John Pastor
As seen in:
MSN,
EurekAlert!,
Medical Xpress,
Aeon,
WJW-TV (Cleveland, OH),
EIN News,
Duluth News Tribune,
Longreads,
Futurity,
EIN Presswire
and
World-class research from a top-ranked university. We are #VTReseach at @virginia_tech. Located in Blacksburg, Roanoke, and Washington, D.C. 🔬🧪
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by John Pastor
Brain changes after a stroke may help support cancer growth
A new study reveals how changes in the brain after injury can create conditions that support tumor growth. After a stroke, the brain gets to work repairing damaged tissue. But the new research suggests some of the same biological processes that aid recovery may also help tumor cells grow and spread.
Brain changes after a stroke may help support cancer growth
A new study reveals how changes in the brain after injury can create conditions that support tumor growth. After a stroke, the brain gets to work repairing damaged tissue. But the new research suggests some of the same biological processes that aid recovery may also help tumor cells grow and spread.
When facing danger, mice turn to their friends
When mice heard a sound they thought signaled danger, they moved closer to a familiar companion, according to researchers. They did not do the same when paired with a mouse they didn’t know. The study, led by Alexei Morozov of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech and published in Neuropsychopharmacology, begins to reveal how the brain turns a warning signal into a drive to seek familiar company.
When danger sounds, mice draw closer to familiar companions via a newly identified brain circuit
When mice heard a sound they thought signaled danger, they moved closer to a familiar companion, according to Virginia Tech researchers. They did not do the same when paired with a mouse they didn't know. The study, led by Alexei Morozov of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and published in Neuropsychopharmacology , begins to reveal how the brain turns a warning signal into a drive to seek familiar company. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates.
When danger sounds, mice draw closer to familiar companions via a newly identified brain circuit
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain When mice heard a sound they thought signaled danger, they moved closer to a familiar companion, according to Virginia Tech researchers. They did not do the same when paired with a mouse they didn't know. The study, led by Alexei Morozov of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and published in Neuropsychopharmacology, begins to reveal how the brain turns a warning signal into a drive to seek familiar company.
Oral therapy protected mice from lethal radiation while sparing cancer treatment
Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have developed an experimental oral therapy that protected mice from otherwise harmful radiation exposure while preserving radiation's ability to destroy cancer cells, a finding that could ultimately improve cancer treatment and strengthen preparedness for radiological emergencies. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates.
Oral therapy protected mice from lethal radiation while sparing cancer treatment
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have developed an experimental oral therapy that protected mice from otherwise harmful radiation exposure while preserving radiation's ability to destroy cancer cells, a finding that could ultimately improve cancer treatment and strengthen preparedness for radiological emergencies.
How brain cells restore healthy growth and connections after a disease-causing genetic deletion
Scientists at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have discovered how an experimental therapy can help brain cells overcome the effects of a disease-causing genetic deletion. Instead of repairing the deletion and its immediate consequences, the therapy redirects brain development by helping at-risk neurons grow and connect more normally. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates.
Physical activity may help ease fatigue in children with developmental disabilities
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Fatigue can be a daily challenge for children with developmental disabilities, affecting participation in school, play and other activities. In a new study by Virginia Tech researchers from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, parents reported that children who were more physically active tended to experience less fatigue.
Team finds protein that could help failing hearts recover
Researchers have identified a key protein that may help failing hearts regain function, offering new insight into why some hearts recover while others do not. The discovery comes from studying patients treated with left ventricular assist devices, or LVADs, which are mechanical pumps that reduce strain on the heart and allow it to rest and recover.
Graduates, Trust God! - He’s Got You!
It’s that time of the year again - caps are tossed into the air, cameras flash with proud smiles, and graduates stand at the edge of a brand-new journey. Graduation is more than a ceremony; it marks a season of change, transition, and new beginnings. Our graduates are stepping into a season of constant change, where new experiences, opportunities, and challenges will shape their path ahead.
A new explanation for the rise in heart disease risk after menopause
John Pastor Virginia Tech scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute say the increased risk of cardiovascular disease after menopause may stem not only from declining hormone levels, but also from how those changes influence gene activity. In a new paper published in the journal Cells , researchers examine growing evidence that declining estrogen levels can alter epigenetics, the system that controls when genes turn on and off.
