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Transforming Skin Cells into Neurons May Help Treat Alzheimer's
was defined by experts as a possible revolution in the treatment of degenerative brain diseases. The first study, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Biological Sciences in Shanghai, China, took samples of patients with Alzheimer's and modified them so that they turned off the gene from skin cells and activated the genes typical of neural cells. After several tests, the scientists reached seven molecules capable of making this transformation and named them VCRFSGY, according to the initials of the substances used. After a few weeks, the researchers finally got the artificial but mature and functional neurons. The second study, co-ordinated by scientists at Beijing University, did the same, but with mice raised in the laboratory. It is hoped that this new finding could be used in the future to help treat people with Alzheimer's and other degenerative brain diseases from the creation of neurons with the patient's own skin cells.
Zika virus: WHO expects about 4 million infections and convenes emergency committee
The session aimed to inform countries of more details of the epidemic that struck Brazil and 22 other countries, with cases already confirmed. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan was present and stressed that WHO is deeply concerned about the rapid evolution of the situation for four main reasons: The possible association of zika infection with birth of malformed infants and syndromes neurological diseases, such as microcephaly - noting that the WHO still does not accept this causal relationship due to a lack of medical evidence, of proof Possible international dissemination of the virus due to the huge geographic distribution of the mosquito With this, Chan called an emergency committee for next Monday, February 1, to discuss the epidemic, the relationship with neurological syndromes and what can be done internationally to minimize the problem.
Tuberculosis kills 1.4 million people per year, says WHO
Today is World Tuberculosis Day (March 24). According to data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis affected 8.7 million people in 2011 and it is predicted that by 2015, up to two million people will be infected with new resistant types of bacteria . The information was released in a note to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on March 18.
