Latest advances in medical research thread

[ScienceRocks]

nope,,,,

Kinect measures body thickness to lessen radiation exposure from X-rays

• Nick Lavars
• December 1, 2015
• 2 PICTURES

The depth-sensing capabilities of the Microsoft's Kinect has seen it put to use in a number of unexpected applications, such as helping Parkinson's sufferers to walk and the visually impaired to practice yoga. Scientists now claim to have expanded the applications for the gaming technology to include a more precise approach to X-ray imaging, which they say can limit exposure to radiation by measuring the thickness of a subject's body parts.

Japanese exoskeleton could help users walk and run, no batteries required

• Ben Coxworth
• December 1, 2015
• 2 PICTURES

Assistive exoskeletons are a bit like electric bikes – they do indeed give users a power boost, but part of that boost is needed just to move the extra weight along. Japanese researchers at Hiroshima University and Daiya Industry Co., however, have created a minimalist exoskeleton that does away with heavy batteries and motors. Instead, their Unplugged Powered Suit (UPS) harnesses the wearer's own weight.

 

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Liquid metal "Nano-Terminators" could mean hasta la vista for cancer

Scientists are increasingly turning to nanoparticles in search of new ways to treat cancer. Tiny nanorobots that wade through the bloodstream and microscopic particles that blow up diseased cells are a couple of menacing examples. But none sound quite so ominous as a new technique under development at North Carolina State University (NCSU). Its researchers have designed liquid metal particles they describe as "Nano-Terminators" that latch onto cancer cells to more effectively deliver drugs that kill them off.

 

[ScienceRocks]

MIT, Broad scientists overcome key CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing hurdle

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT have engineered changes to the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system that significantly cut down on “off-target” editing errors. The refined technique addresses one of the major technical issues in the use of genome editing.

Great news!

 

[ScienceRocks]

$1000 whole genome sequencing with interpretation and analysis

Veritas Genetics announced that the company is making it possible for participants in the Personal Genome Project (PGP) to be among the first to get their whole genome sequenced and interpreted for less than a $1,000. Led by Veritas Genetics Co-Founder Dr. George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the...

 

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Engineered Protein dramatically cut down on gene editing errors to pave way for human applications

Researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT have engineered changes to the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system that significantly cut down on “off-target” editing errors. The refined technique addresses one of the major technical issues in the use of genome editing. The..

George Church Aging Reversal Prediction and the costs and capabilities of genetic treatments are nearing levels for effective human treatments

The specific prediction made by George Church in regards to antiaging and aging reversal is in the 5 to 10 year timeframe there would be at least one aging reversal drug in clinical trials. This may already be true. What is George Church's opinion of potential antiaging drugs [Metformin and rapaymycin] as compared to the prospective effectness...

 

[ScienceRocks]

First-ever ibuprofen patch delivers pain relief right where it's needed

• Ben Coxworth
• December 8, 2015
• 2 PICTURES

One problem with orally-administered painkillers is that even though you may just have pain in a particular area, the medication affects your whole body. This both increases the chance of side effects, and limits the effect of the medication on that one area. Now, however, scientists at Britain's University of Warwick have developed a solution – they've created the world's first ibuprofen skin patch.

Losing a single gram of fat in the pancreas can reverse Type 2 diabetes

• Chris Wood
• December 8, 2015

A new study at Newcastle University in the UK has improved our understanding of Type 2 diabetes, providing a new insight into the positive effects that weight loss can have on sufferers. According to the researchers, reversing the condition can be as simple as losing a single gram of fat in the right place.

MIT scientists develop promising triple helix cancer treatment

• Chris Wood
• December 8, 2015

Scientists have created a new method of tackling tumors by combining three strands of microRNA. The gel-based treatment was tested on laboratory mice, with the results showing it to be hugely more effective than existing treatments such as chemotherapy.

