Medical

Medical science has come a long way from tribal shaman dispensing herbs and roots. Having already cured many diseases and conditions that were once a death sentence, medical researchers continue to strive to help us live longer and healthier lives. Great advances are being made in regrowing damaged organs, turning back our biological clocks, and the big one – finding a cure for cancer.

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New chemo drug keeps platinum nanoparticles on target for liver cancer

Michael Irving February 15, 2019

Chemotherapy drugs are effective at killing cancer cells – but they’re also pretty good at killing healthy cells. Making these drugs more selective for tumors is a key area of research, and now a team at ETH Zurich has found a way to keep a common treatment – platinum nanoparticles – on target.

Researchers have found a way to make platinum nanoparticles more effective against liver cancer, without harming ...

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20-year study finds link between mid-life inflammation and cognitive decline in old age

Rich Haridy February 14, 2019

A fascinating study tracking thousands of people for 20 years has revealed an intriguing association between signs of chronic inflammation in middle age, and the development of memory and thinking problems in older age.

New research suggests chronic inflammation may be a useful biomarker for future cognitive decline in later ...

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New experimental drug rapidly repairs age-related memory loss and improves mood

Rich Haridy February 14, 2019

A team of Canadian scientists has developed a fascinating new experimental drug that is purported to produce rapid improvements to both mood and memory following extensive animal testing. It's hoped the drug will move to human trials within the next two years.

It's hoped a new drug showing promise for reversing age- and depression-related memory loss will move ...

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Unclogging blood flow to the brain could open the floodgates for Alzheimer’s treatment

Nick Lavars February 12, 2019

Among the earlier symptoms of Alzheimer's is a reduced blood flow to the brain, and scientists from Cornell University believe they have now found an explanation for these blockages, raising new hopes for treatments that target one of the disease’s potential root causes.

Scientists believe they have uncovered a major reason for blockages in blood flow that can affect ...

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Ketamine-inspired nasal spray for depression on cusp of landmark FDA approval

Rich Haridy February 12, 2019

A new nasal spray for depression, utilizing a drug called esketamine, has passed the last step on its way to final FDA approval. An advisory panel to the FDA voted in favor of the new drug’s risk/benefit profile meaning the ketamine-inspired treatment may be approved for use within the next month.

After an overwhelmingly positive vote from an advisory committee the FDA may approve the new drug ...

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Clustered stem cells become working insulin producers in potential cure for diabetes

Nick Lavars February 11, 2019

Medical scientists have made a promising breakthrough in diabetes research, describing a novel technology that converts stem cells into insulin-secreting beta cells by harnessing an often overlooked step in their maturation.

Scientists at the University of California San Francisco have made a promising breakthrough in pursuit of ...

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Decade-long study reveals key "master switch" regulating immune system activity

Rich Haridy February 11, 2019

A huge variety of disease essentially stems from a dysfunctional immune system. After ten years of work a new study has revealed, for the first time, the discovery of a molecule that has been found to modulate the immune system’s activity.

It's hoped the discovery of an immune system "master switch" will lead to new clinical treatments ...

Medical

Almost 2,000 previously unknown bacteria discovered in the human gut

Rich Haridy February 11, 2019

Nearly 2,000 previously unknown species of gut bacteria have been discovered by using novel metagenomic data. The discovery greatly expands our knowledge of the microbial species living inside us, and establishes computational methods to help reconstruct and identify undiscovered bacterial genomes.

Using new metagenomic tools, researchers have uncovered almost 2,000 previously undiscovered bacterial species

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New study suggests mild, long-term MDMA use doesn't damage normal social functioning

Rich Haridy February 10, 2019

As MDMA sits on the precipice of being legally approved as clinical treatment for PTSD in the United States, a team of researchers from the University of Exeter set out to try to better understand what long-term effects the drug has on a person’s ability to emotionally empathize with others.

A new study adds to a body of evidence suggesting mild, long-term MDMA usage is not ...

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Strange new evidence connects gut bacteria to schizophrenia

Rich Haridy February 7, 2019

An incredible new study is suggesting a strong association between schizophrenia and gut bacteria. The research not only reveals a correlation, but hypothesizes the microbiome to potentially play a role in altering neurologic function in ways that may amplify the symptoms of schizophrenia.

A new study claims that mice that had their gut microbiome altered by receiving fecal transplants ...