Scientists in California have discovered a DNA sequence that turns on and off gene expression in the cell. The human genome is a very long molecule composed of repetitions of the four nucleic acids (coded by the letters A, T, ...
Stem Cells to Rebuild Heart Tissue
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells, cells that can transform and become any other cell in the body, and for this reason they can be used to heal or strengthen any human tissue. However, so far scientists have had difficulties ...
MS Patients Can Walk Faster Using Virtual Reality
Among other symptoms, Multiple Sclerosis, affects the gait of the patient. This is the result of weak muscles, sensory disorders and general fatigue, and is also caused by incoordination induced by neuronal abnormality. A new device developed by a group ...
Viruses may Defeat Bacteria
Bacterium is known to be a single cell creature. However, a mass of bacteria can create ‘biofilm’, a layer of bacteria acting together. Some bacteria must be present in biofilm in order to execute some of its features, especially pathogenesis ...
Rewarding Relief
Scientists have drawn a connection between the responsiveness to placebo treatment and reward anticipation. In an article published in Nature magazine, scientists from the University of Michigan showed that volunteers who were strongly affected by a placebo treatment showed high ...
Shedding Light on Blindness
Stem cells are at the forefront of medical research and incite some of the most controversial ethical and religious debates worldwide. While regarded by many top scientists as the Holy Grail of medicine, others consider embryonic stem-cell research sacrilegious. Recent ...
Keeping Our Memories Fresh
What keeps our long term memories viable? Little is known about the way the long term memories are kept in the brain. Does memorizing something new can be compared to writing text on a paper, making it stay forever or ...
New Biosensors Will Monitor Physiological Signs
Researchers at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville are testing possible applications of different biosensors – hoping to bring them into use in the health-care industry. The sensors can be applied onto special fabrics with wireless technology, continuously monitoring the ...
Long Living Neurons
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and some other neuronal disorders, including ALS, are a consequence of massive neuron loss. American scientists have developed a method to decrease neuron loss rate in mice bearing Alzheimer’s disease and ALS analogues. This was achieved by ...
What Helps HIV Penetrate White Blood Cells?
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the cause for the AIDS disease. The virus attacks the T-cells in our blood, an important component of our immune system. The virus penetrates the host by fusing its membrane with the host’s membrane. ...