Tuberculosis, caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide, killing >1 million people annually. Current treatment uses multiple drugs, lasts for months and is challenged by increasing drug resistance among strains. Mycobacterial drug resistance is mediated in part by efflux, a pumping mechanism that sheds drugs from theContinueContinue reading “A semi-synthetic approach to treat tuberculosis”
Category Archives: research news
The evolution of breathing
When birds breathe, air flows through their lungs in a unidirectional pattern, once thought to be a unique adaptation to meet the high oxygen demands of flight. But when similar unidirectional flow patterns were discovered in the lungs of crocodilians, paleobiologists began to consider that this trait may have developed in an ancestor common toContinueContinue reading “The evolution of breathing”
Genetic variant regulates arthritis severity
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most prevalent arthropod-borne illness in the US. Disease severity varies greatly, with up to 60% of untreated patients developing a self-limiting, inflammatory arthritis. Even after appropriate antibiotic therapy, 10% of patients may develop chronic arthritis lasting months to years. The spectrum of arthritis severity amongContinueContinue reading “Genetic variant regulates arthritis severity”
Cell communication feeds the fountain of youth
Aging can be broadly defined as a gradual decline in function over time; it is one of the most conserved features of living organisms. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of aging, but the mechanisms contributing to the disruption of mitochondrial homeostasis are not clearly understood. Now, researchers led by David Sinclair (Harvard Medical School, Boston,ContinueContinue reading “Cell communication feeds the fountain of youth”
A wake-up call for injured neurons
After suffering a concussion or other traumatic brain injury (TBI), many people (70% or more) experience disturbances in their sleep–wake cycles, such as daytime sleepiness and nighttime insomnia. Such sleep problems can impair attention and memory formation, disrupt quality of life and delay cognitive recovery from TBI. There are currently no proven therapies available toContinueContinue reading “A wake-up call for injured neurons”
Sniffing out a new strategy to control mosquitoes
Female mosquitoes can transmit deadly bloodborne diseases and are of particular concern in developing areas including sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Mosquito repellants like N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) are of limited utility in these regions because they are effective only at short range and are too expensive and unpleasant for daily use. Another control strategy is to burnContinueContinue reading “Sniffing out a new strategy to control mosquitoes”
A link between gut bacteria and rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease marked by joint inflammation. Although its causes are unknown, mouse studies suggest that gut bacteria may be involved in supporting the immune response underlying inflammation. When scientists led by Dan Littman (New York University School of Medicine, NY) investigated this involvement, they found that a specific gut bacteriumContinueContinue reading “A link between gut bacteria and rheumatoid arthritis”
Perioperative morphine prolongs postoperative pain
Morphine is often used to treat pain after surgery. Although it is an effective painkiller, it can also work against itself by exciting glial cells in the brain, thus intensifying pain. To evaluate the potential for perioperative administration of morphine to prolong postoperative pain, a research team from the University of Colorado Boulder, led byContinueContinue reading “Perioperative morphine prolongs postoperative pain”
Fruit flies in space
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) plans to launch its new Fruit Fly Lab (FFL) to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014 as part of a mission to assess the effects of microgravity and other aspects of prolonged space travel on the organisms. NASA hopes the mission will help scientists to understandContinueContinue reading “Fruit flies in space”
Vaccine fails to clear pertussis infection in baboons
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It has reemerged as a public health concern as pertussis rates in the US have increased and reached a 50-year high of 42,000 cases in 2012. This resurgence is not completely understood but is believed to be related toContinueContinue reading “Vaccine fails to clear pertussis infection in baboons”
Fluent in Science 