Researchers from the University of Portsmouth’s Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence have identified molecules which are responsible for metastatic lung cancer cells binding to blood vessels in the brain. In order for a cancer cell to enter the brain, it must first bind to the cells which line the structure separating the blood from...
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Scientists deliver knockout blow to multiple cancers
Targeting healthy cells that have been hijacked by cancer cells could help treat many different types of the disease, according to research* funded by Cancer Research UK and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute today (Thursday). Scientists found that targeting an enzyme known as NOX4 stops the action of a type of cell called...
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How specks of gold can help fight lung cancer: Precious metal found to increase effectiveness of drugs used to treat the disease
Tiny flecks of gold could be used in the fight against cancer, research suggests Study says it increased the effectiveness of drugs used to treat lung cancer cells Minute fragments, called gold nanoparticles, were encased in a chemical device Scientists at Edinburgh University have just completed a study and released data Tiny flecks of gold could...
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Amniotic sac in a dish: Stem cells form structures that may aid of infertility research
U-M cell biologists & engineers show how pluripotent stem cells self-organize into a structure similar to an early stage of human development ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The first few weeks after sperm meets egg still hold many mysteries. Among them: what causes the process to fail, leading to many cases of infertility. Despite the importance...
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Stem cell therapy for lung fibrosis conditions
A team of scientists from the UNC School of Medicine and North Carolina State University (NCSU) has developed promising research towards a possible stem cell treatment for several lung conditions, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis — often-fatal conditions that affect tens of millions of Americans. In...
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Automated measure of nighttime oxygen levels could speed diagnosis of sleep apnea
Simple, inexpensive test could help identify sleep apnea in children who snore. Computer analysis of oxygen levels in the blood during sleep could — by itself – provide an easy, relatively inexpensive and sufficiently reliable way to determine which children who snore habitually could benefit from a diagnosis and treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. This approach...
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Fast, Noninvasive Technique For Probing Cells May Reveal Disease
The stiffness or elasticity of a cell can reveal much about whether the cell is healthy or diseased. Cancer cells, for instance, are known to be softer than normal, while asthma-affected cells can be rather stiff. Determining the mechanical properties of cells may thus help doctors diagnose and track the progression of certain diseases. Current...
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Blocking enzyme linked to Alzheimer’s may reverse memory loss
In the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, many of the genes required to form new memories are shut down by a genetic blockade, contributing to the cognitive decline seen in those patients. MIT researchers have now shown that they can reverse that memory loss in mice by interfering with the enzyme that forms the blockade. The enzyme, known...
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Hormone shows promise as cognition enhancer
In a study that augurs well for the therapeutic potential of klotho – a life-extending protein hormone that a minority of people naturally produce at high levels – scientists at UC San Francisco have found that administering a fragment of the klotho protein to young, aging or impaired mice rapidly improves their cognitive and physical...
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Neurable’s experimental gear controls VR with … your mind
I’ve used my eyes to interact with a virtual world before, but startup Neurable just enhanced that experience by reading my thoughts too. At Siggraph this week, the Boston-based startup is showing its modified HTC Vive which include EEG (Electroencephalography) sensors along the interior of the headstrap. This is combined with eye-tracking technology from German firm SMI, which may...