Gene-altered mouse is model for rare autoimmune syndrome
...ation, so it is difficult to determine the initial cause of the disease in these complex animal models, he ...ne marrow is the source of immune cells that could cause the disorder. The researchers' experiments with the Id3-deficient mice also revealed that T cells pl...Neurosurgeons identify growth of new adult brain cells, possible treatment for epilepsy
...d such cell generation and believe that may be the cause of the recurring seizures that are typical of epilepsy. Dr. Bingaman believes the discovery of this cell generation may provide a target for future treatment and prevention of epilepsy. The Congress of Neurological Surgeons meeting, which is bein...Academics find that the finger of destiny points their way
...ese unusual hormone levels in many male scientists cause the right side of their brains, which governs spatial and analytic skills, to develop strongly. The study, which as been submitted to the British Journal of Psychology, also found that: these hormonal levels may make male scientists less likely to...OHSU study: Bacterial switching mechanism key to survival
...o how gram-positive bacteria, including those that cause life-threatening diseases, can stay alive in adver... energy. Gram-positive bacteria include those that cause staph infections, strep throat, pneumonias, botulism, toxic shock syndrome and anthrax. "What we did...New DNA repair enzyme makes mistakes to save lives of cells
.... For instance, normal wear and tear on a cell can cause a base to break off the DNA strand, and enzymes, including POL-Q, repair the DNA by inserting bases where they are found missing. POL-Q also repairs bases that are damaged or chemically altered due to abuse or stress placed on the cell, such as from ...Molecular mechanism sheds light on neurodegenerative diseases
...rm toxic aggregates that destroy cell function and cause disease. Morimoto's team is the first to demonstrate in living human cells and in real time that the toxic protein aggregates, in this case caused by mutant Huntingtin, bind to the proteasome machine irreversibly and prevent the complete degradation ...Mouse study: 'Critical' Down syndrome region isn't
...y 1 in 700 live births, is the most common genetic cause of mental retardation and congenital heart disease. "The simplistic idea that just one of the hundreds of genes on chromosome 21 affects development no longer holds up," says Roger Reeves, Ph.D., professor of molecular biology and genetics in Johns ...Clues to improving TB treatment
... EthR and EthA are both found in the bacteria that cause leprosy. In this case, a compound that alters EthR structure might also be a good partner for the drugs that treat leprosy. Nearly one third of the world's population carries the tuberculosis bacterium and the disease kills about two millio...Study is looking at ways to help stroke survivors regain lost motor skills
...g stimulation. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the most common cause of disability in the United States. Of the 700,000 strokes each year in the U.S, between 150,000 to...Single genetic defect links many risk factors for heart disease and stroke
...the complex genetic and environmental factors that cause a range of metabolic disorders. The researchers, ...levels proved to be the key to tracing the genetic cause of the array of pathologies. Since low magnesium occurs infrequently in the general population, the ...Researchers discover gene mutations for Parkinson's disease
... each gene in this region for mutations that might cause disease. The investigators identified two mutations in the same gene, one associated with Parkinson's disease in the Basque families and the other which was linked to the disease in the English family. "The discovery of this cluster of Basque famil...Gene for common form of Parkinson's pinpointed
...n that underlies PARK8 PD is a relatively common cause of the disease in the Basque population. Also, within the families they studied, people with PD were found to carry the mutation in dardarin, while those who were unaffected did not. Although the function of dardarin is not known, they said, it has t...Latest buzz in research: Intoxicated honey bees may clue scientists into drunken human behavior
...bout 20 minutes for ethanol's effect to set in and cause this behavior. The researchers hope to learn how alcohol consumption affects social behavior as well as gain a better understanding of the basic mechanisms that drive alcohol addiction and tolerance. "Honey bees are very social animals, which makes t...Calorie restriction leads to some brain benefits but not others in mice
...ls, but scientists think accumulating too many may cause cell damage and contribute to a variety of diseases ranging from stroke to cancer. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E help prevent free radicals from wreaking too much havoc. Since there is evidence that both antioxidants and calorie restriction inc...Pesticides may promote Parkinson's disease and exercise may offer protection
...c exposure to the "organic" pesticide rotenone can cause Parkinson's-like pathology in monkeys. This findin...sistency is vital because too much of the drug can cause uncontrolled movements, and too little can result in paralysis. Past studies have suggested that ro...Bug's-eye-view of urinary tract reveals E.coli infection genes
...tments for urinary tract infections, which are the cause of an estimated eight million physician visits in the United States each year. Nearly half of all American women have had at least one urinary tract infection, and know all too well how incapacitating and difficult to treat they can be. "Even though ...Medical informatics project targets ovarian, breast cancers
... despite its relative rarity, is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month....Insects implicated in the evolution of new human infectious diseases
...nescent bacterium, Photorhabdus asymbiotica, which cause pustulent sores to appear on parts of sufferers' b...species of bacteria in insects, and sometimes they cause emerging infectious diseases by becoming harmful to people — in other words by evolving into a ...Children's Hospital Boston geneticist awarded for research on muscular dystrophy
...nes, to understanding how mutations of these genes cause disease, to finding new diagnostic techniques and new therapies and figuring out how to make them work. Kunkel was the first to discover, in 1986, the gene that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the most common form of muscular dystrophy. In 1987, ...Gene therapy approach reverses diabetic neuropathy in animal model, Pitt study finds
...f neuropathy in diabetic animals. While the exact cause of diabetic neuropathy is unknown, there is evidence to suggest it is associated with a deficiency or dysfunction of certain neurotrophic factors, which are proteins essential for the survival and proper function of neurons. Therefore, the Pitt resea...