Life, Health and Enjoyment

Sniffer dogs could be used for the early detection of lung cancer, according to new research published in the European Respiratory Journal. Sniffer dog training. (Credit: Image courtesy of European Lung Foundation) The study, carried out by researchers from Schillerhoehe Hospital in Germany, is the first to find that sniffer dogs can reliably detect lung cancer. Lung cancer is the second most frequent form of cancer in men and women across Europe with over 340,000 deaths per year. It is also the most common cause of death from cancer worldwide. The disease is not strongly associated with any symptoms and early detection is often by chance. Current methods of detection are unreliable and scientists have been working on using exhaled breath specimens from patients for future screening tests. This method relies on identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are linked to the presence of cancer. Although many different technological applications have been developed, thi...

A scientist at the Gladstone Institutes has discovered how a gene known as SIRT3 contributes to a suite of health problems sweeping across America, offering new insight into how to combat these potentially fatal conditions. An image showing how fat molecules (shown in red) are stored in normal cells (left), vs. cells in which the SIRT3 gene was switched off. In cells with an inactive SIRT3 gene, fats can't break down properly, increasing one's risk for health problems associated with the metabolic syndrome. (Credit: Image courtesy of Gladstone Institutes)                                                                     Over time, this build-up can lead to obesity, high blood pressure and insulin resistance.  In a paper being published August 18 in Molecular Cell, Gladstone Senior Investigator Eric Ve...