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Study uses machine learning to identify personalized brain networks in kids

Machine learning is helping Penn Medicine researchers identify the size and shape of brain networks in individual children, which may be useful for understanding psychiatric disorders.

19 Feb 2020

Researchers identify possible new therapy for concussion-related headaches

As she jumped to head a soccer ball during her junior year of college, Kelly Farrell collided skulls with a teammate. She later was diagnosed with a concussion, which proved to be severely debilitating.

19 Feb 2020

Study identifies precise receptor chain involved in atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory disorder, affects some 30 million Americans every year. It is the most common cause of eczema, a condition marked by unbearably itchy, flaky patches of skin.

19 Feb 2020

UCLA study finds new way for tracking treatment of rare liver disease in children

UCLA researchers who previously found that intravenous administration of fish oil can treat a rare but potentially deadly form of liver disease in children have now monitored levels of a small molecule at the center of the disorder to track treatment results.

19 Feb 2020

Environment-cognition associations vary based on genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's

The neighborhood environment may positively or negatively influence one's ability to maintain cognitive function with age. Since older adults spend less time outside, the neighborhood environment increases in importance with age.

19 Feb 2020

New quick and convenient microfluidic chip to assess male fertility

Current tests for male fertility include measuring the concentration and motility of spermatozoa. However, other characteristics of sperm, such as their ability to follow a chemical trail to the egg, can influence the likelihood of fertilization.

19 Feb 2020

Supersensitive nanomaterials hold promise for DNA analysis and next-generation drugs

In 1900, German physician Paul Ehrlich came up with the notion of a "magic bullet." The basic idea is to inject a patient with smart particles capable of finding, recognizing, and treating a disease. Medicine has pursued the magic bullet ever since.

19 Feb 2020

Researchers find the potential of opioid drug to help mask fear memory

Anxiety disorders such as phobias and PTSD are fairly common problems in society. One of the prime causes of anxiety disorders is the inability to overcome the fear for certain contexts when they no longer apply.

19 Feb 2020

Ancient primate microbiomes may yield more information about human development

Ancient human microbiomes are under the microscope for what they tell scientists about the people of long ago. A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution in February 2020 shows that the gut microbiome can adapt to new bacterial exposures, which allows humans to migrate to new locations successfully.

19 Feb 2020

UCLA researchers identify new molecule that promotes airway health

A molecule identified by UCLA researchers helps maintain a healthy balance of cells in airway and lung tissue.

18 Feb 2020

Pancreatic cancer 'time machine' reveals tumor development and invasion

Pancreatic cancer has one of the worst survival rates among cancers. Patients can expect as low as a 9% chance to live for at least five years after being diagnosed.

18 Feb 2020

IU researcher identifies new genomic regions that increase skin cancer risk

An Indiana University cancer researcher has identified eight new genomic regions that increase a person's risk for skin cancer.

18 Feb 2020

Study reveals underlying mechanism for life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias

Low oxygen levels in the heart have long been known to produce life-threatening arrhythmias, even sudden death. Until now, it was not clear how.

18 Feb 2020

BU study finds higher fecundability in the fall

First-of-its-kind study accounts for when couples are most likely to start trying to conceive, finding couples conceive quicker in late fall and early winter, especially in southern states.

18 Feb 2020

Drugs targeting T cells may be effective in treating cerebral malaria

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found evidence that specific immune cells may play a key role in the devastating effects of cerebral malaria, a severe form of malaria that mainly affects young children.

18 Feb 2020

Scientists may have a way to boost innate lung immunity in preterm babies

The continuing epidemic of pre-term birth includes this stark reality: tiny, fragile babies are born with underdeveloped lungs and prone to lifelong respiratory infections and related chronic illnesses.

18 Feb 2020

Ultrathin crack-based strain sensors show promise in enhancing human touch

People rely on a highly tuned sense of touch to manipulate objects, but injuries to the skin and the simple act of wearing gloves can impair this ability.

18 Feb 2020

Study uses MRI to probe non-invasively inside a living brain

The wiring network of the brain is made up of billions of nerve fibers called axons. The thickness of axons - together with other properties - significantly impacts the way in which they conduct neural signals, and therefore the overall processing speed of connected neurons and brain areas.

18 Feb 2020

Scientists use toxin from rattlesnake venom for chronic pain

Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) is the largest venomous snake in North America, reaching 8 feet and weighing up to 10 pounds. In the past, medical experts believe that the toxin in rattlesnake venom, crotoxin, is a promising compound for the treatment of chronic pain.

18 Feb 2020

NUS researchers identify new protein to prevent chemotherapy-induced neuropathy

A team of researchers from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has identified a novel protein that would prevent the development of neuropathy in cancer patients who receive chemotherapy.

18 Feb 2020