and may be key to developing new drugs and therapies. Specifically principal investigator Albert R. La Spada MD Phd professor of cellular and molecular medicine chief of the Division of Genetics in the Department of Pediatrics and associate director of the Institute for Genomic medicine
at UC San diego and colleagues found that a microrna known as let-7 controls autophagy through the amino acid sensing pathway which has emerged as the most potent activator of mtorc1 complex activity.
Cells have adapted further autophagy for other purposes as well including recycling dysfunctional components immune response to pathogen invasion surveillance against cancer
and is very surprisingsaid La Spada. s let-7 is known to be a tumor suppressor its ability to activate autophagy could be a major component of its anti-tumor forming activitythough La Spada noted that autophagy may also contrarily promote tumor progression
by supporting the altered metabolism of growing cancers. With let-7 revealed to be a master regulator of metabolism helping to modulate anabolic growth (the creation of new molecules in cells) with catabolic destruction (the breakdown of molecules in cells) researchers say the overall picture
and overall homeostasis or a healthy equilibrium. he therapeutic potential of let-7 remains to be explored.
and colleagues have shown that a lentivirus encoding let-7 injected into mouse neurons promotes the autophagic turnover of toxic misfolded proteins associated with neurodegenerative disease. e also demonstrate that treatment with anti-let-7 can block autophagy
It is possible that modulation of let-7 could be pursued for therapeutic application using very carefully targeted delivery systems
and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have discovered a small molecule that blocks a form of cell death that triggers inflammation opening the door for potential new treatments for inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis Crohn's disease
and psoriasis. The researchers made the discovery while investigating how a protein called MLKL kills cells in a process known as necroptosis.
while warning the immune system that something has gone wrong such as during viral infection. However when necroptosis is activated inappropriately it can promote inflammation and the development of inflammatory disease.
Dr Joanne Hildebrand Ms Maria Tanzer Dr James Murphy Associate professor John Silke and colleagues studied how MLKL changes shape to trigger cell death.
Understanding how it becomes active can help uncover new ways to treat disease. Dr Hildebrand said the research team found that a particular part of the protein became'unlatched
Dr Murphy said institute scientists would now embark on a collaborative project with Catalyst Therapeutics to develop a potent new drug based on the small molecule identified in the study.
and improve treatments for inflammatory disease e
#Anorexia/bulimia: Bacterial protein implicated Eating disorders (ED) such as anorexia nervosa bulimia and binge eating disorder affect approximately 5-10%of the general population
but the biological mechanisms involved are unknown. Researchers at Inserm Unit 1073 Nutrition inflammation and dysfunction of the gut-brain axis (Inserm/University of Rouen) have demonstrated the involvement of a protein produced by some intestinal bacteria that may be the source of these disorders.
These results are published in the journal Translational Psychiatry in the online issue of 7 october 2014.
Anorexia nervosa bulimia and binge eating disorder are all eating disorders (ED) . If the less well defined and atypical forms are included ED affect 15-20%of the population particularly adolescents and young adults.
Despite various psychiatric genetic and neurobiological studies the molecular mechanism responsible for these disorders remains mysterious.
The sensation of satiety is reached (anorexia) or not reached (bulimia or overeating). Moreover the bacterial protein itself seems to have anorexigenic properties.
Furthermore their immunological response determined the development of eating disorders in the direction of anorexia or bulimia.
and open up new perspectives for the diagnosis and specific treatment of eating disorders. Correcting the action of the protein mimicking the satiety hormonewe are presently working to develop a blood test based on detection of the bacterial protein Clpb.
#New pathway discovered regulating autoimmune diseases The main function of the immune system is to protect against diseases and infections.
which can result in diseases such as multiple sclerosis type 1 diabetes lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. There are currently no existing cures for these diseases.
Now in a new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) a potential treatment maybe on the horizon.
and food protects against autoimmune diseases by altering the immune response and turning destructive cells into protective cells.
