Science & Technology
Tracing mechanisms of large exon splicing during vertebrate evolution
In vertebrates, large exons often skip splicing events and are evolutionarily conserved. Scientists from Nagoya University, Japan, have recently identified the mechanism behind regulated splicing of large constitutive exons which are rich in disordered…
Researchers develop ultra-thin ‘computer on the bone’
Researchers have developed an ultra-thin wireless device that grows to the surface of bone. Dubbed ‘osseosurface electronics,’ they could someday help physicians monitor bone health and healing over long periods.
Archaeologists discover salt workers’ residences at underwater Maya site
Maya archaeologists have excavated salt kitchens where brine was boiled in clay pots over fires in pole and thatch buildings preserved in oxygen-free sediment below the sea floor in Belize. But where these salt workers lived has been elusive, leaving p…
A stealthy way to combat tumors
Researchers uncovered a new way to indirectly activate T cells that can target tumors, by recruiting a population of helper immune cells called dendritic cells.
Role of psychotherapists in treatment effectiveness
New research shows that different psychotherapists use common treatment processes to varying benefits for patients.
Delta-like SARS-CoV-2 variants are most likely to increase pandemic severity
Mathematical model indicates SARS-CoV-2 variants that combine enhanced transmissibility with the ability to escape immunity cause more infections than variants with either trait alone. Understanding which type of variants are most likely to increase in…
Novel artificial genomic DNA can replicate and evolve outside the cell
Scientists successfully induced gene expression from a DNA and evolution through continuous replication extracellularly using cell-free materials alone for the first time. By adding the genes necessary for transcription and translation to the artificia…
A genetic change for achieving a long and healthy life?
Researchers presented new insights for improving the health span by just regulating the activity of a protein. A research group has identified a single amino acid change in the tumor suppressor protein phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) that dramati…
New link between diet, intestinal stem cells and disease discovered
Obesity, diabetes and gastrointestinal cancer are frequently linked to an unhealthy diet. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this are not fully understood. Researchers have gained some new insights that help to better understand this con…
Unborn babies could contract COVID-19, says study, but it would be uncommon
An unborn baby could become infected with COVID-19 if their gut is exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, finds a new study.
Plant-derived antiviral is effective in blocking highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, say scientists
A plant-based antiviral has been found to be just as effective at treating all variants of the virus SARS-CoV-2, even the highly infectious Delta variant.
Repurposed ALS drug shows promise in mouse model of rare childhood genetic disorder
Riluzole, a drug approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease affecting nerve cells controlling movement, could slow the gradual loss of a particular brain cell that occurs in Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1), a rare genetic diso…
Breaking down cancer’s defenses
Researchers have developed a new probiotic bacteria designed to break down solid cancer cell walls and make other therapies more effective.
Understanding how pathogenic fungi build their carbohydrate armor
A research team revealed the molecular architecture of fungal cell walls and the structural responses to stresses, aiding the development of antifungal drugs targeting cell wall components.
By keeping ferroelectric ‘bubbles’ intact, researchers pave way for new devices
Scientists have discovered that ferroelectric bubbles remain intact and retain their electronic and electromechanical (piezoelectric) properties in a freestanding state. The discovery offers promise for novel microelectronics and energy-related applica…