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Simple technique could be a powerful solution for disposing ‘forever chemicals’

PFAS, a group of manufactured chemicals commonly used since the 1940s, are called "forever chemicals" for a reason.

18 Aug 2022

Researchers visualize antigen-bound T-cell receptor at atomic resolution

T cells are our immune system’s customized tools for fighting infectious diseases and tumor cells. On their surface, these special white blood cells carry a receptor that recognizes antigens.

18 Aug 2022

Key gene sheds light on how people develop tolerance to pain-relievers over time

UF Scripps Biomedical Research scientists have a discovered a key gene that is shedding light on how people develop tolerance to pain-relievers over time, a problem that raises risk of addiction and overdose.

18 Aug 2022

New study advances the understanding of genetic basis of autism

A new study of genes underlying neurodevelopmental differences has uncovered more than 70 that are very strongly associated with autism and more than 250 with strong links to the condition.

18 Aug 2022

Sublethal exposure to insecticides impair optomotor behavior in bees

The challenge to let people walk back and forth in a straight line isn't just used by police to test if drivers are intoxicated: it's also used by neurologists to diagnose neurological disorders like ataxia, where parts of the brain that coordinate movement are impaired. Now, researchers use an insect version of this challenge to show for the first time that modern pesticides damage the nervous system of honeybees so that it becomes hard for them to walk in a straight line. The results are published in Frontiers in Insect Science.

18 Aug 2022

Highly sensitive DNA test identifies neuroborreliosis in horses

A Rutgers scientist aiming to help heal a sick horse created an ultra-sensitive DNA test that could have applications for difficult-to-detect illnesses in humans such as Lyme disease.

18 Aug 2022

Neurobiologists find few clues to why heat promotes midday sleep

On the hottest summer days, you may find yourself dozing off in the middle of the day. In some parts of the world, it's a cultural norm to schedule "siestas" and shutter businesses during the warmest hours of the day.

17 Aug 2022

Immune cells preferentially use cellular waste products to power their function

The immune cells that protect us from infection and cancer seek out a wide array of fuel sources to power their function -; including some long thought to be cellular waste products.

17 Aug 2022

Researchers create novel mouse model for mapping protein communication between organs

Our many different organ systems are in constant communication with each other. During exercise, for example, muscles send out signals to fat and liver tissue to release their energy sources.

17 Aug 2022

Research suggests a new model of how beige fat biogenesis is controlled

Once considered an inert tissue, fat – or adipose tissue – is now known to play an active role in the body's critical functions by secreting hormones that regulate hunger and body temperature.

17 Aug 2022

Innovative technology revels the impact of environmental conditions on RNA structures in living cells

The impact of environmental conditions on the dynamic structures of RNAs in living cells has been revealed by innovative technology developed by researchers at the John Innes Centre.

17 Aug 2022

New technique keeps the cells alive during RNA extraction

RNA sequencing allows scientists to study the expression of genes in a cell. Since messenger RNA (mRNA) is generated from a DNA gene, that information can be used to identify the original gene sequence and thus measure the activity of thousands of genes (i.e. the transcriptome) in these cells.

17 Aug 2022

Scientists elucidate the structure of Type IV secretion system involved in antibiotic resistance

With antibiotic-resistant bacteria on the rise, scientists have been searching for ways to shut down the Type IV secretion system (T4SS), a protein complex on the outer envelope of bacterial cells that helps them to exchange DNA with neighboring bacteria and resist antibiotics.

17 Aug 2022

Study identifies the link between a gene variant and protection against coronary atherosclerosis

The protective effect of the newly discovered variant against coronary heart disease is likely to be caused by the below-average arterial stiffness of variant carriers.

17 Aug 2022

Genomic surveillance highlights the challenges posed by "shapeshifting" strains

A pioneering genomic surveillance study has provided the clearest picture yet of the arms race between Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for a range of illnesses such as pneumonia and meningitis, and the vaccines designed to protect against the most dominant types. A strain called GPSC10 was found to be a particular threat, due to its increased virulence, ability to transform its structure to evade vaccines and its resistance to several common antibiotics.

17 Aug 2022