Every T cell receptor of the living T cell (left) is marked with a special marker molecule. The bottom part of the cell can be imaged with a highly sensitive microscope. What happens when T cells detect suspicious activity in the body? Researchers from the TU Wien and the Medical University of Vienna have revealed...
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When to go to the emergency room vs. urgent care
When injury or sickness strikes, it can be hard to know where to go for proper care and treatment and if the situation is urgent enough to call 911. Medicine emergency medicine physician Robert Riggs, MD, and family medicine physician Khalilah Babino DO, answer those questions in this video: In the simplest of scenarios, if your condition...
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COPD now afflicts more women than men in US
Joan Cousins was among a generation of young women who heard—and bought into the idea—that puffing on a cigarette was sophisticated, modern, even liberating. No one suspected it would make them more than equal to men in suffering a choking, life-shortening lung disease. “Everybody smoked. It was the cool thing to do,” said Cousins, who...
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‘Striosome’ neurons in the basal ganglia play a key role in learning
A pleasant surprise or a nasty shock is likely to be a memorable experience. For instance, if you touch a hot oven, you very quickly learn not to do it again. IMAGE: THIS IS A MICROSCOPIC IMAGE OF THE STRIATUM, SHOWING THE MOSAIC-LIKE ORGANIZATION OF THE STRIOSOME AND THE MATRIX. Learning by trial-and-error, which can yield...
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Researchers uncover origin of virus-fighting plasma B cells
Plasma B cells, which move through the body releasing antibodies, are an important component of the body’s fight against viral infections and other invaders. They are relatively rare, however, and increasing their ranks is a major goal of vaccination. However, scientists do not yet fully understand how precursor cells are selected either to enter the...
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Diabetes drug may not reduce risk of death
One class of drug used to treat type 2 diabetes may not reduce the risk of death when compared with placebo, suggests new findings The research, led by scientists from Imperial College London and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, studied three types of diabetes treatment: sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide...
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New clues point to relief for chronic itching
Targeting an opioid receptor calms itch A common side effect of opioids is intense itching — a problem for some patients who need the drugs for pain relief and for others fighting addiction. IMAGE: ZHOU-FENG CHEN, PH.D., DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF ITCH AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS. Now,...
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Could statins ease deadly heart condition in rare neuromuscular disease?
Penn study shows that cholesterol drug may help Friedreich’s ataxia patients PHILADELPHIA – In preclinical studies using cell models that mimicked liver cells of patients with the rare disease Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a widely used cholesterol-lowering drug increased a precursor of HDL (high-density lipoprotein), the “good cholesterol,” according to new research published in PLOS ONE from the...
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Simple one-page tool improves patient satisfaction with doctor visit
By including a short list of goals for the visit, patients feel empowered and ‘listened-to’ IMAGE: A SIMPLE, ONE-PAGE FORM GIVEN TO PATIENTS AHEAD OF THEIR DOCTOR VISIT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE SATISFACTION WITH THE CARE THEY RECEIVE. DURHAM, N.C. – A simple, one-page form given to patients ahead of their doctor visit can significantly improve satisfaction...
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FDA approves new standard of care for kidney cancer
DALLAS – April. 17, 2018 – The standard of care for kidney cancer patients continues to improve. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval to the combination of two immunotherapy drugs, ipilimumab and nivolumab, for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer. IMAGE: DR. HANS HAMMERS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND CO-LEADER OF THE KIDNEY...