Researchers developed a gene therapy that eliminates the abnormal copy of rhodopsin and restores it with a healthy copy, preserving retina's light-sensing photoreceptor cells. This approach has the potential to treat a large percentage of patients with rhodopsin autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.
A study by the University of Pennsylvania found that only 1.3% of cities in the US have local safeguards for nursing mothers returning to work outside the home. This lack of protection disproportionately affects women who are not covered by the federal law, highlighting a social-justice and public-health issue.
Researchers used FDA-approved nanoparticles to disrupt biofilms and prevent tooth decay in both human-plaque-like biofilm and animal models. The treatment showed strong evidence of its effectiveness in preventing mineral destruction of the tooth's surface and blocking cavity formation.
A study by Erol Akçay found that certain types of social networks can lead to cooperation's collapse, even in groups where most individuals are cooperators. This happens when individuals make random connections, triggering a decline in the overall cooperative nature of the network.
A new study led by University of Pennsylvania researchers has discovered the underlying factors causing ichthyosis, a skin barrier disorder that leads to thick layers of scales. The team developed a topical therapy using a lotion that restored the skin's natural lipid envelope, improving symptoms in affected dogs.
A new study led by Gideon Nave found that giving men a single dose of testosterone increased their preference for higher-status goods. The study measured participants' preferences and positive attitudes about products, serving as a foundation for forecasting consumer behavior.
Neuroscientists discover that dislike and dehumanization are not the same thing, processed by different brain regions. Researchers used fMRI to observe participants' brain activity while rating feelings towards groups, finding that dislike and dehumanization were distinct but often overlap.
Research from the University of Pennsylvania and New York University found that teachers perceive immigrant and minority parents as less involved in their children's education. This perception affects students' grades and academic honors. The study analyzed data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, revealing a disparity betwe...
Research finds that a minority group of 25% can establish a new behavioral norm in the larger group, leading to improved outcomes like reduced energy consumption and less sexual harassment. The study's model also suggests environments can be engineered for pro-social directions, particularly in organizations.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new solid polymer electrolyte with twice the proton conductivity of current state-of-the-art material. This breakthrough could enable faster recharge times and improved safety in energy storage devices.
A study found that oxytocin and vasopressin reduce aggression and increase cooperation in male rhesus macaques, flattening the social hierarchy and promoting egalitarian behavior. The hormones also synchronize behaviors, enabling non-verbal communication between animals.
Researchers from University of Pennsylvania develop a mathematical model to understand the dynamics of cancer growth and spread. The study suggests that mutations leading to metastasis often arise early in tumor history, contrary to previous observations.
Scientists have identified a new signaling pathway essential for mammary gland development, involving the interaction between stem cells and macrophages. The discovery provides insight into breast cancer genesis and spread, potentially paving the way for early detection and targeted therapies.
Researchers at Penn University developed a microfluidic system to produce over 10,000 drug particles per hour, making it ten times faster than existing methods. The innovative technology uses high-aspect-ratio flow resistors to decouple individual droplet design from the system-level design.
A novel immunotherapy treatment combining a molecule expressed by cancer cells with Listeria monocytogenes has shown promising results in clinical trials for dogs with osteosarcoma. The vaccine supplements standard treatment and has been shown to improve survival times, with median survival of 956 days compared to 423 days.
Researchers discovered that GLP-1 receptor agonists can selectively reduce cocaine-seeking without causing nausea. The study used FDA-approved medications for diabetes and obesity treatment, such as Exendin-4, to treat cocaine addiction. Low doses of the medication reduced cocaine-seeking behaviors in rats.
A study published in the Journal of Advertising Research found that both Black and White teens perceive Black-oriented media as being targeted towards them, suggesting the potential for increased profitability when marketed to a broader audience. The study surveyed 1,900 adolescents ages 14-17 about their movie preferences.
Researchers discovered that bacteria and fungus working together make biofilm on teeth more pathogenic and difficult to remove. A combination of fluconazole and povidone iodide effectively treats the biofilm by disrupting the protective matrix produced by bacteria.
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that traditionally high-status Americans, particularly whites and Christians, voted for Donald Trump due to fears of losing their privileged status in America and the world. The researchers debunked the idea that voters were driven by economic grievances...
Researchers investigated how cells respond to cylindrical surfaces and a sphere-with-skirt geometry, finding that cells change their shapes and internal structures. Cells on stiff surfaces form stress fibers, which are influenced by surface curvature, enabling new tools in biology.
A new study by University of Pennsylvania researcher Catherine McDonald links teenage driving behaviors to mental health factors like ADHD and depression. The research team found that teens with inattention symptoms made more mistakes on a driving simulator, highlighting the need for healthcare providers to address these issues.
A team of scientists has discovered that rocks round up in the same way regardless of their origin, with a common process guiding their shape evolution. By combining mathematical models and laboratory experiments, the researchers found that collisions between particles favor the chipping off of small sediment fragments.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that hunger suppresses chronic pain by targeting specific brain cells. The study discovered that activating a group of 300 neurons responsible for prioritizing hunger over pain significantly reduced inflammatory pain responses, while acute pain responses remained intact.
Researchers found that gingival mesenchymal stem cells release more proteins, including IL-1RA, which blocks proinflammatory cytokines, accelerating wound healing in mucosal tissues. The study suggests potential therapeutic applications for delayed wound healing in diabetic patients.
The new guidelines provide updated clinical recommendations for treating strangles in horses, including a shift away from bacterial culture as the gold standard and new methods for determining disease-free status. The consensus statement also outlines best practices for quarantine, examination, and biosecurity protocols to prevent dise...
