Cancer Viruses

Cancer Viruses

Worldwide, cancer viruses are estimated to cause 15 to 20 percent of all cancers in humans. Most viral infections however, do not lead to tumor formation as several factors influence the progression from viral infection to cancer development. The hepatitis B virus (shown above) is an example of a cancer causing virus that has been linked to liver cancer in people with chronic infections.

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More About Viruses

• Virus Structure
• Virus Replication
• Animal Viruses

Top Four Reasons Why Diets Fail

Saturday January 5, 2013

Image: Grant Cochrane/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care researchers have identified the top four reasons why dieters don't lose weight. These reasons include underestimating calorie intake, not getting enough physical activity, poor timing of meals, and not getting enough sleep. The researchers state that the key to losing weight and keeping it off involves making good health practices a way of life.
According to researcher Jessica Bartfield, "Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance. Dieting is a skill, much like riding a bicycle, and requires practice and good instruction." The researchers state that those seeking to lose weight must be aware of their caloric intake, increase physical activity throughout the day, not go longer than 5 hours without eating a healthy meal, and get at least 6 hours of sleep per day.
Learn more about this study, see:

Bats and Jumping Genes

Friday January 4, 2013

Little Brown Bat Moriarty Marvin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Johns Hopkins researchers have identified an active type of jumping gene in bats. Jumping genes or transposable elements are gene segments that can reposition themselves in the genome. These genes cause mutations that lead to genetic variation and the potential to develop disease.
According to researcher Nancy Craig, "Transposable elements are virtually everywhere in nature, from bacteria to humans. They're often seen as parasites, replicating themselves and passing from generation to generation without doing anything for their hosts. But in fact they play an important role in fueling adaptation and evolution by adding variability to the genome." Until now, the type of jumping gene that is able to cut itself out from one position on the genome and insert itself into another position was thought to be inactive in mammals.
Learn more about this study, see:

Asparagus Hangover Remedy

Friday December 28, 2012

Image: Luigi Diamanti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

New Year's Eve is a time for celebrating the coming of the new year. Some people however, consume too much alcohol and suffer from alcohol hangover. A study in the Journal of Food Science indicates that asparagus extract may help to reduce the symptoms of alcohol hangover. The study found that the amino acids and minerals in asparagus also protect liver cells from toxins resulting from excess alcohol consumption. Alcohol hangover is characterized by various symptoms including headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, sensitivity to light and sound, anxiety and irritability.
According to researcher B.Y. Kim, "The amino acid and mineral contents were found to be much higher in the leaves than the shoots. Cellular toxicities were significantly alleviated in response to treatment with the extracts of asparagus leaves and shoots." The researchers contend that asparagus can be an alcohol hangover remedy as well as a protective agent against alcohol liver cell damage.
Learn more about this study, see:

Eating To Excess Alters Food Clock

Thursday December 27, 2012

Image: Daniel St.Pierre/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Did you know that we all have a food clock? Scientists use this term to refer to the body's food-entrainable oscillator, or collection of genes and molecules that work in concert to maintain normal metabolic function. This clock can be altered by changes in eating habits. These changes include eating to excess at atypical times. A study conducted by University of California, San Francisco researchers has found that a protein known as PKCγ resets the clock.
According to researcher Louis Ptacek, "Understanding the molecular mechanism of how eating at the "wrong" time of the day desynchronizes the clocks in our body can facilitate the development of better treatments for disorders associated with night-eating syndrome, shift work and jet lag." Our food clock is important as its function is to anticipate our eating habits in order to maximize nutritional intake. Discovering how this clock works may help scientists to better understand disorders such as diabetes and obesity.