Biosingularity

Archive for February 2007

Fantastic animation that visualizes physiology of the body

Posted by: Derya on: February 28, 2007

This is a wonderful biomedical animation, which seems was created to explain physiology and disease processes to patients and to health professionals. Thanks to Al Fin for finding this animation. I wonder if in future we can have the HealthTube equivalent of YouTube, where one can watch thousands of animations such as this to understand [...]

Unique tomatoes tops in disease-fighting antioxidants

Posted by: Derya on: February 28, 2007

Deep red tomatoes get their rich color from lycopene, a disease-fighting antioxidant. A new study, however, suggests that a special variety of orange-colored tomatoes provide a different form of lycopene, one that our bodies may more readily use. Researchers found that eating spaghetti covered in sauce made from these orange tomatoes, called Tangerine tomatoes, caused [...]

Scientists develop new procedure to differentiate human embryonic stem cells

Posted by: Derya on: February 28, 2007

Scientists have developed a new procedure for the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells, with which they have created the first transplantable source of lung epithelial cells. The method involves the use of protein markers under the control of cell-specific promoters to convert undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells into highly-specialized cells. The human embryonic stem [...]

Oxidative damage in newly synthesized DNA plays a role in Parkinson’s disease

Posted by: Derya on: February 27, 2007

Oxygen is the quintessential two-edged sword of molecular biology: essential for (animal) life, but at the same time a perennial source of damage to macromolecules. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), arising from both external sources and the intrinsic metabolic machinery of the cell itself, have been implicated in many aspects of cellular aging. Of particular interest [...]

Plant-sourced food, vitamin intake associated with lower risk of endometrial cancer

Posted by: Derya on: February 27, 2007

A report published in the April 15, 2007 issue of the International Journal of Cancer described the finding of a study funded by the National Cancer Institute that a greater intake of calories, attributable to a higher proportion of animal-sourced protein and fat, is associated with an increased risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer, and plant [...]

Carbon Nanotubes versus HIV

Posted by: Derya on: February 26, 2007

Researchers at Stanford University have added one more trick to carbon nanotubes’ repertoire of accomplishments: a way to fight the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Chemistry professor Hongjie Dai and his colleagues have used carbon nanotubes to transport RNA into human white blood cells that defend the body from disease, making the cells less susceptible to [...]

Whiff of Food Cancels Longevity from Caloric Restriction

Posted by: Derya on: February 26, 2007

Evidence began mounting as long as 70 years ago that restricting calories while consuming necessary amounts of sustenance could increase one’s life span. Since then, a group called the North Carolina-based Calorie Restriction Society has sprouted whose 1,800 members routinely down about half of the daily caloric intake recommended by the Food and Drug Administration [...]

Inflammation is culprit in many ailments

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

Chronic inflammation spurred by an immune system run amok appears to play a role in medical evils from arthritis to Alzheimer’s, diabetes to heart disease. There’s no grand proof of this “theory of everything.” But doctors say it’s compelling enough that we should act as if it were true — which means eating an “anti-inflammatory [...]

Wrinkle Fillers Spur Collagen Production

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

Are you always on the hunt for a way to iron out the time lines etched in your face? Behold: a new study has found that multiple injections of Restylane, a popular “skin filler” believed to temporarily zap lines by literally filling them in, actually stimulates the skin to produce collagen, a protein that keeps [...]

Flavanols in cocoa may offer benefits to the brain

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

A special cocoa made to retain naturally occurring compounds called flavanols may have the potential to help maintain healthy brain function and chart the course for future research that could lead to new solutions for preventing cognitive decline and dementia, according to a panel of scientists who presented new data at the annual meeting of [...]

Plant-derived omega-3s may aid in bone health

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

Plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have a protective effect on bone health, according to a team of Penn State researchers who carried out the first controlled diet study of these fatty acids contained in such foods as flaxseed and walnuts. Normally, most of the omega-3 fatty acids in the diet are plant-derived and [...]

Gene profiling predicts resistance to breast cancer drug Herceptin

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

Using gene chips to profile tumors before treatment, researchers at Harvard and Yale Universities found markers that identified breast cancer subtypes resistant to Herceptin, the primary treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer. They say this advance could help further refine therapy for the 25 to 30 percent of breast cancer patients with this class of tumor. [...]

‘Bridge’ protein spurs deadliest stages of breast cancer

Posted by: Derya on: February 25, 2007

A protein known for its ability to “bridge” interactions between other cellular proteins may spur metastasis in breast cancer, the disease’s deadliest stage, a study from Burnham Institute for Medical Research has found.

Caffeine may prevent heart disease death in elderly

Posted by: Derya on: February 23, 2007

Habitual intake of caffeinated beverages provides protection against heart disease mortality in the elderly, say researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Brooklyn College. Using data from the first federal National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study, the researchers found that survey participants 65 or more years old with higher caffeinated beverage intake [...]

How stem cells are regulated

Posted by: Derya on: February 23, 2007

Researchers from Biotech Research & Innovation Centre (BRIC) at University of Copenhagen have identified a new group of proteins that regulate the function of stem cells. The results are published in the new issue of Cell.