A large-scale intervention in China improved agricultural efficiency while reducing environmental impact among 20.9 million smallholder farmers, yielding a 10% increase in grain output and a 15-18% decrease in fertilizer use.
Researchers have developed a gene therapy that successfully treats a form of macular degeneration in dogs, which could lead to a human treatment for an untreatable disease. The therapy works by repairing the connection between retinal cells, restoring vision.
A new study describes a 5.5-million-year-old fossil turtle species from eastern Tennessee, revealing important differences between this species and others. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of turtles, suggesting that many ancient slider species died out without leaving direct descendants.
A low-calorie diet has been shown to enhance intestinal regeneration after injury in mice, with reserve stem cells playing a key role. The study found that calorie restriction expanded reserve stem cells five-fold and improved their ability to regenerate tissue, implicating them as critical players in this process.
The Clinical Epidemiology Database aims to facilitate collaboration among researchers by providing a standardized platform for accessing and exploring complex clinical data. The database, launched by the University of Pennsylvania, introduces an intuitive interface and provides documentation of study design and background.
The team discovered DES16C2nm, a superluminous supernova, in the Dark Energy Survey, providing insights into the explosion and its potential connection to magnetars. The detection offers opportunities for advances in stellar astrophysics and cosmology, allowing researchers to study the expansion history of the universe.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated the feasibility of their organ-on-a-chip platform in studying drug transport across the human placental barrier. The study found that the placenta-on-a-chip successfully emulated the protective mechanism against toxic drugs, paving the way for its use as a screening platform.
Researchers at Penn develop a technology to track protein shape changes, which could lead to improved drug treatments and earlier detection of neurodegenerative diseases. By labeling proteins with probes, they can observe movement and create computational models for atomic-level detail.
A recent study published in BioScience found that knowing more about evolutionary theory is key to accepting it, even when considering religious and political beliefs. In a representative sample of over 1,100 people, researchers discovered that those with better knowledge of evolution were more likely to accept it.
A team of University of Pennsylvania neuroscientists developed a system to monitor brain activity and trigger stimulation responsively, improving learning and memory performance. The study found that precisely timed electrical stimulation can reliably enhance memory function in patients with memory loss.
Researchers identified unique mitochondrial defects and alterations in metabolic gene expression associated with aggressive triple-negative breast cancers. The findings provide new molecular biomarkers to identify patients at risk for metastasis and offer potential therapeutic targets.
A recent study published in Preventive Medicine reveals that dating partners are more likely to engage in violent behavior and account for a larger percentage of domestic violence incidents compared to spouses. The research found that over 80% of intimate partner violence incidents involve current or former boyfriends and girlfriends.
Researchers at Penn Engineering have developed an optical switch that can mimic the behavior of electronic transistors, enabling efficient signal processing and computation. The breakthrough, achieved by precisely controlling light waves using tailored electric fields, could lead to significant advances in photonic computing.
Researchers found that exposing hypocrisy is an effective method in reducing prejudice against Muslims, even months later. A study using real-world video clips and a technique to help people recognize their own hypocrisy showed significant reductions in collective blame of Muslims.
A recent study by University of Pennsylvania researchers found that rising obesity in the US has slowed the improvement in mortality rates over the last three decades. By calculating lifetime maximum BMI, the team discovered that this measure better predicts mortality than traditional BMI measures.
A Penn-led team discovered that midshipman fish release small amounts of calcium to sustain their muscle contractions for an hour, allowing them to produce a sustained hum. This finding sheds light on the physiology behind this extraordinary ability and may apply to other animals moving at high speeds.
Researchers discover that training the innate immune system through β-glucan can prime it to respond more robustly to threats, including infections and chemotherapy. This approach could lead to new strategies for preventing neutropenia and improving treatment outcomes.
The study reveals that the genetic code, specifically silent nucleotide substitutions, plays a crucial role in determining the functions of vital proteins. Ribosome density on RNA is also found to be significantly higher for β-actin than γ-actin, enabling it to translate into protein faster.
Boris Striepen has received a $1.8-million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support drug development efforts against cryptosporidiosis, a disease that sickens approximately 750,000 people annually in the US. The project aims to identify and validate therapeutic targets to guide medicinal chemistry.
A new study from the University of Pennsylvania found that children who eat fish at least once a week have better sleep quality and higher IQ scores. The researchers discovered that increased omega-3 consumption is associated with improved cognitive function and reduced sleep disturbances.
Researchers identified shared immunity-related pathways involved in advanced stages of inherited blindness, hinting at potential therapeutic strategies. The study's findings also reveal similarities with common vision disorders like diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
Adolescents who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or questioning are at a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to their heterosexual peers. The study found that 40% of sexual-minority adolescents seriously considered suicide, while 15% of heterosexual counterparts did so.
A team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania has discovered a molecule that can suppress the lethal form of infection in a mouse model of Strongyloides stercoralis. By using this molecule, they were able to prevent the formation of larvae that trigger a persistent cycle of infection in the host.
A team of researchers has developed a cryptography-inspired technique to decode brain data, predicting arm movements in monkeys with unprecedented accuracy. This approach could lead to the creation of prosthetic limbs that can directly interpret user thoughts, revolutionizing quality-of-life for individuals with paralysis.
A study published in Obesity found that individuals with Type 2 diabetes and obesity who continue to binge eat while trying to lose weight drop significantly less weight than those who don't or stop binge eating. Researchers recommend targeting treatment for this behavior, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.