Genetic mutations linked to the practice of burning coal in homes in China
.... Damage to both p53, a tumor suppressor gene that prevents normal cells from turning into tumor cells, and K-ras, an oncogene, is fundamental to the development of a vast majority of cancers. Mutations to both p53 and K-ras are thought to be primarily caused by chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbo...Cancer vaccine based on pathogenic listeria bacteria shows promise targeting metastases
...microbial vectors set up an antibody response that prevents them from being used more than once. A listeria-based cancer vaccine could thus be given periodically until a tumor has responded. Despite these attributes, the one problem with listeria has been toxicity. Though a relatively rare disease, listeriosi...Researchers identify protein promoting vascular tumor growth
...ow, and the first evidence that anti-MCP-1 therapy prevents vascular tumor development in animals with intact immune systems, said Gayle Gordillo, lead author of the study, assistant professor of plastic surgery and an investigator in the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute at Ohio State University Medica...Newly identified master gene key in baby's first breath
...tant is a natural chemical found in the lungs that prevents alveoli - the tiny airways in the lungs - from collapsing and in turn allows the lungs to open when the newborn starts to breath. The absence of surfactant causes respiratory distress syndrome within hours of birth. "We showed that Foxa2 regulates...Marijuana use could cause tubal pregnancies
...his hypothesis, abnormal muscular contraction that prevents human embryos from reaching the uterus is one known cause of ectopic pregnancy, Dey said. Polymorphisms (different forms) of the CB1 gene have been associated with drug dependency in humans. Dey and his colleagues plan to study whether certain polymo...Cannabis may help combat cancer-causing herpes viruses
...he cannabinoid compound further evidence that THC prevents viral reactivation. Furthermore, the researchers showed that THC acts specifically on gamma herpes viruses. The chemical had no effect on another related virus, herpes simplex-1, which causes cold sores and genital herpes. Small concentrations of T...Green, leafy spinach may soon power cellphones and laptops
...s then evaporate a soft organic semiconductor that prevents electrical shorts and protects the protein complexes from the layer of metal that completes the sandwich. The researchers shone laser light on the device to create optical excitation, then measured the resulting current. "An important caveat is tha...Spontaneous mutation produces new MAO A/B knockout mouse
...s MAO A also produces a premature stop codon which prevents production of the protein. Dr. Shih's MAO A/B knockout mice should provide scientists with good model in which to study the combined actions of MAO A and MAO B, as well as examine the roles of neurotransmitters in anxiety- and stress-related disorde...Joslin Diabetes Center adds first affiliate in California at Irvine Medical Center
...agues discovered a hormone similar to insulin that prevents heart muscle from dying. The findings suggest that gene therapy might help treat a variety of heart diseases, as well as stave off heart damage that is common among diabetes patients. "Over 1.5 million people in California have diabetes, and statis...Cell's gatekeeper for ammonia revealed in unprecedented detail
.... "This mechanism provides the precise filter that prevents any other molecules or charged molecules from leaking through this channel," Stroud said. "This ensures the health of the cell while providing a way for the cell to transport nitrogen in this form. Ultimately nitrogen is essential for building protei...Purdue study finds antioxidant protects metal-eating plants
...TE, Ind. - An antioxidant, a type of compound that prevents certain types of damage to living cells, appears to allow some kinds of plants to thrive on metal-enriched soils that typically kill other plants, says a Purdue University scientist. This finding, published in the current issue of The Plant Cell, pro...APS awards more than $140,000 to minority students of physiology
...ignaling inhibits differentiation of fat cells and prevents obesity in mice. Currently, she is testing whether Wnt signaling results in fewer fat cells and more bone forming cells in the marrow cavity. This work may provide a new target for preventing the bone loss associated with aging and/or menopause. Ad...New compound could give some types of cancer the one-two punch
... distribute chromosomes to new cells. OSU 111 also prevents tumor cells from forming new blood vessels. Scientists are looking for alternatives to established anti-cancer drugs, such as Taxol, which is used to kill cancer cells in ovarian, breast and lung tissue. Drugs like Taxol come from natural sources, an...Improved nutrition could reduce malaria burden worldwide
... fact that people have thought that undernutrition prevents malaria, the bulk of evidence suggests that undernutrition contributes significantly to the malaria burden." Nearly 550,000 annual malaria deaths are attributable to underweight in children less than 5 years of age, according to global burden of dis...Heartless worms hold clues to cardiac arrhythmias, sudden death
...and colleagues at Vanderbilt recently demonstrated prevents drug block of HERG in cardiac cells grown in the laboratory. "We were really excited," Petersen said. "We already knew that KCR1 affected drug block of HERG in cells, and now we had data in vivo, in a living animal, that KCR1 was important for HERG ...JCI table of contents, 16 August, 2004
...rotein kinase mediates ischemic glucose uptake and prevents postischemic cardiac dysfunction, apoptosis, and injury AUTHOR CONTACT: Lawrence H. Young Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT 06520, USA Phone: (203) 785-4102; Fax: (203) 785-7567; E-mail: lawrence.young@yale.edu ...Gene changes linked to increased eye pressure may have implications for glaucoma therapy
...that alters cell shape, was switched off. MGP prevents the hardening of cartilage to bone, and perlecan has been implicated in allowing tissue to withstand compression, Borrs said. Spectrin helps maintain cell shape. Thus, when spectrin is switched off, cells are more easily deformed. "It appears th...Jefferson Lab detector technology aids development of cystic fibrosis therapy
...ria and causing recurring lung infections; it also prevents digestive enzymes from reaching the intestines to break down and absorb nutrients from food. Current treatments are prolonging lives but haven't conquered the disease; most patients eventually succumb to lung disease....Scientist who discovered Sly syndrome finds new research path to explore for treating the disease
...body other than the brain. The blood-brain barrier prevents the enzyme from reaching the brain. But Saint Louis University researchers examining an animal model of Sly Syndrome previously had found that enzyme replacement therapy was effective in treating the brain if given while the mice were very young. "U...LBP-1a gene mutation linked to disruption of normal fetal development
...e lack of a gene called LBP-1a in the mouse embryo prevents normal growth of blood vessels in the placenta. This finding suggests that a similar defect in humans could play a role in fetal growth retardation, infant mortality and spontaneous abortion. These results, by investigators at St. Jude Children's Res...