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The significance of CHEK2 variants in cancer risk assessment

A new editorial was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on July 10, 2024, entitled, "Genotype matters: Personalized screening recommendations for germline CHEK2 variants."

27 Aug 2024

Study identifies Gα13 as a key tumor suppressor in ER+ breast cancer

In looking for new ways to fight breast cancer, scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School have unmasked a surprising role of a protein generally associated with cancer growth. They have discovered that in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer, this protein acts as a tumor suppressor instead. ER+ breast cancer constitutes about 80 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses, yet nearly 50 percent of women diagnosed with it experience a relapse after initial treatment.

27 Aug 2024

New method uncovers hidden cancer targets

Fighting cancer effectively often involves stopping cancer cells from multiplying, which requires understanding the proteins that the cells rely on to survive.

27 Aug 2024

Computational tools reveal 3D structures of viral proteins

These rapid shifts mean that researchers are still trying to understand a multitude of viral proteins and precisely how they increase viruses' infecting abilities - knowledge that could be crucial for developing new or better virus-fighting treatments.

27 Aug 2024

New intranasal COVID-19 vaccine promises broad protection and accessibility

A next-generation COVID-19 mucosal vaccine is set to be a gamechanger not only when delivering the vaccine itself, but also for people who are needle-phobic.

27 Aug 2024

Novel approach reverses age-related cognitive decline

The authors investigate the physiological functions of Terc-53 by creating transgenic mice that overexpress this noncoding RNA. They observe that Terc-53 overexpression affects normal aging in mammals, contributing to cognitive decline and shortened lifespan.

27 Aug 2024

Grandparental education predicts grandchildren's biological age

Eating well, exercising and attending regular doctor appointments can support a long healthy life, but a new study identified one possible factor beyond our control: whether you had a grandparent who went to college. The study, from researchers at Drexel University and colleagues from the University of California and the University of North Carolina, was recently published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.

27 Aug 2024

The new covid vaccine is out. Why you might not want to rush to get it.

The FDA has approved an updated covid shot for everyone 6 months old and up, which renews a now-annual quandary for Americans: Get the shot now, with the latest covid outbreak sweeping the country, or hold it in reserve for the winter wave?

26 Aug 2024

How diet shapes gut microbiota and affects brain function

Researchers discuss the diet-microbiota-gut-brain axis, which describes the role of both diet and gut microbiota composition on cognitive and emotional health.

26 Aug 2024

Gut microbe metabolite found to modulate heart disease risk through β2-adrenergic receptors

Study identifies phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln), a gut microbiome metabolite, as a novel allosteric modulator of β2-adrenergic receptors, offering insights into its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

26 Aug 2024

Engineered human cardiac tissue reveals how lupus autoantibodies damage the heart

Study demonstrates that autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients contribute to myocardial injury by binding to and impairing stressed cardiac cells, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets.

25 Aug 2024

Study reveals metabolic switch crucial for memory T cell formation and cancer immunity

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has identified a metabolic switch in the immune system's T cells that is essential to the generation of memory T cells - which confer lasting immunity to previously encountered pathogens - and a T cell subtype found in tumors that drives anti-tumor responses during immunotherapy.

23 Aug 2024

Strength training triggers key mechanisms for cellular waste clearance

The elimination of damaged cell components is essential for the maintenance of the body's tissues and organs.

23 Aug 2024

Understanding nucleosome behavior during mitosis

Individual cells divide through a process called mitosis, during which the cell's copied DNA is separated between two resulting daughter cells.

23 Aug 2024

Protein from gut worms accelerates skin regeneration and reduces scarring

Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey have discovered that a protein produced by parasitic worms in the gut enhances wound healing in mice.

23 Aug 2024

Mutation in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein enhances brain infection

Scientists have discovered a mutation in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, that plays a key role in its ability to infect the central nervous system.

23 Aug 2024

Discovery of TLNRD1 protein could help better understand Cerebral Cavernous Malformations disease

Researchers have discovered a crucial protein, TLNRD1, that could help us better understand and treat Cerebral Cavernous Malformations (CCM) disease.

23 Aug 2024

Unique strain of probiotic bacteria shows potential in combating inflammatory diseases

There is a critical unmet need to help tighten and maintain a healthy intestinal barrier and treat a leaky gut. Researchers have now found that a unique strain of probiotic bacteria, Bifidobacterium bifidum BB1, enhances intestinal barrier function and protects against penetration of bacteria and various harmful agents in the intestine.

23 Aug 2024

AI advances drug discovery for mental health disorders with new receptor models

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help identify molecules that could serve as new drugs for mental health disorders.

23 Aug 2024

Defective ZNRF3 gene causes opposing brain sizes and potential tumor risk

A gene called ZNRF3, known to be involved in cancer, also messes with the mind. The human brain relies on two copies of this gene to build a right-sized brain. If one of the copies is defective, the brain will be either too small or too large - known as mirror effect -, leading to various neurological symptoms.

23 Aug 2024