IN BRIEF Duke researchers genetically modified Salmonella typhimurium to fight one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer: Glioblastoma. Lab tests in rats with extreme cases of glioblastoma showed an astonishing 20 percent survival rate, with the tumors going into remission over a period of 100 days. RELAX, THEY’RE FRIENDLY As the culprit behind one...
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Can biotin help treat multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system affects the central nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord. The cause is unknown, but it may involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) use diet to help manage their symptoms, and vitamins are an essential component of this....
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Massive marijuana report reveals drug’s many health effects
Cannabis and its many effects on users are described by a massive report that looks at 10,000 scientific studies There’s been no shortage of studies conducted over the years on the effects of marijuana use. But the focus of those studies can be as varied as their conclusions, making it a challenge to wade through the...
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Toward a ‘smart’ patch that automatically delivers insulin when needed
Tiny, painless microneedles on a patch can deliver insulin in response to rising glucose levels. Credit: American Chemical Society Treatment for certain diabetes cases involves constant monitoring of blood-glucose levels and daily insulin shots. But scientists are now developing a painless “smart” patch that monitors blood glucose and releases insulin when levels climb too high....
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Brain-controlled robot lets physically challenged see the world
The Teleport uses a simple off-the-shelf brain control interface to improve the lives of those with motor disabilities For those with severe motor disabilities, mind-controlled prostheses have long offered a sliver of hope that they might one day be able to regain some semblance of autonomy. While we’ve seen numerous examples of such prostheses over the years, most involve brain...
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Wearable biosensors can flag illness, Lyme disease, risk for diabetes; low airplane oxygen
Smart watches and similar portable devices are commonly used for measuring steps and physiological parameters, but have not generally been used to detect illness, until now. Can your smart watch detect when you are becoming sick? A new study from Stanford, publishing January 12th, 2017 in PLOS Biology, indicates that this is possible. By following 60...
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Intricate 3D model predicts when heart patients will die
Using this 3D image of the patient’s heart the system can replicate how the organ contracts during each individual beat Scientists in the UK have developed an artificial intelligence system that can analyze the medical test results of patients with a heart disorder and accurately predict their lifespan over the following years. Researchers at...
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New urine test can quickly detect whether a person has a healthy diet
Scientists have developed a urine test that measures the health of a person’s diet. The five-minute test measures biological markers in urine created by the breakdown of foods such as red meat, chicken, fish and fruit and vegetables. The analysis, developed by researchers from Imperial College London, Newcastle University and Aberystwyth University, also gives an indication of how much...
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Rexgenero Treats Its First Patient In Phase III Clinical Trial of Bone Marrow-Based Critical Limb Ischemia Treatment
According to their website, Rexgenero is a “regenerative medicine company and developer of advanced cell-based therapeutics for the treatment of serious diseases that are poorly treated with existing therapies.” The head office of Rexgenero is in London, but their Research and Development laboratories are in Seville, Spain. They also have a United Kingdom office in Brighton, which...
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Improving longevity of functionally integrated stem cells in regenerative vision therapy
Image showing transplanted GFP-expressing human stem cell derived photoreceptors integrated in a host rodent retina stained for Otx2 in red. Stem cell therapies hold great promise for restoring function in a variety of degenerative conditions, but one of the logistical hurdles is how to ensure the cells survive in the body long enough to work....