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"Friendly Viruses" Shield Us From Infection
We have heard of friendly gut bacteria that help us digest food and are thought to be essential for gut development, but now, in a new breakthrough study, scientists in the US suggest we also carry friendly viruses that shield us from infection by dangerous bacteria like E. coli. First author Jeremy Barr, a biology post-doctoral Fellow at San Diego State University, and colleagues, write about this previously undocumented "immune system" in a paper published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this week...
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Advance Made In Nanotech Gene Sequencing Technique
The allure of personalized medicine has made new, more efficient ways of sequencing genes a top research priority. One promising technique involves reading DNA bases using changes in electrical current as they are threaded through a nanoscopic hole. Now, a team led by University of Pennsylvania physicists has used solid-state nanopores to differentiate single-stranded DNA molecules containing sequences of a single repeating base...
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Identifying Risk Factors For Depression Among COPD Patients
Patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) typically suffer from depression more frequently than those without COPD, resulting in higher levels of disability and illness and increasing the overall healthcare burden for the COPD population. Now, a study from researchers in Argentina indicates female COPD patients and patients who experience significant shortness of breath may have the greatest risk for developing depression. The results of the study were presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference...
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Identification Of Molecular Trigger For Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers have pinpointed a catalytic trigger for the onset of Alzheimer's disease - when the fundamental structure of a protein molecule changes to cause a chain reaction that leads to the death of neurons in the brain. For the first time, scientists at Cambridge's Department of Chemistry have been able to map in detail the pathway that generates "aberrant" forms of proteins which are at the root of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's...
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Hospital Mortality In Septic Shock Patients In The ICU Affected By Source Of Infection
In ICU patients who have septic shock, the anatomic source of infection has a strong effect on the chances of survival, according to a new study from researchers in Canada. "Understanding the local infection source in patients with septic shock may influence treatment strategies and clinical outcomes," said researcher Peter Dodek, MD MHSc, professor of critical care medicine at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver...
