A team of researchers from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York demonstrated a drug delivery mechanism that utilizes two independent vehicles, allowing for delivery of chemically and physically dis-tinct agents. The mechanism was utilized to deliver a new anti-cancer combination therapy consisting of piperlongumine (PL) and TRAIL to treat PC3 prostate cancer and HCT116 colon cancer cells. PL, a small-molecule hydrophobic drug, was encapsulated in poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles. TRAIL was chemically conjugated to the surface of nanoscale liposomes.
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Researchers from Copenhagen Plant Science Centre at University of Copenhagen have succeeded in manipulating a strain of microalgae to form complex molecules to an unprecedented extent. This may pave the way for an efficient, inexpensive and environmentally friendly method of producing a variety of chemicals, such as pharmaceutical compounds.
A team of researchers from the University of Manitoba in collaboration with local clinical scientists in Winnipeg, Canada, have developed a new method for rapid neutrophil chemotaxis test directly from a small drop of whole blood using a microfluidic system. Although many microfluidic devices have been developed for quantitative immune cell migration studies and relevant clinical applications, cell isolation from blood in most studies still relied on specialized facilities. The process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, requires specialized skills, and often causes cell pre-activation.
New research projects that aim to improve the complex formulation processes used to manufacture products such as toothpastes, inhalers, films that coat solar cells and pharmaceuticals are to receive significant funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Seven projects, involving researchers at 16 universities across the UK and over 40 industrial and academic partners, will share £15 million in grants that cover a wide range of research.
Scientists at the University of Bristol have identified the trigger for immune cells' inflammatory response -- a discovery that may pave the way for new treatments for many human diseases.
Immune cells play essential roles in the maintenance and repair of our bodies. When we injure ourselves, immune cells mount a rapid inflammatory response to protect us against infection and help heal the damaged tissue.
Sexual conflict between males and females can lead to changes in the shape of their genitals, according to research on burying beetles by scientists at the University of Exeter.
The study, published today in the journal Evolution, provides new evidence that conflict over how often mating takes place can lead to males evolving longer penis-like organs and females larger 'claws' on their genitalia, within ten generations.
In the Mesozoic, the time of the dinosaurs, from 252 to 66 million years ago, marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs were top predators in the oceans. But their origins and early rise to dominance have been somewhat mysterious.
New research published this week in the journal Paleobiology by palaeobiologists from the University of Bristol shows that they burst onto the scene, rather than expanding slowly into their ecosystems.
Fifty-nine finfish species have 'disappeared' from fishermen's catches in the world's most species rich and vulnerable marine region, new research has shown.
In the largest study of its kind, experts from Newcastle University, UK, have highlighted the impact that uncontrolled fishing in particular is having on coral reefs.
Drawing on the knowledge of local fishermen in the Philippines, the team were able to build a picture of how finfish populations have declined over the last 65 years.
A team led by researchers from Tianjin University (P.R. China) has solved the structure of the Zika virus helicase, which is a key target for antiviral development. The research is published in Springer's journal Protein & Cell.
The Zika virus can cause microcephaly and other severe birth defects. However, as there are currently no effective vaccines or therapies available to contain ZIKV infection, ZIKV remains a significant challenge to public health.
Spotting native alligators and crocodiles in Florida is common, but anyone who sees a large reptile may want to take a second look-- man-eaters that can grow to 18 feet long and weigh as much as a small car have been found in the Sunshine State.
Using DNA analysis, University of Florida researchers have confirmed the capture of multiple Nile crocodiles in the wild.
Harvard researchers have created a new, greatly simplified, platform for antibiotic discovery that may go a long way to solving the crisis of antibiotic resistance.
In a study just published in the journal Nature, Andrew G. Myers and colleagues describe "a platform where we assemble eight (chemical) building blocks by a simple process to make macrolide antibiotics" without using erythromycin, the original macrolide antibiotic, and the drug upon which all others in the class have been based since the early 1950s.
Although known since the 1830s as a round, dark spot in a cell's nucleus, only recently has the nucleolus gotten its full due. Scientists have learned that besides building a cell's protein factories, this specialized subunit, or organelle, serves more broadly as a control center for cellular growth and health.
MAYWOOD, IL. -- In obese prostate cancer patients, robotic-assisted surgery to remove the prostate reduces the risk of blood loss and prolonged hospital stays, a Loyola Medicine study has found.
The study by senior author Gopal Gupta, MD and colleagues is published in the journal Current Urology. Dr. Gupta is an assistant professor in the Department of Urology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
A research team from Spain has prepared a Cochrane systematic review that explores the efficacy, safety, and adherence to fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) of drugs versus single-drug formulations to treat people who are newly diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB).
Tuberculosis (TB) is a curable and preventable disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis and most often affects the lungs of infected individuals. This disease is found worldwide, and 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Also, TB is the leading killer of HIV-positive people.
Scientists at UMass Medical School have created a computational network model that will enable the unraveling of the mechanisms by which different macro- and micronutrients contribute to the physiology of the nematode C. elegans, which is a primary model for understanding human physiology and disease. The purpose of the new network, called iCEL1273, is to provide a framework to gain a broader understanding of the interactions between the animal and its bacterial diet.