Latest advances in medical research thread

[ScienceRocks]

CRISPR treats genetic disorder in adult mammal

Researchers have used CRISPR to treat an adult mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This marks the first time that CRISPR has successfully treated a genetic disease inside a fully developed living mammal with a strategy ..

Seeing DROSHA for the first time: Lab team gets the first glimpse of elusive protein structure

Our bodies are made up of many different types of cells, with each of their identities determined by different gene expression. Cancer and genetic diseases occur when this gene expression goes wrong. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ...

Creating safer polio vaccine strains for the post-eradication era

While the goal of polio virus eradication is in sight, there are concerns about post-eradication manufacturing and stockpiling vaccine stores containing live virus that could escape and repopulate the environment. A study ...

Gene-editing technique successfully stops progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Using a new gene-editing technique, a team of scientists from UT Southwestern Medical Center stopped progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in young mice.

 

[longknife]

Science Daily @ http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/ provides us with:



New acoustic technique reveals structural information in nanoscale materials

Breast cancer detection rate using ultrasound is shown to be comparable to mammography

Two Alzheimer's risk genes linked to brain atrophy, promise future blood markers

Efficacy of major chlamydia drug confirmed

Undiagnosed Diseases Program gives answers where there were none

 

[Muhammed]

Science Daily @ http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/ provides us with:



New acoustic technique reveals structural information in nanoscale materials

Breast cancer detection rate using ultrasound is shown to be comparable to mammography

Two Alzheimer's risk genes linked to brain atrophy, promise future blood markers

Efficacy of major chlamydia drug confirmed

Undiagnosed Diseases Program gives answers where there were none

And, meanwhile... medical science has been delayed by a decade or several million or so by global warming alarmists.

Global warming alarmists are assholes.

 

[longknife]

Methane-guzzling bacteria could feed fish, pets, even people

Digesting waste gas from garbage dumps could help save the planet, too

These microbes can feed not just fish but livestock, pets, and even people. Bressler's lab is turning yeast and bacteria into food products like Omega-3s and sweeteners.

Full story @ Mmm ... methane! These microbes love to munch on it

 

[ScienceRocks]

Powerful protein promotes post-injury regeneration and growth of injured peripheral nerves

The peripheral nervous system is a vast network of nerves that exists primarily outside of brain and spinal cord and connects to the far reaches of the body. The very expanse of peripheral nerves makes them highly vulnerable ..

The brain can be trained to regulate negative emotions, study reports

A simple, computer-training task can change the brain's wiring to regulate emotional reactions, according to a recent study published in NeuroImage by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers.

Changes in brain connectivity protect against developing bipolar disorder

Naturally occurring changes in brain wiring can help patients at high genetic risk of developing bipolar disorder avert the onset of the illness, according to a new study led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine ..

 

[ScienceRocks]

Enzyme that governs sugar metabolism may uncover treatments for obesity and diabetes

• Nick Lavars
• January 12, 2016

Scientists have uncovered a new enzyme that works to block the adverse effects of sugar on the body. Present in all mammals, the enzyme plays the role of disposing of the unwanted byproducts of heightened glucose levels. In discovering this key step in the metabolism of sugar, the scientists say they have uncovered a new therapeutic target for conditions like type 2 diabetes and obesity, and are now working to develop drugs that boosts its activity.

Read More

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Untapped region in brain cell offers goldmine of drug targets for new autism treatments
UCLA scientists have discovered that an overlooked region in brain cells houses a motherlode of mutated genes previously tied to autism. Recently published in Neuron, the finding could provide fresh drug targets and lead ...

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Hitting the 'cellular sweet spot'—new delivery system for regenerative therapies
One of the main stumbling blocks in regenerative medicine has been the inefficient delivery of targeted treatments to control how cells behave—one way is to regulate the genes inside damaged cells by efficiently delivering ...

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New type of antidepressant found to act quickly in mice
The compound CGP3466B, already proven nontoxic for people, may effectively and rapidly treat depression, according to results of a study in mice.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Researchers find a small protein that plays a big role in heart muscle contraction

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a previously unrecognized small protein in cells of the human heart that plays a key role in heart muscle contraction. The protein is made from an RNA that was

Chemists devise powerful new method for modifying drug molecules

Chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have developed a versatile new technique for making modifications—especially one type of extremely difficult, but much-sought-after modification—to complex drug molecules.

Flexible film may lead to phone-sized cancer detector

A thin, stretchable film that coils light waves like a Slinky could one day lead to more precise, less expensive monitoring for cancer survivors.

