A new study by chemists shows that X-ray crystallography, the standard method for determining the structure of proteins, can provide inaccurate information about membrane proteins, which in turn could lead to poor and inefficient drug design.
Read moreSome so-called pro-allergic environments strongly promote the development of asthma and are responsible for the dramatic increase in the prevalence of asthma, especially in industrialized countries. Researchers at the GIGA of the University of Liège have identified how all these pro-allergic environments act in the same way on the pulmonary immune system to induce the development of allergic asthma.
Read moreInfants with a high fever may be at increased risk for infections, according to new research.
Read moreAntibiotics are still the most important weapon for combatting bacterial infections. But medical science is running out of ''ammunition'' because of more and more frequently occurring resistances. Research teams have now elucidated the structure of the proteolytic complex ClpX-ClpP. This is a key to development of innovative antibiotics which target the degradation process of defective proteins in bacteria.
Read moreWhen it comes to repairing injured tissue, specialized cells in the body known as fibroblasts are called into action. Fibroblasts give rise to healing cells called myofibroblasts, which generally is good in the short term — but bad when myofibroblast activation gets out of hand. Now, researchers show how fibroblast activation and myofibroblast formation occurs, providing clues for how to target fibrosis — which impacts several chronic diseases.
Read moreResearch into the pathology of vaping-associated lung injury is in its early stages, but a study finds that lung injuries from vaping most likely are caused by direct toxicity or tissue damage from noxious chemical fumes.
Read moreTaking a low dose of the antibiotic azithromycin for 6 months reduces symptoms for patients with the chronic lung condition primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), according to new research.
Read moreThe Great Alaskan Earthquake of 1964 and the tsunamis it spawned may have washed a tropical fungus ashore, leading to a subsequent outbreak of often-fatal infections among people in coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest, according to a new article.
Read moreIn a proof-of-concept experiment, researchers say they have successfully used microscopic human-made particles to predict the severity of patients' chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by measuring how quickly the particles move through mucus samples. The technique, say the researchers, could eventually help doctors deliver more effective treatments sooner.
Read moreResearchers have devised a new way to rapidly image synaptic proteins at high resolution. Using fluorescent nucleic acid probes, they can label and image as many as 12 different proteins in neuronal samples containing thousands of synapses.
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