Special Reports
How Dogs Can Detect Bladder Cancer - Northern Ireland Gps To Hear (04/27)
(MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM) The Royal College of General Practitioners' Northern Ireland Council (RCGP NI) and the Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practicing in Northern Ireland (AVSPNI) are holding a joint conference entitled The Contribution of Dogs to Healthcare.
Molecule can help heal broken bones (04/27)
(NLM.NIH.GOV) U.S. researchers said they have discovered and isolated a natural molecule that can be used to heal fractures and generate new bone growth.
Internal Clock Tied to Metabolic Problems in Mice (04/27)
(NLM.NIH.GOV) The internal clock or circadian rhythm that controls body functions may influence a person's risk of obesity and other metabolic problems, findings from an animal study suggest. In mice, a gene called Clock is a key regulator of the circadian rhythm, which, in humans, repeats about every 24 hours. In the new study, Dr. Fred W. Turek, from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and colleagues evaluated mice that have mutations in the Clock gene.
Mouse With Designer Liver Has Enhanced Glucose Tolerance And Improved Insulin Response (04/27)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) A collaborative effort led by The Burnham Institute's Gen-Sheng Feng has created a mouse with improved glucose tolerance and insulin activity in the liver, and generated new findings about insulin-signaling in the liver that could prove useful in understanding the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. These results, to be published by Nature Medicine in May, were made available to the scientific community by advance posting online at the journal's website on April 10th.
Exercise May Slow Alzheimer's (04/27)
(HEALTHDAY.COM) Exercise may prevent damaging changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer's, thereby lowering the risk of developing the disease, a new study involving mice suggests. Exercise also seemed to increase the rate of learning among mice bred to have Alzheimer's-like symptoms, the scientists said.
Mab cures West Nile-infected mice (04/27)
(DRUGRESEARCHER.COM) Scientists have developed a monoclonal antibody that can cure mice infected with the West Nile virus, which if confirmed, could become one of the first monoclonal antibodies used as a treatment for an infectious disease.
Mice put in 'suspended animation' (04/27)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) Mice have been placed in a state of near suspended animation, raising the possibility that hibernation could one day be induced in humans. If so, it might be possible to put astronauts into hibernation-like states for long-haul space flights - as often depicted in science fiction films.
City turns to goldfish to test water quality (04/27)
(CBC.CA) A school of goldfish in Edmonton has the important job of testing the cleanliness of the city's water. Currently, wastewater is held at the plant. No one knows if it is safe to release into the city's waterways or if it needs further treatment first.
Brain Stem Cells Coaxed to Make Insulin (04/27)
(BETTERHUMANS.COM) Brain stem cells have been coaxed into insulin-producing cells that mimic those missing in people with diabetes. Seung Kim and colleagues from Stanford University School of Medicine in California say that the technique could lead to new sources of cells for treating and possibly curing diabetes.
Brain stem cells to cure diabetes (04/27)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) US scientists believe they could use brain stem cells to cure diabetes. Although the work is not yet ready to be tested on human patients, results in animals have been promising, say the Stanford University researchers.
NSAID drug protects against intestinal tumors in mice, despite poor diet and gene losses (04/20)
(MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM) In mouse models of intestinal cancer, use of an anti-inflammatory drug eliminated all of the cancer-causing risks produced by a high-fat Western-style diet - even when several genetic brakes to cancer formation were missing in the animals, say researchers from the Albert Einstein Cancer Center.
Yale Researchers Use Laser Light To Remote Control Flies (04/20)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) In some experiments the light controls were engineered to alter how the flies jump, beat their wings and fly in an escape response. In other experiments, the light controls were used to activate dopamine neurons that stimulated walking and affected the types of paths the flies chose to follow. Loss of dopamine cell activity in humans underlies Parkinson's disease, a movement disorder.
Worm Eggs Improve Bowel Disorder (04/20)
(NLM.NIH.GOV) Ingesting the eggs of Trichuris suis, an intestinal worm, appears to be a safe and effective treatment for active ulcerative colitis, new research shows. Ulcerative colitis is a common inflammatory disease of the colon that causes bloody diarrhea and heightens the risk of colon cancer.
Mercury in Fish Seems Not to Harm Older Brains (04/20)
(REUTERS.CO.UK) Eating moderate amounts of fish -- and its added ingredient, mercury -- appears to pose little danger to the brains of older adults, according to new study findings released Tuesday. Among a group of older adults between 50 and 70, those with more mercury in their blood appeared to perform equally well in multiple tests of mental functioning as people with lower blood mercury levels.
