Scientists have equipped a virus that kills carcinoma cells with a protein so it can also target and kill adjacent cells that are tricked into shielding the cancer from the immune system. It is the first time that cancer-associated fibroblasts within solid tumours – healthy cells that are tricked into protecting the cancer from the […]
New treatment significantly reduces cardiovascular events when combined with statins
Statins are the most commonly used treatment for cardiovascular disease. Despite reducing certain risk factors, if triglyceride levels remain high with use of statins, there is still a significant risk for heart attack, stroke or other ischemic events. In a study in the current edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at Baylor […]
New paper stresses the importance of ecological thinking and diverse study samples to improve psychological science
For decades, consensus among psychologists has held that a cluster of five personality traits—or a slight variation thereof—universally defines the structure of human personality.Previous research conducted in high-income countries and across many cultures found strong support for what experts refer to as the “Big Five”—openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and neuroticism. However, when UC Santa Barbara […]
New research links foods high in anthocyanins to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease
Wearing red has become a popular way to support the prevention of heart disease, the #1 killer of women. Now new research suggests eating red may be one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. A new study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition suggests anthocyanins, the red-pigmented flavonoids that […]
Children’s sleep not significantly affected by screen time, new study finds
Screen-time has little impact on the quality of children’s sleep, according to new Oxford University research. Screens are now a fixture of modern childhood. And as young people spend an increasing amount of time on electronic devices, the effects of these digital activities has become a prevalent concern among parents, caregivers, and policy-makers. Research indicating […]
New epigenetic drug strategy to treat cancer
Researchers have discovered that inhibiting CDK9, a DNA transcription regulator, reactivates genes that have been epigenetically silenced by cancer. Reactivation leads to restored tumor suppressor gene expression and enhanced anti-cancer immunity. It is the first time this particular kinase has been linked to gene silencing in mammals. Jean-Pierre Issa, MD, Director of the Fels Institute […]
Old drug, new hope for pediatric brain cancer
Some drugs for heart disease might also work against brain cancer, according to an analysis by researchers from the Jackson Laboratory (JAX), Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC), and UConn Health. The researchers used a new approach to identify five heart medicines that might also be effective at fighting the most common type of childhood brain […]
New research shines light on sexual violence at Australian music festivals
As the weather warms up, it can only mean one thing for young music enthusiasts: the Australian summer music festival season is here. For many young people, this is a time of great anticipation, excitement and meticulous planning of outfits. Unfortunately, it also raises the issue of sexual violence that has blighted festivals in recent […]
Immunotherapy may become new first line treatment in some metastatic colorectal cancers
Immunotherapy with nivolumab and low-dose ipilimumab could become a new first line treatment in patients with some metastatic colorectal cancers following late-breaking results from the CheckMate-142 trial reported at the ESMO 2018 Congress in Munich. The drug combination shrank tumours and had beneficial effects on survival in patients with microsatellite instabiliy (MSI)-high metastatic colorectal cancer. […]
New, large sequence panel enables population genetics research in Africa
Geneticists have assembled the largest sets of African genomic data available to date, creating a resource that will help researchers understand the genetic structure of Africa as well as the effects of genetic variation on protein function and disease. The findings underscore the importance of including globally diverse participant cohorts in genetics research, and were […]