With drug resistance a major challenge in the fight against cancer, a discovery by University of California, Irvine biologists could offer new approaches to overcoming the obstacle. Their research reveals that a mechanism enabling the diseased cells to scavenge dead cell debris for nourishment holds a pivotal role. The study by Aimee Edinger, associate professor of developmental & cell biology, and researcher Vaishali Jayashankar appears in Nature Communications.
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Less than 20% of Americans have rapid access to endovascular thrombectomy for stroke
Timely treatment is critical for stroke victims, yet only 19.8% of the U.S. population can access a stroke center capable of endovascular thrombectomy to remove a large clot in 15 minutes or less by ambulance, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Only 30% of Americans can access a thrombectomy-equipped center in 30 minutes.
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Q&A on COVID-19 from Mayo Clinic
Learn more about COVID-19 in this Q&A:
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SFU researchers help discover potential new drug to kill superbugs
Researchers in Simon Fraser University’s Brinkman Laboratory are collaborating with U.S. researchers to test a new drug that can kill a wide range of superbugs – including some bacteria now resistant to all common antibiotics.
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For anxious spouses, a baby may be a rival
A new child can spark feelings of jealousy in a person who already fears being abandoned by his or her partner, research suggests.
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Radiation therapy for colon cancer works better when specific protein blocked
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appear to have discovered a way to make radiation therapy for colorectal cancer more effective by inhibiting a protein found in cancer cells in the gut. The approach also helps protect healthy tissue from the negative effects of radiation.
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Cold medicines for kids: What’s the risk?
Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are the best way to help a child who has a cold feel better—right? Think again. Here’s practical advice from Dr. Jay L. Hoecker, an emeritus pediatrics specialist at Mayo Clinic.
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Interplay between states and federal government in implementing the ACA
The fierce national debate over health care reform includes deep divisions over the appropriate roles of the federal and state governments. For example, while Sen Bernie Sanders (I-VT) calls for expanding the federal Medicare program to cover all Americans, the Trump administration pushes for the states to have far greater authority. However, according to Michael Sparer, JD, Ph.D., chair of health policy and management at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) points towards a more effective inter-governmental partnership, one in which the states have significant policy and administrative discretion, bounded by strong national standards designed to limit unacceptable inequities.
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Pregnant women with depression are more than three times more likely to use cannabis
Cannabis use is much more common among pregnant women with depression and pregnant women with depression are more than 3 times more likely to use cannabis than those without depression, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Despite data linking cannabis and depression in many populations, this is the first study to examine this relationship among pregnant women in a nationally representative sample. The findings are online in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
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Drug development for rare diseases affecting children is increasing
The number of treatments for rare diseases affecting children has increased, a new study suggests. But federal incentives intended to encourage drug development for rare conditions are being used more often to expand the use of existing drugs rather than for creating new ones.
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