For a few individuals, scientists found genetic material from cancerous tumors in blood samples taken years before they were diagnosed through traditional methods
Category: biotech/medical – Page 20
Brain peptide ODN reduces hunger and boosts glucose regulation in rat study
University of Pennsylvania and Syracuse University scientists have discovered that a hindbrain-derived peptide, octadecaneuropeptide (ODN), can suppress appetite and improve glucose regulation without causing nausea or vomiting. Results suggest a glia-to-neuron signaling axis in the dorsal vagal complex that may be harnessed for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Glial cells in the brainstem produce ODN, a signaling peptide whose physiological role in energy homeostasis has remained obscure. Researchers now find that directly activating this peptide system in the hindbrain induces weight loss, enhances glucose disposal, and lowers insulin resistance in obese animals.
Unlike existing therapies targeting GLP-1 receptors, ODN achieves these effects without triggering nausea-related behaviors or emesis in vomiting-competent models.
Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’
PFAS have been linked with a range of health issues including decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, and a higher risk of certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified a family of bacterial species, found naturally in the human gut, that absorb various PFAS molecules from their surroundings. When nine of these bacterial species were introduced into the guts of mice to ‘humanise’ the mouse microbiome, the bacteria rapidly accumulated PFAS eaten by the mice — which were then excreted in faeces.
The researchers also found that as the mice were exposed to increasing levels of PFAS, the microbes worked harder, consistently removing the same percentage of the toxic chemicals. Within minutes of exposure, the bacterial species tested soaked up between 25% and 74% of the PFAS.
The results are the first evidence that our gut microbiome could play a helpful role in removing toxic PFAS chemicals from our body — although this has not yet been directly tested in humans.
Scientists have discovered that certain species of microbe found in the human gut can absorb PFAS — the toxic and long-lasting ‘forever chemicals.’ They say boosting these species in our gut microbiome could help protect us from the harmful effects of PFAS.
Noninvasive stent imaging powered by light and sound
In a new study, researchers show, for the first time, that photoacoustic microscopy can image stents through skin, potentially offering a safer, easier way to monitor these life-saving devices. Each year, around 2 million people in the U.S. are implanted with a stent to improve blood flow in narrowed or blocked arteries.
“It is critical to monitor stents for problems such as fractures or improper positioning, but conventionally used techniques require invasive procedures or radiation exposure,” said co-lead researcher Myeongsu Seong from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University in China. “This inspired us to test the potential of using photoacoustic imaging for monitoring stents through the skin.”
In the journal Optics Letters, the researchers show that photoacoustic microscopy can be used to visualize stents covered with mouse skin under various clinically relevant conditions, including simulated damage and plaque buildup.
New software simulates cancer cell behavior using genomics and computational models
In the same vein as weather forecast models that predict developing storms, researchers have now developed a method to predict the cell activity in tissues over time. The new software combines genomics technologies with computational modeling to predict cell changes in behavior, such as communication between cells that could cause cancer cells to flourish.
Researchers demonstrate first bidirectional asymmetric frequency conversion in a single system
A research team in Korea has experimentally demonstrated, for the first time in the world, a nonlinear wave phenomenon that changes its frequency—either rising or falling—depending on which direction the waves come from.
Much like Janus, the Roman god with two faces looking in opposite directions, the system exhibits different responses depending on the direction of the incoming wave. This groundbreaking work opens new horizons for technologies ranging from medical ultrasound imaging to advanced noise control.
The joint research team, led by Professor Junsuk Rho of POSTECH’s Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, along with Dr. Yeongtae Jang, Ph.D. candidate Beomseok Oh, and Professor Eunho Kim of Jeonbuk National University, has experimentally demonstrated a phenomenon of bidirectional asymmetric frequency conversion within a granular phononic crystal system.
Research brings hope for new treatments for spinal muscular atrophy, autism
Ancient bacteria that have evolved to become integral to our cells—converting nutrients from food into energy—may also contribute to neurologic disorders, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and autism, according to research in the lab of Yongchao Ma, Ph.D., from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.
Called mitochondria, these mysterious parts of the cell have even retained their own DNA. Traditionally they are known as the “powerhouse of the cell.”
In recent years, however, mitochondria have been recognized as regulating many functions, including gene expression and how cells communicate. Dr. Ma’s research focuses on how dysregulation by mitochondria may lead to motor neuron degeneration in SMA or improper neuron connections in autism.