Soon, a nanoparticle tattoo
A temporary tattoo made of antioxidant nanoparticles to help control a chronic disease maybe on the anvil, according to scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine, U.S. Their study in the journal, Scientific Reports , shows that nanoparticles modified with polyethylene glycol can be made to behave like T and B cells, the main kinds of cells in the immune system, and employed to fight disease. Administering the nanoparticles like a tattoo could also ensure that these foreign bodies don’t stay in contact with the body longer than required. That could be a plus for patients with autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis. T and B lymphocyte cells and macrophages are key components of the immune system. But a drawback is that they frequently destroy even healthy cells. These could lead to unexpected infections and delayed recovery. Using soluble nanoparticles could help T cells sift the harmful from neutral cells.
Smoking’s ‘legacy’
Smoking leaves its “footprint” on the human genome in the form of DNA methylation, a process by which cells control gene activity, according to a study. Even after someone stops smoking, the effects of smoking remain in their DNA. The new findings in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics suggest that DNA methylation could be an important sign that reveals an individual’s smoking history, and could provide researchers with potential targets for new therapies. Researchers associated with the study suggest that some of these long-lasting methylation sites may be marking genes potentially important for former smokers who are still at increased risk of developing certain diseases.
A ‘sixth sense’ gene
With the help of two young patients having a unique neurological disorder, scientists have discovered that a gene called PIEZO2 controls specific aspects of human touch and proprioception, a “sixth sense” describing awareness of one’s body in space. Mutations in the gene caused the two to have movement and balance problems and the loss of some forms of touch. Despite their difficulties, they both appeared to cope with these challenges by relying heavily on vision and other senses, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine . The two patients in this study are unrelated, one nine and the other 19 years old. They have difficulties walking; hip, finger and foot deformities, and abnormally curved spines diagnosed as progressive scoliosis.
Women’s cognition explained
Research published this week in Psychoneuroendocrinology shows that depending on the phase of their menstrual cycle, women use different cognitive approaches to solve problems. Hormone levels do not reduce or increase ability; they simply change the way problems are approached. When subjected to a controlled study that involved playing a video game to test spatial navigation and taking certain standardised memory tests, researchers found that women who were ovulating performed better in memory tasks, such as memorising lists of words. Women in their pre-menstrual phase (mid/late luteal) were better at solving the spatial navigation trial.
