and then exit the cell without leaving anything behind that can increase the risk of cancer developing....
Wow this is a pretty cool idea! I remember reading about some boy who had some stem cell implanted into his brain that later turned into tumor cells. Hopefully this technique will resolve that problem with stem cells.
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