282 articles from THURSDAY 5.12.2019

New protein function could be key to treatment of drug addiction and behavioral disorders

The reward pathway of the brain causes feelings of happiness but is also involved in behavioral disorders like schizophrenia and addiction. A breakthrough study by scientists in Japan has now identified the role of a protein called Npas4 in the reward pathway, mediated by the well-known proteins MAPK and CBP, opening doors to potential therapies for associated disorders. Cocaine-treated mice with...

New tool to detect blackleg disease in potato has widespread application

'We hope Uniqprimer and the tests it designed will aid in the accurate detection of D. dianthicola and many other pathogens,' said lead author Shaista Karim. 'Accurate pathogen detection is the first step for management of a disease, which helps in reducing the losses in the potato industry and informing the farmers in a timely manner to better aid on-farm decision making.'

Next generation of CAR-T cells possible

A new approach to programing cancer-fighting immune cells called CAR-T cells can prolong their activity and increase their effectiveness against human cancer cells grown in the laboratory and in mice, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Older adults who 'train' for a major operation spend less time in the hospital

Older adults who 'train' for a major operation by exercising, eating a healthy diet, and practicing stress reduction techniques preoperatively have shorter hospital stays and are more likely to return to their own homes afterward rather than another facility, compared with similar patients who do not participate in preoperative rehabilitation, according to research findings.

PET scans show Transcendental Meditation with cardiac rehabilitation increases blood flow to the heart

Study finds coronary heart disease (CHD) patients who include Transcendental Meditation (TM) with cardiac rehabilitation (CR) increased blood flow to the heart by 20.7%. This was the first study to show TM significantly enhanced lifestyle modification in patients, and the first to use positron emission tomography (PET) to measure their effect on cardiac function and rehabilitation. The NIH-funded...

Rats exchange information about danger in a reciprocal fashion

Rats exchange information about danger in a reciprocal fashion, and this information transfer is at least partially mediated by a brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex, according to a study published Dec. 5 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Christian Keysers of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and the University of Amsterdam, and colleagues.

Researchers develop open source EEG visualization tool

Researchers at UT have developed a free open source computer program that can be used to create visual and quantitative representations of brain electrical activity in laboratory animals in hopes of developing countermeasures for opioid use disorder.

Root of childhood kidney cancer discovered

A fundamental change in our understanding of the childhood kidney cancer Wilms' tumor is on the horizon, after the discovery of its earliest genetic root by scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators. By comparing genome sequences from normal kidney tissue and tumors, the team identified patches of normal-looking kidney tissue that in fact carried DNA changes that cause...

Scientists see defects in potential new semiconductor

A research team has reported seeing, for the first time, atomic scale defects that dictate the properties of a new and powerful semiconductor. The study, published earlier this month in the journal Physical Review X, shows a fundamental aspect of how the semiconductor, beta gallium oxide, controls electricity.