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Compound could play a novel role in halting spread of pancreatic cancer

In early test tube and mouse studies, investigators at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have found that nonmuscle myosin IIC (MYH14), a protein activated in response to mechanical stress, helps promote metastatic behavior in pancreatic cancer cells, and that the compound 4-hydroxyacetophenone (4-HAP), known to stiffen myosin IIC-containing cells, can send it into overdrive, overwhelming the ability of cells to invade nearby tissue.

18 Sep 2019

Concerns over GM mosquitoes released in Brazil

A field experiment that released genetically modified mosquitoes in Brazil to control natural populations of the insect may have had unintended consequences.

18 Sep 2019

A vegan diet could boost gut microbes that aid weight loss

Switching to a vegan diet could help people lose nearly one pound in weight every week and significantly reduce their risk for diabetes, say researchers.

18 Sep 2019

Anti-cancer effects of lycopene in tomatoes canceled out by iron-rich foods

Tomatoes have proven cancer-fighting properties, but new research suggests that eating them with iron-rich meats can destroy this effect.

18 Sep 2019

Human sleep rhythm is much older than previously believed, Javan slow loris study reveals

People typically sleep seven to eight hours in one stretch and stay awake for the rest of the day. Evolutionary scientists have assumed that this rhythm of sleep arose when our early ancestors went from being nocturnal to diurnal, but a new study of the Javan slow loris indicates that the human way of sleeping is much older.

18 Sep 2019

Gut microbiome may play a role in mechanisms linked to muscle strength in older adults

A novel new study suggests that the gut microbiome has a role in mechanisms related to muscle strength in older adults.

18 Sep 2019

Research shows how the brain repurposes unused regions in blind people

In adults that are born blind, the “visual” cortex is activated in a similar way during a listening task, according to new research in JNeurosci.

From Society for Neuroscience 18 Sep 2019

A new view of human evolution via Hungary

Scientists have now discovered a pelvis supposed to be that of a pre-human ancestor, called Rudapithecus. Found near a historic mining community called Rudabanya in Hungary, the pelvis is remarkable not only for its rarity – the pelvis being among the fossils most rarely recovered – but also for its structure which shows that the earliest human ancestors stood upright.

18 Sep 2019

Study: Gene editing may correct genetic mutation responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare but devastating genetic disorder that causes muscle loss and physical impairments.

18 Sep 2019

Researchers identify an unexpected genetic plasticity in bat-borne influenza viruses

Bat-borne influenza viruses enter host cells by utilizing surface exposed MHC-II molecules of various species, including humans.

18 Sep 2019

New technology helps trace the origin of Huntington's disease

The first signs of Huntington's, an inherited disease that slowly deteriorates bodies and minds, don't typically surface until middle age.

18 Sep 2019

Researchers develop new method for prior evaluation of single crystal structure analysis

A research team from Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), RIKEN, and the University of Tokyo developed a novel data analysis method for prior evaluation of single crystal structure analysis.

18 Sep 2019

Brazilian plant extract fights Candidiasis

There are many fungi that live in the body that make up the normal body microbial flora. One type, Candida, a type of yeast, normally thrives in small amounts in areas such as the skin, abdomen, and mouth, without causing any problem. But, when the body’s environment is altered, the yeast can uncontrollably proliferate and cause disease.

17 Sep 2019

Human heart evolved to adapt to the demands of life, study says

The human heart underwent major physical changes throughout history, based on what activities or lifestyle people had, a new study found. As a result, human hearts are better suited to endure various types of activities.

17 Sep 2019

Study shows how a toxin produced by algal blooms in saltwater may cause ALS

Can a computer be used to explain why an environmental toxin might lead to neurodegenerative disease? According to Penn State College of Medicine researchers, a computer generated-simulation allowed them to see how a toxin produced by algal blooms in saltwater might cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

17 Sep 2019

Scientists identify potential target for treating cardiac fibrosis

A research team led by scientists from the Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation at the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential target for treating heart failure related to fibrosis.

17 Sep 2019

Researchers develop new anti-cancer nanomedicine for targeted chemotherapy

Researchers at the University of Helsinki in collaboration with researchers from Åbo Akademi University, Finland and Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China have developed a new anti-cancer nanomedicine for targeted cancer chemotherapy.

17 Sep 2019

Social isolation in adolescence disrupts brain development, mice study shows

Female mice housed alone during adolescence show atypical development of the prefrontal cortex and resort to habitual behavior in adulthood, according to new research published in eNeuro.

From Society for Neuroscience 17 Sep 2019

Research may provide better tools for designing personalized protocols for cancer patients

Diversity – at least among cancer cells – is not a good thing. Now, research from the Weizmann Institute of Science shows that in melanoma, tumors with cells that have differentiated into more diverse subtypes are less likely to be affected by the immune system, thus reducing the chance that immunotherapy will be effective.

17 Sep 2019

New method developed to address failures in promising anti-cancer drug

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a method to address failures in a promising anti-cancer drug, bringing together tools from genome engineering, protein engineering and biomaterials science to improve the efficacy, accuracy and longevity of certain cancer therapies.

17 Sep 2019