Cross-coupling reactions — the joining of fragments of molecules with the aid of a metal catalyst — are a critical part of pharmaceutical production, usually relying on expensive, rare metals like palladium. Researchers at the University of Rochester and the University of Maryland, partially funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, developed a three-component cross-coupling...
Month: <span>December 2021</span>
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Melatonin exacerbates asthma
by ResearchSEA The serum concentration of melatonin reaches maximum at night. Melatonin enhances airway smooth muscle contraction, which could worsen asthma symptoms. Credit: Kentaro Mizuta et al. Asthma sufferers generally find their condition gets worse at night. Now, a research group may understand why. Melatonin, a sleep hormone that is sometimes prescribed to treat insomnia,...
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While waiting for food: The surprising fetal gut cells that make insulin
by Weizmann Institute of Science In both the FIKL cells in the small intestine (top) and beta cells in the pancreas (bottom), the mRNA molecules for making insulin (magenta) are found closer to the cell center, whereas insulin itself (green) accumulates on the outward-facing side of the cell, from where it will be released. Credit:...
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Gene editing produces all-male or all-female litters of mice
3 DEC 2021 3:05 PM BY ELIZABETH PENNISI These mice have been genetically modified to parent single-sex litters. FRANCIS CRICK INSTITUTE In some farmers’ ideal world, cows would birth only females, sows would bear no boars, and chicks would all grow up to be hens. Such sex ratios would stop them from killing millions of...
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Edison was right: Waking up right after drifting off to sleep can boost creativity
8 DEC 2021 2:00 PM BY SOFIA MOUTINHO Thomas Edison takes a nap, perhaps to boost his creativity.BETTMANN/CONTRIBUTOR/GETTY IMAGES When Thomas Edison hit a wall with his inventions, he would nap in an armchair while holding a steel ball. As he started to fall asleep and his muscles relaxed, the ball would strike the floor,...
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Tongue Exercise Does Not Help with the Age-Related Decline of Tongue Muscle Function in Rats
Exercise in the form of strength training creates such broad changes in metabolism and produces such diverse benefits to health that it is interesting to see a specific example in which it doesn’t help at all. That is possibly a path to better understanding which of the results of exercise are important, versus which are not, when it comes to functional...
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Researchers Identify Gene That Worsens Fatty Liver Disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects almost a quarter of adults worldwide. Yale researchers have discovered a therapeutic target for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. The study appears in the issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Liver disease is one of the leading causes of...
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Warning signs of sight loss could be identified before vision deteriorates
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON A new study has shown that the signs of age related macular degeneration can set in earlier than previously thought – even before patients begin to lose their sight. The findings open the door for research into earlier treatment that could help slow down the onset of the condition the most common...
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Experimental treatment prevents Alzheimer’s-associated weight gain in mice
FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO Treatment with a bile acid derivative known as TUDCA (tauroursodeoxycholic acid) can mitigate metabolic abnormalities associated with Alzheimer’s disease, such as alterations in food intake and body weight, improving the patient’s quality of life, according to the findings of a study conducted at the University...
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What is Infectious Arthritis?
By Syed S. A. Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. Infectious arthritis (IA) is a general term that refers to any arthritic condition caused by microorganisms, in which the capacity of infectious agents to colonize the joint is influenced by host-related factors along with the properties of microbe. A painful infection in the joint, Infectious arthritis...