MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'biotechnology'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:47:31 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181702&cid=t_92087_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F09%2Fsay-it-aint-so-howard-dean-runs-through.html The revolving door now accommodates the whole political spectrum.  A Salon article documented the transit of one Howard Dean, former darling of the left-wing of the Democratic party:Howard Dean has long cultivated an image as the plainspoken doctor who speaks for the left wing of the Democratic Party, a role he still plays as a pugnacious pundit on TV. But since his term as chairman of the Democratic National Committee ended in January 2009, Dr. Dean has taken on a less-noticed role: paid advocate for interest groups that would find few fans among the progressive voters once energized by Dean's 2004 presidential bid.Dean may not be the worst of the 'buckrakers,' those prototypical capital characters who exploit their name and connections without regard for principle. But his recent po... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181702 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:39:00 +0100 5181702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174657&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F29%2Fan-rna-switch-for-stem-cells%2F RNA molecules have long been known for their role in translating genes to proteins inside a cell, but more recently, scientists have found large numbers of RNA molecules that don’t code for proteins but seem to have other cellular roles. Most research in mammals has focused on tiny RNA molecules called microRNAs, but a new [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174657 Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:22:16 +0100 5174657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174658&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F28%2Ftrial-shows-blockbuster-potential-for-blood-clot-pill-eliquis%2F An experimental pill to prevent blood clots exceeded already high expectations as a better therapy for millions of people with atrial fibrillation, according to final results of a worldwide study released Sunday. The study was featured at the European Society of Cardiology in Paris and simultaneously published on the Web site of The New England [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174658 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 22:46:20 +0100 5174658 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174659&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F28%2Fportfolio-diet-beats-low-fat-diet-at-lowering-cholesterol%2F A diet that incorporates cholesterol-lowering foods like soy, nuts, and plant sterols may work better at lowering cholesterol levels than a traditional low-fat diet. A new study shows that people with high cholesterol who followed the portfolio diet, which includes a combination of cholesterol-lowering foods, lowered their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by about 13% [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174659 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:36:39 +0100 5174659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159157&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Fbran-soy-help-cut-cholesterol%2F Researchers in Canada have shown that a special cholesterol-lowering diet works well – even with only two nutritional counseling sessions over six months. Making dietary changes like eating oat bran for breakfast, drinking soy milk instead of dairy, soy burgers in place of hamburgers, and fruit and nuts instead of a full lunch prompted a [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159157 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:06:40 +0100 5159157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159158&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Fgene-therapy-works-for-bubble-boy-disease%2F Nine years after getting gene therapy for a rare, inherited immune system disorder often called “bubble boy disease,” 14 out of 16 children are doing well, researchers report. The children were born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID). They got an experimental gene therapy in the U.K. A new report shows that nine years later, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159158 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:35:29 +0100 5159158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159159&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Fresearchers-produce-detailed-map-of-gene-activity-in-mouse-brain%2F A new atlas of gene expression in the mouse brain provides insight into how genes work in the outer part of the brain called the cerebral cortex. In humans, the cerebral cortex is the largest part of the brain, and the region responsible for memory, sensory perception and language. Mice and people share 90 percent [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159159 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 18:43:33 +0100 5159159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159160&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Fstudy-builds-on-plausible-scenario-for-origin-of-life-on-earth%2F A relatively simple combination of naturally occurring sugars and amino acids offers a plausible route to the building blocks of life, according to a paper published in Nature Chemistry co-authored by a professor at the University of California, Merced. The study, “A Route to Enantiopure RNA Precursors from Nearly Racemic Starting Materials,” shows how the precursors [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159160 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:20:05 +0100 5159160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159161&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Fmimicking-biological-complexity-in-a-tiny-particle-mit-news-office%2F Tiny particles made of polymers hold great promise for targeted delivery of drugs and as structural scaffolds for building artificial tissues. However, current production methods for such microparticles yield a limited array of shapes and can only be made with certain materials, restricting their usefulness. In an advance that could broadly expand the possible applications [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159161 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:17:33 +0100 5159161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159162&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Fscientists-help-pinpoint-cause-of-stress-related-dna-damage%2F Working closely with a team of researchers from Duke University, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have helped identify a molecular pathway that plays a key role in stress-related damage to the genome, the entirety of an organism’s hereditary information. The new findings, published in the journal Nature on August 21, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159162 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 03:15:52 +0100 5159162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159163&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F21%2Fchromosomes-and-cancer%2F Aneuploidy—when the cells of an organism contain more or fewer than the standard number of chromosomes for its species—is found in greater than 90 percent of all human cancers. But how exactly it relates to cancer, and whether it is a cause or merely a consequence of genomic instability, has long been a mystery. Two [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159163 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:31:32 +0100 5159163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159164&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F21%2Fwatching-the-protein-tango%2F A new microscope has allowed researchers to watch molecules move within a cell on a millisecond-by-millisecond time scale for the first time. The novel method, which combines two preëxisting microscopic techniques, opens a window onto cellular processes that had previously been undetectable, unveiling molecular activity within a cell at a much finer level than ever [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159164 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:23:58 +0100 5159164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159165&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F21%2Fstudy-obese-people-live-as-long-as-slimmer-people%2F Obese people who are otherwise healthy live as long as normal-weight people, new research from Canada suggests. Some obese but healthy people actually are less likely to die of heart problems than normal-weight people who have some medical conditions, the researchers found. “You shouldn’t just look at body weight alone,” says researcher Jennifer Kuk, PhD, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159165 Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:23:41 +0100 5159165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159166&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F18%2Fstudy-identifies-fish-oils-impact-on-cognition-and-brain-structure%2F The study was led by Lori Daiello, PharmD, a research scientist at the Rhode Island Hospital Alzheimer’s Disease and Memory Disorders Center. Data for the analyses was obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), a large multi-center, NIH-funded study that followed older adults with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s Disease for over [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159166 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:01:31 +0100 5159166 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159167&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F16%2Fcan-we-create-life%2F   http://fora.tv/embedded_player (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159167 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:10:52 +0100 5159167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130802&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F16%2Ftossing-turning-forgetting%2F Continuity of sleep, not just the total hours of nightly slumber, is crucial to forming and retaining memories, a new study in mice suggests. Mice couldn’t remember objects they’d seen before after a night of interrupted sleep, Asya Rolls of Stanford and her colleagues report online July 25 in the Proceedings of the National Academy [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130802 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 01:44:22 +0100 5130802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130803&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fbeyond-the-genome-cancer%25e2%2580%2599s-secrets-come-into-sharper-focus%2F For the last decade cancer research has been guided by a common vision of how a single cell, outcompeting its neighbors, evolves into a malignant tumor. Through a series of random mutations, genes that encourage cellular division are pushed into overdrive, while genes that normally send growth-restraining signals are taken offline. With the