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drugs that target these faults are available, the disease eventually builds resistance, leaving treatments ineffective.

researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London

developed a unique drug that targets AML cells in a “double hit”.

blocks the protein made by the faulty FLT3 gene along with another key protein – called Aurora kinase – which are both involved in driving cancer growth

healthy blood cells, FLT3 sends a signal to the cells telling them when to proliferate, while Aurora kinase plays a role in cell division

Leukaemia cells with faulty FLT3 can proliferate out of control

many cancer cells have higher levels of Aurora kinase, causing errors during cell division

drug is also unique because it can destroy cells even if they develop new faults in the FLT3 genes that would make them resistant to other inhibitors

There has been great interest in using FLT3 drugs to treat AML

effectiveness has been limited because leukaemia cells gain new mistakes in the FLT3 gene, causing resistance.

new drug has the potential to overcome this and has a range of possible uses in AML

those over 60 who don’t tolerate chemotherapy well, and also to treat  leukaemia patients who have relapsed

We’re excited about the potential of our new ‘double hit’ drug and are now planning to take it into clinical trials to see if it is effective in patients

faults that occur in the FLT3 gene cause rapid cell division

Each year around 2,380 people are diagnosed with AML in the UK

creating cells in the lab that mimic how drug resistance develops in AML the researchers were able to show that their new drug delivers a ‘double hit’ to halt cancer cells in their tracks

levels of the enzyme, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), were lower than those of typically developing children in samples taken in the afternoon in

samples taken at home throughout the day showed that sAA levels were higher in general across the day and much less variable for children with ASD

sAA levels of typically developing children gradually rise and fall over the day

Norepinephrine (NE) has been found in the blood plasma levels of individuals with ASD, but some researchers have questioned whether these levels were just related to the stress from blood draws

collecting salivary measures by simply placing a highly absorbent sponge swab under the child’s tongue and confirmed that this method of collection did not stress the children by assessing their stress levels through cortisol, another hormone

potential for physicians to screen children for ASD much earlier, noninvasively and relatively inexpensively

also see pupil size and sAA levels as biomarkers

Many theories of autism propose that the disorder is due to deficits in higher-order brain areas

Our findings, however, suggest that the core deficits may lie in areas of the brain typically associated with more fundamental, vital functions

study, published online in the May 29, 2012

compared children between the ages of 20 and 72 months of age diagnosed with ASD to a group of typically developing children and a third group of children with Down syndrome

Three veteran space travelers from three different countries are gearing up to launch toward the International Space Station

will join the three spaceflyers already living on the space station: commander Gennady Padalka of Russia, his cosmonaut colleague Sergei Revin, and NASA astronaut Joe Acaba, who have all been in space since May.

Malenchenko: Malenchenko, 50, is a colonel in the Russian Air Force and will command the Soyuz spacecraft for Russia's Federal Space Agency. He is making his third trip

first long-duration spaceflight aboard Russia's Mir space station.

Sunita Williams: Williams, 46, hails from Needham, Mass., and is a U.S. Navy captain making her second long-duration spaceflight

Williams currently holds the world record for most spacewalks by a woman (four) and the most time in space by a female astronaut (195 days

Akhiko Hoshide: Hoshide, 44, is an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and is making his second spaceflight

Hoshide first flew to the space station in 2008

to deliver Japan's huge Kibo laboratory module to the International Space Station.