A new explanation for the rise in heart disease risk after menopause
Sumita Mishra (right) confers with research assistant Vivek Chandler as he prepares materials under a biosafety cabinet in the Mishra laboratory at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. Mishra's research has identified changes in gene regulation as a key factor in increased cardiovascular risk after menopause.
Intensive Therapy Approaches Show Benefits For Infants and Toddlers With Cerebral Palsy
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Infants and toddlers with unilateral cerebral palsy, which affects the brain’s control of muscles on one side of the body, show lasting improvements in hand and arm function when they receive early, high-dose therapy, according to a new multisite clinical trial led by Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Intensive therapy approaches show benefits for infants and toddlers with cerebral palsy
An infant participating in the Baby CHAMP study raises both hands while seated in a stroller. The NIH-funded trial led by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC examines early therapies designed to improve arm and hand function in young children with cerebral palsy affecting one side of the body. Credit: Jennifer Murray.
Neurons use simple rules to localize genetic messages, scientists discover
Scientists found that messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that carry genetic instructions to the far reaches of neurons in the brain tend to cluster together mostly because they are abundant, not because they move in coordinated groups. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest sci-tech news updates. The discovery, published in eNeuro, helps explain how neurons, which have some of the longest processes of any cells in the body, manage genetic instructions long distances from where they are made.
Neurons use simple rules to localize genetic messages, scientists discover
This large, stitched composite created from many high-magnification images shows four mRNAs localized in the neuropil, the dense mesh of synaptic connections in a layer distinct from the cell bodies, in the juvenile mouse hippocampus. mRNAs were labeled using the HiPlex RNAscope in situ hybridization assay to detect Adcy1 (green), Aco2 (magenta), Psd (cyan), and Dlg4 (yellow), and nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue).
Cancer researchers highlight role of nanomedicine in next-generation immunotherapies
Scientists at Virginia Tech's Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and their collaborators are exploring emerging trends in cancer immunotherapy with back-to-back review articles published in Nature Cancer and Trends in Cancer that look at how nanotechnology could reprogram the immune system and help overcome tumors' defenses.
Key signature sets Parkinson's and essential tremor apart
Researchers have identified a neurochemical signature that sets Parkinson’s disease apart from essential tremor—two of the most common movement disorders, but each linked to distinct changes in the brain. In a new study in Nature Communications, scientists from Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the College of Science identified unique chemical signaling patterns of two key neurotransmitters—dopamine and serotonin—that distinguish these two disorders.
Reader's View: Wild rice sulfate standard requires understanding
I appreciated the April 22 story, “ Stakes high as Minnesota enforces wild rice sulfate standard .” I know the science behind our findings can be difficult to understand, but the story explained it perfectly. We can only make sound policy about this issue if people understand how introducing sulfate to lakes and rivers affects wild rice. The article went a long way toward that.
How prostate cancer turns immune cells into traitors
Scientists have revealed how certain immune cells may be quietly helping prostate cancer grow—and how blocking them could help the body fight back. The study in Molecular Cancer Research identifies a group of cells called macrophages that, instead of protecting the body, appear to shield tumors from attack and promote tumor metastasis.
Why Some Heart Drugs Become Risky with Low Sodium, VA Tech Study Finds
New research explains how low levels of the electrolyte sodium in the blood can disrupt the timing of the heartbeat in patients taking widely used rhythm-control medications such as flecainide, which is commonly prescribed for atrial fibrillation and other fast or irregular heart rhythms.
Scientists uncover immune cells that help prostate cancer resist treatment and a way to stop them
Among four macrophage subtypes identified, one stood out: a group marked by the proteins SPP1 and TREM2. These cells were found clustered inside tumor regions - not in surrounding tissue - and were linked to blood vessel growth, impaired immune activity, and the spread of cancer in the body.
Tiny changes in the heart may cut irregular heartbeat risk
Researchers have found that microscopic structural changes in heart cells may help reduce arrhythmia risk. Medically known as arrhythmias, irregular heartbeats become more common with age and can lead to health problems. But a new study in JACC Clinical Electrophysiology, a journal of the American College of Cardiology, reveals that a tiny gap between heart cells called the perinexus naturally narrows with age—an adaptation that may help stabilize heart rhythm.
