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Category: biotech/medical – Page 76

Low-oxygen air slows Parkinson’s progression and restores movement in mice

Researchers from the Broad Institute and Mass General Brigham have shown that a low-oxygen environment—similar to the thin air found at Mount Everest base camp—can protect the brain and restore movement in mice with Parkinson’s-like disease.

The new research, in Nature Neuroscience, suggests that cellular dysfunction in Parkinson’s leads to the accumulation of excess oxygen molecules in the brain, which then fuel neurodegeneration—and that reducing could help prevent or even reverse Parkinson’s symptoms.

“The fact that we actually saw some reversal of neurological damage is really exciting,” said co-senior author Vamsi Mootha, an institute member at the Broad, professor of systems biology and medicine at Harvard Medical School, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator in the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system.

Ultra-short RNA insertions offer scalable, cost-effective gene silencing for agriculture

A team of researchers from the Spanish National Research Council has made a significant advance in plant biotechnology by developing a new method for silencing genes. The novel technique uses ultra-short ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequences carried by genetically modified viruses to achieve genetic silencing, allowing the customization of plant traits. The work, published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal, opens up new avenues for crop improvement, functional genomics, and sustainable agriculture.

Viral vector technology involves modifying viruses, removing the genetic material that causes disease, to turn them into vehicles that carry the RNA sequence to be introduced into an organism. This technique, when applied to plants, has already proven effective under experimental conditions in inducing flowering and accelerating the development of improved crop varieties, modifying plant architecture to facilitate adaptation to mechanization, improving drought tolerance, and producing metabolites beneficial to human health, among other applications.

Now, the method developed by the CSIC, together with the Valencian University Institute for Research on the Conservation and Improvement of Agrodiversity (COMAV) and the Italian Department of Applications and Innovation in Supercomputing (Cineca), represents an optimization of technological platforms to accelerate the development and validation of agricultural applications based on viral vectors.

More Exercise Isn’t Always Better: New Study Reveals the Surprising Secret to a Younger Brain

Moderate exercise may slow brain aging, protecting cognition and brain structure, while too little or too much activity may have the opposite effect. A new scientific investigation using data from accelerometers and brain MRI scans suggests that engaging in moderate physical activity could help s

New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes

University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have developed a “two-in-one” molecule that can simultaneously turn off two notoriously difficult-to-target cancer-related genes, KRAS and MYC, as well as directly deliver drugs to tumors that express these genes. This advance holds special promise for treating cancers that have been historically challenging to treat.

The new technology incorporates novel compositions of inverted RNAi molecules that have shown a marked ability to co-silence mutated KRAS and over-expressed MYC. RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular process that uses small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to selectively turn off, or silence, mutated genes. The co-silencing resulted in up to a 40-fold improvement in inhibition of cancer cell viability compared to the use of individual siRNAs.

The laboratory findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on July 31.

Researchers create shape-shifting robot that liquifies to escape cage

Researchers from China and us create shape shifting robot:

In a scene straight out of science fiction, researchers from China and the U.S. have developed a shape-shifting robot made from magnetically responsive liquid metal that can melt, flow, escape confinement, and reassemble itself—all on command.

Inspired by sea cucumbers and powered by gallium, a metal with a melting point just above room temperature, the robot can switch between solid and liquid states using magnetic fields. During tests, it was able to melt, escape from a prison-like cage, and then re-solidify into its original form—without losing function.

Unlike traditional rigid robots, this breakthrough allows machines to:

* Navigate tight or complex spaces * Heal themselves or split apart to avoid damage * Perform surgical tasks inside the human body without invasive procedures * Transition between tool-like solidity and liquid flexibility.

The magnetic fields not only induce the phase change but also control movement, making the robot swim, climb walls, and even jump. Researchers envision future uses in minimally invasive medicine, like removing foreign objects from internal organs, or in electronic assembly, where the robot could flow into hard-to-reach places and form circuits.

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Quantitative and Compositional MRI of the Articular Cartilage: A Narrative Review

This review examines the latest advancements in compositional and quantitative cartilage MRI techniques, addressing both their potential and challenges. The integration of these advancements promises to improve disease detection, treatment monitoring, and overall patient care. We want to highlight the pivotal task of translating these techniques into widespread clinical use, the transition of cartilage MRI from technical validation to clinical application, emphasizing its critical role in identifying early signs of degenerative and inflammatory joint diseases. Recognizing these changes early may enable informed treatment decisions, thereby facilitating personalized medicine approaches. The evolving landscape of cartilage MRI underscores its increasing importance in clinical practice, offering valuable insights for patient management and therapeutic interventions.

Human intestine shows rapid evolutionary changes compared to other mammals

Research from an international team finds that the human gut is a site of rapid change, with recent and important deviations from other mammals, including our closest living relative, the chimpanzee.

Led by Gray Camp, Ph.D., of Roche Innovation Center in Basel, Switzerland; Jason Spence, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan and Craig Lowe, Ph.D., of Duke University, the team used to create human, chimp and mouse intestinal organoids—tiny models of the intestine that offer an unprecedented glimpse into the development of the small intestine.

The work was published in the journal Science.

Scientists map the genes behind diet and dementia risk

Concordance was high between imputed and sequenced APOE genotypes. Moreover, the researchers replicated known GWAS associations with diet-related biomarkers.

The authors also noted several limitations to provide context for future research. These include that the study population was predominantly of European ancestry, which may limit the generalizability of findings, and that the specific participant criteria (e.g., overweight, family history of dementia) mean the resource is not representative of the general population. They also advise that potential batch effects from specimen type and study site should be accounted for in future analyses.

This genetic resource enables analyses of genetic contributions to variability in cognitive responses to the MIND diet, supporting integrative analysis with other data types to delineate underlying biological mechanisms. The data will be made available to other researchers via The National Institute on Aging Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease Data Storage Site (NIAGADS).

Scientists develop method to optimize delivery of mRNA to cells

Researchers have developed a simple yet highly effective method for delivering mRNA to target cells, opening up new possibilities for future non-vaccine mRNA medicines for a broad range of diseases.

The Monash University study, published in Nature Nanotechnology, is a significant development in how mRNA is precisely delivered to cells to maximize efficacy and minimize off-target effects—vital components for future mRNA medicines as they continue to evolve.

Led by the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Scientists (MIPS), the interdisciplinary team of researchers used advanced technologies coupled with preclinical studies to produce a highly versatile method that captures and attaches antibodies to the surface of mRNA-loaded while the antibodies are in their optimal orientation, thus enhancing the mRNA’s effectiveness and reducing side effects by making sure it only reaches its target destination.

Lysosomal membrane homeostasis and its importance in physiology and disease

Lysosomes degrade cellular components, and their membrane is an important signalling hub. Recent insights into the mechanisms that maintain lysosomal membrane homeostasis — including the interplay between membrane damage, repair, lysophagy and lysosome biogenesis — highlight their importance in physiology, in disease and during ageing.

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