What pH at the sites of calcification of an octocoral tells us

What pH at the sites of calcification of an octocoral tells us

Corals are marine organisms which elaborate calcium carbonate skeletons, a process known as biomineralization or calcification. More »

Zinc promotes myoblast differentiation activating Zip7 transporter and Akt signalling pathway

Zinc promotes myoblast differentiation activating Zip7 transporter and Akt signalling pathway

Skeletal muscle is a heterogeneous, dynamic and plastic tissue, which comprises 40% of adult human body mass. More »

Any cell organelle can be the starting point for toxicant and pathogen-induced cell death

Any cell organelle can be the starting point for toxicant and pathogen-induced cell death

Toxicants and pathogens often induce death of their target and host cells. In order to investigate the different ways they can achieve this More »

Metal-organic framework with dangling sulfonate groups for enhanced proton conductivity

Metal-organic framework with dangling sulfonate groups for enhanced proton conductivity

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) provide a versatile platform for tuning the chemical functionality of pore surfaces and thus have attracted an increasing amount of attention for applications in gas storage More »

 

Unusual structure of aggregates formed by the fragment of Аβ(16-25) peptide

By the moment, a large number of proteins and peptides, polymerization of which in fibril formations leads to emergence of different diseases (amyloidosis), have been identified. But it is not always that fibril formations are toxic for

Proofread or Perish: Editing your scientific writing for successful publication

Perhaps the consequences of neglecting to proofread and edit scientific writing may not be quite as catastrophic as my heading implies, but viewed from a perspective focussed on successful publication, they can be most unpleasant and are

Is inversion symmetry of chromosomes a law of nature?

Chargaff has made, in 1950, the important observation that the numbers of nucleotides in DNA satisfy #A=#T and #G=#C. This played a crucial role in realizing that DNA has a two strand structure with base-pair bindings (of

A novel deep learning-based method for predicting RNA-protein interactions

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) take over 5–10% of the eukaryotic proteome and regulate the gene localization and  translation. On the other hand, the mutations in RBPs have been discovered to be associated with disease risk, such as FUS

Will exposure of irritant chemicals to the eye lead to adverse systemic outcome?

Eye is a delicate and highly vascularized organ. It captures visible light and converts it into sensory inputs with the aid of the retina and central nervous system subsequently giving rise to vision. Any chemical or drug

Synergistic effects of orally delivered cannabis constituents (THC and CBDA) in reducing nausea

Although ∆9 – tetrahydrocannabinol ( THC ), the only psychoactive component in cannabis, is effective in reducing the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy treatment, the anti – nausea effects of combining THC with other components from

Measuring postural transitions using wearables

Postural transitions i.e. the way which we stand up or sit down are complex motor tasks that can be used to measure physical function. Currently these transitions, which can be classified as sit-to-stand (SiSt) or stand-to-sit (StSi),

The gods of human T cell development

T cells are the component of the immune system required for recognizing and targeting pathogens and tumor cells. Because each T cell recognizes a different pathogen, the challenge of T cell development is to create a pool

Seminal plasma cytokines: what role do they play in human female reproduction?

The success of artificial insemination with washed sperm and of embryo transfer has demonstrated that pregnancy is achievable without contact with seminal plasma (SP). However, it has become increasingly evident that the physiological changes at implantation are

Virus chainmail: protective and porous metal-organic framework grown on a virus

Biomineralization describes a process of programmable accumulation, concentration, and construction of inorganic ions regulated by organisms to form both amorphous and crystalline materials that possess well–controlled chemical components, microstructures, morphologies, and functionalities. For instance, skeletons and shells

The woody breast condition affects texture characteristics of both raw and cooked chicken breast meat

The wooden breast condition (WBC) is a muscle abnormality observed in chicken breast meat (Pectoralis major) that is an emerging challenge to the poultry industry. Breast meat with the WBC is characterized by diffuse areas of hardness

Text messaging to support physical activity in patients with heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease characterized by accumulation of cholesterol deposits (plaques) in the heart arteries. When these plaques compromise blood flow to the heart muscle, heart attack or chest pain (angina) can occur. Globally,

A strategy to enhance the bioavailability of Rifabutin using Lipid Nanocarriers

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare ( MAI ) or Mycobacterium avium complex ( MAC ) is the main pulmonary pathogen in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ( COPD ), patients with previously diagnosed tuberculosis and in AIDS patients. The

Engineering S. cerevisiae with the deletion of endogenous glucosidases for the production of flavonoid glucosides

Glycosylation of flavonoids is a promising approach to improve the pharmacokinetic properties and pharmacological activities. However, chemical glycosylation remains restricted by such disadvantages as poor regio- and stereoselectivities, and large-scale application of whole-cell glycosylation is still hampered

Why won’t my doctor scan my brain?

An estimated 16 million people each year go to their doctor because of a headache. Many are concerned that they may have cancer, a stroke or an aneurysm, and request a brain scan. However, most headaches do

The finding of a micropterous new species in a flower-living thrips group species

A  new  species known only from micropterae, Kakothrips borberae,  belongs  to genus in which species live in the flowers of Fabaceae, and which is recorded mainly from South Europe  or the Mediterranean Region. This new species  was

The brain doesn’t navigate quite like a GPS

Neuroscientists’ discovery of grid cells, popularly known as the brain’s GPS, was hailed as a major discovery. But new results suggest the system is more complicated than anyone had guessed. Just like a driver in a car,

Sugar consumption can be reduced by tonic activation of dopamine reward pathway

Rewarding ( pleasurable ) and aversive events give us dissimilar perceptions, which powerfully shape our decisions and therefore behavioral outcomes. In fact, chemical changes, which take place in our brain, are very different under these opposite circumstances.

Dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a quiescent form with an eye open

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of mortality by a single pathogen in humans. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the etiologic agent of TB, causes millions of new cases each year. TB is an ancient disease and Mtb is

Why and how should we screen injured workers?

Every year, tens of millions of workers suffer accidental injuries leading to general practitioner treatments or hospitalizations. Thus, accidents are frequent and many of the survivors are left with temporary or permanent disabilities. Most accident insurers report