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DNA :: The bumper book of DNA no-no’s

Most genome sequencers are looking for genes inside living species to understand their function. But one genome project is deliberately searching for DNA sequences that are absent from species — perhaps because they are too dangerous to life to exist. The US team have developed software that calculates all the possible sequences of nucleotides and then scans sequence databases to identify sequences that aren’t present. They believe their results will have far-reaching applications.

Insomnia :: Doctors neglect insomnia in older patients

The sleep problems of older people are often not addressed by their doctors, even though treatment of those sleep disorders could improve their physical and mental health and enhance their quality of life. A new study from Northwestern University found when patients 60 years and older visited their doctors, physicians did not note sleep problems in the patients’ charts. This was significant because many of those patients suffered from insomnia and were not being treated.

Cancer :: Teens overlooked in cancer research

McMaster University pediatric cancer specialist Dr. Ronald Barr says the teen gap in cancer care has been overlooked for far too long. Statistics show that gains in survival rates for teenagers and young adults (age 15-29) with cancer are dismal when compared to those for youngsters and older adults with the disease.Barr is one of the editors of the recently released and first definitive document on the incidence, survival and mortality of 15-29 year-olds.

Uric acid and spinal cord injury treatment

Uric acid is commonly associated with the excruciatingly painful joint disease known as gout, but it can also play a crucial role in the treatment of spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders, such as stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, according to Rutgers’ Bonnie Firestein.

Prostate Cancer :: Men with no sons more at risk for prostate cancer

In a new study to determine if genes on the Y chromosome are involved in prostate cancer, researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health in conjunction with Hebrew University found that men who had only daughters had a higher risk of prostate cancer than men who had at least one son. The results further indicate that the relative risk of prostate cancer decreases as the number of sons increases.

Alzheimer’s Disease :: Cold sore virus might play role in Alzheimer’s disease

A gene known to be a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease puts out the welcome mat for the virus that causes cold sores, allowing the virus to be more active in the brain compared to other forms of the gene. The new findings, published online in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, add some scientific heft to the idea, long suspected by some scientists, that herpes somehow plays a role in bringing about Alzheimer’s disease.

Osteoporosis :: Dentists could detect osteoporosis

Researchers in the School of Dentistry at the University of Manchester have created a unique way of identifying osteoporosis sufferers from ordinary dental x-rays.

Prostate Cancer :: Prostate cancer – speeding development of novel tracer

The collaborative work being performed by professionals across medical disciplines in the promising area of molecular imaging — from research scientists to nuclear medicine physicians, urologists, radiochemists and even veterinarians — provides encouraging news in fighting prostate cancer. This type of progressive — or translational — research can be seen in two papers published in the January issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

DNA :: DNA detective work with paper-eating bacteria

A professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has been helping the Department of Energy analyze the genome of a “paper-eating” bacterium that could have uses in producing ethanol, but also shed light on how “gliding” bacteria move. The two functions could be related.

Cervical Cancer :: Cervical cancer – synthetic peptide targets latent papilloma virus infections

Infection with the human papilloma virus, the major cause of cervical cancer, is forever. The virus remains latent in skin cells, ready to flare up at any time to create warts on the skin or the genitals. A new finding by UC Berkeley’s Michael Botchan and colleagues offers hope that a drug can halt spread of the virus into new cells, and perhaps even eliminate the virus from the body.