The molecule is also able to reverse disease progression by restoring damaged tissue caused by the autoimmunity process.
and restore tissue integrity by activating stem cells said Abdallah Elkhal Phd BWH Division of Transplant Surgery and Transplantation Surgery Research Laboratory senior study author.
and may serve for the development of novel therapeutics. The study is published online October 7 2014 in Nature Communications.
The scientists performed preclinical trials using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis a preclinical model for human multiple sclerosis.
Mice receiving CD4+T cells along with NAD+present had delayed a significant onset of disease as well as a less severe form
not only autoimmune diseases but other acute or chronic conditions such as allergy chronic obstructive pulmonary disease sepsis and immunodeficiency said Stefan G. Tullius MD Phd BWH Chief of Transplant Surgery
and Director of Transplantation Surgery Research lead study author. Moreover the researchers demonstrated that NAD+can restore tissue integrity
which may benefit patients that have advanced tissue damage caused by autoimmune diseases. In terms of next steps Elkhal notes that the lab is currently testing additional pathways and the clinical potential of NAD+.
Thus we hope that its potential as a powerful therapeutic agent for the treatment of autoimmune diseases will facilitate its use in future clinical trials.
The above story is provided based on materials by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
#Thyroid carcinoma: Biomarker reveals cancer cause The expression of the protein CLIP2*provides information on
whether a papillary thyroid carcinoma was induced by radiation or had a sporadic origin. With this discovery, scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München have identified a new biomarker for the diagnosis of the cancer cause.
Their findings have been published in the journal Oncogene. CLIP2 serves as a radiation marker: After exposure to radiation from radioiodine, both the genetic activity and the protein expression are increased,
as the scientists'studies were able to substantiate. CLIP2 appears to be particularly significant in the development of tumours in the thyroid gland after radiation exposure.
Dr. Horst Zitzelsberger from the Radiation Cytogenetics Research Unit at the Helmholtz Zentrum München discovered a connection between high CLIP2 levels and the radiation history of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma."
"In our study, we were able to verify radiation-associated CLIP2 expression at the protein level in three different cohorts of patients with thyroid carcinoma,"reports first author Selmansberger.
The research paper was prepared at the Helmholtz Zentrum München in cooperation with the Institute of Radiation Protection and the Analytical Pathology Research Unit.
Radiation marker CLIP2 allows distinction of cancer cause and risk assessment"CLIP2 serves as a radiation marker
and allows us to distinguish between radiation-induced and sporadic thyroid carcinomas, "adds study leader Heß.
and to evaluate the risk of thyroid cancer after exposure to high level radiation, for instance, following a radiation accident,"reports Heß.
The Helmholtz Zentrum München focuses its work in health research on major widespread diseases. In addition to diabetes and lung diseases, this also includes cancer.
The objective of the Helmholtz Zentrum München is the rapid further development of the results of basic research
*CAP-GLY domain containing linker protein 2. The exact function of CLIP2 in the carcinogenesis of thyroid carcinoma is unknown.
#Non-coding half of human genome unlocked with novel sequencing technique An obscure swatch of human DNA once thought to be nothing more than biological trash may actually offer a treasure trove of insight into complex genetic-related diseases such as cancer
and diabetes thanks to a novel sequencing technique developed by biologists at Texas A&m University.
We know that there is hidden variation there like disease proclivities or things that are evolutionarily important
and as a whole--would be packed with complex genes with the potential to answer some of the most pressing questions in medical biology.
and disease and finding personalized therapies Maggert said. However this topic is incomplete unless biologists can look at the entire genome.
#New device for heart failure safely improves heart function, quality of life, study shows A new implantable device to control heart failure is showing promising results in the first trial to determine safety and effectiveness in patients according to lead researcher Dr. William Abraham of The Ohio State university Wexner
Medical center. Results of the study are published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology Heart failure.
Heart failure is one of the fastest growing forms of heart disease and it's one of the most common reasons people are hospitalized said Abraham director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Ohio State's Wexner Medical center.
