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Microbial RNA Ocean Catch Surprises MIT
An ingenious new method of obtaining marine microbe samples while preserving the microbes" natural gene expression has yielded an unexpected boon: the presence of many varieties of small RNAs - snippets of RNA that act as switches to regulate gene expression in these single-celled creatures. Before now, small RNA could only be studied in lab-cultured microorganisms; the discovery of its presence in a natural setting may make it possible finally to learn on a broad scale how microbial communities living at different ocean depths and regions respond to environmental stimuli.

Induction Of Labour After 37 Weeks Recommended For Women With Gestational Hypertension/Mild Pre-Eclampsia (Hypitat Study)
Pregnant women with mild hypertensive disorders such as high blood pressure/mild pre-eclampsia^ should have their labour induced once they complete 37 weeks of their pregnancy. This is the conclusion of the HYPITAT study, published in an Article Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet, written by Dr Corine M Koopmans, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands, and colleagues.
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Progress In Osteoporosis: Free Online Journal
No time to keep abreast of the most important osteoporosis-related research? Progress in Osteoporosis, the free online journal published by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) on http://www.iofbonehealth.org/pio provides concise summaries of new research published in the preceding three to four months. The journal is edited by leading osteoporosis researcher and author, Professor Ego Seeman of the University of Melbourne, Australia.
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Carbohydrate Acts As Tumor Suppressor

Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have discovered that specialized complex sugar molecules (glycans) that anchor cells into place act as tumor suppressors in breast and prostate cancers. These glycans play a critical role in cell adhesion in normal cells, and their decrease or loss leads to increased cell migration by invasive cancer cells and metastasis. An increase in expression of the enzyme that produces these glycans, í²3GnT1, resulted in a significant reduction in tumor activity. The research was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The specialized glycans are capable of binding to laminin and are attached to the í±-DG cell surface protein. This binding facilitates adhesion between epithelial and basement membrane cells and prevents cells from migrating. The team of scientists, led by Professor Minoru Fukuda, Ph.D., demonstrated that í²3GnT1 controls the synthesis of laminin-binding glycans in concert with the genes LARGE/LARGE2. Down-regulation of í²3GnT1 reduces the number of glycans, leading to greater movement by invasive cancer cells. However, when the researchers forced aggressive cancer cells to express í²3GnT1, the laminin-binding glycans were restored and tumor formation decreased. "These results indicate that certain carbohydrates on normal cells and enzymes that synthesize those glycans, such as í²3GnT1, function as tumor suppressors," said Dr. Fukuda." Upregulation of í²3GnT1 may become a novel way to treat cancer." Using antibodies, the team investigated the expression of both í±-DG and its associated glycans in both normal and cancerous cells. They found that the quantity of í±-DG was similar in both cell types, but the level of attached glycans was reduced in the cancer cells. Further study showed that prostate cancer cells that highly expressed the í±-DG glycans produced smaller tumors. The team also found that when they knocked down í²3GnT1 expression by RNA interference, which reduces protein expression, the amount of glycans decreased even when LARGE was overexpressed. The scientists demonstrated that í²3GnT1 plays a key role in forming laminin-binding glycans attached to í±-DG, which in turn reduces cancer cell movement. The study provides a new understanding of the role that complex carbohydrates play in cancer and could lead to new directions in the development of therapeutics. About Burnham Institute for Medical Research Burnham Institute for Medical Research is dedicated to revealing the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. Burnham, with operations in California and Florida, is one of the fastest-growing research institutes in the country. The Institute ranks among the top-four institutions nationally for NIH grant funding and among the top-25 organizations worldwide for its research impact. Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, infectious and inflammatory and childhood diseases. The Institute is known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Burnham is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation. Burnham Institute for Medical Research


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