Researchers found that a common oral pathogen can grant tumors an anti-immune defense mechanism, protecting them from destruction by natural killer cells. Blocking this interaction might improve anti-tumor immunity in human patients.
MIT researchers have engineered a way to use human liver cells to screen potential antimalarial drugs and vaccines for their ability to treat the liver stage of malaria infection. The approach may offer new opportunities for personalized antimalarial drug testing.
Researchers found that chimpanzee grunts for 'apple' changed over time as they merged groups at the Edinburgh Zoo, sounding more similar to peers. This discovery suggests a shared building block of language between humans and chimps.
Human stem cells have been shown to repair damage caused by radiation therapy for brain cancer in rats, regaining cognitive and motor functions lost after treatment. The study uses human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells to replace damaged oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.
Researchers found a correlation between brain's response to angry or fearful faces and mental health symptoms after stressful events. Higher amygdala activity predicts greater symptoms of depression and anxiety in response to stress.
New reproductive technologies identify genetic disorders through fetal DNA analysis. Social pressures hinder breastfeeding adoption in Western nations, while advanced parental age increases autism risk.
Researchers have discovered a neural circuit that controls compulsive sugar consumption in mice without affecting normal feeding behavior, providing a potential target for treating compulsive overeating. The study reveals a distinct subset of neurons responsible for mediating food-seeking behavior and responding to reward consumption.
A study published in Current Biology found that athletes' performance peaks at different times of day based on their natural sleep patterns. The researchers used a novel test to characterize over 120 athletes' circadian phenotypes and discovered a significant variation in individual performance throughout the day.
Researchers predict that up to one in three Bornean mammal species will lose 30% or more of their habitat by 2080 due to deforestation and climate change. A targeted conservation approach, focusing on higher-elevation reserves, can mitigate this threat and safeguard biodiversity hotspots.
Researchers tracked jellyfish movements with GPS loggers and observed their swimming direction to show they can actively swim counter-current in response to drift. The findings could help predict and avoid troublesome jellyfish blooms, improving management of these ocean ecosystems.
A new drug candidate called DBIBB increases the survival of mice suffering from radiation syndrome, even when treatment was delayed by three days. The compound protects against DNA damage and enhances the survival of various types of cells, showing promise for treating acute radiation syndrome.
Researchers found that sea turtles imprint on the unique magnetic field of their natal beach as hatchlings and then use this information to return as adults. The study suggests that tiny magnetic particles in the turtles' brains respond to the Earth's field, providing a basis for their magnetic sense.
A study published in Current Biology found that stress hormones block empathy, while a game of Rock Band increased emotional contagion of pain in both mice and human strangers. Researchers discovered that biochemical changes related to stress prevented emotional contagion in animals.
Researchers discovered that hunting bats rely on echolocation calls from fellow bats to pinpoint insect patches. By aggregating and sharing this information, bats can improve their chances of finding prey despite the challenges posed by sparse distribution and long flight distances.
Monkeys can be taught to recognize themselves in a mirror through visual-somatosensory training, demonstrating the neural basis of self-awareness. The study's findings have hopeful implications for people with brain disorders affecting self-recognition.
Recent studies using brain imaging show promise in predicting future behaviors such as reading performance, math skills, criminality, and response to treatment. The technology may help identify individuals at high risk of failure, allowing for early interventions and prevention strategies.
A FDA-approved drug may help combat obesity by stimulating brown fat's metabolic activity, increasing resting metabolic rate, and promoting weight loss in rodents. Researchers discovered that mirabegron activates the beta-3 adrenergic receptor, a promising target for obesity treatment.
The journal presents studies on playfulness in dogs, dolphins, frogs, and octopuses, as well as its connection to humor, social bonding, and creativity. Researchers investigate how experiences in infancy shape a person's sense of humor and how playfulness affects adaptability and social success.
Researchers have sequenced the bowhead whale genome, identifying key genes related to longevity, cancer resistance, and DNA repair. Alterations in these genes may contribute to the whale's remarkable longevity and cancer resistance.
Belgian researchers used patient-derived stem cells to model frontotemporal dementia, a condition that affects about half of dementia cases before age 60. The study found a targetable defect in the Wnt signaling pathway, which can be corrected with genetic therapy or compounds inhibiting this pathway.
Regular smartphone use reshapes brain activity in response to touchscreen interactions, with the thumb being particularly sensitive to changes. The study found that smartphone users' brains show enhanced electrical activity when all three fingertips are touched, and this activity is directly proportional to phone use intensity.
Research suggests that generosity in children requires a deliberate thought process, unlike automatic moral evaluation. Brain activity studies found that only later reappraisal of moral scenes predicts actual generosity in young children. This insight may help parents foster generosity in kids this holiday season.
Researchers analyzed 160,000+ genomes to uncover subtle differences in genetic ancestry across US regions. Regional ancestry differences reflect historical events like immigration waves.
Researchers observed golden-winged warblers leaving their breeding grounds before a historic tornado-producing storm, traveling 1,500 kilometers to avoid it. The birds likely sensed infrasound associated with the severe weather, a phenomenon known as tornadic storm avoidance behavior.
