General – Page 247 – Innovita Research
March 19, 2019

Researchers find the immune system's unknown messenger

Researchers can now explain how a cell that is being attacked by bacteria or viruses specifically manages to ‘sound the alarm’ among its neighbouring cells so they can react with a quick response. “We’ve succeeded in finding and describing a messenger which both quickly and effectively can inform the surrounding […]
March 19, 2019

Chromatin changes rapidly in response to low oxygen, study finds

Research by Professor Sonia Rocha and her team at the Institute of Integrative Biology reveals new insights into how cells respond to oxygen deprivation. Published in the prestigious journal Science, the researchers found that chromatin, the complex of DNA and proteins where all genes reside, quickly changes in response to low oxygen. Oxygen is essential for […]
March 19, 2019

A new approach to drugging a difficult cancer target

One of the most common cancer-promoting genes, known as Myc, is also one of the most difficult to target with drugs. Scientists have long tried to develop drugs that block the Myc protein, but so far their efforts have not been successful. Now, using an alternative strategy, MIT researchers have […]
March 19, 2019

Brain wave stimulation may improve Alzheimer’s symptoms

By exposing mice to a unique combination of light and sound, MIT neuroscientists have shown that they can improve cognitive and memory impairments similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s patients. This noninvasive treatment, which works by inducing brain waves known as gamma oscillations, also greatly reduced the number of amyloid […]
March 18, 2019

Preclinical Data Shows Combination Immunotherapy Could Stop Liver Cancer Growth

Even as overall cancer incidence and mortality decrease in the United States, the number of people diagnosed with liver cancer is on the rise. Current therapies for liver cancer are largely ineffective, resulting in poor outcomes, but new preclinical data from University of California San Diego School of Medicine offers […]
March 18, 2019

UC San Diego Study Points to Virus-Related Acceleration in Some Cancers

While the human T- cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is known to cause a rare cancer of the immune system’s T-cells called adult T-cell leukemia or ATL in about five percent of those infected, researchers from the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) and Moores Cancer Center at UC San […]
March 18, 2019

Study recommends new ways to treat musculoskeletal pain

A new study led by The University of Western Australia has identified 11 recommendations to help health professionals and patients better manage musculoskeletal problems. The study comes after the team found many musculoskeletal problems were not being managed effectively. Musculoskeletal conditions – including back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and shoulder […]
March 18, 2019

Treating heart failure at home

Heart failure – a condition in which the heart muscle can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs, and distinct from a heart attack – is the most common reason Americans age 65 and older are hospitalized. And while we spend nearly $31 billion annually dealing with […]
March 18, 2019

Skin Repair Eliminates ‘Inflamm-Aging’ Linked to Chronic Disease

Skin is the body’s largest organ, and scientists at UC San Francisco and the San Francisco Veterans Administration (VA) Health Care System think it may be to blame for body-wide inflammation linked to numerous chronic diseases of aging. The good news is that properly caring for the skin with a moisturizing cream […]
March 18, 2019

SPIT lab leading the effort to analyze hair, expand research on puberty

Puberty is something we all go through and yet there is limited science to explain what is happening inside our bodies during this transition, and how it affects our physical and mental health. The research that does exist focuses primarily on girls and often ignores the changes for boys, African […]
March 18, 2019

Therapy could improve, prolong sight in those suffering vision loss

Millions of Americans are progressively losing their sight as cells in their eyes deteriorate, but a new therapy developed by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, could help prolong useful vision and delay total blindness. The treatment — involving either a drug or gene therapy — works by reducing […]
March 15, 2019

Your healthy food is not going to protect you from dementia

Having a good healthy diet is extremely important and everyone knows that. You should eat enough fruits and vegetables, while at the same time restrain yourself from eating too many sweets and junk food. However, sometimes there are certain myths about a healthy diet. Scientists from UCL say that the […]
March 15, 2019

UNH Researchers Create a Hydrogel Contact Lens to Treat Serious Eye Disease

Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have created a hydrogel that could one day be made into a contact lens to more effectively treat corneal melting, a condition that is a significant cause for blindness world-wide. The incurable eye disease can be initiated by a number of different causes such […]
March 15, 2019

