Reassorted H5N1 viruses and pandemic potential: Much ado about nothing?
Over the last six months, an international collaboration between the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Pathological Sciences and several Japanese universities has generated a considerable amount of controversy over their attempts to publish research involving experimental modifications to the avian H5N1 influenza virus.
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Potential determinants of short stature in West African pygmy populations uncovered
For centuries, the idea of pygmy culture has captured the imaginations of worldwide audiences, signifying the ends of the civilized world for Westerners.
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Synthetic XNA Polymers: The Next Frontier of Genetics Research?
An international collaboration of biochemists has recently presented an exciting new paper in which they suggest some alternatives to the traditional view that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the only molecule which could possibly play a long-term role as a reservoir of genetic information.
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Blocking CD47-mediated communication promotes phagocytosis of cancerous tumor cells
Last week, an exciting study was published which provides evidence for a hopeful new target for therapies directed at slowing the progression of cancerous tumors.
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Inhibition of chaperone-mediated autophagy and LAMP-2A localization by dietary lipids
A recent collaboration between the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Columbia University, and National University of Singapore has recently published an interesting paper which explores the relationship between increases of dietary lipid intake and potential decreases to an important mechanism of organismal cell death which has been previously associated with disorders such as Parkinson’s disea
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Downregulation of Wnt7a by DNMT1: Lung tissue responses to cigarette smoke
Recently, researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine presented evidence which sheds some light on the biochemical mechanisms which underlie the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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Bmi-1 knockout mice display significant neurodegenerative characteristics
An interesting study has recently been published in PLoS which connects the polycomb repressor protein Bmi-1 to the processes of premature brain degeneration in mouse models.
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Using molecular ozone to destroy prions: A new method for preventing infection?
An effective method for the decontamination of infectious wastes has recently been investigated by a Canadian research team, one which is hoped to provide more thorough sanitation procedures for a variety of settings, including hospitals, water treatment facilities, and slaughterhouses.
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Abolishment of Hdac6 deacetylase activity leads to heightened emotional responses
A collaborative international study between researchers at Duke University and two different Japanese universities has recently yielded important insight into the role of histone deacetylases (Hdacs) in the normal emotional centers of the brain. This research, which was published last week in the journal PLoS, provides evidence that these enzymes may be responsible for a significantly greater number of cellular and physiological processes than what has been previously recognized, and provides a novel target for the potential therapeutic intervention in emotional disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety.
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