Medical News Observer

Keep updated with latest medical research news

Similar epigenetic mark found in brain cells of different types of autism disorder

UCLA scientists and their colleagues have found evidence that an abnormal pattern of brain cells is common in people with different types of autism disorders. The abnormal pattern discovered in the study, reported in journal Cell, concerns a certain type of “epigenetic mark,” a chemical modification that occurs frequently on chromosomes and helps regulate the…
Decoded neurofeedback to help instill confidence, reduce fear

A new technique of analyzing brain patterns appears to help people overcome fear and build self-confidence. The approach, developed by a UCLA-led team of neuroscientists, is described in two new papers, published in the journals Nature Communications and Nature Human Behaviour. Study subjects were conditioned to fear certain color patterns, but researchers found that small…
Biomarker Autotaxin, related to diabetes predicts Alzheimer’s disease outcome

An enzyme found in the fluid around the brain and spine is giving researchers a snapshot of what happens inside the minds of Alzheimer’s patients and how that relates to cognitive decline. Iowa State University researchers say higher levels of the enzyme, autotaxin, significantly predict memory impairment and Type 2 diabetes. Autotaxin often studied in…
Liquid biopsy chip based on carbon nano-tubes to detect circulating cancer cells

A chip developed by mechanical engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) can trap and identify metastatic cancer cells in a small amount of blood drawn from a cancer patient. The breakthrough technology uses a simple mechanical method that has been shown to be more effective in trapping cancer cells than the microfluidic approach employed in…
Research shows red cabbage microgreens reduce weight gain and lower cholesterol in mice fed on high-fat diet

Microgreens are sprouting up everywhere from upscale restaurants to home gardens. They help spruce up old recipes with intense flavors and colors and are packed with nutrients. Now research has shown that for mice on a high-fat diet, red cabbage microgreens helped lower their risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease and reduce their weight gain.…
Increased brain connectivity seen in endurance runners.

University of Arizona researchers discovered that MRI scans of endurance runners’ brains have greater functional connectivity than the brains of more sedentary individuals. Researchers compared brain scans of young adult cross country runners to young adults who don’t engage in regular physical activity. The runners, overall, showed greater functional connectivity or connections between distinct brain…
Multiple sclerosis pathogenesis: association between amount of leaked hemoglobin and severity of brain shrinkage

A leak of a protein called hemoglobin from damaged red blood cells may be associated with brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis. This is the conclusion of a team from Imperial College London, whose early-stage findings suggest treatments that lower levels of hemoglobin could slow progression of the disease. Haemoglobin carries iron and oxygen around the…
Zika virus lineage and evolution

The Zika virus remains a mystery. Isolated from macaque monkeys in the Ziika Forest in Uganda in 1947, the virus was shown to infect humans not long after, but it was identified as a benign disease, with mild symptoms. For this reason, it was not heavily studied until almost 70 years later when it appeared…
Painless skin patch created with flexible base and stainless steel microneedles

It’s only a matter of time before drugs are administered via patches with painless microneedles instead of unpleasant injections. But designers need to balance the need for flexible, comfortable to wear material with effective microneedle penetration of the skin. Researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm say they may have cracked the problem.…
Research shows Statins lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

The new study shows that, based on a sample of 399,979 Medicare beneficiaries, men and women who took statins two years or more lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s disease in the period spanning from 2009 to 2013. The incidence of Alzheimer’s disease was reduced for beneficiaries frequently prescribed statins (high users), compared to low users, USC…