Fralin Institute Study Aims to Improve Pediatric Brain Cancer Therapy
Virginia Tech researchers are developing more precise treatments for pediatric brain cancer using a new class of therapies that target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. With grant support from The Children's Cancer Foundation Inc. (CCF), a nonprofit that serves the Baltimore-Washington region, scientists are focused on glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer that affects children and is difficult to treat.
Changes in the aging heart may lessen the risk of irregular heartbeats
Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have discovered that microscopic structural changes in the aging heart may reduce the risk of irregular heartbeats. Medically known as arrhythmias, irregular heartbeats become more common with age and can lead to health problems.
Spit test could flag risk of chemo side effects
Early results from a new study suggest that a simple saliva test with powerful artificial intelligence algorithms could help doctors identify cancer patients at high risk for severe side effects from a widely used chemotherapy drug. The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has been in use since the 1950s, making it one of the oldest chemotherapy agents still used today.
AI-backed saliva test shows promise for flagging chemotherapy risk
Early results from a new study suggest that a simple saliva test with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms could help doctors identify cancer patients at high risk for severe side effects from a widely used chemotherapy drug. The drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has been in use since the 1950s, making it one of the oldest chemotherapy agents still used today.
VA Tech Researchers Explore Low-Intensity Pulses to Aid Cancer Treatment
High-intensity electrical pulses have been medically used to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue. But lower-intensity pulses may have a different effect - they reshape the battlefield, making tumors more vulnerable to the body's own defenses. According to Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, these lower-intensity pulses don't kill all the cancer cells outright.
Low-intensity electrical pulses could help the immune system fight cancer
High-intensity electrical pulses have been medically used to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue. But lower-intensity pulses may have a different effect—they reshape the battlefield, making tumors more vulnerable to the body's own defenses. According to Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, these lower-intensity pulses don't kill all the cancer cells outright.
Researchers find sex differences in how mice-and possibly people-deal with stressful situations
When faced with a potential threat, mice often freeze in place. Moreover, when two animals are together, they typically freeze at the same time, matching each other's periods of immobility. In a new study, researchers found that coordination during fear looks different in males and females—and it changes when stress is involved. Male–female mouse pairs consistently stayed in sync during stressful situations, even when the animals were strangers. Same-sex pairs were more likely to fall out of step.
Local View: The future of science is on the line in Duluth, in the US
On Oct. 4, 1957, my fifth birthday, the Soviet Union launched the first Sputnik satellite. The event roused the United States to become the world’s leader in scientific research and inspired my generation to pursue scientific careers. By the time I was 11, I knew I wanted to be a scientist. To those like me, the world was our oyster, and the sky was the limit. My scientific career was made financially possible by the U.S. government.
Building better biomaterials for cancer treatments
Modifying the physical characteristics of microscopic biomaterials to interact seamlessly with the body's tissues could unlock safer and more effective cancer treatments. Modifying the physical characteristics of microscopic biomaterials to interact seamlessly with the body's tissues could unlock safer and more effective cancer treatments, according to Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. In an online review slated for the Feb.
Brain chemicals get busy when you process the emotion of words
Researchers have shown neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during the processing of the emotional content of language. The research provides new insights into how people interpret the significance of words. The work, conducted by an international team led by Virginia Tech scientists, also offers deeper understanding into how language influences human choices and mental health.
Brain Chemicals Get Busy When You Process The Emotion Of Words - Futurity
Researchers have shown neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during the processing of the emotional content of language. The research provides new insights into how people interpret the significance of words. The work, conducted by an international team led by Virginia Tech scientists, also offers deeper understanding into how language influences human choices and mental health.
Words Activate Hidden Brain Processes Shaping Emotions, Decisions and Behavior
While the primary discovery was made in humans, validation in animal models provided additional confidence in the results. Alec Hartle, a co-first author of the study and a School of Neuroscience doctoral student in Howe’s lab, conducted experiments in rodent models using a technique called optogenetics to confirm the patterns seen in humans.
VA Tech / Children’s National Hospital / Industry Experts Explore Impact of AI on Health Care
Leaders discuss the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in pediatric care and the power of strategic collaborations.
