Biotech Week articles from September 2008

Biotech Week archives from September 2008

Research on acne vulgaris described by scientists at Charite University.
September 3, 2008... "Despite aggressive multitreatment medical acne regimens, many patients demonstrate modest benefit. The 1,450-nm diode laser has been shown to improve acne in a study setting," investigators in Berlin, Germany report (see also Acne Vulgaris)....

Findings in actinomycosis reported from Sichuan University.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Oral Microbiology and Immunology, "The hydrolysis of urea by the urease enzymes of oral bacteria is believed to have a major impact on oral microbial ecology and to be intimately involved in...

New acute appendicitis research from Erasmus University outlined.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Rotterdam, Netherlands, " The aim of this study is to conduct a retrospective analysis of the incidence and long-term results of carcinoid tumours of the appendix in emergency appendectomies. A retrospective...

Scientists at Seoul National University detail research in acute appendicitis.(Clinical report)
September 3, 2008... In this recent report, researchers in South Korea conducted a study "To determine the utility of multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) in patients with clinically evident acute appendicitis and to compare the test characteristics of overall...

Research reports from P. Mcgrattan and co-authors provide new insights into acute leukaemia.
September 3, 2008... In this recent report published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology, researchers in North Ireland conducted a study "To screen for genomic imbalances in patients with acute leukaemia using conventional (G-banding) and molecular (comparative...

Data on acute pancreatitis detailed by S.H. Xia and co-authors.
September 3, 2008... In this recent report, researchers in Tianjin, People's Republic of China conducted a study "To investigate change of G alpha i(2), G alpha q mRNA, and their proteins in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and BN52021 effects. Rats were assigned...

Study results from Yamaguchi University, Medical Department broaden understanding of acute pancreatitis.
September 3, 2008... In this recently published article, scientists in Yamaguchi, Japan conducted a study "To evaluate the systemic effects of moderate hypothermia (MH) and the timing of induction on acute pancreatitis (AP) and endotoxemia in rats. The effects of...

Data from G.B. Cadiere and colleagues advance knowledge in adverse drug reactions.
September 3, 2008... " A novel transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) procedure using the EsophyX system with SerosaFuse fasteners was designed to reconstruct a full-thickness valve at the gastroesophageal junction through tailored delivery of multiple...

Reports outline adverse drug reactions study findings from J.S. Weissman and colleagues.
September 3, 2008... "Hospitals routinely survey patients about the quality of care they receive, but little is known about whether patient interviews can detect adverse events that medical record reviews do not. To compare adverse events reported in postdischarge...

Study data from Victoria University update understanding of adverse drug reactions.
September 3, 2008... "The experience with anti-TNF agents is relatively short; and with time, we are learning more about the frequency of occurrence of different adverse events as the original trials were either too small or too brief. We report a case series of...

Study findings from Johnson & Johnson broaden understanding of adverse drug reactions.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the American Journal of Public Health, "Premarketing studies of drugs, although large enough to demonstrate efficacy and detect common adverse events, cannot reliably detect an increased incidence of...

Researchers from University of Barcelona report details of new studies and findings in the area of aging.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Barcelona, Spain, "To obtain new insights into the mechanisms underlying aging in perennials, we measured abscisic acid levels, growth and other stress indicators in leaves of Cistus clusii Dunal plants of different...

Study data from University of Pittsburgh update understanding of aging.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "This article examines the pathophysiology of periorbital aging and details a technique, autologous fat transfer, to restore a youthful appearance to the periorbital complex. The use of...

Study results from Yeshiva University provide new insights into aging.(Clinical report)
September 3, 2008... In this recent article published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, scientists in the United States conducted a study "To conduct a systematic clinical and quantitative assessment of gait in older adults with mild cognitive...

New alcoholism study findings have been reported by scientists at National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "N-Lauroyl sarcosine (LS), a cationic, non-toxic and biodegradable detergent readily permeabilized whole cells of baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Permeabilization was carried out to...

Researchers from Hiroshima University report recent findings in allergies.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "We have found that an enzyme-modified cheese (ENIC) inhibited the permeation of allergens such as ovalbumin (OVA), using Caco-2 cells as an in vitro intestinal epithelial model. In addition, NPWDQ (AsnPro-Trp-Asp-Gln, aa 107-111 Of alpha...

