Lifeboat Foundation

Each cell works differently.

When viruses enter the body, such as during an influenza or a gastrointestinal infection, the processes within the infected cells change: In the worst case, the virus takes the helm and reprograms the cell to its advantage. It then produces viral components on a massive scale allowing the intruder to multiply exponentially.

In other cells, however, the virus may be successfully eliminated by the activation of cellular defense mechanisms. But how can it be that one cell is overrun and another succeeds in getting the virus under control? How quickly do individual cells react to a viral attack and which protective genes are activated?

Continue reading “The battle between virus and host cell” »

Peptides, one of the fundamental building blocks of life, can be formed from the primitive precursors of amino acids under conditions similar to those expected on the primordial Earth, finds a new UCL study.

The findings, published in Nature, could be a missing piece of the puzzle of how life first formed.

“Peptides, which are chains of amino acids, are an absolutely essential element of all life on Earth. They form the fabric of proteins, which serve as catalysts for biological processes, but they themselves require enzymes to control their formation from amino acids,” explained the study’s lead author, Dr Matthew Powner (UCL Chemistry).

The revenue Activision is gaining from team sales and sponsorships is adding up fast, and there’s a lot more to come.

This op-ed originally appeared in the June 10, 2019 issue of SpaceNews magazine.

If humanity is to ever settle new planets, we will need radically new technologies; this much is obvious. But we may already have the perfect material to step up and fill the role: graphene. It is easily transported, easily manipulated, and an abundance of carbon in the galaxy could bode well for graphene, which is a carbon-based material. Its strength and versatility could well become a crucial component in colonization. For instance, spacecraft filled with advanced, massive 3D printers could ferry intrepid settlers to new corners of the galaxy, supplying a near-endless supply of material and equipment, perhaps even being used to construct homes that can withstand the conditions of other worlds.

Graphene’s discovery in 2004 sparked the flame of endless possibility within the science and technology communities due to its astounding properties. Only a single atomic layer thick and constructed in a lattice, honeycomb-like formation, graphene is nearly 200 times stronger than steel and better at conducting electricity and heat than any other conductor. It’s flexible, allows 97 percent of white light to pass through it (making it perfect for solar energy), and the list of properties continues.

In the most detailed and highest-resolution black hole simulation to date, an international team of researchers showed the Bardeen-Petterson effect for the first time.

A UK reporter’s harrowing story of losing sight in his right eye is sure to terrify anyone who’s been lax about contact lens hygiene. He contracted a rare parasitic infection, likely as a result of showering with his contacts in. The costly mistake required over 18 months of intensive treatments, and there’s a chance he may never see out of his right eye again.

Nick Humphreys, a 29-year-old senior reporter at the local Shropshire Star, told his tale in a column for the outlet this week. According to Humphreys, the trouble began in January 2018. His right eye, which had been noticeably dry for a week, became incredibly sensitive to light and filled with pain. After over-the-counter eye drops failed to do anything, he visited an eye doctor, where an ulcer was discovered. A visit to the hospital afterward eventually revealed the culprit of his symptoms: an infection of the cornea caused by a protozoan called Acanthamoeba.

Too often the surgical removal of cancer or its elimination through chemo or radiotherapy isn’t the end of the story, but where do the relapses come from? Part of the explanation may lay in what are known as cancer stem cells, which could be thought of as little seedlings that hide away in the body’s tissues until they feel the time is right to return to action. A newly discovered molecule has raised hopes of cutting these crafty critters off at the source, with early experiments demonstrating how it can latch onto cancer stem cells and starve them of what they need to survive.

(45 minute VIDEO) — 25 year CHIPSA breast cancer survivor shares what helped her heal!

Here is the first patient video from our Celebration of Life event, that occurred in September of 2018!

Ann Fonfa is a 25 year past CHIPSA, Breast Cancer Survivor who healed her disease through various integrative treatments. She was diagnosed in 1993 and had no idea how this would go on to change her life. Ann’s story is one of inspiration and perseverance.

Shelters support biodiversity while also capturing dust to improve air quality and storing rainwater.