Posted Today Stem cells are jacks of all trades, capable of alleviating the consequences of such diverse pathologies as heart attacks, strokes and cancer. However, stem cell therapies have been hampered by possible side effects, which are frequently hard to predict. One way around this conundrum is to understand how stem cells conjure up their therapeutic...
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New food supplement made from bacteria fights metabolic syndrome
By Ana Sandoiu Fact checked by Gianna D’Emilio Scientists have now confirmed what they previously tested in mice: the benefits of a bacterium for cardiometabolic health. In a new study, a food supplement containing Akkermansia muciniphila improved metabolic markers in people with prediabetes and at risk of cardiovascular conditions. The term “metabolicsyndrome” describes a cluster...
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Stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis
By Charlotte Lillis Reviewed by Brenda B. Spriggs, M.D. FACP Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that mainly affects the joints. Stem cell therapy is a relatively new area of research that is showing promise in treating autoimmune conditions such as this. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the immune system mistakenly attacks the tissue that lines the joints, which can...
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A non-invasive test for early detection and monitoring of bowel diseases
A team of researchers from the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland has proposed a novel, non-invasive test for screening and monitoring gut diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The technique uses a tiny blood and stool sample to determine gut permeability, a key marker of these diseases. The importance of our gut...
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Discovery of new autoimmune disease triggered by testicular cancer
Scientists have discovered a new autoimmune disease that is specifically triggered by testicular cancer. Utilizing a newly developed diagnostic tool, the research revealed how the cancer can cause the immune system to target the brain, bringing on severe neurodegenerative disease. Neurological diseases are usually tracked by applying a bio-specimen sample from a patient to a...
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Renegade immune cells found to raid aging brains and choke new neuron generation
Rich Haridy New work led by Stanford University scientists has revealed killer immune cells have been found to collect in parts of the brain where new nerve cells are generated. This damaging proliferation seems to naturally increase as a brain ages and the researchers hypothesize this may be a mechanism that underpins general age-related cognitive...
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Compound puts pancreatic cancer in Immunotherapy’s sights
Nick Lavars Immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that seeks to supercharge the body’s natural immune defenses, and it’s become a viable therapy for certain types of the disease. Pancreatic cancer is one that has so far been able to evade its advances, but scientists are now reporting a discovery that might help the immune system regain the upper...
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How to foster your child’s imagination
by Len Canter, Healthday Reporter (HealthDay)—With school, sports and assorted activities, many kids have little or no free time. That fast-paced lifestyle can actually stifle their development, making them less likely to be self-starters. It could also limit their imagination, an important ingredient in creativity and problem-solving. University of Colorado-Boulder researchers found that kids who spend...
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Study finds electronic cigarettes damage brain stem cells
UC Riverside research on mouse neural stem cells has implications for nicotine use UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – RIVERSIDE RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A research team at the University of California, Riverside, has found that electronic cigarettes, often targeted to youth and pregnant women, produce a stress response in neural stem cells, which are critical cells in the brain. Present throughout life, stem cells become specialized cells with more specific functions, such...
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Smokers three times likely to die from heart disease
New research shows smoking triples deaths from heart disease and stroke AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Smoking is killing at least 17 Australians a day from preventable heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular conditions, new research led by The Australian National University (ANU) has found. The study, the most in-depth in the world, shows for the first time how smoking...