March 29, 2013--------News Archive

Diet changes gene expression and physiology
Sometimes you just can't resist a tiny piece of chocolate cake. Even the most health-conscious eaters find themselves indulging in junk foods from time to time. New research by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) raises the striking possibility that even small amounts of these occasional indulgences may produce significant changes in gene expression that could negatively impact physiology and health.

Combining estrogen-like chemicals strongly distorts normal hormones
Research has used a new technique to study our exposure to low doses of multiple xenoestrogens—bisphenol A, bisphenol S (the 'safer' alternative to bisphenol A), and nonylphenol (a common component of industrial detergents and surfactants). And they determine that combinations of endocrine disruptors could have a dramatically greater effect than any one of them alone.

Fewer children mean longer life?
New research into ageing, based on modern genetic techniques, confirms expectations between reproduction and lifespan. Studies of birds reveal that those that have offspring later in life, and have fewer broods, live longer.

March 28, 2013--------News Archive

Diet of organic food produces better fruit fly fertility and longevity
A new study looking at the potential health benefits of organic versus non-organic food found that fruit flies fed an organic diet recorded better health outcomes than flies fed a nonorganic diet.

The asymmetrical development of the heart
Viewed from the outside, our body looks completely symmetrical. However, most internal organs – including the heart – are formed asymmetrically. The right side of the heart is responsible for pulmonary circulation; the left side supplies the rest of the body. This asymmetry allows the heart to do its job effectively.

Single cell organism—Tetrahymena—has seven sexes
It's been more than 50 years since scientists discovered that the single-celled organism—Tetrahymena thermophila—has seven sexes. But in all that time, they've never known how each cell's sex, or "mating type" is determined. Now they do.

March 27, 2013--------News Archive

Amniotic fluid stem cells repair gut damage
Stem cells taken from amniotic fluid were used to restore gut structure and function following intestinal damage in rodents, in new research. The findings pave the way for a new form of cell therapy to reverse serious damage from inflammation in the intestines of babies.

Genetic sequence helps coordinate DNA-packaging
Every time a cell divides it makes a carbon copy of crucial ingredients, including the histone proteins that are responsible for spooling yards of DNA into tight little coils. When these spool-like proteins aren't made correctly, it can result in the genomic instability characteristic of most birth defects and cancers.

Hunger-spikes and autoimmune diseases
Neurons that control hunger in the central nervous system also regulate immune cells, implicating eating behavior as a defense against infections and autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are on a steady rise in the United States. These illnesses develop when the body's immune system turns on itself. Interactions between different T cells are at the heart of fighting infections, but have also been linked to autoimmune disorders.

March 26, 2013--------News Archive

Down syndrome molecular roots unraveled
Sanford-Burnham researchers discover that the extra chromosome inherited in Down syndrome impairs learning and memory because it leads to low levels of SNX27 protein in the brain. What's more, the researchers showed that restoring SNX27 in Down syndrome mice improves cognitive function and behavior.

Translational Medicine
T-cell therapy eradicates aggressive leukemia in 2 children
CHOP/Penn Medicine oncology team reports complete remission in pediatric ALL patients. Two children with an aggressive form of childhood leukemia had a complete remission of their disease—showing no evidence of cancer cells in their bodies—after treatment with a novel cell therapy that reprogrammed their immune cells to rapidly multiply and destroy leukemia cells.

New mechanism forming long-term memory discovered
University of California at Irvine (UC Irvine) neurobiologists have found a novel molecular mechanism that helps trigger the formation of long-term memory. The researchers believe the discovery of this mechanism adds another piece to the puzzle in the ongoing effort to uncover the mysteries of memory and, potentially, certain intellectual disabilities.