Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Leipzig University and Ulm University have developed a new method to isolate HIV from samples more easily, potentially making it easier to detect infection with the virus. They focus on peptide nanofibrils (PNFs) on magnetic microparticles, a promising tool and hybrid material for targeted binding and separation of viral particles. They have published their new findings in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

A study has identified a risk of severe adverse effects in cats with the MDR1 genetic mutation to eprinometin, the active ingredient in some top-selling parasite preventatives like NexGard COMBO and Centragard. Genetically affected cats lack a protective mechanism that prevents certain drugs, including eprinomectin, from entering the brain and causing serious neurological toxicity. WSU researchers initiated their investigation in response to an uptick in reports of adverse neurological reactions following the marketing of the eprinomectin-containing products in the U.S. The team reviewed medical records from 33 cats that became extremely ill or died after treatment with products containing eprinomectin to rule out any other potential cause of neurological toxicity. In fourteen cases, no other reasonable cause was identified. Eight of these 14 cats were homozygous – having two copies of the same gene – for the MDR1 mutation. Three of those cats died. 

Regulators of gene expression are like traffic lights inside our cells that control the activity of genes, influencing how our bodies work and respond to the environment. They are thought to play an outsized role in disorders from cancers to heart disease. But how exactly do variations in gene regulation translate into a disease’s biology? A study led by researchers from TGen, in collaboration with the St. Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research and Vanderbilt University Medical Center, sheds light on the intricate link between gene regulation and pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a debilitating respiratory ailment. The results, published today in Nature Genetics, marks the first comprehensive exploration of how an individual’s genetics influence gene regulation at the cellular level within lung tissue. This meticulous examination offers crucial insights into the biological underpinnings of PF, an incurable condition often culminating in lung transplant or fatality within a few years.

Lower-income communities across the United States have long been much slower to adopt solar power than their affluent neighbors, even when local and federal agencies offer tax breaks and other financial incentives. But, commercial and industrial rooftops, such as those atop retail buildings and factories, offer a big opportunity to reduce what researchers call the “solar equity gap,” according to a new study, published in Nature Energy and led by researchers at Stanford University.

In a paper published in MedComm-Future Medicine, an easy-to-use and explainable web-based calculator PO-AKID-teller was constructed to identify patients who might experience postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis (PO-AKID) after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) surgery.

A breakthrough in sustainable molecular transformations has been announced by researchers at the University of Helsinki. Led by Professor Pedro Camargo, the team has developed an important way to harness the power of visible light to drive chemical processes with greater efficiencies, offering a greener alternative to traditional methods.