Dharmacon launches SiGenome siRNA for mouse and rat genome (04/20)
(DRUGRESEARCHER.COM) Dharmacon, supplier of RNA and RNAi research products, has launched a range of siRNA reagents for its siGenome human siRNA collection, which supports all phases of research ranging from functional genomics and initial drug target identification to late-stage therapeutic development.
Rubber duck removed from dog after 5 years (04/20)
(MSNBC.COM) STOCKHOLM - A rubber duck sat in a dog’s stomach for five years before being removed by Swedish vets last week, a local newspaper reported on Tuesday. The owner of "Apollo," a boxer dog, assumed the toy had dissolved in his stomach over the years as it had not come out any other way, Daily paper Lanstidningen said.
Hemophilia Cured in Newborn Mice and Dogs (04/20)
(BETTERHUMANS.COM) Gene therapy has cured newborn mice and dogs of hemophilia A. The treatment approach introduces a gene into the animals' cells that makes clotting factor VIII. "We are really pleased with the results, because the animals produced about 20 times more factor than has been achieved in prior attempts using gene therapy for hemophilia A in dogs," says study senior author Katherine Parker Ponder of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Champion endurance horse cloned (04/20)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) The birth of the world's second horse clone has been announced by scientists. The foal is a copy of a world endurance champion, Pieraz, an animal that has been castrated and was therefore incapable of normal reproduction.
Novel Drug Stops Cancer Growth (04/20)
(CBSNEWS.COM) A first-of-its-kind drug effectively targets a molecule that fuels cancer cells and shows promise for stopping the growth of tumors in their tracks. The drug, Sphingomab, may even completely wipe out some tumors -- all while leaving healthy tissue alone, early laboratory and animal studies show.
Dog study 'could help paralysed' (04/20)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) A treatment that appears to have helped paralysed dogs could also benefit people, research suggests. Veterinary surgeons from the University of Cambridge, UK, have treated nine dogs, some of whom appeared to be better able to walk in treadmill tests.
Breakthrough findings by Umeå researchers link obesity to diabetes (04/13)
(MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM) A research team headed by Professor Helena Edlund at Umeå University has achieved a breakthrough in our understanding of how obesity causes increased levels of insulin, sugar, and blood fats leading to diseases like type-2 diabetes and liver degeneration. The findings also indicate a direct way to prevent these diseases.
Novel Therapy Tested In Mice Could Chase Away Cat Allergies (04/13)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) A molecule designed to block cat allergies successfully prevented allergic reactions in laboratory mice, as well as in human cells in a test tube, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers report in the April issue of Nature Medicine, available online now. In the future, the investigators say, these promising results could lead to a new therapy not only for human cat allergies, but also possibly for severe food allergies such as those to peanuts.
Engineered virus kills brain tumors (04/13)
(NLM.NIH.GOV) Scientists in Columbus, Ohio, have developed a virus to attacks cancer cells that significantly helped mice with an incurable human brain tumor. The researchers genetically altered a herpes simplex virus that only infects malignant gliomas, a type of highly lethal, quick spreading, brain tumor.
Antibodies May Help Alzheimer's, Study Finds (04/13)
(REUTERS.CO.UK) Antibodies that attack the protein believed responsible for Alzheimer's disease may offer a new way to treat the brain-destroying illness, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday. The infusion of antibodies seemed to be safe and may have delayed or even halted progression of the fatal disease in Alzheimer patients, the researchers said.
Test to spot if cancer has spread (04/13)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) A test that measures how stretchy cells are could revolutionise the way doctors spot whether cancers have spread, say German researchers. The laptop-sized gadget can give a diagnosis using as few as 50 cells and avoids the need to cut out tissue.
"Memory Code" Discovered in Brain (04/13)
(BETTERHUMANS.COM) Hundreds of mouse brain cells have been simultaneously recorded in an effort to identify how memories are formed and stored. To date, brain activity has typically only been measured in a few neurons at a time. However, complex behaviors such remembering involve groups of neurons that work together.
Fifteen-Year Hunt Uncovers Gene Behind Pseudothalidomide Syndrome (04/13)
(MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM) A team of scientists from Colombia, the United States and elsewhere has successfully completed a 15-year-plus search for the genetic problems behind the very rare Roberts syndrome, whose physical manifestations often include cleft lip and palate and shortened limbs that resemble those of babies whose mothers took thalidomide during pregnancy.
