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DNA analyses reveals insights into ancestry, social organization of ancient people in the Nile Valley

The first genome-wide ancient human DNA data from Sudan reveals new insights into the ancestry and social organization of people who lived more than 1,000 years ago in the Nile Valley, an important genetic and cultural crossroads.

20 Dec 2021

Boosting Confocal Microscopy Through Artificial Intelligence

In this interview, we speak to Dr. Hari Shroff from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering about his latest research into confocal microscopy.

From National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) 20 Dec 2021

Antibody-like proteins from sharks can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants

Small, unique antibody-like proteins known as VNARs -; derived from the immune systems of sharks -; can prevent the virus that causes COVID-19, its variants, and related coronaviruses from infecting human cells, according to a new study published Dec. 16.

17 Dec 2021

Breakthrough infections enhance immune response to COVID-19 variants

Breakthrough infections greatly enhance immune response to variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a newly published study from Oregon Health & Science University.

17 Dec 2021

Multiple changes in brain cells during embryonic development may contribute to schizophrenia

Multiple changes in brain cells during the first month of embryonic development may contribute to schizophrenia later in life, according to a new study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

17 Dec 2021

New methods help chemists to understand how bacteria turn light into chemical energy

Chemists have come to a deeper understanding of how photosynthetic bacteria convert light into chemical energy and discovered why one step in the process may be more robust than previously realized, according to a new study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

17 Dec 2021

Gene mutation for Parkinson's disease drives mislocalization of iron in activated microglia

A common gene mutation for Parkinson's disease drives mislocalization of iron in activated microglia, according to a new study publishing December 16th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, by Mark Cookson of the National Institute on Aging and colleagues.

17 Dec 2021

Novel tool can efficiently map new genome sequences to a "pangenome"

Since the first sequencing of the human genome more than 20 years ago, the study of human genomes has relied almost exclusively on a single reference genome to which others are compared to identify genetic variations.

From University of California Santa Cruz 17 Dec 2021

No conclusive evidence on the efficacy of green tea extracts in treating infectious disease

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were few treatment options available. This led many to consider alternative medicines and herbal remedies to treat or prevent COVID-19.

17 Dec 2021

Study shows how farmers can drive species conservation worldwide

While farmers have the capacity to drive species conservation worldwide, their true potential is yet to be fully realized. An international team of researchers led by the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) shows how this can change in a new study published in the scientific journal Global Ecology and Conservation.

17 Dec 2021

Researchers develop new method to detect the onset of blood damage at sublethal stage

Red blood cells (RBCs) or erythrocytes are constantly exposed to a "shearing stress" during their circulation in the body. This stress is usually mild and the RBCs are flexible enough to accommodate shape changes in response to it.

17 Dec 2021

New method to generate embryo-like cell complexes from the stem cells of mice

Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed a method to generate embryo-like cell complexes from the stem cells of mice. The method provides new insights into embryonic development. In the medium term, it might also be suitable for developing tests for substances that could be harmful to fertility. The study is published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

17 Dec 2021

Researchers create a healthier form of starch in the cassava plant

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS) in Japan have recently created a healthier form of starch in the cassava plant. Published in the scientific journal Plant Molecular Biology, the study shows how reducing levels of starch branching enzymes (SBEs) in cassava plants changes the composition of tapioca starch, making it more resistant to digestion and healthier for us to eat.

17 Dec 2021