Health | Page 1072 of 1374 | SpiritIndia.com

Life :: Scientists find new way to search for origin of life – DNA microarray technology

Over the last half century, researchers have found that mineral surfaces may have played critical roles organizing, or activating, molecules that would become essential ingredients to all life–such as amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and nucleic acids (the essence of DNA). But which of the countless possible combinations of biomolecules and mineral surfaces were key to this evolution? This vexing question has stumped scientists for years because of the sheer volume of possibilities.

Biotechnology :: Nature’s process for nitrogen fixation caught in action – PNAS

A research team from Utah State University, Virginia Tech, and Northwestern University asked whether the biological process for nitrogen fixation, carried out by microbes that contain the enzyme nitrogenase, follows the same pathway as recently reported chemical methods. Their research method resulted in the ability to witness steps in the biological process that enables some microorganisms to convert atmospheric nitrogen to nutrients.

Depression :: New depression model advances disease frontiers – CAMH

For over 30 years, scientists believed that monoamines are low in the brain during major depressive episodes. However, no one ever found a convincing explanation for monoamine loss. Dr. Jeffrey Meyer and colleagues discovered that higher levels of MAO-A is the primary process that lowers monoamine levels. Having more MAO-A leads to greater breakdown of chemicals like serotonin. Based on these results, and work from previous publications, Dr. Meyer developed an advanced monoamine model of depression.

Radiation :: Quantized heat conduction by photons observed – Finland

In a recent experiment, to be published in Nature on Nov. 9, Dr. Matthias Meschke and professor Jukka Pekola, together with Dr. Wiebke Guichard, a coworker from French CNRS, investigated heat exchange between two small pieces of normal metal, connected to each other only via superconducting leads. The results demonstrate that at very low temperatures heat is transferred by electromagnetic radiation.

Shower :: ‘Air shower’ set to cut water use by 30 percent – CSIRO Australia

As Australians become increasingly alert to the importance of using water wisely in the home, CSIRO researchers have found a way to use a third less water when you shower — by adding air.

Leukemia :: Researchers identify cells that make relapse inevitable in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Scientists in Australia have discovered that in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) there are “good” and “evil” clones of the same type of ALL cell. The “evil” cells are clones that have a pre-existing resistance to drugs used for treating ALL, and their presence in a patient means that person will inevitably relapse after chemotherapy, according to research presented at the 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.

Kidney Cancer :: Systemic treatment before surgery for kidney cancer prolongs patients’ survival

Preliminary results from a phase II clinical trial have provided the first evidence that treating people with kidney cancer with bevacizumab and erlotinib before surgery is safe, effective and may prolong patients’ survival, the 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics heard on Thursday.

Melanoma :: Scientists harness diptheria toxin and interleukin 2 to help the immune system attack melanoma

Researchers investigating ways of prompting the immune system to recognise and kill tumour cells have found that a drug containing parts of the diptheria toxin appears to work well in patients with advanced melanoma, according to research presented at the 18th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics on Thursday.

Eating Disorders :: Patient’s Worldwide Bill of Rights for Eating Disorders Demands Proof of Results

An international professional society has issued a patient?s bill of rights for the treatment of eating disorders, conditions that affect an estimated 30 million Americans, most of them young women. For 2 million, symptoms will progress to full-blown anorexia nervosa and approximately 10 percent will die from the disease. Treatment is often complex and typically involves not only the patient, but friends and family as well.

Health :: Food Safety Consortium Summarizes Year’s Work

Multiple research projects across three cooperating universities are demonstrating progress that is enabling American producers, processors and consumers to maintain a safe food supply. The Food Safety Consortium summarized that work in its recently completed annual report for the 2005-06 fiscal year.