Aurora magazine

AIRC has funded a new research project against acute myeloid leukemia, led by the St. Orsola Hospital. The research aims to find a way to block a molecular mechanism that makes the most aggressive cancer. This fact causes a greater resistance to chemotherapy, making it easy to incur relapses.

Today the pediatric acute myeloid leukemia has a recurrence rate of about 30%. At 5 years of diagnosis, it survives only 65% ​​of young patients, often precisely because of a lack of effectiveness of standard therapies. The Bologna team is studying the role of the mobile phone via Hedgehog. The uncontrolled activation of this pathway renders the tumor more resistant to chemotherapy, making it often necessary to transplantation. It also facilitates the reappearance of cancer even years after the apparent cure.

Other projects have identified inhibitors able to block the Hedgehog, at least in vitro. The inhibitors were also tested on adult subjects, with positive results: 30% of the cells are already active death following treatment. The new project aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms that cause the activation of the cell, testing specifically designed inhibitors for children. If all goes well, the project will continue until early 2020.

Source: ansa.it

A woman of 24 years Dubai has managed to have a child with ova stored at nine years. Today Moaza Al Matrooshi is the first woman to have conceived with ovum stored so soon.

The woman had become almost sterile due to a cancer of the blood that had struck her as a child. Chemotherapy had wiped out the tumor, however, and preventing it from damaging the reproductive organs to conceive for normal routes. His family, however, had taken steps to remove the right ovary, as well as to preserve the eggs. The left ovary was instead remained where it was, at least until a few years ago. Moaza was 22 years old when the left ovary has stopped functioning completely and she has entered menopause.

After entering into menopause, the woman turned to the Danish surgeons. Doctors have transplanted right ovary and uterus samples left ovary. The process resulted in a reversal of menopause and Moaza has begun to ovulate. Doctors have collected eight healthy and mature eggs, which have fertilized in vitro. The result is a healthy baby, born in London in late 2016.

The case of Moaza Al Matrooshi proof that it is possible to restore the fertility of a woman, even with ovaries removed at a young age. It is still a difficult task, because the organs are still very small and there is no margin of error. The procedure still offers new hope to many future women who, after winning the battle against cancer, will also decide whether to become mothers.

Source: sputniknews.com

One of our ancestors could stretch out new information about a modern disease. The key to understanding and perhaps cure Lesch-Nyhan was indeed hidden in the DNA of a hominid. They discovered researchers at the University of Parma, led by Riccardo Percudani and funded by the Telethon Foundation.

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is a disease that causes the accumulation of uric acid in the blood. This leads to develop gout, kidney problems, neurological deficits. It is a disease currently lacks an effective therapy, which affects mostly males and is transmitted through the X chromosome The researchers had already identified the genetic abnormality responsible. According to the latest study, however, the key to the problem could be in a protein now lost.

Some animal species have production worker gene for a protein called urate oxidase. The protein is used to prevent uric acid accumulates in the blood, removing the bud the causes of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Unfortunately, the human being does not have one, or at least it is at this point in his evolutionary process.

The researchers looked at the genetic heritage of the eight species of great apes, including humans. They then compared with other vertebrates, and have identified the gene for urate oxidase. They have mapped five gene mutations during evolution of hominids, which took place between 20 and 30 million years ago. At this point have isolated a variant in particular, that could work in an optimal way for human beings.

The study comes to the conclusion that the man has lost the urate oxidase in a gradual manner. Along the process is passed through a variant that could be effective even modern humans. The discovery could be crucial to developing new treatments for this rare genetic disorder.

Source: ansa.it

An Iranian test study that lack of exercise lowers male fertility. On the contrary, a moderate amount of cardio greatly increases the speed, the shape and the volume of the sperm. An interesting news for all those couples who are trying to have children, perhaps through assisted reproduction.

The study involved 261 sedentary men, divided into four groups according to the type of workout. The first were assigned 30 to 45 minutes of moderate journey at least three times a week; the latter has carried out high-intensity exercise such as sprinting three times a week; the third performed at high intensity exercise interspersed with walking; the members of the fourth had to do nothing. The first three groups showed a significant decrease in weight, body fat and waist circumference. Only men of the first group, however, have seen a significant improvement in sperm quality.

At the end of the first stage, the sperm of men who did moderate exercise had a larger volume of 8% compared to those who had not done anything. In addition, the mobility was increased by 12%, the morphology was 17% better, and there was 22% more sperm. After all four groups have stopped the exercises. The result of the stop was a return of sperm to the initial situation.

Researchers have not yet considered how moderate exercise has determined these improvements. The hypothesis is that causes a decrease in stress and inflammation, favorable for producing vibrant and healthy sperm. In any case, the moderate exercise could be a way to not only improve the quality of life in general, but also the chance of conceiving. A news of great importance for the many couples who are trying to have a child.

Source: huffingtonpost.com