Studies from Yonsei University, Medical Department add new findings in the area of allergies.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is known to be involved in epidermal permeability barrier function homeostasis. PAR-2 activation occurs after barrier disruption and further activation of PAR-2 by activating peptide significantly delays...

Study data from Vrije University update knowledge of allergies.
September 3, 2008... 'Two major allergens-the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p 1) and cockroach allergens-are proteolytically active and stimulate the protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2). Jeong et al. (2008, this issue) exposed mouse and...

Report summarizes Alzheimer disease study findings from University of Missouri.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "Increase in oxidative stress has been postulated to play an important role in he pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease. There is evidence for involvement of amyloid-beta peptide (A beta) in...

Research from University of Caen yields new findings on Alzheimer disease.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "In early Alzheimer's disease (AD), the hippocampal region is the area most severely affected by cellular and structural alterations, yet glucose hypometabolism predominates in the posterior association cortex and posterior cingulate gyrus. One...

Studies from Boston University reveal new findings on Alzheimer disease.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can aid clinical. assessment of brain changes potentially correlated with Alzheimer disease (AD). MRI traits may improve our ability to identify genes...

Study findings on Alzheimer disease are outlined in reports from M. Marcade and colleagues.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "Pharmacological modulation of the GABA(A) receptor has gained increasing attention as a potential treatment for central processes affected in Alzheimer disease (AD), including neuronal survival and cognition. The proteolytic cleavage of the...

Data on amnesia discussed by R.A. Veselis and colleagues.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Propofol may produce amnesia by affecting encoding. The hypothesis that propofol weakens encoding was tested by measuring regional cerebral blood How during verbal encoding." "Seventeen...

Researchers from Medical University of Graz report recent findings in amnesia.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Graz, Austria, "A hypoxic-ischemic origin of transient global amnesia (TGA) has been suggested on the basis of the observation of infarctlike diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) abnormalities in some affected individuals....

Researchers at Seoul National University target amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Seoul, South Korea, "We attempted to measure DTI parameters of the brainstem pyramidal tract using two approaches, ie, simple ROI and tract-specific analyses. Results obtained for healthy subjects and ALS patients were...

New anatomy research from B.C. Mendelson and colleagues discussed.
September 3, 2008... 'This article describes the surgical anatomy of the midcheek. The article's key points: (1) Structurally, the midcheek is formed by the convergence of three components: the lid-cheek segment, the malar segment, and the nasolabial segment. (2)...

New anatomy research from University of Geneva described.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Geneva, Switzerland, "Subdivision of the human liver into eight portal venous segments (according to Couinaud) is largely established in the anatomical and clinical community. However, this concept is...

New anatomy study findings reported from University of Texas.
September 3, 2008... "The conus medullaris and the nerve roots from S-1 to S-5 regulate bladder function as well as movement and sensation of the lower extremities. This most caudal region of the spinal cord has not been studied in great detail anatomically despite...

Reports from Duke University add new data to research in anatomy.
September 3, 2008... "The authors develop a unique CT simulation tool based on the 4D extended cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantom, a whole-body computer model of the human anatomy and physiology based on NURBS surfaces. Unlike current phantoms in CT based on simple...

Research from Sichuan University yields new findings on anatomy.
September 3, 2008... "A comparative analysis was undertaken to conduct an anatomical and micromorphological study of five species of Rhodiola-R. kirilowii, R. yunnanensis, R. crenulata, R. fastigata, and R. quadrifida-collected from the western Sichuan province...

Researchers at Yale University, Medical Department release new data on anatomy.
September 3, 2008... "The biliary tree is a complex network of conduits that begins with the canals of Hering and progressively merges into a system of interlobular, septal, and major ducts which then coalesce to form the extrahepatic bile ducts, which finally...

Scientists at University of Melbourne target anatomy.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Parkville, Australia, "Factual presentations of sexual anatomy are required for educational purposes, for clinical and more general communication about sexual matters. To date, unambiguous, accurate and objective...

Recent studies from University of Utrecht add new data to aneurysm.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Netherlands, "The annual rate of rupture of intracranial aneurysms is often assumed to be constant, but it is unknown whether this assumption is true. Recent case reports have suggested that aneurysms grow fast...

Research from Ondokuz Mayis University provide new insights into aneurysm.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Samsun, Turkey, " The objective of this trial was to investigate the capacity of gated perfusion SPECT (GPS) to detect left ventricular aneurysm (ANV) by comparing QGS and 4D-MSPECT (4DM) algorithms with radionuclide...

