New Insight Into Hyperglycemia Risk With PI3K Inhibitor for Breast Cancer
Severe hyperglycemia has emerged as a common side effect among patients with PIK3CA-mutated breast cancer treated with the PI3K inhibitor alpelisib (Piqray), especially patients treated outside a clinical trial, a retrospective study showed. Overall, 61.5% of 247 patients developed any degree of hyperglycemia, which reached grade 3/4 severity in 29%. Any grade of hyperglycemia occurred […]
Epigenetic mechanism that causes bitter taste distortion discovered
A bitter taste in the mouth is often a symptom or side effect of illness, which may be the result of how the body reacts to pathogens. A new study published in iScience, by Hong Wang, PhD, an Associate Member at the Monell Chemical Sense Center, and colleagues sheds light on the mechanisms involved in […]
NASH Drug Candidate Comes With ‘Serious Risks,’ Says FDA Staff
While citing obeticholic acid’s (Ocaliva) modest effect on a single surrogate endpoint for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), FDA staff members raised “substantial concerns” over the frequency of drug-induced liver injury, along with a litany of other safety concerns. The assessment dims the prospect of regulatory approval as the oral drug makes an iffy second bid to […]
Dieting: Brain amplifies signal of hunger synapses: Possible target for drugs to combat the yo-yo effect
Many people who have dieted are familiar with the yo-yo effect: after the diet, the kilos are quickly put back on. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research and Harvard Medical School have now shown in mice that communication in the brain changes during a diet: The nerve cells that mediate the feeling […]
Coffee with milk may have an anti-inflammatory effect
Can something as simple as a cup of coffee with milk have an anti-inflammatory effect in humans? Apparently so, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen. A combination of proteins and antioxidants doubles the anti-inflammatory properties in immune cells. The researchers hope to be able to study the health effects on humans. […]
Genetic background has an effect on the metabolism of essential fatty acids
Genetic background has an effect on the metabolism of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid, a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland shows. Supplementing the diet with camelina oil rich in alpha-linolenic acid, or with sunflower oil rich in linoleic acid altered the concentrations of the metabolites of these […]
Anti-butterfly effect enables new benchmarking of quantum-computer performance: Running a quantum system backward, then forward in time distinguishes information leaks from the desired information scrambling
Research drawing on the quantum “anti-butterfly effect” solves a longstanding experimental problem in physics and establishes a method for benchmarking the performance of quantum computers. “Using the simple, robust protocol we developed, we can determine the degree to which quantum computers can effectively process information, and it applies to information loss in other complex quantum […]
Starch for Cancer Prevention? It’s Not as Bananas as You Think
Resistant starch appeared to have a protective effect against non-colorectal Lynch syndrome-related cancers, according to long-term follow-up of the randomized CAPP2 trial. After up to 20 years of follow-up, 5.8% of participants randomized to resistant starch — a component of dietary fiber found in foods such as bananas, potatoes, grains, pulses, and seeds — had […]
Rocking shadows in protoplanetary discs
Astronomers from the University of Warwick reveal a new phenomenon dubbed the “rocking shadow” effect that describes how discs in forming planetary systems are oriented, and how they move around their host star. The effect also gives clues as to how they might evolve with time. Dr Rebecca Nealon presented the new work this week […]
New ‘988’ Number For Suicide Prevention Hotline To Launch Nationwide
A shorter number to access the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline is set to go into effect Saturday. Those experiencing a mental health crisis will be able to dial the three-digit number ― 988 ― to access the all-hours free and confidential emotional support hotline. The Federal Communications Commission first approved the new number in […]