Through the remainder of this year, 200 experiments will be performed

outlined how it plans to modify its launch pads to support such a mission

discussed the Dragon capsule's docking capabilities, living arrangements, weight and power requirements and potential ground landing sites

designed to carry seven astronauts

also presented studies that showed how its launch abort system, which is known as SuperDraco, would perform if an emergency occurred shortly after liftoff

company told NASA how it would attempt to safeguard astronauts if something unexpected occurred on the way to orbit, in space or during the trip home

ready to move on to the next phase and on target to fly people into space aboard Dragon by the middle of the decade

SpaceX is one of four companies — along with Blue Origin, Boeing and Sierra Nevada Corp. — to receive funding over the last two years from NASA's Commercial Crew Program. CCP

NASA hopes at least two of these firms can have vehicles up and running by 2017

researchers report that although approximately 15 genetic mutations are linked to forms of Parkinson

researchers determined that certain compounds or drugs could reverse some signs of disease in the cultured cells with specific genetic mutations

suggest new opportunities for clinical trials of Parkinson’s disease, wherein cell reprogramming technology could be used to identify the patients most likely to respond to a particular intervention

this study points the way to screening patients with Parkinson’s for their particular variation of the disease

drugs shown effective to work on that variation

menus can be easily traversed by simply running the fingers across them, a voice calls out their function

Georgie can be purchased as a set of apps for those that already have a phone, or as a complete system, i.e. phones with preinstalled apps

comes with a single basic app that allows for performing functions such as dialing and voice dictation and has useful features such as “Places” that announce direction and can be loaded with known hazards such as low hanging tree branches or potholes

three different apps packages to choose from

“Travelers” app that features “Near Me,” which calls out place names such as restaurants, bus stops, stores, etc. along with weather reports

“Lifestyle” offers an ability to listen to newspaper and magazine articles or even whole books

“Communicate” helps users connect socially by helping them record, translate to text and then send twitter or text messages

basic app costs $230 and each add-on adds an additional $39. Most would consider this quite cheap however, as other systems total in the thousands and aren’t nearly as mobile.

isn’t sure whether either can be scaled up to work inside a military vehicle

new Caltech study suggests that specific changes in an overactive immune system can indeed contribute to autism-like behaviors in mice

have long suspected that the immune system plays a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder

Several large epidemiological studies—including one that involved tracking the medical history of every person born in Denmark between 1980 and 2005—have found a correlation between viral infection during the first trimester of a mother's pregnancy and a higher risk for autism spectrum disorder in her child

researchers characterized the immune system of the offspring of mothers that had been infected and found that the offspring display a number of immune changes

Some of those changes parallel those seen in people with autism,

alterations add up to an immune system in overdrive—one that promotes inflammation

researchers were able to correct many of the autism-like behaviors in the offspring of immune-activated mothers by giving the offspring a bone-marrow transplant from typical mice

because the work was conducted in mice, the results cannot be readily extrapolated to humans

bone-marrow transplants should be considered as a treatment for autism

In future studies, the researchers plan to examine the effects of highly targeted anti-inflammatory treatments on mice that display autism-related behaviors and immune changes

also interested in considering the gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria

system includes an antenna, an electronics case, and electrode array

designed to bypass damaged photoreceptors altogether

video camera in the glasses captures a scene

video is sent to a small patient-worn computer VPU where it is processed and transformed into instructions sent back to the glasses via a cable

transmitted wirelessly to the antenna in the implant

signals are sent to the electrode array, which emits small pulses of electricity. The pulses bypass the damaged photoreceptors and stimulate the retina’s remaining

Users of the Argus II bionic eye say that they can see rough shapes and track the movement of objects; they can slowly read large writing.

Anticipation is high, meanwhile, for a bionic retina that has been designed to restore sight at less cost and with a different technique

Bio-Retina developed by Nano Retina does not make use of an external camera

vision-restoring sensor is placed inside the eye, on top of the damaged retina

24×24-resolution (576-pixel) sensor atop the damaged retina. The device generates a grayscale image

implant is inserted through an incision in the eye

procedure takes 30 minutes and requires only local anesthesia

transforms naturally received light into an electrical signal that stimulates the neurons, which send the pictures received by Bio-Retina to the brain

rechargeable, battery-powered mini-laser on a pair of eyeglasses powers the implant wirelessly

anticipated recover time is up to one week

patients able to distinguish faces and to be able to look from side to side with their eyes rather than needing to turn their heads

