Alzheimer ‘Tau’ Protein Far Surpasses Amyloid in Predicting Toll on Brain Tissue
Brain imaging of pathological tau-protein reliably predicts the location of future brain atrophy in Alzheimer’s patients a year or more in advance.
University of California San Francisco
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UCSF’s 11 Most Popular Health and Science Stories of 2019
Browse the stories that most engaged our readers in 2019.
E-Cigarettes Significantly Raise Risk of Chronic Lung Disease, First Long-Term Study Finds
E-cigarette use significantly increases a person’s risk of developing chronic lung diseases like asthma, bronchitis, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to new UC San Francisco research, the first longitudinal study linking e-cigarettes to respiratory illness in a sample representative of the entire U.S. adult population.
CRISPR-Resistant Viruses Build ‘Safe Rooms’ to Shield Genomes from DNA-Dicing Enzymes
After phages infect bacteria, they construct an impenetrable “safe room” inside of their host, which protects vulnerable phage DNA from antiviral enzymes. This compartment, which resembles a cell nucleus, is the most effective CRISPR shield ever discovered in viruses.
‘Supergrowth’ Challenges Established Science of Cell Growth
Research shows that after cells are subjected to certain stressful treatments, they appear to gain a new “superpower” that allows them to grow twice as fast as normal — a feature the authors call “supergrowth.”
In Down Syndrome Mouse Model, Scientists Reverse Intellectual Deficits with Drugs
Using standard animal model of Down syndrome, scientists were able to correct the learning and memory deficits associated with the condition with drugs that target the body’s response to cellular stresses.
Researchers Halt Spread of Breast Cancer by Blocking Metastasis-Promoting Enzyme
In a breakthrough with important implications for the future of immunotherapy for breast cancer, UCSF scientists have found that blocking the activity of a single enzyme can prevent a common type of breast cancer from spreading to distant organs.
‘Basket’ Trials for Dementia Aim to Bring Precision Medicine to Neurogenerative Diseases
Adam L. Boxer answers questions about the potential of "basket trials" to accelerate drug development for dementia and neurodegenerative disease.
Anticoagulant Benefits for Atrial Fibrillation Decrease With Age
The net clinical benefit of anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation decreases with age.
