A tool for understanding the molecular mechanism of autism and the mind. Autism is difficult to study and more difficult to treat because it is an individual condition lacking precise quantification. The development of mouse models of human mental disorders has proven a tractable approach to studying the molecular mechanisms, a new review argues and highlights the current state of the art in autism research. Whether or not the autism spectrum is a disorder to be treated or a disability…

… unlocking the secrets to brain diseases. Nanoscale view of proteins opens window to treat neurodegenerative illness. Many diseases affecting the brain and nervous system are linked to the formation of protein aggregates, or solid condensates, in cells from their liquid form condensate, but little is known about this process. This liquid-to-solid transition can trigger the formation of what are called amyloid fibrils. These can further form plaques in neurons causing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Biomedical engineers at the…

In MS patients, misdirected immune cells damage the sheaths of the nerve cells in the brain. Researchers at the MHH have discovered a mechanism by which these can be repaired with the help of a sugar compound produced naturally in the body. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). In Germany, more than 280,000 people are affected. In most cases, MS progresses in relapses, which occur completely irregularly as excessive inflammatory reactions in…

Cooperation between the University of Bonn, the USA and the Netherlands cracks the mode of action of clovibactin. More and more bacterial pathogens are developing resistance. There is an increasing risk that common drugs will no longer be effective against infectious diseases. Researchers from the University of Bonn, the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Utrecht University (Netherlands), Northeastern University in Boston (USA) and the company NovoBiotic Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge (USA) now have discovered and deciphered the mode of action…

Highly challenging to sequence and long overlooked, the human Y chromosome’s contributions to health and disease remain largely unknown. A new paper that presents, for the first time, the complete sequences of multiple human Y chromosomes from lineages from around the globe provides an essential step forward in understanding the roles of the Y chromosome in human evolution and biology. Even as the field of human genomics forged ahead at an astonishing pace, the Y chromosome— one of the sex…

Pesticide pollution of streams in agricultural areas has adverse effects for stream organisms. A new study, led by researchers from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), provides evidence that aquatic insect larvae respond to insecticide exposure with alterations of the genetic program. Crop protection products (Pesticides) are among the most widely applied chemicals and threaten freshwater ecosystems at a global scale. Unknown in particular are genetic responses of aquatic animals such as insects evoked by pesticide…

Our behavior is controlled through neural circuits in the brain. Molecular disturbances can lead to stereotypical behavior, as seen in neuropsychiatric disorders like obsessive-compulsive and autism spectrum disorders. A research team has now demonstrated that the absence of two proteins, Intersectin1 and Intersectin2, in mice leads to disrupted neural signaling and compulsive repetitive behavior, which is also observed in patients with Intersectin 1 mutations. This supports the idea that such defects can cause neuropsychiatric diseases. The study is published in…

Monitoring wildlife species present in specific areas is a critical first step to estimating the risk of transmission of infectious diseases to humans. In a new study, an international research team shows that the very cotton buds, which we all got to know so intimately during the COVID-19 pandemic, are a valuable tool to map biodiversity. This was the result of an international research team led by scientists at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) in Greifswald, a site…

Natural tobacco mutants impaired in their defenses produce more offspring in years of low herbivore pressure and thus persist in plant populations. In a recent study in PNAS, a team of researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, shows that a single mutation that has immediate effects on plant fitness is maintained over the long term in natural plant populations.When fewer herbivores attack, plants with this mutation even grow faster and produce more offspring. In…

Research team from the University of Jena, Jena University Hospital and Harvard Medical School clarifies an important mechanism of the effect of cortisone preparations in the treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. Whether you have a sports injury, repetitive strain injury or pain in the knee, cortisone preparations are often used to treat acute inflammations. Chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, diabetes and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases are also treated with drugs containing cortisone or derived drugs. This is…

Mice on a time-restricted feeding schedule had better memory and less accumulation of amyloid proteins in the brain compared to controls. One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that regulates many of our physiological processes. Nearly 80% of people with Alzheimer’s experience these issues, including difficulty sleeping and worsening cognitive function at night. However, there are no existing treatments for Alzheimer’s that target this aspect of the disease. A…

Genetic remnants of viruses that are naturally present in the human genome could affect the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers at DZNE come to this conclusion on the basis of studies on cell cultures. They report on this in the journal “Nature Communications”. In their view, such “endogenous retroviruses” could contribute to the spread of aberrant protein aggregates – hallmarks of certain dementias – in the brain. Thus, these viral relicts would be potential targets for therapies. It has been…

SARS-CoV-2 viruses manage to hijack human cells with a minimum of their own proteins and use them as incubators for their offspring. One of these multifunctional viral proteins is the nucleocapsid protein (N), which plays a key role in viral replication and packaging. Researchers from Goethe University Frankfurt have now discovered how N recognizes both viral RNA in general as well as specific RNA positions with the help of “fingers”. In the latter, N adapts to the increased temperature of…

How a supposed “nuclear” receptor makes TCR signaling possible. According to new research in the journal Immunity, T cells have a nuclear receptor doing something very odd—but very important—to help them fight pathogens and destroy cancer cells. This receptor, called retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα), is known to control gene expression programs in the nucleus, but it also now appears to operate outside the cell nucleus to coordinate the early events triggered at the cell surface that lead to T cell…

… achieves positive phase I trial results. Cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cells (CALEC) procedure shown to be safe and feasible with early positive results of restored cornea surfaces or vision gains in four patients with severe chemical burns. A team led by researchers from Mass Eye and Ear, a member of Mass General Brigham, reports the results of a phase I trial of a revolutionary stem cell treatment called cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cell transplantation (CALEC), which was found to…

Mohammad Asadi partners with SHV Energy to distribute electrolyzer device that can convert carbon dioxide into propane in a way that is economically viable and scalable. A paper recently published in Nature Energy based on pioneering research done at Illinois Institute of Technology reveals a promising breakthrough in green energy: an electrolyzer device capable of converting carbon dioxide into propane in a manner that is both scalable and economically viable. As the United States races toward its target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by…