Researchers have discovered that a protein thought to only be involved in the development of neurons in the brain also plays a major role in the development and growth of pancreatic cancer. Their findings demonstrate for the first time how the protein, called Netrin-G1, helps pancreatic cancer cells survive by protecting them from the immune…

More than half of people who use medical marijuana products to ease pain also experience clusters of multiple withdrawal symptoms when they’re between uses, a new study finds. And about 10% of the patients taking part in the study experienced worsening changes to their sleep, mood, mental state, energy and appetite over the next two…

A modified ketogenic diet may be worth exploring for people with brain tumors, according to a new study. The small study found that the diet was safe and feasible for people with brain tumors called astrocytomas. The study was not designed to determine whether the diet could slow down tumor growth or improve survival. The…

With the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planning to remove soy from its list of heart healthy foods, researchers set out to provide a meta-analysis of 46 existing trials that evaluated soy and determine whether the proposed move aligns with existing literature. With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) planning to remove soy…

Recent research has found that changes in the gut microbiota — the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestines — can alter the brain and behavior. A new study could elucidate how and why that phenomenon occurs. In the experiment, which was conducted with mice, researchers found that gut microbes can…

A new study on foot-and-mouth disease among buffalo in South Africa could help explain how certain extremely contagious pathogens are able to persist and reach endemic stage in a population, long after they’ve burned through their initial pool of susceptible hosts. The findings, publishing in Science Magazine, are particularly relevant as the world’s human population…

Human apolipoprotein E (apoE) promotes hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and production, according to a new study. HBV chronically infects about 240 million people worldwide, posing a major global health problem. The virus is a common cause of liver diseases, including chronic hepatitis, steatosis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The current standard antiviral therapy effectively…

A genetic mutation that leads to a rare, but devastating blindness-causing condition called Bardet-Biedl Syndrome has been discovered in monkeys for the first time. The finding offers a promising way to develop gene and cell therapies that could treat people with the condition, which leads to vision loss, kidney disfunction, extra fingers or toes, and…

A research team has investigated in detail how messenger substances signal inflammation during the removal of damaged cells in the body. Using high-resolution microscopy methods, the researchers were able to show that two proteins interact dynamically with each other and thus determine whether a dying cell triggers an inflammatory reaction in the body. The study…

Uncovering the activities of the organs, tissues and cells responsible for the body’s stress response as they’ve never before been seen revealed new cells and possible new drug targets. The stress response axis starts with the hypothalamus in the brain, moves through the pituitary right next to the brain and then on to the adrenal…