Two new studies provide a significant advance in understanding how some species of monkeys such as sooty mangabeys and African green monkeys avoid AIDS when infected with SIV, the simian equivalent of HIV.
A protein that plays a key role in copying DNA also plays a vital role in repairing breaks in it, scientists have found. The work is helping researchers understand how cancer cells can resist radiation and chemotherapy, as well as how cells become cancerous in the first place.
Even the anticipation of sweets may cause our muscles to start taking up more blood sugar, say researchers. That message is delivered via neurons in the brain’s hypothalamus containing the chemical known as orexin and the sympathetic nervous system, the studies in mice and rats suggest.
Continue reading about Dessert on your mind? Your muscles may be getting the message
Scientists have found that combining two chemicals, one of which is the green tea component EGCG, can prevent and destroy a variety of protein structures known as amyloids. Amyloids are the primary culprits in fatal brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases.
Biodiversity loss can increase infectious diseases in humans, scientists show in a first-of-its-kind global study.
Continue reading about Biodiversity loss can increase infectious diseases in humans
Here’s a holiday news nugget for those who will experience “wrap rage” this season … According to a poll of Pennsylvania adults, about 17 percent of Pennsylvanians experienced an injury or knows someone who was injured while opening gifts during past seasons.
Continue reading about Wrap rage: A holiday injury waiting to happen
Getting the correct balance of proteins in our diet may be more important for healthy aging than reducing calories, new research suggests.
Continue reading about Balancing protein intake, not cutting calories, may be key to long life
Working with mice, scientists have shown that a protein made by a gene called “Twist” may be the proverbial red flag that can accurately distinguish stem cells that drive aggressive, metastatic breast cancer from other breast cancer cells.
Continue reading about Potential new ‘twist’ in breast cancer detection
Researchers are using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model system to unravel what genes and gene pathways are involved in the metabolic changes that lead to insulin resistance and full-blown diabetes in humans.
Continue reading about Diabetic flies: Fruit fly model helps unravel genetics of human diabetes
The body is a battle zone. Cells constantly compete with one another for space and dominance. Though the manner in which some cells win this competition is well known to be the survival of the fittest, how stem cells duke it out for space and survival is not as clear. A new study on fruit [...]