Duke University

Researchers at Duke Health have discovered that persistent pain in recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) is caused by an overgrowth of nerve cells in the bladder, suggesting a new treatment approach that targets this overgrowth to alleviate symptoms.A study reveals that overgrowth of nerve cells in the bladder is the cause of persistent pain in recurrent UTIs, pointing to new, more effective treatment methods.A perplexing problem for people with recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs) is persistent pain, even after…

An artistic representation of the molecular structure of the newly discovered ceramic materials that could potentially disrupt several industries thanks to their ability to create functional electronics at thousands of degrees. Credit: Hagen Eckert, Duke UniversityA novel computational technique has revealed hundreds of ceramic materials possessing a wide range of potentially industry-disrupting properties like electronics that could function in a lava bathIf you have a deep-seated, nagging worry over dropping your phone…

The return of sea otters, a top predator, to a California estuary is helping slow erosion and restore the estuary’s degraded geology. A sea otter in the estuarine water of Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay, California, USA. Credit: Killiii YuyanOtters prey on crabs, giving shoreline plants a chance to spread their roots,In the several decades since sea otters began to recolonize their former habitat in Elkhorn Slough, a salt marsh-dominated coastal estuary in central California, remarkable changes have occurred in the…

An artistic rendering of CRISPR-enhanced T-cells attacking a tumor. Research has shown that the gene-editing system CRISPR can modulate T-cell behavior to make them better cancer killers without actually editing any of their genes. Credit: Ella Maru StudioA CRISPR-based platform has discovered numerous genes with the potential to enhance T-cell therapies for cancer treatment.Researchers at Duke University have advanced CRISPR technologies for large-scale analysis of gene functions in human immune cells. They found that a…

The cerebellum, indicated by pointer, is the brain within the brain or the tiny brain. It contains half of the brain’s neurons, tightly packed. New research shows that PTSD is associated with a smaller cerebellum, offering new insights into the neurological underpinnings of the disorder and potential treatment approaches. Credit: Dan Vahaba, Duke UniversityPeople with PTSD have a cerebellum about 2% smaller than unaffected adults, especially in areas that influence emotion and memory.Adults with posttraumatic stress…

An artistic rendition of how a new computational modeling system simulates a cancer cell traveling through the human body. To account for millions of cellular interactions, it only creates detailed simulations of cells in the immediate vicinity of the cancer cell as it circulates in the bloodstream. Credit: Duke UniversityComputational model allows researchers to simulate cellular-scale interactions across unprecedented distances in the human vasculature.Biomedical engineers at Duke University have significantly enhanced…

A team from Duke University has created a speech prosthetic that translates brain signals into speech, aiding individuals with neurological disorders. While still slower than natural speech, the technology, backed by advanced brain sensors and ongoing research, shows promising potential for enhanced communication abilities. (Artist’s concept) Credit: SciTechDaily.comA prosthetic device deciphers signals from the brain’s speech center to predict what sound a person is trying to say.A team of neuroscientists, neurosurgeons,…

Research from Duke University overturns previous beliefs about retrotransposons, showing that these DNA sequences actively use cellular mechanisms to form circular shapes and replicate. This finding, which has implications for understanding genetic evolution and diseases, challenges the long-held view that circular DNA is merely an accidental by-product. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Circular DNA, thought to be an accidental byproduct, is borrowing the cell’s DNA repair mechanisms to copy itself.Like its viral cousins, a…

Recent research led by Julia Notar at Duke University reveals that brittle stars, despite lacking brains, can learn through experience. These marine creatures, related to starfish, use their nerve cords to learn by association, a concept demonstrated in classical conditioning. Brainless brittle stars are capable of learning through experience, as demonstrated in new research. They exhibit classical conditioning by associating darkness with feeding, a significant discovery in understanding learning processes in brainless…

New research on cycads, ancient plants from the Mesozoic Era, reveals that their survival into the modern era can be attributed to a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. This study provides insights into the ecological evolution of cycads and their adaptation to past climate changes.Cycads, ancient plants once prevalent during the Mesozoic Era, have mostly gone extinct, with a few species surviving in tropical and subtropical areas. Researchers have discovered that these surviving cycads relied on…