Body | Page 4506 | Science Codex

Diabetes drug kills cancer stem cells in combination treatment in mice

BOSTON, Mass. (September 14, 2009) -- In a one-two punch, a familiar diabetes drug reduced tumors faster and prolonged remission in mice longer than chemotherapy alone, apparently by targeting cancer stem cells, report Harvard Medical School researchers in the Sept. 14 advance online Cancer Research.

"We have found a compound selective for cancer stem cells," said senior author Kevin Struhl, the David Wesley Gaiser professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at HMS. "What's different is that ours is a first-line diabetes drug."

Researchers remotely control cells with 'on-off' light switch

UCSF researchers have genetically encoded mouse cells to respond to light, creating cells that can be trained to follow a light beam or stop on command like microscopic robots.

This is the first time researchers have been able to import a light controlled "on-off switch" from plants into a mammalian cell to instantly control a variety of cell functions, the researchers said. As such, it offers both a powerful new tool in cancer and cardiovascular research, as well as the potential to ultimately control complex processes such as nerve growth.

New molecular evidence lends support to Darwinian Evolution

An international team of researchers, including Monash University biochemists, has discovered evidence at the molecular level in support of one of the key tenets of Darwin's theory of evolution.

Monash University's Professor Trevor Lithgow said the breakthrough, funded by the Australian Research Council and published recently in the prestigious journal PNAS, provides a blueprint for a general understanding of the evolution of the "machinery" of our cells.

Prolonged stress sparks ER to release calcium stores and induce cell death in aging-related diseases

Li et al. explain how prolonged stress sparks the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to release its calcium stores, inducing cells to undergo apoptosis in several aging-related diseases.The study will appear in the September 21, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (online September 14).

Study shows how disruption of spectrin-actin network causes lens cells in the eye to lose shape

A network of proteins underlying the plasma membrane keeps epithelial cells in shape and maintains their orderly hexagonal packing in the mouse lens, say Nowak et al. The study will appear in the September 21, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (online September 14).

Communication problems in dementia care cause physical strain

Excessive physical strain in dementia care is not so much related to equipment or the resident's body weight as it is due to communication problems and misunderstandings. This is shown in a new study from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Dementia not only affects the memory and other cognitive functions, but also motor skills such as the ability to walk.

Seal of quality for hygienic equipment

Before entering the cleanroom, the researcher dons special protective clothing to avoid carrying germs or other impurities into the highly sensitive environment. But it's not only people who have to conform to the strict hygiene requirements. Every item of equipment in the room, from lithography units to swivel chairs, must also comply with international guidelines.

Understanding the implications of prenatal testing for Down syndrome

Boston, Mass. – With new prenatal tests for Down syndrome on the horizon promising to be safer, more accurate, and available to women earlier in pregnancy, the medical community must come together and engage in dialogue about the impact of existing and expected tests, argues a new leading article published Online First by Archives of Disease in Childhood.

High-res view of zinc transport protein

UPTON, NY — How much difference can a tenth of a nanometer make? When it comes to figuring out how proteins work, an improvement in resolution of that miniscule amount can mean the difference between seeing where atoms are and understanding how they interact.

When nano may not be nano

DURHAM, N.C. – The same properties of nanoparticles that make them so appealing to manufacturers may also have negative effects on the environment and human health.

However, little is known which particles may be harmful. Part of the problem is determining exactly what a nanoparticle is.

Exploring how stem cells make skin

Stem cells have a unique ability: when they divide, they can either give rise to more stem cells, or to a variety of specialised cell types. In both mice and humans, a layer of cells at the base of the skin contains stem cells that can develop into the specialised cells in the layers above.

Master gene that switches on disease-fighting cells identified by scientists

The master gene that causes blood stem cells to turn into disease-fighting 'Natural Killer' (NK) immune cells has been identified by scientists, in a study published in Nature Immunology today. The discovery could one day help scientists boost the body's production of these frontline tumour-killing cells, creating new ways to treat cancer.

University of Hawaii at Manoa CRCH scientists report adulthood body size associated with cancer risk

A team of scientists led by researcher Brenda Hernandez, Ph.D., M.P.H.—an assistant professor at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa's Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i—has reported that body mass in younger and older adulthood, and weight gain between these life periods, may influence a man's risk for prostate cancer. This risk varies among different ethnic groups, according to findings reported in a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

SRI to present hydrogen fuel safety research results at 2009 International Conference

SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced today it will present new research identifying methods for designing safer structures in the future for hydrogen fueled vehicles, at the upcoming International Conference on Hydrogen Safety, Sept. 16 - 18, in Ajaccio–Corsica, France.

Biologists discover 'death stench' is a universal ancient warning signal

HAMILTON, Ont. September 11, 2009—The smell of recent death or injury that repels living relatives of insects has been identified as a truly ancient signal that functions to avoid disease or predators, biologists have discovered.

David Rollo, professor of biology at McMaster University, found that corpses of animals, from insects to crustaceans, all emit the same death stench produced by a blend of specific fatty acids.

The findings have been published in the journal Evolutionary Biology.