Health News

Using clay to grow bone
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 12:32

In new research published online May 13, 2013 in Advanced Materials, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) are the first to report that synthetic silicate nanoplatelets (also known as layered clay) can induce stem cells to become bone cells without the need of additional bone-inducing factors. Synthetic silicates are made up of simple or complex salts of silicic acids, and have been used extensively for various commercial and industrial applications, such as food additives, glass and ceramic filler materials, and anti-caking agents.

 

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Fish oil may stall effects of junk food on brain
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 09:13

Data from more than 180 research papers suggests fish oils could minimise the effects that junk food can have on the brain, a review by researchers at the University of Liverpool has shown.

 

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Newly Described Type of Immune Cell and T cells Share Similar Path to Maturity, According to New Penn Study
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 09:02

Labs around the world, and a core group at Penn, have been studying recently described populations of immune cells called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). Some researchers liken them to foot soldiers that protect boundary tissues such as the skin, the lining of the lung, and the lining of the gut from microbial onslaught. They also have shown they play a role in inflammatory disease, when the body’s immune system is too active.

 

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Spontaneous Mutations Play a Key Role in Congenital Heart Disease
Tuesday, May 14, 2013 - 09:00

Every year, thousands of babies are born with severely malformed hearts, disorders known collectively as congenital heart disease. Many of these defects can be repaired though surgery, but researchers don’t understand what causes them or how to prevent them. New research shows that about 10 percent of these defects are caused by genetic mutations that are absent in the parents of affected children.

 

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Serotonin Mediates Exercise-Induced Generation of New Neurons
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 10:58

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. These are the findings of a study by Dr. Friederike Klempin, Daniel Beis and Dr. Natalia Alenina from the research group led by Professor Michael Bader at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin-Buch. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

 

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Scientists discover how Alzheimer's drugs sharpen the brain's performance
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 10:32

The discovery published this week in The Journal of Neuroscience was made by a team of researchers led by Rosalyn Moran, an assistant professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. Her study indicates that cholinesterase inhibitors — a class of drugs that stop the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine — allow signals to enter the brain with more precision and less background noise.

 

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