A study of Latino caregivers found that poorer cognitive performance at a single testing point was associated with impairments in daily activities seven years later. The study suggests maintaining cognitive health in middle-age and older adulthood is crucial for independence.
Researchers at UC San Diego report that Kawasaki disease clusters have distinct demographic and clinical features, suggesting different triggers and genetic susceptibilities. The study's findings support the idea that KD is not a single homogenous disease, but rather a complex condition with multiple causes.
Researchers identified a time delay in the production of an inhibitory factor that triggers cell refractoriness to interferon treatments, suggesting strategies for enhanced therapeutic response rates.
Genetic testing is cost-effective for newly diagnosed metastatic GIST patients, enabling clinicians to prescribe tumor-specific chemotherapy. This approach avoids ineffective treatment and reduces disease progression rates.
Researchers found that spinal cord stimulation decreased pain and reduced motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients by an average of 59% and 12%, respectively. The therapy also showed promise in improving functional mobility and balance.
Materials scientists at UC San Diego create a 3D-printing method that allows for the creation of shapes with varying degrees of stiffness and actuation. The breakthrough enables the manufacture of soft robots, artificial muscles, and wearable devices with improved properties.
A new study uses artificial intelligence technologies to analyze natural language patterns to discern degrees of loneliness in older adults. The study found that NLP-based tools could help reconcile the differences between research assessments and an individual's subjective experience of loneliness, improving how clinicians and familie...
Researchers at UC San Diego discovered that statins lower risk of severe COVID-19 and accelerate recovery times. Statins remove cholesterol from cell membranes, preventing SARS-CoV-2 entry, according to a new study.
A partisan gap has opened up in voting by mail preferences during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Democrats expressing a significantly greater preference for mail ballots than Republicans. Despite this gap, there is bipartisan support for making mail ballots available to all voters who want them.
Researchers have developed two new genetic systems, e-CHACR and ERACR, to halt or eliminate the spread of gene drives in the wild. These systems use CRISPR technology to neutralize gene drives, which carry the power to immunize mosquitoes against malarial parasites or act as genetic insecticides.
The $7.2 million grant will fund research across three UC San Diego laboratories and two others based in Germany to understand the basic mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease. Researchers aim to unravel the biology of LRRK2, a protein linked to genetically inherited Parkinson's disease.
The R2D2 Consortium uses aggregated patient data from over 45 million patients to answer publicly submitted questions about COVID-19 treatment and outcomes. The platform allows diverse health systems to maintain control of their data, ensuring individual privacy while providing robust results.
Researchers at University of California San Diego discovered SARS-CoV-2 uses heparan sulfate to bind to cells. The team found two approaches to reduce virus infection by 80-90%: removing heparan sulfate with enzymes or using heparin as bait, repurposing a widely used medication.
A UC team is creating telepresence robots equipped with robotic arms to enable children with disabilities to interact with their classmates, teachers, and communities. The project aims to reduce social isolation and promote learning and development in high-risk children.
Researchers demonstrate that one dose of RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas9 gene therapy can nearly completely reverse symptoms in a mouse model of myotonic dystrophy, reducing toxic RNA buildup by over 50%. This approach holds promise for treating other genetic diseases caused by repetitive RNA buildup.
Scientists identify how single gene loss fuels deadly childhood brain cancer by studying human stem cells and neural development. The study reveals that the loss of SMARCB1 leads to resistance to final cell differentiation and defect in maintaining normal cell health.
Researchers found that preschool children in China waited longer for a reward if they were told their teacher would find out how long they waited. The study suggests that children make a cost-benefit analysis taking into account social rewards and reputation management.
Bioengineers at UC San Diego have discovered a new type of membrane-associated extracellular RNA, or maxRNA, that is present on the surface of human cells. This finding suggests a more expanded role for RNA in cell-to-cell and cell-to-environment interactions than previously thought.
Researchers at University of California San Diego use artificial intelligence to identify a DNA activation code called the downstream core promoter region (DPR) that's used as frequently as the TATA box in humans. The discovery could be used to control gene activation in biotechnology and biomedical applications.
A study published in Neurology found that anticholinergic drugs may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults, particularly those at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discovered that participants taking these medications were 47% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment over a decade.
A team of scientists has identified a collective signature of proteins and metabolites that can predict who is at highest risk of dying from the infection. The biomarkers, including lower levels of glycosylated fetuin A and higher levels of serum protein carbamylation, were associated with death due to Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.
Two studies found that e-cigarettes are not effective in helping adults quit smoking, but may lead to nicotine dependence. Researchers used data from a large nationally representative longitudinal study and found that cessation rates did not differ between e-cigarette users and closely matched smokers who did not use e-cigarettes.
Scientists at UC San Diego have developed a new anode material that enables safer, faster lithium-ion battery charging. The Li3V2O5 disordered rocksalt offers improved safety and energy density, with the potential to replace graphite and lithium titanate anodes.
Researchers found that a mutation in a tRNA gene can disrupt brain function and behavior, leading to imbalances in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. This imbalance has been implicated in numerous neurological diseases, including epilepsies and autism spectrum disorders.
A new study from UC San Diego School of Medicine found nearly 2,000 fraudulent postings likely tied to fake COVID-19 health products, financial scams, and other consumer risks. The researchers used Natural Language Processing and machine learning to detect suspicious posts on Twitter and Instagram.
A new study published in Nature Metabolism suggests that excessive fructose consumption can lead to a leaky gut and subsequently cause fatty liver disease. The researchers found that the high fructose corn syrup disrupts the epithelial barrier protecting internal organs from bacterial toxins, leading to chronic inflammatory conditions.
