by Michigan State University Credit: CC0 Public Domain Michigan State University’s Sleep and Learning Lab has conducted one of the largest sleep studies to date, revealing that sleep deprivation affects us much more than prior theories have suggested. Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, the research is not only one of the largest studies, but also the...
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Magnesium deprivation stops pathogen growth
IMAGE: THIS IS AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE IMAGE OF A MACROPHAGE (BLUE) INFECTED WITH SALMONELLA (RED). CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF BASEL, BIOZENTRUM When pathogens invade the cells, our body combats them using various methods. Researchers at the University of Basel’s Biozentrum have now been able to show how a cellular pump keeps such invading pathogens in check. As the researchers report...
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Smartphone app to screen for early signs of dementia
by Lachlan Gilbert, University of New South Wales Credit: Shutterstock Testing for dementia among elderly could one day be as simple as talking into a smartphone thanks to speech-analyzing technology being developed by engineers at UNSW Sydney. An app that uses machine learning technology will look at paralinguistic features of a person’s speech—such as prosody, pitch,...
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How an AI solution can design new tuberculosis drug regimens
by Jim Lynch, University of Michigan Credit: CC0 Public Domain With a shortage of new tuberculosis drugs in the pipeline, a software tool from the University of Michigan can predict how current drugs—including unlikely candidates—can be combined in new ways to create more effective treatments. “This could replace our traditional trial-and-error system for drug development that is comparatively...
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Scientists identify underlying molecular mechanisms of Alexander disease
by University of North Carolina Health Care Immunofluorescence staining of Alexander Disease iPSC-astrocytes showing cell nuclei (white), cytoplasmic GFAP filaments (magenta), and perinuclear GFAP aggregates (green; marked by yellow arrowheads). Credit: Lab of Natasha Snider, PhD, UNC School of Medicine Scientists have known that genetic mutations leading to the production of a defective protein called GFAP...
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Ketamine could help men suffering from alcohol use disorder
Research from Florida State University is giving physicians a better understanding of ketamine, a potentially useful tool in treating depression that still has unanswered questions. A team of researchers working in the laboratory of Mohamed Kabbaj, a professor of Biomedical Sciences and Neuroscience in the College of Medicine, showed that ketamine can decrease alcohol consumption in male rats that...
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Widower’s search for cancer cure takes surprising turn
When his wife died of a rare ovarian cancer 10 years ago, Powel Crosley vowed to find a cure. Despite a lack of scientific training at the time, he is now within sight of the first ever clinical test for a treatment. The 66-year-old will graduate tomorrow with a master’s degree in oncology from the...
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Machine learning successfully replicates cell architecture
By Dr. Liji Thomas, MDNov 21 2019 A new study published in the journal Cell Systems on November 20, 2019, reports the use of machine learning to help form complex cell architectures from pluripotent stem cells, a sophisticated technology that could solve multiple issues that currently hampers the production of artificial tissues and organs. Image Credit:...
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Colon cancer: Changes in gut bacteria may lead to new blood test
New research in mice and humans suggests that imbalances in gut bacteria could play a key role in promoting the development of colorectal cancer. The finding is helping researchers develop a blood test that may help them diagnose this form of cancer. Share on Pinterest Recent findings about the relationship between gut bacteria and colon cancer are helping researchers...
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One hand and two hemispheres: How both sides of the brain get involved post-amputation
by Bangor University Credit: CC0 Public Domain Psychologists have shown, for the first time, how our brains’ plasticity and ability to adapt, extends across both sides of the brain. We have known for a while that if one body part or function is lost, then an adjacent part of the brain, which controls a different function, can extend into...