A new Tel Aviv University study finds that gene deletion or deficiency in neurons is responsible for the abnormal hypersocial behavior associated with Williams syndrome (WS), a rare disorder affecting 1 in 10,000 people around the world. The research demonstrates that the lack of the general transcription factor gene, Gtf2i, causes deficits in the myelin…
In a series of studies that volleyed between large databases and research in zebrafish, Vanderbilt investigators have discovered a link between vascular biology and eye disease. The research uncovered an unexpected role for the gene GRIK5, and it showcases a new paradigm for using biobanks, electronic health records and zebrafish to discover the genetic mechanisms…
April 24, 2019 — A paper by Columbia Mailman School’s John Rowe, MD, Julius Richmond Professor of Health Policy and Aging, in the journal Health Affairs outlines the challenges we face as the U.S. becomes an “aging society.” This transformation has major implications for our core institutions which were not designed to support this changing…
IMAGE: Warmest congratulations to Yu-ming “Mindy ” Huang1 and Abhay Thakur2 (Figure 1), recipients of the Protein Society’s Year 2018 “Best Paper ” awards. view more Credit: The Protein Society At the beginning of each year, two “best papers” are selected from articles published in Protein Science during the preceding 12 months. A junior author (typically…
IMAGE: Baylor University professor and chemist Daniel Romo, Ph.D., discusses research with doctoral candidate Christian M. Chaheine, co-author on new synthesis strategy. The study is published in Nature Chemistry…. view more Credit: Photo by Roxane M. Jourdain A new chemical synthesis strategy to harvest the rich information found in natural products — organic compounds isolated from…
A new investigation published in JAMA Psychiatry finds that while insurance coverage for depression has increased, treatment rates are lower than expected, indicating that non-financial barriers to patient care still remain. Jason Hockenberry, PhD, associate professor at the Emory Rollins School of Public Health, is the lead author of the study. “While insurance coverage has…
Scientists used brain signals recorded from epilepsy patients to program a computer to mimic natural speech–an advancement that could one day have a profound effect on the ability of certain patients to communicate. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health’s Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Technologies (BRAIN) Initiative. “Speech is an amazing…
IMAGE: Paul Mischel is a member at the San Diego Branch of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research view more Credit: Ludwig Cancer Research APRIL 24, 2019, NEW YORK – To explain a person’s actions in the present, it sometimes helps to understand their past, including where they come from and how they were raised. This…
[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] Law enforcement officials have long tried to stem the opioid crisis in America with criminal charges for street dealers and cartel kingpins who traffic in drugs like fentanyl and oxycodone. Now, for the first time, federal authorities are bringing…
The drugstore chain Walgreens will stop selling tobacco products to customers under 21, the company announced on Tuesday. The decision came weeks after the Food and Drug Administration accused the company of repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors — and amid similar moves by competitors and lawmakers around the country to curb teenage vaping. About…