Scientists discover new computerized linguistic approach to detect Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have discovered how to diagnose Alzheimer's disease with more than 82 per cent accuracy by evaluating the interplay between four linguistic factors; and developing automated technology to detect these impairments.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Exploding nanobubbles attack cancer cells from the inside out

• Nick Lavars
• December 8, 2015
• 2 PICTURES

No cancer treatment is straightforward, but attacking a tumor in the liver is an especially problematic process that normally involves surgery. A new technique may come to offer a less-invasive approach, however, by relying on nanobubbles that sneak cancer-fighting drugs into the tumor and can be popped to release their payload at just the right time.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Bandage Signals Infection by Turning Fluorescent

Researchers have developed a new kind of wound dressing that could serve as an early-detection system for infections. Bacterial infection is a fairly common and potentially dangerous complication of wound healing, but a new “intelligent” dressing that turns fluorescent green to signal the onset of an infection could provide physicians a...

Suicide gene therapy kills prostate tumor cells

Results from a long-term clinical trial conducted by cancer researchers at Houston Methodist Hospital show that combining radiation treatment with "suicide gene therapy," a technique in which prostate cancer cells are genetically ..

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[ScienceRocks]

Antidepressants taken during pregnancy increase risk of autism by 87 percent

Researchers came to their conclusion after reviewing data from the outcomes of 145,456 pregnancies.

Anick Bérard: Using antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), during the 2nd/3rd trimesters of pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with autism (87 percent increased risk of autism with any antidepressants; more than doubling the risk with SSRI use specifically) – this risk is above and beyond the risk associated with maternal depression alone (maternal depression was associated with a 20 percent increased risk of autism in our study). Given the mounting evidence showing increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome with antidepressant use during pregnancy, our study shows that depression should be treated with other options (other than antidepressants) during this critical period.

Indeed, 80-85 percent of depressed pregnant women are mildly to moderately depressed; exercise and psychotherapy have been shown to be efficacious to treat depression in this sub-group. Therefore, we acknowledge that depression is a serious condition but that antidepressants are not always the best solution.

RG: We normally think of the first trimester as being the riskiest time for the fetus, but this study was actually in the second and third trime

sters. Why is the risk greater later in pregnancy?


Snip

Antidepressants taken during pregnancy increase risk of autism by 87 percent

 

[ScienceRocks]

Scientists use nanoparticles to attack chronic bacterial infections

• Chris Wood
• December 18, 2015

Researchers at Australia's University of New South Wales (UNSW) have come up with a new way of tackling harmful biofilms. The non-toxic method, which combines targeted nanoparticles with heat, could have a wide range of applications.

New hydrogel aids skin regeneration to improve wound healing

• Chris Wood
• December 18, 2015

Healing chronic skin wounds can be difficult, particularly when they span large areas, or when healing is complicated by health problems such as a lack of mobility. A team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has worked to improve the process, creating a more effective method of regeneration through use of a new material that creates a porous scaffold, allowing wounds to heal more effectively.

Engineered fat cells slip through blood-brain barrier to illuminate early-stage tumors

• Nick Lavars
• December 17, 2015

Cancerous growths that arise from the supportive tissue of the brain, known as gliomas, account for around 30 percent of all brain tumors and carry an average survival rate of just 14 months. These aggressive tumors are difficult to detect through MRI, largely due to the the protective blood-brain barrier that stops contrast agents from entering and lighting them up. But a new type of engineered fat cell could make them more treatable, by penetrating the barrier and revealing their presence at a much earlier stage of development.

 

[ScienceRocks]

New compound triggers immune response to range of RNA viruses, including Ebola and hep C

• Nick Lavars
• December 21, 2015
• 2 PICTURES

Though important advances have been made in treating RNA virus infections such as hepatitis C and influenza, a broad spectrum antiviral drug that throws a blanket over all of them, including more deadly variants like Ebola, has remained out of reach. Scientists are now reporting the discovery of a drug-like molecule that could be used to combat all RNA viruses, by triggering an innate immune response that suppresses and controls the infections.

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intelligence 'networks' discovered in brain for the first time
Scientists from Imperial College London have identified for the first time two clusters of genes linked to human intelligence.
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Ending chronic pain with new drug therapy
A brain region controlling whether we feel happy or sad, as well as addiction, is remodeled by chronic pain, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Today, @HillaryClinton unveiled her plan to combat #Alzheimer's. Read it here:
An End to Alzheimer’s Disease …

Factsheets
An End to Alzheimer’s Disease

Hillary Clinton’s Plan to Prevent, Effectively Treat and Make a Cure Possible by 2025

The signature piece of Hillary Clinton’s commitment to target and defeat the diseases of our day is a groundbreaking investment in research to prevent, effectively treat and make possible a cure to Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. She also outlined new measures to support family caregivers and improve caregiving for individuals living with Alzheimer’s, building on the robust caregiving agenda she announced last month. Her proposals, informed by experts in the scientific and caregiving communities, will enable our country to make a cure possible and provide needed relief to millions of Alzheimer’s patients and their families.

