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Breakthrough in blood vessel engineering

A team at the University of Delaware has pioneered methods to grow a self-assembling, functional network of blood vessels. The system works across centimeter scales, necessary for functional tissue replacement, and could someday be utilized for tissue and organ transplantation into humans.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalBiomaterials·DateDec 5, 2018

Grants aim to give veterans better access to cancer trials

The SWOG Cancer Research Network and The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research provide grant support to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers to enroll veterans in cancer clinical trials. This program aims to create a sustainable national network of sites offering new treatment options through clinical trials.

SourceSWOG·DateNov 8, 2018

Making cheese & co. taste better

Researchers developed a new approach to identify flavor-giving protein fragments in fermented foods. The 'sensoproteomics' method efficiently and quickly identified the decisive fragments responsible for bitter flavors in cheese, reducing possibilities from 1,600 to 17. This innovation aims to optimize the taste of various products.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry·DateNov 6, 2018

Two-pronged approach -- Novel combined therapy tackles excess fatty tissue

Researchers develop a novel combined therapy using icilin, a cold-mimicking molecule, and DMPP, a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activator, to reduce excess adipose tissue and improve glucose metabolism. The combination is more effective than individual treatments alone.

Mount Sinai builds modeling systems identifying gene-drug and environment interaction

A new approach integrates genomic and temporal information to infer causal relationships between genes, drugs, and their environment, allowing for a more accurate prediction of their interactions over time. The tool demonstrates the improvements in inferring genetic causes of disease enabled by higher-resolution molecular profiling.

Living organisms find a critical balance

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at Arizona State University discovered that living organisms exist in a middle ground of criticality, balancing between robustness and adaptability. The study found that all 67 biological networks shared a special property: they existed in between two extremes, neither too stable nor unstable.

SourceArizona State University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 4, 2018

Cracking the (reimbursement) code: Hard work, big changes covering care we need with age

The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) has successfully secured recognition and reimbursement for several key geriatrics services, including Transitional Care Management and comprehensive assessment and care planning for cognitive impairments. The society's efforts involved working with groups like the CPT Editorial Panel and the RUC to...

SourceAmerican Geriatrics Society·JournalJournal of the American Geriatrics Society·DateOct 4, 2018

Women who experienced higher levels of trauma gave birth to significantly smaller male babies

Researchers found that women who experienced higher levels of trauma and secreted higher levels of cortisol in late pregnancy had male infants with lower birth weights, averaging a 38-gram decrease. The study's results suggest that maternal trauma can have lasting effects on fetal development.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalThe Journal of Pediatrics·DateSep 18, 2018

Overall well-being of a population associated with less per capita medicare spending

A recent study found that counties with higher population well-being had lower Medicare spending per beneficiary, even after adjusting for household income and healthcare capacity. The researchers suggest that positive environmental and social conditions can lead to health-related benefits and reduced healthcare costs.

SourceCincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateSep 14, 2018

Why the system needs sleep

A systems genetics study in mice identified molecular signaling pathways that predict resilience or susceptibility to sleep loss. The analysis revealed that fatty acid metabolism influences brain activity and phenotypes, challenging the brain-centric view of sleep regulation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateAug 9, 2018

Chinese researchers further develop adenine base editing system

Chinese researchers have improved the adenine base editing (ABE) system to generate mouse or rat models for human genetic disorders, such as DMD and Pompe disease. The ABE system allows for efficient alteration of genetic codes with minimal undesired outcomes, making it a promising technology for therapeutic applications.

SourceSpringer·JournalProtein & Cell·DateJul 31, 2018

Ability to identify genuine laughter transcends culture, UCLA-led study finds

A new study by UCLA communication researcher Greg Bryant found that people across cultures and continents can tell the difference between a fake laugh and a real one. The study, published in Psychological Science, used recordings of laughs from English-speaking friends and women who laughed on command to test participants' ability to i...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalPsychological Science·DateJul 26, 2018