accelerator floored [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130803 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:01:04 +0100 5130803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130804&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fovarian-cancer-risk-gene-pinpointed%2F Scientists have pinpointed a rare gene variant that increases a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer six-fold. The discovery will lead to new diagnostic tests to identify the cancer earlier and provides better information to help doctors choose targeted anti-cancer drugs. Ovarian cancer can develop without many clear symptoms and is the fifth most common [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130804 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:10:53 +0100 5130804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130805&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fsleep-apnea-may-raise-dementia-risk-study-finds%2F Sleep apnea, a fairly common, treatable disorder that causes people to stop breathing momentarily while they sleep, may lead to cognitive impairment and even dementia, according to a new study of elderly women. Women in the study with sleep apnea or other sleep disorders that affected their breathing were much more likely than those with [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130805 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:06:48 +0100 5130805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130806&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fsuper-mouse-evolves-resistance-to-most-poisons%2F German and Spanish mice have rapidly evolved the trait by breeding with an Algerian species from which they have been separate for over a million years. The researchers say this type of gene transfer is highly unusual and normally found in plants and bacteria. The Current Biology report says this process could yield mice resistant [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130806 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:05:22 +0100 5130806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130807&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F14%2Fnew-blood-thinner-prevents-strokes-in-heart-patients%2F The newly approved drug Xarelto appears to prevent strokes at least as well as the standard treatment warfarin in people who have a heart condition that puts them at high risk for blood clots, a study shows. Xarelto was approved by the FDA in July to prevent dangerous blood clots in people having hip and [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130807 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 19:12:39 +0100 5130807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130808&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F13%2Fred-meat-processed-meat-linked-to-diabetes-risk%2F Red meat, particularly processed red meats like bacon, sausage, and hot dogs, may increase a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The more processed or unprocessed red meat a person eats, the greater the risk, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130808 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 23:52:36 +0100 5130808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125802&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F12%2Fintestinal-protein-may-have-role-in-adhd-other-neurological-disorders%2F A biochemical pathway long associated with diarrhea and intestinal function may provide a new therapeutic target for treating ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) other neuropsychiatric disorders, according to a team of scientists from China and the United States reporting Aug. 11 in Science. Scientists have for the last quarter century studied the intestinal membrane receptor [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125802 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:38:12 +0100 5125802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125803&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F12%2Fstanford-engineers-redefine-how-the-brain-plans-movement%2F New measurement technologies and techniques provide researchers more complete look at neurological activity In 1991, Carl Lewis was both the fastest man on earth and a profound long jumper, perhaps the greatest track-and-field star of all time in the prime of his career. On June 14th of that year, however, Carl Lewis was human. Leroy [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125803 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:35:45 +0100 5125803 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118992&cid=t_92087_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FosMPR6kwVuo%2F Venture capital investing in life sciences may be rising overall but, with one exception, the biotech sector is not receiving as much funding as it has for the past few years, according to new data released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the National Venture Capital Association. In this year’s second quarter, biotech investing fell by 9 percent in dollars and dropped 24 percent in deals, on a year-over-year basis, with $1.2 billion going into 116 deals. A year earlier, investing amounted to $1.37 billion in 156 deals. On the bright side, funding increased from $901 million invested in the second quarter in 2009, which represented a low mark in backing for biotech in recent years. By contrast, venture investing in medical devices rose 9 percent in dollars, but declined 17 percent in d... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118992 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:50:29 +0100 5118992 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118695&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F10%2Fresearch-team-discovers-new-conducting-properties-of-bacteria-produced-nanowires%2F The discovery of a fundamental, previously unknown property of microbial nanowires in the bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens that allows electron transport across long distances could revolutionize nanotechnology and bioelectronics, says a team of physicists and microbiologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Their findings reported in the Aug. 7 advance online issue of Nature Nanotechnology may [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118695 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 23:42:04 +0100 5118695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118696&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F10%2Fa-novel-mechanism-that-regulates-pro-inflammatory-cells-is-identified%2F Discovery has implications for autoimmune diseases, HIV infection and possibly in cancer as a biomarker and in the development of new treatments New research led by Derya Unutmaz, MD associate professor, the Departments of Pathology, Medicine, and Microbiology at NYU School of Medicine and Mark Sundrud, PhD, of Tempero Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has identified a novel [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118696 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:55:48 +0100 5118696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107583&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F08%2Flab-grown-disks-may-cure-that-aching-back%2F Squishy, doughnut-shaped disks can make the difference between a pain-free, active lifestyle or years of back discomfort. When the disks that normally cushion each vertebra in the spine start to degenerate, due to aging or injury, nerves can be pinched and movement impeded. But degenerating disks may soon be replaceable with bioengineered disk implants grown [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107583 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:33:25 +0100 5107583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107584&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F07%2Fnew-study-calls-into-question-reliance-on-animal-models-in-cardiovascular-research%2F Anyone who follows science has read enthusiastic stories about medical breakthroughs that include the standard disclaimer that the results were obtained in mice and might not carry over to humans. Much later, there might be reports that a drug has been abandoned because clinical trials turned up unforeseen side effects or responses in humans. Given [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107584 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 17:42:45 +0100 5107584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107585&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F07%2Fstudy-shows-man-made-fat-may-limit-damage-to-heart-attack-victims%2F FINDINGS: A man-made fat called Intralipid, which is currently used as a component of intravenous nutrition and to treat rare overdoses of local anesthetics, may also offer protection for patients suffering from heart attacks. Current treatment for a heart attack focuses on limiting the duration of the ischemic period, when blood flow to tissues is [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107585 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 17:36:45 +0100 5107585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103370&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F06%2Fhuman-skin-cells-converted-directly-into-functional-neurons%2F Columbia University Medical Center researchers have for the first time directly converted human skin cells into functional forebrain neurons, without the need for stem cells of any kind. The findings offer a new and potentially more direct way to produce replacement cell therapies for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.  Such cells may prove especially useful [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103370 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 12:32:46 +0100 5103370 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103371&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fnew-approach-a-step-forward-for-hepatitis-c-vaccine%2F French scientists have developed a novel hepatitis C vaccine that may offer the first effective way to prevent an infection that can cause chronic liver disease and cancer. There is currently no available vaccine for hepatitis C, though some companies are developing so-called “therapeutic vaccines,” which are designed to help patients who are already infected. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103371 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:00:08 +0100 5103371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103372&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fgene-discovery-could-lead-to-new-stroke-treatments%2F Plaque buildup in the arteries is a major risk factor for strokes and heart attack, but some plaques are far more dangerous than others. The problem is there is no good way to distinguish relatively benign plaque on artery walls from plaque that will break off and cause harm, but that may soon change. Researchers [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103372 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 18:55:18 +0100 5103372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096323&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Felsevier-introduces-genome-viewer%2F Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, introduces the Genome Viewer, a new interactive feature on SciVerse ScienceDirect for applicable life sciences journals. The Genome Viewer is a SciVerse application that displays detailed gene or genomic sequence information on the genes mentioned in an article. The Genome Viewer utilizes [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096323 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 21:21:15 +0100 5096323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096324&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Ffemales-can-place-limits-on-evolution-of-attractive-features-in-males-research-shows%2F Female cognitive ability can limit how melodious or handsome males become over evolutionary time, biologists from The University of Texas at Austin, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute have observed. Males across the animal world have evolved elaborate traits to attract females, from huge peacock tails to complex bird [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096324 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:47:31 +0100 5096324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096325&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fthe-brain-a-body-fit-for-a-freaky-big-brain%2F n 1758 the Swedish taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus dubbed our species Homo sapiens, Latin for “wise man.” It’s a matter of open debate whether we actually live up to that moniker. If Linnaeus had wanted to stand on more solid ground, he could have instead called us Homo megalencephalus: “man with a giant brain. ”Regardless of [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096325 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 16:41:24 +0100 5096325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096326&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F04%2Fscientists-bag-and-tag-the-stem-cell-that-may-create-an-endless-supply-of-blood%2F Rejoice ye vampires, the pursuit of an endless supply of blood took a major leap forward this month. Researchers at the Ontario Cancer Institute, led by John Dick, have found a way to hunt down and isolate the stem cells from which your entire blood supply is derived. Until now, these hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096326 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 01:54:29 +0100 5096326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086241&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fhow-the-brain-assigns-objects-to-categories%2F The human brain is adept at recognizing similar items and placing them into categories — for example, dog versus cat, or chair versus table. In a new study, MIT neuroscientists have identified the brain activity that appears to control this skill. The findings, published in the July 27 issue of the journal Neuron, suggest a [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086241 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:58:13 +0100 5086241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086242&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fcaltech-researchers-increase-the-potency-of-hiv-battling-proteins%2F If one is good, two can sometimes be better. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have certainly found this to be the case when it comes to a small HIV-fighting protein. The protein, called cyanovirin-N (CV-N), is produced by a type of blue-green algae and has gained attention for its ability to ward [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086242 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 09:55:24 +0100 5086242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086243&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fnanofiber-regenerates-blood-vessels%2F Regenerating blood vessels is important for combating the aftereffects of a heart attack or peripheral arterial disease, and for ensuring that transplanted organs receive a sufficient supply of blood. Now researchers at Northwestern University have created a nanomaterial that could help the body to grow new blood vessels. Samuel Stupp and his colleagues developed a [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086243 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:07:02 +0100 5086243 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086244&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fbrain-shrinkage-linked-to-smoking-obesity-diabetes%2F People who smoke, are overweight, and have other health problems in middle age may be at increased risk of developing signs of brain shrinkage and diminished planning and organization skills as they age, new research indicates. Other health problems linked to brain shrinkage and mental decline include high blood pressure and diabetes. “Our findings provide [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086244 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:05:06 +0100 5086244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086245&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fcolon-cleansing-may-be-risky-study-finds%2F Colon cleansing, promoted as a natural way to boost well-being, has no proven benefits and may be risky, according to a new report. Ranit Mishori, MD, a family medicine doctor at Georgetown University School of Medicine, looked at studies that evaluated colon hydrotherapy or irrigation. She also looked at studies of cleansing by the use [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086245 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:04:34 +0100 5086245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086246&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fdisease-causing-tangle-could-spawn-new-materials-mit-news-office%2F When most people hear the word amyloid, they immediately think of Alzheimer’s disease. And indeed, it was in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients that these dense protein masses were first identified. But it turns out that besides playing a role in a number of diseases, amyloids also play an important structural role in many organisms [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086246 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 01:00:39 +0100 5086246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086247&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F31%2Frecognizing-voices-depends-on-language-ability%2F Distinguishing between other peoples voices may seem like a trivial task. However, if those people are speaking a language you dont understand, it becomes much harder. Thats because you rely on individuals differences in pronunciation to help identify them. If you dont understand the words they are saying, you dont pick up on those differences. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086247 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:21:08 +0100 5086247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077760&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F30%2Fhow-memory-is-lost-loss-of-memory-due-to-aging-may-be-reversible%2F   Yale University researchers can’t tell you where you left your car keys — but they can tell you why you can’t find them A new study published July 27 in the journal Nature shows the neural networks in the brains of the middle-aged and elderly have weaker connections and fire less robustly than in [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077760 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 01:32:01 +0100 5077760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077761&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F28%2Fsocial-deficits-associated-with-autism-schizophrenia-induced-in-mice-with-new-technology%2F Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have been able to switch on, and then switch off, social-behavior deficits in mice that resemble those seen in people with autism and schizophrenia, thanks to a technology that allows scientists to precisely manipulate nerve activity in the brain. In synchrony with this experimentally induced socially aberrant behavior, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077761 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:23:33 +0100 5077761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069518&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F27%2Fresearchers-trace-early-journey-of-modulating-cells-in-brain%2F Key cells in the brain region known as the hippocampus are formed in the base of the brain late in fetal life and undertake a long journey before reaching their final destination in the center of the brain shortly after birth, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health. The hippocampus is involved with [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069518 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:25:43 +0100 5069518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069519&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F27%2Fa-step-closer-to-personalized-medicine-improving-gene-therapy-to-treat-a-devastating-genetic-disease%2F Recent advances in adult stem cell research could change the way doctors treat a host of debilitating diseases. At NIAID, scientists are exploring novel ways to convert adult tissue into more primitive stem cells and then use these cells to treat chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), an inherited disease of the immune system. The most exciting [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069519 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:03:59 +0100 5069519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069520&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F26%2Fmassive-project-to-study-the-link-between-genetics-and-health%2F {EAV_BLOG_VER:13a6d03f2fd3e77f} Most health insurers are wary of genetics because, in most cases, it’s not yet clear how a particular genetic variation influences an individual’s health, or whether it should affect their care. Now Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest nonprofit health plan, has announced that it’s finished the first phase of a massive project to compile [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069520 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:14:48 +0100 5069520 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069521&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F26%2Fsharper-deeper-faster-interdisciplinary-team-develops-advanced-live-imaging-approach%2F For modern biologists, the ability to capture high-quality, three-dimensional (3D) images of living tissues or organisms over time is necessary to answer problems in areas ranging from genomics to neurobiology and developmental biology. The better the image, the more detailed the information that can be drawn from it. Looking to improve upon current methods of [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069521 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:04:28 +0100 5069521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062282&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F24%2Fmice-with-human-livers-deal-with-drugs-the-human-way%2F The unique physiology of the human liver means that the toxicity of some candidate drugs is not picked up during preclinical tests in animals. But mice implanted with miniature human livers can mimic the ways in which the human body breaks down chemical compounds, to help spot potential problems before drugs are tested in humans. