910 posts · 581,087 views
I have big dreams [don't we all?], I want to change the world. That is why I started Lunatic Laboratories, a little project that I hope will one day be a household name. Who knows, maybe it will work out, but even if it doesn't, at least it will be fun to try.
Lunatic Laboratories
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- July 11, 2016
- 04:42 PM
- 472 views
It's in the eyes: Alzheimer's detected before symptoms
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Scientists may have overcome a major roadblock in the development of Alzheimer's therapies by creating a new technology to observe -- in the back of the eye -- progression of the disease before the onset of symptoms. Clinical trials are to start in July to test the technology in humans.
... Read more »
More, S., Beach, J., & Vince, R. (2016) Early Detection of Amyloidopathy in Alzheimer's Mice by Hyperspectral Endoscopy. Investigative Opthalmology , 57(7), 3231. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.15-17406
- June 20, 2016
- 04:10 PM
- 332 views
Fear factor: A new genetic candidate for treating PTSD
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Researchers have identified a new genetic candidate for testing therapies that might affect fear learning in people with PTSD or other conditions. Individuals with trauma- and stress-related disorders can manifest symptoms of these conditions in a variety of ways. Genetic risk factors for these and other psychiatric disorders have been established but do not explain the diversity of symptoms seen in the clinic - why are some individuals affected more severely than others and why do some respond ........ Read more »
Knoll, A., Halladay, L., Holmes, A., & Levitt, P. (2016) Quantitative Trait Loci and a Novel Genetic Candidate for Fear Learning. Journal of Neuroscience, 36(23), 6258-6268. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0177-16.2016
- June 18, 2016
- 04:25 PM
- 511 views
Mothers with diabetes more likely to have anti-fetal brain autoantibodies
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Mothers of children with autism and were diagnosed with metabolic conditions during pregnancy, particularly gestational and type 2 diabetes, were more likely to have anti-fetal brain autoantibodies in their blood compared to healthy women of children with autism. The presence of these anti-fetal brain autoantibodies has been previously found to be specific to some mothers of children with autism and rare among mothers of children without autism.
... Read more »
Krakowiak, P., Walker, C., Tancredi, D., Hertz-Picciotto, I., & Van de Water, J. (2016) Autism-specific maternal anti-fetal brain autoantibodies are associated with metabolic conditions. Autism Research. DOI: 10.1002/aur.1657
- June 16, 2016
- 03:52 PM
- 504 views
Postpartum depression least severe form of depression in mothers
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Postpartum depression--a household term since actress Brooke Shields went public in 2005 about her struggle with it--is indeed serious. But depression that begins before or during pregnancy is often more severe because it lasts longer and usually goes undetected until the doctor screens for it after the birth of the baby.
... Read more »
Fisher, S., Wisner, K., Clark, C., Sit, D., Luther, J., & Wisniewski, S. (2016) Factors associated with onset timing, symptoms, and severity of depression identified in the postpartum period. Journal of Affective Disorders, 111-120. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2016.05.063
- June 14, 2016
- 03:16 PM
- 584 views
Even when help is just a click away, stigma is still a roadblock
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Stigma is a major barrier preventing people with mental health issues from getting the help they need. Even in a private and anonymous setting online, someone with greater self-stigma is less likely to take that first step to get information about mental health concerns and counseling.
... Read more »
Lannin, D., Vogel, D., Brenner, R., Abraham, W., & Heath, P. (2016) Does self-stigma reduce the probability of seeking mental health information?. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63(3), 351-358. DOI: 10.1037/cou0000108
- June 13, 2016
- 01:43 PM
- 631 views
Experimental antibiotic treats deadly MRSA infection
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
The antibiotic arms race is on, while we are rushing to find new antibiotics, bacteria are working on finding ways around them. With that in mind, a new experimental antibiotic developed by a team of scientists successfully treats the deadly MRSA infection and restores the efficacy of a commonly prescribed antibiotic that has become ineffective against MRSA.
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Kaul M, Mark L, Zhang Y, Parhi AK, Lyu YL, Pawlak J, Saravolatz S, Saravolatz LD, Weinstein MP, LaVoie EJ.... (2015) TXA709, an FtsZ-Targeting Benzamide Prodrug with Improved Pharmacokinetics and Enhanced In Vivo Efficacy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 59(8), 4845-55. PMID: 26033735
- June 12, 2016
- 02:23 PM
- 460 views
Researchers show copper is essential for burning fat
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Is copper deficiency contributing to the obesity epidemic? Though small amounts of copper are essential to health - oysters, liver, beans and nuts are good sources - copper's role in metabolism has been unclear: Some studies found that it boosted fat burning, others that it depressed it.
