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Biology-based brain model matches animals in learning, enables new discovery

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  A new computational model of the brain based closely on its biology and physiology not only learned a simple visual category learning task exactly as well as lab animals, but even enabled the discovery of counterintuitive activity by a group of neurons that researchers working with animals to perform the same task had not noticed in their data before, says a team of scientists at Dartmouth College, MIT, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Notably, the model produced these achievements without ever being trained on any data from animal experiments. Instead, it was built from scratch to faithfully represent how neurons connect into circuits and then communicate electrically and chemically across broader brain regions to produce cognition and behavior. Then, when the research team asked the model to perform the same task that they had previously performed with the animals (looking at patterns of dots and deciding which of two broader categories they fit), it produce...
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Cells use actin and microtubules as a coordinated scaffold

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  A Northwestern Medicine study has shed light on one of the most intricate construction projects in biology: how cells build and coordinate the internal scaffolding needed to create a healthy egg. The research,  published  in the  Journal of Cell Biology , details how two structural cellular systems work together to form developing egg cells. For an egg cell to form, a group of nurse cells all empty their contents into what will become the egg cell. All organelles and proteins, everything, go to the egg cell," said Wen Lu, Ph.D., research assistant professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and a co-author of the study. "This is a very dramatic process that is foundational to the development of life, yet exactly how this is accomplished has remained unclear." The study, conducted in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies), identifies previously unknown collaboration between actin filaments and microtubules—two key components of the cytoskeleton—during egg development...
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Most Preventable Cancers Are Linked to Just Two Lifestyle Habits

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  It's easy to feel powerless against cancer, but a new study has identified several ways that we can reduce the odds of it occurring. According to new analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO), more than a third of all cancer cases globally are preventable. Lung, stomach, and cervical cancers make up nearly half of those cases. This means that millions of deadly cancers every year could be prevented through medical intervention, behavior changes, reducing occupational risks, or tackling environmental pollutants. "Addressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful opportunities to reduce the global cancer burden," says Isabelle Soerjomataram, medical epidemiologist at WHO and senior author of the analysis. Website Link: molecularbiologist.org/ Contact Mail ID : support@molecularbiologist.org Nomination Link  : https://molecularbiologist.org/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee #LifestyleFactors...
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Pharmacogenomics Enhances Transplant Outcomes: Recent Insights

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  In the realm of organ transplantation, the integration of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice has emerged as a transformative approach that holds the potential to significantly enhance patient outcomes. The recent literature, particularly a review by researchers K.D. Belfield, E.A. Cohen, and G. Girone, sheds light on the profound implications of pharmacogenomics in transplantation. This exciting field explores how an individual’s genetic makeup can influence their response to medications, thereby revolutionizing personalized medicine in organ transplant recipients. At the heart of pharmacogenomics is the interaction between genetics and drug metabolism. Each patient possesses a unique genetic profile that impacts how their body processes medications. In the context of transplantation, this means that the standard immunosuppressive therapies often prescribed may not be equally effective for every individual. By understanding these genetic variances, clinicians can tailor medi...
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Scientists discover new life forms inside human bodies, remarking 'it's insane'

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  Every time we think we’re close to fully understanding the human body, something fresh and unexpected shows up. Recently, a team of researchers stumbled upon strange entities, or obelisks, living inside of human bodies that had escaped notice until now. These new visitors appear smaller than the viruses most people learn about in basic biology classes. Rather than behaving like familiar microbes, they introduce themselves as something different. Their discovery came about when researchers began analyzing massive genetic libraries, searching for patterns that did not match any known organisms. This unusual find was led by Nobel Prize winner in Medicine Andrew Fire, from Stanford University. Website Link: molecularbiologist.org/ Contact Mail ID : support@molecularbiologist.org Nomination Link  : https://molecularbiologist.org/award-nomination/?ecategory=Awards&rcategory=Awardee #NewDiscovery #HumanBiology #MicrobialLife #HiddenLife #ScienceBre...
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A molecular gatekeeper that controls protein synthesis

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  Researchers at ETH Zurich recently explained the role of a molecular complex that orchestrates the production of proteins in our cells. They now show that this complex also controls the processing of proteins that compact DNA. These new insights could form the basis for new approaches in cancer treatment, but they also critically extend the current understanding of protein biosynthesis. The protein factories in cells—ribosomes—have a central task: during a process known as translation, amino acids are linked together according to messenger RNA, forming a growing peptide chain that later folds into a functional protein. However, before a newly emerging protein can even begin to fold, it must be processed and transported to the correct location within the cell. As soon as it emerges from the ribosome, enzymes can remove its initial amino acid, attach small chemical groups, or determine to which cellular compartments the protein should be sent. These activities already take place du...
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Talazoparib gets the green light from NICE for metastatic prostate cancer

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  The combination therapy demonstrated substantial clinical benefits in trial data, with patients receiving talazoparib plus enzalutamide experiencing extended survival and delayed disease progression. Overall survival reached 45.8 months versus 37 months for the single-agent treatment – representing an improvement of nearly 9 months. Additionally, progression-free survival showed even more dramatic gains, extending to 33.1 months compared with 19.5 months on enzalutamide alone – a benefit of more than 13 months. Clinical trials found that people taking talazoparib with enzalutamide lived significantly longer and had more time before their cancer got worse. Overall survival was 45.8 months compared with 37 months for those on enzalutamide alone – an increase of nearly nine months. The time people live without their cancer getting worse also increased: 33.1 months compared with 19.5 months – an increase of over a year. “For these men, having talazoparib appr...
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