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New discovery could aid in synthesis of radiotracers for use with PET scanning

Researchers have found a surprisingly versatile workaround to create chemical compounds that could prove useful for medical imaging and drug development.

27 Jul 2017

UMD scientists develop new bio-compatible ionic current-generating battery

Engineers at the University of Maryland have invented an entirely new kind of battery. It is bio-compatible because it produces the same kind of ion-based electrical energy used by humans and other living things.

24 Jul 2017

Study shows how E. coli bacteria hijack copper, use it as nutrient to fuel growth

Copper has long been known for its ability to kill bacteria and other microbes. But in an interesting twist, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria - those at the root of hard-to-treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) - hijack trace amounts of copper in the body and use it as a nutrient to fuel growth.

24 Jul 2017

Breakthrough study opens door to design of whitening compounds for removing skin discolorations

Spots resulting from too much sun exposure and other effects of dysfunctional melanin production may become a thing of the past.

5 Jul 2017

New technology can help fight against antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing problem, as some infections that used to be easily cured are now immune to even our most powerful antibiotics.

4 Jul 2017

Engineers take closer look at mechanical and chemical attributes of heart defect

Elastin and collagen serve as the body's building blocks. They provide tensile strength and elasticity for a number of organs, muscles and tissues. Any genetic mutation short-circuiting their function can have a devastating, and often lethal, health impact.

28 Jun 2017

Cornell researchers unravel E. coli bacteria's defense secret

By tagging a cell's proteins with fluorescent beacons, Cornell researchers have found out how E. coli bacteria defend themselves against antibiotics and other poisons. Probably not good news for the bacteria.

13 Jun 2017

JGU chemists develop technique that reduces toxic effects of cigarettes

Chemists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have developed a technique that reduces the toxic effects of commercially available cigarettes.

30 May 2017

TSRI scientists discover potential new therapy to stop deadly botulinum neurotoxin

Botulinum neurotoxin is probably best known to Americans as BOTOX, a cosmetic medicine, rather than as a cause of potentially dangerous foodborne illnesses.

26 May 2017

Study unravels mystery of how nerve cells are damaged in neurodegenerative diseases

A new study has uncovered a molecular mechanism in the prion protein, a protein responsible for neurodegenerative diseases, which may explain why nerve cells degenerate in these disorders.

25 May 2017

Sleep disturbances, long and short duration of sleep may increase risk of dementia and lung cancer

Difficulties in initiating or maintaining sleep at middle-age are associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland.

24 May 2017

New research combines metals and organic acids as viable alternative to antibiotics

Antibiotics are an effective means of treating bacterial contamination. But extensive use of antibiotic substances in medicine and agriculture has resulted in increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

23 May 2017

Spanish scientists develop promising gene therapy method to treat Wilson's disease

Scientists at the Center for Applied Medical Research at the University of Navarra have designed a promising gene therapy method to treat Wilson's disease, a rare pathology caused by the lack of or malfunction of a gene.

16 May 2017

New study reveals 80% of stethoscopes are contaminated with infectious bacteria

There are now two reasons for patients to flinch at the touch of a stethoscope: because it's cold, of course; and because it's covered with germs.

11 May 2017

Avocado consumption linked to higher intake of essential nutrients, better diet quality

A new analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, compared avocado consumers to non-consumers and found that consuming avocados may be associated with an overall better diet, higher intake of essential nutrients, lower body weight, lower Body Mass Index and smaller waist circumference.

2 May 2017

TSRI chemists devise versatile molecule-building tool for creating new drugs and chemical products

Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute have devised a versatile molecule-building tool for creating new drugs and other chemical products.

9 Mar 2017

Hormonal contraceptives and hair dyes linked to increased risk of breast cancer

In her recent doctoral dissertation, researcher Sanna Heikkinen from the University of Helsinki and Finnish Cancer Registry evaluates the contribution of the use of hormonal contraceptives and hair dyes to the spectrum of breast cancer risk factors.

9 Mar 2017

Study suggests new strategy for treating Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common form of dementia. In search for new drugs for AD, the research team, led by Professor Mi Hee Lim of Natural Science at UNIST has developed a metal-based substance that works like a pair of genetic scissors to cut out amyloid-β (Aβ), the hallmark protein of AD.

28 Feb 2017

Mouse model shows how chronic demyelination may cause seizures in MS patients

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that affects nearly 2.3 million people worldwide.

22 Feb 2017

ASU-led engineers develop new DNA switch to control flow of electrons within atomic-sized molecule

DNA, the stuff of life, may very well also pack quite the jolt for engineers trying to advance the development of tiny, low-cost electronic devices.

20 Feb 2017