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UNC researchers uncover new potential strategy to kill cancerous cells in the brain

Rapidly dividing cells rely on an enzyme called Dicer to help them repair the DNA damage that occurs as they make mistakes in copying their genetic material over and over for new cells. UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have built on the discovery of Dicer's role in fixing DNA damage to uncover a new potential strategy to kill rapidly dividing, cancerous cells in the brain.

6 Jan 2016

Naturally occurring changes in brain wiring can help patients avert onset of bipolar disorder

Naturally occurring changes in brain wiring can help patients at high genetic risk of developing bipolar disorder avert the onset of the illness, according to a new study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published online today in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

6 Jan 2016

Researchers identify mechanism that allows cancer cells to grow rapidly when blood sugar levels rise

Researchers have identified a mechanism that allows cancer cells to respond and grow rapidly when levels of sugar in the blood rise. This may help to explain why people who develop conditions in which they have chronically high sugar levels in their blood, such as obesity, also have an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer.

6 Jan 2016

Study may hold new revelations about how stress during pregnancy affects mothers and offspring

The sequencing of the first genome involving a cockroach species may one day serve as a model system comparable to how research on mice can apply to humans. In this case, the model could hold new revelations about how stress during pregnancy could affect both the mother and her offspring.

6 Jan 2016

Lipoprotein nanoplatelets important for imaging biological molecules and cells

An interdisciplinary research team from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has developed a new material composite derived from quantum dots. These lipoprotein nanoplatelets are rapidly taken up by cells and retain their fluorescence, making them particularly well-suited for imaging cells and understanding disease mechanisms.

6 Jan 2016

Genetic mutation in starlings could shed light on mitochondrial disease in humans

Deakin University and UNSW Australia researchers have made a rare observation of rapid evolution in action in the wild, documenting the spread of a newly arisen genetic mutation in invasive starlings, which could shed light on mitochondrial disease in humans.

6 Jan 2016

Study shows clear role of bacteria in modulating immune function in the lungs

Microbiota--the trillions of bacteria that co-exist in the body--regulate the ability of lung dendritic cells to generate immune responses, according to a study led by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, published online in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.

6 Jan 2016

Scientists demonstrate workings of CCL2 mechanism that stimulates nerve regeneration

The peripheral nervous system is a vast network of nerves that exists primarily outside of brain and spinal cord and connects to the far reaches of the body. The very expanse of peripheral nerves makes them highly vulnerable to injuries such as blunt-force blows, cuts, and leg and arm fractures, as well as diseases that attack peripheral nerves such as diabetes, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

6 Jan 2016

Exercise training could be a new treatment for prostate cancer

A newly-launched Cancer Research UK study could be the first step towards exercise training being introduced as a new NHS treatment for prostate cancer.

6 Jan 2016

Alpha-synuclein protein involved in Parkinson's disease pathology does not behave like a 'prion'

In Parkinson's disease, the protein "alpha-synuclein" aggregates within neurons of patients and appears to propagate across interconnected areas of the brain. How this happens remains largely unknown.

6 Jan 2016

New report raises questions about potential risks of chromium therapies

Chromium supplements are widely consumed for their antidiabetic activity as chromium(III) enhances the insulin sensitivity of cells. In particular, orthomolecular practitioners believe in the beneficial effects of providing the body with extra amounts of essential trace elements.

6 Jan 2016

Simple, computer-training task can alter the brain's wiring to regulate emotional reactions

A simple, computer-training task can change the brain's wiring to regulate emotional reactions, according to a recent study published in NeuroImage by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

6 Jan 2016

Study findings question validity of some genetic variations linked with cardiac disorders

A review of medical records of patients with genetic variations linked with cardiac disorders found that patients often did not have any symptoms or signs of the conditions, questioning the validity of some genetic variations thought to be related to serious disorders, according to a study in the January 5 issue of JAMA.

6 Jan 2016

Study reveals promising mechanism for attacking Ebola virus

In late December, nearly two years after the epidemic began, the World Health Organization has declared the African country of Guinea to be free of Ebola virus infections. But, the race to find a cure and therapies to combat the disease are forging ahead as officials warn that inattention could lead to another epidemic.

5 Jan 2016

Cornell researchers discover natural triggers that may reduce congenital heart defects among newborns

Cornell biomedical engineers have discovered natural triggers that could reduce the chance of life-threatening, congenital heart defects among newborn infants. Those triggers can override developmental, biological miscues, leading to proper embryonic heart and valve formation.

5 Jan 2016

Ballet training optimizes muscle coordination

A new article in Journal of Neurophysiology reports that professional ballet dancers have more control over their muscles than individuals with no dance training. Researchers from Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology found that ballet training optimized muscle coordination not only for dancing but also everyday movements.

5 Jan 2016

Drug-microbe interactions may contribute to adverse effects, lessen effectiveness of NSAID

A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) changed the composition and diversity of gut microbes, which in turn shaped how the drug is broken down and ultimately, cut its effectiveness, according to an animal study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

5 Jan 2016

Newly discovered mechanism may help explain why some embryos not useful for fertility treatments

It's the dream of many infertile couples: to have a baby. Tens of thousands of children are born by in vitro fertilization, or IVF, a technique commonly used when nature doesn't take its course. However, embryos obtained when a sperm fertilizes an egg in a test tube often have defects.

5 Jan 2016

Study lays foundation for better therapeutic strategies to halt progression of tissue degeneration

Injury and degeneration of fibro-cartilaginous tissues, such as the knee meniscus and the intervertebral disc, have significant socioeconomic and quality-of-life costs. But the development of effective treatment strategies to address pathologies in these load-bearing tissues has been hindered by a lack of understanding of the relationships between their structure and their function.

5 Jan 2016

Emotions affect brain's creative network, new study finds

The workings of neural circuits associated with creativity are significantly altered when artists are actively attempting to convey emotions, according to a new brain-scanning study of jazz pianists.

5 Jan 2016

Medical Science News

UNC researchers uncover new potential strategy to kill cancerous cells in the brain

Naturally occurring changes in brain wiring can help patients avert onset of bipolar disorder

Researchers identify mechanism that allows cancer cells to grow rapidly when blood sugar levels rise

Study may hold new revelations about how stress during pregnancy affects mothers and offspring

Lipoprotein nanoplatelets important for imaging biological molecules and cells

Genetic mutation in starlings could shed light on mitochondrial disease in humans

Study shows clear role of bacteria in modulating immune function in the lungs

Scientists demonstrate workings of CCL2 mechanism that stimulates nerve regeneration

Exercise training could be a new treatment for prostate cancer

Alpha-synuclein protein involved in Parkinson's disease pathology does not behave like a 'prion'

New report raises questions about potential risks of chromium therapies

Simple, computer-training task can alter the brain's wiring to regulate emotional reactions

Study findings question validity of some genetic variations linked with cardiac disorders

Study reveals promising mechanism for attacking Ebola virus

Cornell researchers discover natural triggers that may reduce congenital heart defects among newborns

Ballet training optimizes muscle coordination

Drug-microbe interactions may contribute to adverse effects, lessen effectiveness of NSAID

Newly discovered mechanism may help explain why some embryos not useful for fertility treatments

Study lays foundation for better therapeutic strategies to halt progression of tissue degeneration

Emotions affect brain's creative network, new study finds

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

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