Mapping the Cancer Genome

Posted by: Derya on: February 21, 2007

Pinpointing the genes involved in cancer will help chart a new course across the complex landscape of human malignancies. “If we wish to learn more about cancer, we must now concentrate on the cellular genome.” Nobel laureate Renato Dulbecco penned those words more than 20 years ago in one of the earliest public calls for [...]

Researchers replace organ in adult mice using ‘single-parent’ stem cells

Posted by: Derya on: February 17, 2007

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine have derived uniparental embryonic stem cells – created from a single donor’s eggs or two sperm – and, for the first time, successfully used them to repopulate a damaged organ with healthy cells in adult mice. Their findings demonstrate that single-parent stem cells can proliferate [...]

Human skin harbors completely unknown bacteria

Posted by: Derya on: February 17, 2007

It appears that the skin, the largest organ in our body, is a kind of zoo and some of the inhabitants are quite novel, according to a new study. Researchers found evidence for 182 species of bacteria in skin samples. Eight percent were unknown species that had never before been described. It is the first [...]

Super-thin membrane, 50 atoms thick, sorts individual molecules

Posted by: Derya on: February 15, 2007

A newly designed porous membrane, so thin it’s invisible edge-on, may revolutionize the way doctors and scientists manipulate objects as small as a molecule. The 50-atom thick filter can withstand surprisingly high pressures and may be a key to better separation of blood proteins for dialysis patients, speeding ion exchange in fuel cells, creating a [...]

Afternoon naps may boost heart health

Posted by: Derya on: February 15, 2007

The next health trend might come out of nursery school instead of the gym: A study of nearly 24,000 people found that those who regularly took midday naps were nearly 40% less likely to die from heart disease than non-nappers. Researchers suggest that siestas might protect the heart by lowering levels of stress hormones. Read [...]

Scientists clone mice from adult skin stem cells

Posted by: Derya on: February 14, 2007

For cells that hold so much promise, stem cells’ potential has so far gone largely untapped. But new research from Rockefeller University and Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists now shows that adult stem cells taken from skin can be used to clone mice using a procedure called nuclear transfer. The findings are reported in the [...]

New studies back vitamin D for cancer prevention

Posted by: Derya on: February 10, 2007

Two new vitamin D studies using a sophisticated form of analysis called meta-analysis, in which data from multiple reports is combined, have revealed new prescriptions for possibly preventing up to half of the cases of breast cancer and two-thirds of the cases of colorectal cancer in the United States.

Does inhibiting a component of niacin point the way to anti-aging drugs?

Posted by: Derya on: February 10, 2007

In recent years, scientists have discovered that a family of enzymes called sirtuins can dramatically extend life in organisms as diverse as yeast, worms, and flies. They may also be able to control age-associated metabolic disorders, including obesity and type II diabetes. Naturally occurring substances have been shown to activate sirtuins, including a constituent of [...]

Master switches found for adult blood stem cells

Posted by: Derya on: February 10, 2007

Scientists have found a set of “master switches” that keep adult blood-forming stem cells in their primitive state. Unlocking the switches’ code may one day enable scientists to grow new blood cells for transplant into patients with cancer and other bone marrow disorders. The scientists located the control switches not at the gene level, but [...]

Revealing secret intentions in the brain

Posted by: Derya on: February 10, 2007

Every day we plan numerous actions, such as to return a book to a friend or to make an appointment. How and where the brain stores these intentions has been revealed by John-Dylan Haynes from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences. For the first time they were able to “read” participants’ [...]

Scientists discover new gene that prevents multiple types of cancer

Posted by: Derya on: February 10, 2007

A decades-old cancer mystery has been solved by researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). “We not only found a critical tumor suppressor gene, but have revealed a master switch for a tumor suppressive network that means more targeted and effective cancer therapy in the future,” said CSHL Associate Professor Alea Mills, Ph.D. The study [...]

Robotic exoskeleton replaces muscle work

Posted by: Derya on: February 9, 2007

A robotic exoskeleton controlled by the wearer’s own nervous system could help users regain limb function, which is encouraging news for people with partial nervous system impairment, say University of Michigan researchers. The ankle exoskeleton developed at U-M was worn by healthy subjects to measure how the device affected ankle function. The U-M team has [...]

Breakthrough in nanodevice synthesis revolutionizes biological sensors

Posted by: Derya on: February 2, 2007

A novel approach to synthesizing nanowires (NWs) allows their direct integration with microelectronic systems for the first time, as well as their ability to act as highly sensitive biomolecule detectors that could revolutionize biological diagnostic applications, according to a report in Nature. Caption: Schematic of nanowire sensors operating in solution. Credit Yale University.

Faster, low cost sequencing technologies needed to drive era of personalized medicine

Posted by: Derya on: February 2, 2007

DNA testing is transforming health care and medicine, but current technologies only give a snapshot of an individual’s genetic makeup. Any patient wanting a complete picture of their inherited DNA, or genome, would drop their jaw at the sight of the bill — to the current tune of $10 million or more charged for every [...]

Researchers identify stem cells in pancreatic cancer

Posted by: Derya on: February 2, 2007

Researchers have discovered the small number of cells in pancreatic cancer that are capable of fueling the tumor’s growth. The finding is the first identification of cancer stem cells in pancreatic tumors. Cancer stem cells are the small number of cancer cells that replicate to drive tumor growth. Researchers believe current cancer treatments sometimes fail [...]


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