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Biodegradable bridge for nerve injuries

Researchers have successfully tried a biodegradable bridge like device (biodegradable polycaprolactone PCL conduit) in vivo for management of nerve injuries. The team published their findings in a paper titled, “Long-gap peripheral nerve repair through sustained release of a neurotrophic factor in nonhuman primates,” in the latest issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine.

26 Jan 2020

Snake stem cells create real venom to use as medicine

Poisonous snakes kill more than 90,000 people each year across the globe, with about 1.2 million to 5.5 million snake bites occur annually. Despite the venomous bite, scientists have limited knowledge of the snake’s venom, complicating efforts to develop treatments. A new study has found that snake venom gland cells can be cultured in the lab as adult-stem-cell-based organoids, producing real venom, which can be used to develop treatments.

26 Jan 2020

Recognizing the signs of overdose and knowing how to respond can save lives

Every day nearly 200 people die from an overdose of drugs or from alcohol poisoning, with opioids responsible for the majority.

26 Jan 2020

UCI-led study reveals link between early life adversity and opioid addiction

Individuals with a history of early life adversity are disproportionately prone to opioid addiction. A new UCI-led study reveals why.

24 Jan 2020

First glioblastoma patient treated with genetically modified poliovirus at UH

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center treated its first patient in a new clinical trial to validate the groundbreaking effects of the poliovirus on glioblastoma, a deadly Grade IV cancer of the brain.

24 Jan 2020

A small region of the brain represents all our emotions

The entire set of our emotions is topographically represented in a small region of the brain, a 3 centimeters area of the cortex, report scientists in a study conducted at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Italy.

24 Jan 2020

Non-hormonal options are effective in treating menopause symptoms

The classic symptoms of menopause – hot flashes, sleeplessness, and vaginal dryness – have typically been treated with estrogen therapy. Studies published today report that non-hormonal options are effective, too.

24 Jan 2020

Opioid dependence produces permanent changes in the brains of rats

Approximately one-quarter of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them, with five to 10 percent developing an opioid use disorder or addiction.

24 Jan 2020

Jumping genes play surprising role in stabilizing DNA folding patterns

"Jumping genes" -- bits of DNA that can move from one spot in the genome to another -- are well-known for increasing genetic diversity over the long course of evolution.

24 Jan 2020

T. gondii parasite employs a sophisticated manipulation to suppress host's immune response

Toxoplasma gondii is best known as the parasite that may lurk in a cat's litter box. Nearly a third of the world's population is believed to live with a chronic Toxoplasma infection.

24 Jan 2020

Something far deadlier than the Wuhan virus lurks near you

There's a deadly virus spreading from state to state. It preys on the most vulnerable, striking the sick and the old without mercy. In just the past few months, it has claimed the lives of at least 39 children.

24 Jan 2020

Family caregivers are largely disconnected from the health care system for older adults

Family caregivers usually are not asked by health care workers about needing support in managing older adults' care, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

24 Jan 2020

Researchers win 2019 AAAS Newcomb Cleveland Prize for malaria-fighting technology

A team of nine researchers based in the United States and Burkina Faso will receive the 2019 Newcomb Cleveland Prize, presented by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, for the development of a promising tool in the global fight against malaria and other diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, including dengue and Zika.

24 Jan 2020

A single number aids biomedical data scientists in finding deadly cancer cells

Biomedical data scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that the number of genes a cell uses to make RNA is a reliable indicator of how developed the cell is, a finding that could make it easier to target cancer-causing genes.

24 Jan 2020

Novel technique used to show how electrical impulses travel with high speed in the brain

Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience used a new technique to show how electrical impulses are traveling with high speed in the brain.

24 Jan 2020

New neuromodulation device may help prevent migraine

If your bank account balance looks nail-bitingly low and you won't get paid for days, you might agonize over every dollar you spend. Maybe you'll scrutinize grocery-store ads more closely than usual or brew your own coffee instead of ordering it from a barista.

24 Jan 2020

New stigma-reduction intervention benefits obese individuals who struggle with poor self-image

People with obesity are often treated with less respect than other people, discriminated against, and socially devalued because of their weight.

24 Jan 2020

Three big AI projects in medicine to watch in 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) is beginning to touch medicine in many different ways, from making diagnoses to triaging patients. Many AI enterprises will make headlines in 2020:

24 Jan 2020

Iron overload, variant gene and malaria resistance linked in African study

A new study shows that a rare genetic mutation giving rise to a variant of the TP53 gene called P47S causes several linked biological processes.

24 Jan 2020

Scientists detect Marburg virus in Sierra Leone fruit bats

Scientists have detected Marburg virus in fruit bats in Sierra Leone, marking the first time the deadly virus has been found in West Africa. Eleven Egyptian rousette fruit bats tested positive for active Marburg virus infection. Research teams caught the bats separately in three health districts.

24 Jan 2020