By Michael Franco August 16, 2023 Although stick-like in its appearance, licorice root is quite different from the popular candy store treat Depositphotos Typically thought of as a bendy black confection, the root form of licorice has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a range of conditions. Now, a new study shows...
Bioengineers test biodegradable bandage for treating chronic wounds
by Kim Krieger, University of Connecticut Skin cells (glowing green) grow in the tiny spaces between polymer nanofiber threads (red) woven into a biodegradable, piezoelectric wound covering. Credit: Thanh Nguyen Chronic skin wounds that never heal can be disfiguring and painful. In the journal Biomaterials, University of Connecticut bioengineers describe a special scaffold for new skin that...
Study uncovers potential new source of genetic mutations that cause neurodegenerative disease
by University of Plymouth The eCAGr RNA forms cytoplasmic gel-like condensates degraded by the lysosomes. a, Representative images and quantifications of eCAGr RNA condensates (foci) in transfected HEK293T cells expressing the indicated RNA together with MS2CP–YFP as the foci detector. b, Representative images and quantifications of eCAGr RNA foci and the lysosomes in HEK293T cells treated with the...
Positive metabolic effects of gastric bypass found to disappear quickly
by Lund University PCA score plots for lipidomics data acquired in positive (ESI+; 80 annotated lipids) and negative (ESI-; 46 annotated lipids) ESI mode. PCA was conducted on (A,B) metabolite levels and (C,D) changes in metabolite levels (effects) within defined time ranges: short term (2 months vs. baseline), long term (12 vs. 2 months), cumulative (12 months vs. baseline),...
Study suggests antibodies triggered by COVID-19 mRNA vaccination may depend on prior infection history
By Neha Mathur Aug 17 2023 Reviewed by Sophia Coveney In a recent article published in Scientific Reports, researchers evaluated distinct immune responses to messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and vector-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, and natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections. Study: Class switch towards spike protein-specific IgG4 antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA...
Many expensive cancer drugs have unclear patient benefit
UNIVERSITY OF GOTHENBURG IMAGE: GABRIELLA CHAUCA STRAND CREDIT: ELIN LINDSTRÖM New cancer drugs are being launched at a rapid pace, before their long-term effectiveness for patients can be evaluated. Several years later, most of them still lack scientific evidence for actually increasing life expectancy or improving quality of life. This has been shown by a...
Study finds inverse correlation between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease
By Neha Mathur Aug 16 2023 Reviewed by Sophia Coveney In a recent article published in PLOS One, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a chronic atherosclerotic disease primarily affecting the lower extremities. Study: Association between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease: Results...
Study supports hypothesis that mitochondrial dysregulation is a contributor to the development of schizophrenia
by Rutgers University Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Researchers at Rutgers and Emory University are gaining insights into how schizophrenia develops by studying the strongest-known genetic risk factor. When a small portion of chromosome 3 is missing—known as 3q29 deletion syndrome—it increases the risk for schizophrenia by about 40-fold. Researchers have now analyzed overlapping patterns of altered gene activity...
Blood factor can turn back time in the aging brain
by University of California, San Francisco Systemic PF4 enhances adult hippocampal neurogenesis in vivo. a Experimental design of PF4 injection paradigm in young mice. b, c Intravenous (i.v.) PF4 injections for 1 week did not affect neural precursor cell proliferation in the subgranular zone (SGZ; n = 10 mice in saline group; n = 9 mice in PF4 group; counts of one hemisphere), but increased the number...
Better Than Dialysis? Artificial Kidney Could Be the Future
David Warmflash, MD August 15, 2023 Nearly 90,000 patients in the United States are waiting for a lifesaving kidney transplant, yet only about 25,000 kidney transplants were performed last year. Thousands die each year while they wait. Others are not suitable transplant candidates. Half a million people are on dialysis, the only transplant alternative for those with kidney...