Researchers at Harvard Medical School have unraveled the immune cascade driving complications and tissue damage in chlamydia infections. The study reveals two distinct immune pathways: one clearing bacteria and another fueling inflammation, offering a roadmap for vaccine development and precision-targeted treatments.
Researchers have developed a new method using yeast to create camelid-free antibodies, allowing for faster and more efficient protein structure determination. This breakthrough enables scientists to study complex proteins without the need for llama or alpaca facilities.
Researchers found diverse landscape of gene expression changes across all cell types in visual cortex, involving 611 genes linked to neural connectivity. The study suggests that each cell has a unique genetic program tailored to its function within the neural circuit.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified the molecular machinery responsible for precise dopamine release in the brain, challenging current models of dopamine signaling. The study found specialized active release sites that enable fast and spatially precise secretion of dopamine.
A new study finds that the 340B Drug Pricing Program, aimed at boosting resources for hospitals treating low-income patients, has not delivered on its promise. Instead, participating hospitals have administered more lucrative drugs and treated more Medicare patients in certain specialties, but failed to invest profits in safety net cli...
A new study finds that surgery patients taking opioids for extended periods are at higher risk of abuse and overdose, while the duration of treatment is a more potent predictor than dosage. Researchers analyzed over half a million records to quantify opioid misuse following surgery.
A new approach identifies and measures changes in thousands of proteins as Xenopus eggs undergo fertilization, revealing details of protein destruction and release to prevent multiple fertilization. This method enables comprehensive analyses of protein dynamics and sheds light on cellular changes driving disease.
The efficacy of many FDA-approved cancer drug combinations is not due to synergistic interactions between drugs, but rather to a form of bet hedging. Genetic variations in cancer lead to differences in drug response, making combination therapy more effective by boosting the likelihood that a patient will benefit from at least one drug.
Researchers analyzed millions of doctor visits to find no correlation between rainfall and painful joints or sore backs. Despite the lack of evidence, many people still believe that certain symptoms are forecasted by weather conditions.
A new study in mice has identified an oxytocin-fueled brain circuit that regulates social recognition, revealing the seahorse-shaped hippocampus plays a key role in differentiating similar memories. The findings provide insight into how the brain computes cues to distinguish friend from foe and threat from reward.
A new method developed by Harvard Medical School researchers can tease out cause-and-effect relationships between gut bacteria and disease, a major hurdle in microbiome research. The approach identified a previously unknown gut microbe that protects against severe colitis.
A study published in JAMA found that patients treated by substitute doctors had similar death rates as those treated by regular hospital staff. However, hospitals that used substitute physicians less often had poorer patient mortality outcomes, possibly due to geographic remoteness or limited financial resources.
Opioid-related hospitalizations have a four-fold higher mortality rate than in 2000, with deadlier conditions like heroin poisoning on the rise.
A Harvard Medical School study found that a pay-for-performance program inadvertently shifted funds away from physicians treating sicker patients, exacerbating disparities in healthcare delivery. The program's design did not account for differences across patient populations, leading to no improvements in performance or care quality.
A recent study has identified a fatty molecule in human blood that controls the malaria parasite's decision to switch from replicating in humans to transmitting to mosquitoes. This discovery improves understanding of a critical stage in the Plasmodium life cycle and may lead to new strategies for controlling and treating malaria.
Researchers analyzed over 600 drug and breast cancer cell pairings, revealing significant changes in gene expression without affecting cell growth or survival. The study identified potential synergistic combinations of drugs, including trametinib and alpelisib, to overcome adaptive resistance mechanisms.
Breast cancer cells recycle ammonia, a waste byproduct of cell metabolism, and use it as a source of nitrogen to fuel tumor growth. Repressing ammonia metabolism stunts tumor growth in mice.
A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the cost of compounded medication to prevent preterm births is significantly lower than the brand-name version. The analysis showed that the compounded form costs an average of $206 per pregnancy, compared to $10,917 for the brand-name version.
A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School has created a stable version of the segmentation clock in a petri dish, revealing its dynamic nature and control mechanisms. The discovery could lead to improved understanding of scoliosis and other human spinal defects.
The largest study to date finds a significant difference in autism recurrence risk based on sibling gender. Boys are more susceptible to autism, especially when an older female sibling has the condition. Meanwhile, female siblings with older brothers have lower risks.
A large-scale study of ancient human DNA from sub-Saharan Africa has shed light on the identity of prehistoric populations, their movements and genetic adaptations. The research found evidence of a population replacement in Malawi and identified a mysterious group that spanned from southern Africa to the equator.
A team of researchers led by Charles Weitz shows that a set of core clock proteins organize into molecular machines that control circadian rhythms. The findings provide a starting point for understanding the clock's machinery and its role in various conditions, including sleep disorders and cancer.
Researchers discovered a bacterium that stimulates single-cell saltwater dwellers to form colonies and mate, providing insight into eukaryote-bacterium interactions. The study also revealed the production of chondroitin in primitive organisms, challenging evolutionary timelines.
A recent analysis found that nearly half of hospitals have shared ownership with providers in post-acute care or hospice sectors, up from 25 percent in 2005. This trend has significant implications for antitrust, payment, and regulatory policies, as well as the quality and cost of care.
A new Harvard Medical School study suggests that brain regions key to facial recognition form only through experience and are absent in primates who don't encounter faces. This finding sheds light on neuro-developmental conditions such as autism and developmental prosopagnosia, where individuals struggle with recognizing familiar faces.
