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    Category Health/Medical

    Culprit in Reducing Effectiveness of Insulin identified

    April 27, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    1) Fasting or obesity induces SDF-1 expression in adipocytes. 2) Its autocrine action activates ERK signaling. 3) SDF-1-induced ERK signal concomitantly induces serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 protein, and degrades IRS-1 protein. This attenuates 4) insulin-mediated Akt phosphorylation and 5) glucose uptake. Credit: Osaka University

    1) Fasting or obesity induces SDF-1 expression in adipocytes. 2) Its autocrine action activates ERK signaling. 3) SDF-1-induced ERK signal concomitantly induces serine phosphorylation of IRS-1 protein, and degrades IRS-1 protein. This attenuates 4) insulin-mediated Akt phosphorylation and 5) glucose uptake. Credit: Osaka University

    Scientists at Osaka University discovered that Stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1) secreted from adipocytes reduced the effectiveness of insulin in adipocytes and decreased insulin-induced glucose uptake. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas and helps cells to take in glucose from the blood. Insulin binds to insulin receptors to activate Insulin Receptor Substrate 1 (IRS-1), taking in sugar through phosphorylation of Akt...

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    Long-sought Structure of Telomerase Paves way for New Drugs for Aging, Cancer

    April 26, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Shown is the space-filling model of human telomerase holoenzyme structure determined by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Telomerase catalyzes the synthesis of telomeric DNA (green) at the ends of chromosomes (blue) to compensate for the loss of telomeres during genome replication. The structure comprises two lobes with distinct functionalities: the catalytic core (purple) responsible for DNA synthesis and an H/ACA ribonucleoprotein lobe (cyan, teal and light green) important for telomerase biogenesis and localization to the Cajal body (red dots and lower left in closeup). Given that telomerase regulation is implicated in cancer and aging, this first architectural visualization of human telomerase represents an important breakthrough in the telomerase field and telomerase-based therapeutic design. Credit: Janet Iwasa

    Shown is the space-filling model of human telomerase holoenzyme structure determined by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Telomerase catalyzes the synthesis of telomeric DNA (green) at the ends of chromosomes (blue) to compensate for the loss of telomeres during genome replication. The structure comprises two lobes with distinct functionalities: the catalytic core (purple) responsible for DNA synthesis and an H/ACA ribonucleoprotein lobe (cyan, teal and light green) important for telomerase biogenesis and localization to the Cajal body (red dots and lower left in closeup)...

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    3D Print Electronics and Cells Printed Directly on Skin

    April 26, 2018, Categories  Technology/Electronics, Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    One of the key innovations of the new 3-D-printing technique on skin is that the printer uses computer vision to track and adjust to movements in real-time. Credit: McAlpine group, University of Minnesota

    One of the key innovations of the new 3-D-printing technique on skin is that the printer uses computer vision to track and adjust to movements in real-time. Credit: McAlpine group, University of Minnesota

    Groundbreaking technology could help soldiers on the battlefield and people with skin disorders. In a groundbreaking new study, researchers at the University of Minnesota used a customized, low-cost 3D printer to print electronics on a real hand for the first time. The technology could be used by soldiers on the battlefield to print temporary sensors on their bodies to detect chemical or biological agents or solar cells to charge essential electronics.

    Researchers also successfully printed biological cells on the skin wound of a mouse...

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    3D-printed Food could change how we Eat

    April 25, 2018, Categories  Health/Medical, Chemistry/Nanotechnology, Biology/Biotechnology

    A: Food materials are pulverized under ultra-low temperature close to -100 degrees Celsius. B: Micro-sized food materials are reconstructed into a porous film-shaped material by jetting bonding an agent under optimized water content and heat conditions. The process to build film-type materials is repeated layer by layer to form to a three-dimensional food block. C: The exterior of foods and internal microstructure of a food block with specific porosity is designed to give texture with controlled human body absorption while eating and ingesting. Credit: Jin-Kyu Rhee, Ewha Womans University

    A: Food materials are pulverized under ultra-low temperature close to -100 degrees Celsius. B: Micro-sized food materials are reconstructed into a porous film-shaped material by jetting bonding an agent under optimized water content and heat conditions. The process to build film-type materials is repeated layer by layer to form to a three-dimensional food block. C: The exterior of foods and internal microstructure of a food block with specific porosity is designed to give texture with controlled human body absorption while eating and ingesting. Credit: Jin-Kyu Rhee, Ewha Womans University

    Researchers 3D print food with customized texture and body absorption characteristics...

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