VTC Physician-scientist Spearheads Pediatric Brain Tumor Research With National Institute
A physician-scientist who treats brain tumors in children has joined Virginia Tech to bring his expertise in focused ultrasound cancer research to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, said Michael Friedlander, executive director of the research institute and Virginia Tech vice president for health sciences and technology.
Discovery may lead to treatment for chemo resistant glioblastoma
For many patients with a deadly type of brain cancer called glioblastoma, chemotherapy resistance is a big problem. Researchers say they may have moved closer to a solution. Current standard treatments, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy using the drug temozolomide, have limited effectiveness and have not significantly changed in the past five decades.
Researchers reveal promising treatment target for resistant brain cancer
For many patients with a deadly type of brain cancer called glioblastoma, chemotherapy resistance is a big problem. Current standard treatments, including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy using the drug temozolomide, have limited effectiveness and have not significantly changed in the past five decades. Although temozolomide can initially slow tumor progression in some patients, typically the tumor cells rapidly become resistant to the drug.
Fralin Institute Researchers Show Viral Infections Pose Early Heart Risks
In a potentially game-changing development, scientists with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have revealed a new understanding of sometimes fatal viral infections that affect the heart. Traditionally, the focus has been on heart inflammation known as myocarditis, which is often triggered by the body’s immune response to a viral infection.
Heart infections pose risks even before inflammation Original
Researchers have revealed a new understanding of sometimes fatal viral infections that affect the heart. Traditionally, the focus has been on heart inflammation known as myocarditis, which is often triggered by the body’s immune response to a viral infection.
Heart Infections Pose Risks Even Before Inflammation - Futurity
Researchers have revealed a new understanding of sometimes fatal viral infections that affect the heart. Traditionally, the focus has been on heart inflammation known as myocarditis, which is often triggered by the body’s immune response to a viral infection.
Team unravels how brain chemicals shape social decisions
In a new study, scientists delve into the world of dopamine and serotonin to reveal their role in social behavior. The research, conducted in Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing brain surgery while awake, homed in on the brain’s substantia nigra, a crucial area associated with motor control and reward processing.
Team Unravels How Brain Chemicals Shape Social Decisions - Futurity
In a new study, scientists delve into the world of dopamine and serotonin to reveal their role in social behavior. The research, conducted in Parkinson’s disease patients undergoing brain surgery while awake, homed in on the brain’s substantia nigra, a crucial area associated with motor control and reward processing.
Fralin Institute Researchers Use Ultrasound In Noninvasive Approach to Alleviate Pain
Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC report that applying low-intensity focused ultrasound to an area deep within the brain may point to new ways to help people cope with chronic pain. In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, scientists demonstrated the effectiveness of using low-intensity focused ultrasound to modulate the activity in a critical region in the brain that processes and regulates pain signals.
Researchers associate early life stress with pro-inflammatory processes later in life during pregnancy
Women who experienced high stress during childhood and adolescence may have increased risk for inflammation during pregnancy, according to a study by researchers with the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Community Child Health Network.
Ice
We are again delving into the nature of water, exploring a different angle on the subject from Rudy Molinek’s Icicles and Ice Sheets story featured by Agate last March. We have plenty of ice here in Minnesota. It is the most common form of much of the water here for most of the year. Ice is bad when it’s on roads but good when it’s on lakes. We drive on it, skate on it, and drill holes through it to fish beneath it. People win or lose bets on when the ice “goes out” in the spring.
White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree
White Pine by John Pastor Ecologist John Pastor explores US history through the lens of white pine, showing how the Indigenous and American cultures have been informed by this tree. A slim but quite powerful volume.” — Booklist WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, January 18, 2023 / EINPresswire.com/ -- America was built on white pine—yet many don’t realize the critical role of this iconic tree.
White Pine: The Natural and Human History of a Foundational American Tree
White Pine by John Pastor Ecologist John Pastor explores US history through the lens of white pine, showing how the Indigenous and American cultures have been informed by this tree. A slim but quite powerful volume.” — Booklist WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, January 18, 2023 / EINPresswire.com/ -- America was built on white pine—yet many don’t realize the critical role of this iconic tree.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with John
Contact John, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack