Predicting nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient response to radiation therapy Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) affects cells lining the nasopharynx. The majority of NPC cases can be cured by radiation therapy, however ~20% are resistant to radiation treatment. ...

Circadian clock proteins maintain neuronal cell function The circadian clock synchronizes the molecular activity of cells to their environment. The "core clock" of the circadian system is made up of a group of proteins that autonomously activate and ...

Identifying targets of autoantibodies Patients with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) produce autoantibodies that target can cause damage to multiple organ systems. The host factors that are targeted by autoantibodies produced ...

Balancing T cell populations Depending on the signals received, naïve T cells are able to differentiate into mature T cell populations, which play different roles in the immune system. For example, regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important for tamping ...

Identification of a genetic mutation associated with steroid-resistant nephritic syndrome Patients with nephritic syndrome exhibit an array of symptoms that are associated with loss of kidney function, including excess protein in urine, swelling, and albuminuria. ...

Insights into type 2B von Willebrand disease In response to blood vessel damage, von Willebrand factor (vWF) binds to the exposed extra cellular matrix, recruits platelets to the site of injury, and activates platelets, which promotes thrombis formation. ...

One-third of older adults admitted to ICU deemed 'frail' One-third of older adults admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were "frail," increasing the risk of death, illness and adverse events, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian ...

Embolization procedure aids in weight loss CHICAGO – A new study reports that individuals who underwent embolization of the left gastric artery for gastrointestinal bleeding experienced a 7.9 percent decrease in body weight three months after the ...

Killer cocktail fights brain cancer A novel immune-boosting drug combination eradicates brain cancer in mice, according to a study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain cancer, and current treatments ...

Got the sniffles? Migraines spike with allergies and hay fever, researchers find CINCINNATI— People with migraine who also battle allergies and hay fever (rhinitis) endure a more severe form of headaches than their peers who struggle with ...

Controlling our circadian rhythms Most people have experienced the effects of circadian-rhythm disruption, after traveling across time zones or adjusting to a new schedule. To have any hope of modulating our biological "clocks," to combat jet lag or ...

Breaking the brain clock predisposes nerve cells to neurodegeneration Findings point to possible ways to fight some age-related diseases PHILADELPHIA - As we age, our body rhythms lose time before they finally stop. Breaking the ...

Dysfunctional mitochondria may underlie resistance to radiation therapy New role discovered for gene The resistance of some cancers to the cell-killing effects of radiation therapy may be due to abnormalities in the mitochondria – the cellular structures responsible ...

Archaeological discoveries confirm early date of Buddha's life Evidence found at world's earliest Buddhist shrine in Nepal WASHINGTON—Archaeologists working in Nepal have uncovered evidence of a structure at the birthplace of the Buddha dating to the sixth century B.C. ...

Study shows marijuana's potential for treating autoimmune disorders Research shows how MicroRNA affected by THC A new study from researchers at the University of South Carolina provides evidence that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a principal ingredient ...

Offshore pockmarks, Wax Lake Delta, Cabo de Gata, the Siberian Traps: Geology covers the world New Geology articles posted online ahead of print 22 Nov. 2013 Boulder, Colo., USA – Locations studied for this month's posting of Geology articles include New Zealand's ...

Golden staph paralyzes our immune defenses A ringside seat in the war against infection When golden staph enters our skin it can identify the key immune cells and 'nuke' our body's immune response. Now we know how, thanks to an international research ...

Chinese scientists reveal the genomic enigma of desert poplar November 25, 2013, Shenzhen, China - In a collaborative study, researchers from Lanzhou University, BGI and other institutes have succeeded in unraveling the whole genome sequence of desert poplar, Populus euphratica, and the genetic ...

Ultra-sensitive force sensing with a levitating nanoparticle ICFO scientists have optically levitated nanoparticles in high vacuum conditions and measured the highest Q-factor ever observed in nano- or micromechanical systems A recent study ...

2 new beautiful wasp species of the rare genus Abernessia Two new beautiful wasp species are added to the rare pompilid genus Abernessia, which now contains a total of only four known species. The two new species A. prima and A. capixaba are believed to be endemic for Brazil ...

Tidy knots are faster How long does it take a virus to infect a cell? Viruses are as simple as they are "smart": too elementary to be able to reproduce by themselves, they exploit the reproductive "machinery" of cells, ...

Underestimated future climate change? This news release is available in German. Many scientists believe that global warming will come to an end if, some day, human succeeds in stopping the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. It would, ...

Latest research findings offer potential new treatments for acute myeloid leukemia 2 separate studies yield key findings for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure for the disease Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a group of heterogeneous diseases ...

Human neural stem cells could meet the clinical problem of critical limb ischemia New research has shown human neural stem cells could improve blood flow in critical limb ischemia through the growth of new vessels. Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a disease ...

UEF study determines reference values for children's heart rate variability Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) is a useful method when assessing the role of the nervous system for heart function. Standard reference values for ...