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KU researcher studies how estrogen may protect menisci between thighbone and shinbone

More than 30 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

9 Jan 2019

Researchers identify and overcome barrier in CRISPR gene editing to treat muscular dystrophy

The gene editing technique known as CRISPR is a revolutionary approach to treating inherited diseases. However, the tool has yet to be used to effectively treat long-term, chronic conditions.

9 Jan 2019

Genetic variations may influence whether vitamin E decreases or increases cancer risk

Almost half of all Americans take a vitamin supplement, and yet many large-scale, placebo-controlled clinical trials of various supplements have found little or no benefit.

8 Jan 2019

Faulty brain immune cells cause Alzheimer's disease

Mutations of the TREM2 gene can significantly increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich now shed light on the reasons why TREM2 is so important for brain health.

8 Jan 2019

Essential nutrient may hold promise in the war against Alzheimer's disease

In a new study, researchers at the Biodesign Institute explore a safe and simple treatment for one of the most devastating and perplexing afflictions: Alzheimer's disease.

8 Jan 2019

New molecular engineering method improves precision of biomarker analysis

Researchers from the University of Helsinki in cooperation with the University of Tartu, Competence Centre on Health Technologies from Estonia, and the Karolinska Institute, published an article in Nature's partner journal Genomic Medicine in which they present Targeted Allele Counting by sequencing along with several of its potential applications.

8 Jan 2019

Health care industry spends $30b a year pushing its wares, from drugs to stem cell treatment

Hoping to earn its share of the $3.5 trillion health care market, the medical industry is pouring more money than ever into advertising its products — from high-priced prescriptions to do-it-yourself genetic tests and unapproved stem cell treatments.

8 Jan 2019

Researchers develop CRISPR-based method to control pests with precision-guided genetics

Using the CRISPR gene editing tool, Nikolay Kandul, Omar Akbari and their colleagues at UC San Diego and UC Berkeley devised a method of altering key genes that control insect sex determination and fertility.

8 Jan 2019

Scientists reveal molecular mechanism behind CVD in premature aging disease

Cardiovascular Diseases lead to atherosclerosis and heart failure and are prevalent age-related illnesses in humans. In a new study, published in the renowned journal JCI, scientists from Roland Foisner's group at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna, together with scientists from the Ludwig Boltzmann Cluster for Cardiovascular Research at the Center for Biomedical Research, Medical University of Vienna and from the BOKU, Vienna describe the molecular mechanism behind CVD in the premature aging disease Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

8 Jan 2019

PAC1R mutation in children with autism may be linked to severity of social problems

A mutation of the gene PAC1R may be linked to the severity of social deficits experienced by kids with autism spectrum disorder, finds a study from a multi-institutional research team led by Children's faculty.

8 Jan 2019

Salk researchers reveal clues into early development of ASD

Autism spectrum disorder is a relatively common developmental disorder of communication and behavior that affects about 1 in 59 children in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite its prevalence, it is still unclear what causes the disease and what are the best ways to treat it.

7 Jan 2019

Therapeutic implications of caffeine in neuropsychiatric disorders

An important new article reviews recently discovered properties of adenosine A2A receptor-dopamine D2 receptor and adenosine A1 receptor-dopamine D1 receptor heteromers--both of which are main targets for caffeine--and discusses the therapeutic implications of these findings.

7 Jan 2019

Researchers identify genetic risk factor for atypical heart attack in women

New research published by teams from Leicester, UK and Paris, France in collaboration with international partners from the US and Australia, has found a common genetic factor that confers a significant risk of atypical heart attacks in women.

7 Jan 2019

Scientists identify new bat-borne virus related to Ebola

Researchers from Singapore's Duke-NUS Medical School, in collaboration with scientists in China, have identified and characterized a new genus of filovirus from a Rousettus bat in China. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Microbiology.

7 Jan 2019

First viable mouse model of Hirschsprung's disease developed

About one in every 5,000 babies is born without enteric neurons in distal colon resulting in Hirschsprung's disease. Because of the lacking neurons, contents of the gut cannot pass normally resulting in constipation and enlargement of colon.

7 Jan 2019

Genes are involved in development of atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of heart arrhythmia. About ten per cent of everyone over age 75 develop this condition, in which the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat much faster than the main chambers (the ventricles), creating a fluttering feeling in the chest.

7 Jan 2019