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062282 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:57:40 +0100 5062282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057755&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fstem-cells-restore-cognitive-abilities-impaired-by-brain-cancer-treatment%2F Human neural stem cells are capable of helping people regain learning and memory abilities lost due to radiation treatment for brain tumors, a UC Irvine study suggests. Research with rats found that stem cells transplanted two days after cranial irradiation restored cognitive function, as measured in one- and four-month assessments. In contrast, irradiated rats not [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057755 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:41:45 +0100 5057755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057756&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fnew-technique-boosts-efficiency-of-blood-cell-production-from-human-stem-cells%2F Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed an improved technique for generating large numbers of blood cells from a patient’s own cells. The new technique will be immediately useful in further stem cell studies, and when perfected, could be used in stem cell therapies for a wide variety of conditions including cancers [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057756 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:39:41 +0100 5057756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057757&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fkidney-dopamine-regulates-blood-pressure-life-span%2F The neurotransmitter dopamine is best known for its roles in the brain – in signaling pathways that control movement, motivation, reward, learning and memory. Now, Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have demonstrated that dopamine produced outside the brain – in the kidneys – is important for renal function, blood pressure regulation and life span. Their [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057757 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:33:53 +0100 5057757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057758&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F23%2Fbest-healthy-foods-you-aren%25e2%2580%2599t-eating-greek-yogurt-canned-tomatoes-and-more%2F Some foods are so healthy they star on every nutrition expert’s super food list. But often missing on those lists are some nutritional gems or underrated foods that don’t get the attention they deserve. Sorting out the best foods to eat is not always easy because the choices can be daunting. Adding to the confusion [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057758 Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:09:09 +0100 5057758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050680&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F22%2Fomega-3s-linked-to-lower-dementia-risk%2F A diet rich in certain omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk of developing dementia, researchers report. In a study of more than 2,000 older women and men followed for nearly five years, the more omega-3-rich oily fish they ate, the lower their risk of developing dementia. The researchers looked specifically at the omega-3 fatty [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050680 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:59:47 +0100 5050680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050681&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F21%2Fobesity-leading-driver-of-breast-cancer%2F Obesity is the biggest driving force behind the most common form of breast cancer in older women, say researchers. Alcohol and then cigarettes are the next largest culprits, according to Cancer Research UK. One in eight women in the UK develop breast cancer in their lifetime, data shows, and the majority of these tumours are [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050681 Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:41:55 +0100 5050681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050682&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F20%2Fcaltech-researchers-create-the-first-artificial-neural-network-out-of-dna%2F Artificial intelligence has been the inspiration for countless books and movies, as well as the aspiration of countless scientists and engineers. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have now taken a major step toward creating artificial intelligence—not in a robot or a silicon chip, but in a test tube. The researchers are the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050682 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:24:30 +0100 5050682 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050683&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F20%2Fresearchers-discover-gene-required-to-maintain-male-sex-throughout-life%2F University of Minnesota Medical School and College of Biological Sciences researchers have made a key discovery showing that male sex must be maintained throughout life. The research team, led by Drs. David Zarkower and Vivian Bardwell of the U of M Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, found that removing an important male development [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050683 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:20:14 +0100 5050683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050684&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fscientists-find-better-way-to-grow-adult-stem-cells%2F A new plastic surface which overcomes the difficulties associated with growing adult stem cells has been developed, according to scientists. Standard surfaces have proved limited for growing large amounts and retaining the stem cells’ useful characteristics. It is hoped the discovery could lead to the creation of stem cell therapies for re-growing bone and tissue, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050684 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 12:24:42 +0100 5050684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050685&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fnewly-developed-fluorescent-protein-makes-internal-organs-visible%2F Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed the first fluorescent protein that enables scientists to clearly “see” the internal organs of living animals without the need for a scalpel or imaging techniques that can have side effects or increase radiation exposure. Caption: Liver cells in this mouse contain the fluorescent protein [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050685 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:15:23 +0100 5050685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050686&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F19%2Fbaby-aspirin-may-help-memory-thinking-skills%2F Women who are taking a baby aspirin or two a day for their heart health may be safeguarding their brain health, too, preliminary research suggests. In a five-year study of more than 100 older people at similar risk for heart disease, scores on a standardized test that gauges memory and other cognitive skills increased slightly [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050686 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:08:15 +0100 5050686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5036480&cid=t_92087_131_f&fid=34999&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.marymeetsdolly.com%2Fblog%2Findex.php%3F%2Farchives%2F1040-Watch-out-for-the-7-ways-to-achieve-transhumanism.html Transhumanism is a insidious philosophy that many people are simply unaware of.  It is time to become aware.  Transhumanism seeks not just to cure disease but to change the nature of man.  To make him more than human with whatever means are available, whether it is with nanotechnology, artificial limbs, artificial intelligence, or genetic enhancement.  Transhumanists have societies and magazines and conferences. They even argue that the writings of a Jesuit priest will convince Christians of their cause.  It seems like benign science fiction, but transhumansim is far from it.  It rejects the nature of humanity the fundamental principles that have governed society for thousands of years.  Transhumanists envision a world where man is a master of technology and wields it to his advanta... Mary Meets Dolly blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5036480 Sat, 16 Jul 2011 19:35:05 +0100 5036480 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5028411&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F14%2Fresearchers-use-fluorescent-nanotubes-to-study-inner-workings-of-lab-mice%2F Developing drugs to combat or cure human disease often involves a phase of testing with mice, so being able to peer clearly into a living mouse’s innards has real value. But with the fluorescent dyes currently used to image the interior of laboratory mice, the view becomes murky a few millimeters under the skin. Now [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5028411 Thu, 14 Jul 2011 03:16:10 +0100 5028411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008281&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F08%2Fscientists-find-new-clues-to-aging%2F A mutant protein known to be involved in the rare premature aging condition known as progeria appears to play a role in normal aging, too, scientists report. The mechanism that triggers premature aging also seems to trigger normal cell aging.The finding is expected to offer new clues about aging.”We have learned something fundamental about the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008281 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 02:18:36 +0100 5008281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997593&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2F%25e2%2580%2598living-laser%25e2%2580%2599-engineered-from-human-cells%2F Medical researchers from Harvard University have created the first “living laser”; a biological cell that’s been genetically engineered to produce a visible laser beam. Lasers need two things to generate beams. They need a gain medium that amplifies light, and an arrangement of mirrors to concentrate and align that light. Normal lasers, ever since their [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997593 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:11:18 +0100 4997593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997594&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fresearchers-identify-hiv-inhibiting-mechanism%2F Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have