A CT scan technique that splits a full X-ray beam into thin beamlets can deliver the same quality of image at a much reduced radiation dose, according to a new study. The technique, demonstrated on a small sample in a micro CT scanner, could potentially be adapted for medical scanners and used to reduce the…

A recent phase II clinical trial results suggest that the monoclonal antibody hu14.18K322A could help change treatment of children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a cancer of immature nerve cells in the sympathetic nervous system. The tumor is diagnosed in about 700 individuals annually in the U.S., mostly children 5 years old or younger. Despite…

For migraine sufferers with obesity, losing weight can decrease headaches and improve quality of life, researchers report. «If you suffer from migraine headaches and are obese, losing weight will ameliorate the quality of your family and social life as well as your work and school productivity. Your overall quality of life will greatly improve,» said…

Scientists are developing a promising approach for treating type 1 diabetes by using stem cells to create insulin-producing cells (called beta cells) that could replace nonfunctional pancreatic cells. In a study published on June 7, 2021, in the journal Nature Communications, the investigators reported that they have developed a new way to create beta cells…

In a breakthrough study of sickle cell disease, biomedical engineers have revealed that the building blocks of the disease are much less efficient at organizing than previously thought. The findings open the door to new treatments, including new medicines that could be prescribed at lower doses, for the approximately 20 million people worldwide who suffer…

An experimental flu vaccine consisting of billions of tiny spherical sacs that carry infection-fighting proteins throughout the body has proven effective in preclinical studies. The vaccine has the potential to improve the effectiveness of seasonal flu vaccines, accelerate vaccine production timelines and increase vaccine supplies because of its small dosage. Described in a study published…

Scientists have shown exactly how mutations in two different genes coordinate to drive the development of malignant lung tumors, according to a new report. The study in novel genetically engineered mice looked at the characteristics of lung tumors from when they are invisibly small to when they are larger and potentially deadly. The results shed…

Research suggested that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be at least partly caused by differences in the composition of the gut microbiota, based on the observation that certain types of microbes are more common in people with autism. But a new study suggests that the link may actually work the other way around: the diversity…

Getting the flu shot can reduce the chances of infection. But, at best, the vaccine is only effective 40% to 60% of the time, according to the CDC. Now researchers have data that show how cellular RNA levels change following infection or vaccination. Their work could help make future flu vaccines work better or even…

Researchers have established in lab settings that a novel combination of two forms of immunotherapy can be highly effective for treating lung cancer, which causes more deaths than any other form of cancer. The new treatment, yet to be tested on patients, uses one form of therapy to kill a significant number of lung tumor…