New dopamine brain target discovered
... existence of a Gq/11-coupled signalling unit that triggers a calcium signal, which is turned on by stimulating D1 and D2 dopamine receptors. Unlike other dopamine receptors, this novel unit will only create brain signals when both receptors are stimulated at the same time. Using animal models. Drs. George...Hybrid molecule causes cancer cells to self-destruct
...ncer-fighting power of butyrate. The double attack triggers cellular suicide, also called apoptosis, in the cancer cells. To find out whether this butyrate-ManNAc hybrid alone would produce the positive results, the researchers tested three other sugar-butyrate combinations and a butyrate salt compound wit...Glucose levels trigger compensation for type 2 diabetics
...ce an increase in beta-cell mass, but exactly what triggers this in individuals consuming a high-fat diet has not been clearly established. In a study appearing in the January issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Takashi Kadowaki and colleagues from the University of Tokyo, Japan, show that in m...Drug treatment slows macular vision loss in diabetics
... Making matters worse, a lack of oxygen often then triggers VEGFs production cycle. All 10 subjects in the study had some vision loss at the start of the clinical trial, in which ranibuzumab was administered at the one, two, four and six month marks. The thickness of each patients macula was also measured a...'Clumping' protein linked to return of ovarian cancer
...r cells have high levels of a binding protein that triggers abnormal growth and slows down cell death, both hallmarks of malignancy. "Now there's the possibility that testing for NAC-1 protein in cancer tissue removed during surgery might identify women most at risk for recurrence and guide doctors and patie...Could the ability to expel worms lead to a future asthma treatment?
...er amounts of a growth factor, amphiregulin, which triggers cells to divide and grow. The current results define amphiregulin for the first time as an important new player in the immune system, in the Th2 immune profile and perhaps in the many disease processes touched by it. In the current study, mice were...Research offers hope for alcoholics
...ohol addiction and eating disorders set off common triggers in the brain, so further investigations may uncover drug targets in the Orexin system to treat both conditions," Dr Lawrence said. The Florey scientists are now conducting multiple experiments to discover the precise circumstances that activate the...Cell wall of pneumonia bacteria can cause brain and heart damage
... endothelial cells, neurons and cardiomyocytes and triggers a cascade of biochemical signals called the PAFr-beta-arrestin 1 pathway. The St. Jude researchers reported that this pathway is responsible for bacterial uptake into these cells. Furthermore, the researchers succeeded in blocking a key enzyme of thi...Stress triggers relapse in meth abuse, OHSU study finds
...ealth & Science University research showing stress triggers a relapse of methamphetamine abuse in mice could be a step toward developing a drug to curb this frustrating obstacle to recovery. Results of the study, headed by Gregory Mark, Ph.D., associate professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU Schoo...DNA computing targets West Nile Virus, other deadly diseases
...g a match to the player's DNA input. The move also triggers the computer to make a strategic counter-move in one of the remaining wells, which fluoresces red. The game play continues until the computer eventually wins, as it is pre-programmed to do, Macdonald says. Each move takes about 30 minutes, she says....Key to lung cancer chemo resistance revealed
...s, proteins manufactured by KEAP1 bind to the NRF2 triggers tagging them for destruction. In cancer cells, NRF2 activity runs amok, sweeping away all cellular toxins, including chemotherapy agents. Biswal says that blocking NRF2 activity could improve the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy drugs, parti...Researchers identify new weapon to fight deadly bacterial sepsis
...ced the specific biochemical pathways by which LPS triggers an inflammatory cycle that damages the cells of the heart. By blocking aldose reductase activity with pharmacological inhibitors or using small interfering RNAs (pieces of genetic material that specifically stop the production of particular cellular ...Study unveils how West Nile virus evades immune defenses, points to vaccine development
...en tested the viruses in mice. West Nile infection triggers production of interferon, a group of proteins that are crucial in immune defense. Interferon, which binds to IFNAR, subsequently signals the JAK-STAT molecular pathway, a series of biochemical reactions essential for turning on immune-defense genes, ...Mouse study reveals new clues about virulence of 1918 influenza virus
...ong these insights, they found that the 1918 virus triggers a hyperactive immune response that may contribute to the lethality of the virus. Furthermore, their results suggest that it is the combination of all eight of the 1918 flu virus genes interacting synergistically that accounts for the exceptional vir...ABCB6 is key to production of heme in hemoglobin
...nlight; and acute porphoryia, a nerve problem that triggers pain in the chest, abdomen, limbs or back, as well as paralysis, cramping and personality changes or mental disorders. "Also, people with porphyria can suffer sudden, acute attacks if they take certain tranquilizers and other drugs that interfere wit...Risk factors linked to pain after breast cancer surgery
...ch runs under the arm and rib cage. But many other triggers exist as well: scarring, post-operative radiation therapy, some chemotherapy drugs, and the unusual sensations often associated with phantom pain. Pain is a difficult topic for people with cancer, Dworkin said. "For some individuals acknowledging...Cardiologist's 'living chip' changes science of disease monitoring
...tems, with the ability to detect changes. A change triggers a message to a wireless device to alert the patient early on about a problem. The patient can then contact their physician. For a patient with heart failure, for example, the biosensor could detect a change in blood protein levels at an early stage...Global view shows strong link between kidney cancer, sunlight exposure
...violet B (UVB), and kidney cancer. UVB exposure triggers photosynthesis of vitamin D3 in the body. This form of vitamin D also is available through diet and supplements. Previous studies from this core research team have shown an association between higher levels of vitamin D3 and a lower risk of cancers o...Hopkins scientists link immune response to 'ghost' parasites and severely congested sinuses
...se of their research, he says, is to look for what triggers the anti-parasite response. However, Lane cautions that this reaction against parasites may come at the expense of the nose's ability to ward off other invaders, such as bacteria, viruses or fungi. "The epithelial cells lining the nasal and sin...Researchers identify antibiotic protein that defends the intestine against microbial invaders
...n lead to painful ulcers and bloody diarrhea. What triggers this attack is not clear, but the fact that these patients have elevated HIP/PAP production suggests that they are coping with increased numbers of invading intestinal bacteria. The study may also help scientists devise more effective treatments f...