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Research decodes how cocaine alters dopamine transporter function

You have probably heard of dopamine. The substance also known as the "feel-good hormone".

7 Aug 2024

Sensory nerves drive breast cancer growth and spread, study reveals

Cancer doesn't grow in a vacuum-;each tumor grows in a particular microenvironment within the body and spreads through a tangled web of vasculature and nerves.

7 Aug 2024

KAUST researchers uncover LINE-1 RNA’s role in triggering bone repair

Around half of the human genome is composed of DNA fragments originating from ancient viruses. These "transposable elements" (TEs) are now known to play various roles in modulating gene expression and disease development.

7 Aug 2024

Discovery of Tr1 cells as a barrier to cancer immunotherapy offers new hope for treatment

Immunobiologists Robert Schreiber, PhD, (left) and Hussein Sultan, PhD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, found that a subset of immune cells that normally puts the brakes on the immune system to prevent it from attacking the body's healthy cells inadvertently also dampens cancer immunotherapy.

7 Aug 2024

New research uncovers mechanisms behind heart damage from CTLA-4 blockade

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is a protein receptor on T immune cells that prevents the cells from killing other cells, such as cancer cells.

7 Aug 2024

NUS study finds 5-HTP enhances sleep quality and gut health in older adults

National University of Singapore (NUS) nutritionists have found that 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) supplementation can improve sleep quality in Singaporean older adults, particularly in individuals with poor sleep patterns, and manage their gut microbiome composition.

7 Aug 2024

Understanding the age gap in leukemia survival rates

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) affects both children and adults, but children have better chances to be cured, with long-term survival rates over 85% compared to 50-75% in adults. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital conducted a comprehensive study to understand the biological causes driving this difference. The work, published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides a blueprint for understanding B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common form of the disease.

7 Aug 2024

Surgery improves long-term outcomes for T-OPLL

Thoracic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (TOPLL) is a rare condition associated with ectopic bone formation in the thoracic spine.

7 Aug 2024

Study highlights the need for language services in cancer trials

Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minority populations in cancer clinical trials persists partly because translation and interpretation services and resources are unavailable or inadequate in the United States, according to a Children's Oncology Group (COG) study led by Columbia University School of Nursing. The updated study was published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Cancer Spectrum on July 25, 2024, and will appear in the August 2024 journal issue.

7 Aug 2024

Artificial stone worktops pose serious health hazard

It may now be time to ban artificial stone-; a firm favorite for kitchen worktops in the UK-; to ward off the incurable lung disease caused by its manufacturing and fitting, say a team of doctors in the journal Thorax after treating the first 8 cases of artificial stone silicosis reported in the UK.

7 Aug 2024

Study uncovers roles of certain brain cells in Alzheimer's plaque formation

A study in Nature Neuroscience found that both neurons and oligodendrocytes contribute to amyloid-β plaque burden in Alzheimer's disease, highlighting new therapeutic targets.

7 Aug 2024

Online communities offer support but come with many risks, says new study

A review in Communications Psychology explores the motivations and diverse impacts of joining digital communities, highlighting both risks and opportunities for support and prevention.

6 Aug 2024

Yogurt with probiotics and honey boosts gut bacteria but no digestive or cognitive benefits

A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that yogurt with B. animalis and honey increases probiotic levels but doesn't affect digestion, cognition, or mood.

6 Aug 2024

Study uncovers how TREM2 R47H mutation affects Alzheimer's plaques

Researchers led by the University of California, Irvine have discovered how the TREM2 R47H genetic mutation causes certain brain areas to develop abnormal protein clumps, called beta-amyloid plaques, associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

6 Aug 2024

Study reveals distinct genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19

A recent study in Nature Genetics reports that genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19 are distinct, highlighting their unique genetic architectures.

6 Aug 2024

Innovative nasal spray and vaccine for respiratory virus protection

A team of researchers, led by the University of Houston, has discovered two new ways of preventing and treating respiratory viruses.

6 Aug 2024

Analyzing the impact of heart disease treatments on patients with CHIP

Nicholas A. Marston, MD, MPH, of the TIMI Study Group and Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the corresponding author of a paper published in Nature Medicine, "Clonal hematopoiesis, cardiovascular events and treatment benefit in 63,700 individuals from five TIMI randomized trials."

6 Aug 2024

Accelerated neuronal development linked to intellectual disabilities and autism

The mechanisms underlying intellectual disabilities or autism remain largely unknown. Researchers in the labs of Prof. Pierre Vanderhaeghen and Prof. Vincent Bonin at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research and NERF have discovered that mutations in a gene called SYNGAP1 disrupt the prolonged development of human neurons, which is thought to be essential for normal cognitive function.

6 Aug 2024

Mental exertion and unpleasant feelings

If somebody complains that it hurts to think, they may be onto something, as mental exertion appears to be associated with unpleasant feelings in many situations, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

6 Aug 2024

Potential liver risks from popular herbal supplements revealed in new study

A study in JAMA Network Open reveals that 5% of U.S. adults consume six potentially hepatotoxic botanicals, highlighting a significant need for increased regulatory oversight.

6 Aug 2024