news archive genetic news - December 6, 2006

December 6, 2006

your information resource in human molecular genetics

-	Auditory Repetition And Dyslexia Study reports that some dyslexic individuals have trouble encoding regularities in repeated sets of sounds.
-	An Unexpected Mechanism Of Pain A naturally produced pain reliever can exacerbate certain pain states rather than attenuate them in rodents.
-	High Times For Memory The active ingredient in marijuana -- tetrahydrocannabinoid or THC -- interferes with synchronized activity between neurons in the hippocampus of rats.
-	Problems With A Potential Alzheimer Disease Treatment Study results suggest that targeting the enzyme (BACE1) as a treatment for Alzheimer disease may produce significant adverse side effects.
-	Fast 3D Imaging Of Brain Cell Networks A method of fast scanning microscopy that allows in vivo imaging of signalling in neuronal and glial cell networks is reported.
-	Key To Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Study provides insights into the pathology of relapsing multiple sclerosis.
-	Controlling The Enemy Within The constant presence of a population of 'regulatory' immune cells is essential for the prevention of autoimmune disease.
-	Prime Cuts Loss of a key enzyme can substantially alter how the immune system recognizes tissue antigens.
-	Special Focus On Front-Line Defense Sensors Focus papers on special immune proteins that detect the presence of invading pathogens in various hosts.
-	Molecule Required For Bone Repair Identified A molecule that regulates the first steps of bone repair in mice is reported in a study.
-	New Antibacterial Targets? Small molecules that bind to segments of RNA called riboswitches could represent a novel class of antibiotics.
-	Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Copper Regulator Found Scientists have discovered a protein that controls gene expression in response to copper in the bacterium that causes most cases of tuberculosis and potentially a wide variety of other bacteria.
-	How Primary Tumours Prepare Lung For Invasion Primary tumours prepare the lung for invasion by inducing factors that guide migration of both inflammatory and tumour cells to the lung.
-	Cell Senescence Cancer Link Researchers now think they know why in the early stages of many cancers, the activation of certain tumour-forming genes goes hand-in-hand with cellular senescence.
-	Words Roll Onto The Tongue People with synaesthesia - a 'crossing' of the senses - who can 'taste' words, begin to experience the taste sensation even before the word is actually spoken by them.
-	Drug Promise For Renal Disease Study suggest that the drug (r)-roscovitine that alters renal cell proliferation may prove a useful treatment for polycystic kidney disease.
-	Protein Monitors Arrested Eggs For DNA Damage A protein that helps detect DNA damage in developing eggs has been identified.
-	New Human DNA Map Unveiled Researchers have unveiled a human genome map which details how large chunks of DNA differ between individuals.
-	Colon Cancer Stem Cells A specific type of colon cancer cell capable of initiating tumour growth in mice is identified and characterized.