SAN DIEGO ― The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Research Highlights showcases the latest breakthroughs in cancer care, research and prevention. These advances are made possible through seamless collaboration between MD Anderson’s world-leading clinicians and scientists, bringing discoveries from the lab to the clinic and back. This special edition features upcoming oral presentations by MD Anderson researchers at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, providing ...

Access to psychotherapy has risen substantially among U.S. adults with mild to moderate distress since 2018, according to a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health and the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The increase in psychotherapy use is particularly notable among younger adults, women, college-educated individuals, and those with higher family incomes. Privately insured individuals also experienced greater gains in psychotherapy use compared to those who are publicly insured or uninsured. The findings are published ...

Over the past decade, the proportion of residents in Stockholm County who identify as bisexual has nearly doubled. The younger generations are driving the trend and many of them have previously identified as heterosexual. This is according to a study published in JAMA Network Open by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with the Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine within Region Stockholm in Sweden. The researchers analysed data from the Stockholm Public Health Cohort, covering more than 98,000 individuals from 2002 to 2021. The proportion of people ...

Choosing a film for a movie night is always a battle. Now imagine if you could pick one that provided a window into some of the most fundamental biological processes that keep us alive. For the first time ever, researchers have captured a real-time molecular movie to show how two essential cellular processes – transcription and translation – interact with each other in bacteria. In all living organisms, DNA contains the code that defines cellular structures and functions. An enzyme called RNA polymerase deciphers this code and converts it into RNA, a molecule ...

About The Study: This study found that psychotherapy use increased significantly faster among several socioeconomically advantaged groups and that inequalities were evident in teletherapy access. These trends and patterns highlight a need for clinical interventions and health care policies to broaden access to psychotherapy including teletherapy.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Mark Olfson, MD, MPH, email mo49@cumc.columbia.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.3903) Editor’s ...

About The Study: Between 2010 and 2022—a time of tremendous attention to maternal health—there was a net loss of hospital-based obstetric care in both rural and urban hospitals across the U.S. In 2010, more than half of rural hospitals and two-thirds of urban hospitals offered obstetric care. Rural hospitals started with lower percentages of hospitals offering obstetrics compared with urban hospitals and experienced a larger increase in the percentage of hospitals without obstetrics.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Katy B. Kozhimannil, PhD, MPA, email Brad Robideau at brobidea@umn.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For ...

  A study by IRB Barcelona unveils how the lack of a fraction of the CPEB4 protein causes a decrease in the expression of genes that are crucial for neuronal development. Published in the journal Nature, the study opens new avenues for the development of targeted treatments for autism. Barcelona, 4 December 2024 –Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in communication and social behaviour. Approximately 20% of cases are linked to a specific genetic mutation, but the origin of the remaining 80%, known as idiopathic autism, remains a mystery. A team of scientists led by Drs. Raúl Méndez and Xavier Salvatella at the Institute ...

Researchers at UCSF find a brain signature of resilience in mice that suggests a new way of treating severe depression.  Some people bounce back from trauma, but others get caught in depressive loops that sap the joy from their lives.   Now, scientists at UC San Francisco are learning how the brain creates these divergent experiences. They hope it will help them find a way to treat those who struggle with long-lasting symptoms of stress.  The researchers found that stress changes activity in a brain circuit ...

Fructose consumption has increased considerably over the past five decades, largely due to the widespread use of high-fructose corn syrup as a sweetener in beverages and ultra-processed foods. New research from Washington University in St. Louis shows that dietary fructose promotes tumor growth in animal models of melanoma, breast cancer and cervical cancer. However, fructose does not directly fuel tumors, according to the study published Dec. 4 in the journal Nature. Instead, WashU scientists discovered that the liver converts fructose into usable nutrients for cancer cells, a compelling finding that could open up new avenues for care and treatment ...

A study published today in Cell uncovers the deep evolutionary roots of flint and dent maize (also commonly known as “corn”), two foundational varieties central to modern maize breeding and cultivation. By analyzing ancient DNA from 32 maize samples spanning the last 3,000 years, researchers have reconstructed the journey of the crop into eastern North America, shedding new light on its geographic origins, dispersal routes, and history of selection. This study was carried out by an international team of scientists and spearheaded ...

EMBARGOED by JAMA Network Open until 11 a.m. ET, Dec. 4, 2024 Contact: Gina DiGravio, 617-358-7838, ginad@bu.edu Largest Study of CTE in Male Ice Hockey Players Finds Odds Increased 34% With Each Year Played 18 of 19 NHL Players Had CTE, but zero of 6 who played fewer than 6 years (Boston)—The largest study ever of 77 deceased male ice hockey players by the Boston University CTE Center found that the odds of having chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) increased by 34% each year played, and 18 of 19 National Hockey League players had CTE. CTE is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries and most frequently found in former contact sport athletes ...

Astronomers say they are close to solving an intergalactic mystery about the creation of the universe's biggest galaxies which has puzzled experts for decades. Scientists have discovered the birth sites of gigantic elliptical galaxies which they claim offer new clues about how they were formed. The creation of these ancient galaxies, which look like bulging footballs compared to our flat disk-like Milky Way, remains a mystery to astrophysicists. But now academics from the University of Southampton, working with experts across the world, ...

