A large study of ADHD medications reveals small increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Despite concerns, these changes are generally not clinically significant. The findings suggest that cardiovascular monitoring is still important.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 582
Cancer cells mimic Sherpa genes to survive low oxygen
Results of a study show convergent genetic adaptation under hypoxia (lack of oxygen) between populations living at high-altitude in the Himalayan region such as Tibetans and Sherpas, and the development of oxygen-starved cancer cells. The study was directed by Rodrigo Toledo, Head of the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology’s (VHIO) Biomarkers and Clonal Dynamics Group and published in the journal Cancer Discovery.
Patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) are chronically hypoxic and have an estimated six-fold higher risk of developing pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL), which are associated with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the adrenal glands and/or paraganglia, respectively. These cancers can continue to grow and proliferate under chronic hypoxia.
“With this study, we aimed to achieve deeper insights into how tumors can survive, grow, and even metastasize under low oxygen conditions, known as hypoxia. Our findings reveal a broad convergence in genetic adaptation in tumors that continue to develop and grow under hypoxia, and in high-altitude populations who thrive in such a challenging environment,” said Toledo, corresponding author of this present article.
I-motif DNA structures are formed in the nuclei of human cells
I-motif DNA structures are thought to form in cytosine-rich regions of the genome and to have regulatory functions; however, in vivo evidence for the existence of such structures has so far remained elusive. Now an engineered antibody that is selective for i-motif structures has been developed and used to detect i-motifs in the nuclei of human cells.
Medical Breakthrough: Scientists Use Patient’s Own Fat Cells to Reverse Type 1 Diabetes
A new hope for diabetes patients: reprogrammed stem cells achieve insulin independence.
In a pioneering medical breakthrough, scientists in China have successfully reversed type 1 diabetes in a patient by reprogramming her own fat cells into insulin-producing pancreatic cells. This revolutionary approach offers a promising alternative to current diabetes treatments and could pave the way for a potential cure for millions of people affected by this chronic autoimmune disease. The patient involved in the study remains free from insulin injections more than a year after receiving the experimental treatment, highlighting the potential of stem cell therapy as a game-changer in diabetes care.
AI models of the brain could serve as ‘digital twins’ in research
Much as a pilot might practice maneuvers in a flight simulator, scientists might soon be able to perform experiments on a realistic simulation of the mouse brain. In a new study, Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators used an artificial intelligence model to build a “digital twin” of the part of the mouse brain that processes visual information.
The digital twin was trained on large datasets of brain activity collected from the visual cortex of real mice as they watched movie clips. It could then predict the response of tens of thousands of neurons to new videos and images.
Digital twins could make studying the inner workings of the brain easier and more efficient.
For the first time, scientists map the half-billion connections that allow mice to see
After nine years of painstaking work, an international team of researchers on Wednesday published a precise map of the vision centers of a mouse brain, revealing the exquisite structures and functional systems of mammalian perception.
To date, it is the largest and most detailed such rendering of neural circuits in a mammalian brain.
The map promises to accelerate the study of normal brain function: seeing, storing and processing memories, navigating complex environments. As importantly, it will deepen the study of brain diseases in anatomical and physiological terms—that is, in terms of the wiring and the relationships between circuits and signals. That’s especially promising for diseases that may arise from atypical wiring, such as autism and schizophrenia.
Titanium microparticles prevalent in oral tissue around dental implants, study shows
Titanium micro-particles in the oral mucosa around dental implants are common. This is shown in a new study from the University of Gothenburg and Uppsala University, which also identified 14 genes that may be affected by these particles.
Registry data indicate that about 5% of all adults in Sweden have dental implants —and potentially also titanium particles in the tissue surrounding the implants. According to the researchers, there is no reason for concern, but more knowledge is needed.
“Titanium is a well-studied material that has been used for decades. It is biocompatible and safe, but our findings show that we need to better understand what happens to the micro-particles over time. Do they remain in the tissue or spread elsewhere in the body?” says Tord Berglundh, senior professor of periodontology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.
Magnetic microrobot swarm enables 3D imaging of vascular networks
Angiography is a widely used medical imaging technique that allows medical researchers and doctors to capture the vascular network (i.e., blood vessels) using contrast agents, substances that enhance the visibility of specific structures inside the body when exposed to X-rays or other imaging approaches. Conventional angiography techniques rely on contrast agents that are distributed through blood vessels, leveraging the natural flow of blood in the body.
Despite their widespread use, these approaches have significant limitations. For instance, they struggle to visualize upstream regions (i.e., regions in blood vessels that are against the direction of the blood flow) or areas that are blocked by materials (e.g., blood clots). This inability to visualize some regions limits the use of angiography for diagnosing and planning the treatment of some vascular conditions, including narrowed vessels, blood clots and abnormal connections between vessels.
Researchers at the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society and the Chinese University of Hong Kong recently introduced a new method for exploring and reconstructing vascular networks utilizing swarms of magnetic microrobots. Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Machine Intelligence, enables the 3D imaging of vascular networks, including upstream regions and blocked areas.