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Cholesterol-Regulating Genes Identified By Scientists
Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University of Heidelberg, Germany, have come a step closer to understanding how cholesterol levels are regulated. In a study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, the researchers identified 20 genes that are involved in this process. Besides giving scientists a better idea of where to look to uncover the mechanisms that ensure cholesterol balance is maintained, the discovery could lead to new treatments for cholesterol-related diseases.

Discovery Links Proteins Necessary To Repair Membranes
Researchers at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are a step closer to treating, and perhaps preventing, muscle damage caused by disease and aging. In their study, published in the June issue of Journal of Biological Chemistry, the scientists have linked the newly discovered protein MG53 to a pathway that repairs human muscle tissue along with the proteins caveolin-3 (Cav3) and dysferlin. Prior to this study, the underlying interactions that inhibited membrane repair in muscle tissue were unknown. Linking these proteins creates a mechanism that allows damaged membranes to be repaired, which may transform treatment for patients who suffer from severe complications of diseases such as muscular dystrophy, as well as cardiovascular disorders and conditions related to advancing age.
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Pitt's Dr. Lewis Kuller Named 2009 Distinguished Scientist By American Heart Association
Lewis Kuller, M.D., Dr.P.H., distinguished professor of public health and professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, has been designated a 2009 American Heart Association Distinguished Scientist for major contributions to cardiovascular disease and stroke research.
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Blankets Instead Of Drugs To Avoid The Shivers In Brain Damage

Have you ever covered yourself with a blanket to stave off the shivers? A new study shows that a blanket can also help alleviate shivering in patients who have been cooled to prevent brain damage. Patients with brain injuries or dangerously high fevers are often cooled to reduce their core body temperature to prevent further damage and aid healing. Unfortunately, cooling induces a natural and familiar response - shivering. This shivering counteracts efforts to keep the patient"s temperature low, causes physical stress, and is currently treated with sedatives and other drugs. Now, a study recommended by Andreas Kramer, a member of Faculty of 1000 Medicine and leading expert in the field of critical care medicine, demonstrates that simply warming the skin can decrease shivering in many patients, without the need for drugs. Physicians at Columbia University and the New York Presbyterian Hospital found that the intensity of shivering and physiological stress increased when warming blankets were removed from therapeutically cooled patients. Shivering subsided when the blankets were replaced. Though warming the skin does not reduce shivering in all patients, Kramer concludes that "its simplicity, low cost, widespread availability, lack of adverse effects, and the potential to avoid sedation ... make it an attractive treatment option." Andreas Kramer, Faculty Member for F1000 Medicine, is Clinical Assistant Professor in the Departments of Critical Care Medicine and Clinical Neuroscience at University of Calgary, Canada. Kathleen Wets Faculty of 1000: Biology and Medicine


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