December 5, 2019

Drug decreases gut leakiness associated with ulcerative colitis

A research team led by biomedical scientists at the University of California, Riverside, has found that a drug approved by the FDA to treat rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis can repair permeability defects in the gut’s epithelium. Affecting roughly 1 million Americans, ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of […]
December 4, 2019

'Not all disease is the same': study highlights protein variability in neurodegenerative diseases

A new University of Toronto study sheds light on how protein strains vary in the brains of those affected by progressive neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s, suggesting the need for patient-specific medicines. Their research findings, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, have important implications for people who are affected by progressive neurodegenerative diseases, and […]
December 4, 2019

One dose of radiotherapy as effective as five doses for cancer in the spine

A single dose of radiotherapy is as “effective” as five doses for end-of-life cancer patients suffering with painful spinal canal compression, finds a large study conducted by UCL, including The University of Manchester. Spinal canal compression is a common complication in cancer patients when the cancer has spread to their […]
December 4, 2019

A common drug could help restore limb function after spinal cord injury

Long-term treatment with gabapentin, a commonly prescribed drug for nerve pain, could help restore upper limb function after a spinal cord injury, new research in mice suggests. In the study, mice treated with gabapentin regained roughly 60 percent of forelimb function in a skilled walking test, compared to restoration of […]
December 4, 2019

New study explores the link between obesity and gum disease

Obesity and gum (periodontal) disease are among the most common non-communicable diseases in the United States—and studies show these chronic conditions may be related. This new study explores the effect of obesity on non-surgical periodontal care and evaluates potential pathways that may illustrate the connection between the two conditions. The […]
December 4, 2019

Study finds ‘frozen’ fear response may underlie PTSD

Learned fear responses enable animals — including humans — to flee or freeze in the face of a perceived threat. But if these behaviors persist after the danger lifts, they can become paralyzing and disabling. That’s a key element of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To explore how fear becomes entrenched, […]
December 4, 2019

Research Brief: Study shows why visceral fat increases with age and impairs metabolism

Aging is associated with increased inflammation and metabolic disease, including the accumulation of visceral fat — fat stored in the abdominal cavity — which is thought to contribute to inflammation. New research from University of Minnesota faculty member Christina Camell has helped uncover why visceral fat increases with age and points to […]
December 4, 2019

Rural Women at Higher Risk of Life-Threatening Pregnancy Complications

Women in rural communities experience higher rates of life-threatening complications during or after childbirth than mothers in urban cities, a new study finds. Maternal deaths and deliveries requiring emergency, life-saving treatment are increasing among both rural and urban residents, up from 109 to 152 per 10,000 childbirth hospitalizations, the new […]
December 4, 2019

Immediate Treatment with Antiretroviral Therapy Helps Infants with HIV

Study on babies in Botswana provides strong evidence that early initiation of ART may benefit those who contract HIV at birth. HIV infection among infants remains an enormous global health challenge. Each day, 300 to 500 infants in sub-Saharan Africa become infected with the virus. HIV progresses much faster in […]
December 4, 2019

U of A, biotech company team up to study whether medical cannabis could treat neurological conditions

A new partnership between the University of Alberta and Atlas Biotechnologies will explore the use of medical cannabis for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s diseases. “People are touting (cannabis) for all kinds of things, but without solid scientific evidence,” said Ross Tsuyuki, chair of the U of A’s Department […]
December 4, 2019

How a protein in your brain could protect against Alzheimer’s disease

New research sets the stage for exploring a potential cause of Alzheimer’s and a different approach to treating it. New research has found that the most common version of a protein called CD33 plays a crucial role in regulating white blood cells in the human brain, which could have important […]
December 4, 2019

Developing a new AI breast cancer diagnostic tool

Scientists are developing a new way to identify the unique chemical ‘fingerprints’ for different types of breast cancers. These new chemical footprints will be used to train AI software – creating a new tool for rapid and accurate diagnosis of breast cancers. The team of researchers from Lancaster University and […]
December 4, 2019

