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Fighting invisible foes: How cryptic fungal pathogens threaten human health and food security

The research paper in PLOS Pathogens delves into the challenges of diagnosing and treating cryptic fungal pathogens, which are difficult to distinguish from common fungi but equally dangerous. The study calls for more accurate diagnostic methods and a better understanding of how these fungi interact with the human immune system and microbiome for effective treatment and prevention.

25 Oct 2023

New insights into the molecular basis of schizophrenia during early brain development

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disease that remains poorly understood and treated.

24 Oct 2023

New method provides valuable insights into the brain's noradrenaline system

An international team of researchers has provided valuable insights into the brain's noradrenaline (NA) system, which has been a longtime target for medications to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, and anxiety.

24 Oct 2023

Coffee and genetics: A complex blend impacting kidney health

Researchers dive into the intricate connection between caffeine consumption and genetic predisposition, uncovering paradoxical effects on kidney function.

22 Oct 2023

Decoding schizophrenia: insights and impacts from genetic discoveries

A recent study in Molecular Psychiatry delves into the genetic architecture of schizophrenia, uncovering insights into common and rare genetic variants, treatment resistance, and the evolutionary paradox of the disorder. This research highlights the complex nature of schizophrenia and the need for a transdiagnostic approach to psychiatric research.

22 Oct 2023

How the gut microbiome contributes to schizophrenia

Researchers explore potential relationships between schizophrenia, the gut microbiome, the gut-brain axis, and short-chain fatty acids.

19 Oct 2023

Kidney transplantation turns back the clock on renal aging

This recent study in the Journal of Internal Medicine reveals that kidney transplantation mitigates the effects of renal aging in chronic kidney disease patients, outperforming dialysis. The research utilized DNA methylation clocks to assess biological age, finding that age acceleration decreased one year post-transplant but remained unchanged with dialysis.

17 Oct 2023

New project aims to address the support needs of adoptive parents

Adoptive parents are often left feeling unsupported and overwhelmed says Lancaster University Professor Laura Machin who has launched a project to help support them.

17 Oct 2023

Advanced neuroimaging reveals surprising link between glaucoma and Alzheimer's disease

The overlap in clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings between Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma.

9 Oct 2023

One gene variant could be a shield against severe COVID-19 lung damage

Researchers identify a specific genetic variant, rs2204985, linked to less severe lung involvement and a stronger immune response in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia. The study suggests that understanding this genetic marker could help identify high-risk individuals and enhance strategies for prevention and treatment.

25 Sep 2023

Study reveals non-coding genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease functioning in microglia

Scientists studying Alzheimer's disease (AD) have identified thousands of genetic variants in the genome in the development of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

23 Sep 2023

Scientists discover novel microglia-associated risk factors for Alzheimer's disease

Scientists studying Alzheimer's disease (AD) have identified thousands of genetic variants in the genome in the development of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

22 Sep 2023

7 Tesla MRI reveals new insights into sleep regulation and light stimulation of the brain

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Liège (BE) Institute, using ultra-high field 7 Tesla MRI, are providing a better understanding of how sleep is regulated.

22 Sep 2023

How did COVID-19 pandemic restrictions impact invasive meningococcal disease trends?

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on the incidence and strain distribution of meningococcus.

11 Sep 2023

Dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in China's ready-to-eat foods

The study reveals high levels of antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in ready-to-eat foods across 25 provinces in China, posing a serious public health risk. The findings emphasize the need for stronger food safety measures, as the MRSA strains identified were resistant to multiple antibiotics and exhibited various virulence factors.

10 Sep 2023

Unlocking the genetic code of blood sugar reveals new diabetes risks and lung complications

The study used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to analyze random glucose levels in nearly half a million non-diabetic subjects, uncovering 150 distinct genetic signals, including 53 new ones, linked to glycemic traits and type 2 diabetes. The research also discovered a causal effect of random glucose and type 2 diabetes on lung function, identifying lung dysfunction as a new diabetes complication.

10 Sep 2023

Study explores the role of sex on mRNA and protein levels and its genetic regulation in brain

Researchers investigated the impact of biological sex on protein levels and its genomic control by analyzing 1,277 proteomes of the brain.

4 Sep 2023

Gene variant protects against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

About one in every five people carries a version of a gene that, although largely unsung, appears to confer protection against both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, Stanford Medicine investigators and their colleagues have learned.

30 Aug 2023

Maternal obesity linked to childhood weight issues through DNA changes

Boston Birth Cohort study finds that maternal pre-pregnancy obesity alters newborn DNA methylation, potentially increasing the risk of obesity in the child. The research targets high-risk U.S. demographics and could guide future interventions for childhood obesity.

27 Aug 2023

Taking adult education classes may help prevent dementia

How can we best keep our brain fit as we grow older? It's well known that regular cognitive activity, for example brainteasers, sudokus, or certain video games in middle and old age tends to protect against cognitive decline and dementias like Alzheimer's.

23 Aug 2023