Many cancers and Huntington’s are caused by stubborn proteins Ras and Myc No previous studies have been able to kill the ‘undruggable’ proteins A team at the University of Dundee forced molecules to bind to Ras and Myc In doing so, they successfully destroyed them – paving the way to a cure Scientists have discovered...
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Controversial ‘liberation therapy’ fails to treat multiple sclerosis
This is an MRI of a person with multiple sclerosis. White areas show permanent scarring caused by the disease. Opening up narrowed veins from the brain and spinal cord is not effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study led by the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health. The conclusions about...
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Just 4 minutes of intense cycling can stop cells from ageing quickly, study reveals
High-intensity interval training has a transformative effect on your cells Research by the Mayo Clinic found 4 minutes of cycling stopped cell ageing They say all you need is four reps of 4-minute cycling a week, plus 90 minutes walking Cycling at full pelt for just four minutes at a time can stop the ageing...
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‘My £43,000 stem cell therapy in Mexico has transformed me’: MS left BBC war correspondent Caroline Wyatt struggling to walk or even think clearly, but now she has hope
Though it was diagnosed in 2015, Caroline Wyatt has lived with MS for 25 years Increasingly, she lost control of her arms and legs – even her eyes were affected Convinced she had nothing to lose, she set off to Mexico to get stem cell therapy Three weeks after her return, Caroline’s symptoms had significantly...
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Room-scale or standing VR? Why all that walking around may be overrated
While room-scale VR was a big buzzword in 2016, the peek we got at 2017 Oculus games makes us think physical standing VR experiences are all you need When considering a virtual reality purchase, is room-scale VR really a major consideration over standing VR? Some recent demos gave us reason to question our previous conclusions. Since first...
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For the First Time, Researchers Can Genetically Modify Human Embryos
IN BRIEF Up until now, no other researcher has ever been granted permission to perform gene editing on early-stage human embryos. Researchers hope that this could help us understand the first seven days of embryo development, and help to prevent miscarriages. The UK has given researchers at the Francis Crick Institute permission to edit the genes of...
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Reports Of Medical Breakthroughs Often Don’t Prove Out
Journalists like to report what’s new. But what’s new in science often turns out not to be true in the long run. Gino Domenico/Bloomberg via Getty Images When you pick up a newspaper and read a story about the latest results on breast cancer, autism, depression or other ailments, what are the odds that finding...
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Common yeast may worsen IBD symptoms in Crohn’s disease
June Round, Ph.D. associate professor in pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. During the past decade, the gut has experienced a renaissance as investigations focus on the role of the microbiome on human health. While most studies have focused on bacteria, the dominant microbial inhabitants in the gut, scientists at University...
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Incredible interactive street-view lets you see what it’s like to have glaucoma, cataracts or retinopathy
An interactive map shows you how people with vision problems view the world Options let you see through the lens of glaucoma, cataracts or retinopathy Cataracts cause blurry vision, glaucoma causes sensitivity to light and retinopathy leaves you seeing dark spots Created by See Now, the organization works to prevent blindness in children It’s hard...
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New material regrows bone
A schematic representation of the experimental design. A team of researchers repaired a hole in a mouse’s skull by regrowing “quality bone,” a breakthrough that could drastically improve the care of people who suffer severe trauma to the skull or face. The work by a joint team of Northwestern University and University of Chicago researchers...