http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Researchers from Kyoto University have reported that basophils play a central role in Th2 induction. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-basophils-required-induction-th2-immunity.html Medical research Tue, 07 May 2013 09:10:03 EST news287135665 Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a rare genetic disorder that causes central and peripheral nervous system dysfunction. GAN is known to be caused by mutations in the gigaxonin gene and is characterized by tangling and aggregation of neural projections, but the mechanistic link between the genetic mutation and the effects on neurons is unclear. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-untangle-molecular-pathology-giant-axonal.html Neuroscience Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:08 EST news285240172 Research led by Ya-Ping Tang, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that the action of a specific gene occurring during exposure to adolescent trauma is critical for the development of adult-onset Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD.) The findings are published in PNAS Online Early Edition the week of April 1-5, 2013. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-co-factors-critical-ptsd.html Psychology & Psychiatry Wed, 03 Apr 2013 09:49:30 EST news284201361 Neurons that control hunger in the central nervous system also regulate immune cell functions, implicating eating behavior as a defense against infections and autoimmune disease development, Yale School of Medicine researchers have found in a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-hunger-spiking-neurons-autoimmune-diseases.html Immunology Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:00:13 EST news283435229 Stroke, heart attacks and numerous other common disorders result in a massive destruction of cells and tissues called necrosis. It's a violent event: As each cell dies, its membrane ruptures, releasing substances that trigger inflammation, which in turn can cause more cellular necrosis. A new Weizmann Institute study may help develop targeted therapies for controlling the tissue destruction resulting from inflammation and necrosis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-enzymes-trigger-cell.html Immunology Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:48:02 EST news282829676 Injected with a fluorescent protein to make them glow bright red, laboratory mice are helping Czech scientists better understand the causes behind intestinal cancers and skin diseases while leaving the rodents unscathed. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-red-mice-czechs-bowel-cancer.html Medical research Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:11:47 EST news282391900 The RAS pathway is a cellular signaling pathway that regulates growth and development in humans. RASopathies are a group of diseases characterized by defects in RAS signaling. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-insight-rasopathy-associated-lymphatic-defects.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:00:04 EST news279542494 (Medical Xpress)—A new drug to prevent the early stages of Alzheimer's disease could enter clinical trials in a few years' time according to scientists. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-treatment-alzheimer-disease-closer.html Alzheimer's disease & dementia Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:19:54 EST news278936387 When different types of cells are transplanted with the intent of having them aid in repairing central nervous system (CNS) trauma, what is the fate and function of those cells? A Belgian research team carried out research aimed at answering this question by determining how five varieties of cells - neural stem cells, mouse embryonic fibroblasts, dendritic cells, bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) and splenocytes - functioned and survived after transplantation in the CNS. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-fate-function-cells-transplanted-cns.html Medical research Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:19:57 EST news275246338 A new series of studies in mouse models by Mayo Clinic researchers uncovered that the aging process is characterized by high rates of whole-chromosome losses and gains in various organs, including heart, muscle, kidney and eye, and demonstrate that reducing these rates slows age-related tissue deterioration and promotes a healthier life span. The findings appear in today's online issue of Nature Cell Biology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-unmasks-healthy-life-span.html Medical research Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:38:32 EST news274970304 Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified two genes involved in establishing the neuronal circuits required for breathing. They report their findings in a study published in the December issue of Nature Neuroscience. The discovery, featured on the journal's cover, could help advance treatments for spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which gradually kill neurons that control the movement of muscles needed to breathe, move, and eat. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-scientists-genetic-signature-vital-neurons.html Neuroscience Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:36:21 EST news273418573 The cancer-causing form of the gene Myc alters the metabolism of mitochondria, the cell's powerhouse, making it dependent on the amino acid glutamine for survival. In fact, 40 percent of all "hard-to-treat" cancers have a mutation in the Myc gene. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-downstream-proteins-cancer-causing-pathway-cell.html Cancer Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:54:46 EST news272040879 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with an occurrence rate in France similar to multiple sclerosis (two to three new cases per year for every 100,000 residents). It has a specific affect on neurons responsible for motor control, in particular motor neurones and central motor neurones. The former, located in the spinal cord, are directly linked to muscles and are used for muscle contraction and stretching. The latter, located in the brain, receive movement orders. As the disease develops, the neurons degenerate and the muscles are no longer stimulated and stop working. Movements, walking and speech become increasingly difficult and patients tend to pass away an average of two to five years after diagnosis, generally due to respiratory failure. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-11-relief-spasms-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:30:05 EST news271430966 A new study conducted by a team of scientists led by Giles Duffield, assistant professor of biological sciences and a member of the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame focuses on the circadian clock of the heart, and used cultured heart tissue. The results of the new study have implications for cardiovascular health, including daily changes in responses to stress and the effect of long-term rotational shift work. