Premature babies often face serious lung problems. One big issue is bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which happens when there's too much oxygen. Scientists are trying to understand how this happens at a tiny level, focusing on something called epigenetics. Epigenetics is like a switch that turns genes on or off. It doesn't change the DNA itself, but it can change h...
Cells in our bodies have a gender identity, which is crucial for understanding health differences between males and females. This might sound surprising, but it's true. Every cell in our body, not just reproductive cells, carries sex chromosomes that influence how our organs develop and function. This is why studying sex differences in cells is so important. It helps...
Statins are famous for their role in lowering cholesterol. They have been a game-changer in reducing deaths from heart disease. This is mostly because they lower the bad cholesterol in the blood. But statins do more than just that. They also improve how blood vessels work. They cut down on inflammation. They reduce harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species. Pl...
The way we treat our kids can be heavily influenced by our own past experiences. People who were mistreated as kids might struggle to be good parents, and scientists are trying to figure out why. Researchers looked into how DNA changes might play a role in this cycle. They focused on something called DNA methylation. This is a process where tiny chemical ta...
Methylation is like a secret code that cells use to control important processes. The most common type is N6-methyladenosine (m6A), found in RNA. Methyltransferases add m6A, and demethylases remove it. The FTO (fat mass and obesity-associated protein) is a demethylase that can malfunction and cause diseases. Because of this, FTO could be a vital clue for doctors to di...
Athletes often use cold or heat treatments to speed up muscle recovery. But do these thermal interventions really make a difference? Some research shows that cold might not be so great for growing muscles. It can slow down protein creation and muscle repair after workouts, leading to weaker gains. On the other hand, heat seems to help protect muscles from breaking do...
Imagine being able to target a specific part of a protein to fight leukemia with less side effects. That's what scientists are working on with a new drug called XY221. This drug, XY221, is special because it sticks to a tiny part of a protein called BRD4 BD2. This part is like a keyhole, and XY221 is the perfect key for it. It fits so well, it can cause cancer cells ...
Alzheimer's disease messes with your memory and makes you confused. It happens when stuff called amyloid beta plaques and tangles pile up in your brain, blocking its normal work. There's no cure yet, and as people live longer, more folks will get it. Why does this happen? Lots of reasons, like inflammation, stress from oxygen, genes, and blood vessel issues in the br...
Ever wondered if your muscles have a memory? Well, they do! Scientists found that muscles remember high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This means that even if you stop HIIT for a while, your muscles still remember the workouts. You might be thinking, "How did they figure this out? " The researchers did something clever. They had people do HIIT workouts, then st...