“Bystander” mice that briefly watched other mice be harmed show fewer signs of behavioral despair when faced with their own harmful event, compared to mice who do not observe their fellow mice being harmed. The negative emotional contagion experienced by the bystander mice appears to build resilience against a depressive-like state, according to new research by Sarah Mondoloni and colleagues. Mondoloni et al. demonstrate that resilience in these mice requires an increase in serotonin release in a part of the brain called the lateral habenula. “These findings support the notion that, as is the case in humans, graded trauma can be resilience-promoting, enabling ...

There were volcanic eruptions on the Moon as recently as 120 million years ago, according to a new analysis of a lunar sample collected by the Chang’e‑5 mission. Samples collected by the Apollo, Luna and Chang’e‑5 missions have previously shown there was widespread basaltic volcanism on the Moon extending from about 4.4 to 2.0 billion years ago. The new findings demonstrate that volcanism persisted much longer than was previously suspected, at least on smaller, more localized scale. Bi-Wen Wang, Qian W.L. Zhang and colleagues sorted through more than 3000 tiny glass beads they recovered from a lunar sample collected by Chang’e‑5, examining the bead’s ...

The thick and tough skin on our palms and soles, called volar skin, stands up well under high-pressure conditions. This type of skin would be welcome on the limb stumps of amputees, since these points of contact with prostheses are covered in thin, non-volar skin that can be damaged over time. Now, Sam Lee and colleagues demonstrate that an injection of volar fibroblasts into non-volar skin in a group of human volunteers can promote volar features in the thin skin that last up to five months. Based on their analysis, Lee et al. are now enrolling amputees in a phase 2 clinical trial to further explore volar fibroblasts as a future ...

New York, NY [September 5, 2024]—A novel study by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai addresses a critical yet under-explored question in cancer research: Why is aging the biggest risk factor for cancer? The study reveals how an aging immune system spurs tumor growth, offering new insights into cancer prevention and treatment, especially for older adults. Details on the findings were reported in the September 5 Online First Release of Science [DOI:10.1126/science.adn0327]. In preclinical models, the research team found that anakinra, a drug typically used for inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, can be repurposed to block harmful signals between ...

Extensive geologic evidence of ancient volcanic activity can be found on the Moon, but how long this volcanism persisted has been unclear. However, Prof. LI Qiuli’s Lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS) has recently identified three volcanic glass beads from lunar soil samples collected by the Chang’e-5 mission. Their research shows that the beads were formed 123±15 million years ago (Ma), thus representing the youngest lunar ...

ITHACA, N.Y. – New data summaries from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird platform will help state wildlife planners assess the status of bird populations that live in or pass through their state – a crucial tool in protecting species. A team of data scientists at eBird, the participatory science platform, has packaged summaries covering every bird species, in every state, and made them available online for free. These data summaries will help states prepare their federally required ...

A study published in Eurosurveillance to investigate an outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in the UK identified contaminated lettuce as the most likely source of the infection, and determined that heavy rainfall and flooding may have carried STEC from animal faeces to the lettuce crops. More heavy rainfall events are expected due to climate change in the future, leading to increased impacts on health and food security. Ahead of Field Epidemiology Day 2024, this study demonstrates the value of field investigations in quickly responding to outbreaks, improving preparedness, and protecting public health, and possible ...

In a global first, University of Waterloo researchers have used 3D imaging technology to understand the fine details of microplastics, paving the way for more effective methods of plastic waste recycling. Micro and nanoplastics, tiny particles of plastic that come from the breakdown of larger plastic items, have become an exponentially worsening environmental crisis. Due to their difficulties in safely decomposing, plastic pollution poses significant threats to ecosystems, wildlife and human health. Scientists have struggled to understand the exact process of ...

“In this research perspective, we discuss recent work from our lab describing an active role of HSPCs in AML and the potential implications.” BUFFALO, NY- September 5, 2024 – A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on September 4, 2024, entitled, “Trained and ready - the case for an inflammatory memory for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the AML niche.” As noted in the abstract of this paper, lifelong hematopoiesis is sustained by the crosstalk between hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) and specialized bone marrow ...

Group sleeping can impact when animals sleep, how long they sleep for, and how deeply they sleep. For example, groups of meerkats time their sleep according to “sleep traditions”; olive baboons sleep less when their group size increases; bumblebees suppress sleep in the presence of offspring; and co-sleeping mice can experience synchronized REM sleep. To fully understand both sleep and animal social structures, we need to pay more attention to the “social side” of sleep, animal behaviorists argue in an opinion paper publishing September 5 in the Cell Press journal ...

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital have uncovered a new cell type in the human brain. The study published in Cancer Cell reveals that a third of the cells in glioma, a type of brain tumor, fire electrical impulses. Interestingly, the impulses, also called action potentials, originate from tumor cells that are part neuron and part glia, supporting the groundbreaking idea that neurons are not the only cells that can generate electric signals in the brain. The scientists also discovered ...

Staging of patients with early pancreatic cancer is inaccurate as much as 80% of the time, according to a new Cedars-Sinai Cancer study published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA. The finding underscores the urgent need for advancements in diagnostic technology and staging, which could significantly alter early pancreatic cancer treatment and research. In this study, investigators looked at data from more than 48,000 patients in the National Cancer Database. Based on preoperative imaging, all of the patients in the study had either stage 1 or stage 2 pancreatic cancer. Following surgery to remove their tumors, more than 78% of stage ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — When overdose rates spiked in Oregon in 2021 after the state decriminalized low-level drug possession, blame quickly turned to the new state law. But a new study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health implicates another factor: the introduction of fentanyl into Oregon’s unregulated drug market. “What's compelling about this analysis is that it follows the path of fentanyl across the country and offers testament to the ...