Research from P. Ferroli et al broadens understanding of aneurysm.
September 3, 2008... "The authors demonstrate the feasibility of a new procedure to create intracranial interrupted microvascular anastomosis. Self-closing nitinol surgical clips were used for a pericallosal artery-pericallosal artery side-to-side bypass in a...

Researchers from University of Florence provide details of new studies and findings in the area of aneurysm.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "The aim of this study was to analyze our 25-year experience with surgical treatment of visceral artery aneurysms (VAAs), with particular attention paid to early and long-term results. From January 1982 to September 2007, 55 patients (32 males,...

Researchers from University of Lisbon discuss findings in aneurysm.(Report)
September 3, 2008... " Patients operated on for type A aortic dissection remain at risk of long-term aneurysm development, the main cause for late death. The aim of this study was to identify early predictors for aneurysm formation at three-years after surgery,"...

Studies from C.N. Bakoyiannis and co-researchers yield new data on aneurysm.
September 3, 2008... "We report the use of a unique hybrid technique to treat a patient with a painful aneurysm extending both above and below the inguinal ligament. The patient was at high surgical risk, and endovascular treatment was not possible due to the...

Research from Nihon University reveals new findings on angina.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Tokyo, Japan, "Combined therapy with a statin and a calcium channel blocker, which can improve lipid metabolism and reduce oxidative stress, may attenuate coronary vasoconstriction in patients with coronary spastic...

Data on angiology discussed by researchers at University of Illinois.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Large artery intracranial occlusive disease (LAICOD) is a common and important stroke subtype. In this commentary, we review key epidemiological aspects of LAICOD." "Summary of Review-LAICOD...

Findings from Ege University provide new insights into angiology.
September 3, 2008... "The neck region has a great vital value; its variations and known micrometric values are accepted as important orientation points during intervention. Micrometric values of the front branches of the external carotid artery and their relations...

Investigators at Washington University have published new data on angiology.
September 3, 2008... "Osteopontin ( OPN)-transgenic mice exhibit increased carotid artery intima-media thickness ( CIMT), smooth muscle cell proliferation, and atheroma formation. An association of the human T-66G promoter variant with CIMT was examined in...

New angiology findings from National Taiwan University described.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Taipei, Taiwan, "The authors report their experience in treating a group of 6 high-risk patients with severe bilateral carotid disease by carotid artery stenting in a single session. The patients were men aged 53 to 83...

New angiology research from Addenbrooke's Hospital discussed.
September 3, 2008... In this recent report, researchers in Cambridge, the United Kingdom conducted a study "To prospectively evaluate differences in carotid plaque characteristics in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients using high resolution MRI. 20 symptomatic...

New angiology study results reported from Hiroshima University.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "The vertebral artery (VA) often takes a protrusive course posterolaterally over the posterior arch of the atlas. In this study, the authors attempted to quantify this posterolateral protrusion of the VA," scientists in Japan report (see also...

New findings in angiology described from University of Texas.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "The mortality rate for renal artery bypass grafting (RABG) is reported to be 0% to 4% for patients with renovascular hypertension and 4% to 7% for patients with ischemic nephropathy. However, these data come from high-volume referral centers...

Reports from R. Fernandez et al highlight recent research in angiology.
September 3, 2008... "In the absence of information on functional manifestations of carotid body (CB) inflammation, we studied an experimental model in which lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration to pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats was performed by topical...

Reports summarize angiology study results from K.S. Ibrahim and co-researchers.
September 3, 2008... "Intra-operative grading of atheromatous plaques in the ascending aorta by epiaortic ultrasound (EAU) and transesophageal echocardiography ( TEE) in patients who have undergone CABG. Sixty patients scheduled for elective CABG were prospectively...

Research by A.R. Bhuiyan and colleagues in angiology provides new insights.
September 3, 2008... "G-protein 133 subunit (GNB3) gene C825T and endothelial nitric oxide (eNCS) gene G894T polymorphisms both influence arterial structure and function. However, information is scant regarding the interaction of these genes on arterial wall...

Research in the area of angiology reported from University of Western Ontario.
September 3, 2008... "Quantitative measurements of carotid plaque burden progression or regression are important in monitoring patients and in evaluation of new treatment options. 3D ultrasound (US) has been used to monitor the progression or regression of carotid...