Background on Alzheimer’s in the United States

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, primarily impacting older Americans, but also taking a toll on younger Americans who suffer from early-onset Alzheimer’s. As brain cells degenerate, memories and mental function are lost and lives are cut short.

More than five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s. With the median age of the American population rising, the overall number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s is expected to grow nearly threefold to nearly 15 million Americans by 2050.

Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and is the only cause in the top ten for which we lack the ability to prevent, cure or even slow it. The FDA has not approved a new compound to treat the disease in more than a decade.

In addition, the disease takes a toll on the millions of family members who care for them, too many of whom have to choose between their work and their caregiving and too many suffer an impact on their emotional and physical health as a result of their responsibilities.............more........

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Now this is what I want to see in a candidate!!! If we could cure or prevent such a disease of the mind = tens of billions per year saved. It would be well worth it in the mid to long term.

 

[waltky]

Predisposition to hernias may be genetic...

Study reveals genes make people susceptible to hernias
Dec. 21, 2015 -- Researchers identified four genes they say predispose some people to abdominal hernias, which may lead to better prevention and treatment methods for the common condition.

Hernias -- tissue that bulges through an abdominal opening -- occur in 2 percent of men, and can be chronic. About 75,000 surgeries per year are performed to correct the condition. "Surgical repair of inguinal hernias is one of the most commonly performed operations in the world, yet little is known about the genetic mechanisms that predispose individuals to develop them," said Dr. Eric Jorgenson, a researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, in a press release. "These findings provide insight into the origins of hernia development and highlight genetic pathways for studies of its treatment."

Abdominal hernias are among the most diagnosed conditions and performed surgeries each year in the United States.​

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco and Kaiser Permanente analyzed genomic data on 72,805 of the managed care company's members in the study, published in Nature Communications. Of the members, 5,295 had hernias and 67,510 did not. These were compared with the genomes of 9,701 people who self-reported hernias, and 82,743 people who did not report them, collected by the company 23AndMe.

The researchers identified four genes that were expressed by hernia patients, but not in people without hernias. Expression of the genes was then confirmed by the researchers in mouse connective tissue, two of which they report are important for connective tissue maintenance and homeostasis. "Further research into the precise mechanisms through which these regions act may improve our understanding of hernia formation and point the way to more effective preventative, operative and non-surgical treatments of this common disorder," Jorgenson said.

Study reveals genes make people susceptible to hernias

 

[ScienceRocks]

Newly discovered windows of brain plasticity may help stress-related disorders
Chronic stress can lead to changes in neural circuitry that leave the brain trapped in states of anxiety and depression. But even under repeated stress, brief opportunities for recovery can open up, according to new research ...
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Unusual drug generates exciting results in mouse models of metastatic breast cancer
A doctor treating a patient with a potentially fatal metastatic breast tumor would be very pleased to find, after administering a round of treatment, that the primary tumor had undergone a change in character - from aggressive
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Simple shell of plant virus sparks immune response against cancer
The shells of a common plant virus, inhaled into a lung tumor or injected into ovarian, colon or breast tumors, not only triggered the immune system in mice to wipe out the tumors, but provided systemic protection against ...

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Old drugs, new tricks: Medications approved for other uses also have antibiotic action
A number of drugs already approved to treat parasitic infections, cancers, infertility and other conditions also show promise as antibiotic agents against staph and tuberculosis infections, according to a new study by University ...

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Researchers successfully transplant human stem cells into monkey models with eye disease
(Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Japan is reporting that they have successfully transplanted tissue derived from human embryonic stem cells into monkey models of the eye disease, .

 

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New calcium phosphate foam could help repair damage due to osteoporoses

(Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has developed a type of injectable foam that may serve as a means for treating osteoporoses and other bone degenerative diseases. The team .

Genetic ‘intelligence networks’ discovered in the brain
Could lead to future genetic engineering of superintelligence?
December 22, 2015

Scientists from Imperial College London have identified two clusters (“gene networks”) of genes that are linked to human intelligence. Called M1 and M3, these gene networks appear to influence cognitive function, which includes memory, attention, processing speed and reasoning.

Importantly, the scientists have discovered that these two networks are likely to be under the control of master regulator switches. The researcher want to identify those switches and… read more

Drug that boosts the brain's 'garbage disposal' slows Alzheimer's in mice
This molecule helps our brains take out the trash.

PETER DOCKRILL
22 DEC 2015
Drug that boosts the brain's 'garbage disposal' slows Alzheimer's in mice

The natural removal of toxic proteins that clump together in the brain to cause Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders can be boosted by a drug that increases activity in the brain's 'garbage disposal', according to a new study.

Neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Centre (CUMC) say that rolipram, a discontinued medication that was developed for its potential use in treating depression, can boost activity in the brain's proteasome system, which grinds up old proteins so they can be recycled into new ones.

 

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HIV antibody infusion safely suppresses virus in infected people

A single infusion of a powerful antibody called VRC01 can suppress the level of HIV in the blood of infected people who are not taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), scientists at the National Institutes of Health report in ...

Targeting fat-tissue hormone may lead to type 2 diabetes treatment

A new study by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and colleagues describes the pre-clinical development of a therapeutic that could potentially be used to treat type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, ...

Positive results for new oral drug for pulmonary hypertension

Living with pulmonary arterial hypertension is challenging, but the chore of treating the rare heart disease may change following promising clinical trial data to be published in the Dec. 24 issue of the New England Journal ...

Bioactive glass may find use in longer-lasting dental fillings

• Ben Coxworth
• December 23, 2015

You might think that with today's composite dental fillings, once you get a tooth filled, it's good for life. According to the University of Oregon's Prof. Jamie Kruzic, however, "almost all fillings will eventually fail" – some within as little as six years. That's why he's part of a team that's looking into a longer-lasting filling material: bioactive glass.

 

[longknife]

Study finds mechanism that causes normal cells to become cancerous

This could be a huge advance in finding a cure for cancer.

“The implications are likely to be much broader than just brain tumors,” said Bradley Bernstein, an institute member at the Broad Institute, Cambridge. Mass., and senior author of the study. He said the finding “changes our fundamental basic science view” of how disruption of the genome can cause cancer.

Read the full article @ Study finds mechanism that causes normal cells to become cancerous | Fox News

 

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Scientists prevent, reverse diabetes-related kidney destruction in animal model

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, and scientists have found that infusing just a small dose of a cytokine, thought to help cause that failure, can instead prevent or reverse it.

New study opens new door for ALS drug discovery

To create treatments for a disease without any, scientists need to study and understand the driving forces behind the faulty biology. Today, researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine announced the ..

 

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Intelligence 'networks' discovered in brain for the first time

Scientists from Imperial College London have identified for the first time two clusters of genes linked to human intelligence. (H/T Futurepundit) Called M1 and M3, these so-called gene networks appear to influence cognitive function – which includes memory, attention, processing speed and reasoning. Crucially, the scientists have discovered...

New delivery method for microRNA cancer treatment

Short strands of RNA known as microRNA help cells to fine-tune their gene expression. Disruption or loss of some microRNAs has been linked to cancer, raising the possibility of treating tumors by adjusting microRNA levels. Developing such treatments requires delivering microRNA to tumors, which has proven difficult. However, researchers...

 

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Researchers see promising results in treating age-related decline in muscle mass and power

A proof-of-concept, phase 2 trial by an international research team has found promising results for a myostatin antibody in treating the decline in muscle mass and power associated with aging. "Myostatin is a natural protein produced within the body that inhibits muscle growth," said Stuart Warden, a member of the research team who is also...

An alternative TALEN/CRISPR-mediated gene insertion technique

A streamlined protocol for an alternative gene insertion method using genome editing technologies, the PITCh (Precise Integration into Target Chromosome) system, has been reported in Nature Protocols by Specially Appointed Lecturer Tetsushi Sakuma, Professor Takashi Yamamoto, Specially Appointed Associate Professor Ken-Ichi T Suzuki, and...

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ORNL cell-free protein synthesis is potential lifesaver

Lives of soldiers and others injured in remote locations could be saved with a cell-free protein synthesis system developed at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.