Health News

Novel mechanism described by which glioblastoma tumors resist targeted therapies

Date: Dec-10-2013
A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered an entirely novel mechanism by which glioblastoma (GBM), the most common kind of brain cancer, evades targeted therapies. Published in the journal Science, the paper describes how GBM tumor cells essentially hide the signaling molecule targeted by such therapies, adding a layer of complexity to current models of drug resistance in cancer. The findings could have far-reaching implications for the therapeutic regimens currently employed to treat GBM and suggest alternative approaches that could improve outcomes for cancer patients.

Why promising dementia drugs failed in clinical trials

Date: Dec-10-2013
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people, yet there currently are no effective drugs to stop, slow or prevent disease progression. A study online December 5th in the ISSCR's journal Stem Cell Reports, published by Cell Press, provide interesting clues on why non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which have successfully treated molecular signs of Alzheimer's disease in cell and animal models, eventually failed in clinical studies.

New insights may explain difficulty of finding drugs for infectious disease

Date: Dec-10-2013
For what is believed to be the first time, researchers at The Johns Hopkins University have illuminated the inner workings of an important class of enzymes located inside the outer envelopes of cells. Much to their surprise, they report, these protein cutters, called rhomboid proteases, are entirely different than nearly every other type of enzyme studied, showing no attraction to the proteins they cut and being extremely slow in making their cuts.

New target identified to treat psoriasis

Date: Dec-10-2013
Sanford-Burnham scientists have identified the B and T Lymphocyte Attenuator (BTLA) inhibitory receptor as a key factor in limiting inflammatory responses, particularly in the skin. The study, published online today in Immunity, provides clarity on how T cells get fired up to protect against pathogens, and then cool down to restore immune homeostasis."Our study shows that BTLA expression in gamma-delta T-cells deactivates their response to immune stimuli," said Carl Ware, Ph.D., professor and director of the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center at Sanford-Burnham.

Improved prevention, treatment leads to decline in U.S stroke deaths

Date: Dec-10-2013
Stroke deaths in the United States have declined dramatically in recent decades due to improved treatment and prevention, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.The American Stroke Association commissioned this paper to discuss the reasons that stroke dropped from the third to fourth leading cause of death."The decline in stroke deaths is one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th and 21st centuries," said Daniel T. Lackland, Dr. P.H.

Autism-like behaviors in mice alleviated by probiotic therapy

Date: Dec-10-2013
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is diagnosed when individuals exhibit characteristic behaviors that include repetitive actions, decreased social interactions, and impaired communication. Curiously, many individuals with ASD also suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) issues, such as abdominal cramps and constipation.Using the co-occurrence of brain and gut problems in ASD as their guide, researchers at the California Institute Technology (Caltech) are investigating a potentially transformative new therapy for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Link revealed between immunity and cells' starvation response

Date: Dec-10-2013
One of the most effective vaccines in history has been the yellow fever vaccine, which was developed in the 1930s and has been administered to more than 500 million people.Scientists at Emory Vaccine Center studying immune responses to the yellow fever vaccine have identified a gene whose activation in key immune cells is a sign of a robust response. The gene, called GCN2, encodes a protein involved in sensing amino acid starvation and regulates the process of autophagy, a response to starvation or stress within cells.

Report hails recent progress in reducing malaria illnesses and deaths but warns new tools needed

Date: Dec-10-2013
A new analysis of funding trends in the global battle against malaria reveals that, over the last two decades, there has been a five-fold increase in annual funding for malaria research and development (R&D) - from US$131 million in 1993 to $610 million in 2011. Much of that increase took place after 2004, when support stood at $320 million.*The report projects that malaria R&D will require up to $8.

How mosquitoes are attracted to humans

Date: Dec-10-2013
Scientists at the University of California, Riverside have shown that certain mosquito nerve cells, known as cpA neurons, cause mosquitoes to be attracted to humans by detecting exhaled carbon dioxide (CO2) and odors emitted from human skin. Their findings, published in the journal Cell, may have implications for the control of mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Why HIV is a common cause of kidney failure

Date: Dec-10-2013
HIV can infect transplanted kidneys in HIV-positive recipients even in the absence of detectable virus in the blood, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study's investigators also developed a simple urine test to diagnose such infections.HIV is a common cause of kidney failure, and because of this, approximately 900 HIV-infected patients start dialysis each year in the United States.