Amyloid fibers sprout one step at a time
... plaques was unknown. Weissman and his colleagues sought to understand the dynamics of how the amyloid puzzle pieces assemble themselves. They analyzed the timing of the yeast prion protein assembly, and how that varied with different concentrations of the fiber and of the individual units, or monomers, th...Gene expression in liver tumors and patient prognosis
...orgeirsson of the NIH's National Cancer Institute, sought to uncover molecular prognostic indices that could be applied to the overall patient population with HCC. They investigated variations in gene expression in HCC at diagnosis and compared them to patient survival over time. The researchers ex......ell-death pathway in cancer cells, the researchers sought to create a molecular mimic of a protein called Sm... caspases." Specifically, Wang and his colleagues sought to make a small molecule to mimic the function of the Smac protein, since a smaller molecule is bett...Optimizing protein's 'death domain' halts leukemia in laboratory study
...Korsmeyer. Building on other recent work, Walensky sought to remove the alpha-helical BH3 subunit from the protein and use it as a sharply aimed tool to shut down the BCL-2 protein and activate the death pathway in cancer cells, without harming normal cells. If that proved successful, it would show that the...A genetic disorder yields insight into genes and cognition
...imaging studies of people with WS, the researchers sought to shed light on the neurological malfunction that underlies this inability. In particular, they sought to determine whether the functional disorder could reveal the "modularity" of the processing of visu...Bright idea could doom cancer and viruses, say Purdue scientists
...therapy drugs. So for a long time, physicians have sought other substances they have more control over. If we had a drug we could activate when it reached a certain place in the body - and nowhere else - it would reduce the stress on the rest of a cancer patient's system." Morrison's group experimented wit...New understanding of the machinery of flinching
...lectrical stimulation. However, Graziano and Cooke sought to test the hypothesis that the polysensory zone controls the natural behavioral flinch; motor cortex is usually not thought to control full, natural movements. To do this, they investigated how increasing or decreasing neuronal activity in the regio...Using statistics to decipher secrets of natural mutation
...ions. To understand these biases, Hwang and Green sought to develop a flexible approach to analyze the process of "neutral DNA evolution," in regions thought to lack genes and other functionally important sequences. "If you want to get an unvarnished picture of the mutation process itself, uncorrupted by n...Genes can influence both alcohol consumption and dependence
...ach, or the same underlying causes for both. We sought to explore this relationship, which has received little attention in the past because most studies have concentrated on either one or the other." "We have known for some years that there are genetic influences on risk of alcohol dependence, but it ha...Fundamental change to Immunology 101
...o T cells. The identity of this cell has long been sought and might help correct disorders of T-cell production, says Avinash Bhandoola, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Bhandoola and Benjamin Schwarz, a fifth year MD/P...New survey reveals insights into unique relationship between mothers and pediatricians
...the survey found that nearly two-thirds of mothers sought more information online regarding recommendations the doctor made," added Kellie Gould. Power of Two: Mothers and Pediatricians Working Together To help moms form and maintain a successful relationship with their pediatrician, Dr. Trachtenberg in...8 environmental stewards win $900,000 in biodiversity awards
...levision) than that in their own country. She has sought to cure that deficiency in a variety of ways. She plans to use the great bulk of her award to reward others with "Filipino Conservationist Awards," that would that would assist persons "who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to conservati...Study shows that ultrasound accreditation improves the quality of ultrasound practice
...asound examinations." This study sought to determine the effectiveness of AIUM accreditation in improving compliance with standards and guidelines for the performance of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound examinations. A random sample of consecutive AIUM accreditation applications from p...Mapping the evolution of a virus
...ies of 11 closely related virus clusters as it has sought to elude human immunity over the decades. The mapping method will allow researchers involved in vaccine development and viral surveillance programs for influenza, and potentially for other pathogens such as Hepatitis C and HIV as well, to quantify an......fter this protocol. Results This study sought to estimate the consequences of a long-term intake of high levels of protein in an obesity-prone rat strain. The results showed that the long-term effect of eating protein at will led to a markedly reduced food intake and lowered white adipose tissue...New model explains why costly insect 'outbreaks' hard to predict
...logists for decades. For instance, scientists have sought models that explain why outbreaks adhere to such consistent timetables. But, while the populations of 18 of the insect species that produce outbreaks do seem to follow a cycle, Dwyer's team found some surprising data when they looked more closely. ...Study reveals evolution on the (butterfly) wing
...odiversification." In their study, Reed and Serfas sought to compare how genes control the evolution of line and eyespot patterns among a number of butterfly and moth species -- including species that have such patterns and those that either lost them or that evolved before the patterns appeared in nature. ...Triple-vaccine strategy stimulates strong HIV-specific immune response in monkeys
...men. In a test of the new approach, the scientists sought to maximize the immune response to a truncated HIV gene called Gag and succeeded in dramatically stimulating the production of CD8+ T cells responsive to Gag. Many scientists believe that CD8+ T cells will be an important key to creating an effective...Early dexamethasone exposure has long-term neurodevelopment, neuroendocrine effects
...rations were permanent. A New Study A new study sought to test whether effects of neonatal dexamethasone exposure on LHPA axis function persist to adulthood. The authors of the study, entitled "Effect of Neonatal Dexamethasone Exposure on Growth and Neurological Development in the Adult Rat," are Charle...Researchers recommend new approach to combat drug-resistant staph infections
...edge to the next level, Balaban and her colleagues sought to determine if preventing such cellular communication would preclude the bacteria from becoming virulent and releasing large quantities of infection-causing toxins. The discovery of RIP has done that. "We believe we can give humans RIP with no side ...