Health Research: Nasal spray device for mental illness ♦ Medicinal marijuana: Patients battle stigma and misunderstanding ♦ Blood test to catch pancreatic cancer early

Scientists reveal cellular clockwork underlying inflammation Researchers have uncovered key cellular functions that help regulate inflammation -- a discovery that could have important implications for the treatment of allergies, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer. The discovery explains how two particular proteins, Tollip and Tom1, work together to contribute to the turnover of cell-surface receptor proteins that trigger inflammation.

Nasal spray device for mental illness Researchers have tested a new device for delivering hormone treatments for mental illness through the nose. This method was found to deliver medicine to the brain with few side effects.

Medicinal marijuana: Patients battle stigma and misunderstanding New research examines the experiences of California residents who have been prescribed medical marijuana and the stigma they experience from public opinion.  The findings indicate that the stigma of using medical marijuana may contribute to the under-treatment of those who might benefit from medical marijuana

DNA 'clews' used to shuttle CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells Researchers have for the first time created and used a nanoscale vehicle made of DNA to deliver a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells in both cell culture and an animal model.

Important steps toward developing a blood test to catch pancreatic cancer early Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States and has a 5-year survival rate of only 6 percent, which is the lowest rate of all types of cancer.  This low survival rate is partially attributed to the difficulty in detecting pancreatic cancer at an early stage.

Woman's Health: Safeguarding against chlamydia ♦ New biomarker identified in women with mental illness ♦ Why the bloating during menopause

New biomarker identified in women with mental illness Psychiatric disorders can be difficult to diagnose because clinicians must rely upon interpreted clues, such as a patient's behaviors and feelings Researchers report identifying a biological marker: the overproduction of specific genes that could be a diagnostic indicator of mental illness in female psychiatric patients.

Safeguarding against chlamydia Chlamydia trachomatis is a formidable foe. It's the most common sexually transmitted pathogen, infecting more than 100 million people each year. In the developing world, it is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Around the world, it ranks as the number one cause of infertility and ectopic pregnancy. A vaccine that generates two waves of protective immune cells needed to eliminate chlamydial infection has been developed by researchers.

Pregnancy safer for women with lupus than previously thought Most women with lupus whose disease is not very active will have a safe pregnancy, new research concludes. The study also identified several risk factors that might put some women with systemic lupus erythematosus at higher risk for bad outcomes in pregnancy.

Why the bloating during menopause? Blame the hormones or the lack of them Many women experience water retention and bloating when their hormone levels change, but how sex hormones affect water balance is not understood. A new study offers an explanation, finding that sex hormones can directly control how the body reabsorbs water.

Minor obstetric and gynecologic procedure linked to increased risk of preterm delivery Dilatation and curettage (D&C) is one of the most common minor surgical procedures in obstetrics and gynecology, used mainly for miscarriage or terminations. Today, use of the 15-minute procedure is declining in favor of less invasive medical methods, but it still remains common in O&G. An analysis 21 cohort studies which included almost 2 million women has found that a D&C performed in cases of miscarriage or induced abortion increases the chance of preterm birth (under 37 weeks) in a subsequent pregnancy by 29%, and of very preterm birth (under 32 weeks) by 69%.