Sugar could be sweet solution to respiratory disease
Restriction or inhalation of common sugar could one day treat a range of respiratory diseases, according to new research led by University of Manchester biologists. The study in mice reveals how the ability of cells to use glucose helps to regulate the immune system during lung inflammation.
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Clinical trial finds therapy to be well-tolerated in patients with aggressive brain tumour
A phase I clinical trial that set out to assess the safety of a new combination therapy for a type of aggressive brain tumour has found the treatment to be well tolerated in patients. The trial used a treatment combination of ADI-PEG20, pemetrexed and cisplatin, which showed encouraging efficacy in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas (HGGs), a disease for which little progress has been made over the last few decades.
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BridgIT, a new tool for orphan and novel enzyme reactions
Effective protein engineering can give us control over the generated products inside a cell. However, for many of the biochemical reactions responsible for these products, we don't we don't know the specific protein- or enzyme-producing gene responsible. These reactions are called "orphan" and have become a big problem for protein engineers.
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Diabetes drug effective against heart failure in wide spectrum of patients
The cardiovascular benefits of the diabetes drug dapagliflozin extend across a wide spectrum of patients and are especially pronounced in those with reduced ejection fraction, a measure of the heart's pumping ability indicative of poor heart functioning, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.
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Algae could prevent limb amputation
A new algae-based treatment could reduce the need for amputation in people with critical limb ischaemia, according to new research funded by the British Heart Foundation, published today in the journal npj Regenerative Medicine. Researchers at St Thomas' Hospital and King's College London have made small capsules from brown algae which hold macrophages, a type of white blood cell.
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Go for a run or eat chocolate: A choice dictated by the cannabinoid receptors
Physical inactivity is a common factor in lifestyle diseases - and one that is often linked to the excessive consumption of fatty and/or sugary foods. The opposite scenario of excessive physical activity at the expense of caloric intake can also be harmful, as cases of anorexia nervosa illustrate. These data therefore point to the crucial need to research the neurobiological processes that control the respective motivations for exercise and food intake.
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Apple Heart Study demonstrates ability of wearable technology to detect atrial fibrillation
Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine presented preliminary results of the Apple Heart Study, an unprecedented virtual study with over 400,000 enrolled participants. The researchers reported that wearable technology can safely identify heart rate irregularities that subsequent testing confirmed to be atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of stroke and hospitalization in the United States.
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