The optimal drug therapies we have today often aren't enough to manage this disease for some patients
so we are always looking for new types of therapies. Abraham and other cardiovascular researchers at seven U s. centers examined an extra-aortic counterpulsation system called C-Pulse made by Sunshine Heart Inc. It's a cuff that wraps around the aorta
and syncs with the patient's heartbeat rapidly inflating and deflating a small balloon to help squeeze blood through the aorta to circulate throughout the body.
It's powered through a wire that exits the abdomen and connects to an external driver worn by the patient.
The driver can be plugged in or battery-powered. In the pilot study 20 patients with New york Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or ambulatory functional class IV heart failure were implanted with the device.
Patients were evaluated at six months and one year. At both times 16 of the patients showed significant improvements in NYHA functional class.
At the one year mark three of the patients had mild or no symptoms of heart failure.
I effectively reversing their heart failure Abraham said. Additionally patients were able to walk an average 100 feet farther during standardized measures
Drug and device therapies that are currently available for heart failure improve that same quality of life score by only five or 10 points.
The most common adverse effect during the trial was infection of the exit site experienced by 8 out of 20 participants.
and antibiotic therapy could reduce that risk in future studies. There were no hospitalizations among the participants for stroke thrombosis sepsis or bleeding
which often occurs in patients using left ventricular assist devices (LVADS). The researchers said this is due to the device remaining outside the bloodstream.
The above story is provided based on materials by Ohio State university Wexner Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
In a new study that should make it easier to develop such stem-cell-based therapies a team of researchers from MIT
and calling stem cells are producing a beneficial therapeutic outcome but many of the cells that you're putting in are not Van Vliet says.
You can now find the needles in the haystack and use them for human therapy.
To test this hypothesis the researchers used a device Han had developed previously to capture circulating tumor cells based on their size.
and bone injuries while cells identified as osteogenic stromal cells were able to repair bone but not muscle.
and purification of bone marrow-derived stem cells for tissue repair in human patients suffering from a range of tissue-degenerative diseases The team is now working on high-speed methods for separating MSCS.
Creating more pure populations of such cells should lead to more effective stem-cell treatments for tissue injuries Van Vliet says.
which could prove useful for treating bone injuries. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Massachusetts institute of technology.
#How rabies hijacks neurons to attack brain Rabies causes acute inflammation of the brain, producing psychosis and violent aggression.
is always deadly for those unable to obtain vaccines in time. Some 55,000 people die from rabies every year.
For the first time, Tel aviv University scientists have discovered the exact mechanism this killer virus uses to efficiently enter the central nervous system,
The study, published in PLOS Pathogens, was conducted by Dr. Eran Perlson and Shani Gluska of TAU's Sackler Faculty of medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience,
"Rabies not only hijacks the nervous system's machinery, it also manipulates that machinery to move faster,
"We have shown that rabies enters a neuron in the peripheral nervous system by binding to a nerve growth factor receptor, responsible for the health of neurons, called p75.
and when disrupted it can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, "said Dr. Perlson.""Understanding how an organism such as rabies manipulates this machinery may help us in the future to either restore the process
or even to manipulate it to our own therapeutic needs.""Hijacking the hijacker"A tempting premise is to use this same machinery to introduce drugs or genes into the nervous system,"Dr. Perlson added.
By shedding light on how the virus hijacks the transport system in nerve cells to reach its target organ with maximal speed and efficiency,
the researchers hope their findings will allow scientists to control the neuronal transport machinery to treat rabies and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Disruptions of the neuron train system also contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS.
because they have a large amount of crop pathogen. However this species has other subspecies that does not harm their host plants
Both research studies are about the same discovery made for two different viruses namely that viruses can convert their DNA to liquid form at the moment of infection.
Our results explain the mechanism behind herpes infection by showing how the DNA of the virus enters the cell said Alex Evilevitch a researcher in biochemistry and biophysics at Lund University and Carnegie mellon University.
