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Category: biotech/medical – Page 1,140

First-in-class targeted microRNA therapy slows cancer tumor growth

A new cancer therapy developed by Purdue University researchers attacks tumors by tricking cancer cells into absorbing a snippet of RNA that naturally blocks cell division. As reported in Oncogene, tumors treated with the new therapy did not increase in size over the course of a 21-day study, while untreated tumors tripled in size over the same time period. The paper is tiled “A first-in-class fully modified version of miR-34a with outstanding stability, activity, and anti-tumor efficacy.”

Cancer can begin almost anywhere in the human body. It is characterized by cells that divide uncontrollably and that may be able to ignore signals to die or stop dividing, and even evade the . The therapy, tested in mouse models, combines a delivery system that targets cancer cells with a specially modified version of microRNA-34a, a molecule that acts “like the brakes on a car,” slowing or stopping cell division, said Andrea Kasinski, lead author and the William and Patty Miller Associate Professor of biological sciences at Purdue University.

In addition to slowing or reversing , the targeted microRNA-34a strongly suppressed the activity of at least three genes—MET, CD44 and AXL—known to drive cancer and resistance to other cancer therapies, for at least 120 hours. The results indicate that the patent-pending therapy, the newest iteration in more than 15 years of work targeting microRNA to destroy cancer, could be effective on its own and in combination with existing drugs when used against cancers that have built .

The art of wandering in vertebrates: New mapping of neurons involved in locomotion

Walking is a complex mechanism involving both automatic processes and conscious control. Its dysfunction can have multiple, sometimes extremely subtle causes, within the motor cortex, brain stem, spinal cord, or muscles. At Paris Brain Institute, Martin Carbo-Tano, Mathilde Lapoix, and their colleagues in the “Spinal Sensory Signaling” team, led by Claire Wyart (Inserm), have focused on a specific component of locomotion: forward propulsion.

In a study published in Nature Neuroscience, they show that it involves a region classically called the mesencephalic locomotor region, which controls the vigor and speed of movement and transmits the nervous message to the via control neurons located in the brainstem.

This new mapping carried out in zebrafish corroborates recent studies in mice. It could eventually be extended to humans—helping to understand how movement control circuits can malfunction, in Parkinson’s disease notably.

Unlocking a secret nerve cell regenerator

Just like a gecko that regrows a broken tail, our peripheral nervous system knows how to regenerate the branches of its cells after an injury. Unfortunately, the cells in our central nervous system—our brain and spinal cord—are far more limited when it comes to regeneration.

Accordingly, diseases that lead to the degeneration and death of brain neurons, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS, are irreversible and incurable. So, what is it about the , which connects our brain and to the other organs, that gives it the power to regenerate itself so readily?

In a new study, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have discovered that a protein, previously known to be expressed only during , plays a key role in regenerating adult neurons in the peripheral nervous system.

Paving the Way for Tiny Devices Integrated Into Human Tissues — Scientists Develop New “Droplet” Battery

Researchers from the University of Oxford have achieved a major advancement toward realizing miniature bio-integrated devices, capable of directly stimulating cells. Their findings were recently published in the journal Nature.

Small bio-integrated devices that can interact with and stimulate cells could have important therapeutic applications, such as targeted drug delivery and promoting faster wound recovery. A major obstacle, however, has been providing an efficient microscale power source for these devices, a challenge that has remained unsolved.

To address this, researchers from the University of Oxford.

Five Interesting Facts to Know About Zirconium

Zirconium, the metal extracted from the mineral, zircon, may not be well-known, but its remarkable properties make it indispensable in nuclear power, the chemical industry, medicine and more. Since ancient times, zircon — a word believed to have originated from the Persian zargun, meaning gold-like — has been used in jewellery and decorations.

The IAEA has released The Metallurgy of Zirconium, a three-volume publication offering a comprehensive overview of the metal, its extraction, properties and applications in nuclear energy. Here are five interesting facts about zirconium.

Stem cell breakthrough cures gorilla’s arthritis in a first

A collaboration between researchers at the University of Sheffield and Budapest Zoo sees an aging gorilla walk again with ease. Will this treatment be fruitful for humans?

Scientists at the university of sheffield.

Liesel, the elderly matriarch of the Budapest Zoo, had been struggling to walk on her left leg, signaling a possible battle with arthritis. This marked the initiation of a unique collaboration between veterinary expertise and cutting-edge science to alleviate the suffering of the aging primate.

Could marine plasmalogens be the secret weapon to fight Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s?

The research paper reviews the potential benefits of marine plasmalogens, a type of glycerophospholipid, in combating age-related diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These compounds, abundant in marine resources, could improve lipid metabolism and reduce oxidative stress, offering a new avenue for improving the quality of life in aging populations.

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