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Alterations in circulating tumor DNA associated with response to checkpoint inhibitors

The number of alterations detected in the DNA collected from blood samples (liquid biopsies) of cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors was associated with response to the treatment.

3 Oct 2017

Estrogen acts as upstream regulator for energy metabolism and muscle cell viability, study finds

According to a research conducted at the University of Jyväskylä, estrogen acts as a regulator of muscle energy metabolism and muscle cell viability. Menopause leads to the cessation of ovarian estrogen production concurrent to the deterioration of muscle function.

3 Oct 2017

Statin use linked to reduced risk of S aureus bloodstream infection

Users of statins, widely prescribed for prevention of cardiac disease, have a 27% lower risk of contracting a Staphylococcus aureus (S aureus) bloodstream infection outside of a hospital, according to a new study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

3 Oct 2017

Time to tackle dirty laundry to prevent bed bugs

According to researchers from University of Sheffield, dirty laundry can attract bed bugs and there is a rise in these parasites that bite and carry a host of diseases. Their study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

2 Oct 2017

“Chemical surgery” on embryos to free them of a gene causing thalassemia

A team of Chinese researchers have for the first time “mended” defective embryos using chemical surgery to free them of a faulty gene that leads to beta thalassemia. Until now this defect was found to be incorrigible caused due to a single misspelling in the DNA code. Beta thalassemia is a dreaded blood disorder wherein the child is unable to make healthy blood needing blood transfusions on a regular basis. The study was published this week in the journal Protein and Cell.

2 Oct 2017

Losing sense of smell linked to dementia

Scientists have found that losing the sense of smell is an early sign that a person is at risk of development of dementia later in life. The study entitled “Olfactory Dysfunction Predicts Subsequent Dementia in Older US Adults,” was published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

2 Oct 2017

Zinc may help stop growth of esophageal cancer

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have discovered that zinc targets and blocks a specific calcium channel in esophageal cancer cells, preventing them from proliferating.

2 Oct 2017

Tattoo ink that changes color could be used to monitor health

Scientists from Harvard Medical School and MIT have designed a tattoo ink that can monitor a person’s health by changing color to indicate dehydration or an increased blood sugar level, for example.

2 Oct 2017

SunVit-D3 outline the importance of Vitamin D consumption

To mark the clocks going back on the 29th October, new research by SunVit-D3, reveals that Brits are surprisingly unaware of the importance of Vitamin D and the effects it can have on us.

2 Oct 2017

NsXeR protein: A new optogenetic tool to control muscle and neuronal cells

Scientists have examined a protein that will find application in optogenetics and could be used to control muscle and neuronal cells. The paper on the light-sensitive NsXeR protein of the xenorhodopsin class was published in Science Advances by the international team of researchers from MIPT, Research center Jülich, and Institut de Biologie Structurale.

30 Sep 2017

New survey reveals changing face of private healthcare market in the UK

A survey of more than 1,000 Londoners for Top Doctors UK has shown that nearly 1 in 3 people (31%) have private healthcare insurance cover, but that there are large differences between the age groups surveyed.

30 Sep 2017

New procedure allows surgeons to reconstruct entire heart valves from patient’s own tissue

A new method allows surgeons to reconstruct entire heart valves from the patient’s own tissue. This surgical procedure is currently only used at a handful of centers in the world.

30 Sep 2017

Study sheds light on the mechanism of lung damage in premature babies

The lungs are one of the last organs to undergo full maturation in a baby's body. Children that are born very prematurely do not have fully developed lungs, and are therefore more susceptible to associated complications.

30 Sep 2017

TSRI scientists developed new strategy to discover novel anti-cancer therapies

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have developed and demonstrated a promising new strategy for the discovery of novel anti-cancer therapies.

30 Sep 2017

Researcher discovers why people tend to fall asleep when bored

University of Tsukuba researcher discovers why we have the tendency to fall asleep in the absence of motivating stimuli, i.e., when bored.

30 Sep 2017

Biochemists discover genes that determine animal complexity

Genes which determine animal complexity – or what makes humans so much more complex than a fruit fly or a sea urchin – have been identified for the first time.

30 Sep 2017

Indiana University, Regenstrief, LifeOmic team up to advance the development of precision medicine

Indiana University, the Regenstrief Institute and Indianapolis-based technology company LifeOmic have announced a first-of-its kind collaboration to advance the development of precision medicine, a personalized approach to disease treatment and prevention.

30 Sep 2017

Study shows frequent sauna bathing reduces risk of elevated blood pressure

Frequent sauna bathing reduces the risk of elevated blood pressure, according to an extensive follow-up population-based study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland.

30 Sep 2017

A computational approach to map arrhythmia-related excitations

Atrial fibrillation is the most prevalent form of cardiac arrhythmia, affecting up to 6 million people in the U.S. alone. Common treatments for severe forms of the erratic beating phenomenon are controversial, and guided by detection methods that are not yet standardized or fully refined.

30 Sep 2017

GM mosquitoes can have altered microbiota that suppresses human malaria-causing parasites

WHAT: Using genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes to reduce or prevent the spread of infectious diseases is a new but rapidly expanding field of investigation.

30 Sep 2017