Life Sciences

Found results: 11545

New in Gerontology

The key target of the aging regulator has been discovered

Sirtuins at the cellular level maintain the integrity of the genome, increase resistance to adverse factors and resist physiological aging. Scientists from the Wistar Institute for the first time demonstrated the molecular target of one of the representatives of this class of proteins, Sir2, in the process of regulating the aging of yeast cells.

17.06.2009
Genetics

Genes of schizophrenia and depression: the answer is close

Comparison of isolated populations with frequent occurrence of the same disease makes it possible to determine the entire spectrum of genes associated with it. This approach allowed us to establish a number of important facts in the identification of schizophrenia and depression genes.

16.06.2009
New in Gerontology

The most complete database on life expectancy

Unlike many other resources of this kind, the AnAge database includes only scientifically confirmed data. The database contains information about the maximum life expectancy of 3,650 vertebrate species (humans are in 11th place among them), as well as body weight, growth and puberty rates, reproduction rate and other characteristics that can be used for comparative studies.

16.06.2009
Genetics

All the genes of all diseases in one database

The project of scientists from Olga Troyanskaya's group at Princeton University has become part of the revolution in medical and biological science that has been taking place in recent years. Data on the function of genes and their activity in various diseases are now collected in one place, and everyone can get acquainted with them.

16.06.2009
Nanotechnology

Gallop on nanotechnology

If you think that nanotechnology is a distant future or even the lot of science fiction, then you are mistaken. Nature "invented" nanotechnology (as well as many other things) long before man, who only in the last few decades has been following the same path, trying to repeat some of her inventions. The successes so far are quite modest, but scientists have already managed to achieve some achievements in the field of nanotechnology.

11.06.2009
Biomedicine

RNA interference: Silencing genes

Classical RNA interference is the action of siRNA, the other short RNAs (microRNAs and antigenrnas) resemble interference to some extent by the mechanism of action, but do not fit into the usual scheme.

04.06.2009
Other life sciences

Distributed computing: Volunteers at the service of science

Distributed computing has penetrated into many branches of science, becoming a reliable partner of scientists. Millions of people have turned from statisticians of scientific progress into its direct participants. The international audience of distributed computing is growing, uniting people from different countries in a common desire to uncover the secrets of the universe.

02.06.2009
New in Gerontology

Do free radicals slow down aging?

Reactive oxygen species, the harm of which mountains of scientific articles have been written about, turned out to be just as necessary for the body as, for example, cholesterol. A small but constant dose of free radicals is exactly what helps the body cope with premature aging.

02.06.2009
Biomedicine

Induced pluripotent stem cells for gene therapy of hereditary diseases

Belmonte and his colleagues restored a genetic defect in patients' fibroblasts and turned them into induced pluripotent stem cells. Taking into account the fact that bone marrow transplantation is a proven technology, and there is not much choice in patients with Fanconi anemia, the introduction of the method will have to wait less than gene therapy for other diseases.

01.06.2009
Genetic engineering

Mice with a human "speech gene" squeaked in a bass voice

The "humanization" of mice with the help of the Foxp2 speech gene does not affect them in the best way. Rodents become more passive and get less pleasure from life. But the processes of their nerve cells become much longer and more active, complicating the structure of the brain.

01.06.2009
Cellular technologies

Are induced pluripotent stem cells ready for use?

Scientists have managed to obtain induced pluripotent stem cells from human skin cells without the use of foreign nucleic acids or proteins. The technology is based on the use of four modified proteins obtained using human cell culture.

01.06.2009
Biomedicine

Exposure to "secondary genes" – a new approach to cancer treatment?

In the process of their development, cancer cells develop so-called secondary dependencies in relation to the work of genes that do not cause cancer by themselves. Disorders in the work of these "secondary" genes can be fatal for cancer cells, which can be used to create anti-cancer drugs of selective action that are safe for healthy tissues,

29.05.2009
Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology in Russia: learn from the mistakes of others

The lessons of foreign nanoboom are valuable practical experience for the development of nanotechnology in Russia. Ignoring the accumulated facts can lead to very deplorable consequences, which we would like to avoid through far-sighted planning of all scientific, technological, economic and social aspects of the development of nanotechnology in our country.

29.05.2009
Genetic engineering

Glowing Monkeys: to be continued

Genetically modified monkeys and their offspring are still just glowing green, but scientists hope to model human diseases on them soon and test new drugs for them.

28.05.2009
Genetics

Mouse genes and human diseases

An international team of biologists has completed the reconstruction of the mouse genetic code. Scientists have stated that 75% of mouse genes coincide with human ones. This will create new tools for studying various diseases.

27.05.2009
Genetics

The altruism gene

Some variations in the nucleotide sequence of the OXTR gene encoding the oxytocin receptor are directly related to the tendency of people to do good deeds to the detriment of personal gain. The discovery was another step in understanding the hereditary foundations of altruistic behavior.

27.05.2009