Related Science News

May 31, 2019

Life isn’t over: how best to communicate with people living with dementia

When Sandie Read was diagnosed with dementia at 57, she felt a mixture of fear, anxiety and depression. Fifteen years later and not only is she offering support to fellow sufferers but she’s also working with researchers to improve the way people communicate and interact with those living with the […]
May 31, 2019

Vaginal microbiome may influence preterm birth risk

The composition of the vaginal microbiome is an indicator of whether a woman will experience preterm birth, or carry the fetus full term, according to one of the largest studies of its kind.  The findings are publishedmicrobio in Nature Medicine. The microbiome is the collection of organisms growing in a particular location. […]
May 30, 2019

Researchers spot tell-tale signs of potentially fatal cardiac arrest

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people (such as the unexpected near fatal cardiac arrest suffered by the-then 23 year old footballer Fabrice Muamba), but the microscopic heart muscle abnormalities behind these tragic events can only be picked up in a post-mortem. Now, in […]
May 30, 2019

Improved diabetes in spite of obesity

Eating too much fat and sugar makes you overweight and unhealthy – even young children know that. But why is that, and is there anything we can do about it? In a study published in the journal Cell, Prof. Jens Brüning's research group at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism […]
May 30, 2019

Pregnancy stress linked to lower sperm count in male offspring

Men whose mothers were exposed to stressful life events during the first 18 weeks of pregnancy may have reduced sperm counts when they become adults, according to a new study led by The University of Western Australia. The research, published in Human Reproduction, reveals the first few months of pregnancy […]
May 30, 2019

Yoga improves physical and mental health of older adults

Yoga is a very popular physical activity, emphasizing breathing and flexibility. Believe it or not, many professional athletes, including MMA fighters, partake in yoga to improve their physical condition. Now scientists at The University of Edinburgh discovered that yoga for older adults helps maintaining better mental and physical health. Yoga […]
May 30, 2019

Inflammation-driven deterioration of structural proteins contributes to aging

Aging-related inflammation can drive the decline of a critical structural protein called lamin-B1, which contributes to diminished immune function in the thymus, according to research from Carnegie’s Sibiao Yue, Xiaobin Zheng, and Yixian Zheng published in Aging Cell. Each of our cells is undergirded by a protein-based cellular skeleton. And […]
May 30, 2019

Is Egg Freezing Right for You?

Advertising has a long history of targeting people with fantastic promises. From the perfect cream that will zap wrinkles before they even form to the workout gadget that will tone your entire body in 10 days, we are told of problems we didn’t know we had—and the solutions we need […]
May 30, 2019

Study aims to confirm MRI’s ability to detect autism early

The University of Washington in Seattle is among eight U.S. research sites undertaking a study to confirm whether brain imaging can detect signs of autism spectrum disorder in infants. The National Institute of Mental Health, part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding the multicenter research with a five-year, […]
May 30, 2019

New study identifies patterns of growth in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the rate of disease growth varies widely. In a new study from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Washington, scientists report that CLL growth is apt to follow one of three […]
May 30, 2019

Recovery twice as hard for survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Nearly 90 per cent of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survive, yet the same treatments that save their life can adversely affect their quality of life and cardiorespiratory fitness health.  In fact, the cardiorespiratory fitness of ALL survivors can be significantly worse than a sample of healthy Canadians, despite […]
May 30, 2019

$9.5 million aimed at detecting autism earlier in childhood

A multicenter research team led jointly by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has received a five-year, $9.5 million grant to further evaluate whether brain imaging can help detect very high risk of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy. […]
May 30, 2019

Immune cells determine how fast certain tumors grow

Tumors arise when cells shake off their restraints and start to multiply out of control. But how fast a tumor grows does not depend solely on how quickly the cancer cells can divide, a new study has found. By examining brain tumors in mice, researchers at Washington University School of […]
May 30, 2019

Fish, Fruit, Healthy Fats: What Should Heart Disease Patients Eat?

