Retroduplication of rhodopsin gene 400 million years ago diversified the photoreception in fishes
Animals utilize light from the environment as important information sources. We can discriminate colors, brightness and shapes of objects by visual system. In addition, animals can detect daily and seasonal changes of the light environment to alter
Invasion of science and nature by the parthenogenetic marbled crayfish
The marbled crayfish or Marmorkrebs, Procambarus virginalis (Fig. 1A), is the only obligately parthenogenetic decapod crustacean. It was detected in 1995 in the German aquarium trade. With almost 300 publications, it is now one of the best-studied
Good governance for migratory fish stocks
As the oceans warm in response to continued greenhouse gas emissions, fish are moving to seek out their preferred environmental conditions. These shifts in distribution are changing the locations of the best fishing areas within the geographical
Disordered highways clear mucus from the lungs
Our respiratory system is continuously exposed to potentially harmful particles such as dust, fungi, bacteria and viruses. Indeed, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, respiratory conditions were already one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The first
A combined rapid microfluidics and design-of-experiment approach to optimize liposomal formulations
Nanomedicine has attracted enormous attention for the introduction of advantageous nanoscale materials. Among them, liposomes have devoted considerable concern owing to unique physicochemical and biological properties, as well as the tremendous potential for drug delivery applications. Over
Inflammatory differences between men and women uncovered by 27-hydroxycholesterol
The combination of reduced exercise and increased caloric intake has led to a global obesity epidemic. Besides being characterized by increased waist circumferences and BMI, many obese patients also suffer from a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response, which
More than your average bread spread: plant stanols as therapeutical tool in Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a lysosomal storage disease that affects nearly 1 in 100,000 live births worldwide. NPC1 disease is caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene that result in a dysfunctional NPC1 protein, which
Reproductive differences between cultured and wild corals
Taiwan’s National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium (NMMBA) has focused on the artificial propagation of corals for years. In 2014, natural spawning of gametes of various cultured corals was officially recorded after 8 years culturing. Since
California has changed social norms, dramatically reducing smoking behavior and lung cancer mortality
The rapid rise in the dependency on cigarette smoking in the United States occurred in the first half of the 20th century fueled by large mass media marketing campaigns and the provision of free cigarettes to troops
A win-win strategy for China’s ruminant consumption and global environment
Ruminant production is one of the major contributors to global environmental degradation. In the livestock sector, beef, mutton and milk production contributes 80% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) and 75% of ammonia (NH3) emissions. Rising demand for
Normal and abnormal mucus – what do the mucins in colorectal cancer tell us?
Free compartments of all of the secretory epithelia are covered by mucus, working as a physical barrier, as well as first line of defence from harmful factors, such as bacteria, viruses and toxins. It is a “trap”
A functionally-graded scaffold and bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells for osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a debilitating disease that may progress to femoral head collapse and subsequently, degenerative arthritis. Core decompression (CD) is a commonly used joint-preserving procedure for the treatment of small to medium
Villi-like topography provides a native microenvironment for the intestinal epithelial morphogenesis
The use of an organotypic culture system, as an alternative to animal models, for recapitulating physiological and biologically relevant intestinal tissue is constantly gaining success in various fields of science. Indeed, it is currently used in basic
Chromatin architecture changes and replication fork collapse after freezing-thawing
Higher-order chromatin structure (architecture) plays the crucial role in DNA transcription, replication and repair. Defects to DNA architecture are permanently caused by internal cellular processes and various environmental factors, such as exposure to chemicals or ionizing radiation.
Biomimetic approach for an artificial nose
The dream of monitoring odours is certainly very old, but only recently scientists have come-up with realistic approaches and proposals. As soon as the olfactory system started to reveal its secrets and the specific sensing elements (the
Brand new weaponry in our arsenal: nanopatterns to combat biomaterial-associated infections
Humankind has witnessed unprecedented breakthroughs in (bio)medical sciences during the 20th and 21st centuries. A significant increase in life expectancy has cultivated the seeds of eagerness to live longer and healthier in the collective mind of humans.
A new strategy for immune manipulation of advanced solid cancers
The biological cancer hallmarks and the current model In the updated ongoing model, genomic instability and inflammation are the basis of all the cancer hallmarks: sustaining proliferative signaling, evading growth suppressors, resisting cell death, enabling replicative immortality,
Inhibition of bovine insulin amyloid fibrillation and toxicity by silibinin
The misfolding and subsequent aggregation into β-sheet rich assemblies of endogenous polypeptides, such as β-amyloid peptide, tau protein, α-synuclein, and insulin are the underlying causes of diabetes and many neurodegenerative diseases. Although, no sequence or structural similarity
Gap junction assembly mechanisms in the cochlea
Hearing loss is the most common congenital sensory deficit. About 1-3 in 1000 children are affected at birth or during early childhood by severe hearing loss, which is defined as prelingual deafness, with at least half of
Discovery and mutation of a novel enzyme for the removal of environmental pollutants
Environmental pollution is one of the biggest challenges in the world today, as society faces the consequences of intense industrial development. The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture leads to high quality products, while minimizing losses in
