The heart drug digoxin could potentially be combined with existing cancer therapies to prevent the spread of tumors, an early trial suggests. But questions remain.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 289
Mitochondrial Dysfunction May Lead to Diabetes & Other DIseases
Mitochondria are well known as the powerhouses of the cell. These crucial, energy generating organelles even have their own little genomes, and make their own proteins. Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can cause some serious diseases, and dysfunctional mitochondria have been associated with a wide variety of health disorders. Researchers have also found links between mitochondrial defects and diabetes.
There are special cells in the pancreas known as beta cells, which is where insulin is generated. When these cells are lost due to an autoimmune attack, type 1 diabetes arises. Some studies have determined that there are abnormal mitochondria in the beta cells of some diabetes patients.
Brain-inspired neural networks reveal insights into biological basis of relational learning
Humans and certain animals appear to have an innate capacity to learn relationships between different objects or events in the world. This ability, known as “relational learning,” is widely regarded as critical for cognition and intelligence, as learned relationships are thought to allow humans and animals to navigate new situations.
Researchers at ML Collective in San Francisco and Columbia University have conducted a study aimed at understanding the biological basis of relational learning by using a particular type of brain-inspired artificial neural network. Their work, published in Nature Neuroscience, sheds new light on the processes in the brain that could underpin relational learning in humans and other organisms.
“While I was visiting Columbia University, I met my co-author Kenneth Kay and we talked about his research,” Thomas Miconi, co-author of the paper, told Medical Xpress.
Adrenomedullin hormone as key driver of insulin resistance in obesity-linked type 2 diabetes
A recent study published in Science investigates the underlying mechanisms of endothelial insulin resistance involved in obesity-associated diabetes.
What causes insulin resistance?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body cannot adequately produce or use insulin, a hormone that facilitates the transportation of glucose from the blood into cells for energy. The activation of insulin receptors, which are highly expressed on the luminal side of endothelial cells, induces endothelial nitric oxide (NO)-synthase (eNOS) activity. Subsequently, NO-mediated vasodilation allows insulin to reach metabolic target cells including adipocytes, skeletal muscle cells, and hepatocytes.
Scientists Just Made Bacteria 1000x Bigger — And Discovered Something Incredible
This allows them to see how bacteria activate different genes in response to their environment, offering insights into microbial behavior, antibiotic resistance, and infection strategies.
How Bacteria Organize Their Activities
How do bacteria — whether beneficial ones in our bodies or harmful disease-causing strains — coordinate their activities? A recent study has provided new insights by combining advanced genomic-scale microscopy with an innovative technique to track which genes bacteria activate in different conditions and environments. Published recently in the journal Science, this breakthrough is set to advance bacterial research significantly.
Yale Scientists Just Cracked the DNA Code That Built the Human Brain
Scientists explored Human Accelerated Regions (HARs), genetic regulators that tweak existing genes rather than introducing new ones. Using cutting-edge techniques, they mapped nearly all HAR interactions, revealing their role in brain development and neurological disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
Decoding the Genetic Evolution of the Human Brain
A new Yale study offers a deeper understanding of the genetic changes that shaped human brain evolution and how this process differed from that of chimpanzees.