October 6, 2008
New Genes Linked to Gout
Researchers have identified 2 new genes—and confirmed the role of a third—that are associated with increased risk of higher levels of uric acid in the blood, which can lead to gout, a common, painful form of arthritis.
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Rethinking Metastasis
Most cancer deaths result from metastasis, the spread of cancer from a tumor to other parts of the body. Researchers have long thought that metastasis comes at a late stage of cancer. A new study suggests the process may start long before that.
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Making "Safer" Stem Cells
Scientists have developed a new technique to convert adult liver and other cells into versatile stem cells. By using a common cold virus, it sidesteps the cancer-causing potential of a previously developed method using a different kind of virus.
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September 29, 2008
Pelvic Floor Disorders Affect Almost a Quarter of U.S. Women
According to a new analysis, nearly a quarter of U.S. women are
affected by pelvic floor disorders, a cluster of health problems
that causes physical discomfort and limits activity.
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Bisphenol A Blocks Growth of Brain Connections in Monkeys
Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used to make plastic food
containers, can prevent connections from forming between nerve
cells in the brains of monkeys, a new study suggests.
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Gut Microbes Protect Against Type 1 Diabetes in Mice
Research in mice has found that the trillions of microbes living
in the gut can blunt the immune system attack that causes type
1 diabetes. The discovery may shed light on rising rates of type
1 diabetes in developed countries.
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September 22, 2008
Gene
Variations Linked to Kidney Disease in African Americans
For the first time, researchers have identified genetic variations
that are strongly associated with kidney diseases disproportionately
affecting African Americans.
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Virtual
Colonoscopies Rival Accuracy of Standard Ones
An advanced imaging technique called virtual colonoscopy can
detect most of the large precancerous and cancerous polyps that
can be found by the more invasive standard colonoscopy.
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Activated
Protein Can Reduce Heart Damage
Researchers have identified a protein that, when activated, protects
against injury to rat hearts. The discovery may lead to treatments
for preventing heart damage during procedures such as coronary
bypass surgery.
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September 15, 2008
Insights
into Common Brain Cancer
A large-scale, comprehensive study of glioblastoma has uncovered
new genetic mutations with potential implications for the disease’s
diagnosis and treatment.
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Monitoring
the Brain’s Memory-Making Cells
The brain cells that fire when a person watches a brief film
clip are triggered again when the person later recalls that imagery,
a new study shows. The research offers insights into how the
brain summons up past experiences and may also shed light on
short-term memory disorders.
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Prions
Cross Species Barrier in the Laboratory
Researchers have gotten infectious prions from one species to
turn normal prion proteins from a different species into infectious
ones in a test tube. The technique will prove a valuable tool
for understanding how prions cross species barriers.
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September 8, 2008
Treatment
Lowers Preterm Infants’ Risk for Cerebral Palsy
Preterm infants born to mothers receiving intravenous
magnesium sulfate—a common treatment to delay labor—are
less likely to develop cerebral palsy than those whose mothers
don’t receive it, according to a new report.
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Mice Grow More Hearing Cells After Gene Transfer
Researchers have used gene transfer to produce functional hair
cells in the inner ears of mice. The accomplishment is an important
step in developing potential strategies to treat hearing impairment.
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Rare
Insulin-Producing Cells Created from Adult Mouse Cells
By tweaking just 3 genes in living mice, scientists
have transformed common adult pancreas cells into a rarer type
of cell that produces insulin, a step toward eventually developing
a new treatment for diabetes.
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