Human body is like a huge robot, which has its movement and electronics. We are partially mechanical and partially electronic, but the most mysterious part is how these two mediums connect together. Scientists from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford found two molecules that are responsible for connecting nerves with muscles. These...
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New model of irregular heartbeat could boost drug efficacy
Patients with irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia, have few effective treatment options — available drugs are not always effective, and an implanted defibrillator can be too aggressive. Jonathan Silva, associate professor of biomedical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, has developed the first computational model that shows the molecular...
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Groundbreaking study improves understanding of brain function
Posted Yesterday Dr. Corrado Calì, a research scientist specializing in brain imaging at KAUST, and Swiss scientists from the Blue Brain Project (BBP) have shown how lactate is necessary for memory formation and learning, which could lead to improved learning and memory function. The project falls under the umbrella of the ambitious European Human Brain...
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DRUG COCKTAIL PROVES TOXIC TO LEUKEMIA
A combination of drugs that affect mitochondria—the power plants inside cells—may become the best weapons yet to fight acute myeloid leukemia, according to new research. Researchers found that mitocans, anti-cancer drugs that target mitochondria, are particularly adept at killing leukemia cells, especially when combined with a glycolytic inhibitor, while leaving healthy blood cells in the...
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New research explains why people with Down syndrome have spatial memory problems
The triplication of a single gene, GRIK1, located on chromosome 21, causes alterations in inhibitory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus, related to memory and space orientation SPANISH NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (CSIC) Professor Juan Lerma’s group, from the UMH-CSIC Institute of Neurosciences, in Alicante (Spain), has identified the gene called GRIK1, fundamental in the balance between...
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Here’s something that will raise your blood pressure
University of Tsukuba-led study shows that the apelin receptor and the α1A-adrenergic receptor work in a coordinated manner to control contraction of blood vessels by modulating the function of vascular smooth muscle cells UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA Tsukuba, Japan – Many questions remain about the mechanisms that control blood pressure, particularly in relation to hypertension. Among the factors...
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Moffitt researchers identify a mechanism controlling tumor cell recognition by immune cells
The STING signaling pathway induces an inflammatory response and tumor cell recognition H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CENTER & RESEARCH INSTITUTE TAMPA, Fla. (Nov. 1, 2019) – Immunotherapy has become a standard treatment approach for several types of cancer, including melanoma. However, tumors can escape immune cell detection even with the use of immunotherapies. In a...
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Heavy smoking causes faces to look older
by Public Library of Science Credit: CC0 Public Domain “Smoker’s Face,” a condition where smokers look older than they are, is just one of many negative effects caused by heavy tobacco usage. Louise Millard of the University of Bristol and colleagues report these findings in a new study published 31st October in PLOS Genetics. Some people carry...
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Get moving: Exercise can help lower older women’s fracture risk
by Amy Norton, Healthday Reporter (HealthDay)—Older women who get even light exercise, like a daily walk, may lower their risk of suffering a broken hip, a large study suggests. A number of studies have linked regular exercise to a lower risk of hip fracture—a potentially disabling or even fatal injury for older adults. Each year,...
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Understanding Laboratory Blood Test Results
By Chloe Bennett, B.Sc.Reviewed by Dr. Mary Cooke, Ph.D. The properties of the blood and the ease of its retrieval make it a useful source for doctors to analyze to measure specific features of homeostasis within patients. This allows for accurate diagnosis and treatment options to be prescribed. How do Blood Tests Work? Taking blood samples from patients is typically used...