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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

Memory cues may help reduce alcohol consumption, study finds

Researchers exploring the role memory plays in alcohol consumption believe it could help people drink less booze.

23 Aug 2024

EEG technology marks 100 years with promising future innovations

One hundred years after the human brain's electrical activity was first recorded, experts are celebrating the legacy of its discovery and sharing their predictions and priorities for its future.

23 Aug 2024

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

Study reveals how brain pathways aid motor recovery after injury

Stroke and spinal cord injuries can severely impair motor functions, and understanding how to promote recovery is a critical challenge.

23 Aug 2024

Cytek® Biosciences automates panel design with new intelligent algorithm

With the SpectroPanel tool, Cytek Cloud transforms flow cytometry panel design, enabling rapid optimization and enhancing research capabilities for scientists.

From Cytek Biosciences 23 Aug 2024

Maternal gut bacteria linked to changes in fetal brain metabolism

The impact of Bifidobacterium breve's presence in the maternal gut during pregnancy on fetal brain metabolism.

23 Aug 2024

Cognitive behavioral therapy enhances the mental well-being and life quality of cancer patients

The impact of cognitive-behavioral treatment on the mental health and quality of life of cancer patients.

23 Aug 2024

Maternal smoking increases risk of severe neonatal morbidity, even at low intensity

Researchers explore the association between severe neonatal morbidity and maternal smoking before or during pregnancy.

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

New Mpox strain sparks global health alert

On Wednesday, August 14th, 2024, in response to the active circulation of clade 1 monkeypox virus (MPXV) in Central Africa and the recent expansion of a subtype (1b) thought to be more lethal and transmissible in East Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), paving the way for enhanced coordination between regional health systems and the active engagement of stakeholders to tackle this global outbreak. The following day, Thursday August 15, Sweden reported the first positive case of clade 1b mpox on European soil. This led the French government to place the French health system on maximum alert on Friday, August 16, and the French authorities have now begun to re-evaluate the health recommendations established in 2022 during the previous mpox outbreak in preparation for the probable emergence of cases in the country.

23 Aug 2024

Novel screening method for blood-brain barrier penetration

Scientists at Southwest Research Institute have developed a new screening method to identify drug formulations that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB), to facilitate treatment of brain diseases and conditions.

23 Aug 2024

Exploring the impact of thyroid hormone on brain function

Thyroid hormone plays a key role in regulating a range of physiologic functions, including metabolism, temperature, heart rate, and growth. It accomplishes this impressive array of activities by interacting with almost every organ system in the body. Yet despite a long history of research on how thyroid hormone influences different organs, its effects on arguably the most crucial organ - the brain - have remained shrouded in mystery.

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

FDA-approved drug could revolutionize organ transplantation

Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University report that they were able to successfully put tadpoles of Xenopus laevis frogs into a hibernation-like torpor state using donepezil (DNP), a drug approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer's. The team had previously used another drug, SNC80, to achieve similar results in tadpoles and enhance the survival of whole mammalian hearts for transplants, but SNC80 is not approved for clinical use in humans because it can cause seizures. By contrast, DNP is already being used in the clinic, meaning it potentially could be rapidly repurposed for use in emergency situations to prevent irreversible organ injury while a person is being transported to a hospital.

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

Promising new approach to treating type 2 diabetes

An estimated 462 million people around the world suffer from Type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease in which the body has problems using sugar as a fuel, leading to a buildup of sugar in the blood and chronic health issues.

23 Aug 2024

Rising IBD incidence highlights need for non-invasive biomarkers in diagnosis

The global burden of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), primarily Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), continues to rise. Recent data show incidence rates of up to 17.8 cases per 100,000 person-years for CD and even higher for UC, reaching 28.4 per 100,000 person-years. These diseases primarily affect older populations and vary geographically, with higher prevalence rates in highly developed countries.

23 Aug 2024

SCARB2 deficiency disrupts bile acid metabolism and gut microbiome

The study details the connection between SCARB2 deficiency and gastrointestinal dysfunction, revealing that the loss of SCARB2 leads to alterations in bile acid metabolism and dysbiosis in the gut microbiome. This disruption affects the signaling pathway involving FXR, which normally regulates bile acid synthesis and intestinal lipid absorption. The hyperactive FXR in Scarb2-deficient mice leads to a decrease in epithelial cell turnover and lipid malabsorption, particularly impacting the absorption of vitamin E, which is crucial for maintaining neurological health. The researchers further explored the impact of these changes on the gut-liver axis and found alterations in the expression of genes related to bile acid synthesis.

23 Aug 2024

T cells influence memory of innate immune cells, research shows

Research from Radboud University Medical Center reveals that T cells from the adaptive immune system can manipulate the memory of innate immune cells.

22 Aug 2024