Other highlights in the November 17 JNCI
...ses of data from a large randomized clinical trial suggested that selenium intake reduces the risk of colorectal cancer, but epidemiologic data has not found a consistent association. Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Ph.D., of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, and colleagues pooled data from three randomized trials--th......a co-receptor for RET, but GFRs have recently been suggested to play other roles as well. The individual funct...absence of RET indigenous to the cell. It has been suggested that this might take the form of either trans signaling, in which the GFR receptor captures diffusib...A 'repulsive' protein guides blood vessel development
...nd Sema3E in regions of the developing embryo that suggested that it should have a role in the patterning of bl...at interacts with plexin-D1. If this were true, it suggested that Sema3E exerts a "repulsive" force, channeling the blood vessels to grow along their proper cour...Random gene activation helps ulcer bug escape immune system
... of DNA, making it completely nonfunctional. "This suggested that the strain doesn't make BabA protein at all, making it equivalent in that regard to about one-third of all the other clinical isolates of H. pylori scientists have studied," Berg says. Given that the strain didn't appear to produce BabA protein,......ulating cocaine sensitivity. The researchers suggested that because Lmo-related proteins are found in mammalian brains, the results may have implications for understanding innate differences in sensitivity to cocaine in humans, potentially providing targets for development of drugs to treat or prevent ad...A new species of amyloid peptide
...ical function is not well understood. "It has been suggested that amyloid precursor protein may function as a receptor or growth factor precursor," notes Dr. Xuemin Xu of The University of Tennessee. "Recent studies also suggest that the intracellular C-terminal domain of the amyloid precursor protein may func...Psychological stress and disease: UCSF-led study suggests connection
...necdotal evidence and scientific evidence has have suggested that chronic stress can take years off your life; the implications of this study are that this is true at the cellular level. Chronic stress appears to have the potential to shorten the life of cells, at least immune cells." While it is not yet clear...Stronger therapy better for AML with normal genetics
...rag says. At the same time, the study suggested that using very high doses of cytarabine may also be unnecessary. Using an intermediate dose seems equally effective but has fewer side effects, which can include toxicity to the kidneys and brain. "This has been suspected, but it hasn't...Computer analysis shows scientists could reconstruct the genome of the mammalian common ancestor
..., such as chickens and opossums. These comparisons suggested an accuracy of more than 99 percent in the places they could test, including the cystic fibrosis gene itself. "Overall, we think that we can reconstruct the DNA sequences of the ancestral genome with an accuracy of more than 98 percent," Haussler sai...JCI table of contents, December 1 2004
...ic, environmental, and infectious agents have been suggested as causes of the disease. IL-1 is a proinflammator...system and cells lining the joints and it has been suggested that IL-1 may have a role in the development of RA. The body also produces a natural inhibitor to IL...Save up your energy reserves for a longer life!
Research done in the last decade has suggested that limiting energy availability, for example, by dietary restriction, may extend the lifespan of different organisms. Now research from scientists at Elixir Pharmaceuticals provides a molecular sensor that supports this theory. A group headed by Ja...Obesity gets you where you live, UH study finds
...a new University of Houston study. The finding is suggested in a study on the availability and quality of produce in high-income versus low-income urban neighborhoods. The study was made possible by a two year, $110,000 grant from the American Heart Association Heartland Affiliate. "Obesity disproporti...Eating red meat may increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis
...nutritional factors is less certain. Studies have suggested the protective benefits of eating fish, the dangers of drinking coffee, and a reduction in disease risk for women who enjoy alcohol in moderation. Such associations, however, are still wide open to debate and further research. Recently, a team of ...Study: Eat leafy green veggies to help prevent cataracts
...rition at Ohio State University. Some studies have suggested that these antioxidants boost eye health. Results from laboratory experiments on human lens cells showed that lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants found in plants such as kale, spinach and collard greens, helped to protect the cells from exposure t......g., for the Sumatran and Bengal tigers--but others suggested that the Indochinese subspecies should be divided into two groups, representing a northern Indochinese and a peninsular Malaya population (which the authors designated respectively as P. t. corbetti and P. t. jacksoni , after the tiger conservatio...Wolves gone, western ecosystems suffer
...y a broad range of research. One study suggested that the loss of wolves has allowed increases in deer populations across much of North America, which led to a browsing pressure on plants that was unprecedented. Predation effects involving wolves and elk were also found in aspen growth in Jasper N...First analysis of chicken genome offers many new insights
...s' assessment of the chicken's sense of smell, and suggested that the chicken, long used to study gene activity...nitial look at the chicken genome, scientists have suggested that they may need to alter the proposed starting point for as many as 2,000 human genes. ...UCSD researchers derive lessons about human evolution from chicken genome
...s' assessment of the chicken's sense of smell, and suggested that the chicken, long used to study gene activity in the earliest stages of life, may provide a good model for studying changes in DNA linked to aging and death. Scientists also identified genes that affirm the chicken's value as a model for study o...Global warming good news for coral reefs: research
...le says: "Coral reef calcification and the changes suggested in our research are separate to the adverse future effects of coral bleaching which is associated with the corals symbiotic micro-algae, and the significant impacts of human activities such as poor water quality, and unsustainable fishing on many of ......and showed a slower rate of uptake, a finding that suggested that the nanotubes were being ingested through normal phagocytosis. The samples were studied using a spectrofluorometer and a fluorescence microscope that was modified for near-IR imaging through the addition of a digital camera containing ind...