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Science News for December 28, 2006


New treatment hope for systemic sclerosis

Researchers discovered that imatinib mesylate inhibits the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins and prevents tissue fibrosis in patients with systemic sclerosis. The study provides promising results for a new treatment approach, but more extensive studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatism·DateDec 28, 2006

Dust to gust

A recent study reveals that the Brazilian rainforest heavily depends on dust from a specific valley in Africa. The Bodélé valley in northern Chad provides a significant portion of the vital minerals needed for the Amazon forest's existence, with 56% of the dust reaching the region originating from this source.

SourceAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateDec 28, 2006

Joining forces

Researchers at the Weizmann Institute have designed a more powerful weapon to fight bacteria by combining key properties of antimicrobial peptides and lipopeptides. The new synthetic peptides exhibit both positive charge and soap-like ability to dissolve oils, targeting a range of bacterial and fungal infections.

SourceAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 28, 2006

Sex differences and rheumatoid arthritis

Researchers have developed a new breed of transgenic mice with autoimmune responses similar to human RA patients, revealing a significant sex bias. The study found that female mice developed arthritis at a higher rate than male mice, exhibiting all disease hallmarks at higher levels.

SourceWiley·JournalArthritis & Rheumatism·DateDec 28, 2006

A new jump start for aging blood vessels

Researchers found that inactivating TNFa significantly reduced blood vessel impairment and cell death in aged vessels, suggesting a link between increased TNFa levels and cardiovascular disease. The study's findings could lead to the development of new treatments for age-related vascular diseases.

SourceAmerican Journal of Pathology·JournalAmerican Journal Of Pathology·DateDec 28, 2006

New treatments prevent brain injury hours after stroke in rats

Researchers at the University of California - San Francisco have discovered two novel treatments that may prevent brain damage caused by stroke, administered through the nose to reduce brain cell death. The studies found that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) reduced brain cell death by 70-86% and significantly reduced motor imp...

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalFrontiers in Bioscience-Landmark·DateDec 28, 2006