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Researchers explore how hypertension impairs cognitive function

The squeeze high blood pressure puts on fragile blood vessels in the brain appears to disrupt a normal, protective process that balances the blood flowing to our brains with the activity of our resting neurons.

26 Jun 2018

UVA research shows true nature of immune cells blamed in Alzheimer's

Immune cells commonly blamed in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases are actually precision cleaning machines protecting the central nervous system, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine shows.

26 Jun 2018

Researchers identify novel mutation in amyloid diseases

Researchers have identified a one-of-a kind mutation in the DNA of a patient who died of transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis, a progressive condition characterized by the buildup of abnormal deposits of a misfolded protein called amyloid in the body's organs and tissues.

26 Jun 2018

Scientists discover and characterize new toxin in cholera bacteria

The bacterium Vibrio cholerae was discovered more than 150 years ago but remains as one of the main causes of bacterial infectious disease globally, especially in low-income nations where it occurs endemic, and outbreaks of cholera disease can lead to major epidemics.

26 Jun 2018

Study suggests new approach for treating alcohol use disorder

Activation of a receptor with no known function in the brain reduces excessive alcohol use and the pain of withdrawal, according to preclinical research in male rats. The study, published in eNeuro, suggests a new approach towards the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

26 Jun 2018

Targeting proteins in semen could prevent sexually transmitted spread of Ebola virus

Protein fragments, called amyloid fibrils, in human semen significantly increase Ebola virus infection and protect the virus against harsh environmental conditions such as heat and dehydration. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report these findings in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

26 Jun 2018

Study reveals new way to inhibit capillary leakage in sepsis

Leakage from the blood capillaries is a key mechanism leading to septic shock and multiorgan failure, which affect millions of patients annually worldwide. However, there is no effective way to inhibit the vessel leakiness. A new study by scientists at the University of Helsinki and Wihuri Research Institute demonstrates that vascular leakage can be inhibited by targeting vascular integrins.

25 Jun 2018

CRISPR technique reduces repetitive behavior in fragile X syndrome mouse models

Scientists have used CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to lessen some autism symptoms in mice with a form of fragile X syndrome, the most common known single-gene cause of autism spectrum disorder.

25 Jun 2018

Oxygen-starved tumors have an Achilles' heel that could be targeted with drugs

A tumor's goal is simple: to grow, grow, grow, by making more cancer cells. But that often means growing so fast that the oxygen supply gets scarce, at which point cells within the tumor start to suffocate.

25 Jun 2018

Researchers discover immune profile for effective cancer immunotherapy

In a new study published online June 25, 2018 in Nature Medicine, UC San Francisco researchers have identified a key biological pathway in human cancer patients that appears to prime the immune system for a successful response to immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors.

25 Jun 2018

Chemical compounds produced by gut bacteria could help spot early stages of liver disease

Chemical compounds produced by the bacteria in our gut could be used to spot the early stages of liver disease, according to new research.

25 Jun 2018

Researchers work on new treatment that could improve lives of cystic fibrosis patients

Researchers at Oregon State University and Oregon Health & Science University are working on a treatment that holds great promise for improving the lives of cystic fibrosis patients.

25 Jun 2018

Eye could be a surrogate for brain degeneration like AD

Researchers from Queen's University Belfast have shown for the first time that the eye could be a surrogate for brain degeneration like Alzheimer's disease (AD).

25 Jun 2018

Genetic subset of prostate cancer may benefit from combination checkpoint immunotherapy

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy released a study investigating the use of combination checkpoint immunotherapy in the treatment of a lethal form of advanced prostate cancer.

25 Jun 2018

Study links molecular changes in the brain to key behaviors in addiction

Changes in a brain signaling system contribute to the development of alcohol addiction-like behaviors in rats, according to a new study led by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden.

25 Jun 2018

AntiCancer's oral drug overcomes gemcitabine resistance in mouse models of human pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is lethal in about 95% of cases mostly due to failure of first-line therapy gemcitabine. AntiCancer Inc.'s oral methioninase (AC 00619), which is in late pre-clinical development as an anti-cancer as well as an anti-aging drug, has now been shown to overcome gemcitabine resistance in mouse models of human pancreatic cancer, including AntiCancer's patient-derived orthotopic xenograft mouse models.

25 Jun 2018

Scientists identify immune cells that remove degenerating neurons after brain injury

Researchers have identified the immune cells that are responsible for clearing dead and dying nerve cells following a brain injury.

25 Jun 2018

Studying The Effects of Microgravity on Muscle Mass

Studying the effects of gravity on muscle cells can give us an insight into muscle wastage diseases, and potentially guide the development of new therapies. Professor Louis Yuge discusses his research and the cellular changes that occur in response to microgravity.

25 Jun 2018

Scientists discover secret to success of antiviral gene

It's been known for years that humans and other mammals possess an antiviral gene called RSAD2 that prevents a remarkable range of viruses from multiplying.

25 Jun 2018