Ion News and Research

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Too much salt affects the functioning of phagocytes

For many of us, adding salt to a meal is a perfectly normal thing to do. We don't really think about it. But actually, we should. As well as raising our blood pressure, too much salt can severely disrupt the energy balance in immune cells and stop them from working properly.

30 Apr 2021

"COVID-19 diarrhea" depends on inflammatory response that is part of the disease

Researchers in the United States have provided important insights into the pathophysiology of diarrhea that occurs in some cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

29 Apr 2021

Study reveals mechanisms that cause muscle weakness in patients with Becker disease

Muscle weakness in patients with Becker disease is caused by unusual electrical activity in muscle fibres termed 'plateau potentials' that make them temporarily inactive, says a study published today in eLife.

27 Apr 2021

Researchers discover elusive cell type in fish sensory organs

One of the evolutionary disadvantages for mammals, relative to other vertebrates like fish and chickens, is the inability to regenerate sensory hair cells.

26 Apr 2021

Hypoxia radioactive marker will detect aggressiveness of tumors, eliminating the need for biopsy

Scientific advances in cancer research and new means of diagnosis and treatment have made it possible to cure many patients.

26 Apr 2021

Animal study shows how chemical compound in Indian Long Pepper works against glioblastoma

Piperlongumine, a chemical compound found in the Indian Long Pepper plant (Piper longum), is known to kill cancerous cells in many tumor types, including brain tumors.

21 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-1 utilizes ORF3a protein to trigger viral release

Scientists in the USA – from the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland – have recently uncovered the mechanism by which SARS-CoV-1 is released from the infected cells.

21 Apr 2021

An ion pump tested as a possible method to treat malignant brain tumors

Despite surgery and subsequent treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, the majority of patients experience recurrence of malignant brain tumors.

15 Apr 2021

Researchers uncover a new source of energy expending brown fat cells

A new source of energy expending brown fat cells has been uncovered by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center, which they say points towards potential new therapeutic options for obesity.

12 Apr 2021

Tapeworm infection drug blocks SARS-CoV-2 damage in the lungs

New research published in the journal Nature found the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs resulted in abnormal pneumocytes and spike protein-mediated cell fusion. Their findings also showed that TMEM16F protein activation induces cell fusion. Therefore, drugs inhibiting the TMEM16F/Anoctamin6 calcium-activated ion channel, such as niclosamide, could serve as potential treatments for reducing the severity of COVID-19 infection.

12 Apr 2021

New time-lapse system helps measure membrane tension

Ion channels play an indispensable role in cellular physiology, and understanding the physical features that affect ion channel functions is a matter of considerable interest to biologists.

9 Apr 2021

Researchers identify nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from plasticity to stability

Researchers exploring the developing central nervous system of fruit flies have identified nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from highly plastic into a less moldable, mature state.

8 Apr 2021

Breath Analysis: How Could it Improve Healthcare and Diagnosis?

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Santi Dominguez (SD) and Michael Graz (MG), CEOs at Imspex Diagnostics and Imspex Medical respectively, about the role breath analysis has to play in healthcare and diagnosis.

From Imspex Medical 8 Apr 2021

Solvation cages may lead to more efficient operation of high-voltage battery cells

Membranes that allow certain molecules to quickly pass through while blocking others are key enablers for energy technologies from batteries and fuel cells to resource refinement and water purification.

8 Apr 2021

Devastating liver disease itching turns out to have a surprising cause

A devastating itching of the skin driven by severe liver disease turns out to have a surprising cause. Its discovery points toward possible new therapies for itching, and shows that the outer layer of the skin is so much more than insulation.

5 Apr 2021

A new hydrogel for treatment and recovery of muscle injuries

A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the CIBER Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN) has designed and tested, at a preclinical level, a new biomaterial for the treatment and recovery of muscle injuries.

31 Mar 2021

Wireless neuromodulation technology could improve the lives of patients with brain disorders

Scientists make pivotal discovery of method for wireless modulation of neurons with X-rays that could improve the lives of patients with brain disorders. The X-ray source only requires a machine like that found in a dentist's office.

25 Mar 2021

Scientists produce high-resolution 3D image of sarcomere using electron cryo-tomography

Scientists have produced the first high-resolution 3D image of the sarcomere, the basic contractile unit of skeletal and heart muscle cells, by using electron cryo-tomography (cryo-ET).

25 Mar 2021

Researchers examine acriflavine's antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-2

Acriflavine is traditionally employed as a topical antiseptic, though has more recently been implicated as an antiviral agent at low doses, potentially by stimulating the production of interferon. In a new study recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, the application of the drug to SARS-CoV-2 infection is investigated, demonstrating a broad activity towards a range of other betacoronaviruses.

24 Mar 2021

Study provides groundbreaking insights into the passage of sodium ions through potassium channels

Ion selectivity is an important property of cell membrane ion channels. For example, potassium ion channels are more permeable to potassium ions than to sodium ions.