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ACE2 and pattern recognition receptor genes increase with age

A recent study by researchers in California and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in June 2020 shows that advancing age is associated with increased expression of pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes and ACE2 receptors, possibly accounting in part for the increased severity of the disease in older adults.

17 Jun 2020

New microscopy technique can be used to study the progression of wound healing

Researchers at the GSK Center for Optical Molecular Imaging have developed a new microscope that looks at the different parameters that change during wound healing. They hope to use this technique to understand how skin disorders, such as foot ulcers in diabetic patients and psoriasis, can be treated.

17 Jun 2020

Gut bacteria can take control over the host animal's sensory behavior

Gut bacteria are tiny but may play an outsized role not only in the host animal's digestive health, but in their overall well-being.

17 Jun 2020

NTU researchers develop a sustainable way to extract high-quality antimicrobial compounds

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore have developed a sustainable and green way to extract high-quality antimicrobial compounds from seeds.

17 Jun 2020

Danish pipetting robot automates COVID-19 testing processes in hospitals

A Danish pipetting robot is automating Covid testing processes in hospitals around Europe. The robot, called flowbot ONE, significantly reduces the time it takes for laboratories to produce results for patients to tell them whether they are infected with Covid-19.

17 Jun 2020

Even brief exposure to certain chemicals can prematurely age the liver epigenome

The epigenome is sometimes referred to as the "software" or "operating system" of the genome. It comprises small chemical modifications to DNA and the proteins that make up our chromosomes, and controls the activity of all the genes within the genome.

17 Jun 2020

Persistent DNA damage in the placenta can affect embryonic growth

Scientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have shown that a dysfunctional placenta can play a previously unrecognized role during the earliest stages of development in mouse models of Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

16 Jun 2020

Researchers receive federal funding to rapidly repurpose FDA-approved drugs for COVID-19

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine will be partnering on an agreement funded by the federal government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to rapidly test hundreds of drugs, approved and marketed for other conditions, to see whether any can be repurposed to prevent or treat COVID-19.

16 Jun 2020

Diluting blood plasma helps achieve age-reversing effects in mice

In 2005, University of California, Berkeley, researchers made the surprising discovery that making conjoined twins out of young and old mice -- such that they share blood and organs -- can rejuvenate tissues and reverse the signs of aging in the old mice.

15 Jun 2020

American Thoracic Society calls for moratorium on tear gas use during COVID-19 pandemic

The American Thoracic Society calls for a moratorium on the use of tear gas and other chemical agents deployed by law enforcement against protestors participating in demonstrations, including current campaigns sparked by the death of George Floyd.

15 Jun 2020

Study shows how combining two drugs may be an effective treatment for HLH

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and Baylor College of Medicine are investigating how to best treat hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare immune disorder.

12 Jun 2020

Health workers resort to Etsy, learning Chinese, shady deals to find safety gear

A nursing home worker in New Jersey rendezvoused with "the parking lot guy" to cut a deal for gowns. A director of safety-net clinics in Florida learned basic Chinese and waited outside past midnight for a truck to arrive with tens of thousands of masks.

12 Jun 2020

WVU researchers develop new diagnostic and antibody tests for COVID-19

COVID-19 tests are in short supply. The companies that make the necessary chemicals--called reagents--can't keep up with demand. But researchers at West Virginia University are developing new tests on their own to identify who has COVID-19 now and who had it in the past but recovered.

11 Jun 2020

The egg decides which sperm fertilizes it

There is ample evidence to show that as millions of human sperm cells swim towards a waiting ovum or egg, only one gets to fertilize it. Now, a new study shows that even though the fastest and most capable sperms reach the ovum first, it is the egg that has the final say on which sperm fertilizes it. The study titled, "Chemical signals from eggs facilitate cryptic female choice in humans," is published in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

11 Jun 2020

New method uses human embryonic stem cells to generate 3D assembly of cells

Scientists from the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with the Hubrecht Institute in The Netherlands, have developed a new model to study an early stage of human development, using human embryonic stem cells.

11 Jun 2020

Federal help falters as nursing homes run short of protective equipment

Around the country, nursing homes trying to protect their residents from the coronavirus eagerly await boxes of masks, eyewear and gowns promised by the federal government. But all too often the packages deliver disappointment — if they arrive at all.

11 Jun 2020

Females mount stronger T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that immune cells, antibody levels, cytokine levels, and viral loads contribute to the sex difference seen in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

10 Jun 2020

Unique antiviral action of cholesterol 25-hydroxylase against SARS-CoV-2

A new study by U.S. and Chinese researchers, currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, demonstrates how cholesterol 25-hydroxylase and its enzymatic product 25-hydroxycholesterol can inhibit membrane fus

10 Jun 2020

The 2019 3Rs prize awarded to two pieces of novel research

The 2019 3Rs prize has been jointly awarded to Dr Francesca Nunn and Dr Marta Shahbazi for papers describing research that reduces the number of chickens and mice respectively. The 3Rs prize is awarded by the NC3Rs and sponsored by GSK.

10 Jun 2020

DARPA awards Meritorious Public Service Medal to Umass Amherst AI expert

Nearly 100 colleagues recently joined an online celebration to honor Professor Hava T. Siegelmann of the University of Massachusetts Amherst's College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS) as she received the rarely awarded Meritorious Public Service Medal from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the United States Department of Defense (DoD).

10 Jun 2020