ScienceDaily: Top News

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• 'Rare' brain disorder may be more common than thought, say Mayo Clinic scientists
• New way to assess risk from chemicals
• Self-regulation of the immune system suppresses defense against cancer
• New method of cleaning toxins from oilsands

'Rare' brain disorder may be more common than thought, say Mayo Clinic scientists Posted: 25 Dec 2011 11:43 AM PST A global team of neuroscientists has found the gene responsible for a brain disorder that may be much more common than once believed.

New way to assess risk from chemicals Posted: 21 Dec 2011 11:05 AM PST Approximately 80,000 industrial chemicals are in use and about 700 new chemicals are introduced to commerce each year in the United States, according to the US Government Accountability Office. To assess human health risks from exposure to harmful substances, an expert is proposing a new technique that is more efficient than current methods.

Self-regulation of the immune system suppresses defense against cancer Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:57 AM PST Regulatory T cells, which are part of the body's immune system, downregulate the activity of other immune cells, thus preventing the development of autoimmune diseases or allergies. Scientists have now found the activation steps that are blocked by Tregs in immune cells. Since Tregs can also suppress the body's immune defense against cancer, the findings obtained by the DKFZ researchers are important for developing more efficient cancer treatments.

New method of cleaning toxins from oilsands Posted: 21 Dec 2011 06:19 AM PST Researchers have isolated biofilms that are indigenous to the oilsands environment and are highly tolerant to the stress associated with toxins and metals found in tailings water. Those consortia of biofilms are able to, slowly, detoxify the water.

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