AMD, the photoreceptors do not function, which prevents the brain from receiving these signals from the eyes

bio-retina implant is essentially a combined imaging circuit and neural interface which is glued rather than sutured to a patient’s macula

area of the retina responsible for high-resolution central vision

Measuring 3 x 4 mm and 1 mm thick, the implant is designed to capture light through the normal optical track of the eyeball and stimulate neurons to transmit information to the brain, essentially restoring the function of the damaged photoreceptors

Light incident on the implant is collected by an array of CMOS pixels

first-generation bio-retina will use an array of 600 pixels, although the aim is to increase this to 5000 pixels in future generations

Nano Retina has dedicated a substantial amount of time developing a proprietary algorithm that translates the received visual information and image into the neuron language

translating circuitry that discriminates 100 gray-scale levels and responds to varying light levels. It is a sophisticated process

implant uses an array of micro-electrodes that first penetrate into the retina, then connect closely to the neurons and thereafter transmit the information. The goal is that every pixel will connect to a neuron, so that every pixel in the array would use a micro-electrode

neurons must be stimulated electrically

the bio-retina implant also requires a source of electrical power

Patients who undergo surgery to implant a bio-retina will need to wear a special set of glasses

glasses feature a built-in battery and an infrared diode laser. “The infrared laser light is transmitted into the eye and captured by a miniature photovoltaic cell on the bio-retina

harvests the energy, which in turn powers the electronic circuitry. Our goal is for the imager and the electronics to consume no more than 1mW

studying the Neptune-sized exoplanet GJ 436b, already known to exist around the red-dwarf star GJ 436

In the Spitzer data, the astronomers noticed slight dips in the amount of infrared light streaming from the star, separate from the dips caused by GJ 436b

review of Spitzer archival data showed the dips were periodic, suggesting a second planet might be orbiting the star and blocking out a small fraction of the star's light. 

diameter would be approximately 5,200 miles (8,400 kilometers), or two-thirds that of Earth

revolve

about seven times the distance of Earth from the moon, with its "year" lasting only 1.4 Earth days

the exoplanet's surface temperature would be more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (almost 600 degrees Celsius

might therefore resemble a cratered, mostly geologically dead world like Mercury

another possibility; that the extreme heat of orbiting so close to GJ 436 has melted the exoplanet's surface

colleagues noticed hints of a third planet

Spitzer has observed evidence of the two new planets several times each

even the most sensitive instruments are unable to measure exoplanet masses as small

mass is required for confirming a discovery

cautiously calling both bodies exoplanet candidates for now.

1,800 stars identified by NASA' Kepler space telescope as candidates for having planetary systems, just three are verified to contain sub-Earth-sized exoplanets

only one exoplanet is thought to be smaller than the Spitzer candidates

blue filter on the spacecraft's main camera recorded the lightning flashes

scientists then exaggerated the blue tint in order to pin down the lightning's location and size

analysis of the new images revealed that the energy from the visible lightning flashes alone could have spiked up to 3 billion watts over one second

on par with some of the strongest lightning flashes on Earth.  

the lightning on Saturn was spotted across a region 100 miles (160 kilometers

Cassini spotted eight daytime lightning flashes on Saturn, five in one part of the storm and three in an another

storm wrapped completely around Saturn at its peak and is the longest-lived storm ever seen on the ringed planet. It began in December 2010 and lasted about 200 days, finally sputtering out in late June 2011

mystery that remains is why the daytime Saturn lightning only turned up in Cassini's blue imaging filter

Scientists aren't sure if that means the lightning is actually blue in color, or if it's due to a short exposure time of the camera that helps the camera filter detect the lightning

is a sweet, pungent zing in your nostrils

fresh aroma of ozone

Petrichor

occurs when airborne molecules from decomposing plant or animal matter become attached to mineral or clay surfaces

when the rains came, the redolent combination of fatty acids, alcohols and hydrocarbons is released

