"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
"Science and Biotechnology Books Made Simple" |
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Taken from The
Washington Post 10/31/00 A Link of Protein to Autoimmune Disease Scientists have discovered a protein, BLyS (BLys for B lymphocytes- or B cells- of the immune system and S for stimulator) that is involved in two autimmune diseases: rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The BLyS protein stimulates the immune system to make more antibodies. Antibodies are molecules that are released from B cells to fight off many germs. In autoimmune disease, antibodies attack normal body tissues, such as the joints, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, and the connective tissues, in the case of lupus. Studies have found that people with both diseases have higher than normal levels of BLyS in their blood. This results in overactive B cells and, therefore, more antibodies around to attack self tissues. This discovery may help researchers develop new medicines that will suppress BLyS levels. Taken from The Wall
Street Journal 10/26/00 A DNA-Based Screening Test for Colon Cancer Scientists at the Mayo Clinic have developed a DNA-based screening test for colon cancer. The new test can detect small genetic abnormalities in cancer cells of the colon and precancerous nodules, known as polyps. The test recognizes the DNA from the cells in stool samples. The study involving 61 patients, showed that the test detected 91% of early cancers and 73% of polyps. Control samples were all negative for the test. Another study will be launched soon to examine many more people. If the initial findings are confirmed, the test could be available within 2 to 3 years. Taken from The San
Diego Union Tribune 10/27/00 Gene Therapy Reverses Parkinson's Disease in Monkeys American, Swiss and French researchers have developed a new gene therapy to reverse Parkinson's Disease. The disease causes neurological disorders such as tremors, and muscle weakness. The therapy is made of a cut AIDS virus where the gene that codes for a growth factor is inserted. The growth factor is the chemical that is destroyed in Parkinson's disease. The drug was injected into the brains of four aging monkeys and five young adult monkeys, that were previously induced to have the disease. The therapy prevented brain-cell death and reversed the symptoms. The drug therapy could be promising not only for Parkinson's disease but for other neurological disorders. Taken from Environment
News Service 10/25/00 Cloning Endangered Cheetah Scientists in India are planning to clone the cheetah so that they can reintroduce it into the wild. Cheetahs are known to be the world's fastest running animals. Since these animals have disappeard from India more than 50 years ago, researchers will have to use Asian cheetahs for cloning. The scientists will create cell lines from the genetic material taken out from live Asiatic cheetah cells. These cells will then be injected into the eggs of a leopard, whose DNA has already been removed. The cloned embryo will then be inserted into the womb of a leopard. (The procedure is similar to the one used to clone the well known lamb- Dolly). Other scientists are trying to recover other endangered animals, such as giant pandas and the extinct bucardo mountain goat. Some critics say that bringing back extinct animals when much of their habitat has been lost is not effective. Taken from San Diego
Union Tribune 10/19/00 Brother saves his Sister Remember the article we printed on 10/04/00 about a baby born to save a little girl? Well, the 6 year-old girl (Molly) who suffered from a genetic disorder is now doing well! Three weeks after the transplant of umbilical cord blood from Molly's baby brother, tests show that the procedure is working, and Molly is almost ready to leave the hospital. The new cells are taking over the functions of Molly's bone marrow, making platelets (type of cells that are important in clotting blood) and disease-fighting white blood cells. The doctors will keep watch to make sure that the little girl continues to recover. Taken from The Wall
Street Journal 10/14/00 Decoding the Gene of the Lab Mouse Scientists at Celera Genomics has sequenced the genetic code of the laboratory mouse. The company says that more than 95% of the mouse DNA has been deciphered by combining sequences from three different mouse strains. The decoding of the mouse genome will help researchers find DNA parts in humans that are important in disease. There are many similarities between the human and mouse genetic code. The mouse is the most widely used models in research to understand the human biology. Both mice and humans get similar diseases. Taken from New York
Times 10/09/00 Three Nobel Prize Winners in Medicine Three scientists who worked on the interconnection between cells were awarded the most prestigious science award- Nobel Prize in the category of physiology and medicine. Dr. Arvid Carlsson of the University of Gothenberg in Sweden discovered that dopamine is the chemical signal that is deficient in patients with Parkinson's disease. Based on his studies, the current treatment for the disease is L-dopa. Dr. Kandel of Columbia University in New York City has worked on the changes that take place in brain cells during memories. Dr. Greengard of Rockefeller University, also, in New York City studied the many events that take place inside a neuron after a signal is received. The work of the three scientists helped in the understanding of many mental illnesses and their treatments. Taken from New York
Times 10/09/00 Cloning Used to Preserve Rare Species Scientists at a Massachusetts biotechnology company had cloned an endangered Asian gaur (an oxlike creature that is found in India and Southeast Asia). The animal is expected to be born in November. To create the gaur, researchers took skin cells from a gaur that died recently and fused it with a cow's egg from which its DNA had been removed. The embryo was implanted in the womb of a cow. The newborn will be an exact copy of the gaur from which the skin cells were taken. Other animals that are planned for clonning are: the extinct bucardo mountain goat (using cells collected from the last goat before she died this year), and giant pandas. According to Robert Lanza, vice president for medical and scientific development at a biotechnology company, said that cloning endangered animals would help reverse damage to wildlife habitat by people. The technique is raising ethical questions. Conservationists are worried that cloning would detract from other, less expensive efforts at preserving habitats. They are also not sure if an animal raised by a different species will be able to survive in the wild. Taken from Denver Post A Child is Born to Save Sister A family decided on in-vitro fertilization to have their baby's cells match those of his dying sister. The 6-year-old girl has a fatal genetic disease, known as fanconi anemia (FA). The blood system of a FA patient can not successfully fight infection, fatigue or spontaneous hemorrhage or bleeding. A healthy bone-marrow transplant is needed to save the affected person. Both parents must each carry a recessive FA gene for their child to be born with the disease. When both parents carry the recessive gene, there is a 25% chance for any of their children to be affected with the disorder. (To understand this type of inheritance, check Solve Case No 1- Cystic Fibrosis) Bone marrow from the umbilical cord of the baby was used for transplant to save his sister. Doctors expect some news within a week, but they won't know for several months whether the procedure is a success. We hope that the little girl will be free from the disease! We'll keep you posted. Taken from Yahoo-
Science News 10/05/00 Sequencing the Genome of Urinary Tract Bacteria Scientists have sequenced bacteria that causes urinary tract infections. The bacteria, known as, Proteus mirabilis and Klebsiella pneumoniae are implicated in urinary tract infections. Sequencing the DNA will allow researchers to develop antibiotics against the infections. Taken from San Diego
Union Tribune 10/03/00 Sequencing the Genome of a Weed Scientists at Salk Institute expect to complete this year the sequence of 25,000 genes of the weed, known as Arabidopsis thaliana. Researchers are hoping that decoding the weed's genome will help them understand the function of all the genes and the proteins. Arabidopsis, is a flowering plant of the mustard family and is considered representative of a large number of plant life. Ecker, a scientist who is working on the project, says that a lot of drugs we take come from plants. Understanding the cellular pathways that plants use to make important compounds could help scientists make more of them. Also, understanding plant functions and its interaction with the environment is important. ____________________________________________________
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