In the fight against cancer, there is a surprising tool in the arsenal: the food we eat. That’s because some nutrients in food have been found to play a role in preventing cancer, and it’s relevant because the World Cancer Research Fund reports that 30 to 50 percent of cancer cases are preventable, putting a...
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Protein loss promotes cell migration
The protein STK17A (serine threonine kinase 17A) appears to play roles in various cancer types. It can be oncogenic or tumor suppressive, depending on the cancer, but its role in colorectal cancer has not been established. Christopher Williams, MD, PhD, Sarah Short, PhD, and colleagues observed that STK17A expression is reduced in primary colorectal tumors...
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Technology could improve therapeutic strategies for fibrotic disorders
Researchers at the University of Arizona have invented the first highly selective Nox4 small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of fibrotic disorders. Through Tech Launch Arizona, the office of the university that commercializes inventions stemming from research, the UA has licensed the technology to startup Fibronox to bring the invention from the lab to the...
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An inner ear protein speaks volumes about how sound is converted to a brain signal
The inner ear cells are exquisitely arranged to transmit sound to the brain, but just slight defects in these patterns can lead to deafness. Over 100 mutations in proteins involved in this intricate system have been associated with hearing loss. Tobias Bartsch, a postdoctoral associate in A. J. Hudspeth’s lab, and colleagues at Rockefeller University...
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Towards a blood test for early-stage liver disease
Scientists looked for early detection method for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) Plasma proteins of NAFLD patients were analyzed by mass spectrometry Six proteins were detected in the blood associated with the early stages of NAFLD Protein PIGR identified as candidate biomarker for liver damage tests One in four people in Western and Asian societies...
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Scientists rejuvenate stem cells in the aging brain of mice
Luxembourg, 28 February 2019 – Scientists from the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) of the University of Luxembourg and from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) have been able to rejuvenate stem cells in the brain of aging mice. The revitalised stem cells improve the regeneration of injured or diseased areas in the brain...
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Microfluidic Device Pulls Exosomes from Blood to Test for Cancer
Exosomes are tiny vesicles that seemingly all the cells in our bodies produce. Initially, exosomes were thought to be a way for cells to expunge built-up trash, but over the past decade or so scientists have discovered that they seem to play an important role in regulating a variety of biochemical processes. One thing that...
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Adipocyte glucocorticoid receptors play a role in developing steroid diabetes
Steroids act on adipocyte glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) :Activation of adipocyte GRs restricted healthy adipose expansion, causing insulin resistance, liver steatosis, and eventually diabetes. Credit: Osaka University Steroids are used for treating various diseases such as allergic disorders, but they occasionally cause adverse effects, such as steroid diabetes and other metabolic disturbances. Since steroids act throughout...
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Why sleep is good for your arteries
Fresh evidence suggests that sleep regulates a mechanism that can help to protect arteries from hardening. The finding reinforces the notion that good-quality sleep is important for cardiovascular health. Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, MA, together with colleagues from other research centers, studied the development of atherosclerosis in mice. Atherosclerosis is the...
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Varicose veins unlikely to develop into blood clots
Similar to leaky pipes, veins, as they return blood to the heart, sometimes fail to close completely. They stretch out and subsequently leak near the surface of the skin, creating spider or varicose veins that may cause discomfort. Dr. Tanya Flohr, a vascular surgeon at Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, said the majority of...