Evilevitch hopes that the research findings will lead to a new type of medicine that targets the phase transition for virus DNA
which could then reduce the infection capability and limit the spread of the virus. A drug of this type affects the physical properties of the virus's DNA
in order to facilitate infection indicates that this could be a general mechanism found in many types of virus. In previous studies Alex Evilevitch
and his colleagues have succeeded in measuring the DNA pressure inside the virus that provides the driving force for infection.
and biotechnology to precisely manipulate small volumes of fluids for use in applications such as enzymatic or DNA analysis pathogen detection clinical diagnostic testing and synthetic chemistry.
#Artificial membranes on silicon Artificial membranes mimicking those found in living organisms have many potential applications ranging from detecting bacterial contaminants in food to toxic pollution in the environment to dangerous diseases in people.
because they offer the possibility of containing membrane proteins--biological molecules that could be used for detecting toxins diseases and many other biosensing applications.
--and cancer Scientists reveal the structure of one of the most important and complicated proteins in cell division--a fundamental process in life
and the development of cancer--in research published in Nature. Images of the gigantic protein in unprecedented detail will transform scientists'understanding of exactly how cells copy their chromosomes
A team from The Institute of Cancer Research London and the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular biology in Cambridge produced the first detailed images of the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C). The APC/C
Discovering its structure could ultimately lead to new treatments for cancer which hijacks the normal process of cell division to make thousands of copies of harmful cancer cells.
In the study which was funded by Cancer Research UK the researchers reconstituted human APC/C
Dr David Barford who led the study as Professor of Molecular biology at The Institute of Cancer Research London before taking up a new position at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular biology in Cambridge said:
Professor Paul Workman Interim Chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research London said: The fantastic insights into molecular structure provided by this study are a vivid illustration of the critical role played by fundamental cell biology in cancer research.
The new study is a major step forward in our understanding of cell division. When this process goes awry it is a critical difference that separates cancer cells from their healthy counterparts.
Understanding exactly how cancer cells divide inappropriately is crucial to the discovery of innovative cancer treatments to improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Dr Kat Arney Science Information Manager at Cancer Research UK said Figuring out how the fundamental molecular'nuts and bolts'of cells work is vital
The above story is provided based on materials by Cancer Research UK. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
Using this EHPS approach to create the nanocrystalline spinel the NRL research team did not observe any decline in density or fracture resistance due to residual porosity.
but they have had all problems with the final product such as a reduced density reduced fracture resistance or reduced transparency.
which can reduce hardness fracture resistance and transparency. NRL's Wollmershauser notes that some theories suggest that fracture resistance should decrease
when you make a ceramic material nanocrystalline. However in their work the NRL researchers have shown that the fracture resistance does not change suggesting that nanocrystalline ceramics can have an equivalent toughness to microcrystalline ceramics
which is important for high window lifetimes. The Hall-Petch relationship has been used to describe the phenomenon where a material's strength
#Advantages, potential of computer-guided spinal surgery In a series of research studies Cedars-Sinai spinal surgeons show that a new method of computer-guided spine surgery is beneficial for spinal reconstruction
and for treating complex tumors and degenerative spine problems resulting in fewer complications and better outcomes for patients.
The Cedars-Sinai surgeons highlight the advantages of a spinal navigation technique that uses high-speed computerized tomography (CT) imaging to navigate in and around the spinal column from different angles.
They present their findings in six articles published in the current issue of Neurosurgical Focus an online peer-reviewed journal published by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
It allows surgeons to more precisely and accurately place reconstruction screws in the narrow bony corridors of the spine avoiding nerves blood vessels and other critical structures.
and the need for follow-up surgeries they write. Computer-guided surgical navigation technology delivers on quality
and safety said J. Patrick Johnson MD a neurosurgery spine specialist and director of Spine Education and the Neurosurgery Spine Fellowship program in the Department of Neurosurgery.
It clearly improves outcomes in spine care. The computerized navigation system uses a mobile CT SCANNER to take cross-sectional images of the spine
while a patient is in surgery. The images are transferred to a computer which displays them on overhead monitors that allow precise tracking of surgical instruments as surgeons insert screws for reconstruction
and perform other complex procedures on the spine. Surgeons said the technique is superior to existing methods because of its precision and speed.
