Oligodendrocytes are specialized brain cells that can change to cells that produce myelin and protect nerves. This study investigates the capacity for different extracellular matrix cues to induce this effect in culture.
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Investigating the Role of the Novel ESCRT-III Recruitment Factor CCDC11 in HIV Budding: A Potential Target for Antiviral Therapy
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In this work, Takemaru et al explored the role of Coiled-Coil Domain-Containing 11 (CCDC11) in HIV-1 budding. Their results suggest that CCDC11 is critical for efficient HIV-1 budding, potentially indicating CCDC11 a viable target for antiviral therapeutics without major side effects.
Read More...Conversion of Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in a Tumor Microenvironment: An in vitro Study
Mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) play a role in tumor formation by differentiating into cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) which enable metastasis of tumors. The process of conversion of MSCs into CAFs is not clear. In this study, authors tested the hypothesis that cancers cells secrete soluble factors that induce differentiation by culturing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in media conditioned by a breast cancer cell line.
Read More...Giving Teens a Voice: Sources of Stress for High School Students
The authors investigate the negative effects stress has on teen mental and physical health. Through a survey, they give Virginia teens a voice in revising the Health and Physical Education curriculum to include a standards of learning (SOL). Notably they identify factors contributing to stress levels including homework level, amount of free and sleep time, parental pressure and family encouragement.
Read More...The Effects of Antioxidants on the Climbing Abilities of Drosophila melanogaster Exposed to Dental Resin
Dental resins can be a source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which in unruly amounts can be toxic to cellular and overall health. In this report, the authors test whether the consumption of antioxidant rich foods like avocado and asparagus can protect against the effect of dental resin-derived ROS. However, rather than testing humans, they use fruit flies and their climbing abilities as an experimental readout.
Read More...In silico design of an epitope-based vaccine for Rocio virus using phage display and E. coli expression system
The explored the potential of an epitope-based vaccine for Rocio virus using computational methods and M13 bacteriophage technology. Researchers identified 30 promising B- and T-cell epitopes and designed vaccine candidates using both phage display and E. coli expression systems.
Read More...The effects of dysregulated ion channels and vasoconstriction in glioblastoma multiforme
The impact of genetic, drug, and procedural factors on cardiac xenograft survival days in non-human primates
Due to a critical shortage of donor hearts, researchers are exploring cardiac xenotransplantation—transplanting animal hearts into humans—as a potential solution. This study synthesized nearly two decades of preclinical research to evaluate multiple factors affecting xenograft survival.
Read More...Analysis of complement system gene expression and outcome across the subtypes of glioma
Here the authors sought to better understand glioma, cancer that occurs in the glial cells of the brain with gene expression profile analysis. They considered the expression of complement system genes across the transcriptional and IDH-mutational subtypes of low-grade glioma and glioblastoma. Based on their results of their differential gene expression analysis, they found that outcomes vary across different glioma subtypes, with evidence suggesting that categorization of the transcriptional subtypes could help inform treatment by providing an expectation for treatment responses.
Read More...Differential MERS-CoV response in different cell types
The authors compare RNA expression profiles across three human cell types following infection with MERS-CoV
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