Researchers discovered a type of long-lived immune cell that can provoke chronic inflammation in IBD patients, leading to abdominal pain and damage. The inflammatory T RM cell subtype may also escape into the bloodstream, affecting other parts of the body.
A study by University of California San Diego researcher Gaurav Khanna finds minority students attain 0.8 additional years of education where affirmative action policies are in place. Affirmative action makes going to a good college more attainable, encouraging minority groups to work harder to get into such schools.
Scientists at University of California San Diego have produced the first visualizations of LRRK2 inside its natural cellular environment and the first high-resolution blueprint of the protein. They discovered how LRRK2 binds to microtubules, acting as a roadblock for motors that move along these tracks.
Researchers from University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UCLA found that SARS-CoV-2 virus was unable to replicate in breast milk, making it unlikely a source of infection for infants. Breastfeeding remains recommended with proper hand hygiene and equipment sterilization.
A recent study found that extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) is common in human cancer and drives poor patient outcomes. ecDNA is a circular unit of DNA containing functional genes located outside cells' chromosomes, which rapidly replicate within cancer cells causing high numbers of oncogene copies.
A study found that younger and female patients accumulate more cancer-causing genetic mutations, making them less visible to the immune system. This selective pressure leads to poorer response rates to immunotherapy.
A team of scientists from UC San Diego identified a metabolic switch that decreases tumor growth in mice by restricting dietary amino acids. They found that restricting serine and glycine led to the production of toxic lipids that slow cancer progression.
Researchers at UC San Diego used CRISPR and evolutionary engineering to test foreign DNA in E. coli and observed that most mutations occurred in regulatory regions, not within the foreign gene itself. The study reveals the importance of systems biology in understanding biological function and its implications for genetic engineering.
A study published in PNAS found that granting full property rights to indigenous communities in the Amazon reduces deforestation rates by 66%. This policy focus can help preserve forested areas and attain climate goals, with significant implications for indigenous people's capacity to curb deforestation.
Researchers created polyurethane foams from algae oil that meet commercial specifications for midsole shoes and footbeds of flip-flops. The biodegradable materials degraded after 16 weeks in compost and soil, showing potential for full recyclability and addressing the plastic waste problem.
In a breakthrough study, scientists successfully implanted highly specialized neural stem cell grafts directly into mouse spinal cord injuries, showing they integrated with host networks and behaved like neurons. The grafts displayed spontaneous activity, responded to sensory stimuli, and formed functional connections with host neurons.
Researchers used computational models to examine how sleep encodes new memories while preventing damage to old ones. The study suggests that memories, even old ones, are dynamic and constantly updated during sleep, which helps prevent forgetting and increases recall performance.
A new study from UC San Diego researchers reveals that an investigational drug candidate called tipifarnib shows promise in treating head and neck cancer tumors with mutations in the HRAS gene. The findings support the idea that HRAS represents a druggable oncogene in HNSCC, providing a precision therapeutic option.
Researchers found that nearly 40,000 people who received Botox injections for various reasons reported significantly lower rates of depression compared to patients undergoing different treatments. The study suggests a complex mechanism underlying the antidepressant effects of Botox.
Researchers at UC San Diego developed a new method to fabricate perovskites as single-crystal thin films, resulting in flexible single-crystal films with controlled area, thickness, and composition. These single-crystal films showed greater efficiency and enhanced stability than polycrystalline counterparts.
Researchers from UC San Diego School of Medicine contributed to the ENCODE project, describing millions of candidate DNA switches that regulate gene expression. The study reveals novel functions for RNA-binding proteins and identifies genetic elements linked to human disease risk variants.
A new study published in PNAS found that simple environmental cues, such as a see-through partition or an imaginary barrier, can significantly reduce cheating in children. The researchers used four experiments with over 350 children aged 5-6 years old and demonstrated that just the idea of a barrier discouraged cheating.
Researchers discovered a way to target cancer cells by blocking functions of Flap Endonuclease 1 (FEN1), which is involved in DNA replication and repair. The approach preferentially killed BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutant cancer cell lines, with normal cells recovering from FEN1 inhibition.
A Phase III vaccine trial will be conducted at UC San Diego, recruiting up to 500 participants to assess the efficacy and immunogenicity of a Moderna-developed vaccine. The trial aims to demonstrate the vaccine's ability to prevent COVID-19 and severe symptoms, with results expected by end of year.
Researchers at UC San Diego Health are conducting a national trial to evaluate the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating severe brain injuries. The study aims to reduce brain swelling and increase oxygenation to neurological tissues, promoting restorative responses over inflammatory ones.
Researchers at UC San Diego identified a new RNA-binding protein that regulates plant immune responses, enabling rapid on and off signals to fight pathogens. The discovery provides insights into the complex mechanisms of plant defense and paves the way for improved disease resistance and food security.
A non-invasive blood test, PanSeer, can detect five common types of cancers four years before conventional diagnosis methods. The test detected cancer in 91% of asymptomatic samples and accurately identified cancer-free samples 95% of the time.
Researchers developed a new mathematical model that incorporates environmental factors into predicting respiratory virus transmission, highlighting the importance of weather conditions on droplet spread. The model suggests that social distancing measures may not be sufficient to prevent transmission without masks in humid climates.
Scientists identified two distinct aging paths in yeast cells, with one due to nucleolus decline and the other due to mitochondrial dysfunction. By understanding this master circuit, researchers developed a novel approach to extend lifespan through genetic programming.