Study pinpoints Alzheimer's plaque emergence early and deep in the brain

Long before symptoms like memory loss even emerge, the underlying pathology of Alzheimer's disease, such as an accumulation of amyloid protein plaques, is well underway in the brain. A longtime goal of the field has been to understand where it starts so that future interventions could begin there. A new study by MIT neuroscientists at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory could help those efforts by pinpointing the regions with the earliest emergence of amyloid in the brain of a prominent mouse model of the disease. Notably, the study also shows that the degree of amyloid accumulation in one of those same regions of the human brain correlates strongly with the progression of the disease.

Scientists ID new targets to treat fibrosis—a feature of many chronic diseases

When it comes to repairing injured tissue, specialized cells in the body known as fibroblasts are called into action. Fibroblasts give rise to healing cells called myofibroblasts, which generally is good in the short term—but bad when myofibroblast activation gets out of hand. In new work, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) researchers show how fibroblast activation and myofibroblast formation occurs, providing clues as to how to target fibrosis—which impacts several chronic diseases. Kickstarting the process are stress-induced changes in mitochondrial calcium uptake.

Scientists create brain-mimicking environment to grow 3-D tissue models of brain tumors

A team of Tufts University-led researchers has developed three-dimensional (3-D) human tissue culture models of pediatric and adult brain cancers in a brain-mimicking microenvironment, a significant advancement for the study of brain tumor biology and pharmacological response. The study was published today in Nature Communications.

Were hot, humid summers the key to life's origins?

Uncovering how the first biological molecules (like proteins and DNA) arose is a major goal for researchers attempting to solve the origin of life. Today, chemists at Saint Louis University, in collaboration with scientists at the College of Charleston and the NSF/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, published a study in the journal Nature Communications that suggests deliquescent minerals—which dissolve in water they absorb from humid air—can assist the construction of proteins from simpler building blocks during cycles timed to mimic day and night on the early Earth.

Extinction Rebellion plans fortnight of worldwide climate action

Extinction Rebellion climate protesters are planning to bring disruption to 60 cities around the world from Monday in a fortnight of civil disobedience, warning of an environmental "apocalypse".

In northwest Spain, conservation efforts pay off as bears thrive

Daylight is only just breaking over Spain's Cantabrian Mountains and already a dozen enthusiasts are up and about in the hope of spotting a brown bear.

Scientists fight to save unique Guiana coral reef

Off the coast of Guiana, a French overseas department perched on the north coast of South America, scientists scour the choppy waters for signs of life.

Vietnamese roll out Transformers-inspired robot with green message

There is more than meets the eye to the towering robot resembling a character from the "Transformers" movie franchise—it speaks Vietnamese and is made from spare motorbike parts.

Netflix cooperating with Italy tax evasion probe

Netflix on Thursday said it was cooperating with a probe into whether it evaded taxes in Italy, even though it has no office or employees in that country.

'Incredibly rare' monkey born at Australian zoo

One of the world's rarest monkeys has been born at an Australian zoo.

Black year for European beekeepers

This year has been a black one for many European beekeepers, particularly in France and Italy, where unpredictable weather has produced what are being termed the worst honey harvests ever.

Officials push Facebook for way to peek at encrypted messages

Officials are calling on Facebook not to use encryption in its messaging services that does not provide authorities a way to see what is being sent.

Paralysed man walks again with brain-controlled exoskeleton

A French man paralysed in a night club accident can walk again thanks to a brain-controlled exoskeleton in what scientists said Wednesday was a breakthrough providing hope to tetraplegics seeking to regain movement.

Vaping-linked lung injury kills 18, sickens 1,080 in US outbreak

Eighteen people have died from illnesses associated with e-cigarette use since March, US health authorities said Thursday, while more than a thousand others have suffered probable lung injuries linked to vaping.

Climate change pushes Italy beekeepers to the brink

Unusual weather driven by climate change is wreaking havoc on bee populations, including in northern Italy where the pollinating insects crucial to food production are struggling to survive.

Identifying a gene for canine night blindness

Creating an effective gene therapy for inherited diseases requires three key steps. First, scientists must identify and characterize the disease. Second, they must find the gene responsible. And finally, they must find a way to correct the impairment.

Dealing a therapeutic counterblow to traumatic brain injury

A blow to the head or powerful shock wave on the battlefield can cause immediate, significant damage to a person's skull and the tissue beneath it. But the trauma does not stop there. The impact sets off a chemical reaction in the brain that ravages neurons and the networks that supply them with nutrients and oxygen.

How effective is body cooling in patients that experience cardiac arrest?

While body temperature cooling is not a new treatment tactic for patients who experience cardiac arrest, a new clinical trial hopes to better understand the optimal amount of time for targeted temperature management.

How much are you polluting your office air just by existing?

Just by breathing or wearing deodorant, you have more influence over your office space than you might think, a growing body of evidence shows. But could these basic acts of existence also be polluting the air in the office room where you work?

Pioneering study suggests that an exoskeleton for tetraplegia could be feasible

A four-limb robotic system controlled by brain signals helped a tetraplegic man to move his arms and walk using a ceiling-mounted harness for balance. While the early results are promising, the authors note that the system is a long way from clinical application and will require improvements before it becomes widely available.

Placenta pathology may clarify racial disparities in preemie health outcomes

African-American infants are twice as likely to die in the first year of life than white infants, for reasons that are complex and not well understood. Results from a recent study suggest that specific abnormalities in the placenta from African-American preterm births may hold clues to the physical mechanisms behind racial disparities in preemie health outcomes.

Some ICU admissions may be preventable, saving money and improving care

Many admissions to the intensive care unit may be preventable, potentially decreasing health care costs and improving care, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Long-term mental health benefits of gender-affirming surgery for transgender individuals

For transgender individuals, gender-affirming surgery can lead to long-term mental health benefits, according to new research published online today in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The study found that among transgender individuals with gender incongruence, undergoing gender-affirming surgery was significantly associated with a decrease in mental health treatment over time.