by Iliyah Maddox | Dec 11, 2024 | biology, health and medicine
Aging is a tale written by the cells in our bodies, although some cell types play a bigger role than others. At the crux of this story is an intriguing protagonist: the stem cell. These master builders, which can differentiate into any cell type, thereby helping to replace diseased or worn-out tissues, are essential for tissue repair and in maintaining health into old age. But as we get older, the capabilities of stem cells gradually diminish, which is known as stem cell exhaustion and is a key facet of aging itself. Stem cell exhaustion plays a role in a large number of age-related diseases, meaning that it could be a crucial research target in developing new treatments and techniques to help us age well. A Research Topic in the open-access journal Frontiers in Aging has been curated by Dr. Sarallah Rezazadeh of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Professor Georgina May Ellison-Hughes of King’s College London. The Topic collects groundbreaking studies into stem cell exhaustion under one open-access roof, exploring the detailed mechanisms underlying the phenomenon and establishing the field in a wider context to identify promising therapeutic approaches for those later in life.
by Iliyah Maddox | Dec 4, 2024 | biology, health and medicine
Researchers have made a significant advancement in understanding an important component of the nervous system: the neuromuscular junction, a crucial connection between nerves and muscles. A recent study performed by Charles Frison-Roche of the Center of Research in Myology in the Sorbonne University, Paris, and colleagues, reveals the role of proteins known as Muscleblind-like proteins, or MBNL proteins for short, which help to regulate motor coordination by helping to maintain neuromuscular junction stability. This discovery is potentially very useful, as loss-of-function of MBNL proteins is a hallmark of a genetic condition called Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (or DM1 for short). DM1 disrupts muscle control, leading to muscle weakness, problems with balance, and other symptoms that can get progressively worse over time. MBNL proteins, and their role in the neuromuscular junction, may represent new treatment targets in DM1.
by Iliyah Maddox | Nov 28, 2024 | biology, engineering and tech
In recent years, rapid advancements in techniques for genetic analysis and manipulation have enhanced our potential to understand and improve crop diversity. An innovative project led by Dr. Pasquale Tripodi of the Italian Council for Agricultural Research and Economics and Dr Sandra Goritschnig of the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources marks a significant advance in the study of lettuce genetics. Their recently published research platforms a highly sophisticated technique to analyse genetic diversity within lettuces called Single Primer Enrichment Technology, or SPET for short. This approach provides a highly detailed view of lettuce genetics and also has significant implications for agricultural resilience and crop selection and breeding.
by Iliyah Maddox | Nov 18, 2024 | biology, education & training, health and medicine
Our kidneys filter blood to remove waste and can regulate water balance. We’ve all experienced that when we’re thirsty urine becomes concentrated, signalling us to drink more water. When we drink excess water, we urinate more frequently, and the urine is diluted. The kidneys’ ability to concentrate or dilute urine according to our body’s need relies on countercurrent multiplication (or CCM), a complex process that generates a salt concentration gradient in the kidney. However, CCM is challenging to teach and understand. Dr. Serena Kuang, a researcher and educator at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, has developed a more understandable CCM model and clears up errors in existing explanations making CCM easier to understand and teach.
by Iliyah Maddox | Oct 30, 2024 | biology, health and medicine
Pulque, an ancient Mexican beverage, is making waves in the scientific community—not just as a cultural relic, but as a potential health-boosting powerhouse. A team of researchers, including Prof. Rogelio Valadez-Blanco, Dr. Yesica Ruiz-Ramírez, and Prof. Paula Guadarrama-Mendoza, from Universidad Tecnológica de La Mixteca, has been investigating the hidden potential of the bacteria found in this traditional drink. Their findings suggest that pulque’s naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria could play a key role in promoting gut health and even combating harmful pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses.
by Iliyah Maddox | Oct 24, 2024 | biology, engineering and tech
In the age of big data, and particularly in specialisations such as artificial intelligence, biology, and medicine, researchers often generate large and complex datasets that are challenging to analyse. This is particularly true for multi-view data, otherwise known as multimodal data, which are data that encompass multiple perspectives concerning a single entity or phenomenon. In the case of single-cell genomics, for instance, researchers can measure a huge range of different characteristics concerning an individual cell, such as RNA expression levels or protein levels. While multi-view datasets provide vast amounts of information, they are difficult to analyse because looking at each type of data within them provides only a small part of the overall picture. A new computational approach called Covering Point Set-merge analysis, or CPS-merge analysis for short, has been developed by Lixiang Zhang of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues, and it aims to assist researchers to merge the different types of data present in multi-view datasets into one coherent and meaningful set of results, without misrepresenting the individual contributions of each type of data.
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