by Brian H. Waters, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine There’s no question that as body weight increases, so too does blood pressure. Now, in a study of mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have revealed exactly which molecules are likely responsible for the link between obesity and blood pressure. Blocking one of these molecules—a signaling channel...
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Scientists identify potential way to prevent type 1 diabetes
by Josh Barney, University of Virginia Researchers believe they have identified a way to prevent type 1 diabetes by restoring the immune system’s natural balance. The approach may also prove effective for battling other autoimmune diseases such as lupus and eczema, they hope. It could also have benefits for people who have already developed diabetes: The...
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Arthritis treatment could provide relief for lichen planus skin rash
by Haley Otman, University of Michigan It’s often difficult to manage patients with this skin inflammation, but new research identifies a target that existing medications are able to address. Constant itchy, painful bumps, scaly arms and legs, and damaged nails make lichen planus an inflammatory skin disease that’s both frustrating and painful for patients trying to keep their quality of life. The...
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Chemist discovers promising compound for a future drug against Alzheimer’s disease
by RUDN University Biochemists from RUDN University (Russia) and the University of Bari (Italy) report a group of compounds that can become a molecular scaffold for new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. They have demonstrated that derivatives of 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydroazepino[4,3-b]indole, or HHAI, are effective inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase—enzymes whose increased activity can worsen the condition in...
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How time affects the fate of stem cells
ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE How do temporal variations in protein concentrations affect biology? It’s a question that biologists have only recently begun to address, and the findings are increasingly showing that random temporal changes in the amount of certain proteins play a direct and significant role on biological processes. In a new study published...
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Two Studies Fail to Replicate Magnetogenetics Research
Several recent studies in high-profile journals reported to have genetically engineered neurons to become responsive to magnetic fields. In doing so, the authors could remotely control the activity of particular neurons in the brain, and even animal behavior—promising huge advances in neuroscientific research and speculation for applications even in medicine. “We envision a new age...
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First large-scale study of universal screening for autism raises questions about accuracy
Researchers urge continued screening for all toddlers, while recommending changes to M-CHAT screening method to improve accuracy, address disparities CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, September 27, 2019 – In the first large, real-world study of universal screening for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found that the...
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Genomic map implicates broad immune cell involvement in multiple sclerosis
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IRVING MEDICAL CENTER The International Multiple Sclerosis Genetic Consortium (IMSGC) reports the results of its latest study, “Multiple sclerosis genomic map implicates peripheral immune cells and microglia in susceptibility”, in the journal Science today: the highly productive collaborative group presents a new milestone in its efforts to understand the genetic basis of multiple...
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Long-term hormone tx increases mortality risk for men with low PSA after prostate surgery
Analysis finds PSA levels predict which men with recurrent prostate cancer will be harmed by adding long-term hormone therapy to radiation AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR RADIATION ONCOLOGY CHICAGO, September 15, 2019 — A secondary analysis of a recent clinical trial that changed the standard of care for men with recurring prostate cancer finds long-term hormone therapy does more harm than good for many men and...
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Tracking Alzheimer’s disease pathology in single neuronal cells
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK Aggregates of Tau protein in the brain are a hallmark of neurodegeneration, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the University of Warwick have introduced fluorescently labelled Tau aggregates (oligomers) into single brain neurons and were able to track their movement and effects. They found the introduced Tau oligomers interfered with the action potential waveform, modified the...