Heavy Teenage Cannabis Use Leads to Drop in IQ
It seems like something straightforward in essence, but apparently being a heavy cannabis smoker as a teenager results in a significant cognitive decline in adulthood,…
Biology News
Biologists Create Computational Model of Gene Networks
By translating their biological knowledge into very simple Boolean statements, biologists at the California Institute of Technology have created the first predictive computational model of…
High Pyruvate Kinase Activity May Suppress Tumor Growth
A newly published study from MIT scientists suggests that high pyruvate kinase activity may suppress tumor growth, finding that pharmaceutical compounds that force PKM2 to…
Early Intake of Antibiotics Linked to Obesity in Mice
Bacteria living within the gut could have a link to obesity, possibly explaining how antibiotics fatten farm animals, and humans as well, and predispose some…
Brucella Blocked From Bonding with Host, Could Lead to Superbug Cure
Pathogenic bacteria without their virulent factors could be rendered harmless and eliminated by the human immune system. That’s the goal that a group of researchers…
The Neuroscience of Threat Response
It’s a biological imperative how organisms respond to threats, and humans are no exception. Humans respond to threats, perceived or real, in an instinctual way,…
Neurologists Repair Neurons Associated with Traumatic Nerve Injury Pain
In an effort to find new treatments for people suffering from neuropathic pain, Yale University neurologists have managed to repair neurons associated with traumatic nerve…
Generational Conflict between Unrelated Childbearing Women Affects the Child’s Survival
Menopause affects humans, pilot whales and killer whales. These are the only organisms on Earth that stop being able to reproduce long before their lifespan…
Role of the Frontal Lobes in Reasoning and Decision Making
A team of neuroscientists studied data from roughly 350 patients to gain a better understanding about what different parts of the frontal lobes do, seeing…
Treatment for Alzheimer’s May Lie in Modifying the Length of Mitochondria
A new study from scientists at The University of Queensland and Harvard University suggests that treatment for Alzheimer’s disease may lie in modifying the length…
Researching the Link between VEGF, Stem Cells and Osteoporosis
In what may lead to better treatments for osteoporosis, Harvard researchers discovered a new role for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a common signaling protein…
A Better Understanding of “Muscle Synergies” Could Lead to Improved Stroke Rehabilitation
A newly published study from a team of researchers found that cortical damage altered the brain’s ability to activate muscles in groups, known as “muscle…
Trogloraptor Marchingtoni Is a New Species of Spiders Discovered in the Pacific Northwest
A completely new genus and species of spiders was discovered in the Pacific Northwest, by spelunkers. Trogloraptor marchingtoni was first discovered by a group of amateur…
Molecular Code for How PPR Proteins Recognize their RNA Targets Discovered
A team of scientists have cracked a code underlying recognition of RNA molecules by a superfamily of RNA-binding proteins called pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, providing…
Shape Determines Therapeutic Properties of Engineered Cells
In a recently published study, MIT scientists show that implanted cells’ therapeutic properties depend on their shape, which is determined by the type of scaffold…
Amino Acid Organocatalyst Halves Synthesis of Prostaglandin-Class Drugs
Prostaglandin class drugs are a class of hormone-like chemicals that influence processes including blood circulation and inflammation. Their use offers a way to churn out…
Ebola Outbreak in Uganda Tests Readiness
Since July 16th, 16 people have died in Uganda of an Ebola outbreak. Contrary to previous outbreaks, a laboratory in Entebbe, near Uganda’s capital Kampala…
Meditation Reduces Loneliness and Expression of Inflammatory Genes
Using 40 adults between the ages of 55 and 85, a newly published study from UCLA scientists found that a two-month program of mindfulness-based stress…