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Chronic pain lasts longer for women than men, and new research suggests that differences in hormone-regulated immune cells, called monocytes, may help explain why. Researchers headed by a team at Michigan State University found that a subset of monocytes releases a molecule to switch off pain. These cells, the researchers discovered, are more active in males due to higher levels of sex hormones such as testosterone. The studies identified monocytes that produce the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) as a driver of sex differences in pain resolution in mice. Research lead Geoffroy Laumet, PhD, MSU associate professor of physiology, Jaewon Sim,…

Credit:TopMicrobialStock/Getty Images Computer models can predict which probiotics will best colonize a person’s digestive tract, research shows, offering the potential to create bespoke combinations for a particular individual. The findings, PLOS Biology, reveal how metabolic modeling can guide personalized, microbiome-mediated interventions to create designer probiotics. Testing the strategy on results from two previous clinical trials, researchers found their model was at least 75% accurate in predicting which probiotic species remained present in each person’s gut. The model was also able to predict how different probiotics impacted on the production of healthy short-chain fatty acids. “Here, we bridge the gap between…

This illustration depicts the study’s central finding that red blood cells act as a previously unrecognized sink for blood glucose, absorbing sugar from the bloodstream at a scale that can influence whole-body metabolism. [Chiara Ricci-Tam] The connection between hypoxia and glucose metabolism has been established, showing that individuals in higher altitudes with lower oxygen levels have lower blood glucose levels. Epidemiological studies show that humans living at higher elevations not only have lower blood glucose levels, but also present with better glucose tolerance and reduced diabetes risk. A research team led by Isha Jain, PhD, at the Gladstone Institutes, Arc…

Credit: Thom Leach / Getty Images / Science Photo Library For decades, a cancer biopsy has marked a critical point in a patient’s journey, as a small piece of tissue is removed and examined under a microscope and, more recently, also sequenced to guide treatment. But a growing body of research suggests that the biopsy of the future may go further than identifying and classifying a patient’s cancer—it could provide the blueprint for a vaccine custom-built to train the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells unique to that individual. That possibility is moving closer to clinical reality as…

Pathological phosphorylation (yellow) of Tau proteins (red-orange) by kinases (violet) leads to disintegration of microtubules in the neuron axon. The transport of synaptic vesicles (orange-blue) is interrupted. [Selvanegra/Getty Images] From a blood test, scientists may be able to predict when a person is likely to develop symptoms of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer’s disease. That is according to data from a new study led by a team from the Washington University School of Medicine and their collaborators. The work is published in a new Nature Medicine paper titled “Predicting onset of symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease with plasma p-tau217 clocks.” In it,…

We’ve all been there: you open the crisper drawer with every intention of making a healthy stir-fry, only to find a head of broccoli that looks slightly… questionable.  Maybe the edges are looking a bit yellow, or perhaps there’s a stray dark spot on the stem. Because broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable with a complex structure of tightly packed florets, it isn’t always as obvious as a moldy tomato or a shriveled apple. Learning how to tell if broccoli is bad is an essential skill for any home cook, meal prepper, or health-conscious individual.  Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse, but…

This evolution has also followed a path that redefines how researchers, drug developers, and clinicians view cancer and how to treat it. “Cancer care is evolving from an organ-based treatment to biology-based treatment decisions and CGP is foundational to this shift,” said Rick Baehner, MD, chief medical officer of precision oncology at Exact Sciences. The most common driver mutations, like those in TP53, EGFR, KRAS, PIK3CA, and APC, are well known and present across a range of solid tumor types such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and melanoma. Many of these mutations driving…

Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators have developed a universal vaccine candidate that studies in mice suggest protects against a wide range of respiratory viruses, bacteria, and even allergens. Unlike any vaccine used today, the new vaccine, delivered intranasally, was found to provide broad protection in the lungs for several months. The novel vaccination strategy integrates the two branches of immunity—innate and adaptive—creating a feedback loop that sustains a broad immune response. The research team, headed by Bali Pulendran, PhD, the Violetta L. Horton Professor II, director of the Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, and a professor of pathology, microbiology…

If you have ever sat down to a plate of greyish, mushy, waterlogged broccoli, you know the disappointment of a side dish gone wrong.  Broccoli is one of the most versatile and nutrient-dense vegetables in the produce aisle, yet it is arguably the one most frequently ruined in the kitchen.  If your broccoli always turns out soggy, dull green, or tasteless—you’re not alone. The line between “perfectly tender-crisp” and “inedible mush” is thinner than a floret. Learning how to steam broccoli correctly is a fundamental kitchen skill that elevates your meal prep from basic to gourmet. Whether you are a…

If there is one vegetable that has undergone a complete PR transformation in the last decade, it is broccoli.  For years, this cruciferous powerhouse was relegated to the “mushy and bland” category, usually served steamed into submission or boiled until it lost its vibrant hue. But then, the culinary world rediscovered the oven. Learning how to make roasted broccoli is a fundamental skill that turns a humble side dish into the star of the plate. When broccoli meets high heat and a touch of fat, magic happens. The edges caramelize, the florets become crispy and nut-like, and the natural sugars…