by Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune Normal blood cells next to a sickle-blood cell, colored scanning electron microscope image. Credit: Wikipedia/Illustration from Anatomy & PhysiologyLyric Porter wanted her life back. Born with sickle cell disease, she had a fever at age 5 that scarred her lungs and required her to roll an oxygen tank to school....
Year: <span>2024</span>
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New clues to origins of lower back pain
by Dennis Thompson Some people might be prone to low back pain because of specific cells contained in their spinal disks, a new study suggests. The research could explain why only certain people develop back pain due to the degeneration of their spinal disks, which are jelly-filled spacers that act as shock absorbers between the...
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Could artificial sweeteners alter your microbiome?
by Dennis Thompson You may think that artificial sweeteners can help you lose some weight, but a new study finds they are no good for your gut’s microbiome. People who use aspartame (Equal), sucralose (Splenda), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), or stevia leaf extract tended to have intestinal bacteria colonies that differed significantly from those of people...
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Is cold water bad for you? What about drinking from the hose or tap? The facts behind five water myths
by Oliver A.H. Jones, The Conversation Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public DomainWe know the importance of staying hydrated, especially in hot weather. But even for something as simple as a drink of water, conflicting advice and urban myths abound. Is cold water really bad for your health? What about hot water from the tap? And what is “raw...
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Plant non-steroidal anti-inflammatory leaves immune system intact
By Paul McClure Researchers have developed a plant-derived non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that does not weaken the innate immune system like existing drugsDepositphotos Researchers have developed a novel non-steroidal anti-inflammatory from the active ingredient in a medicinal plant used throughout Southeast Asia. The novel compound doesn’t suppress the innate immune system like currently used corticosteroids do, opening the...
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mRNA skin cancer therapy halves risk of death in clinical trial
By Michael Irving mRNA technology has proven promising against skin cancer in a new phase 2b clinical trial Depositphotos Moderna has announced the results of a Phase 2b trial investigating its mRNA treatment for skin cancer, and it continues a streak of promising news. When paired with an immunotherapy, the treatment significantly reduced the risks of...
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Researchers identify new coding mechanism that transfers information from perception to memory
by Dartmouth College Memory areas contain smaller pRFs compared to their paired perceptual areas. Left, group average pRF size with memory areas and perception areas overlaid. Nodes are threshold at R2 > 0.08. Right, bars represent the mean pRF size for +pRFs in SPAs (OPA, PPA) and +/−pRFs in PMAs (LPMA, VPMA). Individual data points are shown for...
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Researchers reveal molecular mechanism of cytokine storm induced by coronavirus
by Zhang Nannan, Chinese Academy of Sciences SARS-CoV-2 stabilizes host mRNAs to induce cytokine storm. Credit: Xue Yuanchao’s groupIn the past four years, the pathogen responsible for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), SARS-CoV-2, has infected more than 770 million people and caused more than 6.9 million deaths worldwide. The severe impact of SARS-CoV-2 is often attributed to...
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Closing in on the ultimate quest to regenerate insulin in pancreatic stem cells
by Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute Pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 catalyzes pancreatic progenitor activation and β-cell maturation. The schematic outlines the progression from pancreatic multipotent progenitors to mature insulin-secreting β-cells, highlighting the regulatory target of EZH2 inhibitors, GSK126 and Tazemetostat. Credit: Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01707-xResearchers are zeroing in on the ultimate...
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Case raises concern that sotatercept may be associated with serious and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding
by American College of Physicians Credit: CC0 Public DomainPhysicians should be aware of a potential serious adverse effect associated with sotatercept use. A case report detailing serious and recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding is published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Sotatercept is an investigational medicine that has shown positive results for treating adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension. In...