UC awarded third CRISPR patent, expanding its gene-editing portfolio

The University of California announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued U.S. Patent Number 10,227,611 covering use of single-molecule RNA guides and Cas9 protein in any cell, thus creating efficient and effective ways for scientists to target and edit genes. This patent is co-owned by The […]
March 15, 2019

Biosensor may provide better cancer diagnosis

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have developed a new biological sensor that could help clinicians better diagnose cancer and epilepsy. Biological sensors monitor small molecules, ions and protons and are vital as a medical diagnostic. Even the simplest signals, such as intracellular pH level, can provide important information for […]
March 15, 2019

Researchers explore link between metal exposure and Parkinson’s symptoms

A new study from Iowa State University biomedical researchers illuminates the biological processes by which exposure to some metals can contribute to the onset of Parkinson’s-like symptoms. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Signaling, focuses on the metal manganese, which has a range of industrial uses as an alloy. […]
March 15, 2019

Poor sleep a problem for foster children

Children living in foster care may have a higher risk of developing insomnia, and this can lead to long-term mental and physical health problems, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Georgia. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 24 adults who lived in foster care to learn […]
March 15, 2019

Deep Learning Targets Breast Cancer Detection

Can computer vision help radiologists find signs of potential breast cancer?  In an ongoing project, PNNL researchers are discovering to what extent deep learning—a form of artificial intelligence—can be applied to help find cancer in diagnostic images. Can computer vision help radiologists find signs of potential breast cancer?  In an […]
March 14, 2019

Bone Fractures Increasing as Seniors Walk Dogs to Stay Active

While walking a dog provides older Americans with a valuable outlet for regular, physical activity, a Penn Medicine study has shown that fractures related to these walks have more than doubled between 2004 and 2017 in patients 65 and older. In this population, 78 percent of the fractures occurred in […]
March 14, 2019

‘Undruggable’ Parkinson’s Molecule Spills Its Secrets

UC San Francisco researchers have for the first time developed a strategy for targeting a key molecule implicated in Parkinson’s disease, opening up a potential new treatment strategy for the currently incurable movement disorder. “This molecule is widely regarded as one of the top therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, but […]
March 14, 2019

Hormone Made Our Ancestors Warm-Blooded but Left Us Susceptible to Heart Damage

Although most victims survive the 735,000 heart attacks that occur annually in the U.S., their heart tissue is often irreparably damaged — unlike many other cells in the body, once injured, heart cells cannot regenerate. According to a new UC San Francisco study, the issue may date back to our earliest mammalian […]
March 14, 2019

Genetically Encoded Sensor Isolates Hidden Leukemic Stem Cells

All stem cells can multiply, proliferate and differentiate. Because of these qualities, leukemic stem cells are the most malignant of all leukemic cells. Understanding how leukemic stem cells are regulated has become an important area of cancer research. A team of Tel Aviv University researchers have now devised a novel biosensor that […]
March 14, 2019

Joint replacement infection? Electrical stimulation could fix it

You probably know someone with a knee or hip replacement. If not, chances are you will, as demand for these surgeries is expected to continue growing. While widely successful, not all joint replacements go as planned. Infections are a serious problem, often requiring costly and painful follow-up surgery. This could become […]
March 13, 2019

Speedy ‘slingshot’ cell movement observed for the first time

By slingshotting themselves forward, human cells can travel more than five times faster than previously documented. University of Michigan researchers observed the movement in bioengineered 3D scaffolds that model stromal tissue—the connective tissue that surrounds organs. The researchers say this method of cell movement, observed for the first time, could […]
March 13, 2019

Targeting Stem-Like Cells Prevents Ovarian Cancer Recurrence

Ovarian cancer is not the most common form of cancer, but it’s among the deadliest. That’s because about 70 percent of cases recur. A new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) and several other collaborating institutions targets the root of recurrence with new drugs […]
March 13, 2019

Artificial Intelligence Cuts Lung Cancer False Positives

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Screening is key for early detection and increased survival, but the current method has a 96 percent false positive rate. Using machine learning, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center have found a way to substantially reduce false positives without […]
March 12, 2019

Forgetting requires more Conscious Effort than Remembering, Study Finds

Despite the decades of research on the brain‘s ability to voluntarily discard certain memories, scientists are still trying to pin down the mechanism behind it, which could eventually allow mental health professionals to offer their patients the option of getting rid of memories which trigger involuntary, maladaptive responses. Now, a […]