Petrichor potpourri

Falling water disturbs and displaces odoriferous molecules on surfaces, particularly on dry ones, and carry them into the

happen to be near vegetation, these molecules may come from plants and trees

rise up from concrete and asphalt

Damp earth

After a storm has moved through

aroma of geosmin, a metabolic by-product of bacteria or blue-green algae

Microbiologist Keith Chater at the John Innes Center in England has proposed that geosmin's fragrance may be a beacon, helping camels find their way to desert oases

cleared its funding goal on Kickstarter by more than $7,000, and is on its way to developing a new breed of intra-vehicular space suit.

designed with the space tourism market in mind

Kickstarter pitch, FFD is trying to construct their suit and put it on the way toward NASA certification by the end of the

3G suit could be skirting the heavens aboard commercial space vehicles within the next few years

Building on earlier iterations of spacesuits they’ve designed

focusing on extending the operating pressure envelope, reducing weight, and--perhaps most importantly--trimming the per suit price

trying to bring a suit to market for $50,000

approximately 100 miles (200 kilometers) in diameter when it exits the tops of the clouds

scientists deduce that the lightning bolts originate in the clouds deeper down in Saturn's atmosphere where water droplets freeze

analogous to where lightning is created in Earth's atmosphere.

In one composite image, they recorded five flashes, and in another, three flashes

interest in providing protection from an accidental reaction” than in having the child gain a new food group

55 children ages 5 to 11 with egg allergies, confirmed by skin-prick tests, medical history and the presence of antibodies to egg protein

All of them got an unmarked powder added to their food daily

Forty kids were randomly assigned to receive the egg treatment and 15 got cornstarch as a control

treatment amounted to a few grains of powdered egg white on the first day and gradually grew to the equivalent of one-third of an egg

After 22 months, 30 of the 40 children getting the treatment were able to consume 10 grams of powdered egg white without having a visible reaction

Five of the 40 did have a reaction to the egg test, as did all children in the placebo group

Another five children who had allergic reactions to the initial treatment dropped out of the study early on

Four to six weeks after stopping treatment, the children who didn’t react to the egg test got tested again

with 10 grams of egg white powder plus a cooked egg

Eleven passed that test. A year later, 10 of them were eating eggs at will

remaining challenges will be to identify beforehand which children are the most likely to benefit from the treatment

predictions may emerge from tests of their immune cells and proteins

blood tests of kids whose treatment succeeded showed an accumulation of positive immune changes during treatment

reaction. Whether those changes are permanent is unknown

about 10 percent of children given this type of oral treatment for egg, peanut or milk allergies — including roughly that fraction in this study — have reactions early and drop out, Burks says. “For a small group of kids, this isn’t the right therapy

Don’t try this at home. The Food and Drug Administration would need to approve an oral treatment for clinical use.

Four patients

may be nothing

for sure

the drug may falter and go by the wayside as it makes its way through the clinical trials pipeline

results still intrigued some in the research community

Results from late-stage clinical trials next year will show whether these four were patients who just happened to have plateaued for a while during their inevitable decline

initial findings are encouraging, they are extremely preliminary

Until the results of the larger double-blind Phase 3 results demonstrate a significant benefit, intravenous immunoglobulin’s role in the treatment of AD is unproven

If later trials succeed, the results would give credence to the idea that Alzheimer’s usual suspect—a toxic peptide called amyloid-beta—is, in fact, the major heavy in the neurodegeneration

positive Phase III trial next year will mean, though, that the real work lies ahead

The drug, not covered by insurers, is already used off-label to treat Alzheimer’s by some rich patients who can afford to shell out $50,000 a year from their own pockets

If one day insurers were to cover Gammagard, not enough supply would exist for the donor-based drug—and shortages would make life difficult for  patients already using it for immune conditions

promising outcome for the drug trial may serve more as a proof of principle