July 16, 2018, Heriot-Watt University A study led by Heriot-Watt University has explored how individuals with spinal cord injuries perceive the space around them. The findings suggest additions are needed to the rehabilitation programmes adopted post-injury to allow the whole person to be treated, not just the physical body. Credit: CC0 Public Domain At present, approximately...
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One step closer to finding a cure for brain diseases
July 16, 2018, DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology) A research team led by Professor Jaewon Ko and Ji Won Um from Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences identified a new principle of formation of brain synapses through synaptic binding protein complexes. Fig 1. Molecular model of PTPσ signaling pathways in heterologous synapse...
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‘Concussion pill’ shows promise in pre-clinical pilot study
July 16, 2018, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine In 2016, funded by a $16 million grant from Scythian, the multidisciplinary Miller School team embarked on a five-year study to examine the effects of combining CBD (a cannabinoid derivative of hemp) with an NMDA antagonist (an anesthetic used in animals and humans) for...
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Plant-based products are not lowering blood pressure
July 16, 2018, by Laurie Fickman, University of Houston In the high-pressure world of lowering hypertension, a surprising favorite isn’t standing up too well in clinical trials. “Plant products per se or traditional antioxidants like vitamins failed to have a positive impact on renal or cardiovascular health during clinical studies,” said Mustafa F. Lokhandwala, UH...
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Yale cancer researchers suggest new treatment for rare inherited cancers
YALE UNIVERSITY New Haven, Conn. — Studying two rare inherited cancer syndromes, Yale Cancer Center (YCC) scientists have found the cancers are driven by a breakdown in how cells repair their DNA. The discovery, published today in Nature Genetics, suggests a promising strategy for treatment with drugs recently approved for other forms of cancer, said the...
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Convergence of synaptic signals is mediated by a protein critical for learning and memory
Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience show that protein Kinase C is a novel information integrator, keeping tabs on the recent history of neighboring synapses while simultaneously monitoring local synaptic input MAX PLANCK FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR NEUROSCIENCE Inside the brain, is a complex symphony of perfectly coordinated signaling. Hundreds of different molecules...
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Olfactory receptors have more functions than merely smell perception
RUHR-UNIVERSITY BOCHUM Numerous studies to date have shown that olfactory receptors are relevant not only for smell perception but that they also play a significant physiological and pathophysiological role in all organs. An overview of receptors detected so far and of the functions, they fulfill within the human body is provided by Prof Dr. Habil....
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The immune system: T cells are built for speed
At TU Wien, immune cells are being examined using special microscopic methods, and this is causing previous ideas about the surface of T cells to be rethought. VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Without T cells, we could not survive. They are a key component of our immune system and have highly sensitive receptors on their surface...
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X-rays burst chemo-filled nanobubbles for targeted cancer drug delivery
Researchers at the Center for Nanoscale BioPhotonics (CNBP) have developed a new targeted treatment for cancer. Chemotherapy drugs are wrapped in “nano-bubbles” called liposomes, which are then injected into the desired part of the body and made to release their payload on demand, by applying X-ray radiation. A new potential cancer treatment uses nanobubbles called...
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Researchers find hidden signals in RNAs that regulate protein synthesis
Study finds previously unknown strategy cells use to make protein CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Scientists have long known that RNA encodes instructions to make proteins. The building blocks that comprise RNA–A, U, C, and Gs–form a blueprint for the protein-making machinery in cells. To make proteins, the machinery latches on RNA at one end and...