Infertility :: Key to male infertility
A factor in immune cells regulates human semen and seems to determine whether a man will be fertile, according to a new study.
Laboratory
Angioplasty :: Angioplasty procedure has potential to damage kidneys
The most common procedure for clearing blocked kidney arteries can also release thousands of tiny particles into the bloodstream that can impair kidney function, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and colleagues.
Cervical Cancer :: New cervical cancer screening test increases detection rate
A new computerised screening test for cervical cancer detects more abnormalities than the traditional smear test, according to a study published on bmj.com.
Law :: New regulations needed for patients receiving animal tissue donation
A new article in the Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics calls for a change in the regulations surrounding xenotransplantation, the transplanting of animal cells, tissues or organs into humans. Although few xenotransplantation procedures have been done to this time, there appears to be a lack of awareness among potential xenotransplant patients about the risk of the procedures, and the required lifetime of infectious disease monitoring that come with it.
Genetic :: Protein Plays Crucial Role in Repairing Genetic Damage
Researchers have discovered that a protein called ATM kinase, which plays a crucial role in repairing double-strand breaks in DNA, also helps prevent cells with this type of DNA damage from dividing, thereby blocking the passage of persistent DNA damage on to daughter cells.
Virus :: A new bat virus in humans
CSIRO scientists have played a key role in discovering that bats are the likely host of a new virus that can cause a serious but apparently non-fatal respiratory tract illness in humans.
DNA :: Scientists discover role of enzyme in DNA repair
Scientists from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and Integrative Bioinformatics Inc. have made an important discovery about the role of an enzyme called ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) in the body?s ability to repair damaged DNA. NIAMS and NCI are part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Meditation :: Brain scans show meditation changes minds, increases attention
For hundreds of years, Tibetan monks and other religious people have used meditation to calm the mind and improve concentration. This week, a new study shows exactly how one common type of meditation affects the brain.
Malaria :: FDA clears for marketing first quick test for malaria
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing the Binax NOW Malaria Test, the first authorized U.S. rapid test for malaria, a mosquito-borne disease caused by a parasite. The test is intended for laboratory use.
Genetic :: New genetic test developed at Emory advances detection and diagnosis of muscular dystrophy
A new genetic test targeting the most common types of muscular dystrophy — those caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene — is far quicker with greater accuracy and sensitivity than existing tests. It can be used to confirm clinical diagnoses, to test female family members who may be carriers, and to perform prenatal testing.