A clinical has begun trial testing an experimental stem cell treatment against the best available biologic therapies for severe forms of relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). The trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, will compare the safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the two...
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The quest to decipher how the body’s cells sense touch
From a painful pinch to a soft caress, scientists are zooming in on the pressure-sensitive proteins that allow cells to detect tension and pressure. The girl tried hard to hold her arms and hands steady, but her fingers wriggled and writhed. If she closed her eyes, the squirming got worse. It wasn’t that she lacked...
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Could pancreatitis be a stress hormone deficiency?
UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER DALLAS – Jan. 8, 2020 – In work that could have clinical implications, UT Southwestern researchers find that humans and mice with pancreatitis are deficient in a stress hormone called FGF21. Normally, FGF21 is more abundant in the pancreas than in any other organ in the body. They also show that...
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Cystic fibrosis carriers are at increased risk for cystic fibrosis-related conditions
More than 10 million Americans are CF carriers, suggesting the burden of illness from CF-related conditions could be substantial UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HEALTH CARE Conventional wisdom says that having just one mutated copy of the cystic fibrosis gene has no effects on a person’s health–the disease occurs when both copies of the gene are mutated....
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Next generation wound gel treats and prevents infections
LUND UNIVERSITY Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a new hydrogel based on the body’s natural peptide defense. It has been shown to prevent and treat infections in wounds. The formulation kills multi-resistant bacteria, something that is increasing in importance with antibiotic resistance growing globally. “The ability to effectively heal wounds is key...
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Gut microbes may improve stroke recovery
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 8, 2020) — New research shows that the microorganisms in our gut could help protect brain cells from damage caused by inflammation after a stroke. The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience by researchers from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine and...
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Should you exercise when you’re sick?
by Scott Gilbert, Pennsylvania State University Credit: CC0 Public Domain The winter cold and flu season may try to knock out your new year’s plans to get or stay healthy, but the good news is you can fight back. Dr. Jayson Loeffert, a sports medicine physician at Penn State Health, said it’s typically okay to continue...
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Coffee consumption does not affect insulin sensitivity
(HealthDay)—Consumption of four cups of coffee daily does not impact insulin sensitivity, according to a study published online Dec. 31 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Derrick Johnston Alperet, from the National University of Singapore, and colleagues conducted a 24-week trial involving 126 overweight, non-insulin-sensitive adults aged 35 to 69 years. Participants were randomly...
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The pursuit of happiness can end up leading to depression—if you’re from the UK or USA
by University of Reading Focusing too much on the need to enjoy experiences may be contributing to depressive symptoms according to a new study. The paper, published in the Journal of Happiness Studies suggests that placing too much value in feeling happy has the effect of reducing the ability to enjoy experiences. The team from...
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JUUL delivers substantially more nicotine than previous generation e-cigs and cigarettes
JUUL also impairs blood vessel function similar to cigarette smoke, UCSF researchers find UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO PRINT E-MAIL JUUL delivers substantially more nicotine to the blood per puff than cigarettes or previous-generation e-cigarettes (e-cigs) and impairs blood vessel function comparable to cigarette smoke, according to a new study by researchers at UC...