The authors assess the effect of ER stress on sleep quality in fruit flies.
Read More...Dantrolene-induced ER stress alters sleep in Drosophila melanogaster
Implications of various pure tones on Phaseolus vulgaris and Gaultheria shallon
This study investigated how different sound frequencies (0, 1,000, 5,000, and 15,000 Hz) affect the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris and the transpiration rates of Gaultheria shallon. Although some differences in plant growth were observed, the authors found no consistent evidence that sound frequency enhanced overall growth or transpiration, highlighting the need for further research.
Read More...Developing “Off the Shelf” Pancreases for Diabetic Patients Using Bacterial and Kombucha Tea Waste
In this study, the authors investigate the suitability of using bacterial cellulose as a scaffold for cell transplants. Interestingly, this cellulose is a can be found in the discard from a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) used to make kombucha.
Read More...Effect of Increasing Concentrations of Cannabidiol (CBD) on Hatching, Survival and Development of Artemia salina
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a widely available over the counter treatment used for various medical conditions. However, CBD exerts its effects on the endocannabinoid system, which is involved in neural maturation, and could potentially have adverse effects on brain development. Here, the impact of CBD on the development of brine shrimp (Artemia salina) was assessed. Differences in dose responses were observed.
Read More...Temperatures of 20°C Produce Increased Net Primary Production in Chlorella sp.
Chlorella sp. are unicellular green algae that use photosynthesis to reduce carbon dioxide into glucose. In this study, authors sought to determine the temperature that Chlorella sp. is maximally efficient at photosynthesis, and therefore removing the most carbon dioxide from the system. This activity could be harnessed to naturally remove carbon dioxide from the environment, fighting the effects of climate change.
Read More...QuitPuff: A Simple Method Using Saliva to Assess the Risk of Oral Pre-Cancerous Lesions and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Chronic Smokers
Smoking generates free radicals and reactive oxygen species which induce cell damage and lipid peroxidation. This is linked to the development of oral cancer in chronic smokers. The authors of this study developed Quitpuff, simple colorimetric test to measure the extent of lipid peroxidation in saliva samples. This test detected salivary lipid peroxidation with 96% accuracy in test subjects and could serve as an inexpensive, non-invasive test for smokers to measure degree of salivary lipid peroxidation and potential risk of oral cancer.
Read More...TGFβ1 Codon 10 Polymorphism and its Association with the Prevalence of Low Myopia
The goal of this project was to assess the relationships among low myopia, behavioral and demographic factors, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the TGFβ1 gene.
Read More...Relationship between p62 and learning behavior in male and female mice deficient in hippocampal folliculin
Here the authors hypothesized that reducing folliculin (FLCN) might affect p62 protein levels in the dorsal hippocampus of mice, given their potential functional connection and p62's role in neurodegenerative diseases. Their study, using western blots and a two-way ANOVA on young wild-type mice, found that p62 levels correlated with FLCN expression, but ultimately concluded there's no evidence of a functional connection between FLCN and p62 in this specific model.
Read More...Higher pH level increases the efficacy of calcium phosphate-mediated intracellular delivery
This study investigated the impact of pH on the efficiency of calcium phosphate, used as a drug delivery agent.
Read More...The effects of the cancer metastasis promoting gene CD151 in E. coli
The independent effects of metastasis-promoting gene CD151 in the process of metastasis are not known. This study aimed to isolate CD151 to discover what its role in metastasis would be uninfluenced by potential interactions with other components and pathways in human cells. Results showed that CD151 significantly increased the adhesion of the cells and decreased their motility. Thus, it may be that CD151 is upregulated in cancer cells for the last step of metastasis, and it increases the chances of success of metastasis by aiding in implantation of the cancer cells. Targeting CD151 in chemotherapeutic modalities could therefore potentially slow or prevent metastasis.
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