Research findings suggest that depression in children is linked to increased serotonin transporter availability, while dopamine levels are less significant. A family-based study also identifies a potential link between the DRD4 gene and ADHD, highlighting progress in understanding molecular basis of childhood mental illness.
Researchers discovered how a new anticancer drug inhibits a runaway protein switch that causes chronic myelogenous leukemia by exploiting alterations in the shape of the protein. This precise control could give pharmaceutical companies and basic researchers new tools for manipulating cell growth and signaling pathways.
Researchers at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discover a novel light-absorbing pigment in oceanic bacteria, which can generate cellular energy using light. This finding suggests that a new type of microorganism is capable of harnessing light energy in the ocean's sunlit surface zone.
Researchers have discovered that normal prions may fine-tune neuronal functions at the cellular level through a signaling pathway. This discovery could provide new insights into how brain-degenerating diseases occur and potentially lead to treatments.
OHSU researchers discovered that bacteria like E. coli and Neisseria use pili to congregate into microcolonies before invading cells, which can lead to disease spread. The study provides strong data on the mechanism of bacterial movement, potentially leading to new treatments.
Researchers describe a medical paradox where some AIDS patients develop opportunistic infections after regaining immune strength from HAART therapy. The 'immune reconstitution disease syndrome' occurs when the strengthened immune system reacts to bacteria or viruses already present in the patient.
Researchers discovered that certain genes are involved in both RNA interference and nonsense-mediated decay, a protective mechanism that prevents defective protein production. The findings provide valuable clues to the relationship between these two cellular processes.
Researchers have discovered a biological marker associated with depression in children, who produce less growth hormone than normal peers when given a specific hormone. This finding could give doctors an early warning system to treat children at risk for major depression before they develop the illness.
The analysis of three Himalayan ice cores reveals a highly detailed record of the last 1,000 years of earth's climate in the high Tibetan Plateau. The data shows that both the last decade and the last 50 years were the warmest in 1,000 years, with at least eight major droughts caused by a failure of the South Asian Monsoon.