Related Science News

August 30, 2021

Gene Transformer: Transformers for the Gene Expression-based Classification of Cancer Subtypes

Deep learning methods help researchers to predict cancer subtypes or disease progression estimation. However, existing models process an entire set of genes. A recent study on arXiv.org proposes to take advancements in natural language processing and generate a dynamic representation of features from self-attention-based architectures. The approach emphasizes only the […]
August 29, 2021

Human Sperm Mutations that can Cause Disease in Children Identified

Throughout development, life and the processes of aging, all human cells accumulate mutations, resulting in what is called mosaicism, a condition in which different cells in the same person have different DNA sequences or genetic makeup. Mosaicism occurs in every human but is mostly unnoticeable. If abnormal cells begin to […]
August 29, 2021

Brain cortex may regulate the need for sleep

Why we sleep, and the processes behind sleep, are amongst the most interesting questions in modern neuroscience. Researchers at the University of Oxford have now uncovered a new target for sleep investigations within the mammalian brain – the cerebral cortex. The paper was published in Nature Neuroscience. The cerebral cortex […]
August 29, 2021

Researchers Discover Key Mechanisms behind Synapse Degeneration in Alzheimer’s Brain

Healthy adult brains are endowed with a vast number of synapses, structures that relay signals across nerve cells to enable communications, information processing and storage throughout the nervous system. Apart from dynamic periods when the brain is learning new information or skills, the number of the “glutamatergic” synapses, the major […]
August 29, 2021

Vaccines still effective against Delta variant of concern, says Oxford-led study

Obtaining two vaccine doses remains the most effective way to ensure protection against the COVID-19 Delta variant of concern dominant in the UK today, according to a study from the University of Oxford. Conducted in partnership with the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Department for Health and Social […]
August 29, 2021

Researchers Discover Hidden SARS-CoV-2 ‘Gate’ That Opens to Allow COVID Infection

Since the early days of the COVID pandemic, scientists have aggressively pursued the secrets of the mechanisms that allow severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to enter and infect healthy human cells. Early in the pandemic, University of California San Diego’s Rommie Amaro, a computational biophysical chemist, helped develop […]
August 29, 2021

Study offers insight into underlying causes of seizure disorder in babies

Researchers report that infantile spasms, a rare but serious seizure disorder in babies, appear to be the result of a molecular pathway gone awry. In their study of a mouse model of the disorder, the researchers discovered that genetic mutations associated with the disease impair a pathway that is involved […]
August 29, 2021

New Blood: Lab-Grown Stem Cells Bode Well for Transplants, Aging Research

Hematopoietic stem cells — the precursors to blood cells — have been notoriously difficult to grow in a dish, a critical tool in basic research. Scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified the underlying issue and developed a method to keep cultured cells healthy. These […]
August 29, 2021

The Antagonistic Pleiotropy of IGF-1 Signaling in Aging

IGF-1 is one of the better studied areas of metabolism relevant to determining the pace of aging in a species, involved in the regulation of tradeoffs between growth and sustained function. In the context of the evolution of aging, a mechanism exhibiting antagonistic pleiotropy is beneficial in youth but harmful […]
August 28, 2021

The Harms Done By Transthyretin Amyloid in the Aging Body

It is becoming clear that transthyretin amyloid accumulation makes a meaningful contribution to cardiovascular disease and a range of other conditions over the course of normal aging. It remains poorly explored, but that will likely change in the years ahead now that there are treatments capable of reducing the amount […]
August 27, 2021

Increasing the immune system’s appetite for cancer protectors

A two-arm molecule can effectively deplete cancer-protecting cells inside tumors, allowing the immune system to fight off tumors without becoming overactive. The finding, published online in Science Translational Medicine, could lead to new types of cancer immunotherapies. “By effectively removing these immune-suppressive cells inside tumors instead of in the whole […]
August 26, 2021

A cost-effective anti-angiogenic drug to treat lung cancer is finally here

New research shows that the QL1101, structurally similar to an existing cancer drug, is a safe and effective alternative for lung cancer treatment. In 2018, lung cancer caused 1.8 million cancer deaths worldwide. It is the most common type of cancer, with non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) accounting for 85% […]
August 26, 2021

The Effects of Aging and Exercise on Mitochondria in Skeletal Muscle

It is interesting to see the sizable degree to which sufficient physical activity can mitigate many of the effects of aging in muscle tissue. It is well known that exercise programs improve muscle function and reduce mortality in later life. In the study reported here, the intent was to distinguish […]