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Research reports distinct patterns of reward-seeking behavior between OCD and problem gambling

Shinsuke Suzuki at The University of Melbourne, Australia reports distinct patterns of reward-seeking behavior between obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and problem gambling, in a study publishing in the open access journal PLOS Biology on March 14th. OCD is associated with lower-than-normal learning rates when rewards are less than expected. On the other hand, people with problem gambling exhibit boosted and blunted learning from rewards higher and lower than expected, respectively.

15 Mar 2023

Study reveals the detrimental effects of even a few extra pounds on young people

A Kaiser Permanente study of more than 800,000 young people between the ages of 3 and 17 showed that youth at the upper range of average weight had a 26% higher risk of developing hypertension than those closer to what is considered average weight. The study was published March 14, 2023, in JAMA Network Open.

15 Mar 2023

Study evaluates the use of DNA metabarcoding to identify fish eggs

A new study published in PeerJ Life & Environment and featured in the International Association for Biological Oceanography Hub evaluates the use of DNA metabarcoding to identify fish eggs.

14 Mar 2023

Gene that regulates cadmium distribution between leaf and grain in rice

Due to its accumulation in crops, specifically rice, cadmium (Cd), a hazardous heavy metal contaminant of cultivated land, poses a threat to human health. Thus, it is vital to develop methods to prevent Cd from accumulating in rice grains.

14 Mar 2023

Transforming the natural mineral shells of algae into functional perovskites

Perovskites are materials that are increasingly popular for a wide range of applications because of their remarkable electrical, optical, and photonic properties.

14 Mar 2023

Mesophotic coral reefs function differently than their shallower counterparts, study shows

In a paper published today in Current Biology, researchers from the California Academy of Sciences Hope for Reefs initiative, along with Brazilian collaborators from the University of São Paulo, Federal University of Espírito Santo, and the Instituto Nacional da Mata Atlântica, show that mesophotic coral reefs function much differently than their shallower counterparts and are unlikely to offer a refuge for shallow water fishes trying to escape climate-change driven warming on the ocean's surface.

14 Mar 2023

High correlation between the product of a gene in the majority of cancers

The product of a gene expressed in most cancers, including the most prevalent type of head and neck cancer, has been linked to elevated levels of white blood cells that produce antibodies inside tumors, according to researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

14 Mar 2023

Rice biologists embark on a three-year project to create genetically encoded antibiotics

Synthetic biologists at Rice University are embarking on a three-year project to create "genetically encoded antibiotics," strands of RNA that bacteria will readily copy and share that will selectively kill only disease-causing, pathogenic bacteria.

14 Mar 2023

Understanding the factors that impact CRISPRa efficiency

Investigators, from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and partners, utilized human stem cells and neurons to explore what attributes impact how well CRISPR activation works for different sets of genes.

14 Mar 2023

Novel method quantifies the total polysulfide content in fresh vegetables

Sulfur-rich foods, like onions and garlic, have long been recognized to have health-promoting properties. It has been difficult to investigate how food containing sulfur compounds enhances health because the levels—and types—of reactive polysulfides found in various vegetables have not been adequately assessed.

14 Mar 2023

TurboID-based proximity labeling in meiotic cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

During meiosis, reshuffling of genetic information between homologous chromosomes through meiotic recombination creates variable gametes and hence genetic variation in offsprings.

14 Mar 2023

Gut microbiome may modulate the efficacy of CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapy

Scientists from German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), together with colleagues from Germany, Israel, and the USA, have found that the gut microbiome may modulate the efficacy of CAR-T cellular immunotherapy CAR-T cells in patients with B cell lymphomas.

14 Mar 2023

Bile salt hydrolase cocktails may offer a new approach to inhibit C. diff colonization

Not all probiotics are created equal. In a new study, researchers found that certain enzymes within a class known as bile salt hydrolases (BSHs) can restrict Clostridioides difficile (C. diff.) colonization by both altering existing bile acids and by creating a new class of bile acids within the gut's microbial environment.

14 Mar 2023

SMART researchers develop the world's first microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants

Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, and their collaborators from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have developed the first-ever microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants.

14 Mar 2023

PerkinElmer completes divestiture of its applied, food and enterprise services businesses

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From PerkinElmer 14 Mar 2023

New framework to identify possible viral hazards to human health

The majority of what scientists know about viruses in animals comes from the list of nucleotides that constitute their genomic sequence, which, although useful, provides relatively few signals about a virus’ propensity to infect people.

14 Mar 2023

New perspective on how immune cells perceive viruses and other threats

A textbook chapter on the immune system may need to be revised as a result of a new study from Aarhus University.

14 Mar 2023

Effective backup mechanism ensures efficient antimicrobial responses in humans

In the human body, virus particles are identified by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) either within or on the cell surface. When a receptor is activated, a signaling cascade is initiated, which results in the production and release of signaling molecules like interferons and cytokines.

14 Mar 2023

Significance of astrocyte–neuron interactions in fine-tuning brain function

Humans learn to handle a variety of skilled movements throughout their lives, from driving a car to swinging a tennis racket. Neurons are not the only ones who implement this learning, but a new study from The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT shows that astrocytes play an important role as well.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 14 Mar 2023

Novel technology easily detects active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection antibodies

A team of faculty from Wayne State University has discovered new technology that will quickly and easily detect active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection antibodies.

14 Mar 2023

Life Science News

Research reports distinct patterns of reward-seeking behavior between OCD and problem gambling

Study reveals the detrimental effects of even a few extra pounds on young people

Study evaluates the use of DNA metabarcoding to identify fish eggs

Gene that regulates cadmium distribution between leaf and grain in rice

Transforming the natural mineral shells of algae into functional perovskites

Mesophotic coral reefs function differently than their shallower counterparts, study shows

High correlation between the product of a gene in the majority of cancers

Rice biologists embark on a three-year project to create genetically encoded antibiotics

Understanding the factors that impact CRISPRa efficiency

Novel method quantifies the total polysulfide content in fresh vegetables

TurboID-based proximity labeling in meiotic cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

Gut microbiome may modulate the efficacy of CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapy

Bile salt hydrolase cocktails may offer a new approach to inhibit C. diff colonization

SMART researchers develop the world's first microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants

PerkinElmer completes divestiture of its applied, food and enterprise services businesses

New framework to identify possible viral hazards to human health

New perspective on how immune cells perceive viruses and other threats

Effective backup mechanism ensures efficient antimicrobial responses in humans

Significance of astrocyte–neuron interactions in fine-tuning brain function

Novel technology easily detects active Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection antibodies

Driving Support for Pharmaceutical Testing Through Continuous Innovation

From Memory to Metaplasticity: Unraveling the Brain's Secrets

Revolutionizing Mass Spectrometry: A Deep Dive into Plasmion’s SICRIT® Technology

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