Researcher Takes Stem Cell Research Another Step (04/13)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) Treena Arinzeh, a young professor who last year won a Presidential Award, the nation’s highest scientific honor, is bringing the promise of stem cell research one step closer to reality.
Immune boost can combat allergy (04/13)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) Scientists have found a way to reduce allergic reactions to cats by giving the immune system a boost. The Imperial College London team topped up a key immune system component which controls allergic responses.
Oily fish 'hope' for Alzheimer's (04/13)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) Scientists are hoping to discover exactly how oily fish can protect against Alzheimer's disease. It is known that eating fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel appears to cut the risk of developing dementia.
On the hunt for deadly frog disease - chytridiomycosis (04/06)
(MEDICALNEWSTODAY.COM) CSIRO is working on new methods of detecting a frog fungus which has killed frogs in the United States, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.
Sperm- Not So Mobile (04/06)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) A preliminary study at the University of Newcastle has identified that radio waves of a similar frequency to those associated with mobile phones can damage sperm DNA in mice.
The Chimp Genome Reveals A Retroviral Invasion In Primate Evolution (04/06)
(SCIENCEDAILY.COM) It’s been known for a long time that only 2%–3% of human DNA codes for proteins. Much of the rest of our genomes—often referred to as junk DNA—consists of retroelements: genomic elements that are transcribed into RNA, reverse-transcribed into DNA, and then reinserted into a new spot in the genome. Human endogenous retroviruses make up one class of these retroelements. Retroviruses can insinuate themselves into the host’s DNA in either soma (nonreproductive cells) or the germline (sperm or egg).
Cranberries may be good for the heart (04/06)
(NLM.NIH.GOV) University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers report cranberries may help protect against heart disease. The research, which was conducted on swine, was presented at the Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences. The team from the UW School of Veterinary Medicine studied the effects of giving the animals cranberry juice powder regularly over a six-month period.
Australian Scientists Find Arthritis-Causing Enzyme (04/06)
(REUTERS.CO.UK) Australian scientists have identified an enzyme that destroys cartilage in mice and believe the find may lead to new drugs which stop cartilage joint deterioration and painful arthritis in humans.
Antibody Fights Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Animals (04/06)
(REUTERS.CO.UK) An engineered antibody studied as a cancer treatment is effective in animals against the virus that causes Lassa fever, findings that could apply to a range of deadly viruses, researchers said on Monday.
Technique finds molecules for cancer growth (04/06)
(DRUGRESEARCHER.COM) Researchers have identified several proteins on the surface of cancer cells that contribute to the cells’ ability to metastasise. The finding provides unique drug targets to prevent the cancer spread and a basis for which new drug treatments can be formulated.
Canada's West Coast likely to face West Nile virus (04/06)
(CBC.CA) It's only a matter of time before West Nile virus spreads to British Columbia, public health experts say. Scientists are meeting in Vancouver this week to discuss the latest methods to monitor and trap mosquitoes that spread the virus.
Animal laughs no joke says expert (04/06)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) Many animals may have their own forms of laughter, says a US researcher writing in the magazine Science. Professor Jaak Panksepp says that animals other than humans exhibit play sounds that resemble human laughs.
Bionic eye will let the blind see (04/06)
(NEWS.BBC.CO.UK) US scientists have designed a bionic eye to allow blind people to see again. It comprises a computer chip that sits in the back of the individual's eye, linked up to a mini video camera built into glasses that they wear.
Special Reports:
Nobel Laureates Back Animal Research
Winners of Nobel prizes in physiology or medicine
overwhelmingly support responsible use of animals in research, according to
Seriously Ill For Medical
Research (SIMR) of Bedfordshire, England. SIMR has carried out a survey of
Nobel prize winners in physiology or medicine to find the views of top medical
researchers worldwide on the need for animals in medical research.
The centenary of Alfred Nobel's death in 1896
seemed an ideal opportunity. "We are concerned that animal rights propaganda has
undue influence in the media, leading to confusion amongst the public and
patients about animal research. SIMR wants to help sort out science fact from
science fiction," said the late Andrew Blake of SIMR.
Questionnaires were sent to all living Nobel
laureates in medicine or physiology. They were asked to indicate their level of
agreement with five statements on the use of animals in medcal research. Their
responses show unanimous support on the need to use animals in medical research.
The complete survey results are available at the
SIMR website. To review the achievements of these great scientists, see a
Timeline
of Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
info@pirweb.org