Category: 8. Health
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Calcium channel blockers key to reversing myotonic dystrophy muscle weakness
New research has identified the specific biological mechanism behind the muscle dysfunction found in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and further shows that calcium channel blockers can reverse these symptoms in animal models of the disease. The researchers believe this class of drugs, widely used to treat a number of cardiovascular diseases, hold promise as…
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A novel switch to turn genes on/off on cue, a promising step toward safer gene therapy
Just like a doctor adjusts the dose of a medication to the patient’s needs, the expression of therapeutic genes, those modified in a person to treat or cure a disease via gene therapy, also needs to be maintained within a therapeutic window. Staying within the therapeutic window is important as too much of the protein…
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Rare But Emerging Opioids More Potent Than Fentanyl
Topline Though incidents involving them are still rare, an emerging class of drugs called nitazenes has raised concerns among health officials due to them being more potent than fentanyl, the need for several doses of naloxone in overdoses and the lack of knowledge about them among healthcare providers. A person holds a nitazene powder sample…
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Battery-independent fluorescent nanosensor for non-invasive bioimaging of glucose levels
Monitoring glucose levels is one of the key elements in health monitoring. A research team has now developed a battery-independent fluorescent nanosensor based on single-wall carbon nanotubes and an inactive form of the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx). Because the enzyme is not in its active form, the analyte is not consumed during the measurement, and…
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Enlarged perivascular spaces in infancy associated with sleep problems and autism risk
Throughout the day and night, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulses through small fluid-filled channels surrounding blood vessels in the brain, called perivascular spaces, to flush out neuroinflammation and other neurological waste. A disruption to this vital process can lead to neurological dysfunction, cognitive decline, or developmental delays. For the first time, researchers Dea Garic, PhD, and…
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Perceived time significantly impacts physical wound healing rate
Perceived time has a significant impact on the actual time it takes to heal physical wounds, according to new research by Harvard psychologists Peter Aungle and Ellen Langer. Their study, published late last month in Nature Scientific Reports, challenges conventional beliefs about psychological influences on physical health. The findings suggest a broader range of psychological…
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Study identifies α-MSH as therapeutic candidate for corneal endothelial disease
Findings from a pioneering study in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier, reveal that administration of the neuropeptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) promotes corneal healing and restores normal eye function to an otherwise degenerating and diseased cornea by providing protection against cell death and promoting cell regeneration. Due to a lack of currently available…
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Japan Responds To Earthquake, Plane Crash And Outages Through Lessons Learned
In this image made from video, a Japan Airlines plane is on fire on the runway of Haneda airport on … [+] Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. (NTV via AP) Associated Press At least 55 people have died since a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on New Year’s Day. Many more have been…
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Care riskier for patients at private equity hospitals — Harvard Gazette
Patients are more likely to fall, get new infections, or experience other forms of harm during their stay in a hospital after it is acquired by a private equity firm, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School. The research, published Dec. 26 in JAMA, is among a handful of recent nationwide…
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Stanford Scientists Make A Breakthrough In Breast Cancer
Songnan Wang (left) and Lingyin Li (right) analyzing the results of breast cancer lung metastasis … [+] experiments. The plate on the left shows lung metastasis of breast cancer cells expressing ENPP1 and the plate on the right shows a lack of metastasis of breast cancer cells when their ENPP1 was knocked out. Dr. Lingyin…