(Press-News.org) Prion diseases represent a family of neurodegenerative disorders associated with the loss of brain cells and caused by proteins called prions (derived from 'protein' and 'infection'). The diseases are found in both humans and animals, such as Creutzfeld-Jakob disease and mad cow disease respectively. Although mostly harmless, prions can transform into infectious agents, which accumulate in the brain and destroy the nervous tissue.
But how exactly does the accumulation of prions cause destruction of the brain? "Understanding the process by which prions destroy neurons is critical for finding a cure for prion disease", says Isaac Crespo, first author of the publication. He and his colleagues tackled this question with a computational approach: They ran their own computer programmes on experimental data generated by other research groups, and identified a set of 16 proteins that seems to control the onset of the disease. Interestingly, almost all of these proteins have known functions in neuro-inflammation.
"What we consider remarkable and constitutes our main finding, is the key role that neuro-inflammation plays in initiating prion disease. This finding is not only relevant for prion diseases, but also for other 'protein misfolding diseases' such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer diseases" says Prof. Dr. Antonio del Sol, group leader of the Computational Biology group.
Since its publication on October 15th, Crespo's paper was accessed so frequently, that it received the mark 'Highly Accessed', only awarded to articles that are downloaded very frequently. The strong interest that scientists are showing for these research findings reflects the urgency with which researchers are trying to understand prion diseases for which there is no cure until today.
### END
Brain inflammation likely key initiator to prion and Parkinson's disease
2012-11-29
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
New genetic test detects early breast cancer and identifies future risk
2012-11-29
Bethesda, MD—Physicians may now be better at detecting breast cancer than ever before, but much more work remains to ensure accurate diagnosis is possible and especially to assess future risk. That's why researchers from Germany have been working to develop a new test of gene action to predict cancer risk both at first diagnosis and into the future. In a new research report appearing in the December 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers show that the various genetic switches, which are turned on and off in the regular development of every cell in the body, can be ...
New approach allows past data to be used to improve future climate projections
2012-11-29
Climate scientists are still grappling with one of the main questions of modern times: how high will global temperatures rise if the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide doubles. Many researchers are turning to the past because it holds clues to how nature reacted to climate change before the anthropogenic impact. The divergent results of this research, however, have made it difficult to make precise predictions about the impact of increased carbon dioxide on future warming. An international team of scientists have evaluated previously published estimates and assigned ...
'Dark core' may not be so dark after all
2012-11-29
ATHENS, Ohio (Nov. 29, 2012)—Astronomers were puzzled earlier this year when NASA's Hubble Space Telescope spotted an overabundance of dark matter in the heart of the merging galaxy cluster Abell 520. This observation was surprising because dark matter and galaxies should be anchored together, even during a collision between galaxy clusters.
Astronomers have abundant evidence that an as-yet-unidentified form of matter is responsible for 90 percent of the gravity within galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Because it is detected via its gravity and not its light, they call ...
The future looks bright: ONR, marines eye solar energy
2012-11-29
ARLINGTON, Va. —The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is looking to the sun for energy in an effort to help Marines do away with diesel-guzzling generators now used in combat outposts, officials announced Nov. 29.
The Renewable Sustainable Expeditionary Power (RSEP) program seeks to create a transportable renewable hybrid system that can provide Marines with electricity for a 15-day mission without relying on fuel resupply convoys that often become targets for adversaries.
"This program takes on a number of power-related challenges and ultimately will allow the Marine ...
Mild vibrations may provide some of the same benefits to obese people as exercise
2012-11-29
Bethesda, MD—If you're looking to get some of the benefits of exercise without doing the work, here's some good news. A new research report published online in The FASEB Journal shows that low-intensity vibrations led to improvements in the immune function of obese mice. If the same effect can be found in people, this could have clinical benefits for obese people suffering from a wide range of immune problems related to obesity.
"This study demonstrates that mechanical signals can help restore an immune system compromised by obesity," said Clinton Rubin, Ph.D., study ...
Oceanic crust breakthrough: Solving a magma mystery
2012-11-29
Washington, D.C. — Oceanic crust covers two-thirds of the Earth's solid surface, but scientists still don't entirely understand the process by which it is made. Analysis of more than 600 samples of oceanic crust by a team including Carnegie's Frances Jenner reveals a systemic pattern that alters long-held beliefs about how this process works, explaining a crucial step in understanding Earth's geological deep processes. Their work is published in Nature on November 29.
Magmas generated by melting of the Earth's mantle rise up below the oceanic crust and erupt on the Earth's ...
Children with higher intelligence less likely to report chronic widespread pain in adulthood
2012-11-29
Philadelphia, PA, November 29, 2012 – A UK-based study team has determined that there is a correlation between childhood intelligence and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in adulthood, according to a new study published in the December issue of PAIN®. About 10-15 percent of adults report CWP, a common musculoskeletal complaint that tends to occur more frequently among women and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. CWP is a core symptom of fibromyalgia and is one of the most common reasons for consulting a rheumatologist.
"One psychological factor that could ...
Canada's first liver cell transplant takes place in Calgary
2012-11-29
CALGARY – A three-month-old Winnipeg girl has become the first patient in Canada to receive an experimental and potentially life-saving form of therapy to improve the function of her liver.
Physicians at Alberta Children's Hospital, led by medical geneticist Dr. Aneal Khan, successfully completed a series of liver cell transplants earlier this month on patient Nazdana Ali.
Nazdana was born last August with a Urea Cycle Disorder (UCD), a genetic disease that causes ammonia to build up in the body that, if untreated, would lead to brain damage and death. Ammonia is ...
Sources of E. coli are not always what they seem
2012-11-29
This press release is available in Spanish.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have identified sources of Escherichia coli bacteria that could help restore the reputation of local livestock. Studies by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist Mark Ibekwe suggest that in some parts of California, pathogens in local waterways are more often carried there via runoff from urban areas, not from animal production facilities.
ARS is USDA's chief intramural scientific research agency, and this work supports the USDA priority of ensuring food safety.
Even ...
The beginning of everything: A new paradigm shift for the infant universe
2012-11-29
A new paradigm for understanding the earliest eras in the history of the universe has been developed by scientists at Penn State University. Using techniques from an area of modern physics called loop quantum cosmology, developed at Penn State, the scientists now have extended analyses that include quantum physics farther back in time than ever before -- all the way to the beginning. The new paradigm of loop quantum origins shows, for the first time, that the large-scale structures we now see in the universe evolved from fundamental fluctuations in the essential quantum ...