They point out that even small miscalculations with two-dimensional technology can cause problems that require follow-up operations
The Cedars-Sinai surgeons say they have cut these to nearly zero by using computer-guided methods.
The surgeons said the technology has others applications for treating spinal disorders serving as a tool to remove tumors decompress the spinal column
and perform minimally-invasive surgery. This approach represents a major leap forward for instrumented spine surgery said Terrence T. Kim MD an orthopedic spine surgeon in the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center and expert in the computer-guided navigation field.
We're looking at the future. Joining Drs. Johnson and Kim as study co-authors are Doniel Drazin MD a senior resident in the Department of Neurosurgery and Robert S. Pashman MD a clinical associate professor and orthopedic spine surgeon at the Cedars
-Sinai Spine Center. The group's studies accounted for six of 10 articles in the March issue of Neurological Focus.
A spokeswoman at the online journal said it is highly unusual for a single institution to publish a majority of articles in a single journal issue.
and computer-aided system used during minimally invasive surgery increased the accuracy of screw placement into vertebral pedicle bones.
and the mobile CT SCANNER allowed for more accurate surgical placement even within the narrowest parts of the thoracic spine particularly challenging regions in women
A third study determined that the image-guided technique can be useful for other minimally invasive procedures including thoracic endoscopic spine surgery to remove tumors infections
The final two articles offer an overview of computer-guided surgery of the spine including its use in revision
or redo spine surgeries that are often the most complex; and the potential future use of robotic spine surgery with computer navigation.
The special issue of the journal can be accessed at: http://thejns. org/toc/foc/36/3story Source:
The above story is provided based on materials by Cedars-Sinai Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
and treat human waste result in serious health problems and death--food and water tainted with pathogens from fecal matter results in the deaths of roughly 700000 children each year.
Linden's team is one of 16 around the world funded by the Gates Reinvent the Toilet Challenge since 2011.
and transferred to the fiber-optic cable system--similar in some ways to a data transmission line--can heat up the reaction chamber to over 600 degrees Fahrenheit to treat the waste material disinfect pathogens in both feces and urine and produce char.
#A plague of fleas: Tiny Eurasian exotic is upending watery ecosystems across the northern Great lakes The zooplankton never saw it coming.
Unfortunately that doesn't stop the odd Typhoid Mary. In some places along Highway 41 in Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula every lake we tested with a boat ramp had Bythotrephes.
#Painting robot lends surgeons a hand in the operating room Would you let an artist perform lifesaving surgery on you?
and shapes a surgeon makes with a scalpel using a paintbrush and canvas. His invention a creative blend of art and science could one day lend doctors a hand in practicing complex robot-assisted surgeries without having to step foot in an operating room.
Rethinking roboticslee a sophomore who plans to major in chemistry spent his high school years building everything from a robot that can balance on a beam to a robotic arm that can throw a ball.
and that prompted the idea of robotic surgery. Lee said painting and surgery have more in common than initially meets the eye.
A painter has to be nimble and precise with his brushstrokes much like a surgeon must be nimble and precise with a scalpel.
When you are dissecting a part of the human body you have to be one hundred percent perfect he said.
With the support of a grant from the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URECA) Center Lee teamed up with Craig Hamilton an associate professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest Baptist Medical center
and shapes a surgeon makes with a scalpel all on its own he said. You can think of a painting canvas as a body and the brush as a surgeon's knife.
Practicing in a surgeon's studiocurrently surgical robots are controlled by a human operator and do not perform procedures autonomously.
While Lee's robot may never be put to work in an operating room it and other robots like it could one day help researchers to design fully autonomous robotic surgeons.
In addition to teaching the robot to paint autonomously Lee also explored the idea of using his robot as a training tool for surgeons who need practice operating a Da vinci surgical arm.
At the Wake Forest Medical center doctors use replica bodies to help train surgeons to use the Da vinci system Lee said.
