Researchers have discovered that exposing people with phobias to their fear—for examples, spiders for those who have arachnophobia—at the exact time their heartbeats, led to the phobia reducing in severity. Hugo Critchley, Chair of Psychiatry at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and principle investigator, said: “Many of us have phobias of one kind or...
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Vitamin D levels in the blood linked to cardiorespiratory fitness
Sophia Antipolis, 30 October 2018: Vitamin D levels in the blood are linked to cardiorespiratory fitness, according to a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a publication of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). “Our study shows that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with better exercise capacity,” said Dr....
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Defense against joint degeneration
During cartilage development, chondrocytes secrete the extracellular matrix (ECM) and embed within the same environment. During progressive joint disease, such as osteoarthritis (OA), dysregulation of the process can lead to ECM degradation. In a recent study, Eun Kyung Song and co-workers examined samples of cartilage from patients with OA and found reduced expression of integrin-β-like...
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Could a white pigment be a cause of Type 2 diabetes?
A study has found crystals of a common white pigment in pancreas specimens of those with Type 2 diabetes, suggesting there could be a link between the disease and pigment. An extracted TiO2 crystal from the pancreas of a Type 2 diabetes sufferer and the resulting electron diffraction pattern. Credit: Cockrell School of Engineering, The...
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Liquid-biopsy microRNA biomarkers to predict risk for diabetic kidney disease
A recent study from the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, India, and University of Lyon, France, brings new hope for using ‘liquid-biopsy’ exosomal microRNA biomarkers (miRNAs) from urine to predict risk for kidney disease in diabetes patients. Diabetic kidney disease is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in developed as well as developing countries....
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Imaging collaboration sheds new light on cancer growth
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have uncovered new insights into how the normal controls on cell growth are lost in cancer cells, leading to rapid tumour expansion. The findings could help researchers predict how cancer cells respond to chemotherapy and improve our understanding of how cancer evolves. IMAGE: THIS IS A STILL IMAGE TAKEN...
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How an outsider in Alzheimer’s research bucked the prevailing theory — and clawed for validation
Robert Moir was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t. The Massachusetts General Hospital neurobiologist had applied for government funding for his Alzheimer’s disease research and received wildly disparate comments from the scientists tapped to assess his proposal’s merits. It was an “unorthodox hypothesis” that might “fill flagrant knowledge gaps,” wrote one reviewer,...
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New drug kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria in clinical trial
Antibiotic resistance is a major obstacle that modern medicine is currently grappling with. It has created crisis situations around the world, and researchers are trying to find solutions. One clinical trial is now breaking the superbug barrier. Bacteria can cause a range of infections, and sometimes the best way to fight off these stubborn “bugs” is by using...
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Mouse study suggests vaccine strategy for immunocompromised patients
A study led by Som Nanjappa at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine identifies a cellular target that may improve efficacy in vaccines designed to protect immunocompromised individuals from potentially deadly opportunistic infections. The study, conducted in a mouse model and recently published in the Journal of Immunology, shows that a protein important...
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No safe suntan, but research suggests there may be a way to reduce ‘old leathery’ look
Getting a tan may not depend on how much sun people get, but rather when they get it. This is the finding from a new international research project. The study, published in Molecular Cell, found that sun exposure every other day was more effective for tanning and caused less DNA damage than daily exposure. Credit:...