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Artificial sweetener sucralose worsens gut inflammation in mice with Crohn's disease

In a study that has implications for humans with inflammatory diseases, researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and colleagues have found that, given over a six-week period, the artificial sweetener sucralose, known by the brand name Splenda, worsens gut inflammation in mice with Crohn's-like disease, but had no substantive effect on those without the condition.

15 Mar 2018

Researchers uncover link between Parkinson’s disease mutations and plaque formation in the brain

Working with lab-grown human brain cells, Johns Hopkins researchers report they have uncovered a much sought-after connection between one of the most common genetic mutations in Parkinson's disease and the formation of fatty plaques in the brain thought to contribute to the destruction of motor neurons that characterize the disease.

15 Mar 2018

The Importance of Fetal Fibronectin Testing for Women with Symptomatic Preterm Labor

Preterm birth is a dangerous condition that often goes undiagnosed. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a biomarker for preterm labor, but testing for fFN is widely underused. We explore this issue with Dr. Michael S. Ruma, a maternal-fetal specialist from the Perinatal Associates of New Mexico.

14 Mar 2018

Common genetic variation shown to increase Alzheimer’s risk

A recent study has found that African Americans with a common genetic variation are at an increased risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

14 Mar 2018

African Americans with thyroid gene variation more likely to develop Alzheimer's

African Americans with a common genetic variation are at increased risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, while European Americans with the same variation are not, according to a study led by researchers at Rush University Medical Center.

14 Mar 2018

Novel screening tool aids search for curative kidney treatment

Researchers have developed a screening tool for identifying compounds that restore functionality of the protein that is dysfunctional in Alport syndrome.

9 Mar 2018

Discovery may lead to effective research and better treatments for Ebola, other viral diseases

University of Alberta researchers have found the Ebola polymerase (enzyme), which may lead to more effective research and better treatments for the often fatal infection, and other related viral diseases.

8 Mar 2018

Golgi stress signaling pathway found in cells with Huntington’s disease

Working with cells grown in the lab, Johns Hopkins researchers have identified a biochemical pathway that allows a structure within cells, called the Golgi apparatus, to combat stress caused by free radicals and oxidants.

8 Mar 2018

Researchers identify new mechanism to disrupt HIV latency

HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has a secret life. Though anti-retroviral therapy can reduce its numbers, the virus can hide and avoid both treatments and the body's immune response.

8 Mar 2018

Scientists link protein to seizure suppression

According to a new study, seizures can be suppressed in the brain by a protein called T-cell intracellular antigen-1 (TIA-1).

8 Mar 2018

Researchers determine cause of difficult-to-control mitochondrial diseases

A Japanese research group has discovered that taurine is conjugated with mitochondrial transfer RNAs (tRNAs), small RNAs that decode genetic information, and that taurine deficiency in tRNA dramatically reduces both mitochondrial protein translation and impairs mitochondrial membrane integrity.

7 Mar 2018

New technique provides pairs of genetically matched cells to study disease

Researchers led by Dr. Knut Woltjen report a new gene editing method that can modify a single DNA base in the human genome with absolute precision.

6 Mar 2018

New and improved CRISPR

David Liu, professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Harvard University is a pioneer of CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology. He has now come up with two new upgrades for this gene editing tool that makes it better than before. These two tools are “cellular detective” and “sharp scissors”.

5 Mar 2018

Researchers find way to effectively stop internal bleeding using magnetically-driven nanoparticles

Scientists from ITMO University have found a way to effectively stop internal bleeding by magnetically-driven nanoparticles containing thrombin.

5 Mar 2018

Weekend admissions linked to excess mortality risk among young heart attack patients

Young heart attack patients are twice as likely to die if they are admitted to hospital during the weekend compared to a weekday, according to an Italian study in more than 80,000 patients presented today at Acute Cardiovascular Care 2018.

5 Mar 2018

McGill scientists invent new technique for measuring enzyme inhibition

Researchers at McGill University have invented a new technique for measuring how quickly drugs interact with their molecular targets. The discovery provides scientists with a new way to investigate the effectiveness of drug candidates that might otherwise have been overlooked.

2 Mar 2018

CRISPR enzyme can also cleave RNA, finds study

Researchers have discovered that the Cas-9 enzyme used in CRISPR gene editing can also cleave complimentary messenger RNA, in addition to DNA.

2 Mar 2018

Study finds Ramadan fasting to be safe for heart failure patients

Ramadan fasting can be safe for patients with heart failure, according to research presented today at the 29th Annual Conference of the Saudi Heart Association, held 1 to 3 March in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

1 Mar 2018

Telomere length testing can alter treatment decisions for certain diseases

Research led by Johns Hopkins physicians and scientists shows that a test for measuring the length of DNA endcaps, called telomeres, which has a variability rate of 5 percent, can alter treatment decisions for patients with certain types of bone marrow failure.

27 Feb 2018

ASU researchers uncover crucial step in telomerase enzyme catalytic cycle

Can we stay young forever, or even recapture lost youth? Research from the laboratory of Professor Julian Chen in the School of Molecular Sciences at Arizona State University recently uncovered a crucial step in the telomerase enzyme catalytic cycle.

27 Feb 2018