http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A diet low in grains, beans and certain vegetables—combined with "anti-aging" supplements—improved blood vessel function, in a study presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology 2013 Scientific Sessions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-diet-anti-aging-supplements-reverse-blood.html Cardiology Wed, 01 May 2013 16:00:01 EST news286628301 Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a previously unknown biological mechanism involved in the regulation of pancreatic islet beta cells, whose role is to produce and release insulin. The discovery suggests a new therapeutic target for treating dysfunctional beta cells and type 2 diabetes, a disease affecting more than 25 million Americans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-fractalkine-protein-diabetes.html Diabetes Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:00:11 EST news284898063 Human osteosarcoma samples are hard to come by, making the disease difficult to study. However, K9 bone cancer is genetically indistinguishable from the human form of the disease, and over 10,000 canine patients develop the disease every year. Research from the University of Colorado Cancer Center and the Colorado State University Flint Animal Cancer Center presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 used easily available K9 osteosarcoma samples to discover a novel protein that governs metastasis and chemoresistance in pediatric osteosarcoma. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-k9-osteosarcoma-samples-drivers-metastasis.html Cancer Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:42:26 EST news284719337 Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have determined the complete three-dimensional structure of a protein called HNF-4α. HNF-4α controls gene expression in the liver and pancreas, switching genes on or off as needed. People with mature onset diabetes of the young (MODY1), a rare form of the disease, have inherited mutations in the HNF-4α protein. This first-ever look at HNF-4α's full structure, published March 13 in Nature, uncovers new information about how it functions. The study also reveals new pockets in the protein that could be targeted with therapeutic drugs aimed at alleviating MODY1. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-molecule-reveals-therapeutic-opportunities-rare.html Medical research Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:00:13 EST news282396011 (HealthDay)—In patients with type 2 diabetes and evidence of kidney injury, supplementation with n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) does not reduce urine albumin excretion but is associated with a reduction in certain markers of kidney injury, according to research published online Dec. 28 in Diabetes Care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-n-pufa-markers-kidney-disease.html Diabetes Fri, 08 Feb 2013 10:30:01 EST news279539674 Acute kidney injury strikes large numbers of hospitalized patients, including those with no prior kidney-related illness, and is one of the most costly and deadly conditions affecting critically ill patients. Findings published today in Critical Care from a Mayo Clinic-led, multicenter study identify two biomarkers of acute kidney injury that can be easily measured in urine and detect affected patients roughly 12 to 36 hours earlier than current tests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-biomarkers-early-acute-kidney-injury.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:55:54 EST news279377744 (Medical Xpress)—A protein associated with conditions of metabolic imbalance, such as diabetes and obesity, may play a role in the development of aggressive forms of breast cancer, according to new findings by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and their colleagues. Metabolic imbalance is often caused by elevated carbohydrate intake, which can lead to over-activating a molecule called C-terminal binding protein (CtBP). This over-activation, in turn, can increase the risk of breast cancer. Results of their work appeared in Nature Communications, Feb. 5, 2013. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-scientists-molecular-link-metabolism-breast.html Cancer Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:35:34 EST news279362125 After recently announcing success in eliminating melanoma metastasis in laboratory experiments, scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center have made another important discovery in understanding the process by which the gene mda-9/syntenin contributes to metastasis in melanoma (the spread of skin cancer) and possibly a variety of other cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-scientists-deadly-skin-cancer-body.html Cancer Thu, 03 Jan 2013 13:07:02 EST news276440810 (Medical Xpress)—A new form of iron may hold the clue that leads to treatment for a fatal inherited nervous system disease that can cause gait disturbance, speech problems, heart disease, diabetes and other symptoms.  http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-international-team-clue-friedreich-ataxia.html Medical research Fri, 23 Nov 2012 06:23:23 EST news272874188 Australian scientists are getting closer to decoding the way molecules interact to enable regular heart function. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-calcium-role-healthy-heart.html Cardiology Wed, 21 Nov 2012 08:44:26 EST news272709848 Low serum levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are associated with Alzheimer's Disease in men, but not women, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-alzheimer-disease-men-linked-hormone.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Tue, 02 Oct 2012 00:00:10 EST news268332688 A sugar-loving protein drives the growth of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) tumors, according to a study published on October 1st in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Interfering with these sugary interactions inhibited growth of Kaposi sarcomas in mice, hinting at the potential for new treatment strategies in humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-sugar-free-approach-kaposi-sarcoma.html Cancer Mon, 01 Oct 2012 12:00:04 EST news268308218 A mysterious form of cell death, coded in proteins and enzymes, led to a discovery by UNC researchers uncovering a prime suspect for new cancer drug development. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-cell-death-mystery-yields-cancer.html Cancer Thu, 13 Sep 2012 10:26:06 EST news266750756 A study led by researchers at the UC San Diego Stem Cell Research program and funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) looks at an important RNA binding protein called LIN28, which is implicated in pluripotency and reprogramming as well as in cancer and other diseases. According to the researchers, their study – published in the September 6 online issue of Molecular Cell – will change how scientists view this protein and its impact on human disease. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-sites-lin28-protein-thousands-human.html Genetics Tue, 04 Sep 2012 12:00:01 EST news265962584 A research group at the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Japan's Kyoto University has successfully recapitulated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-associated abnormalities in motor neurons differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) obtained from patients with familial ALS, a late-onset, fatal disorder which is also known for Lou Gehrig's disease. In a drug screening assay using the disease model, the team further found that the chemical compound anacardic acid can rescue some ALS phenotypes in vitro. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-drug-screening-platform-als.html Medical research Thu, 02 Aug 2012 09:33:54 EST news263118654 Scientists have created versions of the H5N1 bird flu that spread easily among mammals through droplets in sneezes and have concluded that the deadly virus could trigger a global pandemic in humans. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-pandemic-bird-flu-transmissible-air.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 22 Jun 2012 14:30:08 EST news259594201 Hans Vogel, a professor in the biological sciences department, is the guest editor of a special issue of the journal Biochemistry and Cell Biology that focuses on lactoferrin, an important iron-binding protein with many health benefits. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-protein-wounds-boosts-immunity-cancer.html Cancer Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:50:01 EST news255015240 Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have, for the first time, shown that infection with dengue virus turns on mosquito genes that makes them hungrier and better feeders, and therefore possibly more likely to spread the disease to humans. Specifically, they found that dengue virus infection of the mosquito's salivary gland triggered a response that involved genes of the insect's immune system, feeding behavior and the mosquito's ability to sense odors. The researchers findings are published in the March 29 edition of PLoS Pathogens. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-dengue-virus-mosquito-genes-hungrier.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:25:49 EST news252260740 A paper published online today in Nature describes the results of using bone marrow transplant (BMT) to replace faulty immune system cells in models of Rett Syndrome. The procedure arrested many severe symptoms of the childhood disorder, including abnormal breathing and movement, and significantly extended the lifespan of Rett mouse models. Exploring the function of microglia deficient in methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (Mecp2), the protein encoded by the "Rett gene," principal investigator Jonathan Kipnis, Ph.D. and his team at the University of Virginia School of Medicine uncovered a completely novel approach to this devastating neurological syndrome. The work was funded by the Rett Syndrome Research Trust and the Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-bone-marrow-transplant-symptoms-rett.html Immunology Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:00:20 EST news251297067 Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a study from researchers at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center suggests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-curry-spice-component-prostate-tumor.html Cancer Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:01 EST news248093404 Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses". But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-memories-prion-like-protein-key-role.html Medical research Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:11:04 EST news246899448 A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine may lead to a way to prevent the progression, or induce the regression, of lung injury that results from use of the anti-cancer chemotherapy drug Bleomycin. Pulmonary fibrosis caused by this drug, as well as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) from unknown causes, affect nearly five million people worldwide. No therapy is known to improve the health or survival of patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-lung-fibrosis-blocked-mouse.html Medical research Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:48:06 EST news237055679 Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine researchers are reporting a possible new blood test to help diagnose heart attacks. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-blood-heart.html Cardiology Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:48:17 EST news235752396 New research from the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) may help prevent damage to the liver caused by drugs like acetaminophen and other stressors. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-scientists-key-protein-linked-acute.html Medical research Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:37:45 EST news234628650 Collaborating researchers at Stanford University and The Scripps Research Institute have identified chemical compounds that show promise as potential therapeutics for a set of medical conditions caused by the abnormal clumping together of a protein known as transthyretin (TTR). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-scientists-drug-candidates-protein-folding-diseases.html Medical research Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:45:04 EST news233847868 Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine protein that reduces immune responses and staves off autoimmune disease. Now, a research team led by Masato Kubo at the RIKEN Research Center for Allergy and Immunology, Yokohama, has identified a transcription factor called E4 promoter-binding protein (E4BP4) that is responsible for driving the expression of IL-10 in multiple types of immune cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-transcription-factor-protein-dampens-immune.html Medical research Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:03:49 EST news227534618 Specific types of "helper" T cells that are crucial to maintaining functioning immune systems contain an enzyme called PDI (protein disulfide isomerase). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-sugar-binding-protein-role-hiv-infection.html HIV & AIDS Tue, 14 Jun 2011 07:45:07 EST news227256222 A new study published today in the journal Science has shown that the childhood disorder Rett syndrome, can be reestablished in adult animals by "switching off" a critical disease causing gene in healthy adult animals. The gene was "switched off" in adult mice by use of a sophisticated genetic trick, resulting in the appearance of behaviors typically seen in Rett syndrome. The leading author Christopher McGraw, MD/PhD student, carried out the study in the laboratory of Dr. Huda Zoghbi, a renowned neuroscientist based at Baylor College of Medicine, and director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston TX. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-developmental-disease-recreated-adult.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:26:00 EST news226254345 The protein MeCP2 is porridge to the finicky neuron. Like Goldilocks, the neuron or brain cell needs the protein in just the right amount. Girls born with dysfunctional MeCP2 (methyl-CpG-binding protein 2) develop Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder. Too much MeCP2 can cause spasticity or developmental delay with autism-like symptoms in boys. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-rett-protein-mecp2-proper-adult.html Neuroscience Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:00:05 EST news226241618 Sepsis is the name of an infection that causes a series of reactions in the body, which in the worst case can prove fatal. The problem for both patients and doctors is that the early symptoms are difficult to distinguish from less dangerous infections such as a severe flu or winter vomiting disease. A researcher at Lund University in Sweden has now discovered a substance in the blood which shows both whether a patient has sepsis and how serious the case is. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-quicker-treatment-severe-sepsis.html Medical research Mon, 23 May 2011 09:53:26 EST news225363194