Health News

Blood vessel plaques pinpointed by nanoparticle

Date: Feb-10-2014
A team of researchers, led by scientists at Case Western Reserve University, has developed a multifunctional nanoparticle that enables magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pinpoint blood vessel plaques caused by atherosclerosis. The technology is a step toward creating a non-invasive method of identifying plaques vulnerable to rupture - the cause of heart attack and stroke - in time for treatment.Currently, doctors can identify only blood vessels that are narrowing due to plaque accumulation. A doctor makes an incision and slips a catheter inside a blood vessel in the arm, groin or neck.

First evidence for "microdomain" coupling at a mature central synapse, implications for synaptic plasticity

Date: Feb-10-2014
In research published in this week's online edition of Science (DOI: 10.1126/science.1244811), postdoc Nicholas Vyleta and Professor Peter Jonas of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) uncover the existence of loose coupling between calcium channels and release sensors of exocytosis at a mature central synapse in the rodent brain. The researchers show that loose coupling provides a framework for presynaptic plasticity, a hallmark of synaptic signaling in hippocampal microcircuits.

Device the size of a credit card could analyze biopsy, help diagnose pancreatic cancer in minutes

Date: Feb-10-2014
Pancreatic cancer is a particularly devastating disease. At least 94 percent of patients will die within five years, and in 2013 it was ranked as one of the top 10 deadliest cancers.Routine screenings for breast, colon and lung cancers have improved treatment and outcomes for patients with these diseases, largely because the cancer can be detected early. But because little is known about how pancreatic cancer behaves, patients often receive a diagnosis when it's already too late.

Neuron loss in human ALS model triggered by toxin from brain cells

Date: Feb-10-2014
In most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, a toxin released by cells that normally nurture neurons in the brain and spinal cord can trigger loss of the nerve cells affected in the disease, Columbia researchers reported in the online edition of the journal Neuron.The toxin is produced by star-shaped cells called astrocytes and kills nearby motor neurons. In ALS, the death of motor neurons causes a loss of control over muscles required for movement, breathing, and swallowing.

New method for designing artificial proteins capable of stimulating an immune response against RSV

Date: Feb-10-2014
Vanderbilt University scientists have contributed to a major finding, reported in the journal Nature, which could lead to the first effective vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a significant cause of infant mortality.The Vanderbilt scientists and others analyzed in an animal model a new method developed at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in La Jolla, Calif., for designing artificial proteins capable of stimulating an immune response against RSV.

Expanded role for guide RNA in Cas9 interactions with DNA

Date: Feb-10-2014
The potential is there for bacteria and other microbes to be genetically engineered to perform a cornucopia of valuable goods and services, from the production of safer, more effective medicines and clean, green, sustainable fuels, to the clean-up and restoration of our air, water and land. Cells from eukaryotic organisms can also be modified for research or to fight disease. To achieve these and other worthy goals, the ability to precisely edit the instructions contained within a target's genome is a must.

How to deal with an immune system that backfires and allows bacteria like Salmonella to grow

Date: Feb-10-2014
Our immune system wages an internal battle every day to protect us against a broad range of infections. However, researchers have found that our immune response can sometimes make us vulnerable to the very bacteria it is supposed to protect us from. A study published by Cell Press in the journal Immunity reveals that the immune protein interleukin-22 (IL-22) actually enhances the growth of dangerous bacteria, like Salmonella, which causes food poisoning, and curbs the growth of healthy bacteria commonly found in the gut.

Household food insecurity in Canada

Date: Feb-10-2014
In PROOF's second report on household food insecurity, we see that despite Canada's economic recovery, the number of Canadians struggling to put food on the table because of food insecurity is not abating. In fact, the problem appears to have persisted or grown in every province and territory.Four million Canadians, including 1.15 million children, lived in households that struggled to afford the food they needed in 2012.The report demonstrates for the first time ever the extent to which our cities are struggling with the problem.

Microfluidic platform designed to see how cancer cells invade specific organs

Date: Feb-10-2014
Nearly 70 percent of patients with advanced breast cancer experience skeletal metastasis, in which cancer cells migrate from a primary tumor into bone - a painful development that can cause fractures and spinal compression. While scientists are attempting to better understand metastasis in general, not much is known about how and why certain cancers spread to specific organs, such as bone, liver, and lungs.Now researchers from MIT, Italy, and South Korea have developed a three-dimensional microfluidic platform that mimics the spread of breast cancer cells into a bonelike environment.

New Nutrition Reviews study shows cholesterol-lowering potential of certain probiotics

Date: Feb-10-2014
A new study, "Effect of probiotics on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease: implications for heart-healthy diets," published in Nutrition Reviews, examined 26 clinical studies and two meta-analyses to assess the potential of probiotics in reducing LDL-cholesterol.Of the probiotics examined, L.