Research in mice shows that gut bacteria play a crucial role in modulating the effects of a powerful protective gene against type 1 diabetes. The findings highlight the importance of early environmental exposures to a variety of germs in proper immune system development.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified the mechanism behind red blood cell specialization, controlled by the enzyme UBE2O. The study reveals that UBE2O marks proteins for destruction, allowing precursor red blood cells to become specialized and well-nourished with oxygen.
A Harvard Medical School study found that neurons involved in learning and memory are less stable than previously thought, but more flexible. This flexibility allows the brain to easily integrate new information and adapt to changing circumstances.
Two studies led by Harvard Medical School researchers found that few people actually use price shopping tools to choose lower-cost healthcare options, despite growing interest in the idea. The research suggests that consumerism may not be as effective as believed in driving down healthcare costs.
A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases found that molecular tests detecting genetic mutations rendering TB resistant to drugs may be equally reliable as traditional culture-based tests in predicting treatment outcomes. The research, led by Harvard Medical School scientists, used cough secretion samples from 171 patients ...
Researchers from Harvard Medical School mathematically demonstrated that ribosomes are precisely structured to produce additional ribosomes as quickly as possible. This structure explains why they have a large number of small, uniformly sized proteins and varying RNA strands.
Researchers discovered cooperative neural networks in posterior parietal cortex, allowing information persistence over time, and contrasted with independent auditory cortex neurons.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a mechanism that regulates the imprinting of multiple genes, including those critical to placental growth during early embryonic development in mice. The study reveals that histone modification is necessary for imprinting certain genes, while DNA methylation plays no role.
Researchers discovered a primitive blueprint of organization in primates' brains just days after birth, which gradually fills in with age and experience. The findings have implications for humans, including the potential explanation of aberrations seen in autism-spectrum disorders and the importance of correcting visual deficits at birth.
Researchers developed a model that accounts for variation in clinical course of different patient populations across various clinical settings. The model shows that patients with similar characteristics within the same diagnosis can have different survival times and care needs.
Researchers describe for the first time the exact chain of events as the CRISPR complex loads target DNA and prepares it for cutting by the Cas3 enzyme. The study reveals a molecular redundancy that prevents unintended genomic damage, providing insights into ways to improve CRISPR-Cas systems for precision gene editing.
Despite being hailed as the key regulator of leanness, leptin's function in humans remains uncharacterized. Researchers call for experimental evidence to demonstrate its mechanism of action, highlighting a crucial gap in our understanding of metabolism and obesity.
Harvard Medical School researchers studied chicken embryos to understand the formation of high-acuity spot in the retina, which enables crisp daytime vision. They found that suppression of retinoic acid plays a crucial role in this process.
A new study from Harvard Medical School suggests that RNA splicing errors, caused by a specific mutation in the C9ORF72 gene, may lead to the development of both Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The researchers found that toxic peptides produced by this mutation can prevent accurate assembly of the...
Research found that individuals with low vitamin A levels are 10 times more likely to develop tuberculosis than those with high levels. Vitamin A supplementation may be an effective way to prevent TB in people at high risk of disease.
The Warren Alpert Foundation Prize recognizes scientists who elucidated fundamental mechanisms in cancer's ability to evade immune surveillance. The five honorees' work led to the development of effective immune therapies for several types of cancer, turning the tide in the global fight against cancer.
The Affordable Care Act has improved access to and affordability of cancer-related care, but critical gaps remain. The ACA has expanded insurance coverage, led to earlier diagnoses, and ensured access to cancer treatments.
Researchers found that patients treated by hospitalist physicians over 40 years old are more likely to die within a month of admission compared to those under 60. The study analyzed over 730,000 Medicare patient records and found a significant gap in mortality rates between younger and older physicians.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have created a high-throughput approach to map protein interactions, identifying over 56,000 unique interactions for nearly 6,000 proteins. The BioPlex network reveals functional roles for previously unknown proteins and links them to human diseases like cancer and hypertension.
A recent study from Harvard Medical School revealed the surprising role of omega-3 fatty acids in maintaining the blood-brain barrier's impermeable nature. By suppressing transcytosis, these essential fatty acids inhibit the formation of caveolae, a type of vesicle that facilitates molecule transport across cells.
A new study reveals a significant increase in telemedicine visits for mental health disorders in rural areas, with an average 45% jump per year between 2004 and 2014. However, the distribution of these services is uneven across states, with some having no visits in 2014.
A recent study from Harvard Medical School found that individuals experiencing heart attacks or cardiac arrests near major marathons are more likely to die within a month. The delays in transportation to nearby hospitals, often caused by widespread street closures during races, contribute to this increased mortality rate.
Patients at hospital-based primary care practices are more likely to receive unnecessary tests and services for common conditions like back pain and upper respiratory infections. The study found that clinic location, not ownership, is the key factor driving this disparity, with hospital-owned community clinics delivering similar care t...
Research found that individual physicians' spending patterns have a limited impact on patient outcomes, with no difference in readmissions or mortality rates between low- and high-spending physicians. The study analyzed data from Medicare patients aged 65 and older who were hospitalized for nonelective conditions between 2011 and 2014.
A study from Harvard Medical School found that patients treated by frequent opioid prescribers were three times more likely to become long-term users and had a higher risk of adverse outcomes. In contrast, low-frequency prescribers showed no increased risk of return or treatment for similar symptoms.