Research reports on angiology from University of Tokyo provide new insights.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Vascular Surgery, "Isolated dissection of a splanchnic artery, including the celiac artery, superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and inferior mesenteric artery, and their branches, is a...

Studies from M. Hanidi and co-researchers update current data on angiology.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Ghent, Belgium, "The latissimus dorsi (LD) musculocutaneous flap with implant has been widely used for breast reconstruction. This technique, which is safe and reliable, results in the sacrifice of the largest muscle...

Studies from Seoul National University provide new data on angiology.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Seoul, South Korea, "We report a case of pseudoaneurysm of the cephalic vein which was diagnosed in a 13-year-old boy who presented with a superficial mass in the right upper arm. The patient had no history of...

Study findings from Ondokuz Mayis University broaden understanding of angiology.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery, "This is a report on a novel technique of neoglans reconstruction in a patient with an amputated glans penis as a result of a gunshot injury. A pedicled deep...

Study findings on angiology are outlined in reports from S. Collardeaufrachon and colleagues.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Lyon, France, "Vascular architecture of the human liver is established at the end of a complex embryological history. The hepatic primordium emerges at the 4th week and is in contact with two major venous...

Research data from D.D. Esmaili and colleagues update understanding of angiolymphoid hyperplasia.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Kimura disease and angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia are rare disease entities that can manifest as subcutaneous nodules, plaques, or papules of the head and neck, and less...

Research in the area of angiolymphoid hyperplasia reported from B. Lin and colleagues.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Singapore, Singapore, "A 53-year-old Chinese man presented with a painless left upper eyelid lump of 2 weeks' duration. Histopathology was consistent with angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, and also revealed...

New angioplasty findings from Technical University of Munich described.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Munich, Germany, "Little is known about the significance of patient characteristics, clinical indications, and technical details on the risk of carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). The purpose of this study was to...

Scientists at Ehime University, Medical Department report research in angiotensins.
September 3, 2008... " Our aim was to examine the possible cross-talk of angiotensin II (Ang II) and aldosterone (Aldo) in the regulation of vascular cell senescence in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). VSMC were prepared from thoracic aorta of adult...

Study findings on angiotensins are outlined in reports from University of Antwerp.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Antwerp, Belgium, "The recently published results of the ONTARGET trial shed a new light on the cardiovascular protection of patients at high risk of a cardiovascular event. Despite a number of trials looking at the...

Scientists at Hanyang University publish research in ankylosing spondylitis.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Rheumatology, "Studies in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) cohorts have demonstrated that the interleukin 1 (IL-1) gene Cluster contains a major Susceptibility...

Studies from University of Bonn have provided new data on ankylosing spondylitis.
September 3, 2008... "Although involvement of the temporomandibular joint in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS, Bechterew disease) has been described previously, hyperplasia of the mandibular coronoid process in those patients has not been reported yet. Case...

Data from University of Oslo advance knowledge in anoxia.
September 3, 2008... "To survive anoxia, neural ATP levels have to be defended. Reducing electrical activity, which accounts for 50% or more of neural energy consumption, should be beneficial for anoxic survival," investigators in Oslo, Norway report (see also...

Scientists at Medical College discuss research in anoxia.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Harbin, People's Republic of China, " Opioid preconditioning (PC) reduces anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury to various cells. However, it remains unclear whether opioid-incluced delayed PC would show...

University of Toronto reports research in anoxia.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology a - Molecular & Integrative Physiology, "Neuronal membrane potential (E-m) regulates the activity of excitatory voltage-sensitive channels. Anoxic...

New data from M.R. Mueller et al illuminate research in anti-infectives.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, "In vitro, ciprofloxacin can select for dual resistance to fluoroquinolones and imipenem in Pseudomonas aeruginosa via a mutation in...

Research on anti-infectives discussed by scientists at Ohio State University.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "Activation of the peripheral innate immune system stimulates the secretion of CNS cytokines that modulate the behavioral symptoms of sickness. Excessive production of cytokines by microglia, however, may cause long-lasting behavioral and...

Research results from University of British Columbia update understanding of antibiotics.(Report)
September 3, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, "Soaking porous implants in antibiotic solution at the time of implantation is often recommended to promote fibrovascular ingrowth and reduce...

