Category Biology/Biotechnology

A model for cooperative control of the p53 pathway by Mdm2 and Mdmx. In the absence of stress signals, the primary function of Mdm2 is to maintain p53 at low levels, whereas Mdmx contributes to the overall inhibition of p53 independently of Mdm2. Mdmx inhibits p53 transcriptional activity, whereas the contribution of Mdm2 to the regulation of p53 transcriptional activity per se is still unclear and a matter of debate

Proteins that bind DNA or RNA are usually put in different categories, but researchers at Umeå University in Sweden and Inserm in France recently showed how p53 protein has the capacity to bind both and how this controls gene expression on the levels of both transcription (RNA synthesis) and mRNA translation (protein synthesis).

The p53 tumour suppressor protein is best known...

When a friend or relative visits, the Remember Me! app displays photos as a reminder of the connection to that person.

People suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related dementia sometimes have trouble recognizing friends and family or knowing what to talk about when they visit. A new app created by a group of Cornell students offers to help patients stay connected to their memories – and thus to their friends and family – and perhaps will even help them keep a conversation going.

Remember Me! is a smartphone app developed by engineering master’s degree graduates Karthik Venkataramaiah, Vishal Kumkar, Shivananda Pujeri and Mihir Shah. They demonstrated their work at the 123rd Annual Conference of the American Society for Engineering Education St...

Heart illustration with artery close up Heart graphic with magnifier on artery copyright American Heart Association

Giving heart attack patients a high dose of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, daily for 6 months after a heart attack improved the function of the heart and reduced scarring in the undamaged muscle, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. The heart’s shape and function can be altered after a heart attack, a condition known as post-heart attack remodeling and it is linked with poor patient outcomes and could lead to heart failure. Therapies that can improve healing of the heart or prevent adverse remodeling, remain scarce.

A previous study found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil were associated with improved survival for heart a...

One is never too old to exercise for brain health and to stave off the risk for developing dementia.

Using the landmark Framingham Heart Study to assess how physical activity affects the size of the brain and one’s risk for developing dementia, UCLA researchers found an association between low physical activity and a higher risk for dementia in older individuals. This suggests that regular physical activity for older adults could lead to higher brain volumes and a reduced risk for developing dementia.

Physical activity particularly affected the size of the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain controlling short-term memory. Also, the protective effect of regular physical activity against dementia was strongest in people age 75 and older...