These replicas are compared pretty expensive to my robotic arm which cost around $1500. This April Lee will represent Wake Forest at the ACC Meeting of the Minds an event where outstanding undergraduate researchers from each ACC university gather at one member university to present their research either verbally or as a poster.
#Cell-Squeezing Device Opens New Possibilities for Cell-Based Vaccines A newly published study details how researchers from MIT developed a new microfluidic cell-squeezing device, opening new possibilities for cell
-based vaccines. MIT researchers have shown that they can use a microfluidic cell-squeezing device to introduce specific antigens inside the immune system B cells,
and implementing antigen-presenting cell vaccines. Such vaccines, created by reprogramming a patient own immune cells to fight invaders,
hold great promise for treating cancer and other diseases. However, several inefficiencies have limited their translation to the clinic
and only one therapy has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. While most of these vaccines are created with dendritic cells,
a class of antigen-presenting cells with broad functionality in the immune system, the researchers demonstrate in a study published in Scientific Reports that B cells can be engineered to serve as an alternative. e wanted to remove an important barrier in using B cells as an antigen-presenting cell population,
helping them complement or replace dendritic cells, says Gregory Szeto, a postdoc at MIT Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research and the paper lead author.
Darrell Irvine a member of the Koch Institute and a professor of biological engineering and of materials sciences and engineering, is the paper senior author.
A new vaccine-preparation approachdendritic cells are the most naturally versatile antigen-presenting cells. In the body, they continuously sample antigens from potential invaders,
which they process and present on their cell surface. The cells then migrate to the spleen or the lymph nodes,
when for cell-based vaccines: They have a short lifespan, they do not divide when activated,
which has limited options for B-cell-based vaccine programming. Using Cellsqueeze circumvents this problem, and by being able to separately configure delivery and activation,
researchers have greater control over vaccine design. Gail Bishop a professor of microbiology at the University of Iowa Carver School of medicine and director of the school Center for Immunology and Immune-Based Diseases, says that this paper presents a reative new approach with considerable potential in the development
of antigen-presenting cell vaccines.?The antigen-presenting capabilities of B cells have often been underestimated, but they are being appreciated increasingly for their practical advantages in therapies,
says Bishop, who was involved not in this research. his new technical approach permits loading B cells effectively with virtually any antigen
and has the additional benefit of targeting the antigens to the CD8 T-cell presentation pathway, thus facilitating the activation of the killer T cells desired in many clinical applications. ain squeezearmon Sharei, now a visiting scientist at the Koch Institute,
in this new study, demonstrates promise as a versatile platform for creating more effective cell-based vaccines. ur dream is to spawn out a whole class of therapies
and putting them back into your body to fight your disease, whatever that may be, Sharei says.
Future stepsthe researchers say they now plan to refine their B-cell-based vaccine to optimize distribution and function of the immune cells in the body.
A b-cell-based approach could also reduce the amount of patient blood required to prepare a vaccine.
patients receiving cell-based vaccines must have drawn blood over several hours each time a new dose must be prepared.
and cost required to engineer cell-based vaccines. e envision a future system, if we can take advantage of its microfluidic nature,
you could do it in your hospital or your doctor office. s the biology and technology become further refined,
the authors say that their approach could potentially be a more efficient, more effective, and less expensive method for developing cell-based therapies for patients. own the road,
you could potentially get enough cells from just a normal syringe-based blood draw, run it through a bedside device that has the antigen you want to vaccinate against,
and then you have the vaccine, Szeto says. This research was funded by the Kathy and Curt Marble Cancer Research Fund through the Koch Institute Frontier Research Program, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of General medicine Sciences
and the Howard hughes medical institute. Publication: Armon Sharei, et al. x Vivo Cytosolic Delivery of Functional Macromolecules to Immune Cells, PLOS One, 2015;
DOI: 10.1371/journal. pone. 0118803source: Kevin Leonardi, Koch Instituteimage: SQZ Biotec 8
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