By Clare Knight, B.Sc.Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. What is Endometriosis? Endometriosis is a condition defined by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma in areas outside of the uterus, typically in the ovaries, peritoneum, and the rectovaginal septum. At the beginning of the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, these cells react similarly to those within...
Smoking during pregnancy associated with child’s risk of having congenital heart disease
Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy were at increased risk of having congenital heart disease, a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has found. The study was led by the University of Bristol, in an international collaboration with researchers from seven institutions. It brings together data on more...
Waking just one hour earlier cuts depression risk by double digits
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER Waking up just one hour earlier could reduce a person’s risk of major depression by 23%, suggests a sweeping new genetic study published May 26 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. The study of 840,000 people, by researchers at University of Colorado Boulder and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, represents...
Online pharmacy lab finds benzene in 78 sunscreen products
by Bob Yirka , Medical Xpress Credit: CC0 Public Domain Valisure LLC, an online pharmacy company that also conducts independent testing of consumer products, has issued a petition to the FDA to enact stricter rules regarding the presence of benzene in sunscreen products. In an article published on their website, the company claims to have...
Scientists discover new role for bile acids: They curb appetite by entering the brain
by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne Neuronal cell line (mHypoE-N41) transfected with NPY-mCherry (in red) and stained with phalloidin to label the actin cytoskeleton (in green). In this cell TGR5 was activated by its selective agonist INT-777 and this activation caused the stabilization and polymerization of the actin fibers (green) and the consequent accumulation of NPY...
Man blind for 40 years regains some sight through gene therapy
Doctors for the first time have used a form of gene therapy to restore partial vision in a blind person, according to findings announced Monday. The research team genetically altered retinal ganglion cells to become light-sensitive in a man whose vision was destroyed by retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that breaks down cells that absorb and convert light into brain signals. Using special goggles,...
Research study finds way to revive potent immune cells for cancer therapy
by Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Credit: CC0 Public Domain A Ludwig Cancer Research study has discovered how to revive a powerful but functionally inert subset of anti-cancer immune cells that are often found within tumors for cancer therapy. Led by Ludwig Lausanne’s Ping-Chih Ho and Li Tang of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the study describes how...
The Emerging Role of Exosome Therapeutics in 2021
May 21, 2021 By Cade Hildreth (CEO) Exosomes are extracellular vesicles (EVs) of endosomal origin that range in size between 30 and 150 nanometers. Exosomes are secreted by a wide range of cells, since virtually all living cells utilize exosome-mediated communication. Exosomes carry cell-specific cargos of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids that are selectively taken...
WESTERN DIET MAY DAMAGE THESE IMMUNE CELLS IN GUT
The study shows that a diet high in sugar and fat causes damage to Paneth cells, immune cells in the gut that help keep inflammation in check. When Paneth cells aren’t functioning properly, the gut immune system is excessively prone to inflammation, putting people at risk of inflammatory bowel disease and undermining effective control of disease-causing microbes....
New theory may revolutionize treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis, a disease found in up to 10 per cent of women, has been enigmatic since it was first described. A new theory developed by researchers at Simon Fraser University suggests a previously overlooked hormone — testosterone — has a critical role in its development. The research could have direct impacts on diagnosis and treatment of the disease, signaling...