A new study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators finds that radiation therapy may increase the uptake of therapeutic nanoparticles by glioblastomas, raising the possibility of using both growth-factor-targeted and immune-system-based therapies against the deadly brain tumor. The team describes how pretreatment with low-dose radiation increased delivery to tumors of nanoparticles carrying small interfering…
The often embraced ‘cheat day’ is a common theme in many diets and the popular ketogenic diet is no exception. But new research from UBC’s Okanagan campus says; that just one 75-gram dose of glucose; the equivalent a large bottle of soda or a plate of fries; while on a high fat, low carbohydrate diet…
About 40% of the global population is at risk for contracting dengue; the most important mosquito-borne viral infection; and a close “cousin” of the Zika virus; and yet, no effective treatment or safe licensed vaccine exists. But a new study, reported recently in the Lancet’s open-access journal EBioMedicine; has uncovered details about the human immune…
Some sea cucumbers (Echinodermata, Holothuroidea) are popular tonic foods and traditional Chinese medicines in China for centuries. Sulfated polysaccharides such as fucosylated glycosaminoglycan (FG); fucan sulfate (FS) are the main components of polysaccharides extracted from sea cucumbers and have attracted considerable attention due to their unique structures and extensive bioactivities. FG is a distinct glycosaminoglycan…
Researchers have created new artificial intelligence software that can identify cardiac rhythm devices in x-rays more accurately and quickly than current methods. The team believes this software could speed up the diagnosis and treatment of patients with faulty devices in an emergency setting. The software, created by researchers at Imperial College London, has been able to…
A team led by Feng Zhao, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Michigan Technological University; recently published two new papers on best practices in engineering prevascularized tissues. The team’s research paper, published in Theranostics; focuses on developing a stem cell cardiac patch made with tissue engineered with tiny blood vessels to be like real heart muscled.…
At Rockland county in New York City’s northern regions, a ban was called into action. Children who are not vaccinated against measles are now banned to attend any public place. This comes as a result of the recent measles outbreaks which has caused more than 150 cases since last fall. Measles is a vaccine preventable…
CAR-T cell therapy uses T cells engineered with CARs for cancer therapy. The premise of CAR-T immunotherapy is to modify T cells to recognize cancer cells; in order to more effectively target and destroy them. Scientists harvest T cells from people, genetically alter them; then infuse the resulting CAR-T cells into patients to attack their…
The immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq, Genentech) is a safe; late-line treatment for patients with advanced urinary tract carcinomas who have significant comorbidities and whose therapeutic options are limited. However, efficacy is a little less clear. These were the conclusions from the postmarketing single-arm phase 3b SAUL trial; presented here in a late-breaking news session at…
Hearsay and mistrust in health workers may have thwarted attempts; to contain Ebola during the current outbreak of the deadly disease; in the Democratic Republic of Congo, researchers said. More than 1,000 people are now known to have been infected during the eight-month-old epidemic; almost two-thirds of whom have died; according to the country’s health…
Researchers have shown that cancer immunotherapy targeting the tumor biomarker epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is safe and nontoxic in mice and can significantly delay tumor formation and growth. EpCAM is overexpressed in various tumor types, circulating tumor cells, and tumor stem cells, giving these findings broad implications. The study design and results are publish…
Heart attack patients treated at hospitals with low care scores are at greater risk for another heart attack and/or death due to cardiovascular causes, Rutgers researchers found. After a heart attack, you will want to go back to your regular life. This especially can be true if you spent time in the hospital. However, the…