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33 articles from ScienceDaily

‘Frameshifting’ therapy for mast cell cancers reduces size, spread

A potential new treatment for mast cell cancers reduces the number of mast cells by 'mutating' the messenger RNA (mRNA) before it can deliver instructions for manufacturing the gene responsible for cell proliferation. The method, known as frameshifting, changes the pre-mRNA so that the mature mRNA is degraded and any protein produced from its instructions is altered and inert. In a mouse model,...

Neutralizing the SARS-CoV-2 sugar coat

Researchers have identified two sugar-binding proteins that impede the viral entry of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. The team may have found the 'Achilles' heel' of the virus, with potential for pan-variant therapeutic interventions.

Insidious coral killer invading Palmyra Atoll reef

The reefs at Palmyra Atoll, a small outlying atoll in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, have been undergoing a shift from stony corals to systems dominated by corallimorphs, marine invertebrates that share traits with both anemones and hard corals. Marine biology researchers discovered that although the invading corallimorph is the same species that has been there for decades, its appearance recently...

Atomic nuclei and leptons: Milestone in the calculation of cross sections

A team has succeeded in computing how atomic nuclei of the Calcium element behave in collisions with electrons. Results agree very well with available experimental data. For the first time, a calculation based on a fundamental theory is capable of correctly describing experiments for a nucleus as heavy as Calcium. Of particular relevance is the potential that such calculations could have in the...

Enzyme treatment of skin samples improves microbiome analysis

Healthy skin has a bacterial shield to protect against germs: the microbiome. This complex assembly of microorganisms was previously believed to be difficult to decipher. A team of researchers has now succeeded in using the enzyme benzonase to identify the living bacteria in skin swabs through sequencing. Their method opens up new possibilities for diagnosis and treatment in dermatology.

Metamaterials research challenges fundamental limits in photonics

Researchers are proposing a new way to modulate both the absorptive and the refractive qualities of metamaterials in real time, and their findings open intriguing new opportunities to control, in time and space, the propagation and scattering of waves for applications in various areas of wave physics and engineering.

How Galápagos finches evade a parasitic fly

Darwin's finches on the Galápagos Islands are once again providing insights into the theory of evolution, with two studies investigating their dealings with the parasitic avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi). One study investigated which species of finch proved to be the most successful hosts for the flies, while a second study looked at how the birds cope with being infected by the parasites....

Through the looking glass: Unravelling how ions move in phosphate glass

Phosphate glasses are expected to have applications in a variety of fields. To improve their functionality, it is necessary to determine the association between their structure and ion diffusion characteristics. Recently, using first-principles molecular dynamic simulations, researchers have provided novel insights into the ion diffusion mechanisms of phosphate glass, suggesting that ionic...

Deletion of single gene promotes growth of functional lymphatic valves

A preclinical study unexpectedly identified the gene Foxo1 as a potential treatment target for hereditary lymphedema. Valve loss or dysfunction that disrupts the flow of lymph fluid is strongly associated with lymphedema in patients. But no one has discovered whether new valves can be grown or if defective ones can be fixed. The new study, using a model of human primary lymphedema, shows that both...

Common environmental pollutants damage mucus structure, function

Researchers review recent scientific literature about the effects of particle contaminants on the mucosal system, an internal membrane that serves as the body's lubricant and the first line of defense from infections and toxins. These data establish a clear link between exposure to airborne or waterborne particulate matter and several health conditions.

Computational evaluation of drug delivery reveals room for inhalers improvement

Increased air pollution in recent years has exacerbated health risks for people who suffer from pulmonary diseases and these dynamics underscore the importance of increasing the efficacy of drug delivery devices that administer active pharmaceutical ingredients to treat respiratory illnesses. Researchers describe developing a computational evaluation of drug delivery through both pressurized...

Only one human fat cell subtype responds to insulin stimulation

It is well known that fat cells can influence our sensitivity to insulin. Now, researchers have discovered that there are three different subtypes of mature fat cells in white adipose tissue and that it is only one of these, called AdipoPLIN, that responds to insulin. The findings may be relevant for future treatments of metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes.

Examining correlation between occupational noise, heart disease

Hearing conservation programs and policies aim to protect workers from noise-induced hearing loss, but it remains unclear whether stress reactions caused by noise exposure might also lead to other negative health outcomes. Researchers now describe how data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey do not support an association between loud noise exposure and changes in biomarkers for cardiovascular...