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| News Around World |
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| Active compounds found in fungus has potential to treat prostate cancer |
Recent research by University of Haifa have shown that molecules found
in common fungus Ganoderma lucidum aid in suppressing some
of the mechanisms involved in the progression of prostate cancer. The
molecules react by generally disrupting androgen receptor activity and
impeding the proliferation of cancerous cells. Possibilities exist to
establish research and development of bioactive metabolites from Ganoderma
lucidum that could yield an anti-prostate cancer drug. |
| Stink
bugs and boll weevils are major pests for most US cotton growers, costing
Georgia farmers up to 3% of their cotton in 2003. Currently, two entomologists
in ARS’s Crop Protection and Management Research Unit and ARS’s
Fruit and Nut Research Laboratory are exploring use of trap crops in
combination with pheromone traps to control two troublesome members
of the family Pentatomidae. Entomologist Patricia Glynn Tillman and
Ted Cottrell has been able to determine the usefulness of combining
a sorghum trap crop with pheromone-baited capture traps to keep stink
bugs out of cotton |
| Discoveries in stem cell research recently have not only affirmed the importance of the multipotent cells but also achieved and broke several milestones in the field of stem cell research which with its promise of cures, may one day bring hope to patients afflicted with various diseases. Researchers last month announced they were able to turn the clock back on skin cells and transform them into stem cells, earlier this month, a different team announced it had cured sickle cell anaemia in mice using stem cells derived from adult mouse skin. "This work represents a tremendous scientific milestone" said Robert Lanza, a stem cell pioneer at Advanced Cell Technology. "It's bit like learning how to turn lead into gold." |
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