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Psychology Debrefied
Quick updates of scientific researches
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9/3/2019:
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Regarding the He JianKui Case of editing human genome with CRISPR-Cas9, the Chinese minister of science and technology Wang Zhigang has warned scientists to not overstep ethical bounds and states the Chinese government has a "clear position" on violation of such laws.
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Image source: https://www.teslarati.com/chinese-scientist-edits-human-baby-genes-prevent-hiv-infection/
12/3/2019
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Experiments of a mouse running on a wheel through virtual-reality simulation of an endless hallway show that the electric impulses in the mouse's brain respond differently to the same simulation presented. VR could become a vital tool in neuroscience research because it allows the test subject to maintain a sense of individual agency while scientists control the variables inside the virtual world.
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13/3/2019​
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Serotonin, a well-known neurotransmitter, plays a role in histone modification and gene expression as studied recently by scientists. Serotonylation of the chromatin seem to affect methylation process as well. There seem to be more complex processes underlying the mechanisms of histone modification
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27/3/2019
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Previously overlooked by researchers, mice of different sex perceive the same pain stimulus differently. While gender does not necessarily match sex, which is a biological construct instead of a psychological one, medications and treatments must keep in mind the different signaling pathways that account for the pain response.
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26/4/2019​
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A newly discovered toll-like receptor (TLR) inhibitory peptide named T1P1 successfully binds to the TIR domain of TRL4 and inhibits the traveling of secreted pro-inflammatory cytokines, greatly diminishing the effects of inflammation.
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2/5/2019​​
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Methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) leads to metaplastic up-regulation of oxytocin-dependent long-term depression, this indicates pathogenesis of neurodevelopment disorders that result in social impairments may relate to critical periods regulated by oxytocin-mediated synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens.
9/5/2019
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Brown adipose tissue (BAT) engages in non-shivering thermogenesis and contains more sympathetic nerve than in white adipose tissues. By studying the control mechanisms of BAT through analyzing RNA transcript in brown adipocytes, a newly identified gene ---- calsyntenin 3β (CLSTN3β) seems to control thermoregulation, especially in response to coldness.
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30/5/2019
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Granule neuron activation in the anterior dorsal cerebellar vermis has a crucial roles in a delay tactile startle earning paradigm in mice. Activating of the motor-learning-linked granule neuron circuits lead to enhancer-promoter neuronal chromatin reorganization.
13/6/2019
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Molecular biologist Denis Rebrikov could become the second person to use CRISPR Cas-9 to edit infant genomes, after He JianKui of China. He plans to operate on the same gene He attempted, the CCR5. If he succeeds in disabling the gene, the signaling pathway for HIV could be closed.
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20/6/2019
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By studying 48 samples of 20 transcriptionally distinct pre-cluster cells of the human brain through interrogating expression patterns of known marker genes, scientists have discovered the strongest disease-associated changes in early pathological progression were highly cell-type specific.
27/6/2019
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By performing single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of 166,242 cells isolated from 21 individual organoids, scientists find that 95% of them have virtually indistinguishable compendium of cell types, showing that cellular diversity of the CNS does not require embryo context, and terminal cell identity establishment is highly constrained, emerging from diverse stem cell processes.​​
4/7/2019
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Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have traced a complete neural map of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. The simple nematode is made up of only around 1000 cells, making mapping out its synaptic connections much easier than with other organisms. The "connectome" is only of portions of the hermaphrodite worm, however, and the work continues.
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mage source from http://wormwiring.org/
11/7/2019
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B. W. Dulken et al. discovered that T cells can inhibit the proliferation of neural stem cells in co-cultures by secreting interferon-γ, through single-cell RNA sequencing of young and old neurogenic niches in mice.​​
18/7/2019
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A. S. Nam et al. used GoT (genotyping of transcriptomes) to profile 38,290 CD34+ cells from patients with CALR-mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms to study the effects of somatic mutations on human hematopoiesis. The unfolded proteins are a predominant outcome of CALR mutation, showing that transcriptional output of somatic mutations in myeloproliferative neoplasm is dependent on native cell identity.
25/7/2019
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Mice lacking the PINK1 protein, which is genetically linked to Parkinson's disease, show transient movement impairments. Accumulation of damaged mitochondria inside the cell as a result of PINK1 absence could be a key contributor to Parkinson's. Its limitation of cytokines and inflammatory responses could also damage the nervous system.
