Exon Junction Complex controls mRNA: RNA Methylation

Our gene expression is regulated by RNA methylation. Same process also affects various cellular processes like differentiation and development. Lately, University of Chicago researchers, led by Chuan He, have uncovered new insights into how genes work by solving a long-standing mystery related to RNA methylation. Researchers in Chuan He’s lab have been studying RNA methylation and its potential impact on human health for over a decade.

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Gas Entrapping Materials to Mitigate Tumor Hypoxia: GeM Technology

Cancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been shown to be less effective when exposed to a hypoxic environment. In fact, low oxygen levels in tumors can also escalate disease progression. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and microbubble infusion are the two techniques through which oxygen levels in tumors can be increased to improve treatment outcomes.

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Vitamin D Deficiency Associated with Melanoma: Skin and Bone Health

Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating normal function of human body. It helps the body to absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus, which are critical for building bone. In addition, it also helps in boosting energy levels. Epidemiological studies too, have shown that Vit-D deficiency is closely associated with common chronic diseases such as bone metabolic disorders, tumors, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. In addition, similar corelation between vitamin D and skin cancers have also been investigated.

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Compact Cas7-11 Enzyme for RNA Editing: CRISPR-Cas System

The CRISPR CAS9 system famously known as genetic scissors was discovered by Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna in 2012. And since then, the new tool has been studied extensively across global academia. Initial studies of the genome editing tool altered only the DNA. However, lately the CAS system is also studied for editing RNA. What is CRISPR-CAS system? CRISPR-CAS system is an adaptive immune system of bacteria, which protects it from invaders. Also, it defends the bacterial host from renewed infection as it memorizes previous infections. DNA has the fingerprint.…

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Multiple Modes of Dendritic Integration in Single Neurons: Brain Computation

Dendrites, branch like extensions protruding from a single neuron, participate in computations and permutations to give a synchronized output to the neuron. Researchers at MIT have now demonstrated that not only different types of dendrites (of a single neuron) collect input from various regions of the brain, they also process that information in different customized ways.

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Microfluidic Squeezing Leads To Stemness: Cell Engineering

In an interesting finding, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston Children’s Hospital have discovered that physically pressing microscopic intra-cellular structures together can trigger cells to grow faster.  This phenomenon at microscopic level resembles the spread of things like ideas, interests and even infections within a close proximity of people.

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Memory Consolidation via Excitatory And Inhibitory Networks: Neuronal Circuits

Until now, neuroscientists believed that during memory consolidation only “one” excitatory process occurs and that also in the Hippocampus region of the brain. Lately, McGill-led multi-institutional research team has discovered that there is not one but two different processes that are simultaneously taking place in different neural network within brain.

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