... Read more »
Krishnamoorthy, L., Cotruvo, J., Chan, J., Kaluarachchi, H., Muchenditsi, A., Pendyala, V., Jia, S., Aron, A., Ackerman, C., Wal, M.... (2016) Copper regulates cyclic-AMP-dependent lipolysis. Nature Chemical Biology. DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2098
- June 10, 2016
- 02:40 PM
- 388 views
New tool brings personalized medicine closer
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Scientists have developed a powerful tool for exploring and determining the inherent biological differences between individuals, which overcomes a major hurdle for personalized medicine.
... Read more »
Williams, E., Wu, Y., Jha, P., Dubuis, S., Blattmann, P., Argmann, C., Houten, S., Amariuta, T., Wolski, W., Zamboni, N.... (2016) Systems proteomics of liver mitochondria function. Science, 352(6291). DOI: 10.1126/science.aad0189
- June 9, 2016
- 04:13 PM
- 391 views
Researchers watch skin cells 'walk' to wounds
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
New research is giving a whole new meaning to feeling your skin crawl. Skin cells typically spend their entire existence in one place on your body. But researchers have seen how the cells will alter the proteins holding them in place and move to repair a wound.
... Read more »
Hiroyasu, S., Colburn, Z., & Jones, J. (2016) A hemidesmosomal protein regulates actin dynamics and traction forces in motile keratinocytes. The FASEB Journal, 30(6), 2298-2310. DOI: 10.1096/fj.201500160R
- June 8, 2016
- 04:08 PM
- 699 views
Air pollution affects young people's psychiatric health
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Smog has been a part of modern life since the industrial revolution, unfortunately all that pollution isn't just hurting the environment -- but come on, you saw this coming... right? New research from Sweden indicates that dispensed medication for psychiatric diagnosis can be related to air pollution concentrations. More and more studies show that the brain and human cognitive development are affected by pollution.
... Read more »
Oudin, A., Bråbäck, L., Åström, D., Strömgren, M., & Forsberg, B. (2016) Association between neighbourhood air pollution concentrations and dispensed medication for psychiatric disorders in a large longitudinal cohort of Swedish children and adolescents. BMJ Open, 6(6). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010004
- June 7, 2016
- 05:40 PM
- 491 views
Mobilizing mitochondria may be key to regenerating damaged neurons
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Mitochondria, sure it's the powerhouse of the cell, but maybe it can be much more that. At least that's what it looks like thanks to researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke who have discovered that boosting the transport of mitochondria along neuronal axons enhances the ability of mouse nerve cells to repair themselves after injury.
... Read more »
Bing Zhou, Panpan Yu, Mei-Yao Lin, Tao Sun, Yanmin Chen, & Zu-Hang Sheng. (2016) Facilitation of axon regeneration by enhancing mitochondrial transport and rescuing energy deficits. Journal of Cell Biology. info:/10.1083/jcb.201605101
- June 6, 2016
- 01:52 PM
- 460 views
The truth is out there: Scientists unlock X-Files DNA mystery
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Scientists have unlocked a crucial part of the mystery as to how our DNA can replicate and repair itself - something which is essential for all life forms. The new research has revealed how branched DNA molecules are removed from the iconic double-helical structure -a process which scientists have been looking to unlock for over 20 years.
... Read more »
AlMalki, F., Flemming, C., Zhang, J., Feng, M., Sedelnikova, S., Ceska, T., Rafferty, J., Sayers, J., & Artymiuk, P. (2016) Direct observation of DNA threading in flap endonuclease complexes. Nature Structural . DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3241
- June 3, 2016
- 02:55 PM
- 542 views
Zika virus directly infects brain cells and evades immune system detection
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
The mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to microcephaly and other neurological problems in newborns of affected mothers directly infects the brain progenitor cells destined to become neurons. The team of researchers used a strain of Zika currently impacting the Americas, and found that the virus infects about 20 percent of cells on average, evades immune system detection, and continues to replicate for weeks.