Your heart procedure was a success, and cardiac rehabilitation is going strong. That, of course, is great news. But there’s more to do to keep your mind and body healthy in the long run, says Susan Ryskamp, a dietitian at the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Center. One key factor: food. […]
May 30, 2019

Self-healing DNA nanostructures

DNA assembled into nanostructures such as tubes and origami-inspired shapes could someday find applications ranging from DNA computers to nanomedicine. However, these intriguing structures don’t persist long in biological environments because of enzymes called nucleases that degrade DNA. Now, researchers have designed DNA nanostructures that can heal themselves in serum. […]
May 30, 2019

Stem Cell Study Determines Most Harmful Vape Liquids

Are some flavors of vape liquid more harmful than others? A UA scientist says yes, based on the results of a novel research project that used stem cells to study the effects of vaping on endothelial cells. Your favorite vape flavor may be more harmful than the nicotine itself. Using […]
May 29, 2019

Study reveals structure of a 'master switch' controlling cell division

Unregulated cell division is a hallmark of cancer, and one of the key proteins involved in controlling cell division is called FoxM1. Abnormal activation of FoxM1 is a common feature of cancer cells and is correlated with poor prognosis, metastasis, and resistance to chemotherapy. Now researchers at UC Santa Cruz […]
May 29, 2019

Scientists find new type of cell that helps tadpoles’ tails regenerate

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered a specialised population of skin cells that coordinate tail regeneration in frogs. These ‘Regeneration-Organizing Cells’ help to explain one of the great mysteries of nature and may offer clues about how this ability might be achieved in mammalian tissues. It has long […]
May 29, 2019

Interplay between mitochondria and the nucleus may have implications for changing cell’s ‘batteries’

Mitochondria, the ‘batteries’ that produce our energy, interact with the cell’s nucleus in subtle ways previously unseen in humans, according to research published in the journal Science. The study, led by scientists at the University of Cambridge, suggests that matching mitochondrial DNA to nuclear DNA could be important when selecting […]
May 29, 2019

Researchers find protein that suppresses muscle repair in mice

Researchers report that a protein known to be important to protein synthesis also influences muscle regeneration and regrowth in an unexpected manner. The discovery, reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, could one day lead to new methods for treating disorders that result in muscle weakness and loss of muscle […]
May 29, 2019

Can nanotechnology repair body organs and heal wounds? Let's find out

Your body’s cellular structure is programmable, making it possible for it to be changed into other kinds of cells. And today, already a number of scientific studies have found at least a couple of ways to reprogram certain types of human cells. Using these methods, the body can potentially become […]
May 29, 2019

Grünenthal Challenge: Cell-Based/Gene Therapies for Pain

Pain is an unpleasant sensation that is part of the body’s protective mechanism designed to give a warning of potential or actual tissue damage. When pain is not managed effectively, it can persist and become debilitating, resulting in an overwhelming burden of suffering and poor quality of life. Due to […]
May 29, 2019

New compounds could be used to treat autoimmune disorders

The immune system is programmed to rid the body of biological bad guys—like viruses and dangerous bacteria—but its precision isn’t guaranteed. In the tens of millions of Americans suffering from autoimmune diseases, the system mistakes normal cells for malicious invaders, prompting the body to engage in self-destructive behavior. This diverse […]
May 29, 2019

Study finds link between ambient ozone exposure, carotid wall thickness

Long-term exposure to ambient ozone appears to accelerate arterial conditions that progress into cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to a new University at Buffalo study. It’s the first epidemiological study to provide evidence that ozone might advance subclinical arterial disease — injuries that occur to the artery walls prior to […]
May 29, 2019

Brain games? Yoga? What slows mild cognitive impairment?

As we age, many of us experience minor changes to memory, language and decision-making. These changes may represent mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an intermediate stage between age-related cognitive changes and the more serious condition of dementia. A number of behavioral interventions have shown promise to slow the advancement of MCI to dementia […]
May 29, 2019

Chemists build a better cancer-killing drill

An international team of scientists is getting closer to perfecting molecule-sized motors that drill through the surface of cancer cells, killing them in an instant. Researchers at Rice University, Durham (U.K.) University and North Carolina State University reported their success at activating the motors with precise two-photon excitation via near-infrared light. Unlike […]
May 29, 2019

Research is ‘urgently needed’ on heart muscle disease in children

Cardiomyopathy is a heart condition involving abnormalities of the muscle fibers, which contract with each heartbeat. Nearly half of children with this type of heart disease either undergo a heart transplant or die within two years of being diagnosed. That somber statistic is part of an American Heart Association (AHA) […]
May 29, 2019

Proteins on viral surface linked to formation of Alzheimer’s plaque

New research from Stockholm University and Karolinska Institutet shows that viruses interact with proteins in the biological fluids of their host which results in a layer of proteins on the viral surface. This coat of proteins makes the virus more infectious and facilitates the formation of plaques characteristic of neurodegenerative […]