discovered a long-sought cellular factor that works to inhibit HIV infection of myeloid cells, a subset of white blood cells that display antigens and hence are important for the body’s immune response against viruses and other pathogens. The factor, a protein called SAMHD1, is part [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997594 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:09:47 +0100 4997594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997595&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Feat-late-gain-weight%2F Checking a clock may be as helpful as counting calories when it comes to controlling body weight, a new study suggests. The study shows that people who snack after 8 p.m. have higher body mass indexes (BMIs) than people who don’t nosh at night, even though they don’t eat significantly more total daily calories. Previous [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997595 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:06:23 +0100 4997595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997596&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fresistant-mice-provide-clues-about-successful-immune-response-to-retroviruses%2F Although our body’s defense mechanisms are usually capable of detecting and destroying many types of pathogens, some viruses are able to evade the immune system and make us sick. In particular, “retroviruses,” such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are notorious for eluding host immune defenses and causing disease. Now, a new study published by Cell [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997596 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:00:34 +0100 4997596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997598&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fnervous-system-stem-cells-can-replace-themselves-give-rise-to-variety-of-cell-types-even-amplify%2F A Johns Hopkins team has discovered in young adult mice that a lone brain stem cell is capable not only of replacing itself and giving rise to specialized neurons and glia – important types of brain cells – but also of taking a wholly unexpected path: generating two new brain stem cells. Caption: A green fluorescent [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997598 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:59:01 +0100 4997598 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997599&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fnih-funds-massive-genome-studies-that-identify-genetics-behind-white-blood-cell-counts%2F A trio of large-scale genome-wide association studies, or GWAS, have identified more than 15 gene variants responsible for the diversity of white blood cell counts among whites, African-Americans, and Japanese. Supported in part by the National Institutes of Health, each study examined the genomes of tens of thousands of people. Combined, the studies offer the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997599 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:56:33 +0100 4997599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997600&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fresearch-reveals-new-secret-weapon-for-le-tour%2F Winning margins in the Tour de France can be tight – last year just 39 seconds separated the top two riders after more than 90 hours in the saddle. When every second counts, riders do everything possible to gain a competitive advantage – from using aerodynamic carbon fibre bikes to the very latest in sports [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997600 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:54:18 +0100 4997600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997601&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fnew-technique-advances-bioprinting-of-cells%2F Ever since an ordinary office inkjet printer had its ink cartridges swapped out for a cargo of cells about 10 years ago and sprayed out cell-packed droplets to create living tissue, scientists and engineers have never looked at office equipment in quite the same way. They dream of using a specialized bio-inkjet printer to grow [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997601 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:42:43 +0100 4997601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4997602&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F07%2F03%2Fpigeons-never-forget-a-face%2F New research has shown that feral, untrained pigeons can recognise individual people and are not fooled by a change of clothes. Researchers, who will be presenting their work at the Society for Experimental Biology Annual Conference in Glasgow on Sunday the 3rd of July, have shown that urban pigeons that have never been caught or [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4997602 Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:30:15 +0100 4997602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992995&cid=t_92087_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrmAxL8gOtko%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Arno Therapeutics hired Alexander Zukiwski as chief medical officer. Most recently, he was executive vp for clinical research and chief medical officer at MedImmune, where he was responsible for developing and implementing clinical research, me... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992995 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:56:35 +0100 4992995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984489&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F06%2F30%2Flean-gene-linked-to-heart-risk%2F Genes that result in a slender figure have been linked to heart disease and type-two diabetes, conditions normally associated with being overweight.A study suggests variants of the IRS1 gene reduce fat under the skin, but not the more dangerous visceral fat around organs such as the heart and liver.The Medical Research Council study, published in [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984489 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +0100 4984489 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984490&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F06%2F30%2Fdrug-reverses-accelerated-aging-in-human-cells%2F The drug rapamycin has been found to reverse the effects of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, a fatal genetic disease that resembles rapid aging, in cells taken from patients with the disease. Rapamycin, an immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, has already been shown to extend life span in healthy mice. Researchers hope the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984490 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 02:09:35 +0100 4984490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4910794&cid=t_92087_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2011%2F06%2Fextremophiles-microbiology-and-biotechnology.html Roberto Paul Anitori (Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon, USA) presents a new book on Extremophiles: Microbiology and Biotechnology This book highlights the current and topical areas of research in this rapidly growing field. Expert authors from around the world provide the latest insights into the mechanisms these fascinating organisms use to survive. The topics covered include the ability of acidophiles to maintain a neutral intracellular pH, the way that psychrophiles "loosen up" their proteins at low temperatures, and other equally ingenious adaptations and metabolic strategies that extremophiles use to survive and flourish under extreme conditions. The book also covers the established biotechnological uses of extremophiles and the most recent and novel application... Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4910794 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 08:11:47 +0100 4910794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852400&cid=t_92087_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2011%2F05%2Fmicrobiotec11.html The Portuguese Society for Microbiology and the Portuguese Society for Biotechnology announce the National Congress MicroBiotec11, scheduled to take place in Braga, 1-3 December 2011. Further information (Source: Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists.) Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852400 Mon, 23 May 2011 13:30:35 +0100 4852400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852927&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F23%2Foxygen-on-the-brain%2F AN ANCIENT CELLULAR PROGRAM to protect cells when oxygen is low seems crucial for the production of new brain cells. For more than two billion years on this planet, O2 has been the go-to gas for generating efficient cellular energy. But life on Earth never takes oxygen for granted. “When it runs low, cells swiftly [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852927 Mon, 23 May 2011 03:21:00 +0100 4852927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852928&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F23%2Fa-nanotube-patch-to-help-heal-the-heart%25c2%25a0%2F Researchers create carbon nanotubes that mimic natural tissue and can regenerate heart cells in a dish. A conductive patch of carbon nanotubes can regenerate heart tissue growing in a dish, according to preliminary research from Brown University. The patch, made of tiny chains of carbon atoms that fold in on themselves, forming a tube, conducts [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852928 Mon, 23 May 2011 03:15:18 +0100 4852928 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4852929&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F23%2Fdietary-supplement-may-help-prevent-preeclampsia%2F An inexpensive dietary supplement appears to help prevent the serious pregnancy complication preeclampsia in high-risk women, according to a new study. But researchers say the effect in lower-risk pregnancies remains to be determined. In the study from Mexico, women who ate daily food bars containing the amino acid L-arginine and antioxidant vitamins during pregnancy had [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4852929 Mon, 23 May 2011 03:04:05 +0100 4852929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4840212&cid=t_92087_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2011%2F05%2Fmicrobial-biofilms.html Gavin Lear and Gillian D. Lewis (Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand and University of Auckland, New Zealand, respectively) present a new book on Microbial Biofilms: Current Research and Applications In this book, leading scientists provide an up-to-date review of the latest scientific research on these fascinating microbial communities and predict future trends and growth areas in biofilm-related research. Under the expert guidance of the editors Gavin Lear and Gillian Lewis, authors from around the world have contributed critical reviews on the most topical aspects of current biofilm research. Subjects covered include quorum sensing and social interactions in microbial biofilms, biofilms in disease, plant-associated biofilms, biofilms in the soil, applications in bioremediation... Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4840212 Wed, 18 May 2011 09:32:04 +0100 4840212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828967&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F15%2Ftiny-variation-in-one-gene-may-have-led-to-crucial-changes-in-human-brain%2F The human brain has yet to explain the origin of one its defining features — the deep fissures and convolutions that increase its surface area and allow for rational and abstract thoughts. An international collaboration of scientists from the Yale School of Medicine and Turkey may have discovered humanity’s beneficiary — a tiny variation within [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828967 Sun, 15 May 2011 22:23:12 +0100 4828967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828968&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F15%2Freprogrammed-cells-trigger-immune-reactions-in-mice%2F Cells that have been reprogrammed to grow into different types of tissue might be rejected by the body — even when they are transplanted into the individual from whom they are made, researchers report in a study published today in Nature1.The study was led by Yang Xu, a molecular biologist at the University of California, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828968 Sun, 15 May 2011 17:38:56 +0100 4828968 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828969&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F14%2Fa-new-program-for-neural-stem-cells%2F Neural stem cells can do a lot, but not everything. For example, brain and spinal cord cells are not usually generated by neural stem cells of the peripheral nervous system, and it is not possible to produce cells of the peripheral nervous system from the stem cells of the brain. However, researchers from the Max [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828969 Sat, 14 May 2011 15:57:47 +0100 4828969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820912&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F13%2Fsound-test-might-signal-minimal-consciousness%2F Talk between the brain’s decision-making center, or frontal cortex, and other brain regions might distinguish aware individuals from those stripped of conscious thought. Identifying such signaling malfunctions could speed the diagnosis of vegetative states and give scientists insight into such devastating disorders, an international team of researchers reports May 12 in Science. Today, diagnosing a [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820912 Fri, 13 May 2011 16:58:04 +0100 4820912 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820913&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F13%2Fan-inside-look-at-the-teen-brain%2F Eva-Marie Fredric thought her then-14-year-old son, Dylan, could handle the task of packing for their trip to the mountains. But when the two arrived at the campsite, she found the tent — but no tent poles. “We slept outside on an inflated air mattress, freezing our bums off, with the dog huddled between us,” recalls [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820913 Fri, 13 May 2011 00:31:43 +0100 4820913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4820914&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F12%2Fhow-to-control-complex-networks%2F At first glance, a diagram of the complex network of genes that regulate cellular metabolism might seem hopelessly complex, and efforts to control such a system futile.However, an MIT researcher has come up with a new computational model that can analyze any type of complex network — biological, social or electronic — and reveal the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4820914 Thu, 12 May 2011 14:24:54 +0100 4820914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813349&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F12%2Fthe-human-body-searchable-in-3-d%2F The first online 3-D interactive search tool of the human body was released today.  It allows a user to view and navigate the human anatomy, male or female, down to the finest detail—from the muscles and deep muscles to the nerves, arteries, vessels, and bones. This new tool, called BodyMaps, was developed by Healthline Networks, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813349 Thu, 12 May 2011 10:38:32 +0100 4813349 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803204&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fsense-of-justice-built-into-the-brain%2F A new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that the brain has built-in mechanisms that trigger an automatic reaction to someone who refuses to share. The reaction derives from the amygdala, an older part of the brain. The subjects’ sense of justice was challenged in a two-player money-based fairness game, while their brain activity [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803204 Mon, 09 May 2011 19:26:29 +0100 4803204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803205&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fteam-describes-neurological-basis-for-embarrassment%2F Recording people belting out an old Motown tune and then asking them to listen to their own singing without the accompanying music seems like an unusually cruel form of punishment. But for a team of scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and University of California, Berkeley, this exact Karaoke experiment has revealed what [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803205 Mon, 09 May 2011 19:21:11 +0100 4803205 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803206&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fnew-research-suggests-dramatic-shift-in-understanding-of-personalized-medicine%2F Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in collaboration with researchers at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, have made a critical discovery that may lead scientists to abandon the use of broad conventional ethnic labels—African-American, Hispanic, and Caucasian—to estimate a patient’s genetic risk for disease. This first-of-its kind study conducted with diverse patients [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803206 Mon, 09 May 2011 16:20:38 +0100 4803206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803207&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fanti-inflammatory-drug-may-fight-breast-cancer%2F German researchers have identified an unexpected molecular marker that predicts how sensitive hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancers are to chemotherapy. Triple-negative breast cancers –which do not express the genes for estrogen receptor, or progesterone receptor and do not have Her2/neu overexpression or amplification– are more aggressive than other forms of the disease and cannot be treated [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803207 Mon, 09 May 2011 14:43:27 +0100 4803207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803208&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fthe-soul-of-a-cell-researchers-used-advanced-instrument-to-read-cells-minds%2F Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have taken a machine already in use for the measurement of impurities in semiconductors and used it to analyze immune cells in far more detail than has been possible before. The new technology lets scientists take simultaneous measurements of dozens of features located on and in cells, whereas the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803208 Mon, 09 May 2011 14:23:37 +0100 4803208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803209&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fjuice-cocktail-good-for-heart%2F A blend of fruit juices, including grape, cranberry and blackcurrant, may have benefits for the heart, research suggests. French scientists tested the blend on pig arteries in the lab, and found it caused artery walls to relax. It remains to be seen whether fruit juices can improve vascular health, they report in a scientific journal. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803209 Mon, 09 May 2011 01:19:08 +0100 4803209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803210&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fcomprehensive-study-finds-no-link-between-xmrv-retrovirus-and-chronic-fatigue-syndrome%2F New findings from University of Utah School of Medicine researchers show that the retrovirus called XMRV is not present in the blood of patients who have chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). These findings contradict a widely reported 2009 Science study that linked CFS to XMRV. The study, performed by a team of U of U researchers led by [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803210 Sun, 08 May 2011 22:17:37 +0100 4803210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803211&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fexercise-protects-the-heart-via-nitric-oxide%2F Exercise both reduces the risk of a heart attack and protects the heart from injury if a heart attack does occur. For years, doctors have been trying to dissect how this second benefit of exercise works, with the aim of finding ways to protect the heart after a heart attack. Researchers at Emory University School [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803211 Sun, 08 May 2011 22:16:47 +0100 4803211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803212&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fstudy-many-with-adhd-can%25e2%2580%2599t-control-emotions%2F More than half of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also have trouble regulating their emotions, and that difficulty may be passed through families, a new study shows. Researchers are calling this cluster of symptoms deficient emotional self-regulation (DESR). It involves quick bursts of outsized anger, frustration, impatience, or excitability in response to everyday [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803212 Sun, 08 May 2011 21:44:21 +0100 4803212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803213&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fyoutube-synthetic-biology%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803213 Sun, 08 May 2011 19:25:47 +0100 4803213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803214&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fstem-cell-related-changes-that-may-contribute-to-age-related-cognitive-decline-identified%2F A new study from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) offers an explanation for why our brains produce fewer and fewer neurons with age, a phenomenon thought to underlie age-related cognitive decline. The study, published as the cover story in the May 6 issue of Cell Stem Cell, suggests that this drop in production is due to [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803214 Sun, 08 May 2011 19:23:56 +0100 4803214 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803215&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fmutation-provides-new-insight-into-the-molecular-mechanisms-of-aging%2F