... Read more »
Natasha W. Hanners,, Jennifer L. Eitson,, Noriyoshi Usui,, R. Blake Richardson,, Eric M. Wexler,, Genevieve Konopka,, & John W. Schoggins. (2016) Western Zika Virus in Human Fetal Neural Progenitors Persists Long Term with Partial Cytopathic and Limited Immunogenic Effects. Cell Reports. DOI: http://dx.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2016.05.075
- June 1, 2016
- 03:30 PM
- 477 views
New muscular dystrophy drug target identified
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Scientists have discovered that muscle cells affected by muscular dystrophy contain high levels of an enzyme that impairs muscle repair. This finding provides a new target for potential drug treatments for the disease, which currently has no cure. Muscular dystrophy (MD) is an inherited genetic condition that gradually causes a weakening of muscles.
... Read more »
Arecco, N., Clarke, C., Jones, F., Simpson, D., Mason, D., Beynon, R., & Pisconti, A. (2016) Elastase levels and activity are increased in dystrophic muscle and impair myoblast cell survival, proliferation and differentiation. Scientific Reports, 24708. DOI: 10.1038/srep24708
- May 30, 2016
- 04:22 PM
- 495 views
Google searches for 'chickenpox' reveal big impact of vaccinations
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Countries that implement government-mandated vaccinations for chickenpox see a sharp drop in the number of Google searches for the common childhood disease afterward, demonstrating that immunization significantly reduces seasonal outbreaks. That's one of the findings from a new study that analyzed thousands of Google searches for "chickenpox."
... Read more »
Bakker, K. M.,, Martinez-Bakker, M., Helm, B., & Stevenson, T. J. (2016) Digital epidemiology reveals global childhood disease seasonality and the effects of immunization . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. info:/
- May 29, 2016
- 03:30 PM
- 480 views
Why everyone wants to help the sick -- but not the unemployed
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
New research explains why healthcare costs are running out of control, while costs to unemployment protection are kept in line. The answer is found deep in our psychology, where powerful intuitions lead us to view illness as the result of bad luck and worthy of help.
... Read more »
Jensen, C., & Petersen, M. (2016) The Deservingness Heuristic and the Politics of Health Care. American Journal of Political Science. DOI: 10.1111/ajps.12251
- May 28, 2016
- 03:45 PM
- 514 views
Schizophrenia: The brain has the ability to rescue itself
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
A team of scientists have shown that the brains of patients with schizophrenia have the capacity to reorganize and fight the illness. This is the first time that imaging data has been used to show that our brains may have the ability to reverse the effects of schizophrenia.
... Read more »
Guo, S., Palaniyappan, L., Liddle, P., & Feng, J. (2016) Dynamic cerebral reorganization in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia: a MRI-derived cortical thickness study. Psychological Medicine, 1-14. DOI: 10.1017/S0033291716000994
- May 27, 2016
- 03:40 PM
- 558 views
How the brain makes -- and breaks -- a habit
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Not all habits are bad. Some are even necessary. It's a good thing, for example, that we can find our way home on "autopilot" or wash our hands without having to ponder every step. But inability to switch from acting habitually to acting in a deliberate way can underlie addiction and obsessive compulsive disorders.
... Read more »
Christina M. Gremel,, Jessica H. Chancey,, Brady K. Atwood,, Guoxiang Luo,, Rachael Neve,, Charu Ramakrishnan,, Karl Deisseroth,, David M. Lovinger, & Rui M. Costa. (2016) Endocannabinoid Modulation of Orbitostriatal Circuits Gates Habit Formation. Neuron. info:/10.1016/j.neuron.2016.04.043
- May 25, 2016
- 04:00 PM
- 742 views
Humiliation from stares are worse than tiny seats for obese air travelers
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
Feelings of shame and humiliation bother obese air passengers more than tight seat belts and tiny seats, according to a study published by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers. Participants interviewed for the study recounted the typical challenges they encounter while boarding, in-flight and deplaning.
... Read more »
Yaniv Poria, & Jeremy Beal. (2016) An Exploratory Study about Obese People’s Flight Experience . Journal of travel research. info:/10.1177/0047287516643416
- May 23, 2016
- 04:13 PM
- 486 views
Extreme beliefs often mistaken for insanity, new study finds
by Dr. Jekyll in Lunatic Laboratories
In the aftermath of violent acts such as mass shootings, many people assume mental illness is the cause. After studying the 2011 case of Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, researchers are suggesting a new forensic term to classify non-psychotic behavior that leads to criminal acts of violence.
... Read more »
Rahman T, Resnick PJ, & Harry B. (2016) Anders Breivik: Extreme Beliefs Mistaken for Psychosis. The journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 44(1), 28-35. PMID: 26944741
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