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September 2006 Archive
September 29, 2006
Promising New TB Drug Enters Trials
The need for new drugs against tuberculosis (TB) has never been more urgent. Although many people think TB is a disease of the past, it's still one of the world's leading killers.
Gene Plays Key Role in Cleft Lip and Palate
Several genes have been implicated in cleft lip and palate, one of the world's most common birth defects. Now, researchers have found that problems in a much-studied gene called SUMO1 can also cause cleft lip and palate. SUMO1 seems to play a key role in the network of proteins responsible for forming the palate, or roof of the mouth.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2006
Molecules in Blood Foretell Development of Preeclampsia
High levels of two proteins in the blood of pregnant women appear to signal the subsequent development of preeclampsia, a life-threatening complication of pregnancy.
Programs for Rural Teens Can Reduce Future Methamphetamine Abuse
New research shows that prevention programs conducted in middle school can reduce methamphetamine abuse among rural adolescents years later. Because methamphetamine addiction leads to social problems and a wide range of medical conditions, research into early interventions is critical to protecting the nation's youth.
The Genetic Underpinnings of Cancer
In a massive sequencing effort, researchers have, as they put it, defined the genetic landscape of two of the most common types of cancer, revealing nearly 200 genes involved in breast and colorectal cancer. Most weren't previously known to play a role in cancer, and now provide a wealth of new targets for developing diagnostic tests and therapies. The study illustrates the potential of a large new effort to find the genetic causes of cancer.
Avian Flu Virus Vaccines Show Protection in Animal Studies
Experimental vaccines based on live, weakened versions of H5N1 avian influenza viruses protected mice and ferrets from a deadly infection with naturally-occurring H5N1 flu viruses. The findings demonstrate that a vaccine based on one strain of the H5N1 flu virus could potentially protect against different emerging strains.
September 8, 2006
The Value of Medical Spending
It's no secret that medical costs have skyrocketed over the past few decades. Annual medical spending per person has gone from about $700 in 1960 to more than $6,000 today — and that's adjusted for inflation. In any public discussion about whether such spending increases are excessive, it's important to understand the true relationship between medical spending and life expectancy.
Elusive Sour Taste Cells Revealed
Humans can taste many different compounds, but they fall into five basic groups: sweet, bitter, sour, salty and umami (the taste of monosodium glutamate). The cells that detect sweet, bitter and umami have already been identified. Now, the same research group that pinpointed those has identified the long-sought mammalian taste cells that serve as our sour sensor.
Insight into Learning
Scientists have spent years studying an effect in the brain called long-term potentiation (LTP) in the belief that it's responsible for memory formation. Now, a research group has finally figured out a way to demonstrate that LTP is an important mechanism for memory.
First Totally Implanted Permanent Artificial Heart Approved
This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first totally implanted artificial heart for patients with advanced heart failure in both of the heart's pumping chambers. The new device can extend and improve the quality of life for patients who have no other treatment option.
September 1, 2006
Nose Receptors May Sniff out Social Cues
Your nose can detect bread baking, natural gas leaking, day-old garbage reeking and countless other scents. New research suggests it may also be able to sniff out subtler signals, like signs of stress or signals from the opposite sex. Researchers have discovered a family of receptors that can detect such signals in mice and are found in humans, too.
Advanced HIV Drug Approved for Resistant Infections
For years, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, has frustrated drug developers. The virus rapidly mutates and, as parts of its structure change, it becomes resistant to treatment. But doctors will soon have a potent new tool in their arsenal. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Prezista (darunavir), the first antiviral drug designed to treat drug-resistant strains of HIV.
Test Enables Quick Diagnosis of Flu Strains
Laboratories across the U.S. can perform some basic tests on an influenza (flu) virus within several hours. However, only the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a handful of other labs around the world have the high-level biosafety facilities needed to perform specialized tests that can reveal critical details about a virus such as its geographic origin. A new test may change that, allowing labs across the country to diagnose influenza infections and learn more about the viruses causing illness.
New Method of Gene Therapy for Treating Advanced Melanoma
Melanoma accounts for only about 4% of skin cancer cases, but it's the most serious and aggressive type of skin cancer. An estimated 62,190 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and approximately 7,910 people will die of the disease. A team of researchers at NIH's National Cancer Institute (NCI) have now genetically engineered patients’ own white blood cells to recognize and attack advanced melanomas. This is the first time that gene therapy has been used successfully to treat cancer. .
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About NIH Research Matters
Harrison Wein, Ph.D., Editor
Vicki Contie, Assistant Editor
NIH Research Matters is a weekly update of NIH research highlights from the Office of Communications and Public Liaison, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health.
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