Livestock and dairying led to dramatic social changes in ancient Mongolia
The movement of herders and livestock into the eastern steppe is of great interest to researchers, but few scholars have linked the introduction of herds and horses to the rise of complex societies. Now, a new study in the journal PLOS ONE provides interdisciplinary support for connections between livestock dairying and the rise of social […]
Diet type can increase potentially harmful gas in the gut
Published in Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School looked at colonic hydrogen sulfide — a toxic gas in the body that smells like rotten eggs — production in people in response to animal- and plant-based diet interventions. “Although the role of hydrogen sulfide has long been a subject of great interest […]
A new polymer system to revolutionize the delivery of therapeutics
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently announced that they have engineered a new class of material, called a “polyzwitterionic complex,” or “pZC,” which is able to both withstand the harsh acidic conditions of the stomach and then dissolve predictably in the comparatively gentle environment of the small intestine. This property means that pZCs […]
Genetic diversity of C. difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Jacobs School of Engineering, with colleagues at Baylor College of Medicine, have used a systems biology approach to parse the genetic diversity of Clostridioides difficile, a particularly problematic pathogen in health care settings. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that the bacterium causes approximately […]
Terahertz imaging reveals hidden inscription on early modern funerary cross
In a multidisciplinary project, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech-Lorraine used terahertz imaging and signal processing techniques to look beneath the corroded surface of a 16th-century lead funerary cross. Led by David Citrin, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), the effort brought together imaging scientists, a […]
Ubiquitous nutrients suppress appetite and promote movement
In experiments on mice, researchers at ETH Zurich show that non-essential amino acids act as appetite suppressants and promote the urge to move. Their research provides insight into the neural mechanism that controls this behaviour. Proteins can suppress appetite, so a protein-rich diet can help people lose weight. That’s just one of the reasons why […]
Smartwatches and fitness bands reveal individual physiological responses to COVID-19 vaccine: Scientists find digital biomarkers that could be associated with vaccine-induced immune response
A new digital health study by researchers at Scripps Research shows how data from wearable sensors, such as smartwatches and fitness bands, can track a person’s physiological response to the COVID-19 vaccination. The study, published in npj Digital Medicine, analyzed sensor data on sleep, activity and heart rate from over 5,600 individuals. Among the findings, […]
Bioengineers visualize fat storage in fruit flies
For the first time, researchers have visually monitored, in high resolution, the timing and location of fat storage within the intact cells of fruit flies. The new optical imaging tool from the lab of bioengineering professor Lingyan Shi at the University of California San Diego is already being used to untangle often discussed, yet mysterious, […]
Vitamin E can boost immunotherapy responses by reinvigorating dendritic cells
Combining a retrospective analysis of clinical records with in-depth laboratory studies, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that vitamin E can enhance immunotherapy responses by stimulating the activity of dendritic cells in the tumor. The findings were published today in Cancer Discovery. The researchers demonstrated that vitamin E directly […]
New COVID-19 nasal spray outperforms current antibody treatments in mice: A single inhaled dose treated or even prevented infection by COVID-19 and its variants
A new protein-based antiviral nasal spray developed by researchers at Northwestern University, University of Washington and Washington University at St. Louis is being advanced toward Phase I human clinical trials to treat COVID-19. Designed computationally and refined in the laboratory, the new protein therapies thwarted infection by interfering with the virus’ ability to enter cells. […]