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest regulatory monitor data may not adequately capture air quality exposures for some marginalized race and ethnicity groups, and the consequences of incomplete or uncertain air quality estimates for these communities should be further investigated.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Brenna C. Kelly, MS, email brenna.kelly@utah.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.49005) Editor’s Note: Please see the article ...

Researchers at Swansea University have developed a revolutionary bone graft substitute inspired by coral which not only promotes faster healing but dissolves naturally in the body after the repair is complete. This groundbreaking research, led by Dr Zhidao Xia from Swansea University Medical School in collaboration with colleagues from the Faculty of Science and Engineering and several external partners*, has been patented and published in the leading journal Bioactive Materials. Bone defects caused ...

The discovery of a unique case where the same insect species both pollinate a plant and distribute its seeds not only solves a long-standing botanical mystery. The Kobe University find also stresses the diverse roles insects play in our ecosystem. In the dark and moist understories of the subtropical forests of Shimoshima Island in Japan grow parasitic plants that feed on the roots of other plants. They are called Balanophora, and for over a century, the mechanism of their seed dispersal has remained a mystery. It has been ...

The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics has just published its highly anticipated Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline (EBG): “Phenylalanine Hydroxylase (PAH) Deficiency Diagnosis and Management: A 2023 Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG),” in its official journal, Genetics in Medicine. Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines are extremely important in healthcare because they help provide a framework for caring for an affected patient and can improve shared ...

Miami (December 4, 2024) – The perspectives and priorities of people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) should be integrated into the development process of new therapies for COPD, according to a new commentary. The article is published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society. COPD comprises several conditions, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and can be caused by genetics and irritants like smoke or pollution. The disease affects more than 15 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, yet awareness of the disease’s symptoms, methods to reduce risk, and disease management remains ...

Many Italian texts, lexicons, and dictionaries are just a click away, interacting seamlessly to form a bridge between words and knowledge. This enables users to see, and thus predict, where these terms are and will be used (in other words, their occurrences), creating a network that interlinks Italian language resources. This network fosters dialogue between resources, revealing new perspectives and enabling the development of artificial intelligence models for advanced linguistic analyses. These are ...

Dr Casey Breen, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Oxford University’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and Department of Sociology, conducted the study, published today in Demography.   The study found that homeownership was associated with 0.36 years of additional life expectancy for Black male Americans who were born in the early twentieth century, and 0.42 years for their White counterparts.   Dr Casey Breen said ‘My study finds homeownership has a meaningful positive impact on life expectancy. These results ...

Genome editing with various CRISPR-Cas molecule complexes has progressed rapidly in recent years. Hundreds of labs around the world are now working to put these tools to clinical use and are continuously advancing them. CRISPR-Cas tools allow researchers to modify individual building blocks of genetic material in a precise and targeted manner. Gene therapies based on such gene editing are already being used to treat inherited diseases, fight cancer and create drought- and heat-tolerant crops. Starting the repair The CRISPR-Cas9 molecular complex, also known as genetic scissors, ...

Fiber optics are a means of transmitting information at incredibly high speeds; however, the technology can be used for more than just providing a fast internet connection. Researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have developed an optical fiber sensing system that could help medical professionals monitor patients for complications after a traumatic brain injury. The technology tracks six biomarkers simultaneously, continuously and automatically to provide crucial information on brain health in lab tests. After a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion, secondary damage can occur from swelling in the brain. Biomarkers found in blood or spinal fluid provide medical professionals ...

DALLAS, December 4, 2024 — An estimated 1 in 500 people in the U.S. are living with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) — the most common inherited heart disease — and many are unaware.[1] HCM is a thickening of the lower main pumping chamber of the heart (the left ventricle). The disease is often underdiagnosed and inconsistently managed, leading to delayed treatment, increased risk of complications and preventable death. Yet, systems of care for this disease are fragmented and varied. To overcome these gaps in care, the American Heart Association, celebrating a century of lifesaving service in 2024, has launched a new three-year initiative to ...

Scattered across the United States are remnants from almost 170 years of commercial drilling: hundreds of thousands of forgotten oil and gas wells. These undocumented orphaned wells (UOWs) are not listed in formal records, and they have no known (or financially solvent) operators. They are often out of sight and out of mind – a hazardous combination.  If the wells weren’t properly plugged, they can potentially leak oil and chemicals into nearby water sources or send toxic substances like benzene and hydrogen sulfide into the air. They can also contribute ...

PULLMAN, Wash. — Teens who think their parents use cannabis are more likely to hold favorable attitudes toward the drug and to consider trying it themselves, according to a new Washington State University study. The research, published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies, also reveals that parental monitoring and the closeness of parent-child relationships play crucial roles in adolescents’ views about cannabis, often with distinct effects based on the parent’s gender. The ...

Mill Valley, CA – December 4, 2024 – The SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) has awarded a $230,000 grant to The Jackson Laboratory Rare Disease Translational Center to characterize a mouse model for SYNGAP1-Related Disorders, (SRD), a severe neurodevelopmental disorder marked by seizures, intellectual disabilities, and motor and behavioral challenges.  This work, under Matthew Simon Ph.D., senior study director and lead scientist at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), will focus on the characteristics of the SYNGAP1-Q503X mouse model, which mirrors a specific patient variant of SRD.  A key SRF partner, Tevard Biosciences, will use the SYNGAP1-Q503X ...