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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Innovative drug reduces inflammation in rats by inhibiting neutrophil activation

A newly developed compound that reduces harmful inflammation in rats caused by overactive neutrophils shows great potential as a safer treatment for various inflammatory diseases in humans.

23 Aug 2024

New analytical method for identifying cancer cell targets

What are the characteristics of a cancer cell that are recognized by the immune system? Knowledge of the potential target structures for the immune cells is a basic prerequisite for the development of personalized cancer immunotherapies. Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the NCT Heidelberg are publishing a highly sensitive method based on mass spectroscopy to identify such tumor-specific "neoepitopes". The analytical method is designed to detect these low-abundance protein fragments and requires minimal amounts of sample material.

23 Aug 2024

Olaparib effective against BRCA2-mutated prostate cancer

The anti-cancer drug olaparib may be effective in treating biochemically recurrent prostate cancer without accompanying hormone therapy for men who have mutations in genes such as BRCA2, according to results of a phase II clinical trial of 51 patients conducted at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and three other sites.

23 Aug 2024

The impact of stem cells on the epigenetic clock

How old are you, really? Your chronological age is the number of years you have been alive. Your biological age is how old your cells are which scientists believe may better assess one's age-related health and disease risk. People biologically age at different rates, depending on genetic and environmental factors, so that a person's chronological age does not necessarily match their biological age. In recent years, direct-to-consumer biological age tests have become increasingly accessible and popular as interest has increased in this nascent science.

23 Aug 2024

Immune cells' two-pronged approach to maintaining acetyl-CoA reserves

Immune cells use two different routes to produce acetyl-CoA, an essential metabolite required to fight infection and cancer, reports a study led by Van Andel Institute scientists.

23 Aug 2024

Study sheds light on the dual nature of cellular senescence

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have revealed a new secret regarding senescence, a cellular state similar to sleep that is more likely to affect aged cells.

22 Aug 2024

Study shows frequent mitochondrial DNA insertion in the brain cells

As direct descendants of ancient bacteria, mitochondria have always been a little alien.

22 Aug 2024

New technique speeds up screening of DNA molecules

Studying how single DNA molecules behave helps us to better understand genetic disorders and design better drugs.

22 Aug 2024

Asgard archaea's role in eukaryotic immunity revealed

When you get infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it were passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago.

22 Aug 2024

Research unveils how HMGA2 regulates stress responses in stem cells

Kumamoto University researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds light on how the HMGA2 gene - an essential transcriptional activator involved in chromatin modification - regulates stress responses in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), thereby enhancing blood cell production recovery.

22 Aug 2024

Responding to Mpox: Global outbreak, research innovations, and therapeutic strategies

In August 2024, the WHO declared Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) a global health emergency due to rising Clade I Mpox cases in Africa and Sweden, highlighting the urgency for coordinated global efforts to monitor and mitigate the spread of the virus.

From Sino Biological Inc. 22 Aug 2024

DNA scavengers break down antibiotic-resistant genes

For nearly a century, scientists have waged war on antibiotic-resistant microbes. Michigan State University researchers say they've found a new way to prevent it – by unleashing "DNA scavengers" in wastewater treatment plants.

22 Aug 2024

New discovery reveals how DNA regulates inheritance of disease mutations

University of Queensland researchers have discovered a mechanism in DNA that regulates how disease-causing mutations are inherited.

21 Aug 2024

New genomic technique tracks superbugs in hospitals for faster infection management

Researchers have developed a new genomic technique that can track the spread of multiple superbugs in a hospital simultaneously, which could help prevent and manage common hospital infections quicker and more effectively than ever before.

20 Aug 2024

Processed and red meat intake associated with higher diabetes risk

Meat consumption, particularly consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is associated with a higher type 2 diabetes risk, an analysis of data from 1.97 million participants, published today in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, has found.

20 Aug 2024

Progress and future directions in esophageal cancer screening in China

Esophageal cancer, a highly aggressive malignancy originating in the esophageal epithelium, poses significant public health challenges in China, where it ranks sixth in incidence and fifth in mortality among cancers.

20 Aug 2024

Precision medicine enhances prostate cancer treatment with genetic profiling

Men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer should be treated primarily with second-generation hormone drugs, which offer better treatment response and longer life expectancy than chemotherapy.

20 Aug 2024

Global and Local Efforts to Take Action Against Hepatitis

In this interview, we explore global and local efforts to combat viral hepatitis with Lindsey Hiebert, Deputy Director of the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination (CGHE), and James Amugsi, a Mandela Washington Fellow and Physician Assistant at Sandema Hospital in Ghana. Together, they provide valuable insights into the challenges, successes, and the importance of partnerships in the fight against hepatitis.

20 Aug 2024