Neuroscientist steers research into neurological disorders

Scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute have uncovered a vital clue into how the brain is wired, which could eventually steer research into nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease and cognitive disorders including...

Small molecule with high impact

Researchers from the vaccinology and applied microbiology department at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany, have now found a new molecule with the capacity of improving responses to vaccines. The synthetic compound, the so-called c-di-IMP, might be more than just a potent vaccine enhancer. The scientists expect to create new vaccination strategies based on c-di-IMP. The group's results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal...

Molecular imaging technique uses ultrasound and microscopic bubbles to target cancer cells

An imaging technique combining ultrasound and specially modified contrast agents may allow researchers to noninvasively detect cancer and show its progression, according to research published in the March issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine (JNM). The technique enables researchers to visualize tumor activity at the molecular...

Dietary factors influence ovarian cancer survival rates

Dietary factors influence ovarian cancer survival rates March 1, 2010 2009 estimates projected that in the United States alone 21,550 new cases of ovarian cancer would be diagnosed and 14,600 women would die of the disease. Often diagnosed in late stages, ovarian cancer has an asymptomatic onset and a relatively low 5-year survival rate of about 45%. Consequently investigation linked to survivorship is critical. A study published in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of the American...

Personalized medicine in warfarin therapy

Researchers from the Ohio State University have developed a rapid, multiplexed genotyping method to identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect warfarin dose. The related report by Yang et al, "Rapid Genotyping of SNPs Influencing Warfarin Drug Response by SELDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry," appears in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of Molecular...

A mother’s sensitivity may help language growth in children with autism spectrum disorder

A new study by researchers from the c. Although parenting styles are not considered as a cause for autism, this report examines how early parenting can promote resiliency in this population. The study entitled, "A Pilot Study of Maternal Sensitivity in the Context of Emergent Autism," is published online this month and will appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental...

Reliable biomarkers needed for early detection of liver cancer

While biomarkers are needed to complement ultrasound in the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; liver cancer), neither des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) nor the most widely used biomarker, alpha fetoprotein (AFP), is optimal, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA)...

Estrogen protects against cardiovascular disease

(PhysOrg.com) -- UCD researchers led by Conway Fellow, Professor Therese Kinsella have shown that estrogen can protect against cardiovascular disease by impacting the levels of a key protein called prostacyclin receptor. The findings are published today in the Journal of Molecular...

Mouse model may provide insight into the schizophrenic brain

Schizophrenia is an incredibly complex and profoundly debilitating disorder that typically manifests in early adulthood but is thought to arise, at least in part, from pathological disturbances occurring during very early brain development. Now, a new study published by Cell Press in the February 25 issue of the journal Neuron, manipulates a known schizophrenia susceptibility gene in the brains of fetal mice to begin to unravel the complex link between prenatal brain development and maturation...

FDA warns of heart risk with HIV drug combination

(AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning Tuesday about potential heart risks when combining two HIV...