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Super-Rare ‘Hybrid’ Blood Type Discovered in Just 3 People

An investigation into why blood doesn’t always behave as doctors expect has revealed a super-rare mutation in an extremely uncommon variation of blood.

Testing more than 544,000 blood samples in a hospital in Thailand revealed three people carrying a never-before-seen version of the B(A) phenotype – a genetic quirk estimated to occur in about 0.00055 percent of people, or roughly one in 180,000.

This discovery, says a team led by hematologist Janejira Kittivorapart of Mahidol University in Thailand, suggests that there may be more rare blood variants out there, too subtle for standard testing to detect.

Scientists discover compounds that help cells fight a wide range of viruses

Researchers at MIT and other institutions have identified compounds that can fight off viral infection by activating a defense pathway inside host cells. These compounds, they believe, could be used as antiviral drugs that work against not just one but any kind of virus.

The researchers identified these compounds, which activate a host cell defense system known as the integrated stress response pathway, in a screen of nearly 400,000 molecules. In tests in human cells, the researchers showed that the compounds help cells fend off infection from RSV, herpes virus, and Zika virus. They also proved effective in combating herpes infection in a mouse model.

The research team now plans to test the compounds against additional viruses, in hopes of developing them for eventual clinical trials.

Scientists Discover Speech Trait That Foreshadows Cognitive Decline

Early signs of Alzheimer’s disease may be hidden in the way a person speaks, but it’s not yet clear which details of our diction are most critical for diagnosis.

A study from 2023 suggests that as we age, how we say something may matter more than what we say. Researchers at the University of Toronto think the pace of everyday speech may be a better indicator of cognitive decline than difficulty finding a word.

“Our results indicate that changes in general talking speed may reflect changes in the brain,” said cognitive neuroscientist Jed Meltzer when the research was published.

Metabolites produced in intestine play central role in controlling obesity and diabetes, study shows

A study conducted at Harvard University identified a group of metabolites that travel from the intestine to the liver and then to the heart, where they are pumped throughout the body. These metabolites play an important role in controlling metabolic pathways in the liver and insulin sensitivity. This discovery may contribute to future treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes. The results were published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

“The hepatic portal vein drains much of the blood from the intestine to the liver. Therefore, it’s the first place to receive products from the gut microbiome. In the liver, they can be conjugated, transformed, or eliminated, and then enter the systemic circulation,” explains Vitor Rosetto Muñoz, first author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at the Ribeirão Preto School of Physical Education and Sports at the University of São Paulo (EEFERP-USP) in Brazil.

“By analyzing the blood leaving the intestine and the peripheral blood circulating throughout the body, we were able to more accurately observe the enrichment of these metabolites derived from the gut microbiome in each location and, consequently, how they can modify hepatic metabolism and metabolic health,” adds Muñoz. He conducted this research during an internship at the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School under the supervision of researcher Carl Ronald Kahn.

New mutation hotspot discovered in human genome

Researchers have discovered new regions of the human genome particularly vulnerable to mutations. These altered stretches of DNA can be passed down to future generations and are important for how we study genetics and disease.

The regions are located at the starting point of genes, also known as transcription start sites. These are sequences where cellular machinery starts to copy DNA into RNA. The first 100 base pairs after a gene’s starting point are 35% more prone to mutations compared with what you’d expect by chance, according to the study published in Nature Communications.

“These sequences are extremely prone to mutations and rank among the most functionally important regions in the entire human genome, together with protein-coding sequences,” explains Dr. Donate Weghorn, corresponding author of the study and researcher at the Center for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona.

X-Ray Imaging Uncovers Hidden Structures in Liquid-Metal-Grown Crystals

The delicate internal structure of platinum crystals growing in liquid metal has been revealed, according to new research employing a powerful X-ray technique that reveals new implications for quantum computing.

UNSW Professor Kourosh Kalantar-Zadeh, with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), led the study, which was reported in a recent paper in Nature Communications. The team behind the project has a history of specializing in exploiting liquid metals to produce new materials and green catalysts that improve industrial chemical reactions.

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