General

University of Queensland research may explain why vitamin D is vital for brain health, and how deficiency leads to disorders including depression and schizophrenia. Associate Professor Thomas Burne at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute led the studies, which provide the groundwork for research into better prevention and treatments. “Over a billion […]

From shampoos to food storage containers to pesticides, we touch, ingest and breathe chemicals every day. Despite their ubiquity, the effects of these substances on human reproductive health are largely unknown. With thousands of chemicals to test, how can researchers quickly zero in on the ones most likely to cause […]

After reviewing thousands of case studies going back 25 years across six countries, generalisable survival data is now available for the first time to estimate how long hip and knee replacements are likely to last. The findings of researchers, funded by the National Joint Registry and the NIHR, from the Musculoskeletal Research Unit at the University […]

Scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a potential explanation for the mysterious death of specific brain cells seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The new research suggests that the cells may die because of naturally occurring gene variation in brain cells that were, until recently, […]

Cancer cells are, in some respects, impressive: They can grow relentlessly, sidestep the aging process by becoming immortal, and evade the immune system’s persistent attacks. But in the process of acquiring such superpowers, the cells must occasionally relinquish other, more mundane skills—including the ability to produce certain nutrients. Researchers at […]

Artificial Intelligence is helping to guide and support some 50 breast cancer patients in rural Georgia through a novel mobile application that gives them personalized recommendations on everything from side effects to insurance. The app, called MyPath, adapts to each stage in a patient’s cancer journey. So the information available […]

Part of a growing body of research examining how the “microbiome” — the composition of bacteria living inside the body — may improve health or contribute to disease, the new study found a significant association between the composition of a woman’s cervical microbiome and the presence of pre-cancerous lesions on […]

Depression is common in older age and with an ageing population how late-life depression is managed will become increasingly important. Researchers from the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL) suggest mental health in later life should be given greater priority by healthcare professionals. Nearly ten per cent of […]

One of the downsides to getting older is that skeletal muscle loses its ability to heal after injury. New research from the University of Pittsburgh implicates the so-called “longevity protein” Klotho, both as culprit and therapeutic target. The paper, published in Nature Communications, showed that, in young animals, Klotho expression soars after a […]

University at Buffalo researchers have received part of a $1.5 million grant to investigate light therapy as a replacement for prescription opioids in treating oral mucositis, painful ulcers and swelling in the mouth that result from chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer. Funded by the National Institutes of Dental and […]

Researchers say they are closer to solving the mystery of how a good night’s sleep protects against heart disease. In studies using mice, they discovered a previously unknown mechanism between the brain, bone marrow, and blood vessels that appears to protect against the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the […]

New tool lets researchers quantify contraction, relaxation in human heart cells in a dish. The human heart beats an estimated 2 to 3 billion times over a 70-year lifespan. Powering each beat are muscle cells’ individual units of contraction, called sarcomeres. Above, sarcomeres beat in human heart cells in a […]