A small segment of human DNA boosts brain size and complexity, revealing both the origins of intelligence and its evolutionary costs.
Category: biotech/medical – Page 852
One Stage of Sleep Seems Critical For Reducing Risk of Dementia
The risk of getting dementia may go up as you get older if you don’t get enough slow-wave sleep.
A 2023 study found that over-60s are 27 percent more likely to develop dementia if they lose just 1 percent of this deep sleep each year.
Slow-wave sleep is the third stage of a human 90-minute sleep cycle, lasting about 20–40 minutes. It’s the most restful stage, where brain waves and heart rate slow and blood pressure drops.
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Nanoparticle-cell interface enables electromagnetic wireless programming of mammalian transgene expression
Recent technological advances are fueling the development of cutting-edge technologies that can monitor and control physiological processes with high precision. These include devices that could control the expression of genes within living organisms, without requiring invasive surgeries or procedures.
Researchers at ETH Zurich recently introduced a new method that enables the electromagnetic programming of the wireless expression regulation (EMPOWER) of transgenes in mammals, via the interfacing of nanoparticles and cells.
Their proposed approach, outlined in a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, could help to treat chronic conditions, including diabetes, while also opening new possibilities for research in synthetic biology and regenerative medicine.
Faster, cheaper, better: the rise of blood tests for Alzheimer’s
Circulating biomarkers are quickly becoming a crucial part of diagnosis and disease monitoring for physicians, researchers — and even some consumers.
World’s first personalized CRISPR therapy given to baby with genetic disease
Treatment seems to have been effective, but it is not clear whether such bespoke therapies can be widely applied.
New Understanding of BRCA2 Mutation-Driven Mechanism Could Inform Anti-Cancer Drug Development
Inherited mutations in the gene BRCA2 significantly increase the risk of carriers to breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA2, a crucial player in the body’s DNA repair system, aids in repairing damaged DNA. This function is particularly intriguing as our cells constantly divide and replicate, passing on any genetic damage to newly developing cells.
Because of its significant role in maintaining genetic stability, BRCA2 belongs to a class of genes known as tumor suppressors. These genes code for proteins that control how often cells divide. However, when a tumor suppressor gene, such as BRCA2, undergoes a mutational change, the protein it codes for won’t function normally, resulting in uncontrolled cell division and, in some circumstances, cancer development.
BRCA2 predisposes carriers to cancer and research has shown that BRCA2-deficient tumors respond to therapies known as PARP inhibitors, which block the function of the poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1) protein. PARP1 becomes activated in tumors with BRCA2 mutations, resulting in the continued abnormal growth of damaged DNA.
Man Says Strange Fingernail Clue Was His Only Sign of Lung Cancer — Now, He’s Urging Others to Look Out for It Too
“Go and see your doctor if you’ve got anything that you’re concerned about – that’s what a [doctor] is for,” Brian Gemmell said
Quantum simulation captures light-driven chemical changes in real molecules for the first time
Researchers at the University of Sydney have successfully performed a quantum simulation of chemical dynamics with real molecules for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the application of quantum computing to chemistry and medicine.
Understanding in real time how atoms interact to form new compounds or interact with light has long been expected as a potential application of quantum technology. Now, quantum chemist Professor Ivan Kassal and Physics Horizon Fellow Dr. Tingrei Tan have shown it is possible using a quantum machine at the University of Sydney.
The innovative work leverages a novel, highly resource-efficient encoding scheme implemented on a trapped-ion quantum computer in the University of Sydney Nanoscience Hub, with implications that could help transform medicine, energy and materials science.
Zinc-transporting protein contributes to aggressive growth of brain tumor
In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the researchers detail their discoveries about why the brain tumor glioblastoma is so aggressive. Their findings center on ZIP4, a protein that transports zinc throughout the body and sets off a cascade of events that drive tumor growth.
About half of all malignant brain tumors are glioblastomas, the deadliest form of brain cancer with a median survival rate of 14 months.
“Surgery for glioblastoma is very challenging, and patients almost always experience a relapse,” said the study’s senior author. “By better understanding why these brain tumors are so aggressive, we hope to open up paths for new treatments.”