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New class of protein materials can influence cell signaling

A new study has revealed that a novel class of protein material that communicates with living cells without being absorbed by them can affect cell signaling. The protein material does this by attaching and sequestering cell surface receptors.

7 Jan 2021

Study addresses mystery of how chromosomes are inherited during cell division

Starting as a single cell, organisms undergo millions of generations of divisions to ultimately generate the bones, heart, brain and other components that make up a living being. The mainspring within this intricate process is the transfer of DNA through each subsequent cell split within discrete packets called chromosomes.

7 Jan 2021

DNA-editing technique used to extend lifespan of mice with progeria

Researchers have successfully used a DNA-editing technique to extend the lifespan of mice with the genetic variation associated with progeria, a rare genetic disease that causes extreme premature aging in children and can significantly shorten their life expectancy.

From National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) 7 Jan 2021

Study identifies the effects of nutritional deficiency on patient survival after cardiac surgery

Nutrients are the structural components of food that the body needs to function properly. They are divided into macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins, provitamins, various minerals, and so on). Their shortage is called nutritional deficiency.

4 Jan 2021

Researchers use different colors of light to control gut bacteria genes

Baylor College of Medicine researcher Meng Wang had already shown that bacteria that make a metabolite called colanic acid (CA) could extend the lifespan of worms in her lab by as much as 50%, but her collaboration with Rice University synthetic biologist Jeffrey Tabor is providing tools to answer the bigger question of how the metabolite imparts longer life.

23 Dec 2020

Inhaling wildfire smoke's microbial content can increase risk of infection

Wildfire smoke contains microbes, a fact that's often ignored, but one that may have important health repercussions.

From The University of California, Davis 21 Dec 2020

Anti-hypertension drug prolongs lifespan in C. elegans, research shows

A stress response of mitochondria, the part of our cells that produce energy to power bodily functions, is important to a longer life.

21 Dec 2020

Researchers discover protein that may trigger lung scarring

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease associated with inflammation and fibrosis, or scarring, that affects organs including the skin, heart, kidney and lungs.

18 Dec 2020

Study may lead to new treatments for certain types of disease

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found a new way to prevent some tumours from repairing their own DNA, a function that is essential for cancer cell survival. This discovery could lead to much needed new treatments for certain types of the disease.

17 Dec 2020

Gene expression database sheds light on pneumococcal infection

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine published one of the most comprehensive analyses of how genes get expressed during infection (known as a transcriptome).

16 Dec 2020

Study: Eating avocado as part of daily diet can help improve gut health

Eating avocado as part of your daily diet can help improve gut health, a new study from University of Illinois shows. Avocados are a healthy food that is high in dietary fiber and monounsaturated fat. However, it was not clear how avocados impact the microbes in the gastrointestinal system or "gut."

16 Dec 2020

Water intake may effectively mitigate obesity and metabolic syndrome

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered that fructose stimulates the release of vasopressin, a hormone linked to obesity and diabetes.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers test effects of weedkiller on wildlife

Prolonged exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of the weedkiller Roundup causes significant harm to keystone species according to new research at the University of Birmingham.

16 Dec 2020

Tumor's stiff-arm tactic restricts the effectiveness of checkpoint inhibitors

In a paper just published in the Journal for the Immunotherapy of Cancer (doi:10.1136/jitc-2020-001712), Dr. Herbert, Head of Discovery at InsideOutBio, asks whether cancer cells stiff-arm immune cells just like rugby players push off defenders from the other team.

16 Dec 2020

Researchers identify new therapeutic target to fight COVID-19 disease

In COVID-19 patients with severe lung disease, targeting the endothelial cells—that is, cells comprising the blood vessel wall, which control oxygen exchange between the bloodstream and airways—may be an innovative strategy to restore normal function of the lungs.

15 Dec 2020

New research appears to resolve the underprediction riddle of biomass burning

Oxidized organic aerosol is a major component of ambient particulate matter, substantially impacting climate, human health, and ecosystems.

15 Dec 2020

New study dispels concerns that human stem cells contain cancer-causing mutations

Pioneering new research has made a pivotal breakthrough that dispel concerns that human stem cells could contain cancer-causing mutations.

From University of Exeter 15 Dec 2020

Molecular markers in the blood can predict severe COVID-19 outcomes

Molecular markers in the blood shown to be predictive of severe COVID-19 outcomes resulting from SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection have been identified in a study by a Chinese research team.

15 Dec 2020

Researchers provide a list of genes implicated in congenital heart disease

Over two million babies, children, and adults in the United States are living with congenital heart disease--a range of birth defects affecting the heart's structure or function.

15 Dec 2020

New genetic associations predict susceptibility to Takayasu arteritis

A team of international collaborators, headed by scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, have detected novel genetic associations that can estimate the susceptibility of individuals to Takayasu arteritis—a rare inflammatory disease.

14 Dec 2020