Brain waves could help predict how we respond to general anesthetics

The complex pattern of 'chatter' between different areas of an individual's brain while they are awake could help doctors better track and even predict their response to general anaesthesia - and better identify the amount ...

Scientists use polymer nano-shell treatment to order bones to repair themselves

• Chris Wood
• January 14, 2016
• 2 PICTURES

A team of researchers from the University of Michigan has developed a new technique to aid bone repair, using polymer nano-shells to deliver microRNA molecules. The method could one day have a big impact on regenerative medicine, directing cells already present at injury sites to aid healing.

Gene editing tool proves effective at tackling blindness in rats

• Chris Wood
• January 14, 2016

A team of researchers from the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in California has for the first time tested a gene-editing tool on mice with a hereditary degenerative disorder of the retina that routinely leads to blindness. The results of the animal study were positive, paving the way for potential use in humans.

First genetically-modified human embryos in Britain within weeks which follows 2015 GM embryos in China

The first genetically-modified human embryos could be created in Britain within weeks according to the scientists who are about to learn whether their research proposal has been approved by the fertility watchdog. It was believed that scientists in China had already created genetically modified human embryos in early 2015. Although it will...

 

[ScienceRocks]

Cloaking chemo drugs in cellular bubbles destroys cancer with one fiftieth of a regular dose

• Nick Lavars
• January 14, 2016

The chemotherapy drug paclitaxel is commonly used to treat breast, lung and pancreatic cancers, slowing their growth by preventing cancerous cells from replicating. But once administered the drug is attacked by the body's defenses, necessitating larger doses that result in complications such as joint pain, diarrhea and an impaired ability to fend off other infections. Researchers have now discovered a way to sneak the drug through to the tumor with its entire payload intact, a technique that could make for more effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects.

New particle can track chemo

Tracking the path of chemotherapy drugs in real time and at a cellular level could revolutionize cancer care and help doctors sort out why two patients might respond differently to the same treatment.

Researchers find a small protein that plays a big role in heart muscle contraction

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a previously unrecognized small protein in cells of the human heart that plays a key role in heart muscle contraction. The protein is made from an RNA that was ...

 

[ScienceRocks]

Researchers kill drug-resistant lung cancer with 50 times less chemo

The cancer drug paclitaxel just got more effective. For the first time, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have packaged it in containers derived from a patient’s own immune system, protecting the drug from being destroyed by the body’s own defenses and bringing the entire payload to the tumor. “That means we...

Painless electrical zaps may replace dental anesthesia needles

• Ben Coxworth
• January 18, 2016

As much as some people fear getting dental fillings or root canals, what many of them are really afraid of is the needle that delivers the anesthetic into the mouth tissue. Even though the skin in the "jabbing area" is usually pretreated with a topical anesthetic, it can still hurt. Before long, however, a shot of electricity could make that topical treatment deep-acting enough that the needle isn't even needed.

Scientists take steps to make weak TB drugs strong aga

in

Biophysicists have discovered why the bacteria that cause tuberculosis (TB) are naturally somewhat resistant to antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones. Their findings, based on mapping the detailed three-dimensional structure .

Study maps potential route to effective dengue vaccines

(Medical Xpress)—The mosquito-borne dengue virus infects up to 390 million people a year. Symptoms of dengue fever include a measles-like rash, fever, body aches and joint pain. In a small subset of cases, the disease develops ...

 

[ScienceRocks]

Light-activated nanoparticles prove effective against antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”

January 18, 2016

In the ever-escalating evolutionary battle with drug-resistant bacteria, humans may soon have a leg up thanks to adaptive, light-activated nanotherapy developed by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Salmonella, E. Coli and Staphylococcus infect some 2 million people and kill at least 23,000 people in the United States each year. Efforts to thwart these so-called “superbugs” have consistently fallen short due to the bacteria’s ability to rapidly adapt and develop immunity to common antibiotics such as penicillin.
New research from CU-Boulder, however, suggests that the solution to this big global problem might be to think small—very small.

- See more at: Light-activated nanoparticles prove effective against antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”

Scientists Invent Injectable Foam That Can Repair and Regrow Degenerating Bones​

Calcium phosphate cements (CPC) have long been available for repairing bone problems caused by disease or accidents; however, recently published research reveals that French scientists just dramatically enhanced CPC by developing a remarkable new injectable bone foam that not only repairs bone damage but also allows bone formation.
Pierre Weiss, from the University of Nantes, leads the research team in developing a type of CPC that is both self-setting and macroporous. In other words, the team has created a foaming agent that creates air bubbles in the CPC mixture. This is necessary because, if injectable cements don’t have cavities larger than 50 nanometers, it makes it difficult to do things like treat bone degeneration or strengthen cancellous bone—a porous, flexible tissue that gets progressively weaker with osteoporosis.​

Disrupting cell's supply chain freezes cancer virus

When the cancer-causing Epstein-Barr virus moves into a B-cell of the human immune system, it tricks the cell into rapidly making more copies of itself, each of which will carry the virus.

Immune booster drugs meant to kill tumors found to improve Alzheimer's symptoms in mice

(MedicalXpress)—A team of researchers working at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel has found that a type of drug meant to help the immune system kill tumors also reduces Alzheimer's type symptoms in mouse models. ...

Protein 'handbrake' halts leukaemia in its tracks

Melbourne researchers have showed that they can stop leukaemia in its tracks by targeting a protein that puts the handbrake on cancer cell growth.

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Science is fucking awesome! 100 years ago there were diseases that killed so many people that everyone had to have 4-5 kids each in order for a few of them to survive. The more we learn and advance = the less suffering. Science and tech is well worth doing and fuck the nay sayers that want to become cave men.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Blocking key protein puts the brakes on leukaemia

• Nick Lavars
• January 24, 2016

Our body has controls in place to regulate how cells grow and divide, which is a particularly useful mechanism in preventing the spread of disease. But when it comes to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer, these controls are neutralized, giving the cancer cells free rein to multiply and grow uncontrollably. Australian researchers have now discovered a protein that drives this process, and have shown that by blocking its activity they might be able to stop the deadly form of cancer in its tracks.

 

[longknife]

Bandages made of CRAB SHELLS could help wounds heal faster: Mineral taken from crustaceans absorbs liquid and kills bacteria

The high-tech alchite dressing is believed to be a world first
Its key ingredient is a mineral called chitosan found in crustacean shells
The mineral is known for healing properties and its ability to kill b

Read more: Bandages made from CRAB SHELLS could soon help wounds heal faster

 

[ScienceRocks]

Epilepsy drug could protect nerves from damage in multiple sclerosis

An epilepsy drug could lead to a new treatment that protects nerve damage in MS patients, according to research published in the Lancet Neurology.

New pen-sized microscope could ID cancer cells in doctor's offices and operating rooms

Surgeons removing a malignant brain tumor don't want to leave cancerous material behind. But they're also trying to protect healthy brain matter and minimize neurological harm.

Scientists synthesize nanoparticles that can deliver tumor suppressors to damaged livers

UT Southwestern Medical Center chemists have successfully used synthetic nanoparticles to deliver tumor-suppressing therapies to diseased livers with cancer, an important hurdle scientists have been struggling to conquer.

No more insulin injections? Encapsulated pancreatic cells offer possible new diabetes treatment

In patients suffering from Type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the pancreas, eventually leaving patients without the ability to naturally control blood sugar. These patients must carefully monitor the amount of sugar ..

 

[ScienceRocks]

Nanoparticles used to take on late-stage liver cancer

• Chris Wood
• January 26, 2016

Treating late-stage liver cancer can be extremely difficult, with drugs that prove effective in healthy organs causing high levels of toxicity when introduced to cirrhotic livers. A newly-developed nanoparticle delivery system could improve the situation, with early tests showing it to be effective as a non-toxic treatment in experiments with laboratory mice.

Flexible pressure sensor could boost breast cancer screening

• Chris Wood
• January 26, 2016
• 2 PICTURES

Pressure sensors in use today are fairly capable, being sufficiently flexible to adhere to uneven surfaces like human skin. However, once they're twisted more significantly, they're unable to accurately keep track of pressure changes. Now, researchers from the University of Tokyo have come up with a much more versatile option, creating a new sensor that's thinner than its rivals, and that can continue to sense pressure even when curved over a tiny radius.

New blood pressure tech says ciao to arm cuffs

• Ben Coxworth
• January 26, 2016

Generally, if a doctor wants to know a patient's blood pressure, they have to place a cuff around the person's arm and inflate it. Not only can this be uncomfortable for the patient, but it also only indicates what their blood pressure is at the time that the test is performed. That's why scientists at Australia's Monash University are developing an alternative – a cuffless blood pressure estimation system that is worn for hours at a time, wirelessly transmitting real-time readings.

 

[ScienceRocks]

New algorithm points the way towards regrowing limbs and organs

http://www.scienceal...es&limitstart=1

"Mogrify acts like a 'world atlas' for the cell and allows us to map out new territories in cell conversions in humans," said one of the team, Owen Rackham from the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore. "One of the first clinical applications that we hope to achieve with this innovative approach would be to reprogramme 'defective' cells from patients into 'functioning' healthy cells, without the intermediate induced pluripotent stem cells step."

