familymednews.com
Cancer therapies that use immune cells to trigger the body to attack tumours could be improved by a molecule that boosts their function. Studies with mice have found the improved therapies produced a powerful anti-cancer immune response, which led to tumours shrinking. Initial experiments show the molecule has similar effects on human cells and could boost the success of cancer […]
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Cells that line the intestinal tract are replaced every few days, a high rate of turnover that relies on a healthy population of intestinal stem cells. MIT and University of Tokyo biologists have now found that aging takes a toll on intestinal stem cells and may contribute to increased susceptibility to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The researchers also showed […]
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You’ve worked abroad. You’ve lived abroad. But have you had a close friendship or romantic relationship with a person from a culture drastically different from your own? If not, you might be missing out on a powerful way to boost your own creativity, recent research shows. A study by MIT Sloan assistant professor of work and organization studies Jackson Lu […]
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(HealthDay)—The numbers surrounding the continuing cat video craze are astounding. In one year alone, more than 2 million cat videos were posted on YouTube and had close to 26 billion views. What’s even more astounding is that all that time spent watching funny and adorable cat videos can actually be a positive use of your time—yes, watching Grumpy Cat can […]
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(HealthDay)—For pregnant women who are vitamin D-deficient, vitamin supplements won’t improve the growth of their fetus or infant, Canadian researchers report. The study was done in Bangladesh, where vitamin D deficiency is common among women of reproductive age, and where 30 percent of newborns are small and the growth of 36 percent of infants under 5 is stunted. Some studies […]
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Drinking coffee seems to have its perks. In addition to the physical boost it delivers, coffee may lessen our risk of heart disease, diabetes and dementia. Coffee may even help us live longer. Now, there’s more good news: research at Stevens Institute of Technology reveals that the scent of coffee alone may help people perform better on the analytical portion […]
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A new nationwide study of obituaries has found that people with religious affiliations lived nearly four years longer than those with no ties to religion. That four-year boost – found in an analysis of more than 1,000 obits from around the country – was calculated after taking into account the sex and marital status of those who died, two factors […]
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The treatment of cancer tumours is made complex by their microenvironment and the abnormalities of the blood vessels sustaining them. The EU-funded NeoNaNo project has developed methods to improve drug delivery to tumours and improve the efficacy of anticancer therapy. Drug delivery to tumours is difficult. The blood vessels they depend on are abnormally structured, heterogeneously distributed and relatively poorly […]
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Bringing a new drug to market can cost more than two billion dollars. Not to mention years of work spent developing and testing for scientists, researchers, doctors, and trial participants. By bringing trials to the virtual realm, Belinda H. Tan ’96 has found a way to cut all that in half. Her company, Science 37, is moving the entire drug […]
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(HealthDay)—Parents who read to their infants and toddlers may help them develop skills that pay big dividends when they start school, a new study suggests. Specifically, reading aloud and pretend play may offset disruptive behaviors—such as hyperactivity and aggression—and improve attention, researchers found. “When you read with your child, it’s really a warm, nice time together,” said lead researcher Dr. […]
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