Researchers discover molecular ‘add-ons’ that customize protein interfaces Researchers in the United States and Germany have just discovered a previously overlooked part of protein molecules that could be key to how proteins interact with each other inside living cells to carry out specialized functions. The researchers discovered tiny bits of molecular material — which they...
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Study identifies blood vessel as a therapeutic target for diabetes
Blood vessels have an often overlooked role of regulating the transfer of nutrients from the blood to organs in the body. In a new Yale-led study, researchers have identified a role of a secreted protein, apelin, in regulating the transfer of fatty acids across the blood vessels. The study offers insights into a potential target...
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Scientists are unraveling the mystery of your body’s clock – and soon may be able to reset it
For people who don’t get sleepy until 2 a.m., the buzz of an alarm clock can feel mighty oppressive. Relief may be on the horizon, thanks to the discovery this spring of a genetic mutation that causes night-owl behavior. Whether you’re a night owl or a morning lark rising effortlessly each day with the sun, your...
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A fat-regulating enzyme could hold the key to obesity, diabetes, cancer, other diseases
Rutgers researchers shed light on key enzyme’s role in human health IMAGE: FAT IS STORED IN LIPID DROPLETS (BRIGHT GREEN SPOTS) IN YEAST CELLS, WHICH IS ANALOGOUS TO HOW FAT IS STORED IN HUMAN TISSUE. It had already been known that the enzyme known as phosphatidic acid phosphatase plays a crucial role in regulating the...
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New lung cell type discovered
A recent study has identified a new lung cell type that is implicated in the body’s innate immune defense against the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae—one of the leading causes of pneumonia worldwide. The findings, which appear in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, may lead to new, non-traditional approaches in the fight against pneumonia and chronic lung diseases. There...
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How eyes get clogged in glaucoma and how to free them
IBS biologists find an explanation for the increase in intraocular pressure in glaucoma and a promising therapeutic option to rejuvenate the eye Researchers at the Center for Vascular Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), have identified a new mechanism involved in the development and progression of glaucoma, and found a potential therapeutic option...
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Too many older diabetes patients are being overtreated
New study shows that too few Medicare insured patients with well controlled diabetes have medication discontinued Up to 11 percent of older Americans insured through Medicare are receiving too much medication to control their diabetes, and around 7 percent are being undertreated. This is according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine which is...
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Poor sleep hastens progression of kidney disease
People with chronic kidney disease may be especially vulnerable to the deleterious effects of poor sleep, according to a new paper published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Chronic kidney disease is characterized by gradual loss of kidney function over time, and may eventually lead to kidney failure, leading patients to undergo dialysis...
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The body’s own fat-metabolism protects against the harmful effects of sugar
Researchers from Aarhus University have discovered a metabolite that reveals how the body’s fat-metabolism provides protection against the harmful effects of sugar. This may explain be the chemical link between a low carbohydrate diet and healthy aging. For several years, medical researchers, doctors and dieticians have known that a low carbohydrate diet and plentiful fat...
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A specific type of bacteria in your stools can reveal whether you can lose weight: Even healthy eaters cannot shed the pounds without high levels of prevotella in their faeces, finds study
Having low Prevotella bacteria levels prevents weight loss even with a good diet Around 50% of people are thought to have insufficient amounts of Prevotella Prevotella is associated with plant-based diets but could take months to change The bacteria may aid weight loss by altering fat storage and hunger hormones Identifying bacteria biomarkers could create personalised...