"These then can be re-implanted into patients, and should, in practice, effectively enable new regenerative medicine techniques," he added.
Mogrify draws on a database of over 300 human cell and tissue types and is able to "predict the optimal set of cellular factors required for any given cell conversion", in the words of its creators. It's applying big data and computer processing to solve the manual work that Yamanaka had previously pioneered.

In the two theoretical trials carried out so far, the algorithm was able to correctly predict the correct human cell conversion calculation at the first time of asking.

Our understanding of pluripotent cells is expanding quickly: the difficulty for scientists is in getting them to grow in the way they want, which is a problem Mogrify aims to solve. The code has been made available to other researchers and scientists and should become even more accurate over time as more data is fed into it, with team member Enrico Petretto from Duke-NUS describing it as a "game-changing" development.

 

[ScienceRocks]

New handheld, pen-sized microscope could ID cancer cells in doctor’s offices and operating rooms

New handheld, pen-sized microscope could ID cancer cells in doctor’s offices and operating rooms | UW Today
Jennifer Langston
News and Information

Surgeons removing a malignant brain tumor don’t want to leave cancerous material behind. But they’re also trying to protect healthy brain matter and minimize neurological harm.

 

[ScienceRocks]

'Cancer cells simply melt away': Miracle drug amazes Australian researchers after lengthy trials
'Cancer cells simply melt away': Miracle drug amazes Australian researchers after lengthy trials

Cancer patients are finally catching a break, as Australian researchers have tested a miracle drug that leads to big improvement in a majority of cases, and total recovery in some. The drug targets a specific protein that helps cancer cells survive.
The Melbourne-based trial took place over four years and tested 116 patients. It was shown by researchers at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre that the drug Venetoclax can greatly reduce cancer blood cells.

Positive results were seen in 79 percent of cases involving patients suffering from chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Some patients who had previously undergone treatment were left as good as new after agreeing to the new pill trials.

This is indeed historic news, as it marks the first trial of a medicine that is the result of three decades of research. "Here we are a bit under 30 years later in collaboration with WEHI and pharmaceutical companies here and in the US having proved that's achievable," head of haemotology, Professor John Seymour, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

DNA analysis may provide early warning of breast cancer

• Chris Wood
• January 29, 2016

It could be possible to look for molecular alternations in breast tissue to identify whether a patient is at risk of developing breast cancer, a new study has found. Scientists at University College London (UCL) looked at changes in patient DNA, finding clear evidence that epigenetic alterations play a part in the occurrence of the disease.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Scientists Produce the Most Realistic Lab-Grown Liver Tissue Yet
Scientists Produce the Most Realistic Lab-Grown Liver Tissue Yet
Diet Doctor
In Brief

The demand for organ replacements is high, with millions of patients in need all over the world. Now, scientists have successfully produced the most realistic liver tissues ever created - bringing new hope to many lives.

For many patients, waiting for an organ to become available for transplant is painstakingly long process, and it comes with a torrent of mixed emotions. Once an organ has become available, there is still the chance of the patient’s body rejecting the new organ. To that end, it would be a great benefit if we could grow individual’s organs using their own cells.

Over the years, scientists have dedicated an enormous amount of time and resources to growing human organs in labs. However, human organs are incredibly complex, and the developments have been incremental.

That said, scientists have made progress in duplicating organs like the liver, heart, vocal cords, and kidneys.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Proton beam cancer therapy 'effective with fewer side effects'
By Dominic Howell BBC News
Proton beam cancer therapy 'effective with fewer side effects' - BBC News

A cancer treatment at the centre of an NHS controversy in 2014 causes fewer side effects in children than conventional radiotherapy, according to new research.

The study, published in The Lancet Oncology, suggests proton beam therapy is as effective as other treatments.

Researchers looked at 59 patients aged between three and 21 from 2003 to 2009.

In 2014 the parents of Ashya King took him out of hospital in Hampshire to get the treatment abroad.

Their actions led to a police operation to find them.

Nice to see a lot of successful cancer cure research!!!

 

[ScienceRocks]

Researchers extend lifespan by as much as 35 percent in mice
February 3, 2016

Credit: martha sexton/public domain
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have shown that senescent cells - cells that no longer divide and accumulate with age - negatively impact health and shorten lifespan by as much as 35 percent in normal mice. The results, which appear today in Nature, demonstrate that clearance of senescent cells delays tumor formation, preserves tissue and organ.

Hepatitis virus-like particles as potential cancer treatment
UC Davis researchers have developed a way to use the empty shell of a Hepatitis E virus to carry vaccines or drugs into the body. The technique has been tested in rodents as a way to target breast cancer, and is available ...