A new study identifies the mutation that underlies a rare, inherited accelerated-aging disease and provides key insight into normal human aging. The research, published by Cell Press online May 5 in the American Journal of Human Genetics, highlights the importance of a cellular structure called the “nuclear envelope” in the process of aging. “Aging is [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803215 Sun, 08 May 2011 19:20:13 +0100 4803215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803216&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fscientists-show-how-shifts-in-temperature-prime-immune-response%2F Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have found a temperature-sensing protein within immune cells that, when tripped, allows calcium to pour in and activate an immune response. This process can occur as temperature rises, such as during a fever, or when it falls—such as when immune cells are “called” from the body’s warm interior to [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803216 Sun, 08 May 2011 19:14:54 +0100 4803216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803217&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fscientists-engineer-patch-a-heart%2F Researchers at Columbia Engineering have established a new method to patch a damaged heart using a tissue-engineering platform that enables heart tissue to repair itself. This breakthrough, recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is an important step forward in combating cardiovascular disease, one of the most serious health problems of our day. [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803217 Sun, 08 May 2011 19:13:26 +0100 4803217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803218&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fstudy-takes-closer-look-at-calorie-restrictors%2F Trent Arsenault has eaten the same breakfast, lunch and dinner almost every day for the past four or five years: a fruit smoothie in the morning, a spinach salad at noon and another fruit smoothie after work. Every now and then he’ll add a snack to his day. Maybe a spoonful of almond butter or [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803218 Sun, 08 May 2011 02:14:05 +0100 4803218 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803219&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F08%2Fyoutube-bioprinting%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803219 Sun, 08 May 2011 02:12:49 +0100 4803219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794888&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F07%2Ffda-panel-urges-approval-of-hepatitis-c-drug%2F In an18-0 vote, an FDA advisory panel recommended approval of the drug boceprevir to treat hepatitis C. Panel members called boceprevir, manufactured by Merck & Co., a weapon in the fight against chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection. Chronic HCV genotype 1 infection is the most common form of hepatitis in the U.S. and also [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794888 Sat, 07 May 2011 04:00:10 +0100 4794888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794889&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F07%2Fout-of-africa-migration-selected-novelty-seeking-genes%2F AS HUMANS migrated out of Africa around 50,000 years ago and moved across the planet, evolution may have latched onto a gene linked to risk-taking and adventurousness. The idea, first put forward by Chuansheng Chen at the University of California, Irvine, more than a decade ago, was originally met with scepticism. Now Luke Matthews of [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794889 Sat, 07 May 2011 00:21:04 +0100 4794889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794890&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fnew-evidence-that-caffeine-is-a-healthful-antioxidant-in-coffee%2F Scientists are reporting an in-depth analysis of how the caffeine in coffee, tea, and other foods seems to protect against conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease on the most fundamental levels. The report, which describes the chemistry behind caffeine’s antioxidant effects, appears in ACS’ The Journal of Physical Chemistry B. Annia Galano and Jorge [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794890 Fri, 06 May 2011 21:01:27 +0100 4794890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794891&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fnew-clues-to-low-calorie-diets-and-longer-life%2F Research has suggested that very low-calorie diets may increase life expectancy in animals, and now a new study in humans provides some important clues as to why this may occur. In the new study, individuals who had higher metabolic rates — the amount of energy the body uses for normal body functions — were more [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794891 Fri, 06 May 2011 20:42:01 +0100 4794891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794892&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F06%2Fthe-benefits-of-meditation%2F Studies have shown that meditating regularly can help relieve symptoms in people who suffer from chronic pain, but the neural mechanisms underlying the relief were unclear. Now, MIT and Harvard researchers have found a possible explanation for this phenomenon. In a study published online April 21 in the journal Brain Research Bulletin, the researchers found [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794892 Fri, 06 May 2011 20:39:48 +0100 4794892 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789310&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=36584&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biotech-weblog.com%2F39444424%2Fimpervious_pharma_pipeline.php © Navin75Teva Pharmaceutical has what is perhaps the most impervious pharma pipline in the industry. It is a generic drug vulture, waiting to feast on larger companies' patent expirations. The company has about 1,250 drugs in its pipeline and many others awaiting FDA approval. It has brought some of its own drugs to market as well, but its primary focus remains on cornering the generic drug market worldwide, and it has succeeded in doing just that. Since it acquired Barr Labs three years ago, ... (Source: The Biotech Weblog) The Biotech Weblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789310 Fri, 06 May 2011 04:13:51 +0100 4789310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789315&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F05%2Fresearchers-pinpoint-brain-region-that-influences-gambling-decisions%2F When a group of gamblers gather around a roulette table, individual players are likely to have different reasons for betting on certain numbers. Some may play a “lucky” number that has given them positive results in the past—a strategy called reinforcement learning. Others may check out the recent history of winning colors or numbers to [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789315 Thu, 05 May 2011 19:11:17 +0100 4789315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789316&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fscientists-discover-new-way-to-wake-up-immune-system-using-nanoscale-vaults%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789316 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:41:34 +0100 4789316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789317&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fcancer-genomics%2F In the fall of 2006, a new machine arrived at what’s now known as the Genome Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. It was capable of reading DNA a thousand times as quickly as the facility’s earlier machines, and at far less cost. Elaine Mardis, the center’s codirector, immediately began using it to sequence [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789317 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:37:56 +0100 4789317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789318&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fbrain-size-of-children-yields-clues-to-autism%2F Children with autism tend to have larger brains than children without autism, a study suggests. The study shows larger brains are the result of accelerated brain growth around the children’s first birthday. Researchers from the University of North Carolina also report that the brain overgrowth in kids who develop autism occurs in the temporal lobe [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789318 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:35:25 +0100 4789318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789319&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fremovable-cloak-for-nanoparticles-helps-them-target-tumors%2F MIT chemical engineers have designed a new type of drug-delivery nanoparticle that exploits a trait shared by almost all tumors: They are more acidic than healthy tissues. Such particles could target nearly any type of tumor, and can be designed to carry virtually any type of drug, says Paula Hammond, a member of the David [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789319 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:30:31 +0100 4789319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789320&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fpistachios-pummel-pretzels-as-a-weight-wise-snack%2F When it comes to healthy snacking and weight management, a new study bolsters the long-held view that not all calories are created equal. According to nutrition researchers at UCLA, choosing to snack on pistachios rather than pretzels as part of a healthy diet not only supports your body mass index (BMI) goals, but can support [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789320 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:29:19 +0100 4789320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789321&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F04%2Fmouse-study-turns-fat-losslongevity-link-on-its-head%2F Since the 1930s scientists have proposed food restriction as a way to extend life in mice. Though feeding a reduced-calorie diet has indeed lengthened the life spans of mice, rats and many other species, new studies with dozens of different mouse strains indicate that food restriction does not work in all cases. Researchers at the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789321 Wed, 04 May 2011 13:28:28 +0100 4789321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775427&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F03%2Fangela-belcher-using-nature-to-grow-batteries%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775427 Tue, 03 May 2011 00:18:04 +0100 4775427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775428&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F03%2Ffda-approves-prostate-cancer-drug-zytiga%2F he FDA has approved the Johnson & Johnson pill Zytiga for use in combination with the steroid prednisone to treat a certain type of late-stage prostate cancer in men who have already been treated with chemotherapy. The medication