Heart artery plaque immune cells cross-react with virus and vascular proteins, a potential cause of heart attack
Researchers at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute have discovered how viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 as well as their associated vaccines may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart inflammation, and other cardiovascular complications. “Although flu has long been associated with heart attack and heart inflammation, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the relationship […]
Gene therapy shows promise in treating neuropathy from spinal cord injuries
An international team of researchers, led by scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, report that a gene therapy that inhibits targeted nerve cell signaling effectively reduced neuropathic pain with no detectable side effects in mice with spinal cord or peripheral nerve injuries. The findings, published in the May 5, 2022 online […]
Booster immunization in same limb as the first shot yielded stronger adaptive immunity in mice
A collaboration between researchers at Duke University and Harvard Medical School has shown that mice receiving a booster shot in the same limb resulted in stronger adaptive immunity than a shot in another limb. In their paper published in the journal Science Immunology, the group describes their study involving immunizing mice against the flu and […]
Researchers discover a novel approach that could lead to the treatment of devastating brain tumors
Findings from a seven-year research project suggests that there could be a new approach to treating one of the most common and devasting forms of brain cancer in adults—Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). In a peer-reviewed study published by BMC Cancer, scientists from the University of Surrey show that a short chain of amino acids (the HTL-001 […]
A study confirms the relationship between an amino acid present in diet and depression
Researchers from the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Barcelona, Spain, have identified the role of proline, an amino acid, in humans, mice and flies suffering depression. The results, published in the scientific journal Cell Metabolism, also associate the consumption of a proline-rich diet with a greater tendency to develop […]
When eyes meet, neurons start to fire
Their eyes met across a crowded dance floor, causing specialized neurons to begin firing in multiple regions of both brains that are tasked with deriving meaning from a social gaze. Although not as romantic as the first dance floor encounter, a new Yale study was able to chart this surprisingly widespread neuronal response in multiple […]
A brain circuit in the thalamus helps us hold information in mind
As people age, their working memory often declines, making it more difficult to perform everyday tasks. One key brain region linked to this type of memory is the anterior thalamus, which is primarily involved in spatial memory—memory of our surroundings and how to navigate them. In a study of mice, MIT researchers have identified a […]
Frozen testicular tissue still viable after two decades
Male testis tissue that is cryopreserved can be reimplanted after more than 20 years and will go on to make viable sperm, according to a new study in rodents in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Eoin Whelan of the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania and colleagues publishing May 10th. But the long […]
Discovery reveals blocking inflammation may lead to chronic pain
Using anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to relieve pain could increase the chances of developing chronic pain, according to researchers from McGill University and colleagues in Italy. Their research puts into question conventional practices used to alleviate pain. Normal recovery from a painful injury involves inflammation and blocking that inflammation with drugs could lead to harder-to-treat […]
Single bacteriophage used to treat immunocompromised patient with antibiotic resistant infection
A team of researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of California San Diego used a single bacteriophage to treat an immunocompromised patient with an antibiotic-resistant infection. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the group describes how they found the right bacteriophage for the patient and […]