Body

A UCF College of Medicine researcher has identified for the first time a tiny liver protein that when disrupted can lead to the nation's top killer -- cardiovascular disease -- as well as fatty liver disease, a precursor to cancer.

The chief culprit in disabling the protein's delicate mechanics is a fatty acid found in red meat and butter.

London, United Kingdom, June 10, 2016: The results of a study presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2016) showed for the first time an association between a specific genetic pathway and the development of mouth ulcers in patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Linking the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genetic pathway with a specific disease characteristic among SLE patients represents an important step towards unravelling the genetic basis of different SLE clinical presentations.

London, United Kingdom, June 10, 2016: The results of a study presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2016) showed for the first time a beneficial effect of oestrogens in experimental models of skin fibrosis that are representative of the disease process in systemic sclerosis (SSc). These findings may explain the increased incidence of SSc in women after the menopause, the greater severity of SSc in men, and importantly open up the possibility of developing potential hormone therapies for this difficult-to-treat condition.

Much of the research on Alzheimer's disease has focused on the amyloid beta protein, which clumps together into sticky fibrils that form deposits in the brains of people with the disease. In recent years, attention has turned away from the fibrils themselves to an intermediate stage in the aggregation of amyloid beta. "Oligomers" consisting of a few molecules of the protein stuck together are more mobile than the large, insoluble fibrils and seem to be much more toxic.

According to a new study by The University of Texas at Austin, increasing the diversity of pollinator species, including bees, flies and butterflies, can dramatically increase cotton production. The researchers estimate that in South Texas, the region they studied, increasing the diversity of pollinators could boost cotton production by up to 18 percent, yielding an increase in annual revenue of more than $1.1 million.

Charlotte, N.C., June 10, 2016 - A survey of nearly 1,000 nursing homes in the U.S. found little consistency across facilities of policies implemented to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a new study presented at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Charlotte, N.C., June 10, 2016 - When healthcare providers know they are being watched, they are twice as likely to comply with hand hygiene guidelines. This is in comparison to when healthcare providers do not know someone is watching, according to a new study being presented at the 43rd Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Pennsylvania and China, report that not only are there distinct differences in key cellular processes and molecular signatures between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) but, more surprisingly, there are joint-specific differences in RA.

An isolated population of honeybees, the Cape bees, living in South Africa has evolved a strategy to reproduce without males. A research team from Uppsala University has sequenced the entire genomes of a sample of Cape bees and compared them with other populations of honeybees to find out the genetic mechanisms behind their asexual reproduction.

Scientists have won new knowledge on the molecular background of fat and energy metabolism disorders through a large-scale proteomic study with mice. The proteome is the entire set of proteins - in this case, proteins from the livers of mice. A research group specialising in proteomics, led by ETH Zurich Professor Ruedi Aebersold, and a group specialising in mitochondrial physiology and liver diseases, led by EPFL Professor Johan Auwerx, worked together on this ground-breaking project.

In today's Science, the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) calls for a federated data ecosystem for sharing genomic and clinical data. The authorship, which includes Richard Durbin, Julia Wilson, Stephen Keenan, and David Lloyd of the Wellcome Trust, as well as a diverse team of international leaders in academia, research, medicine, and industry, argues that a common framework of principles, protocols, and interoperable technical systems are necessary to enable responsible and effective data sharing.

PULLMAN, Wash. - Skin cells typically spend their entire existence in one place on your body. But Washington State University researchers have seen how the cells will alter the proteins holding them in place and move to repair a wound.

"And they walk," said Jonathan Jones, director of WSU's School of Molecular Biosciences and lead author of a paper on the phenomenon in the FASEB Journal.

With a better understanding of the process behind the cell movement, scientists might be able to manipulate and enhance it so wounds heal more quickly.

CINCINNATI--Early findings by researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine suggest that the use of a second generation cancer drug, carfilzomib, may provide an improved approach for the reduction of antibodies in potential kidney transplant candidates. The research team includes members from UC Transplant Clinical Research, UC's Division of Hematology Oncology and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center's Biomedical Informatics division.

A 3-inch monogamous hermaphrodite proves the saying "there's plenty more fish in the sea" isn't always the case.

For the tiny fish found in the coral reefs off Panama, a lifelong relationship with its partner doesn't come without some give and take. In fact, the faithful pair owe their evolutionary success to trading male and female roles: According to an April 2016 University of Florida study in the journal of Behavioral Ecology, the fish switch genders at least 20 times each day.

A special issue of the academic journal Deep-sea Research II, published recently, is devoted to expanding understanding of the global issue of chemical munitions dumped at sea.