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Research sheds light on a new mechanism for inhibitory synapse specificity in the cortex

Researchers at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have discovered that the cell adhesion protein IgSF11 determines the layer-specific synaptic connectivity of a distinct class of cortical interneurons.

15 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces accumulation of lipids and N-proteins

Scientists from the Netherlands and the US recently studied the localization of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins in postmortem lung tissues of COVID-19 patients and in SARS-CoV-2 infected Vero cells that were processed identically. The research is posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server, prior to peer review.

29 Jun 2021

New light-sheet fluorescence microscope provides high spatial resolution, lowers phototoxicity

A research group led by Takashi Saito, of the Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, developed a 2-photon excitation light-sheet fluorescence microscope which (1) lowers phototoxicity, (2) extends the field of view, and (3) heightens spatial resolution.

29 May 2021

Automated machine learning predicts male infertility based on Johnsen score

Infertility affects females and males equally. In male infertility, azoospermia (a medical condition with no sperm in semen) is a major problem that prevents a couple from having a child.

11 May 2021

New imaging technique captures real-time brain motion in stunning detail

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) images are usually meant to be static. But now, researchers from Mātai Medical Research Institute (Mātai), Stevens Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of Auckland and other institutions, report on an imaging technique that captures the brain in motion in real time, in 3D and in stunning detail, providing a potential diagnostic tool for detecting difficult-to-spot conditions such as obstructive brain disorders and aneurysms - before they become life threatening.

6 May 2021

Novel method provides faster and more precise diagnostics in histopathology

Histology is the study of biological tissues at a microscopic level. Also called microscopic anatomy, histology is widely used to provide diagnosis of cancer and other diseases.

30 Apr 2021

Feline model of SARS-CoV-2 infection imitates COVID-19 in humans

Researchers in the United States have validated a feline model of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that closely imitates coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in humans.

15 Apr 2021

Real-time imaging shines light on the coordination of neural stem cell activation

In all adult vertebrates, neural stem cells can be recruited to produce new neurons in the brain. However, little is known about these so-called "activation" processes.

8 Apr 2021

Computer-based approach helps diagnose neurological disorders based on motor impairment

The way we move says a lot about the state of our brain. While normal motor behavior points to a healthy brain function, deviations can indicate impairments owing to neurological diseases.

7 Apr 2021

HSV-1 infection induces strain-specific transcriptional differences in infected neurons

Why do some people with cold sores around their lips experience painful lesions, while others have no symptoms at all, yet still spread the virus? A new study conducted at Penn State finds that these differences could be due to variations in the way certain strains of herpes simplex (HSV-1) -- the virus that causes cold sores, as well as genital herpes -- activate gene expression in neurons.

29 Mar 2021

Inhalable nanobody shows potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in vivo

Researchers have developed a stable and ultrapotent homotrimeric Pittsburgh inhalable Nanobody 21 (PiN-21) against SARS-CoV-2 infection in Syrian hamsters. They demonstrated the high therapeutic efficacy of this homotrimeric Nb, leveraging both intranasal and aerosol delivery.

26 Feb 2021

RIG-1-like receptors may play dominant role in suppressing SARS-CoV-2 infection

A new study by researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center, USA, reports the crucial nature of the pathogen pattern recognition receptor (PRRs), especially the two RLRs, retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), in triggering host cell immune responses within the cell. The RLRs are viral RNA sensors.

15 Feb 2021

Elevated ACE2 and inflammation levels increase risk for pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2

Among the hundred million or so cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that have occurred since the pandemic began, pregnant women have been a conspicuous risk group. However, the exact nature of the risk they and their fetuses face, and the mechanism by which it operates, is far from clear.

2 Feb 2021

Inhaled single dose vaccine creates antibodies and prevents infection in rhesus macaques

Now, a new preprint research paper describes a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine that, when administered intranasally in rhesus macaques, led to a robust immune response and demonstrated protection against infection by the virus that causes COVID-19, namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The preprint is published on the bioRxiv server.

1 Feb 2021

Comprehensive review details the evolution of surgical microscopes

A clear view of anatomical structures is vital for the success of surgery--especially in microsurgery where narrow anatomical cavities or proximity to vulnerable organs and tissues can pose significant risks to patient health.

5 Jan 2021

SARS-CoV-2 infected alveolar type-II lung cells show senescence

Using monoclonal antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and senescent markers, researchers provide evidence that virus-infected lung cells acquire characteristics of cellular senescence, which also leads to expression of proinflammatory cytokines.

5 Jan 2021

Researchers discover novel mechanism by which cells turn over mitochondria

Mitochondria are cellular organelles that generate most of the energy cells need to function, and thus play an important role in maintaining cell health.

21 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 deactivation on surfaces in 30 seconds with a copper paste

In a recent bioRxiv preprint paper, a team of researchers shows the possibility of using copper, in a new conformation, for effectively killing microbes immediately.

18 Nov 2020

Study investigates similarities between network of galaxies and network of neuronal cells in the human brain

In their paper published in Frontiers of Physics, Franco Vazza (astrophysicist at the University of Bologna) and Alberto Feletti (neurosurgeon at the University of Verona) investigated the similarities between two of the most challenging and complex systems in nature: the cosmic network of galaxies and the network of neuronal cells in the human brain.

17 Nov 2020

Microsurgery improves outcomes in patients experiencing paralysis from Parsonage-Turner Syndrome

Orthopedic surgeons at Hospital for Special Surgery performed successful microsurgery to repair damaged nerves and restore muscle strength and movement to patients experiencing paralysis from Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, according to a study published online ahead of print in The Journal of Hand Surgery.

27 Oct 2020