1/8/2019
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Memories of a singular event can be expressed in multiple ways, therefore, researchers seeking to edit human memory in hopes of alleviating emotional trauma should focus on intervention during either the consolidation or reconsolidation stages.
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8/8/2019​
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Cancer cells compete with normal cells for space as they proliferate. A gene which codes for a membrane protein called Flower has 2 variants, which determines if the cell wins or loses in a competition against other cells.
15/8/2019
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Potential new treatment for mesothelioma could take advantage of ferroptosis - a form of cell death. Cells with certain mutations in the Hippo signaling pathway could be killed this way, offering a new outlook on cancer.
22/8/2019
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Boreal forests soil contains carbon deposits that have accumulated over thousands of years, forest fires increase the risk of unearthing these sinks and releasing huge volumes of greenhouse gases into the air.
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29/8/2019
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Cancer cells that travel to a distant location can prompt normal neighbouring cells to form a tumor-promoting environment. A tool that identifies these normal cells can offer insight into this process.
5/9/2019
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An analysis shows that information flow between individuals in a social network can be "gerrymandered" to skew perceptions of how others in the community will vote, altering the outcome of elections.
12/9/2019
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Scientists at University of Oxford use crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of FluPolA from human influenza A/NT/60/1968 (H3N2) and avian influenza A/duck/Fujian/01/2002 (H5N1) viruses in the presence or absence of a cRNA or vRNA template.
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19/9/2019
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How cancer cells migrate to a secondary location and become anchored there is a poorly understood process; an analysis of mouse and human cancer cells shows that E-cadherin boosts the establishment of cancer at a second site.
26/9/2019
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Why brain tumors progress rapidly is unclear. New research shows that such cancer cells form synaptic connections with neurons uncovers an interactin that acelerates tumor growth and lethality.
3/10/2019
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University of Miami's research team discovers that several TRP channels are involved in colour-driven behavior in Drosophila, and show distinct pathways of innate colour preference that coordinate the behavioural dynamics of flies in medium light.
10/10/2019
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Scientists at Shanghai Cancer Institute show that by using in vivo mouse models of liver cancer, treatment of combined inhibition of CDC7 and mTOR shows a marked reduction of tumour growth.
17/10/2019
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The discovery of a signaling axis that connects nicotine responses in the brain with glucose metabolism by the pancreas sheds light on why cigarette smoking increases the risk of diabetes: nicotine activates nAChR proteins in neurons, leading to aversive responses in the amygdala; blood-sugar levels in turn inhibit nAChR-expressing neurons, deactivating aversive responses feedback loop in the process.
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24/10/2019
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Microorganisms in the gut influence fear-related learning. The results of a study that reveals some of the mechanistic underpinnings of this phenomenon promise more understanding of gut-brain communication.
31/10/2019
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Immunotherapy treatments harness CD8 T-cells of the immune system to kill tumour cells. The discovery that CD4 helper T-cells contribute to the success of this treatment may help advance future clinical trials.
23/1/2020
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Scientists call for transparency, open access and communication in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak. All publications will be shared among researchers, including genome sequences and virus samples.
6/2/2020
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Future projections of the pandemic could lead to between 46,000 and 190,000 cases in Wuhan. However, constant mutations in the virus's genome doesn't necessarily lead to more dire situations (since most mutations could be "muted" and have little to no effect). The fatality rate of the virus is now estimated around 2%-3%, significantly lower than SARS.
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13/2/2020
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In order to reduce the wet market for exotic animals, the Chinese government needs to enforce stricter regulations and prosecution measures. To prevent future outbreaks, inconsistencies in classifications of "endangered" or "wild" animals must be addressed.
20/2/2020
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Chinese researchers are now employing a variety of treatment methods - HIV drugs, stem cells, traditional medicines - to test for coronavirus treatment. In order to truly test the effectiveness of traditional medicine, steps and qualifications for recovery must be closely monitored, and all patients held to the same progress.
27/2/2020
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COVID-19 cases are surging outside of China. New cases are reported in Italy, South Korea, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Iran, and Bahrain. The WHO has not declared the outbreak a global pandemic.
5/3/2020
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WHO emphasizes containment of the coronavirus, now with cases reported in 70 countries. However, officials refrained from describing the situation as a "pandemic" - they reasoned the world is already on high alert, and there is still hope for containment if the infection slows in some countries.
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