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-paper-shifting-gears-circadian-clock.html Cardiology Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:10:07 EST news270224792 A study by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers finds that a starvation hormone markedly extends life span in mice without the need for calorie restriction. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-starvation-hormone-markedly-mouse-life.html Medical research Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:14:34 EST news269612062 (Medical Xpress)—Work by Michigan Technological University biologist Xiaoqing Tang is yielding new insights into how a tiny snippet of genetic material can promote healthy insulin production in mice. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-microrna-derails-protein-blocks-insulin.html Medical research Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:40:01 EST news267343343 Having identified the important role in controlling insulin secretion played by the protein Cx36, a team of scientists at the University of Geneva have perfected an innovative method which enables testing the effectiveness of thousands of molecules potentially usable in the fight against diabetes. This results of this research have already been published in the scientific review PLoS ONE. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-diabetes.html Diabetes Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:08:04 EST news262516074 Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have zeroed in on a set of neurons in the part of the brain that controls hunger, and found that these neurons are not only associated with overeating, but also linked to non-food associated behaviors, like novelty-seeking and drug addiction. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-neurons-overeating-appetite-cocaine.html Neuroscience Sun, 24 Jun 2012 13:20:01 EST news259758511 One of the major routes of tumor cell dissemination to form metastasis at distant organs in the body is the lymphatic system. To study this process, still poorly understood, and to gain information on which tumors prefer this route for dissemination and how to block it, researchers of the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), led by researcher Sagrario Ortega, have created transgenic mice in which, for the first time, the growth of the lymphatic vessels can be visualized in the whole animal, by a light-emitting reaction, as tumor progresses and forms metastasis. The technique is so sensitive that it allows monitoring those lymph nodes that are going to be invaded by tumor cells. The work is published today in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-genetically-mice-visualize-vivo-inflammation.html Cancer Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:25:02 EST news252602696 The meal is pushed way, untouched. Loss of appetite can be a fleeting queasiness or continue to the point of emaciation. While it's felt in the gut, more is going on inside the head. New findings are emerging about brain and body messaging pathways that lead to loss of appetite, and the systems in place to avoid starvation. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-loss-appetite-deciphered-brain-cell.html Medical research Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:16:51 EST news250960601 The University of Kentucky has announced that Dr. Daret St. Clair, the James Graham Brown Endowed Chair and professor of toxicology, has published the first comprehensive study that provides insight into the relationship between two types of suppressors in cancerous tumors. The results will enhance the understanding of transcriptional mechanisms in carcinogenesis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-uk-insight-cancer.html Cancer Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:50:21 EST news249133812 Contrary to what you might think, cancer and diabetes appear to have some biology in common. According to a report in the September 30th issue of the Cell Press journal, Cell, a pathway that initially drew attention for its role in embryonic stem cells and cancer also influences the odds that mice develop or resist diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-diabetes-cancer-biological-basis.html Medical research Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:37:56 EST news236518664 A new clue to understanding one of the causes of Alzheimer's disease was unveiled in an article published Sunday (Aug. 14) in Nature Neuroscience online. Kara Pratt, a new faculty member in the University of Wyoming Neuroscience Center , is the study's lead investigator. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-link-alzheimer-lack-specific-protein.html Neuroscience Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:39:09 EST news232709935 Recently, optogenetics, which controls the activity of neuron using the light-activated protein, has been getting a lot of attention. This light-activated protein works like a switch of neurons by sensing specific color of light. This time, Associate Professor Akihiro YAMANAKA and Dr. Tomomi Tsunematsu from National Institute for Physiological Sciences (NIPS), succeeded in suppressing only the activity of the orexin neurons in the mice's brains (hypothalamus) when the optical switch was on, using the light-activated protein, halorhodopsin (eNpHR). This flipping on and off the optical switch led mice into sleep and wakefulness. Those mice fell into non-REM sleep (slow-wave sleep) only when the halorhodopsin-expressed orexin neurons were exposed to the light. It is reported in the Journal of Neuroscience published by the Society for Neuroscience in USA (July 20, 2011, Eastern Standard Time, USA) . http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-non-rem-mice-optogenetical-technique.html Neuroscience Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:44:36 EST news230402662 Increasingly, researchers are suggesting that amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles may be relatively late manifestations in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. Identifying earlier events in the development of AD remains a challenge. The laboratory of Virginia M.-Y. Lee, PhD, director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, was the first, in 1993, to demonstrate unequivocally the presence of A-beta peptides -- a hallmark of AD -- inside neurons. But their role in Alzheimer's disease remained unclear. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-case-mistaken-identity-role-a-beta.html Neuroscience Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:58:56 EST news228455848 Scripps Research Institute scientists have discovered new elements of the blood clot-formation process. The findings could lead to better drugs for preventing heart attacks and other clot-related conditions. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-blood-clots.html Medical research Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:15:45 EST news227196866