Scientists have developed a new protein capable of glowing red in response to electrical signals in neurons, a tool which could become a boon to brain researchers. The technology could one day be used to produce mice or fish with ‘glowing brains’ that could greatly improve the ability of neuroscientists to understand mental processes. The proteins […]
Tag: medicine
Breast surgery trends differ across Canada
Breast cancer patients from Newfoundland and Labrador were more likely to have mastectomies than those in other provinces, a new study shows. The research examined 57 840 Canadian women from 2007 to 2009 who underwent breast cancer surgery; many of those patients could undergo either mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery, called lumpectomy, which is usually followed […]
Phone app provides faster assessment of breathing problems
A phone app that requires users to tap the screen after each breath can provide faster assessment of breathing problems, a new analysis shows. Electrical engineers designed an app that measures the space between breaths and can provide a reasonable estimate of breathing rate in as little as 10 seconds. The traditional way to assess […]
Silent mutations aren’t so silent after all
A new study suggests that ‘silent’ mutations – changes to DNA that don’t alter the structure of the protein it encodes – may nonetheless have an impact on evolution. For example, alanine – an amino acid, one of the building blocks of DNA – can be encoded as GCC, GCA or GCG; these codes are […]
Spanish flu could re-emerge from avian flu
Influenza viruses circulating among wild birds could, in the right combinations, combine to create a virus very similar to that which caused the 1918 worldwide pandemic known as “Spanish Flu”, according to a new paper. The authors combined avian flu viral segments that were only a few amino acids different than those of the Spanish […]
Blood test could detect osteoarthritis earlier
A new blood test could help doctors diagnose osteoarthritis in its earlier stages. Blood tests based on antibodies already exist for rheumatoid arthritis, however diagnosis of osteoarthritis relies on expensive equipment like MRI scanning machines, and even then it often can’t be detected until it is relatively advanced. In the new study, researchers used a […]
Transplanted neurons thrive in Parkinson’s-affected brains
Neurons transplanted into the brains of adult patients with Parkinson’s disease 14 years ago are still healthy, a new study shows. Researchers checked on five patients that received transplant of dopamine-secreting neurons from fetal tissue and report that the neurons had not degenerated over time. Parkinson’s disease is caused by loss of dopamine-secreting neurons and […]
Team sports could help smokers quit
A new study reveals that adolescents who practice team sports have a better ability to quit smoking, while those who are watching their weight have a harder time. Researchers followed the smoking and lifestyle habits of 620 high school students in the Montreal region between 1999 and 2005. They found that the male students, older […]
A new tool to track multiple sclerosis
A new tool provides a means to track multiple sclerosis (MS) progression and could lead to early diagnosis, a new study shows. The method – called Quantitative Susceptibility Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – allows researchers to track small changes in the magnetic field of the brain caused by iron distribution and white matter lesions that […]
For smokers, a picture is worth 1000 words
Computerized tomography (CT) scans of smoker’s lungs could be a powerful tool to help them quit, according to a new study. Epidemiology results from 14,621 smokers who received CT scans as part of the U.S. National Lung Screening trial and were followed up years later showed that the more serious the screening result, the greater […]
Small compound could help fight coronaviruses
Researchers have found that a small chemical compound called K22 can interfere with the ability of coronaviruses to use the internal membranes of host cells for their own replication. Although it’s still a very long way from being a drug, the fact that the molecule shows activity against a wide range of coronaviruses – including […]
Launch of a “thermometer for the mind”
A free online brain health test developed by the memory experts at Baycrest Health Sciences can help those aged 50 to 79 assess changes in their memory and determine whether they need to see a doctor. The developers caution that the 20-minute test does not provide a clinical diagnosis, but say it can be a […]
Scientists reveal how leukemias resist drugs
Scientists have determined how some leukemia cells resist treatment by current cancer drugs, opening the door to new ways of treating such cancers. The team examined drug-resistant cancer cells in the lab and found that they had higher levels of a family of enzymes called UGT1A as well as another enzyme called GLI1.Together, these enzymes […]
New method to detect xenon in athletes’ blood
Researchers have developed a new method that can detect xenon in blood samples from athletes up to 24 hours after the effect of the drug has worn off. During the Winter Olympics in Sochi, rumours spread that some Russian athletes inhaled the noble gas xenon, which studies have shown can stimulate the production of erythropoietin […]
Biofilm-busting protein could lead to new antimicrobials
Researchers have discovered that a synthetic protein is capable of breaking up the slimy films that harmful bacteria use to stick themselves to human tissues. The protein molecule is called “1018” and is modelled after proteins produced by the human immune system. A new study shows the molecule prevented biofilm growth in E. Coli, Salmonella and […]
Blood test predicts premature birth
Researchers have created a new blood test that helps predict whether a pregnant woman is likely to go into labour prematurely. Currently, many of the women admitted to hospital with signs of premature labour do not end up giving birth within ten days. The new test examines blood for signs of the expression of certain genes, […]
