Medical Science News

RSS

Tailor-made protein combats several kinds of pathogenic bacteria

As resistance to existing antibiotics increases, new approaches to serious bacterial infections are needed. Now researchers at Lund University in Sweden, together with colleagues at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the US, have investigated one such alternative.

13 Dec 2017

Steroid study provides new insights into medicines' side effects

Fresh insights into key hormones found in commonly prescribed medicines have been discovered, providing further understanding of the medicines' side effects.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers use cryptographic techniques to decode activity of motor neurons

Cracking the German Enigma code is considered to be one of the decisive factors that hastened Allied victory in World War II. Starting with clues derived from espionage, computer scientists were able to work out the rules that turned a string of gibberish characters into plain German, providing life-saving and war-shortening intelligence.

13 Dec 2017

Belgian researchers create transplantable artificial ovary prototype

Belgian researchers have taken important steps towards creating transplantable artificial ovaries. Once successful, these could be of value to women struggling with infertility or cancer patients who cannot conceive after undergoing radiation or chemotherapy.

13 Dec 2017

Protein structure could pave way for effective drugs to treat cystic fibrosis

Biochemists at the University of Zurich have used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the detailed architecture of the chloride channel TMEM16A. This protein is a promising target for the development of effective drugs to treat cystic fibrosis.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers use RNA nanotechnology to program exosomes for delivering effective cancer therapies

A new study shows that attaching antibody-like RNA nanoparticles to microvesicles can deliver effective RNA therapeutics such as small interfering RNA specifically to cancer cells.

13 Dec 2017

Anti-stress compounds provide new treatment approach for diabetes and obesity

For the first time, scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich could prove that a stress protein found in muscle has a diabetes promoting effect. This finding could pave the way to a completely new treatment approach.

13 Dec 2017

Study reveals impact of diabetes during pregnancy on baby's heart

A new study conducted at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA discovered how increased glucose levels caused either by diabetes or other factors keep heart cells from maturing normally.

13 Dec 2017

Study reveals link between estrogen and infertility

A study published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, may have identified the role of estrogen in problems associated with infertility. The results of the study showed the cause of some undiagnosed infertility problems and enabled various birth control methods.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers suggest role for MKL1 protein in development of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the two conditions ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, results in long-term inflammation of the gut and is associated with dysregulation of the immune system.

13 Dec 2017

Study provides new insights into development of Sonic Hedgehog medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma is the most common type of solid brain tumor in children. Current treatments offer limited success and may leave patients with severe neurological side effects, including psychiatric disorders, growth retardation and cognitive impairment.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers discover new way to attack drug-resistant prostate cancer cells

In most cases, prostate cancer is cured by surgical removal of the tumor and/or by radiotherapy. However, 20% of patients will need treatment to remove tumor cells but this treatment ceases to be effective after two or three years and the cancer develops further.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers take step toward using man-made nanoscale compounds to fight cancer

Researchers in Sweden have succeeded in taking the next step toward using man-made nanoscale compounds in the fight against cancer.

13 Dec 2017

Cellular self-digestion process plays role in development of autoimmune diseases

Autophagy allows cells to degrade and recycle their cellular components. Researchers at UZH have now demonstrated that the autophagy machinery in certain immune cells leads to the immune system attacking the central nervous system.

13 Dec 2017

Global representatives announce declaration to establish International Brain Initiative

A declaration to establish an International Brain Initiative has been made by representatives from some of the world’s major brain research projects, including the Human Brain Project.

13 Dec 2017

UQ researchers create new and improved version of ‘love hormone’

A new and improved version of the ‘love hormone’ oxytocin has been developed by University of Queensland researchers.

13 Dec 2017

New finding demonstrates what happens at cellular level during onset of type2 diabetes

Researchers at Dublin City University and their project partners in the EU FP7 funded DEXLIFE project have found fresh evidence to explain the processes that occur in the body's cells leading to the onset of type2 diabetes.

12 Dec 2017

Scientists gain crucial insights into cause of stuttering

One percent of adults and five percent of children are unable to achieve what most of us take for granted--speaking fluently. Instead, they struggle with words, often repeating the beginning of a word, for example "G-g-g-g-g-ood morning" or get stuck with single sounds, such as "Ja" for "January" although they know exactly what they want to say.

12 Dec 2017

Bipolar disorder may involve accelerated epigenetic aging, study finds

Bipolar disorder may involve accelerated epigenetic aging, which could explain why persons with the disorder are more likely to have - and die from - age-related diseases, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

12 Dec 2017

Tapeworm drug could provide new hope for patients with Parkinson's disease

Researchers at Cardiff University, in collaboration with the University of Dundee, have identified a drug molecule within a medicine used to treat tapeworm infections which could lead to new treatments for patients with Parkinson's disease.

12 Dec 2017