“For it to be doing this function in the context of PTSD in females is very surprising” said Tim Jarome, an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Animal Sciences. From humans to plants to single-cell organisms, there’s a protein that rules them all. This protein does general housekeeping of the cells, regulating them through normal daily functions. Virginia Tech researchers found that one specific form of this ubiquitous protein has a different function in…

A new device invented with the help of an electrophysiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center makes a heart procedure safer for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation (AFib), a common irregular heart rhythm. AFib affects millions of people worldwide and greatly increases their risk of stroke and heart failure. To treat AFib, doctors use cardiac ablation to help restore the heart’s rhythm. Heat or cold energy delivered through a catheter destroys the heart tissue causing rapid and irregular…

… with an aptamer/microelectronic fiber combination. A research group has developed a neural device that detects specific neurotransmitters in the brain with high sensitivity and selectivity by combining multifunctional fibers and DNA molecular probes. Details of their research were published in the journal Analytical Chemistry on April 24, 2023. It is estimated that over a billion people suffer from brain disorders worldwide. Current therapeutic techniques use electrical modalities to establish an interface with the brain. This typically involves electrodes being…

A Penn State-led team of researchers has literally put pencil to paper to create an accessible, affordable, waterproof and wearable sensor to monitor multiple vital signals. The team published the details of the pencil-on-paper sensor in Chemical Engineering Journal.  The team had previously designed a pencil-on-paper sensor that could be used in “smart diapers” to detect wetness. That sensor, however, was not hydrophobic, so while it was useful in detecting moisture, it could not be used to accurately monitor other health…

… may shed light on brain diseases. Chen’s lab uses focused ultrasound with microbubbles to examine glymphatic system. Like the lymphatic system in the body, the glymphatic system in the brain clears metabolic waste and distributes nutrients and other important compounds. Impairments in this system may contribute to brain diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases and stroke. A team of researchers in the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has found a noninvasive and nonpharmaceutical method to…

Diet drinks often contain a mix of non-nutritive sweeteners that also enter the bloodstream after consumption. As a new pilot study shows, even dietary intake levels of saccharin, acesulfame-K and cyclamate are enough to modulate the copy rate of various genes in white blood cells. “Our data suggest that this modulation sensitizes immune cells to certain immune stimuli,” says Dietmar Krautwurst of the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich. He adds: “Likewise, they also…

… provides insights into natural product biosynthesis. An international team of researchers from the University of Georgia, USA, and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, presents a promising strategy for elucidating metabolic pathways for plant compounds of medicinal importance. The research team studied the biosynthesis of two alkaloids from the plant Catharanthus roseus that are used in human medicine as anti-cancer agents. By using single-cell analyses, the scientists were able to discover new genes important for biosynthesis…

… hold promise for detecting and treating esophageal cancer. Irregularities in the body’s genetic coding to make proteins are linked to cancerous tumors. But most genetic material contains elements whose function isn’t clear. Could abnormalities in non-coding material also impact a person’s health, or even be linked to cancers as well? A new study by researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine suggests that the non-coding genetic molecules also play a key role in health and disease,…

In vitro experiments were conducted at a FAPESP-supported research center with a synthetic peptide inspired by molecules secreted by the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum. Resistance to antibiotics is a problem that alarms the medical and scientific community. Bacteria resistant to three different classes of antibiotics, known as multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, are far from rare. Some are even resistant to all currently available treatments and are known as pan-drug resistant (PDR). They are associated with dangerous infections and listed by…

Pulse radiolysis experiments at Brookhaven Lab revealed rapid reactivity that has never been observed before. Hydrogen, the simplest element on Earth, is a clean fuel that could revolutionize the energy industry. Accessing hydrogen, however, is not a simple or clean process at all. Pure hydrogen is extremely rare in nature, and practical methods to produce it currently rely on fossil fuels. But if scientists find the right chemical catalyst, one that can split the hydrogen and oxygen in water molecules…

Researchers develop a new method for the sustainable use of carbon dioxide. New synthetic metabolic pathways for fixation of carbon dioxide could not only help to reduce the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere, but also replace conventional chemical manufacturing processes for pharmaceuticals and active ingredients with carbon-neutral, biological processes. A new study demonstrates a process that can turn carbon dioxide into a valuable material for the biochemical industry via formic acid. In view of rising greenhouse gas emissions, carbon…

The number of infections with the fungus Candida auris is also increasing in Germany. This is shown in a new study by research teams from Würzburg, Jena and Berlin. Despite low numbers, scientists advise precautionary measures. Among the yeasts from the Candida genus that cause infections in humans, the species Candida auris is still relatively new: this species was only described in 2009, and to date no evidence has been found before the 1990s. It is unclear what ecological niche…

The bacteria present in the intestine provide information about the quantities of fungi of the potentially disease-causing Candida genus. Among them, and surprisingly, are lactic acid bacteria that are known for their protective effect against fungal infections. The findings of researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) and their collaborative partners from Denmark and Hungary add another piece to the puzzle of understanding the human gut microbiome. The human gut microbiome is an extremely…

A common chemical reaction that most people have seen first-hand is the inspiration for a new way to make a flexible gel film that could lead to innovations in sensors, batteries, robotics and more. A research team led by Texas Engineers developed what they call a “dip-and-peel” strategy for simple and rapid fabrication of two-dimensional ionogel membranes. By dipping sustainable biomass materials in certain solvents, molecules naturally respond by arranging themselves into functional thin films at the edge of the…

Researchers have used artificial intelligence to build a 3D model of the Commander complex, a bundle of proteins that act as ‘postal workers’ in cells, to better understand dementia and infectious diseases including COVID-19. University of Queensland researchers have used artificial intelligence to build a 3D map of key cell components to better understand dementia and infectious diseases including COVID-19. Professor Brett Collins from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Professor Pete Cullen from the University of Bristol led a…

The testis is the natural stem cell reservoir for the formation of male germ cells. Understanding this process is a prerequisite for enabling the formation of male germ cells “in the test tube”. This procedure is becoming increasingly important because it can be used to preserve and multiply the genetic potential of valuable individuals from which no vital sperm can be obtained. A science team at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), Berlin, and at the University…