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Study reveals dangerous mutations in H5N1 bird flu
One of the earliest strains of bird flu isolated from a human in Texas shows a unique constellation of mutations that enable it to more easily replicate in human cells and cause more severe disease in mice compared to a strain found in dairy cattle, researchers from Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) report in Emerging Microbes & Infections.
Study reveals high prevalence of Lyme disease bacteria in Northeast ticks
Across most of the Northeast, getting bitten by a blacklegged tick- also called a deer tick - is a risk during spring, summer, and fall. A new Dartmouth study, published in Parasites and Vectors, finds that 50% of adult blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria that causes Lyme disease while 20% to 25% of the younger (nymph) blacklegged ticks carry the bacteria.
Researchers discover a major driver of osteosarcoma
A major driver of the bone cancer osteosarcoma has been discovered by researchers from UCL, EMBL EBI and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, providing insights that could help to predict cancer severity and how patients will respond to treatment.
Exploring the link between physical strength and sexual behavior in humans
While many studies have looked at possible evolutionary links between men's strength and sexual behavior, a Washington State University study included data on women with a surprising result. Women, as well as men, who had greater upper body strength tended to have more lifetime sexual partners compared to their peers.
Researchers uncover new mutation mechanism driving cancer progression
Osteosarcoma is a type of aggressive bone cancer that most commonly affects children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 20, during times of rapid bone growth. Although rare, it has a significant impact on young people and their families as treatment can require surgery or amputation.
ORACLE test enhances prediction of lung cancer outcomes
A new test, developed by researchers from UCL Cancer Institute and the Francis Crick Institute, can better predict lung cancer survival at the point of diagnosis, which could inform treatment decisions and potentially reduce the risk of the cancer returning or spreading.
Scientists uncover genetic secrets of Staphylococcus aureus survival in humans
The most detailed study to date on the mechanisms by which a common type of bacterium, Staphylococcus aureus, adapts to living on the human body could help improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of certain infections.
Scientists uncover evolution of ventral nerve cord in ecdysozoan animals
An international team of scientists has uncovered a fascinating piece of the evolutionary puzzle: how the ventral nerve cord, a key component of the central nervous system, evolved in ecdysozoan animals, a group that includes insects, nematodes, and priapulid worms.
Unraveling retrotransposon mechanisms in centromere insertion
A joint research group team led by Sayuri Tsukahara and Tetsuji Kakutani of the University of Tokyo has clarified a mechanism of how retrotransposons, genetic elements that can "jump around" chromosomes and are known drivers of evolution, preferentially insert in the centromere.
WHO TAG-CO-VAC reviews COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness and antigen composition
The WHO Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC) continues to closely monitor the genetic and antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants, immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, and the performance of COVID-19 vaccines against circulating variants.
Host heterogeneity increases pathogen virulence in metapopulations
Heterogeneity is ubiquitous in real-world host populations, yet most theories assume homogeneity. Using a metapopulation model, we examine how host heterogeneities, such as uneven movement patterns and local productivities, affect the evolution of pathogen virulence.
Brain's dual role in processing touch and hearing revealed
Ludwig van Beethoven began to lose his hearing at age 28 and was deaf by age 44. While the cause of his hearing loss remains a topic of scientific debate and ongoing revision, one thing is clear: Despite his hearing loss, Beethoven never ceased to compose music, likely because he was able to sense the vibrations of musical instruments and "hear" music through the sense of touch, researchers believe.
A genetic variant modulates interferon signaling and disease risk
For years, scientists have looked to a critical piece of immune system machinery - known as the interferon pathway - for answers. There, when our cells sense an infection, they release a protein known as interferon, which warns other cells to fight the virus.