Category Biology/Biotechnology

With disease, when you decrease autophagy (a garbage disposal-like process where cells “eat” debris they produce) the disease process is exacerbated and when you increase it you get the opposite effect. Aggregation of polyglutamine expansion protein is a hallmark of Huntington’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. The picture shows that there are more aggregates of green fluorescence protein-labelled polyglutamine expansion protein in autophagy deficient worms (bottom) compared to normal worms (top).

Restricting how much you eat without starving has been shown to robustly extend lifespan in more than 20 species of animals including primates. How this works is still unclear...

The wings of Megatibicen dorsatus, a prairie-dwelling cicada, are helping engineers design water-repellent surfaces. Credit: Photo courtesy Catherine Dana

Researchers are looking to insects – specifically cicadas – for insight into the design of artificial surfaces with de-icing, self-cleaning and anti-fogging abilities.Their wings allow cicadas to fly, of course, but they also are good at repelling water – a condition that humans can appreciate, too. “Our work with cicadas is letting us explore a field called bioinspiration,” said Nenad Miljkovic, a University of Illinois mechanical science and engineering professor who co-led a new study of cicada wings.

“We are learning as much as we can from the natural design of cicada wings to engineer artificial objects that are useful to humans...

Can resistance training impact MRI outcomes in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 2017; 135245851772264 DOI: 10.1177/1352458517722645

New research shows that resistance training protects the brain in persons with multiple sclerosis, which may delay the development of the disease. In the past, multiple sclerosis patients were advised not to exercise for fear of exacerbating the illness. However, it is now known that physical training can relieve many of the symptoms, including the excessive fatigue and mobility impairments that are often seen. New research now shows that resistance training may protect the nervous system and thus slow the progression of the disease.

This is the main finding of a study conducted by Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospita...

1. Scanning electron microscope images of (a) the chitosan film, (b) the chitosan-copper metal organic framework film at 500x magnification, (c) the chitosan-copper metal organic framework film at a higher magnification, and (d) an X-ray image of the film that shows the copper in pink.
2.An artist’s representation of bacteria (purple) being compromised by a chitosan-metal organic framework film. Credit: Colorado State University/Advanced Functional Materials

A new material could form a new antibacterial surface that prevents infections and reduces our reliance on antibiotics, suggests new research. By some estimates, bacterial strains resistant to antibiotics – superbugs – will cause more deaths than cancer by 2050...