Category Biology/Biotechnology

ELV-N32 and ELV-N34 diminish NVU disruption and reduce brain infarction after ischemic stroke.

A new class of molecules in the brain that synchronize cell-to-cell communication and neuroinflammation/ immune activity in response to injury or diseases has been found. Elovanoids (ELVs) are bioactive chemical messengers made from omega-3 very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC-PUFAs,n-3). They are released on demand when cells are damaged or stressed.

“Although we knew about messengers from omega-3 fatty acids such as neuroprotectin D1 (22 carbons) before, the novelty of the present discovery is that elovanoids are made of 32 to 34 carbon atoms in length,” notes Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans...

Some diabetes medicine reduce the risk of getting Parkinson´s disease by 35%. Copyright: Colourbox

A Norwegian study shows that the taking of diabetes medicine reduces the risk of getting Parkinson´s disease. Researchers at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Bergen (UiB) have discovered that medical treatment against diabetes reduces the risk of getting Parkinson´s disease by 35%. “We have made an important discovery, which takes us a step further towards solving the Parkinson´s riddle,” says researcher Charalampos Tzoulis. He has lead the study together with researcher Kristoffer Haugarvoll at the same department.

Tzoulis says that the researchers have to do follow-up studies on the diabetes medicine to fully understand why it protects against Parkinson´s disease...

A researcher uses a pipette to put a sample on to a molography chip. Photograph of the experimental set-up in an ETH Zurich laboratory. Credit: ETH Zurich / Andreas Frutiger

A new method for analysis of molecules in liquids on a chip has the potential to revolutionize medical diagnostics. Much can be detected in blood or urine: viral illnesses, metabolic disorders or autoimmune diseases can be diagnosed with laboratory tests. But such examinations often take a few hours and are quite complex Scientists at ETH Zurich and the company Roche have jointly developed a completely new analysis method based on light diffraction on molecules on a small chip. In future, physicians may be able to perform complex examinations easily and quickly in their own practice.

As with other established diagnosti...

Natural (∆9-THC) and synthetic (JWH-018) cannabinoids induce seizures by acting through the cannabinoid CB1 receptor. Scientific Reports, 2017; 7 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10447-2

A research group of International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, discovered that seizures, a life-threatening condition, can be induced by natural Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC, main constituent of marijuana) or the synthetic cannabinoid JWH-018 (main component of synthetic blend “Spice”) in mice. This was demonstrated by continuous recording of animals’ electric brain activity (electroencephalogram, EEG), video and movement activity tracking...