is to be used to treat patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer. In men with prostate cancer, [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775428 Tue, 03 May 2011 00:08:19 +0100 4775428 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4775429&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F03%2Fpriming-the-body-to-tackle-cancer%2F Melanoma, one of the most common cancers, is usually treated with surgery and aggressive chemotherapy. In a new, preliminary study, Dr. Marcus O. Butler, of Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, suggests a kinder, gentler way of treating melanoma, and perhaps other cancers, using the body’s own defense system. In a study published in the April 27 [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4775429 Tue, 03 May 2011 00:03:20 +0100 4775429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771056&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F01%2Felectrical-oscillations-found-to-be-critical-for-storing-spatial-memories-in-brain%2F Biologists at UC San Diego have discovered that electrical oscillations in the brain, long thought to play a role in organizing cognitive functions such as memory, are critically important for the brain to store the information that allows us to navigate through our physical environment. The scientists report in the April 29 issue of the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771056 Sun, 01 May 2011 19:21:59 +0100 4771056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771057&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F05%2F01%2Forigami-not-just-for-paper-anymore%2F While the primary job of DNA in cells is to carry genetic information from one generation to the next, some scientists also see the highly stable and programmable molecule as an ideal building material for nanoscale structures that could be used to deliver drugs, act as biosensors, perform artificial photosynthesis and more. Trying to build [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771057 Sun, 01 May 2011 19:19:42 +0100 4771057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767630&cid=t_92087_77_f&fid=37259&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.horizonpress.com%2Fblogger%2F2011%2F04%2Fnucleic-acid-based-methods-for-pathogen-detection.html from Theron et al. in Nanotechnology in Water Treatment ApplicationsNucleic acid hybridization techniquesThe easiest way of detecting specific nucleic acid sequences is through direct hybridization of a probe to microbial nucleic acid extracts. These hybridization techniques rely on the specific binding of nucleic acid probes to complementary DNA or RNA (target nucleic acid). The probes are single strands of nucleic acid with the potential of carrying detectable marker molecules highly specific to complementary target sequences, even if these sequences account for only a small fraction of the target nucleic acid. Either DNA or RNA can serve as a nucleic acid probe, but for a number of reasons (e.g., ease of synthesis and stability), most studies have employed DNA probes. The probes may be ... Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767630 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:00:06 +0100 4767630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753629&cid=t_92087_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Frucing-about-conflicts-of-interest.html Since 2007, we have been writing about the secretive RUC (RBRVS Update Committee), the private AMA committee that somehow has managed to get effective control over how Medicare pays physicians. The RUC has been accused of setting up incentives that strongly favor invasive, high technology procedures while disfavoring primary care and other "cognitive medicine." Despite the central role of (perverse) incentives in raising health care costs while limiting access and degrading quality, there was surprisingly little discussion about the pivotal role played by the RUC until the formation of the "Replace the RUC" movement (see post here).  Recently, the leaders of Replace the RUC scored a journalistic coup by putting the current list of RUC members publicly on-line.  As we have di... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753629 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:26:00 +0100 4753629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771058&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Ffantastic-embryonic-stem-cell-animation%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771058 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:13:47 +0100 4771058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771059&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Fimmortal-jellyfish-provides-clues-for-regenerative-medicine%2F The search for the fountain of youth has been ongoing ever since man decided that dying wasn’t all that appealing. And now, it appears that this elusive holy grail has been found, albeit by a species that is not ours! So who is the lucky winner of the everlasting life sweepstakes? None other than the [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771059 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:12:52 +0100 4771059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771060&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Fperiodic-fasting-may-cut-risk-of-heart-disease-diabetes%2F Occasional water-only fasts may lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to new research presented at the annual scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans. The study was conducted in Salt Lake City, where two-thirds of the residents are Mormons who fast once a month for 24 hours for [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771060 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:11:03 +0100 4771060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771061&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Fresearchers-use-virus-to-improve-solar-cell-efficiency%2F Researchers at MIT have found a way to make significant improvements to the power-conversion efficiency of solar cells by enlisting the services of tiny viruses to perform detailed assembly work at the microscopic level. In a solar cell, sunlight hits a light-harvesting material, causing it to release electrons that can be harnessed to produce an [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771061 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:07:31 +0100 4771061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771062&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Freasonable-quantities-of-red-pepper-may-help-curb-appetite%2F Spicing up your daily diet with some red pepper can curb appetite, especially for those who don’t normally eat the popular spice, according to research from Purdue University. “We found that consuming red pepper can help manage appetite and burn more calories after a meal, especially for individuals who do not consume the spice regularly,” [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771062 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 23:02:31 +0100 4771062 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771063&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Finsomniac-cavefish-may-hold-clues-to-human-sleep-disorders%2F Blind Mexican cavefish sleep much less than closely related species that live near the surface, according to a study that involved shaking aquariums to keep fish awake. By breeding the fish with their sighted counterparts, scientists determined that the difference in their sleep patterns is genetic. The discovery may help identify genes and pathways involved [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771063 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:56:27 +0100 4771063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771064&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F25%2Fharvey-fineberg-are-we-ready-for-neo-evolution-video-on-ted-com%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771064 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:54:40 +0100 4771064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771065&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fsynthetic-cells%2F The bacteria growing on stacks of petri dishes in Daniel Gibson’s lab are the first living creatures with a completely artificial genome. The microbes’ entire collection of genes was edited on a computer and assembled by machines that create genetic fragments from chemicals and by helper cells that pieced those fragments together. Gibson hopes that [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771065 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:49:24 +0100 4771065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771066&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fscientists-develop-compound-that-effectively-halts-progression-of-multiple-sclerosis%2F Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have developed the first of a new class of highly selective compounds that effectively suppresses the severity of multiple sclerosis in animal models. The new compound could provide new and potentially more effective therapeutic approaches to multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases that affect patients [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771066 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:42:33 +0100 4771066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771067&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F24%2Fis-soy-safe-to-eat-after-breast-cancer%2F For years, breast cancer survivors were often counseled to avoid soy foods and supplements because of estrogen-like effects that might theoretically cause breast tumors to grow. Now, a new study of more than 18,312 women shows that eating soy foods did not increase risk of breast cancer recurrence. The new findings are being presented at [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771067 Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:31:31 +0100 4771067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771069&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F22%2Fstrategic-plan-for-nih-obesity-research%2F (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771069 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:16:02 +0100 4771069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771070&cid=t_92087_107_f&fid=38577&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbiosingularity.com%2F2011%2F04%2F22%2Fevolution-of-human-super-brain-tied-to-development-of-bipedalism-tool-making%2F Scientists seeking to understand the origin of the human mind may want to look to honeybees — not ancestral apes — for at least some of the answers, according to a University of Colorado Boulder archaeologist. CU-Boulder Research Associate John Hoffecker said there is abundant fossil and archaeological evidence for the evolution of the human [...] (Source: Biosingularity) Biosingularity blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771070 Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:02:06 +0100 4771070