Health News

Inovio Pharmaceuticals unveils potent new immune activator

Date: Jan-24-2014
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has unveiled that the company has developed a new DNA-based cytokine immune activator, interleukin -33 (IL-33), that in combination with optimized DNA vaccines delivered by electroporation increased the potency and efficacy of the therapeutic response to the DNA vaccines in a preclinical study. The findings of this study reveal that IL-33 could be an effective immune booster when used with Inovio's products to generate therapeutic immune responses against cancers and chronic viral infections in humans.

Insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells: Scientists decipher early molecular mechanisms of differentiation

Date: Jan-24-2014
The findings of the scientists of the Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research (IDR) at Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) provide new insights into the molecular regulation of stem cell differentiation. These results reveal important target structures for regenerative therapy approaches to chronic diseases such as diabetes.During embryonic development, organ-specific cell types are formed from pluripotent stem cells, which can differentiate into all cell types of the human body.

Sigma-1 receptor implicated in cell survival of rare neurodegenerative diseases

Date: Jan-24-2014
Anavex Life Sciences Corp. has announced that a publication in the current issue of scientific journal Neuropathology potentially extends the opportunity for ANAVEX PLUS to additional neurodegenerative diseases beyond Alzheimer's.The report demonstrates for the first time, evidenced by human brain autopsies, that the sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) is also involved in a family of neurodegenerative genetic disorders including Huntington's disease (HD), dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), and spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2 and 3 (SCA1, SCA2, SCA3).

Researchers discover a simple amoeba holds the key to better treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Date: Jan-24-2014
Scientists have discovered the use of a simple single-celled amoeba to understand the function of human proteins in causing Alzheimer's disease.The new study, published in the Journal of Cell Science by researchers at Royal Holloway, University of London and the Institute of Psychiatry King's College London, reveals how the amoeba will enable a better understanding of the function of these Alzheimer's disease-associated proteins in the cell without the need for testing on animals, with the ultimate aim of developing improved treatments for the degenerative disease.

New global partnership aims to accelerate dementia drug discovery

Date: Jan-24-2014
Alzheimer's Society and Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) are offering up to $1.5 million for new research projects with potential to speed up the development of treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. The international collaboration could help make the hope of finding effective dementia treatments within the next 10 years a reality. Focusing on drug repurposing and repositioning, the new call for proposals aims to take drugs that already exist for other conditions and develop them as dementia treatments.

Morbidity higher in obese liver transplant recipients with diabetes, survival not impacted

Date: Jan-24-2014
Researchers from New Zealand report that morbidity following liver transplant is highest among obese patients with diabetes, but these risk factors do not influence post-transplant survival. According to the study published in Liver Transplantation, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the International Liver Transplantation Society, body mass index (BMI) is effective for assessing obesity in liver transplant patients.

"Molecular switch" discovered in Parkinson's protein

Date: Jan-24-2014
In one variant of Parkinson's disease, the enzyme LRRK2 plays a central role. Scientists at the University of Kassel have now discovered a mechanism that controls the activity of LRRK2. This opens up new approaches for the development of drugs to counter the disease, which until now is incurable.Following Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease is the most frequently occurring neuro-degenerative illness. It is estimated that approximately 7 million people suffer from the disease worldwide. A portion of these cases have a hereditary basis and are caused by mutations in specific genes.

Last-minute holiday planning means Brits leave it too late to get travel vaccinations

Date: Jan-24-2014
Travellers from the UK are more likely than some of their international counterparts to miss out on a full schedule of hepatitis A and hepatitis A/B vaccination before they go on holiday to countries where the disease is prevalent, according to results from a survey on travel health1.Just 14 per cent of British people who were given the first dose of a combined hepatitis A and B vaccination went on to receive the full three or four doses, the first two or three of which are usually given before travel2.

40% of minors in Lorca suffer post-traumatic stress a year after earthquake

Date: Jan-24-2014
Spanish researchers have analysed the impact of the Lorca catastrophe by the percentage of minors suffering post-traumatic stress. Results reveal that 55% of young people displayed this disorder a month on from the earthquake and 40% were still suffering a year later.On 11 May 2011, Lorca suffered an earthquake measuring 5.1, preceded by another of 4.5, which killed nine people and caused significant material damage.

New program helps reduce HIV-risk in African-American women

Date: Jan-24-2014
A new community program is helping African-American women embrace good health by enabling treatment of substance abuse and mental health problems that increase their risk of HIV infection or spreading the virus. SHE PREVAILS, which is funded by a three-year, $1.6 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, begins with screenings in community centers such as St. Stephens Ministry and Harrisburg Family Health Care Inc., said Dr. Lara Stepleman, psychologist at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University.