Suntanner, heal thyself: Exosome therapy may enable better repair of sun, age-damaged skin

In a proof-of-concept study, researchers have shown that exosomes harvested from human skin cells are more effective at repairing sun-damaged skin cells in mice than popular retinol or stem cell-based treatments currently in use. Additionally, the nanometer-sized exosomes can be delivered to the target cells via needle-free injections.

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New drug target in fight against cancer

Researchers have discovered how a cancer-linked version of the protein mitoNEET can close voltage-dependent anion channels (VDAC), primary gateways in the outer surface of mitochondria. The researchers detail how mitoNEET regulates VDAC, and they show that the interactions between the two proteins could be disrupted by a drug that targets VDAC.

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3D virtual reality models help yield better surgical outcomes

A new study has found that using three-dimensional virtual reality models to prepare for kidney tumor surgeries resulted in substantial improvements, including shorter operating times, less blood loss during surgery and a shorter stay in the hospital afterward.

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Study questions routine sleep studies to evaluate snoring in children

A new finding suggests that the pediatric sleep study — used to diagnose pediatric sleep apnea and to measure improvement after surgery — may be an unreliable predictor of who will benefit from having an adenotonsillectomy.

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Obesity associated with abnormal bowel habits — not diet

Because researchers demonstrated for the first time that a strong association between obesity and chronic diarrhea is not driven by diet or physical activity, the findings could have important implications for how physicians might approach and treat symptoms of diarrhea in patients with obesity differently.

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