Liver cells have an innate resistance to RNA viral infections like hepatitis A, dengue and Zika thanks to a protein called IRF1, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science (TMIMS). When present in liver cells, this IRF1 protein regulates RARRES3, an enzyme […]
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Researchers find probiotics may increase intestinal motility in mouse model
Emory researchers have found that adding good bacteria into the intestines can guide the development of the enteric nervous system, also called “the gut brain,” while increasing intestinal motility, or movement of the digestive tract, in a mouse model. The results are good news for medical conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, autism […]
Researchers identify ‘beauty spots’ in the genome
Genes play a role in determining the beauty of a person’s face, but that role varies with the person’s sex, according to a new study by Qiongshi Lu and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, published 4th April in PLOS Genetics. Humans tend to be preoccupied with beauty—a person’s attractiveness is associated with academic performance, […]
Researchers discover a common link among diverse cancer types
Cancer, in all its forms, seems to always involve uncontrolled cell growth; but there are thousands of ways in which cells can lose control of their proliferation in the first place. Among a huge variety of proteins known to be altered in tumors are histones, whose normal function is to package DNA and help regulate […]
Researchers restore fertility in non-human primate model of childhood cancer survivorship
One in three childhood cancer survivors is at risk of becoming infertile due to chemotherapy or radiation, and since their sperm or eggs have not matured, assisted reproduction using those sperm or eggs is not an option when they become adults. Now in a major first, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine […]
Inside the brains of hungry worms, researchers find clues about how they hunt
Perpetually hungry, worms are strategic when it comes to searching for food. The microscopic roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, or C. elegans, is known to spend up to 20 minutes seeking out snacks in its immediate surroundings before endeavoring to look elsewhere. Now, Rockefeller scientists have identified circuits in the C. elegans brain that underlie this behavior. […]
Researchers create organoid of a brain region to study cognitive disorders
In a lab dish, Yale researchers modeled two brain structures and their interactions to shed light on the origins of neuropsychiatric diseases. In-Hyun Park, associate professor of genetics, and his team created an organoid of the thalamus, a major hub that integrates sensory information and relays it to different areas of the brain. Organoids are […]
Researchers report new findings on familial primary distal renal tubular acidosis
In addition to regulating the body’s fluid balance by excreting greater or smaller amounts of urine, the kidneys also maintain the proper balance of electrolytes (salts) and the pH (an acid-base equilibrium) of the body. Excess acid is secreted into the urine by healthy kidneys. This process takes place in a specific part of the […]
Researchers find silicone wristbands to be an effective way to measure children’s nicotine exposure
Young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tobacco smoke and other environmental toxins, but their exposure is often difficult and expensive to measure. The results of those measurements, however, can be crucial for research on the success of preventative measures. Jenny Quintana and her research team at San Diego State University’s School of […]
Epidemic of autoimmune diseases pushes researchers in new direction
The immune system normally defends the body against everything from microscopic viruses to meters-long parasitic worms. But sometimes, it sets its sights on the wrong target: the body’s own cells. Autoimmunity problems cause many different diseases, depending on which cells are targeted. In Type 1 diabetes, it’s beta cells. Beta cells are located in the […]