Study tests potential solution for male infertility

Researchers from the University of Georgia, Emory University School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh have received a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test a novel method of producing viable sperm cells from skin cells. The project could mark a pivotal advancement in therapies […]
December 4, 2019

Scientists use math to create personalized cancer therapies

Scientists are talking about personalized cancer treatment for decades. Each body is different and each cancer case is at least a little bit different, which is why personalized, custom-tailored treatment strategies are desired. And now this goal is coming closer to reality as scientists from the University of Waterloo found […]
December 3, 2019

Early immune response may improve cancer immunotherapies

In a paper published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago researchers and colleagues report a new mechanism for detecting foreign material during early immune responses. Viruses, bacteria and cancer have many ways to replicate and survive in our bodies. For viruses and bacteria, they invade […]
December 3, 2019

New Treatment Triggers Self-Destruction of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Pancreatic cancer is resistant to all current treatments. Patients have extremely poor chances of surviving for five years after being diagnosed. A new Tel Aviv University study finds that a small molecule has the ability to induce the self-destruction of pancreatic cancer cells. The research was conducted with xenografts — transplantations of […]
December 3, 2019

Loose Connections of Anxiety and Addiction

Binge drinking and alcoholism affect tens of millions of people throughout the country. While it’s certainly a social issue, research has shown that the behaviors and dependencies can have neurological roots. For her work investigating how alcohol and other commonly misused drugs hijack the brain’s adaptability — which leads to […]
December 3, 2019

Making higher-energy light to fight cancer

Materials scientists at the University of California, Riverside and The University of Texas at Austin have demonstrated that it is possible to achieve photon up-conversion, the emission of light with energy higher than the one that excites the material, when using carefully designed structures containing silicon nanocrystals and specialized organic […]
December 2, 2019

Researchers identify new gene mutation in familial thyroid cancers

Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine identified a new gene mutation that may cause a type of familial thyroid cancer. Dr. Darrin Bann, an otolaryngology resident at the College of Medicine and lead author of the study, said that this mutation is the first and only mutation associated with familial thyroid […]
December 2, 2019

The risk of cancer diagnoses and death is likely overestimated

Cancer is  not a rare disease. Depending on your lifestyle, age, sex, genetics and many other factors, you can be likely to get cancer in your lifetime. But aren’t we overestimating the risk of this disease? Scientists from University of Sydney and Bond University say that estimates provided by Australian […]
December 2, 2019

New principle for activation of cancer genes discovered

Researchers have long known that some genes can cause cancer when overactive, but exactly what happens inside the cell nucleus when the cancer grows has so far remained enigmatic. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have found a new mechanism that renders one canonical driver of cancer overactive. The […]
December 2, 2019

High fiber, yogurt diet associated with lower lung cancer risk

A diet high in fiber and yogurt is associated with a reduced risk for lung cancer, according to a study by Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers published in JAMA Oncology. The benefits of a diet high in fiber and yogurt have already been established for cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal cancer. The new […]
December 2, 2019

Cancer Seems to Have Trouble Spreading in Microgravity

There are a number of health risks that come with going to space. Aside from the increased exposure to solar radiation and cosmic rays, there are the notable effects that microgravity can have on human physiology. As Scott Kelly can attest, these go beyond muscle and bone degeneration and include […]
November 29, 2019

New path forward for pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers – by the time most cases are diagnosed, the cancer is advanced and spreading to other parts of the body. But what if these spreading cancer cells could, in fact, hold the key to guiding better treatment? Dr. Omid Faridani, recipient […]
November 29, 2019

Cards and board games help people staying mentally sharp later in life

Have you noticed that many older people love playing cards and board games. This is their way to socialize and have some fun. However, what they may not know is that this fun freetime activity also helps them protecting their thinking skills. This what a new study from the University […]