Eurekalert

New research presented at The Physiological Society's Annual Conference Physiology 2021 shows that molecules released into the bloodstream during exercise (such as small proteins) can act directly on bowel cancer cells to slow down their growth.

Combining yeast-expression technology and a novel adjuvant formulation to produce a COVID-19 vaccine candidate is effective against SARS-COV-2 and promises to be easy to produce at large scale and cost-effective, important aspects for vaccinating people worldwide, especially in low- to middle-income countries. Results from the study, which applied lessons learned from the hepatitis b vaccine platform technology, are published online today in Science Immunology.

A new systematic review and meta-analysis has found that people who use cannabis are disproportionately more likely to initiate opioid use and engage in problematic patterns of use than people who do not use cannabis. But the quality of the evidence for this finding is low.

The Institut Pasteur, in partnership with the French National Health Insurance Fund (CNAM), Santé publique France and the Ipsos Social Research Institute, recently presented the results of the ComCor epidemiological study on circumstances and places of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The aim of the study was to identify the socio-demographic factors, places visited and behaviors associated with a higher risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2.

According to the World Health Organization, a third wave of COVID infections is now all but inevitable in Europe. A COVID tracker developed by IIASA researcher Asjad Naqvi, aims to identify, collect, and collate various official regional datasets for European countries, while also combining and homogenizing the data to help researchers and policymakers explore how the virus spreads.

Scientists have uncovered a way to control many genes in engineered yeast cells, opening the door to more efficient and sustainable production of bio-based products.

The RUDN University chemists have discovered a reaction for the synthesis of acetimidamides, heterocyclic compounds with biological activity that can be used for the synthesis of hormones, anti-inflammatory and other medical drugs. The reaction goes in one step with an efficiency of up to 96%.

Xatkit, a new UOC spin-off, offers pre-trained bots that automatically recognize a shop's product catalogue.

The mitochondrion has garnered quite the reputation for its role as the "powerhouse of the cell." These tiny, but mighty organelles play various life-sustaining roles, from powering our own cells and organs to fueling chemical and biological processes. But when they aren't working properly, a number of rare diseases can occur.

RUDN University chemists obtained a metal-containing complex with an unusual planar architecture. The unexpected structure was formed due to the spontaneous fixation of carbon dioxide from the air during the reaction. This compound exhibits unusual magnetic properties (spin glass behaviour). This can be useful for creating memory storage devices.

A new study finds resilience is a dynamic process, rather than a fixed trait - and suggests this may have significant ramifications for the business world.

To date, there are no effective antidotes against most virus infections. An interdisciplinary research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now developed a new approach: they engulf and neutralize viruses with nano-capsules tailored from genetic material using the DNA origami method. The strategy has already been tested against hepatitis and adeno-associated viruses in cell cultures. It may also prove successful against corona viruses.

Silicon is a microelement that in low doses is vital for the normal development and functioning of connective tissue. Experiments showed that after only a few months of consuming water with added silicon animals developed a condition similar to silicosis (or miners lung disease).

A study from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University School of Medicine research scientists is one of the first to describe and identify patterns in the course of COVID-19 in the typically frail individuals who reside in nursing homes. Previously, little was known about how the disease has clinically affected individuals residing in nursing homes.

Access to high-quality public transportation can make communities more equitable by increasing access to critical opportunities such as employment, health care and healthy food, particularly for low-income individuals and people of color. A new paper published today in the Transportation Research Record identifies six broad categories of equity-advancing practices that reach beyond existing guidelines and could be widely employed by public transit agencies nationwide.

Single-cell RNA sequencing has revealed a subset of cells that could provide protection from a rare, but severely debilitating and fatal, lung disease. The findings were published by Nagoya University researchers and colleagues in the European Respiratory Journal. Further research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for the disease, called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Scientists have developed a rapid, highly accurate test to detect antibodies against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in human serum, opening a new avenue for understanding the full extent of the pandemic and evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines.

The new research will help doctors identify, treat and prevent dangerous atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a common heart condition.

For the first time, researchers have measured the flux variations of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) in typical glacial basins in High Mountain Asia. They have discovered that rapid cryospheric retreat has made the basins strong sources of carbon with positive methane and CO2 fluxes. While this is partially offset by proglacial river runoff, the findings suggest that these variations should be considered in regional CH4 and CO2 climate change budgets.

How neuronal circuits remodel themselves over time, especially during early development, is a major question in neurobiology. Using mice, researchers from Kyushu University have uncovered a biomolecular mechanism behind the strengthening of connections from neurons called mitral cells. The team found that the protein BMPR-2 is a key regulator of selective stabilization of neuron branching and that strengthening of a branch happens only when neural signals are transmitted.