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TSRI-led study shows how different drugs regulate protein linked to asthma, obesity and diabetes

A new study, led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, shows how different pharmaceutical drugs hit either the "on" or "off" switch of a signaling protein linked to asthma, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

11 Dec 2015

TBK1 protein plays vital role in the process of cell division

Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have found that a protein called TBK1 plays an important role in the process of cell division, especially at a stage called mitosis.

11 Dec 2015

New guidelines may help reduce medication use among seniors

We're not getting any younger. According to the Administration for Community Living, by 2060, there will be about 98 million older persons in the United States — more than twice their number in 2013.

11 Dec 2015

UB physicians testing new exercise treatment for concussion

The standard of care for acute concussion may undergo a dramatic change, depending on the results of a new exercise treatment that physicians at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo have developed and begun testing. It is the first randomized, controlled clinical trial of this exercise treatment for concussion.

11 Dec 2015

Sex differences in the brain may provide clues to why certain forms of autism more common in males

Many early-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, are more common in males than females. The origin of this gender bias is not understood, partially due to a major gap in research on sex differences regarding how the brain typically develops.

11 Dec 2015

Single dose of psilocybin decreases anxiety, depression in cancer patients

A single dose of psilocybin, the major hallucinogenic component in magic mushrooms, induces long-lasting decreases in anxiety and depression in patients diagnosed with life-threatening cancer according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

11 Dec 2015

Report shows relationship between sensation seeking, reward sensitivity and cannabis use

Sensation seeking is a personality trait that describes a person's tendency to seek out novel and exciting experiences, and a high level of sensation seeking has been implicated as a risk factor for addiction.

11 Dec 2015

Researchers set up citizen science program to gain insight into triatomine insects in Texas

Chagas disease is caused by a parasitic protozoan (Trypanosoma cruzi) and transmitted via triatomine insects known locally in Texas as "kissing bugs". Due to the success of community based triatomine surveillance and collection in Central and South America, researchers from Texas A & M University set up a citizen science program to gain insight into the distribution and infection prevalence of triatomine insects in Texas.

11 Dec 2015

Virologists demonstrate how poxviruses defeat the body's host immune defenses

Smallpox virus, which killed millions of humans through the ages, ranks among the world's most feared bioterrorism agents. Human monkeypox continues to occur sporadically in remote African villages.

11 Dec 2015

Apigenin improves neuron formation, strengthens connections between brain cells

Brazilian researchers from D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and Federal University of Bahia have demonstrated in laboratory that apigenin, a substance found in parsley, thyme, chamomile and red pepper, improves neuron formation and strengthens the connections between brain cells.

11 Dec 2015

LSD reduces connectivity within human brain networks

LSD is known to cause changes in consciousness, including "ego-dissolution", or a loss of the sense of self. Despite a detailed knowledge of the action of LSD at specific serotonin receptors, it has not been understood how this these pharmacological effects can translate into such a profound effect on consciousness.

11 Dec 2015

DZNE molecular biologist to receive Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize for research on neurons

The molecular biologist Frank Bradke (46), group leader at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and professor for neurobiology at the University of Bonn, will be awarded the "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize", which is endowed with 2.5 million euros.

11 Dec 2015

Providing novice surgeons with regular feedback can help prevent blood clots among hospitalized patients

A study of general surgery residents at The Johns Hopkins Hospital suggests that in the efforts to prevent dangerous blood clots among hospitalized patients, regular, one-on-one feedback and written report cards work a lot better than the usual group lectures that newly minted surgeons receive as part of their training.

11 Dec 2015

PET-MRI combination may change management of high-risk cancer patients

PET/CT and whole-body MRI detect extraskeletal disease that may change the management of high-risk breast and prostate cancer patients, according to a recent study reported in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

11 Dec 2015

Children with cleft lip or palate and spina bifida at increased risk for abuse

Children born with cleft lip or palate and spina bifida are at an increased risk for abuse before the age of 2, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

11 Dec 2015

Scientists find effective antiviral mechanisms to inhibit chikungunya virus

Scientists looking at the antiviral mechanisms of two previously identified human monoclonal antibodies have found they potently inhibit chikungunya virus (CHIKV) at multiple stages of infection.

11 Dec 2015

Higher nurse staffing levels and better working conditions improve survival following IHCA

Patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have low survival rates--but why do some hospitals achieve higher survival than others? Higher nurse staffing levels and better working conditions may be part of the answer, reports a study in the January issue of Medical Care.

11 Dec 2015

Study offers valuable insight into early identification of ASD

An increasing proportion of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are undergoing recommended evaluation in the preschool years--but population rates of ASD remain higher in eight-year-olds compared to four-year-olds, reports a study in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the official journal of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

11 Dec 2015

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals pose threat to male reproductive health

The birth rate is declining in all industrialised countries, and socioeconomic factors and women's age are not solely to blame. Male reproductive health and environmental factors are also significant, as concluded in a new scientific review article.

11 Dec 2015

TB sidetracked in the fight against HIV epidemic in Malawi

Tuberculosis seems to have fallen between the cracks in poverty-stricken Malawi's sponsor-dependent health sector. The dominating focus on HIV may have left parts of Africa with a skewed health service, say researchers.

11 Dec 2015