Researchers from Miguel Hernandez University report on findings in antibiotics.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Elche, Spain, "Most interventions aimed at diminishing the use of antimicrobials in hospitals have focussed on newly introduced antibiotics and very few have been randomly controlled. We evaluated the impact on...

Studies from C.W. Zhang and co-authors have provided new information about antibiotics.
September 3, 2008... "Ribosomal protein S4 (RPSD), a part of the ribosomal small subunit, is one of the proteins that is a part of the ribosomal machinery and is a potential new target for the discovery of antibacterial agents. Continued screening of microbial...

Research from J.N. Schwiesow and co-researchers provides new data on antifungals.
September 3, 2008... "Concomitant administration of azole antifungal agents and rifamycins is contraindicated because an interaction between these drugs results in subtherapeutic azole concentrations. We describe a 30-year-old woman with severe pulmonary disease...

Studies from S. Guleria and colleagues yield new information about antifungals.
September 3, 2008... "The essential oil from fresh leaves of Thuja orientalis L. grown in the north-western Himalaya was isolated by means of hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Twenty-two compounds representing 94.0% of the total oil were identified,"...

Research from University of Bordeaux broadens understanding of antimicrobials.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Pessac, France, "Cateslytin, a positively charged (5+) arginine-rich antimicrobial peptide (bCgA, RSMRLS-FRARGYGFR), was chemically synthesized and studied against membranes that mimic bacterial or mammalian systems....

Studies from Y. Rosenfeld and colleagues provide new data on antimicrobials.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from Rehovot, Israel, "Endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] covers more than 90% of the outer monolayer of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, and it plays a dual role in its pathogenesis: as a protective...

Study data from University of Massachusetts provide new insights into antimicrobials.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Synthetic Mimics of Antimicrobial Peptides (SMAMPs) imitate natural host-defense pepticles, a vital component of the body's immune system. This work presents a molecular construction kit...

Scientists at University of Tokyo release new data on antioxidants.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Tokyo, Japan, "The most efficient steaming conditions below 200 degrees C for extracting antioxidants from used tea leaves and their reaction behavior during the steaming treatment were investigated. The antioxidative...

Researchers from University of Sydney report on findings in anxiety disorders.(Report)
September 3, 2008... "The approach-withdrawal and valence-arousal models both predict that depressive and anxious profiles will be associated with relatively reduced left frontal and increased right frontal activity respectively, while the valence-arousal model...

Studies from S.D. Mcdonald and colleagues yield new information about anxiety disorders.
September 3, 2008... "This paper describes an evaluation of Taylor's (1998) hierarchic model of fears and its relationship to trait anxiety and disgust sensitivity (DS). In Study 1 (N = 420), a confirmatory factor analysis supported a hierarchic structure of...

Research from A. Gupta and co-authors provides new data about aortic aneurysms.
September 3, 2008... "We report a 23-year-old male with history of double-inlet single ventricle with transposition of the great arteries who is s/p pulmonary artery banding, a Damus-Kaye-Stanzel anastomosis, and Fontan procedure during infancy and childhood who...

Researchers from University of Hong Kong report details of new studies and findings in the area of aortic dissection.
September 3, 2008... "Significant stent graft remodeling commonly occurs after endovascular repair of thoracic aortic dissections because of continuing expansion of the true lumen. A suboptimal proximal landing zone, minimal oversizing, and lack of a healthy distal...

Studies conducted at West Middlesex University on aortic stenosis recently published.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from London, the United Kingdom, "We aimed to identify the most sensitive echocardiographic measurements that predict recovery of left ventricular function following valve replacement surgery in patients with severe...

Studies from T. Kume and colleagues provide new data on aortic stenosis.(Clinical report)
September 3, 2008... " The Doppler-derived energy loss coefficient (ELCo), which can take into account the pressure recovery phenomenon and reconcile discrepancies between the aortic valve effective orifice area (EOA) obtained by the Gorlin formula using a catheter...

Data on Apert syndrome published by N. Alonso and colleagues.
September 3, 2008... According to a study from Sao Paulo, Brazil, "The monobloc frontofacial osteotomy provides aesthetic and functional improvement in the treatment of various craniofacial deformities. This procedure, through highly complex, has had some...

Research on Apert syndrome described by J. Hess and colleagues.
September 3, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Apert syndrome is a congenital condition characterized by craniosynostosis, syndactyly, and maxillary hypoplasia." "Previous authors have outlined the management of craniofacial and...