Researchers explain how certain antidepressants, like SSRIs, can initially worsen symptoms by suppressing the release of neurotransmitter glutamate. This delay in effectiveness may be linked to the dual signal of serotonin and glutamate in brain neurons.
Scientists suggest rewilding crops by reintroducing lost genes to regain beneficial properties like disease resistance and higher nutritional value. However, these genetically modified organisms may face challenges for market penetration due to consumer concerns.
Researchers used virtual bodyswapping to decrease white people's unconscious biases against black individuals and adults' childlike stereotypes. The results suggest a potential method for approaching phenomena like racism, religious hatred, and gender inequality.
A new statistical model explains the emergence of major world religions around rising affluence in Eurasia. Researchers found that as individuals reached a threshold of 20,000 kcal/day, they experienced increased peace and security, leading to a shift towards moralizing religions.
Researchers found that Old World fruit bats produce bio-sonar clicks with their wings, enabling them to find their way in the dark. The ability is poorer than that of other echolocating species, but provides insight into how echolocation evolved over time.
New Caledonian crows exhibit preferences for holding tools on the left or right sides of their beaks due to their unique binocular vision. This adaptation enables each bird to maintain visual control over its tool, with one eye seeing further than the other towards the opposite side of the head.
A study found that high sugar diets in male fruit flies can cause obesity in their offspring through epigenetic changes affecting gene expression. Researchers also discovered a similar system regulating obesity susceptibility in mice and humans.
Researchers discovered that tamoxifen, a breast cancer drug, can target and control the survival and proliferation of stem cells responsible for blood cancers. The study found that activation of estrogen receptors with tamoxifen could block the excessive production of abnormal white blood cells in mice with blood neoplasms.
Researchers found that time-restricted eating can prevent metabolic problems and halt disease progression, even with occasional
A meta-analysis of studies on reduced-impact logging (RIL) and conventional logging found that RIL causes smaller shifts in species abundance and less harm to birds, arthropods, mammals, and bats. RIL certified timber can support the diverse benefits of tropical forests and promote sustainable forestry practices.
Researchers found that older individuals take in more irrelevant visual information due to a decline in filtering out non-task relevant details. This suggests a failure of attentional systems to suppress task-irrelevant signals.
Researchers found dogs process human speech in left- and right-hemisphere biases, similar to humans. Dogs respond differently to familiar commands and intonation cues, suggesting they pay attention to both who and how we communicate.
Honeybee populations are under stress due to various factors, leading to susceptibility to diseases. Researchers suggest that managing stress and improving nutrition could help improve bee immunity and health. They call for more basic science to understand the underlying immune responses and molecular mechanisms involved.
A study in mice reveals that Sox2 protein can convert NG2 glia, a type of support cell, into neurons in the injured cerebral cortex. This finding supports the notion that cellular reprogramming may become a way to replace degenerated neurons in the adult brain.
Researchers developed a sound-based training approach to enhance brain's distractibility, improving focus in aged rats and humans. Training reduced distraction-related errors and improved memory and attention spans.
A new study published in Immunity reveals that placental growth factor (PlGF) in the spleen activates harmful immune responses leading to high blood pressure. Mice genetically engineered to lack PlGF were protected from hypertension-related damage, suggesting PlGF as a potential therapeutic target.
Researchers have developed a computational model to design fusion proteins that target cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy cells. The model predicts the behavior of these proteins and can help identify promising candidates for drug testing.
Researchers discovered a mutation in adult fruit flies that prevents testicular cells from transforming into ovaries, maintaining sex identity. The study's findings have implications for understanding cell fate conversions and may lead to new therapeutic approaches.
A study published in Current Biology found that aggressive chimpanzee males sire more offspring, suggesting sexual coercion is an adaptive strategy for males. Genetic evidence showed that high-ranking males who intimidate females when they are not swollen had more reproductive success.
A twin study found that specific gut microbes are heritable and more common in lean individuals, protecting against weight gain. The findings suggest that genetic variation influences the composition of gut microbes, which can be used to develop personalized probiotic therapies to reduce obesity-related diseases.
Researchers develop robot that induces feeling of 'ghost' presence in healthy participants by sending mixed-up sensorimotor signals. The phenomenon is linked to damage in frontoparietal cortex and may shed light on schizophrenic hallucinations.
Transplantation of stem-cell-derived dopamine neurons restores motor function in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, suggesting a viable alternative to existing treatments. The therapy demonstrates efficacy and potency similar to fetal neurons, paving the way for human clinical trials.
Research on Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions may eventually lead to ways to prevent memory loss, learning disabilities, and devastating symptoms. Significant progress continues to be made with advancements in detecting neurodegeneration and predicting cognitive decline.
New research reveals that gut bacteria convert red meat's L-carnitine into trimethylamine-N-oxide, a compound promoting atherosclerosis. Gamma-butyrobetaine, another metabolite produced by gut bacteria, also contributes to cardiovascular risk.
Researcher Sean Young suggests that social media can be used to monitor and predict HIV transmission by analyzing psychological and health-related data from users. This approach has shown promising results in identifying individuals at risk of HIV transmission and increasing awareness of the disease.
A study published in Current Biology found that the brain's response to disgusting images can reliably predict a person's political affiliation. The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to analyze brain activity while participants viewed neutral, pleasant, and disgusting images.