About The Study: The population attributable fraction of dementia from vision impairments ranged from 4.9%-19.0%. While not proving a cause-and-effect relationship, these findings support inclusion of multiple objective measures of vision impairments, including contrast sensitivity and visual acuity, to capture the total potential impact of addressing vision impairment on dementia.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jason R. Smith, ScM, email jsmit491@jhu.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2024.3131) Editor’s ...

About The Study: In patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management, compared with aggressive medical management alone, statistically significantly lowered the risk of a composite outcome of any stroke or death within 30 days or an ischemic stroke or revascularization of the qualifying artery after 30 days through 12 months. The findings suggest that balloon angioplasty plus aggressive medical management may be an effective treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, although the risk of stroke or ...

About The Study: This cross-sectional study of commercially insured patients suggests that there may have been meaningful heterogeneous associations between cannabis policy and state and between cannabis policy and drug class (e.g., decreases in dispensing of benzodiazepines but increases in dispensing of antidepressants and antipsychotics). This finding suggests additional clinical research is needed to understand the association between cannabis use and mental health. The results have implications for patient substance use and mental health–related outcomes.  Corresponding Author: To ...

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) identify Mst1–FoxO1–C/EBP-ß signaling pathway that promotes heart cell survival Tokyo, Japan – Understanding the mechanisms behind cell death and survival is crucial when it comes to conditions like heart failure, which affects millions of people worldwide. Now, researchers from Japan have identified a mechanism which protects cardiac myocytes against ischemia, or a lack of blood supply. In this study published online on 25 July 2024 in Nature Communications, researchers from the Tokyo Medical and Dental ...

Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) researchers investigate the molecular mechanisms that link periodontal disease to rheumatoid arthritis Tokyo, Japan – Periodontal disease, which affects the gums and tissues that surround the teeth, is one of the most prevalent dental conditions worldwide. Most often caused by the formation and accumulation of bacterial biofilm around the teeth, periodontal disease can ultimately lead to tooth loss if left unattended. Interestingly, the inflammatory effects of periodontal bacteria can go well beyond the mouth, leading to systemic effects. Over the past few decades, clinical studies have revealed that the periodontal ...

Regenstrief Institute will host its semiannual LOINC® conference September 17-20, 2024, in Washington, D.C. LOINC, a global healthcare terminology standard, will be the subject of the three-day conference during which experts worldwide will collaborate during presentations across three points of emphasis: implementation and policy, innovation and mapping. Keynote presenters will be: Wednesday, September 18 – Jesse Ehrenfeld, M.D., MPH, the president of the American Medical Association. Thursday, September ...

Arthritis drugs already available for prescription have the potential to halt lingering lung problems that can last months or years after COVID-19 infections, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai suggests. By examining damaged human lungs and developing an innovative new lab model, the scientists identified faulty immune processes responsible for the ongoing lung issues that plague an increasing number of people after they’ve otherwise recovered from COVID-19. These lasting harms of COVID infection, ...

WASHINGTON—Women with higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy may experience long-term weight gain and heart problems later in life, according to new research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. PFAS are manmade chemicals found in food packaging, cookware, clothes, drinking water, personal care products and many other consumer goods. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can interfere with hormones and cause health issues such as obesity, infertility and cancer. “Our study supports the idea that pregnancy may be ...

Washington, D.C. — A common skin fungus, Malassezia globosa may invade deep tissues through the skin or by other means, then cause tumor growth, according to a new study. The study results were reported in mBio, an open access journal of the American Society for Microbiology. “It is important to take care of skin not only for beauty, but also for health,” said corresponding study author Qi-Ming Wang, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Sciences and Green Development, Hebei University, Hebei, China. “As ...

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA [September 5, 2024] — New research just-published online by JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network finds that for many commonly used treatment regimens targeting metastatic gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, such as FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, or FOLFIRINOX, it is possible to administer 5-FU solely through continuous infusion, minus the bolus (quick-delivery via intravenous push) component, without negatively affecting patient outcomes. The study reviewed results from 11,765 patients across 280 cancer clinics who were diagnosed with ...

A new UCLA-led study found that cardiovascular disease risk among Chinese American immigrants increases with length of residence and varies by location in the U.S. The study, which leveraged data from the MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) cohort, sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), observed the heart health of 746 Chinese Americans in both Los Angeles and Chicago over a period of roughly 18 years. The study found that participants who resided in Chicago showed lower mortality levels from heart disease compared to those who lived in Los Angeles. “This is the first long-term prospective study in nearly two decades to investigate the effects of ...

Research Highlights: In the first study, nearly 23% of young adults (ages 18-39 years) included in the NHANES 2017-2020 datasets had high blood pressure (130/80 mm Hg or greater). In addition, they were more likely to self-report being uninsured, food insecure and low-income compared to older adults. The second study, which also used the 2017-2020 NHANES datasets, found that among 2,600 youths ages 8-19, 8.7% had elevated blood pressure and 5.4% had high blood pressure, as defined by age-sex-height percentiles in accordance with guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. These two studies point to the need for policies and programs to support youth and young adults ...