monicascicom

Traversing the retina without damage

Hereditary retinal degeneration, in which mutations in photoreceptors and other delicate cells of the eye’s outermost retinal layer lead to deterioration and visual impairment, affects roughly 1 in 3,000 people worldwide. Gene therapy can successfully deliver normal copies of the mutated genes to the affected cells using adeno-associated virus (AAV) but requires that the virusContinueContinue reading “Traversing the retina without damage”

A spoonful of sugar

Mary Poppins may not be medically trained, but she was right about at least one thing: a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. Mannitol is a sugar alcohol used commercially as an artificial sweetener and medically to facilitate the delivery of drugs into the brain by disrupting the blood–brain barrier. Now,ContinueContinue reading “A spoonful of sugar”

It’s all in the ‘gloop’

In the naked mole-rat colony maintained by Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov at the University of Rochester (NY), rodents live for roughly 30 years but do not develop cancer, even in their old age. Gorbunova and Seluanov study the mole-rats’ unusual resistance to cancer in hopes that it will yield a better understanding—and possibly betterContinueContinue reading “It’s all in the ‘gloop’”

First steps toward a filovirus treatment

Infection by filoviruses (Ebola virus and Marburg virus) causes lethal hemorrhagic fever with fatality rates as high as 90%. There are no approved treatments or prophylactics for these viral infections, and concern about their potential for accidental outbreaks or use as biological weapons is great. Research led by Gene Olinger at the US Army MedicalContinueContinue reading “First steps toward a filovirus treatment”

Guidelines address feline environmental needs

The International Society of Feline Medicine and the American Association of Feline Practitioners formed a team of feline experts to develop a set of guidelines for meeting the environmental needs of domestic cats. The guidelines, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (15, 219–230; 2013), are primarily intended for veterinarians, owners and othersContinueContinue reading “Guidelines address feline environmental needs”

Vitamin E fights liver disease

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a complication of obesity, is characterized by fat accumulation, oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver. This severe form of liver disease causes cirrhosis that can lead to liver failure or cancer. There is currently no treatment for NASH; many of those affected must seek liver transplantation. Now, Danny Manor (Case WesternContinueContinue reading “Vitamin E fights liver disease”

Fishing for an antidote to cyanide

The use of animals as sentinels for exposure to toxins is not new but has come a long way since the first canary was brought into a coal mine. A recent twist took the sentinel from airborne to aquatic, establishing three key results: first, zebrafish are a viable model for cyanide exposure in humans. Second,ContinueContinue reading “Fishing for an antidote to cyanide”

Berries benefit the brain

Berries are considered nutritional ‘superfoods,’ packed with antioxidants believed to scavenge potentially damaging compounds in the body, reducing inflammation and ameliorating the effects of stress. Shibu Poulouse (Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA) and colleagues specifically evaluated whether berries could protect the brain by reducing the accumulation of toxic proteins. LabContinueContinue reading “Berries benefit the brain”

Grapefruit nanovectors for drug delivery

Synthetic nanoparticles can be used to target drug delivery within the body, increasing treatment efficacy while minimizing adverse effects. But these nanoparticles may have toxic side effects of their own, carry high costs to produce on a large scale and generate biohazardous waste. So Huang-Ge Zhang and colleagues (University of Louisville, KY) looked to natureContinueContinue reading “Grapefruit nanovectors for drug delivery”

An aspirin a day keeps cancer at bay?

Regular use of aspirin may prevent the progression of breast cancer, according to results of a study done by researchers in Kansas City. The study found that aspirin significantly reduced the growth of tumors in mice. It also slowed the growth of breast cancer cell lines in vitro. Gargi Maity (Veterans Affairs Medical Center, KansasContinueContinue reading “An aspirin a day keeps cancer at bay?”