Researchers created an AI algorithm, VarCoPP, to identify genetic combinations causing rare diseases. The algorithm provides confidence intervals for predicting pathogenicity, aiding doctors in diagnoses.
A European collaborative project SCREENED aims to develop new 3D in vitro tests to predict the effects of endocrine disruptors (EDs) on thyroid function. The tests will mimic the structure and function of the native thyroid gland, allowing for selective identification of male and female responses to ED exposure.
Researchers explore protein tyrosine phosphatases in metabolic diseases to understand diabetes development. They focus on inflammation's role in pancreas and liver cells, aiming to identify new therapeutic approaches targeting PTPs.
A study published in Nature identified a tumor cell population responsible for resistance to therapy and tumor relapse in basal cell carcinoma. The researchers found that vismodegib promotes the differentiation of tumor cells, leading to their elimination, but also reveals a dormant population of tumor cells with active Wnt signaling.
Researchers used magnetoencephalography to show that brain's ability to group sounds into sequences disappears during slow wave sleep. However, elementary associations like stimulus-reflex response can be acquired during sleep, suggesting limitations in learning capabilities.
Researchers at Université libre de Bruxelles have discovered a decoding mechanism for Wnt7 ligands, enabling precise interpretation of cell signals. This breakthrough has significant implications for understanding Wnt signaling and its regulation, potentially leading to new treatments for diseases like cancers and neurovascular disorders.
Researchers at ULB's IRIDIA laboratory have shown that robots can emerge with the ability to correctly order tasks, enabling complex missions such as disaster rescue. This breakthrough demonstrates a complex cognitive skill emerging from group interactions, paving the way for autonomous robot swarms in various applications.
A study published in EMBO Reports reveals that the Maged1 gene plays a key role in controlling addictive behavior. Researchers found that mice lacking the gene are unresponsive to cocaine and exhibit reduced dopamine release, indicating a promising new entry point for understanding drug addiction mechanisms.
Researchers at Université libre de Bruxelles estimate nanoconfinement impacts material contacts, interfacial interactions and vdW forces. Thinner films exhibit reduced contacts with silicon wafers due to weaker van der Waals forces.
Archaeologists from Université libre de Bruxelles uncover an exceptionally well-preserved mummy dating back to 1000-1200 AD at the Pachacamac site, offering insights into Pre-Colombian burial practices. The discovery provides valuable information on the local ancestors' worship and fertility symbols found in the area.
The study identifies embryonic mammary gland progenitors as multipotent cells that can give rise to both basal and luminal lineages. The researchers developed a novel strategy to isolate these cells and assessed their molecular features, revealing a hybrid transcriptional signature.
Researchers at Université libre de Bruxelles identified different tumor transition states during cancer progression and metastasis. They found that cells with intermediate EMT phenotypes are the most metastatic populations.
Researchers discovered that a natural alkaloid extracted from Daffodils, called haemanthamine, blocks the production of proteins by ribosomes in cancer cells, leading to their elimination. The study provides a molecular explanation for the anti-tumoral activity of Daffodils used in folk medicine.
The Mesp1 gene plays a crucial role in cardiovascular lineage segregation and regional specification of the heart. Single-cell molecular profiling identified distinct populations of cardiac progenitors with unique molecular features associated with early lineage restriction and region-specific identity.
A new type of diabetes has been identified caused by a mutation in the RFX6 gene, leading to reduced insulin secretion and increased risk before age 20. GIP analogs may provide a novel treatment option for patients with this condition.
Researchers developed higher resolution genetic diagnostic tools to identify genetic anomalies in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. The study linked novel DLG2 promoters and coding exons to developmental delay and intellectual disability, providing a potential pathogenic role in these conditions.
Self-reconfiguring modular robots can adapt their bodies by splitting and merging to become new entities with autonomous task or environment choices. The system enables robots to self-heal by removing or replacing malfunctioning parts, including a brain unit.
Researchers at Université libre de Bruxelles found that molecules move faster as they approach adhesive surfaces due to the nanoconfinement effect. However, this increased movement rate is only temporary, lasting until new molecules fill in the gaps and slow down the molecular movement.
Researchers demonstrate a universal probe for exotic states of matter by heating up quantum systems. This phenomenon is linked to the topological nature of the system and can be quantized in terms of a unique physical observable: the heating rate.
A novel lineage-restricted stem cell was identified in the mammary gland, maintaining ER+ lineage expansion during pubertal development and long-term renewing capacities in adult mice. This finding challenges the current model of cellular hierarchy governing tissue development and maintenance.
A team of researchers has uncovered a hidden world of water conduits and sediment ridges beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. These features are five times larger than those seen in deglaciated landscapes, shaping the ice hundreds of kilometers downstream.
Researchers have studied the amazing sticky weapon used by chameleons to capture their prey, revealing that it has a viscosity 400 times larger than human saliva. The combination of tongue morphology and viscous adhesion makes for an efficient adhesive system.
Researchers at ULB developed new methods to determine stem cell multipotency and unipotency with high confidence. The findings show that prostate cells are multipotent while mammary gland cells are unipotent, resolving a long-standing debate in the field.
Researchers have identified essential aspects of the regulation of the anti-tumor protein p53, with surprising results suggesting that only a few ribosomal proteins are required to maintain nucleolar structure. This discovery has significant implications for cancer research and development of new biomarkers.