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| Latest Science News Happy New Year to all our viewers | White Blood Cells Can Sprout 'Legs' And Move Like Millipedes
ScienceDaily (May 4, 2009) — How do white blood cells – immune system ‘soldiers’ – get to the site of infection or injury? To do so, they must crawl swiftly along the lining of the blood vessel – gripping it tightly to avoid being swept away in the blood flow – all the while searching for temporary ‘road signs’ made of special adhesion molecules that let them know where to cross the blood vessel barrier so they can get to the damaged tissue.
In research recently published in the journal Immunity, Prof. Ronen Alon and his research student Ziv Shulman of the Weizmann Institute’s Immunology Department show how white blood cells advance along the length of the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. Current opinion maintains that immune cells advance like inchworms, but Alon’s new findings show that the rapid movement of the white blood cells is more like that of millipedes.
Rather than sticking front and back, folding and extending to push itself forward, the cell creates numerous tiny ‘legs’ no more than a micron in length – adhesion points, rich in adhesion molecules (named LFA-1) that bind to partner adhesion molecules present on the surface of the blood vessels. Tens of these legs attach and detach in sequence within seconds – allowing them to move rapidly while keeping a good grip on the vessels’ sides....More | Injectable testosterone may provide effective male contraception
Chevy Chase, MD—Researchers in China may have found a method for male contraception that is effective, reversible and without serious short-term adverse effects according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
"For couples who can not, or prefer not to use only female-oriented contraception, options have been limited to vasectomy, condom and withdrawal," said Dr. Yi-Qun Gu, MD, of the National Research Institute for Family Planning in Beijing, China. "Our study shows a male hormonal contraceptive regimen may be a potential, novel and workable alternative."
Dr. Gu said this study is the largest multi-center, male hormonal contraceptive efficacy clinical trial of an androgen preparation in the world. Participants included 1,045 healthy fertile Chinese men aged 20-45 years. Each participant had fathered at least one child within the two years before the study and had a normal medical history. Their female partners were between 18 and 38 years of age and had normal reproductive function....More | Scientists Race To Deliver DNA Swine Flu Test
ScienceDaily (May 2, 2009) — A team of genetics experts in Southampton is working against the clock to produce the world's first DNA test for the Mexican strain of swine flu.
University of Southampton spin-out company PrimerDesign specialises in producing high-tech DNA detection kits. The technology detects results faster and more accurately than traditional diagnosis techniques. The company was founded by University of Southampton scientists and is part of the University's SETsquared Business Incubation programme.
Staff at the PrimerDesign laboratories realised they were ideally positioned to create the first DNA swine flu test when the US Centre for Disease Control published the genetic data for the killer virus this week.
Coordinator of the swine flu DNA project, Dr Rob Powell said, "With the release of the unique genetic code for this dangerous virus strain we're able to develop the ultimate diagnosis tool within the next few days....More | Swine Flu: To Panic Or Not -- That Is The Question
ScienceDaily (Apr. 30, 2009) — Thanks to the 24-hour media coverage about swine flu, we’re all aware that a potential flu pandemic could be high. But before you stock up on face masks and hand sanitizer, it’s important to put some things in perspective.
William Sutker, M.D., chief of infectious diseases at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas says that first and foremost, we should remain calm.
“As of now, there is no need for people to panic. So far, there have been very few cases reported,” says Dr. Sutker. “At this point, it is unclear if the swine flu outbreak will develop in to a full blown pandemic.”...More | 1918 Flu Resulted In Current Lineage Of H1N1 Swine Influenza Viruses
ScienceDaily (May 1, 2009) — In 1918 a human influenza virus known as the Spanish flu spread through the central United States while a swine respiratory disease occurred concurrently. A Kansas State University researcher has found that the virus causing the pandemic was able to infect and replicate in pigs, but did not kill them, unlike in other mammalian hosts like monkeys, mice and ferrets where the infection has been lethal.
Juergen A. Richt, Regents Distinguished Professor of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, studied the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic with colleagues from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Their research supports the hypothesis that the 1918 pandemic influenza virus and the virus causing the swine flu were the same. Richt said the virus was able to infect and replicate in swine and cause mild respiratory disease. The 1918 virus spread through the pig population, adapted to the swine and resulted in the current lineage of the H1N1 swine influenza viruses. The researchers' study is published in the May 2009 Journal of Virology....More | More News |
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| Message from Dr. Abhay Jere | Nobel Prize 2008* New | The Nobel Prize in Biology, 1982-2007
During the period 1901-2000, a total of about 190 scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. And 58 of them received the Prize between 1982 and 2007. Their discoveries range from basic to clinical research. The following is a compilation the scientists who were awarded Nobel Prizes during the last 25 years and their brief discoveries. ....More | | | 
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