Summary: Researchers have identified a genetic mechanism that regulates behavioral adaptations to emotional experiences by forming R-loops, unique RNA:DNA structures that activate target genes. The study focused on NPAS4, a…
Category: Genetics
Roadmap for the incoming Trump administration: Friend or foe of US agriculture?
President-elect Trump has promised his second administration will move aggressively to deliver relief from regulatory burdens in a number of areas. Though not widely noted in the current media coverage,…
Are ultra-processed foods ‘addictive’? It depends
Although the problem has, at least lately, been pegged to ultra-processed foods, the siren song of cheap, convenient, ubiquitous food isn’t limited to those. Lots of foods that don’t meet…
The ‘tangled web’ of aging
Aging is far more complex than just an advancing clock. It’s a tangled web of molecular changes that don’t play by linear rules. Recent studies reveal that the risk of…
The hornet has landed: Scientists combat new honeybee killer in US
In early August 2023, a beekeeper near the port of Savannah, Georgia, noticed some odd activity around his hives. Something was hunting his honeybees. It was a flying insect bigger…
New Appetite Regulating Neurons Discovered
Summary: Researchers have identified a previously unknown population of neurons in the hypothalamus that play a critical role in regulating appetite. These neurons express both leptin receptors and the BNC2…
Depression Genes in Women Linked to Higher Heart Disease Risk
Summary: A new study analyzing genetic data from over 300,000 people revealed that women with a high genetic risk for depression also face a higher likelihood of developing heart disease,…
Leaded Gas Exposure Linked to Mental Illness
Summary: A new study estimates that childhood lead exposure, peaking between 1960 and 1990 due to leaded gasoline, caused 151 million excess cases of mental illness by 2015. Researchers linked…
Two different human species almost certainly encountered each other on the banks of a Kenyan lake 1.5 million years ago
Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbors some 1.5 million years ago. The footprints were left in the mud by…
Spike Protein Lingers in Brain, Fuels Long COVID
Summary: A new study reveals that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein remains in brain-protective tissues and skull bone marrow for years after infection, potentially driving long COVID’s neurological symptoms. Using advanced…
