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Over- or under-reaction of immune system can be life-threatening

The dilemma of our immune system is comparable to the story of Icarus and Daedalus from Greek mythology. To escape their captivity, Daedalus built wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. Daedalus warned his son that he must neither fly too high but also not too low, otherwise the sun's heat or the humidity of the sea would destroy his wings and he would crash. After they had successfully escaped, Icarus became boisterous and flew higher and higher until the sun began to melt the wax of his wings and he fell into the sea. Similarly, an over- or under-reaction of our immune system can be life-threatening.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers uncover antitumoral nature of maslinic acid in colon cancer cells

Researchers from the University of Granada, in collaboration with the universities of Barcelona and Jaen, have brought to light the antitumoral nature of maslinic acid (a compound derived from olives) in Caco-2 p53-deficient colon adenocarcinoma cells in the short term.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists map biological networks of genes to gain new insights on disease mechanisms

Innovative software tools allowed the scientists to construct accurate "maps" of gene networks for about 400 different human cell and tissue types, ranging from immune cells to brain tissues, whereas previous studies were limited to just one or few tissues.

11 Mar 2016

New RI-MUHC-led study may change the way we think about prescribing statins

Millions of people today take statins to help lower their cholesterol level. Currently statins are prescribed to patients based on their future risk of cardiovascular disease - mainly driven by age - which excludes many individuals who may benefit from them. A new study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, with collaborators from the United-States, is changing the way we think about prescribing statins. The research team has developed a new approach to determine which individuals should receive these important medications.

11 Mar 2016

Different types of physical activity can improve brain structure, reduce Alzheimer's risk

A new study shows that a variety of physical activities from walking to gardening and dancing can improve brain volume and cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 50%.

11 Mar 2016

Lengthy periods of sedentary behaviour adversely affect health of bus drivers

Led by researchers at Loughborough University as part of the Leicester-Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit, the pilot study into bus drivers' sedentary behaviour (prolonged sitting) during and outside working hours is the first of its kind to directly measure periods of inactivity in a sample of drivers using an activPAL3™ accelerometer.

11 Mar 2016

MU researchers awarded $4.2 million NSF grant to study corn

Developing drought-tolerant corn varieties that make efficient use of available water is vital to sustain the estimated 9 billion global population by 2050. For the past several decades, University of Missouri researchers have been working to solve this world hunger problem and have made significant strides.

11 Mar 2016

Breast cancer can be more aggressive in obese people

An international team of researchers, with the participation of the University of Granada, has revealed new data on why breast cancer has a higher incidence and is more aggressive in obese people. The reason is that peritumoral fat (the fat around the tumor) facilitates the expansion and invasion of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are responsible of the onset and growth of the tumor.

11 Mar 2016

Studies raise hope for new treatments, preventive approaches for schizophrenia

Emerging evidence on the development, "prodromal" characteristics, and long-term course of schizophrenia provide reasons for optimism for developing new treatments and preventive approaches for this devastating disorder, according to the special March/April issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

11 Mar 2016

Southampton researchers explore ADAM33 gene's association with asthma, airway 'twitchiness'

Researchers at the University of Southampton are to study why some people are more likely to develop asthma.

11 Mar 2016

Mucus may hold key to better cancer treatment

What do cancer cells and a runny nose have in common? The answer is mucus; and researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma have shown it may hold the key to making cancer treatment better.

11 Mar 2016

Younger African-American grandmothers may have different needs than older grandmothers raising grandchildren

Younger African-American grandmothers who are the primary caregivers for their grandchildren may have different needs than older grandmothers, possibly requiring different types of support to reduce depression and improve the quality of their mental health, according to researchers at Georgia State University and Emory University.

11 Mar 2016

NLRX1 protein could be new biomarker for colorectal cancer, find UNC Lineberger researchers

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have discovered that a deficiency in a key protein that regulates immune system warning signals could be a new biomarker for colorectal cancer, the second largest cancer killer in the United States. They believe the marker could be used to gauge response to a potential new treatment for the disease.

11 Mar 2016

Patients with early-stage NSCLC and low SMARCA4 expression may benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy

The activity level of a particular gene in lung tumors might identify lung-cancer patients who will likely be helped by a particular chemotherapy regimen given to prevent recurrence after surgery.

11 Mar 2016

Findings offer novel way for creating drugs to stop mitochondria from destroying cells during stress

Malfunctioning mitochondria — the power plants in cells — are behind the damage caused by strokes, heart attacks, and neurodegenerative diseases, but little has been known about how to stop these reactors from melting down, destroying cells and tissue. Mitochondria also take up calcium, which regulates energy production.

11 Mar 2016

Birth of a sibling potentially associated with healthier BMIs for children by first grade

Becoming a big brother or big sister before first grade may lower a child's risk of becoming obese, a new study led by the University of Michigan suggests.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists optimize imaging and behavior techniques to monitor activity of neurons

The cerebellum is a region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control. The Purkinje cells, a class of neurons located in this region, are a major site of information integration that regulate changes in neural connections caused by varying factors such as behavior, environment, and emotions. Thus Purkinje cells provide an ideal location for studying the mechanisms necessary for cerebellum dependent motor learning.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers develop molecule that can inhibit enzyme associated with onset of stroke

Research teams separated by 14 hours and 9,000 miles have collaborated to advance prospective treatment for the world's second-leading cause of death.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Fragile skin that blisters easily: 90 percent of the patients that suffer from the skin condition recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop rapidly progressing cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer, by the age of 55. 80 percent of these patients will die due to metastasis within five years after the cancer has been first detected.

11 Mar 2016

People suffering from anxiety perceive the world differently than others

People suffering from anxiety perceive the world in a fundamentally different way than others, according to a study reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on March 3. The research may help explain why certain people are more prone to anxiety.

11 Mar 2016

Research News and Research

Over- or under-reaction of immune system can be life-threatening

Researchers uncover antitumoral nature of maslinic acid in colon cancer cells

Scientists map biological networks of genes to gain new insights on disease mechanisms

New RI-MUHC-led study may change the way we think about prescribing statins

Different types of physical activity can improve brain structure, reduce Alzheimer's risk

Lengthy periods of sedentary behaviour adversely affect health of bus drivers

MU researchers awarded $4.2 million NSF grant to study corn

Breast cancer can be more aggressive in obese people

Studies raise hope for new treatments, preventive approaches for schizophrenia

Southampton researchers explore ADAM33 gene's association with asthma, airway 'twitchiness'

Mucus may hold key to better cancer treatment

Younger African-American grandmothers may have different needs than older grandmothers raising grandchildren

NLRX1 protein could be new biomarker for colorectal cancer, find UNC Lineberger researchers

Patients with early-stage NSCLC and low SMARCA4 expression may benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy

Findings offer novel way for creating drugs to stop mitochondria from destroying cells during stress

Birth of a sibling potentially associated with healthier BMIs for children by first grade

Scientists optimize imaging and behavior techniques to monitor activity of neurons

Researchers develop molecule that can inhibit enzyme associated with onset of stroke

Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

People suffering from anxiety perceive the world differently than others

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